A Decade of Dreams Bearing Fruit
I’m so excited! If you live in the Tucson area and choose to read this, I believe you will be too! And if you live somewhere else, you’ll want to know that such a project is possible!
A Decade-long Dream
For at least a decade, back when I was the Church Domain Director at 4Tucson, we identified the need for a citywide database/directory, a way of finding out strengths God had already built in other parts of the Body of Christ in our area… that didn’t depend on one person’s memory! I had the privilege (still do!) of building relationships with hundreds of congregations and Christian ministries, and would often feel like a human rolodex. For you youngsters who’ve never heard of a rolodex, think Google on index cards…
We’ve needed forever a mechanism where individuals, congregations and nonprofits could easily connect to other parts of the Church in Tucson directly, without the need for a human middleman limited by time, capacity, and memory. Introducing… drumroll, please…
The Phase One Beta Rollout of a Greater Tucson City-Church Directory
J17 Ministries hired Jennifer Dellerman (see next section) in June of 2025 to begin developing this user-accessible database. Christians in every city everywhere who desire greater unity and collaboration have felt this need, so we found a ministry designed to meet-the-need, and are benefitting from their partnership and expertise. Questions like:
What Christian Churches are in my area, and what are their strengths?
Who has a strong ministry in the area of ______ (college age, seniors, recovery, food bank, etc)?
How do I help this person seeking something my church/ministry doesn’t have?
Phase One is a listing of most of the congregations we’re relationally connected to. Is it complete? Hardly! Phase Two will add in nonprofits. Future phases will seek to connect more strengths throughout the Body of Christ. Our hope is that this becomes a valuable tool for the Church of Tucson - it’s not a program owned by a single ministry, but by all of us.
How You Can Help
We’ve field tested it with a few congregations, but now it’s time to open it up to our trusted partners and readers here.
You get the first look at this beta release - nowhere close to complete!
Your feedback will help correct missing or inaccurate information.
You can also help us understand better how different users might interact with the directory, and what would make that easier and more helpful.
We Want to Hear From YOU!
Send all ideas, corrections, questions, etc. to Jennifer
Confirm/update your congregation’s information. (A tip regarding the directory, don’t hit enter if you use the search field. As you type, any corresponding organizations will begin to populate the listing.)
Share the link with others around the Tucson metro area. The more the merrier. It can also be found on our website under Programs.
Coming Soon!
A person doesn’t have to even know who Jesus is to recognize that we’re better together. How much better can we be? Let’s find out! Every updated line of data will literally represent future partnerships and changed lives.
When together we’re sensing that it’s time to roll it out for public use, churches and organizations will literally be able to add the link to their website. We’ll be adding nonprofit information soon as well.
From ~2016 to ~2033
The ministry that developed Meet the Need began working on this tool ten ???? years ago. Jennifer has been working on it for the last year. Imagine how useful it will be as we approach the 2000th anniversary of Jesus’ resurrection and beyond.
Whose job is it to unite the Body of Christ for a divided world? Every single one of us!
Dave Drum,
Founder, J17 Ministries
MEET THE TEAM
Name and Role with J17 Ministries: Jennifer Dellerman, City Networks Specialist
About: Jennifer is driven by a simple but powerful mission: glorifying God by designing systems and processes that help people reach their goals. Armed with degrees in Criminal Justice and Organizational Management, she spent nearly two decades in the construction industry before bringing that same problem-solving energy to the nonprofit sector.
For the past 11 years, she has poured her talents into organizations like 4Tucson, City Leaders Collective, J17 Ministries, Via de Dios, and Fresh Start International.
What do you enjoy in your free time?: She is a voracious reader with no genre off-limits.
What drew you to be part of Jesus' Prayer in John 17?: Jennifer has always believed the Church functions best when it moves as one — and that a divided Body struggles to reflect the love and character of God to a hurting world. Discovering J17's mission felt less like finding an organization and more like finding her people.
What does unity in the Body of Christ mean to you personally?: Disunity breeds dysfunction and ultimately obscures the love of God from a world that desperately needs to see it. That's exactly why she wholeheartedly champions J17's mission to unite the Body of Christ for a divided world.
Favorite Scripture or life verse: "Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58)
Favorite snack, or “go-to” treat: Frozen custard is a favorite, but that's more of luxury. For a "go-to", bring on the red licorice and Oreo's with double stuff!
