ABOUT US

• We are a church comprised of people who believe that God's word is Alive as He is! His word is relevant to meeting all the answers of mankind, first of all spiritually, but also mentally, physically, financially and socially. In order for this to take place though, God's word must be taught in a clear, uncompromising manner!

•  We believe that if God's word is to work for any individual, it must be believed, received, and acted upon!

•  We stress faith and how it operates, and how it is developed!

•  We place great importance on nurturing and keeping marriages and families together and healthy!

•  We believe that our relationship with our heavenly Father through His Son's death, burial, and subsequent resurrection and the working of the Holy Spirit needs to be enjoyed and cultivated by the individual more and more each day! 

• We believe in the power of prayer and praise!

• But most of all we believe God is a good God, who wants what's best for each and every one of us!

 Living Word Fellowship Church started in 1985. It is a non-denominational church made up of people from many different races and religious backgrounds. Our worship is mostly charismatic flavor and we place a strong emphasis on teaching people God’s Word, and how they can prosper in every area of their lives; spiritually, mentally, physically, financially, socially, and educationally- If they become doers of the Word and not hears only.

From 1972 to 1985 Pastor hood would drive through this small blue-collar town of 3200 people and say to himself, “Someone needs to help these people.” Men would be sitting on the curb in front of the foundry with a brown paper bag drinking and getting high all day. He could see generation after generation of families in this community being affected if something didn’t change. The only solid and long-range cure for them was the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Pastor Hood said in prayer, “Lord, if you want me to go to New Haven and start a church, you are going to have to do five things, or I’m just not going to go there!"

1. I need $500 to buy material to get a church started.

2. Give me a scripture that says I can influence my family, if I go to New Haven.

3. I need a building I can afford on my tithe to start- $200 a month!

4. I need free advertising

5. I need people beside my family to help us get started.

God answered the request.

1. I informed my pastor, Terry Caie, that God was leading me to start a church in New Haven. Two weeks later they called my wife and I to the front of the church, placed a basket in our hands, and asked the congregation to bless financially. The amount collected was: $536.00….

2. God gave me the scripture 1 Samuel 22:1-2! “David therefore departed and escaped to the cave Adullam and when his brothers and all his father’s household heard of it, they went down to him, and everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him and he became a captain over them.” So, I saw from this scripture that I could be effective in my home town.

3. The Village of New Haven asked if I would like to rent a church building which was formerly being used by their police department! The amount? $200 per month!

4. When the Village council heard that I was interested in renting the former “police department/Church building”, they had a meeting to approve the lease. A newspaper reporter was there who wanted to do an article titled: “HOOD STARTS A CHURCH”! Everyone had a good laugh but we had free advertising.

5. Some of the first people to come help us start the church were two older people named Buck Jones and Dorothea LaVoy. They remained with us. Also, my wife Joannie and my children, Nathan, Nicole, and Benjamin have been our strongest supporters. 

 As we grew to over 300 people, we realized that we needed a larger building.  God blessed us with the new 15 acre property west of New Haven, where we built a new building.  We opened our doors in August of 2006.

We have developed into a church that reaches, trains, ministers to and supports not just the people of New Haven, but families from the entire surrounding area.  
 

We support over 15 stateside and worldwide ministries and missions!  Living Word Fellowship is dedicated to fulfilling our Savior's calling to go into all the world and make disciples.  

We look forward to all that God has in store for this church family and this community in the years to come.  Won't you come and grow with us?