Coldwater Bible Chapel, MI

In 1944, Edward G. Dillon, a commended worker (since 1931) residing in Sturgis, Michigan commented in Light & Liberty's December issue that he was "much exercised about starting a work in Coldwater, Mich., where I was in business." By 1946, there was an open brethren breaking of bread meeting in his home near there. In 1954, it additionally held Sunday School meetings at the Lockwood Community Building. The assembly also hosted a radio broadcast every Sunday morning at 8:45 on WTVB Coldwater.

In 1959, a decision was made to merge the assembly with Lakeland Bible Chapel which met in nearby Quincy. The new location at that point was 124 S. Jefferson St. In 1965, the assembly was one of at least 46 in North America who sent a representative to the national CWCC conference (sponsored by Letters of Interest).

This assembly continues to meet in 2025 at the Lighthouse of Tekonsha on 616 N. Main in that nearby town. See Assembly Care for meeting times and correspondents.

Correspondents

• Edward G. Dillon, Sr. 1945-1958
• Elmer Anderson 1959+
• Douglas A. Mitmesser +1976+
• Paul D. Anderson @ Quincy +1980+
• Robert T. Branch +1984+
• James "Ted" Hadfield 1991-current

Location History

• home of E.G. Dillon, Jr. 1945-1959
• 124 S. Jefferson St. 1959-2003+
• 616 N. Main St., Tekonsha +2025

Meeting Times

• 1954-1955: BB 9:30am (@ home of E.G. Dillon, Jr.); SS 10:45 (@ Lockwood Com. Bldg.)
• 1959: BB 10am, FBH 11am, G 7:30, P-BS Th. 7:30pm
• +1978+: BB 9:15am, M 10:15am, SS 11:15, Th. 7:30pm
• +1980+: BB 9:30am, M 10:30am, SS 11:15, Th 7:00pm
• +2025: BB 9:30am, FBH 11am

1959 merger

• L&L 1959-7: Coldwater, Michigan:

"After June 1st the Assembly meeting in the home of brother E.G. Dillon, Jr., southwest of Coldwater and the Assembly meeting at the Lakeland Bible Chapel, Route 2, Quincy, Michigan, located on U.S. 112 East of Coldwater, will be merging together as one meeting. The new meeting will be located at 124 S. Jefferson St., Coldwater, Michigan, and will be known as Coldwater Bible Chapel with Elmer Anderson, 4 Orange St., Quincy, Michigan as correspondent.

Both meetings have felt the need for a Gospel testimony in the city of Coldwater for some time and the Lord has opened the way for this to be accomplished. The Lutheran people offered their church with pews, pipe organ, etc., together with another building next to the church approximately 40x50 that lends itself very readily for the Sunday School for the sum of $12,600.

The brethren were of one accord that it was the Lord's will that we purchase these buildings. The Lord willing, we purpose opening on Sunday, June 7th with a week of special meetings with John Milton Mills of Goldsboro, N. Car. as our speaker. We would value prayer for the Lord's work in this area. Time of meetings: Sunday, BB. 10, FBH. 11, G. 7:30, P-BS. Th. 7:30. Elmer Anderson, Correspondent."

1972 martyrdom

This was the childhood assembly for Evelyn Anderson, a graduate of Emmaus Bible School, who was martyred, along with Beatrice Kosin, by Vietnamese communists in Laos in the early 1970's while on a short-term missions trip with Sam Mattix & Lloyd Oppel. See The Daily Reporter for a 2016 retelling of the story.

Lloyd Oppel, one of Evelyn's teammates, wrote Eye of the Tempest in 2018 detailing it from his perspective. Also see the 1974 Captive on the Ho Chi Minh Trail by Marjorie A. Clark. Letters of Interest did a story in Oct. 1973 on the situation that can additionally be found here.

Also See

• Visiting Ministry at Coldwater Bible Chapel, MI conference news, etc.
• Who's Who at Coldwater Bible Chapel, MI notable early alumni

Sources

• Letters of Interest (LOI): 1978-5
• Light & Liberty (L&L): 1944-12; 1959-7