David & Lorna Ray, Pastors
David Ray considers himself extraordinarily fortunate to be raised by born-again, Spirit-filled Christian parents. They led him to receive salvation as a child. As a youth, David became heavily involved in youth and worship ministry in a small Episcopal church. Later, while working on a communications degree at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, David was baptized in the Holy Spirit and began experiencing His life-changing power on a short-term missions trip to Paris, France. To his surprise, at the age of twenty, he was elected to the congregation's governing board, but a year later made the difficult decision to transition from the beautiful, centuries-old liturgy of the Episcopal Church. He joined The Eagles Nest, a new non-denominational work in which he began discovering exuberant prophetic worship and strategic spiritual warfare. Actively involved for seven years, David's theatrical interests led him to team up with a lovely drama director and fellow ORU alum, Lorna Heigel, a former Crisis Pregnancy counselor and Latin American missionary. After several years collaborating on musical stage productions together, Dave and Lorna married in 1999 and moved to Hampton Roads to attend Regent University, where they both received advanced degrees in filmmaking.
Since joining New Life Western Branch in late 2003, the Rays have enjoyed participating in various aspects of ministry, such as serving on the worship, set-up, nursery, and leadership teams, as well as, helping to coordinate community outreaches, church family celebrations, dramatic and multi-media productions, and most recently a new Life Group. They consider, by far,their most rewarding role is raising their two "drops of golden sun," Michaela and Justice.
The Ray's 2008 vision is "to have strong brains, healthy bodies, thankful hearts, helpful hands, and happy faces as they obey the Lord and share His love with others." They earnestly desire to live out this same vision at New Life Western Branch and sharing in all the tremendous NEW LIFE that God has in store!
The Rays may be contacted at info@newlifewb.com.
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