13 Evergreen Road, Lebanon, PA 17042-7422
Phone: (717)273-4832, Fax: (717)273-0132
E-mail: midway_cob@verizon.net, Web site: www.midwaycob.net
Senior Pastor: Rev. Charles L. Ilyes
Pastor Charlie
I am sure that you have many other things you could be doing, but I am glad you have chosen to read these few words. Probably you know very little about the Midway church and less yet about this Pastor with a strange last name, but I can only assume that you are searching for more information and we would love to give that to you.
God called our family to Midway in March of 2005, but that was not when our ministry began.
I was blessed to be born into a home with a mother and father who both loved the Lord and lived for Him. Then on May 4, 1980, I was blessed to marry my wife, Jane, and we began our married life involved in our family’s business in the meat processing and farming industry. Jane and I were blessed with two children, Stephen and Elizabeth. We both had a desire to follow Jesus but had no idea where that may lead us.
My father was a minister in the Church of the Brethren at the church where I grew up, which is the New Fairview Church of the Brethren. Now this was and still is a plural ministry team, meaning each of the ministers has a full-time occupation, but also serves the church. Those who serve in this type of ministry do so with great commitment because of the time requirements.
It was this same church where I was called into ministry in 1990. For the next three years, I underwent ministry training provided by our denomination and was ordained in January of 1994. It was at that same time that the Springfield Church of the Brethren called me to Pastor their congregation. We ministered there for eleven years as we continued to further our education at Philadelphia Biblical University and grow in our understanding of God's Word.
I was amazed how God could use us with all our inabilities, but He is faithful. There has been much that we have learned and much more to learn, but this I know. Without question, God is faithful and He has given me a wonderful opportunity to tell the world about who Jesus is - His one and only Son - God in flesh who left Heaven and came and lived among us and died for us and rose from the dead.
Because He lives, we too shall live if we trust Him as Lord and Savior. He has given us His written Word. It is inerrant and infallible. I thank the Lord for giving me the opportunity to preach and teach the truths of His Word.
In March of 2005, God started a new chapter in our lives. He called us to the Midway Congregation. We have been blessed to serve our Lord by serving this congregation. We are also very blessed to have our son, Steve, marry our daughter-in-law, Lindsay, and they were blessed with our new grandson, Shane Charles. He brings great joy to our hearts. Also our daughter, Elizabeth, married our son-in-law, Josh Ridley. They are expecting our second grandbaby in June of 2010. God is so good, and we feel so very blessed to be able to serve Him here at Midway.
If you can, come and worship with us. If you have any questions, give me a call or stop in.
I thank the Lord for all He has given me and as long as He gives me life, I want to serve Him.
Maybe you would like to serve Him with us or maybe you just would like to know who Jesus is. If so, come and we will talk, study and pray.
