Pastoral Honoring Ceremony

Introduction

Good Morning and thank you for being with us this morning as we celebrate 81 years of what God has done here in our church.

Krista and I arrived here in the middle of October 2017

and over the last 7 years we have come to love this church body, both present and past.

God has established through Freedom Church, formerly cooley avenue church of God, Formerly East 55th stree church of god, a lasting work that has had far reaching fruit.

noth nationally and internationally

and we are blessed to be a part of this amazing move of god.

Honoring Our Heritage

this morning we want to take a couple of moments to honor the men and women who have come before us and lead this great church during thiere own seasons of minsitry.

These men and women laid the foundation for this church brick by brick, member by member, sermon by sermon

and No dougbt this body is who they are today because of thier sacrifice, sweat, prayer and obidience to anwser the call of God in thier lives.

We are honored that some of these are with us today.

Many of them have gone on to be with the lord so we have a couple of family members standing in to receive our grattitude on thier loved onces behalf.

And some of we were not able find members of their family but we want to honor them and extend our grattiude anyways.

1942

in 1942 sister hoffman sent a letter to the church of god in cleveland, Tenn inquiring about a church in the cleveland, ohio.

A Copy of this letter hangs in our heritage corner today

The General Overseerer at that time wrote back and informed sister hoffman that no church of god existed in cleveland.

But if she was able to procure a building for the body then the church would send a pastor.

1943

In 1943, the first pastor was sent.

His name was J. A. Lewis

He stayed around a year and helped to establish the first congregation on the east side of cleveland.

1944

in 1944 Pastor Lewis was replaced by another short term pastor names Reverand Patterson

He also stayed about a year and helped to further build the church.

1945

In 1945 the first long term pastorate was established under Pastor William Roy and Edna Marcum

Under His leadership the church body was known first as the east 55th Street Church of God

Later in his tenior the lord would open a door for the body to purchase the current property that we are in today and to build the current sanctuary we are in now.

The body was known as the Cooley Avenue Church of God

and Pastor Marcu would stay for 27 years and pastor its members.

Rick and Pam

Pastor marcum has long since gone on to be with the lord

but today, on behalf the family, rick and pam noel are with us.

The noels are related to the marcums.

and today they are here to receive this letter of gratitude and thanks on his behalf.

1972

In 1972 Pastor Marcum departed from the church and a new pastoral couple was appointed

They were A.W. and Betty Ellington

The ellingtons pastored the church for a few years before pastor ellington grew sick

and in 1978 passed away.

We were not able to locate a member of the ellington family in time for this service

but we are greatful non the less for thier contributions and sacrifices during thier ministry

1978

After the passing of Pastor Ellington, Pastors Robert and Lee Kinkaid were appointed to lead the church.

Pastor and sister kincaid faithfuly and boldly served the church for aproxamatly 19 years.

During this time the lord moved in great way in many facets of the ministry

Poeple, who are still with us today, were won to the lord

Leaders were birthed and developed

As with the pastors who went before him, churches were birthed

the Poroit center was purchased, remodeled and completed.

and much more

The kincaids served the church unil brother kincaids passing and in 1997

Robert

today, Robert kincaid Junior, the kincaids son, is with us to receive this letter of grattitude and thanks on behalf of the church.

1997

After pastor Kincaid Passing Pastors Randy and Tammy Johnson were appointed to lead the congregration

Pastor Johnson was no stranger to this body of believers

Pastor Johnson served the body for 10 years as a full time assosciate pastor

and many other in a volunteer capacity.

during the Johnsons pastorate the body coninued to grow and reach the community of cleveland.

they pastored until 2003 when they transitioned to florida for other minstry oppurtunities

Terri

Terri Erhman, Tammys sister

is with us today to receive this letter of thanks and gattitude on behalf of the johnsons.

2003

After the Johnsons, Pastors rich and angel boll were appointed to the position of pastors.

Under the bolls, this body thrived.

they grew in many different ways, expereincing exponetial growth at times.

Many pastors were trained and sent..

Other properties were purchased and added to the campus

Pastor boll served both the youth board and the state council for the church of god in ohio at many times

He chaired both at various times as well.

he aslo was given oppurtunity to preach many other church of god events in other states and areas.

The church grew and was well.

Pator Rich and Angels were faithful to the role as pastors here until the lord called them to transition in 2017.

Currently

currently they serve as the lead pastors for the wilmington Church of God in Wilmington Ohio

The church body there is thriving and growing exponetially as well.

They have started many outreach ministries in an area not much different from this one.

and they have seen many come to jesus.

Today, We honor them as well with this letter of appreciation and gratitude.

Can we show all of these families how much we love and appreciate them and the foundaiton they have helped establish for our church?

Others

I would be remiss If i didnt take a moment honor all of the layity and staff that have callled freedom thier home and asignment through the years.

The numbers are many.

Some are here today.

I wont begin to mention people as I know I would miss many.

But we want to thank and honor you.

If it wasnt for you these men and women on the stage would not have been able to accomplish all that they were.

your faithfulness has made kingdom ministry possible.

Past

I also want us to take a moment and remember all of those who have gone on to be with the lord.

in my last 7 years, we have burried many.

but I know the men on this stage burried many dear saints before me as well.

and we want to honor thier memory this morning.

To celebrate that they have finished their race as well

and remember the beautiful hope we have in christ that one day we who are alive will again be reutnited with them.

Closing

I want to remind us this morning that freedom church is who it is today, in part, because of the foundations that have been laid by those who have gone before us.

We stand on your shoulders

and we just wanted to take a moment this morning

pause and say thank you for what you have done

and we love you.

One last time can we show them how much we love them?