Pastor Simiele celebrates 25 years

Cresco - Pastor Mike Simiele  has been in the ministry for 40 years, the last 25 at the Cresco Community Chapel. 
He started spreading the word of God in his home state of New York, he then went to southern California and then Montana for eight years. 
He and his wife Colleen, who have coincidentally been married about 40 years as well, have five sons, three grandsons and one granddaughter. They are glad they were led to Cresco. 
Colleen said, “It’s been a wonderful community to raise our family and be a part of. We love being here." And the community loves them! Thankfully by God’s grace, the church has grown from 55 to a solid 150. Of the non-denominational church, Pastor Mike noted that Bible teaching is its emphasis with a primary goal of seeing individuals come to faith alone, in Christ alone, and thus gain the assurance of sins forgiven. (Jn. 3:16-18) But an additional desire of the congregation is to encourage individuals to grow in their faith and spiritually affirm families as well!
Another important part of the ministry is music. "We are not as contemporary as some but we blend our worship with traditional hymns and choruses of praise" 
As the church family grew, it allowed the church building to be expanded. Pastor Mike adds, “But we are  once again looking to further expand in the near future by adding a multipurpose building which will include Sunday School and office space as well as a larger fellowship hall and activity area.”
The AWANA group is also growing. It has been part of the church for 26-27 years, just a short time before Simiele arrived. AWANA is the global leader in child and youth discipleship. At the Cresco Community Chapel, there is normally one leader per two youth. Awana is for children up to  sixth grade. 
“We then funnel them toward our junior and senior high youth ministry ‘Aletheia,’ which is the Greek word for truth!” Pastor Mike noted. He added, “The future is youth, which led us to hire Brandon Ford on a part-time basis to fill that capacity.” 
Colleen said, "We are a very welcoming church and that is what we always loved about the Chapel . . . where various people are willing to use their time, talent, and resources in serving the Lord so as to allow the Cresco Community Chapel to function as efficiently as it does.”
The pastor said, “God has clearly blessed the church spiritually as well as financially, and thus we are thankful we are able to give monthly support to a number of missionaries throughout the world,  where through a team effort and lots of prayer much can be accomplished for God as long as folks aren't concerned about who gets the credit.”
Since the couple’s family live in many other states, Colleen said their church family has become their family. “They have treated us as family and we love them like family.” Plus Mike and Colleen are also steady Cadet supporters, both when their sons were in the school system and now that their grandchildren are participating in sporting events. 
One of Pastor Mike’s favorite quotes by Morton Kelsey sums up how he feels about Christianity 101 “A church is not a museum for saints but a hospital for sinners,” where he adds, “We’re all in process anyways!”
Please note that the Cresco Community Chapel family have planned a 25th anniversary celebration of Mike and Colleen’s ministry with them on Sunday, Oct. 28 from 1:30-3:30 p.m. at the church, located at 24024 Highway 9 East, where the community is welcome and encouraged to attend. 
 

Cresco Times

Phone: 563-547-3601
Fax: 563-547-4602

Address:
Cresco TPD
214 N. Elm Street
Cresco, IA 52136

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