Rev. Deanna Self-Price,                                                                               pastor@shepherdofthehills.org

Senior Pastor 

    The Rev. Deanna Self-Price grew up in North Canton, Ohio.  She graduated from Ohio State University with a degree in English.  Discovering a call into ministry, she served on several church staffs in the West Ohio Annual Conference as a professional church lay-worker.  Her field of expertise at the time included: youth and young adult ministry, Christian Education and Outreach ministry.  She was responsible for several mission trips, retreats and study groups. In 1984 Rev. Deanna entered seminary at Methodist Theological School in Ohio to study for pastoral ministry.  While at seminary she met her husband, the Rev. Paul Self-Price.  They were married the following year.  The Self-Price's have one daughter who is currently a senior in high school.  Upon graduation in 1988, the Self-Prices left Ohio to serve churches in the Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference.  She has served in a variety of settings from small member churches to large metropolitan and suburban churches.  In 2006, the Self-Prices were invited by Bishop Minerva Carcaño to serve in the Desert Southwest Conference.  Rev. Deanna was appointed as Senior Pastor at North Scottsdale UMC.  Rev. Deanna came to Shepherd of the Hills UMC July 1, 2011 and brings with her a wealth of experience and faith-filled leadership.

Rev. N. Susan Brims,                                                                       associatepastor@shepherdofthehills.org

Associate Pastor

    Rev. Susan Brims joined Shepherd of the Hills as Associate Pastor on July 1, 2006. Rev. Brims served as the Executive Associate Pastor at the Green Valley UMC in Henderson, Nevada.  Prior to that, she served as Senior Pastor of the First UMC in Sun City, Arizona. Susan has served several other appointments in our Conference including appointments in Phoenix, Mesa, the Willowbrook UMC in Sun City, and in Kingman, Arizona.  Rev. Brims has considerable experience as a Pastor and is well known for her gifts in administration, pastoral care, preaching and teaching. She has had additional training and experience in pastoral counseling, family systems work, and conflict resolution. She has served well in retirement community churches and understands the needs and concerns of a senior population. 

Rev. Dr. James Bonsell,                                                                     careteam@shepherdofthehills.org

Director of Care Ministries and Pastoral Counselor

   Rev. Dr. James C. Bonsell joined the Shepherd of the Hills UMC pastoral staff as an Associate Pastor effective July 1, 2006.  Rev. Dr. Bonsell came to us from the Millersburg First UMC in Millersburg, Pennsylvania where he served as Senior Pastor. He has completed over 35 years as a Methodist minister in the Western and Central Pennsylvania Conferences where he served as Conference Mission Secretary and a member of the District Board of Ministry.  At Shepherd of the Hills UMC, Rev. Dr. Bonsell assumed the role of Care Team Director. Rev. Dr. Bonsell is an experienced and well-qualified pastor in many functional ministries of the Church. He is well noted for his talents and skills in Pastoral Counseling, Care Ministry, and Membership Growth. Jim and his wife, Ann, have two sons, a daughter and five grandchildren.

Mrs. Esther Vallet, RN                                                                      parishnurse@shepherdofthehills.org
Parish Nurse 
   Esther Vallet, RN, has been the Parish Nurse at Shepherd of the Hills since early 1998 under a contract with Sun Health. She is an integral part of our Care Ministry Program serving members as health educator, personal health counselor, volunteer health group facilitator, healthcare system advocate, congregation and community health resources counselor, and spiritual caregiver.

Ms. Dolores McCaslin                                                                       assistant@shepherdofthehills.org

Assistant to the Pastors

   Dolores McCaslin, our Assistant to The Pastors, completed Lay Ministry Certification at Cook College and Theological School.  Before coming to SHUMC she was instrumental in the Prayer Ministry at Faith Presbyterian Church in Sun City, AZ.  Dolores serves in our Care Ministry and is liaison to our Stephen Ministry Program. In addition, she is our Visitation Coordinator for potential new members.  She presently serves at Del E Webb Hospital as a Chaplain, and is currently working on her certification as a Laughter Leader.  Dolores retired from the Postal Service and went to Kuwait to serve as a Recreation and Morale Specialist for our troops.  She was raised in Kentucky, has three sisters and two grown sons.