Pastor's Page

Pastor Laren Whaley celebrated 36 years of ministry this past September.

After completing the MIP Pilot Program under the direction of Dr. Robert E. Fisher, former State Overseer of the Delmarva-DC area in June of 1976; on September 20, 1976 he received his Exhorter Certificate with the Church of God (Cleveland TN) after passing the written and oral examination. On  July 27, 1981 he received his Ordained Minister Certificate and on January 24, 1985 he received his Ordained Bishop Certificate.

Pastor & Mrs. Laren Whaley's 30th Anniversary At Harvest of Praise Church

On October 3 2009, a Singspiration Celebration was held at the Harvest of Praise Church of God in Rochester to celebrate Pastor Laren and Linda Whaley’s 30 years of pastoral ministry at the church.  Guest singers and musicians from several churches in the Rochester area came together to share their gifts and talents in a time of praise and worship to God. Participating in the Singspiration Celebration were: Emmanuel Advent Christian Church Choir of Rochester, under the direction of Pastor John Byars; The group GRASP (Group Reciting Alternate Songs of Praise) from the First United Methodist Church of Rochester; William E. Neenan, Jr. from Grace Baptist Church of East Rochester; Jason O’Brian and Jeremy Raitt from Vermont; and Linda Jazowski from the Harvest of Praise Church of God. Following the Singspiration Celebration a reception was held for the Whaley’s in the church fellowship hall.

The Whaley’s began their ministry at the Harvest of Praise Church of God on October 2, 1979. Pastor Whaley has been highly involved with the ministries and other churches throughout greater Rochester area in special services and events.  For the past sixteen years Pastor Whaley has organized the National Day of Prayer Community Prayer Gathering on the front lawn of the Rochester City Hall on the first Thursday of May.  He has also organized and presented for the past fifteen years the Annual Gospel Concert on the Rochester Common on one Saturday night in July or August. He has also been involved in the annual Good Friday Services in the community with various churches.  He is involved in regular worship services at the Colonial Hill Care & Rehabilitation of Rochester, which are rotated monthly between several churches in the community. On the last Sunday of each month he also leads a worship service for the residents of the Gafney Home on Wakefield Street in Rochester.

Before coming to Rochester Pastor Whaley served as the assistant pastor of the Williamsport Church of God in Williamsport, Maryland.

The Whaley’s have been married for thirty-two years; they have two daughters, Heather and Amanda, and three grandchildren Devon, Katelyn and Gavin.