Local Churches Doing Missions: Coloma, Michigan
There are many local churches in the Church of God that have outstanding missions programs. These churches come in all sizes, are from different states, and have varied programs. However, each church has a passionate heart for missions. Church of God World Missions wants to showcase these churches as examples to show how they are being blessed as they reach out to others. World Missions will periodically feature local churches and their missions program.
Living Word Church of God in Coloma, Michigan is around a hundred member church with a heart for missions. Pastor Windle Davis says the one word that would best describe his church is “Emerging”. “We are a modern/traditional church with aggressive worship and strong in prayer,” says Davis.
Since becoming pastor of Living Word, Davis has put together a missions board for his church with passionate, missions-minded church members being involved.
Each year a World Missions Conference is held in the fall. The most recent guest speaker was General Director, Douglas LeRoy. This event is typically a three day event in which a missions guest comes to address the church followed by a special dinner or lunch.
Currently Living Word supports the ministry of People for Care and Learning and four other missionaries – Dennis and Vanna Tanner, missionaries to Scotland; Jason and Valeriia Wiser, missionaries to Ukraine; Julie Martinez, missionary to Cambodia; and Carol Knight, a missionary from their own congregation.
The congregation of Living Word has been involved in several short-term missionary trips with Men and Women of Action and as of late People for Care and Learning. Their most recent trip was to Cambodia where they took 16 suitcases of toys and candy to the street children.
The youth of this church have gotten involved with missions as well by raising money for YWEA and recently they raised funs to buy an SUV for Bishop Roberto Suarez, Overseer of Bolivia.
The first Sunday of every month is designated Missions Sunday to remind the congregation of their faith promises. A member of the missions board opens the service with a mission based devotion and occasionally a missions video is shown. “We try to keep missions in front of the congregation with a missions display. We put out letters from our different missionaries and the needs they have. We also have a very large world map on the back wall of the sanctuary we are planning to decorate with missions material,” says Davis.
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Terrah Brinson, Media Specialist
© 2010 Church of God World Missions
