|
Rev. Steve Demers This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
|
I grew up on a farm in northwest Iowa and learned of Christ and His Church as I grew up under the instruction of a great pastor, as well as my parents. At the age of eight I had a sense that God wanted me to preach about Jesus, but played the "Jonah" role for a few years after I graduated from high school. I finally gave into God's call about a year after I graduated from college and enrolled in Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. After graduating from seminary in 1977 I served churches in South Dakota, North Dakota and Iowa, before moving to West Michigan in 1996.
My wife, Kathy, and I are blessed to have two children, Chad and Michelle. Chad and his wife, Toni, have three children, William, Isaac and Gabriella, and also live in Allendale. Chad is our Worship Leader and directs our Adult Discipleship ministry here at Lighthouse. Michelle and her husband, Jeff, live in Allendale and have four children, Grace, Faith, Eden and Samuel. We are extremely blessed to have our family together, worshiping and serving the LORD in the same part of Christ's body.
It is my joy and privilege to serve Christ's Church and the body here at Lighthouse. God has brought this body of people together from diverse backgrounds and united us around the common vision of exalting Jesus Christ and proclaiming the good news of salvation through faith in Him. Our vision statements says, "We exist to proclaim the reign of Jesus Christ over all things; glorifying and enjoying God, now and forever." We believe that there is only ONE true Church, known and loved by God, made up of all who know Jesus, who love Jesus, who confess Him as Savior and submit to Him as LORD. It is our desire to serve the LORD Jesus Christ together with all those who stand upon the truth of His Word, believing that Jesus is "the Way, and the Truth and the Life," and that "no one comes to the Father except through Him" (John 14:6).
Believing that we are living in the time the Bible describes as the '"last days," we call all people to repentance (turning from the lordship of "self," to the LORDship of Jesus), and faith (trusting in Jesus Christ alone for forgiveness and eternal life). Loving and serving Jesus brings hope, love, peace and joy to life, and fulfills the purpose for which we were created: to bring glory to God, our Creator. We humbly invite you to join us in the "fellowship of the saints," those who have been declared righteous in God's sight by grace through faith in Jesus. Because we have experienced God's love and His life-giving power, we urge you, on behalf of Christ, to come to God through Jesus and to discover what real LIFE is all about!! |
|
Chad Demers This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
|
My Family
My wife, Toni, and I have been married for 13 years. We have three children, William, Isaac, and Gabriella. I grew up in southeast South Dakota and Toni grew up in West Michigan. How did we meet? You will have to ask me to tell you that story…it takes a while, let me just say it was love at first sight-at least for me! We live in Allendale and have been attending Lighthouse for 6 years. My Hobbies
I love my “job”! I count it a blessing to not only be doing what God has called me to do, but to be doing it along side my father, Pastor Steve. I love taking the family out fishing and tubing on the boat. Spending time with my family would be my favorite hobby. I also enjoy reading and writing music when I have time. Education
My college years were spent seeking what God wanted me to do with my life…I guess I could say they were spent running from what God wanted me to do with my life. I have always loved music, and right out of High School I went to South Dakota State where I studied music theory, music composition, and music history. While I enjoyed this I felt there was something more that God was calling me to. I then attended Reformed Bible College (now Kuyper) in Grand Rapids as I continued to seek God’s will for me. I learned early on that Youth Ministry was not where He wanted me and finally ended up at Northwestern College in Orange City Iowa. Still not having a clear direction for my life, I spent a year as the Volunteer Coordinator for a mission in Neon, Kentucky where I organized short term mission teams who came to help in construction projects in the Hazard County area (yes, there really is a Hazard, Kentucky)! Through an acquaintance I made while there, I ended up moving to Grand Rapids to work for Inner City Christian Federation building low-income housing. My education-“where You go I’ll go, where You stay I’ll stay, when You move, I’ll move”. I think the best way to explain my education is to say that it is not done yet! Life Experience
Once Toni and I were married, I started my own construction company. Business was great! BUT, I have always known that in some way I was going to be involved in ministry. Once the housing market crashed, it was obvious that a change needed to be made, and God opened an opportunity for me to work at Allendale True Value until the opportunity to be the Worship Director at Lighthouse opened up. I thank God for the life-lessons He taught me while I “roamed” around trying to figure out what He was calling me to do. I have been the Worship Director at Lighthouse for 5 years, and the Adult Ministries Director for two years. My Passion
My passion is to live a life of worship and to help others to see that worship is not a “time” during a Sunday morning gathering, and it is not a “style”. But rather, worship is a lifestyle. My View from Lighthouse
The life as a follower of Christ is about “New Beginnings”. Lighthouse has seen it’s share of new beginnings! Through them all, God has blessed obedience as we seek to follow Him, to set our eyes on Him, to follow His word and truth alone, and to be who He has called us to be-a light in the darkness. I thank God for the privilege to serve Him in this place and look forward to what He has in store for all of us as we keep our eyes and hearts on Him! |
|
Erica Haveman This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
|
Bump. Jump. Run! I grabbed a fist full of hay and ran as fast as my little legs would take me to the upcoming mailbox. “Oh yeah, I got that one good!” I exclaimed, as I flailed myself back onto the wagon. Our laughter filled the North Blendon air for miles as we initiated Dave to our Youth Group one mailbox at a time!
Although we didn’t spend all our dates raising Cain, Dave and I became inseparable and fell deeply in love. Many of our friends and family can attest to a black Dodge tearing up many miles of road after we graduated. While he began working full-time in Hudsonville, I was studying on campus at Reformed Bible College and working at Cran-Hill Ranch in the summer.
While I’m confident the diesel could have endured more miles, Dave thought if he married me I might move closer! In 2005, we were married and moved into our house in Borculo. Our little family began to grow quickly with the arrival of Alyssa Rylee in 2006, and then Bentley Bane in 2010.
In between our two children, I attended GVSU, studying to get my teaching degree in English and ESL. In 2009, a lay off took me away from my studies, and side-tracked into the medical field. When God blessed us with Bentley, Dave and I both agreed that I would not return to work full-time and that school could wait until God made it clear the timing was right.
Now, Alyssa is 5 years old and enjoys staying active with dance, gymnastics, swimming, and most recently: Karate! She just started her Kindergarten year and loves every minute of it! Bentley is just a year and also keeping me on my toes; his hobbies include: playing tractors and drumming on my pots-n-pans! Dave works full-time at Top Grade Site Management as a mechanic/operator of heavy equipment and hauls flowers in the spring for Micandy Gardens. I have been a homemaker for the past year and am just beginning serve in Children’s Ministry. As a family, we enjoy camping in the summer, vacations up-north, and fellowship with friends and family!
Looking back in these past few months--and even years, I am 100% confident that God led us around every corner and over every hurdle to get us to Lighthouse; moreover, to open the door to my being involved in Children’s Ministry. It is my humble prayer that together, as parents and leaders, we answer God’s call to “let the little children come to [Him]” (Mat 19:14) and guide them to develop a loving relationship with their Abba Father, Daddy. I am elated to begin this journey alongside of you to raise our children in the Word, the truth and the love of Jesus Christ. |
|
Adam Moritz This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
|
I graduated from Kuyper College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Youth Ministry. I was born and raised in Michigan, spending most of my life in Hudsonville with my family of two parents and two sisters. I now live in Jenison with my wife and high school sweetheart, Ashley. A favorite Bible passage of mine is Matthew 22:36-40:
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” |
