Ministry Team
The staff at Mission Grove Church is a group of passionate leaders dedicated to helping every man, woman, and child experience Jesus. Each team member brings unique gifts and experiences, but together we share a heart for serving our community and making church feel like home.
Jon Kragel
jkragel@missiongrovechurch.com
Lead Pastor
Simply put… I LOVE JESUS! God has changed my life, and I plan on spending the rest of my time here on earth helping others connect to Him. My passion in ministry is for preaching, vision casting, and developing leaders. I am so humbled and grateful to be married to my best friend, Samantha, and together we have three crazy and creative children: Jackson, Carter, and Chloe. I’ve had the privilege to serve in ministry for 20 years, and my favorite part is seeing people’s lives change through connecting with Jesus. I graduated from Cedarville University, earned a Masters of Divinity from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, and my Doctorate of Ministry from Phoenix Seminary. I love family time, sports, movies, and trips to California. Our family is truly excited to see how God is going to work in and through Mission Grove Church to reach the Phoenix Valley for Christ, and our prayer is that you’ll join our movement to make a difference in our community.
Curt Weber
cweber@missiongrovechurch.com
Associate Pastor
Jill and I have been married since 1992 and are blessed with three wonderful children: Ashley, Harrison, and Katie. We owned and operated a residential construction company for twenty years. However, in 2012, I began my calling into vocational ministry. Together, we’ve had the blessing of serving in various areas of ministry, including children’s, discipleship, evangelism, family, and hospitality. Additionally, I’ve served in men’s, marriage, parenting, and group ministries, serving both as a lay leader and a pastor. I received a Masters of Divinity in Biblical Communication from Phoenix Seminary. God has called me to shepherd and teach His people to know Him and to follow Him. I love helping the saints grow into Christlikeness and equipping them to do the work of the ministry. I am profoundly grateful to be part of what the Lord is doing at Mission Grove and beyond. I eagerly anticipate witnessing His transformative grace in and through our church community for His glory.
Brandon Jackson
bjackson@missiongrovechurch.com
Worship Director
My name is Brandon and I love the Lord and have experienced His grace in my life in a way that has forever changed me. I’m so glad you took some time to get to know our team. My name is Brandon and I love the Lord and have experienced His grace in my life in a way that has forever changed me. I have my struggles and I get tired, but I have tasted a glimpse of the Lord’s goodness – and there’s no turning back from that. I studied worship and music at Arizona Christian University for my undergrad because I became excited about Jesus and music when it was time for me to “leave the nest”. What I didn’t know was how much more deeply I would learn about the tangible fruit of God’s character in my own personal life through both study and experience. I learned how to live a life with God, which is a life of worship. They’re one in the same, and I would love for the fruit of my life with Jesus to be very present in every aspect of the work I do at Mission Grove. My goal is to show people that there is a real life to be had with our Savior, not just words on a page or a service on our calendar. Please come talk to me!! While I do love good music, walking through life with God’s church is where I find my love for where God has me. Music is one of God’s greatest gifts to allow us to express what we couldn’t with normal words. So let’s learn more about God together and respond in a meaningful way that recognizes the weight of His glory!
Wendi McKay
wmckay@missiongrovechurch.com
Greeter, Hospitality & Grove Gals Coordinator
My husband, Greg, and I have been married for over 20 years, and not a day goes by that we aren’t blessed, humbled, and honored to get to raise our four active and creative children – Grace, Ally, Justin, and Rachel.They keep us busy, laughing, and loving. I have had the pleasure of serving in various roles within women’s ministry over the past seven year, and most recently, was a volunteer CarePortal coordinator that helped facilitate churches meeting children’s and family needs through the AZ foster care system. Prior to that, I had a 15 year career as a Phoenix Fire Firefighter and Paramedic. I love to get to know people well, serve others, and see people and lives transformed by their understanding of who they are through the love of Jesus.
We love our church family! Come discover a place that truly loves and supports people, serves the community, and exists to know, make known, and glorify Jesus – because He first loved us. Welcome to Mission Grove Church!
Holly Holmes
hholmes@missiongrovechurch.com
Children’s Director
“Raising Our Kids In Christ Together”. I feel like our Mission Grove Kids tagline speaks well to my heart. I truly believe it takes a village to raise these short people. My husband, Lance, and I have been married since 2010, and we have the absolute joy of raising two really cool kiddos; Corinne and Elijah, who are also learning what it means to serve The Lord. I couldn’t be prouder of them. It is a blast to watch them grow and learn as individuals.
My goal is to raise not only my children with the truth of Jesus but to be a light to all the children God places in my path. I know that He is the strongest foundation they will ever need because He is the strongest foundation I have always needed. I worked as a Project Manager in commercial construction for almost sixteen years. I couldn’t see myself having any other career, but when God was nudging me to Homeschool my children and then to lead the children’s ministry of Grove Kids, I now can’t see myself doing anything else. My cup truly overflows. My prayer for our families is that they may “grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, that they may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God, because He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen!” (Ephesians 3)
Edwina Starke
estarke@missiongrovechurch.com
Administrative & Creative Director
Originally, when setting out to pursue the dream of becoming an architect, I found myself on an unexpected path when I was introduced to the Lord by a college sweetheart.
This encounter led to a marriage blessed with three wonderful children. Sadly our paths diverged, but three years later, I found love and companionship anew when I met Mike, whom I married in 2007. Together, we continue to navigate life’s joys and challenges, grounded in our shared faith and commitment to the Lord.
On this unexpected detour, I discovered that God’s hand was guiding me all along, using my design skills in ways I never anticipated. Now, as Administrative and Creative Director at Mission Grove Church, I find myself utilizing those same creative talents to serve a higher purpose. From managing day-to-day operations to infusing our communication with visually engaging artwork, I am humbled by the opportunity to contribute to our community in ways that transcend the blueprint of my original dreams.
Our Elders
Under the leadership of Jesus Christ, Mission Grove Church is overseen by a dedicated group of local elders who generously offer their time and extend their support to the church’s pastoral team and staff. Their foremost duty is to discern God’s vision for our congregation, uphold the highest standards of financial and policy integrity, and offer prayerful support to the members of our church community. The Board is blessed with diverse spiritual gifts, enabling them to carry out their responsibilities with competence and unwavering integrity. They operate within a framework of accountability and make decisions through a collective process that prioritizes consensus and wise judgment. If you need to contact our Elders, please feel free to email them at elders@missiongrovechurch.com. Our current elder board includes the following members: Jon Kragel, Jared Evenson, and Jeff Sounart.