History

The History of Harvest Assembly of God Church in Galloway, Ohio

Some of the greatest success stories have simple beginnings, and Harvest Assembly of God Church in Galloway, Ohio, may be no exception. In May 2000, Harvest Assembly started as a fully funded Ohio Missions church; soon thereafter, the first meeting was held at Chris and Debi Tomaso’s home on Thursday, June 8, 2000, attended by thirty-three people.

By August 27, 2000, the church held its first Sunday service at the Alton Hall Elementary School, and the attendance had nearly doubled, with sixty-one people arriving to worship. In October, the church was ready to hold its Grand Opening Sunday service, with 160 friends and family members attending.

Sunday services moved to the new Galloway Ridge Intermediate School in February 2001, and by July, the average Sunday attendance was seventy-seven people, with approximately forty voting members. Around this time, the church prayerfully purchased five acres of land on Dellinger Road in Galloway, Ohio, and by March 31, 2002, a miracle offering of $22,305.65 was received for the land balance.

On July 14, 2002, joyous church members gathered at a “God’s Pro-Vision” ice cream social, and burned the land mortgage. Just a few months later, Harvest Assembly of God celebrated its official groundbreaking ceremony on November 17, 2002, and construction began on the 11,600 square foot facility the very same month. In August 2003, the church officially moved into its new facility.

Church membership and attendance have continued to grow, and not only has Harvest Assembly of God purchased an adjoining ten acres to the east of the original property in November 2004, but we also celebrated five years of ministry to the Galloway community in a celebration that was held on June 10, 11, and 12, 2005.

Biographical sketch of Pastor Chris Tomaso

Chris Tomaso was born on August 16, 1957 in Rochester, New York. He lived in North Carolina and Pennsylvania for short periods of time, and then moved to Columbus, Ohio in 1967. His upbringing was Roman Catholic, and although he has always had a faith in Jesus Christ, it was not always a working relationship with Christ.

Chris graduated from Westland High School in Galloway, Ohio in 1975, and then was employed by Sears Distribution Center until August 1978. It was then that he enlisted in the United States Army. He served with the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in Germany until August of 1981, when he received an honorable discharge. Home again, he was employed by the Loeb Electric Company as an outside salesman for twelve years.

Pastor Tomaso entered full time ministry in May 1994 as a staff pastor at Northwest Assembly of God church in Dublin, Ohio, and soon received credentials as a Certified Minister with the Assemblies of God in August of 1994. He then received his Ministerial Studies diploma from Berean University of the Assemblies of God in February of 2000. Pastor Tomaso was fully ordained by the Assemblies of God in May 2000, and the Ohio District Council of the Assemblies of God hired him as Missions Pastor to Harvest Assembly of God that same month.