Pastor James McComas

Rev. James McComas Senior Pastor	I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Saviour as a six year old boy on a Friday night of Vacation Bible School in the Summer of 1975 at the Grace Brethern Church in Wooster, Ohio. I was baptized by my Uncle, Dr. Kenny McComas, at the Calvary Baptist Church in Rittman, Ohio in 1976. Sometime in 1977, at the age of eight, I surrendered to the call of God on my life to preach the Gospel. As a third grade boy of nine years old, in a Chapel Service at the Christian School I attended in Wadsworth, Ohio, I preached my first sermon. (It was on Noah and the Ark, and it lasted five minutes. I can't get any of my church members to believe that I EVER preached a message that lasted only five minutes!) God led me to Canaan Free Will Baptist Church (at that time Sterling Free Will Baptist Church) in 1988. I became interim Pastor in November of 1992, and was officially installed as Pastor in January of 1993. I have certainly not always been what I should have been, but the Lord has been all that He promised He would be, and so much more! I am humbled and grateful for the opportunity to service God in some small way, and am thrilled to be the Pastor of such a wonderful group of people that we have at Canaan. I have always said, and I truly feel, that we have the best bunch of folks in the whole wide world!
Rev. Ralph Griffith Nursing Home Ministry	I was saved in 1957 and I served the Lord for a while, then I got out of the will of the Lord. In 1967, I rededicated my life to the Lord. In 1968, I announced my calling to preach the Gospel. In 1970, I started to pastor a small church. I have pastored and evangelized ever since. Now I am currently involved in the nursing home ministry. A ministry that is very dear to my heart and a great work of the Lord. If ever there is a time that people need ministered to is in the golden years. So as long as I am able to minister and witness for the Lord, I will minister to the sick, elderly and the people that are unable to attend a church.
Rev. Larry Keener Discipleship Ministry	I was saved on Easter Sunday 1979 at Rittman FWB Church. God called me into the ministry in 1981. I preached my first sermon on Dec. 27, 1981 and have tried to be a faithful servant through the years. Due to my lack of Biblical knowledge at the time I was saved I decided to take classes. I received a diploma in General Bible for Liberty Home Bible Institute in Nov. 1983. Through the years I have served as Adult and Young Adult Sunday School teacher, Assistant Pastor and Pastor at Rittman FWB Church. I have been in different Gospel groups ministering in song. After leaving the Rittman Church God led me to Sterling FWB (Canaan as it is known now) in 1993. I have been here helping any way I can. I still go help other churches when they need a preacher. In September, I completed the lessons and seminars for the Institute of Pastoral Counseling offered by Emerge Ministries. The time I have left I want to continue to serve God and enjoy life with my wife Vivian, who has been a blessing to me for over 30 years.
Rev. Larry Rickey Soul Winning Ministry	I was born on January 18, 1948 in Wyoming County, West Virginia. I was saved in June of 1959 and I rededicated my life to God in June of 1976. I surrendered to preach Easter Sunday of 1990. There are two stories in the Bible that have influenced my life more than any other! Both of them are about women. The first story is from the Old Testament, in the book of 1^st Kings Chapter 17. The widow in the story did what God told her to do in her time of greatest need and by doing so, she and her sons needs were met. Her barrel never ran dry! And I can truly say, God has never let my barrel run dry! The second story is found in the New Testament. It is the one Jesus uses to teach. It is found in Mark 12:42-44. This women gave two mites, all she had, but it was still more than all the rest. Why? Because she gave from her heart. This has taught me that it does not matter what we give, but how we give, from the heart. May you learn as I have, that we must give of our time, our talents, and our money from the hearts that is full of love to a God who first loved us! May God bless each of you!
Rev. Paul Daniels Canaan Silvers Ministry