Alliance Bible Church Welcomes Pastor Ritch Grimes and Family

            After months of prayer and preparation Alliance Bible Church welcomes Pastor Ritch Grimes and his wife Judy, son CJ, and daughter Stephanie to Stillwater.  This Sunday, Jan 21, Pastor Grimes will preach at 10:45 AM.  Then on Feb 11 at 4:00 PM will be the installation service hosted by District Superintendent Mark Searing and including the family, church family, and other ministers from the District and area. Sunday meetings are at Highland Park Elementary School, 3rd and Stallard, since the sale of the previous building and purchase of property for a future building.

            Pastor Grimes states his ministry objective is "to serve as a pastor in a dynamic Christ-exalting, community-focused church that seeks to forcefully advance the kingdom of God through biblically-based, culturally relevant means and ways and understands and is willing to pay the price in order to see it become a reality."

            Pastor Grimes was ordained in the Christian and Missionary Alliance in 1996. He previously earned his B. A. in Bible and Theology at Toccoa Falls College and then his M. Div. in North American Ministries at Alliance Theological Seminary. He has served in various church leadership roles including Lead Pastor, Youth Pastor and Assistant Pastor for Youth and Worship. The Grimes have previously served in the North Eastern United States and have arrived in time for CJ and Stephanie to begin the Spring semester.

            Pastor Grimes' goals are for successful ministry to be characterized by four qualities: First: Christ-enveloped--He is the center and circumference of all things. He is our message and our goal. Secondly: Spirit-led, the Holy Spirit is the motivating force and power. Thirdly:  intentional--every activity for the expressed purpose of living out our faith and or drawing non-believers to Christ. Fourthly:  team oriented--we are not "lone rangers", but the body of Christ, interconnected and interdependent in our relationships with each other in our local church and with area churches

            Pastor Grimes is convicted that worship is the single most important activity of the church and individual believers, that is, appropriately reacting to God's character and grace. He says "Worship is the foundation upon which all of our other spiritual disciplines and activities are built". His life's desire is to follow Christ wherever He may lead and respond to His call. 

     Alliance Bible Church is thankful that Pastor Grimes and his family have answered the call to Stillwater and is committed to follow him as Christ leads. Alliance Bible Church is a member of the Christian and Missionary Alliance, a world wide fellowship including more than two and a half million Christians in 40 countries and supporting 1000 missionaries in 66 countries. For more information about the Christian and Missionary Alliance the website is   http://www.cmalliance.org   Pastor Grimes can be reached at 372-8925 or email abcstillwater@gmail.com