Living Water Church Celebration – Note from the District Supt.
Friends, I am pleased to announce to you that a wonderful celebration took place yesterday in Morris, Illinois, as we formally organized the Living Water Church of the Nazarene, with 47 charter members, and Pastor Steve Cook as pastor/church planter.
Living Water is the only Church of the Nazarene in Grundy County, Illinois, and Morris is the county seat, with a population of 12,000. In 1944 the Nazarenes organized a church in Morris with six charter members. Its ministry continued until 2000, when it became obvious that a different vision, leadership and approach to ministry were going to be needed for the new century. The church was declared inactive in 2000 but Morris always remained on our list of target sites for the start of a new church. We waited for the Lord to indicate the right timing, the right church planter, the right mother church, and the right approach. About three years ago, conversations began to take place between district superintendents and pastors of the Chicago Central and Northwest Illinois districts. We agreed that we both had churches close to Morris that could encourage and contribute to a new church plant. From Ottawa First Church, on the Northwest Illinois District, came the church planters, Steve and Marianne Cook, with the blessings of Pastor Brian Wangler. Steve and Marianne had formerly been members of the CCD. On the Chicago Central District, Joliet First Church and Pastor Mike Day took on the responsibility of the mother church. Pastor Kevin Ulmet provided direction in the NewStart processes that were adopted for the project. The DS and District Advisory Board have given guidance and encouragement along the way, as well as returning half of Joliet First Church’s district apportionment to them for this church plant. During the three year period, the new congregation made several moves between facilities (strip malls, high school auditoriums, rented church buildings) and now are leasing a beautifully renovated space that is shared by several community outreach ministries. I wish you all could have experienced first-hand the wonderful spirit of celebration of God’s faithfulness yesterday. As Pastor Steve reminded us all… “To God be all the glory!”
With the organization of this new church in Morris, we will be formally “disorganizing” the inactive Morris First Church, and we commission Living Water with the primary responsibility for communicating the holiness message throughout Morris and Grundy County, seeking life transformation and community transformation through every means possible.
Pastor Steve and MaryAnn, our congratulations to you! A job well done. And the best is yet come. You can count on the prayers and support of the district family.
Blessings,
Brian E. Wilson
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Congratulations! We love Steve and MaryAnn. May God continue to increase His church through their efforts and the congregation of Living Water.
-Kristin
Comment by Kristin Ruther — April 16, 2010 @ 5:26 pm
Congratulations and God’s blessings to you for your new church start. I found out about you because we are also Living Water Church of the Nazarene (suburb of Richmond, VA). Somehow Facebook saw us as the same as you-obviously with the same name. I hope this does not present a problem. I will have our technical person make some correction on Facebook to distinguish us in that respect. However, with respect to bringing God’s gospel and the holiness doctrine there is no difference!
Be blessed,
Gary Narron Sr. Pastor
Living Water COTN
Richmond, VA
Comment by Gary Narron — April 29, 2010 @ 10:00 am