The Healing Place at Living Stone Fellowship, Long Court and Flint Hill Road, New Tripoli, has selected Jaime G. Gonzalez of Macungie as its new associate pastor.

Gonzalez, born in Guayaquil, Ecuador, is son of a reporter and a teacher.

He attended the University in Guayaquil to become an engineer.

Three years into his college experience, he decided to serve his country and joined the military.

He married Annabelle Vallejo in 1979, and moved to the United States in 1980, where he continued his education at La Guardia University, Queens, N.Y.

The couple, married 39 years, has three sons, Jaime, Michael and Bryan.

In 2006, following the Lord’s guidance, the pastor and his wife moved to Pennsylvania.

Gonzalez continued working in the mortgage business, while serving the Lord through evangelizing and functioning as a leader in his local church.

He became acquainted with pastors in the Allentown area, especially with the Bishop of the Church of God, Dr. Miguel Alvarez, who played an important role in Gonzalez’s spiritual growth.

Gonzalez, who studied with the Church of God, is certified and approved by Theological Schools for Hispanics in the United States as an ordained minister of the gospel.

His responsibilities at The Healing Place will cover all phases of ministry, especially focusing on outreach to residents in the region.

He will also oversee the individual ministries of the church, such as the Men’s Bible Study and breakfast events, Gemstones, the ladies team, family prayer nights and community fun nights.

Since February 2016, the fellowship has been featuring family and community nights with a monthly themed dinner, including movie nights, game nights, and cash free bingo every second Saturday of each month.

Associated with The Healing Place for the past five years, Gonzalez was named missions director in 2016.

He has led several successful mission trips to various regions of Ecuador.

When Gonzalez first attended, he was impressed with the family atmosphere of love at the fellowship.

He is looking forward to taking the love and forgiveness of God to neighborhoods around the region.

“When I think of all the many blessings, I am grateful for Living Stone Fellowship,” Gonzalez said of his future at Living Stone Fellowship. “I feel privileged God called me to be part of this wonderful ministry as an associate pastor.

“I am eager to reach out to the community with the love of God, alongside so many wonderful people at The Healing Place.”

The public is invited to a special ordination service 1:15 p.m. Jan. 14 to meet Pastor Gonzalez and neighbors from the community.