Defiance - 2003 Community & Resource Guide

Defiance-area residents have much to be thankful for; and when it comes time for praise and worship, there is a variety of styles from which to choose — “everything from liturgical to charismatic,” as one pastor puts it.

Whether one prefers to join a major denominational or a non-denominational congregation, a church home is available here. By one count, there are 62 churches within the Defiance city limits, and the mailing list for a recent crusade included another 54 in the surrounding area.

Most have programs for people of all ages, including Vacation Bible School for children, youth groups for teens, Bible study classes for adults, and Meals on Wheels for senior citizens.

The Defiance Clergy Fellowship holds community services on Thanksgiving, Good Friday and the National Day of Prayer. The pastors in the fellowship conduct weekly worship services at all the city nursing and retirement homes as well as at assisted-living facilities. The members also meet to pray together each Thursday.

There are many opportunities for community service in the area. More than 20 churches cooperate to provide a food pantry for the community. Congregations individually and cooperatively provide help for the homeless, collect clothing and blankets for the needy, and perform many other charitable deeds.

The Defiance Area Pax Christi Local is a group that believes “violence ends where love begins.” Pax Christi Local is committed to “building communities of faith, supporting one another in action and challenging one another to examine the intent and consequence of our actions.”

The Tri-State Yokefellow House is an ecumenical center dedicated to the development of a deeper Christian commitment in everyday life. It is located in the Ohio countryside, surrounded by grain fields and backed by the Tiffin River.