RICHARD LARAVIERE

Welcome to the website of Living Word Community Church.  My name is Richard LaRaviere and I am the pastor of Living Word.  God began to give me a vision for this work around December of 2005.  After several months of seeking His will, we finally began to carry out this vision in February of 2006.

My wife and I are residents of Sarasota, Florida. We have seven children, ages ten thru twenty-four.  Our eldest daughter, Natasha, is married to Dwight Bontrager, also of Sarasota.

In addition to being a pastor, I am the owner of LaRaviere’s Sign Company where I work part time.  It is a family business where my father, Richard Sr. and my two boys, Aaron and Jonathan, work with us.  

I was ordained as a minister in the Mennonite church even though my background originally was not Mennonite.  We, as a family, were introduced to the Mennonites when my father responded to a gospel invitation at a street meeting in Wilmington, Delaware.  I was seven years of age at the time. 

I, myself, responded to the gospel message at the age of thirteen. I then left the Christian faith at sixteen and for the next eight years, I was a prodigal son. I responded to the gentle,  yet clear promptings of God’s Spirit and at the age of twenty-three when I came back to the faith, with my wife coming to Christ one year later. 

My testimony is similar to that of the Apostle Paul, as found in 1 Timothy 1:12-17,  who, having hated the Gospel, was now called by God to preach it.  I, like Paul, now preach the same gospel message I used to despise.   All glory to God for His redeeming love. 

If the opportunity avails, please look us up.  We’d love to meet you!

Richard LaRaviere

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CHURCH COUNCIL

The church council is comprised of all those who are male believers of Living Word Community Church.  We meet weekly as a brotherhood, to decide together on the direction God is calling us to go. Each brother present is welcome to share what he believes God is laying on his heart.  As we pray and seek God’s face, we achieve the beautiful unity of the brotherhood that Jesus has spoken about in John 17:21-23, where he prayed that “we might all be one”.   When all share as one,  true unity is achieved.