I Thessalonians 4:16-17  states, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

How many people are going to be able to read those lines and praise the Lord for meeting and receiving their salvation through the ministry of Michael Collingwood? For thirty-nine years, Pastor Collingwood worked tirelessly to show the love of Christ to the lost in the area. His influence reached all over the world with the many missionaries whose lives he touched.

Pastor Collingwood did not start out looking to serve the Lord. One of ten children, Michael was born in McComb, OH, on June 17, 1948.  He grew up knowing life with all its challenges, loves, and sorrows.  He enjoyed many of the things that the world offered, including motorcycles, flying planes, shooting firearms, and hunting.

He met his wife, Kathy Ann King, and he fell in love with her immediately. When they were married, the war interrupted their time together as he deployed to Vietnam to serve his country. Although neither of them was saved at the time, the Lord kept a watchful eye over him. He returned safely and entered the workforce. As time progressed, they had two children, Michael and April.

Their marvelous journey with the Lord began when they came to Jesus Christ through the efforts of a coworker. Michael Collingwood felt a calling to serve the Lord as a preacher; he entered Massillon Baptist College, earning his Bachelor of Divinity. Later, while serving as our Pastor, he received his Masters and his Doctorate of Theology degrees from Slidell Baptist Seminary.

Both he and his wife were surprised to be called to Pottstown, Pennsylvania, to start a church. Their ministry started in the downtown area when they opened a small church in the neighborhood. They relocated the church two additional times until, in 1990, it was finally situated at its present location in Stowe, Pennsylvania.  The building they purchased was set up and remodeled, transforming it into a church and a school. So many children sat under his tutelage, having the word hidden in their hearts.

Dedicating his life and his love to the God that he met so long ago, he and his wife worked faithfully to spread the good news of the Lord’s love. He was faithful in preaching from the King James Bible and was an ardent supporter of its history and its word. He became a board member of the Word for the World Baptist Ministries and helped many missionaries find their way out to the field.

Proverbs 3:15 states, “She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.”

They say behind every great man is a wonderful woman, and Kathy Collingwood definitely fits that description. They were married for 52 years, and in all that time, she strove side-by-side in all of the Pastor’s adventures. Mrs. Collingwood taught Sunday school, played the piano, organized fellowships, and lead ladies’ meetings. She led by a godly example, and everyone received her teachings.

Mrs. Collingswood’s stalwart fellowship and encouragement ensured the success of the Pastor’s ministry. She worked continually with other ladies in the church to maintain a clean, well-decorated appearance. When Pastor Collingwood went home to be with the Lord, she continued in the church faithfully. Eventually, she decided to move back to Ohio to be with her daughter and their grandchildren.

Pastor Collingwood and his wife loved the people in our church and did everything they could to bring the truth to the area. Pastor Collingwood went home to be with his Lord on January 10, 2021. We all look forward to being reunited with him as promised in I Thessalonians 4.