Our History


"Do not let these memories escape from your mind as long as you live! And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren."  

Deuteronomy 4:9


We are affiliated with the Church of God, Anderson, Indiana, a group of Christian churches that arose out of the American Holiness Revival of the 1880s. We are independently governed and have no formal creed or membership


Our history dates back to home prayer meetings that began in 1946.  On August 11, 1957, four families rented the I.W.A. Union Hall in downtown Reedsport for the first Church of God Sunday school and service.


On March 28, 1965, the first services were held in our new building at its present location. To meet the needs of a growing congregation, the sanctuary was expanded to its current size in 2018. A large grassy lawn for kids' activities was added in 2021.


Over the years there have been changes—carpets have been replaced, wooden pews have been swapped out for cushioned chairs, and the building has been made more mobility accessible—but we still welcome all who come here just like we have from the start. Diverse people from diverse church backgrounds have joined our congregation, and many in town consider us to be the “community church.” It’s a designation we’re comfortable with. Come see for yourself what our community looks like!

Our Pastors

Through The YEArs

  • Our first pastor! (More info coming soon)

  • Pastor Robert (Bob) Cantrell, born 1921, attended Anderson College in Anderson, Indiana. In World War II he piloted B-25 Bombers in India and Africa. In 1944, Bob married Bonnie Lula Carter. After his discharge in 1946, Bob was called into ministry and served as a pastor in Hill City, Kansas. He and Bonnie came to Reedsport in 1964 to take the role of lead pastor at the Church of God for 17 formative years. After leaving Reedsport, Bob worked in ministry at Rockwood Church of God, Kaiser Permanente, and Richmond Community Church. He passed away in 2009.

  • More info coming soon!

  • More info coming soon!

  • More info coming soon!

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  • Pastor Ward Rogers, born in 1933, grew up on a farm in Notice, Idaho. In 1950, his sophomore year in high school, he met and married Mary Ann Meyer. He supported Mary and himself through those early years, during college, and his first two pastorates by cutting meat and managing meat markets. In 1953 he accepted a call into ministry and headed to the International Bible College in San Antonio, Texas.


    Pastor Rogers and Mary arrived in Reedsport in 1989 from Whittier, California, where they had served the Whittier Church of God for five and a half years. Over the previous 33 years, Pastor Rogers had served churches in Idaho, Oregon , Washington, Canada, and California. He was chairman of the Churches of God of southern California prior to accepting the call to Reedsport. The Reedsport Church of God continued to grow under his leadership. After his (first) retirement in 1995, Ward continued to serve in various retirement homes, associate, interim and chaplain positions until 2006, including returning to the Reedsport Church of God to fill the roll of Interim Pastor.


    Pastor Rogers passed away in 2015. He loved the ocean and any opportunity to be on his boat. He and Mary had two married children, Lloyd and Shirley, and five grandchildren.

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  • Allen served at Cloverdale Church of God in Boise, Idaho from 1996-2004 as youth and associate pastor before coming to Reedsport Church of God in 2004 as lead pastor. He was actively involved in the community, including coaching high school boys’ basketball. His wife Susie, the daughter of Diane Palmer, taught math at Reedsport Charter School and was always willing to sing in the church’s choirs and worship team, and sons Marc and Jacob were also active in the church. Allen left in 2021 to assume the role of executive pastor Cloverdale Church of God.

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  • Kristen grew up in the Reedsport Church of God and returned to Reedsport with her family in 1999. In January 2014 she began serving the church as the associate pastor. Kristen and her husband Jost have three adult children.

  • Lindsey grew up in the Reedsport Church of God, the daughter of Loren and Jennifer Wright, and graduated from Reedsport High School in 2012. She received her BS in exercise science from Grand Canyon University in 2016 and began working at the church during the summer of 2016, eventually leading the youth ministry. For several summers she also led camps at Camp White Branch. In 2017 she married Cameron Speer, who was also actively involved in youth ministry. They moved to Colorado in 2020.

  • Pastor Ancil came to us as our interim pastor in March 2021 as part of our partnership with NCS (New Church Specialties). Previously he had served as lead pastor at the First Church of God in Lexington, Kentucky, lead at the Church at Bradenton in Bradenton, Florida, and interim through NCS at the Winona Friends Church in Winona, Ohio. He and his wife Kathy returned home to Florida after successfully guiding our church through its pastoral transition.

  • Justin is originally from Texas but graduated from Mid-America Christian University in Oklahoma with a degree in Bible & Theology and an emphasis in pastoral care. He married his wife, Stephanie, after college and moved to Lexington, KY to begin ministry. Prior to coming to Reedsport in April 2022, he served at Eastland Church of God congregation in Kentucky for seven years. Justin is an ordained pastor and certified Stephen Ministry Leader. Justin and Stephanie have one daughter, Olivia, and one dog, Carlos. As a family they enjoy spending time outside.