“First Church” refers to me as “Pastor Mike” or “Rev”.
In 1986, Trish and I became faithful believers in Christ and over the next 35 years, Hebrews 10:24-25 connected with us.
24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
We both have been gifted by God in the area of servanthood. We have three children and six grandchildren. When our children were in high school, all three of them decided to claim Christ as their Lord and Savior and are passing this gift of Christ down to their children.
For 35 years, God put it on my heart to get into some kind of ministry and that led me to be active in mission work, scouting, and Special Olympics. In 2010, God started grooming me for becoming a pastor.
One of my favorite verses comes from Mark 12:30-31
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
God began this work in me by first putting it on my heart to do an in-depth study of prayer and all the different forms of prayer. This was how God taught me how to know His voice.
Then God laid it on my heart to start an ecumenical (interdenominational) ministry called “His Helpers”. It began as a small group of 8-9 people from different churches, and we met every Monday night for dinner at Farmer Boy restaurant. The purpose of this small group was to talk about people who need physical help at their homes and then go help them. It didn’t matter if they belonged to a church or not. This was our way of demonstrating “loving our neighbor”.
In the fall of 2020, I began praying daily with Jim, a friend who I met through His Helpers. Because God is contagious, Jim began his own ministry at First EC Church in Akron and dedicated it to his sister Donna. It’s called “Living Water” and if you would like to learn more about it, click the Living Water button on our website.
During our prayer time, because Jim is a member at First EC Church and because their pastor was retiring at the end of December, Jim asked for prayer that God would bring a new pastor to them. I said absolutely and followed that by saying, “What about me?”
Because I wasn’t a “qualified” pastor, I never expected anything to come of it. About a month later, Jim asked me if I would be willing to come and share a 15-minute message at their next board meeting. After that board meeting, I was asked if I would be willing to be a guest speaker for four weeks in January.
I continued as a guest speaking in February and that led to March. The rest is history, and I’m proof that “God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called”.
I did agree to study for three years at the ICL (Institute for Church learning) and in May of 2025, my formal studies will be completed. Feeling God’s love, God’s mercy, and God’s grace is so amazing. Applying scriptures to our daily lives and having an intimate relationship with Jesus is my message.
As the pastor of First EC Church in Firestone Park, I encourage people to face life through prayer, scripture, and Christian fellowship. We have tremendous opportunities available for people who would like to help us build additional ministries at the church.
Pastor Mike
Randy serves as the Bishop of the Evangelical Congregational Church. The biblical meaning of “bishop” means one who oversees. Randy gives spiritual oversight and practical direction to our family of EC Churches here in the United States and around the world. Prior to being elected Bishop, he served as the Executive Director of Global Ministries overseeing mission workers and the development of international churches in Japan, India, Nepal, Mexico, Liberia, and Costa Rica.
In this context he has organized leadership development opportunities and has preached in many countries in various venues. Closer to home, Randy has been involved in the local church in pastoring, church planting, mergers of congregations, building projects and relocations.
Randy and Carla have been married 36 years and have devoted their lives to serve God’s Church together in as many ways as possible. Randy and Carla currently live in Lebanon, Pennsylvania and enjoy walking, bicycling, disc golf and sharing their lives with others. Their son, Caleb and his wife Kat live in Aurora Colorado and their daughter Leah lives and teaches elementary school in Homer, Alaska.