Hi! My name is Rev. Fred C. Baum.  I am the Pastor of Vista Church. I started here in 2015 and pray I can serve here until I retire. I spent my childhood in the forests of Arizona and New Mexico.  My dad was a Forest Ranger and we moved often while growing up. I inherited my dad’s love for the outdoors and have spent much time hunting, fishing and hiking. Today, in the early mornings and late in the evenings I walk with God in prayer, enjoying the beauty of His creation. I have a Master of Theology degree from Perkins School of Theology in Dallas Texas. My emphasis was evangelism. My undergraduate degree is in Anthropology/Archaeology from the University of Arizona. I was studying to be a Biblical Archaeologist, but God had other plans. My theology could be described as traditional and orthodox.  I preach from no other text than the Bible. I have served 3 churches before being appointed to Vista Church.  I was the Children’s and Youth Pastor at Kavanaugh UMC in Greenville Texas for 3 years.  I served at First UMC of Mesa Arizona for 21 years, again working with children, youth and young adults.  I went on to serve at Christ Church UM for 10 years as Senior Pastor. I have been in full time ordained ministry for 37 years. My loving wife is Deede.  We have been married for 37 and have 3 children and 2 grandchildren.  We are very blessed in that my middle daughter Amy and her husband Austin and their two children Ivy and Roman live here in Tucson.  My son Kevin also lives here in Tucson about a mile from our home. My oldest daughter Sarah lives in Mesa where she teaches honors English and solves computer problems for the teaching staff at her school.  My 94 year old mom lives in assisted living here in Tucson. We all love Jesus and are honored to be able to serve wherever God has called.

Marshall was born in Wichita, Kansas, into a Christian home with a strong belief in the importance of the church. Marshall attended Anderson University, studying church music. After college, Marshall spent several years as a recording engineer and producer/arranger, working in a studio owned by gospel singer/song-writer Bill Gaither. In 1978 he returned to Wichita to assist his father in the family’s aircraft parts manufacturing business. Also that year he started a church music magazine called “Creator,” which grew over the next 20 years to have 5,000 subscribers in all 50 states and representing every Christian denomination. In 1998 the magazine was sold so he could better focus his church music career

In 1979 he was offered a staff position at the Crystal Cathedral with Robert Schuller. There Marshall started a youth orchestra and choir with more than 150 high school students. He has always considered it one of the greatest achievements of his life. Later Marshall returned to Wichita to help his father sell his aircraft business. Now back in Wichita, he was soon asked to become the music director at his home church where he stayed until the mid-80s. Creator Magazine continued to grow and eventually required full time attention. His parents had retired to Columbus, Ohio, and Marshall also moved there and began participating as a volunteer in a growing church music program led by his brother-in-law, Lloyd Larson, who is now one of church music’s most prolific composers. In 1985, Marshall took his magazine business to Tucson, AZ. Long story. There he met his wife Teresa and eventually became the music director at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church. It was during that time that the magazine was sold and he added two additional churches to his Sunday schedule. In 1995, he was offered a full-time position at St. Andrew’s and had to say goodbye to the other two churches. In 2008, Marshall left St. Andrew’s and became part-time music director here at Vista. He has always said that Vista’s choir is one of the most skillful and committed choirs of his career. Working at Vista and assisting the pastor with worship planning continues to bring him and Teresa great joy.

Marshall has two children. Ben, who is 43, lives in Tucson with his wife, Julie and works as an engineer with a local construction company. Marshall and his wife, Teresa, have a daughter, Lexi, who has graduated high school and is about to attend Pima College. Lexi has completed writing her first, full-length fantasy/fiction novel. Teresa assists at Vista with the technical systems and builds all the slide presentations for worship.