New pastor welcomed at Swanton Alliance Church

Swanton Alliance Church is very excited to welcome their new pastor, Matthew Harner. Please help us welcome him and his family to the Swanton community.

Pastor Matt, who previously served with Sojourn Community Church, comes to Swanton from Louisville, Ky., along with his wife Christy - a website designer who has also published Behind Every Illusion, her first book - and their three children, Emma, Michael and Tristan.

Pastor Matt felt God's call early in his life when he was a Christian and Missionary Alliance missionary kid in Guinea, West Africa. His education includes boarding school in Cote d'Ivoire, West Africa, all the way through high school, and then a Bachelor of Arts degree in Pastoral Ministries from Toccoa Falls College in Georgia, where he graduated Summa cum Laude, was a member of the Delta Epsilon Chi Honor Society and was on the Dean's List.

Pastor Matt is presently pursuing a Master of Divinity in Theology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Pastor Matt and Christy are accredited missionary candidates of the Christian & Missionary Alliance.

"I'd like to say a big thank you to all our neighbors and the rest of you who have already made my family feel welcome here in Swanton," said Pastor Harner. "We look forward to getting to know you even more. My main ambition in life is to serve and follow Jesus Christ through discipleship, evangelism, teaching and service, both knowing Him and leading others to know Him more fully.

If you don't think much about God but have some spiritual questions, I'd be happy to explore them with you. If you are struggling to understand why following Jesus is worth it, let me pray with you--and don't give up! If you are convinced that Jesus Christ is Lord and you're joyfully serving Him already, let's encourage one another to stay faithful. The good news for all of us (and we need it!) is that God has extended an offer of grace and peace to us through Jesus' death and resurrection. Come quickly, Lord Jesus!"

Swanton Alliance Church is located at 113 Franklin Avenue. Sunday school is at 9:30 a.m. and Sunday services at 10:40 a.m. You may contact Pastor Matt at (419) 826-8321 or e-mail pastor@swantonalliance.org. Shut-ins or the curious may listen to his sermons at www.swantonalliance.org.