OUR HISTORY

    PACER MINISTRIES was founded in the early l980's as an extension of a hospital chaplaincy ministry provided by David L. Cowles in Canton, OH. Initially, at the invitation of a local pastor, David conducted a Crisis Counseling training program geared to lay members and ministerial staff of the church.

    One member, who was Owner and CEO of a local foundry invited David to develop a similar kind of program for his management staff and employees. This resulted in another local company asking for a similar type of program. Included were group sessions on Stress Management and Burnout, and individual crisis counseling sessions.

    The initial name PACER was used as an acronymn for Pastoring Counseling Enrichment Resources. As the program expanded beyond Pastoral Counseling to other avenues of ministry, the names was changed to PACER MINISTRIES.

    As David returned to serve in the pastoral ministries, first as an Associate Pastor, Minister of Pastoral Care and Counseling, he developed a Crisis Counseling, Caring Ministries and Neighborhood Caring Ministries while serving in a large urban congregation in North Canton, OH. Included were classes, seminars and support groups focusing on Depression, Grief and Loss, and Faith-sharing in the community.

    In the past decade, living in Newark and Heath, OH, David has ministered in a variety of church-related and community settings where he expanded his ministries to include mental health, mental retardation and developmental disabilities, residential chaplaincy to teen-agers, senior adult ministries in the church and social services in geriatric hospital and nursing centers in Licking County and Central Ohio. In these varied capacities he was engaged in ongoing pastoral counseling and related ministries in the community.

    Following his retirement from active ministry David Cowles served as a volunteer Visitation Minister at Centenary United Methodist Church, Granville, Ohio, with primary focus among senior adults in a this large urban congregation. He also wrote a weekly Religion column in the Newark Advocate newspaper and volunteered with the local Chapter of the American Red Cross and the "Be a Friend" program of the Licking County Jail Ministries in Newark, Ohio.

    In September, 2005, David and his wife Beverly, moved to the Oaks Village retirement community in Avon Park, Florida.

    David serves part-time as Chaplain at the Oaks at Avon Nursing Center, a sister facility to the Oaks Village, owned by World Gospel Mission, Marion, IN.

    As a free lance writer, David wrote a weekly Perceptions on Faith and Values column, feature stories and guest columns for the Highlands Today, Sebring, FL (2005-2006).

    He also wrote "Journey through Grief - Anticipatory Grief - The Awareness of Dying," and "Journey through Grief - Acute Grief - The Reality of Death," CEU Online and Independent Study courses for nurses and health care professionals.

    In the Spring of 2006 David formed a Prison Ministry team with more than 20 volunteers from area churches, the Avon Park Camp and Oaks Village residents. Monthly chapel services are conducted at the Avon Park Correctional Institution. He also conducts weekly Bible studies with the inmates David also visits area county jails and prisons providing pastoral care and counseling support to inmates.

    In the Spring of 2008 David ministered with the Highlands County Coalition for the Homeless. He currently is a consultant and crisis counselor working with those who are at risk for homelessness or on the streets.

    In the Fall of 2010 David joined with a local team on a Mission to Haiti where they witnessed first-hand the devastation from the earthquake and flooding, bringing encouragement and hope to the pastors and churches involved in recovery. David supported one pastor and leader of churches who lost his home and guests homes along with his business.

    David sings and speaks in churches and community programs. His CD, a Sermon in Song, "Journey through the Cross" is available free of charge. Also, his grandfather's book, Footprints on the Sands of China is available free of charge.



David L. Cowles is founder and director of PACER MINISTRIES.
For comments or to contact David Cowles, please use the CONTACT US link.

You may also write to:
Pacer Ministries
PO Box 232
Avon Park FL 33826-0232

Or call:
863-257-3381

Or eMail:
PacerMinistries@hotmail.com