Native to Delaware, John is a recent transplant to the Lower Shore.  Born May 27, 1974, Pastor John has been in active ministry since his teens.  At the age of 15, John founded "Soldiers of the Cross" a traveling singing ministry for youth.  When he wasn't on the road, John helped lead the youth group at Cornerstone UMC in Bear, Delaware where he taught the teens for over 10 years. 

 

At 27, when John and his wife Kim stopped touring full time, they helped to plant Connection Community Church in Middletown, Delaware where John was active in leading worship and small groups.  Little over a year later, John accepted a call to become Worship Pastor for Friendship Baptist Church in Newark, Delaware; the church where he had grown up. 

 

After serving their for three years, John and Kim felt a strong calling into church planting (starting a new church).  So, in 2005 at the age of 31, John and Kim sold their Bear, Delaware home and moved south to plant The Gathering Tree.

 

Draw a line from Ocean City to Salisbury, then drop your finger in the middle, and it will be surrounded by several Lower Eastern Shore towns with a rich history. In this fertile soil we are planting a “Tree.”

Choosing where to plant The Gathering Tree didn’t come by dropping a finger on a map though. The vision for a church that would serve the Pittsville area was born in the hearts of church planters Daryl and Tracy McCready. Daryl is pastor of SonRise Church, a church plant in Berlin, Maryland. His wife, Tracy, grew up in Pittsville, and both had a vision to see a church in the area. SonRise Church was founded with continual church planting in mind. Their goal was to parent a church in the Pittsville area three years after their first service. Three years and three months later, church planters John and Kim Coleman were on the field.

Soon a group of individuals stepped forward to answer the call to be a part of the church planting team. God called families and individuals from many of the surrounding towns including: Pittsville, Parsonsburg, Powellville, Willards, Berlin and Snow Hill. God has been preparing the soil in this area. Of those surveyed by our plant team at community events, nearly 75% stated they do not attend any church. They are looking for an authentic, accepting place to learn about Jesus.

The Gathering Tree goal is to be a welcoming, friendly place to meet and experience a real relationship with Jesus Christ and His followers.