History of The Lower Light Church
 Listing of General Superintendents
    -by Jesse Kneal

Perl McDonnell, Founder, and 1st General Superintendent of the Lower Light Church, served the church from 1935-1946.  During those years he pioneered churches in Petersburg & Ann Arbor, and started a mission in Adrian, all in Michigan.  He also pastored a church in Toledo, Oh.
He founded the Lower Light Evangelist, and served as its editor for several years.  He supervised the building of 2 Tabernacles, 2 Churches, a Camp Dining Hall, a Print shop, as well as the founding & supervising of a Bible School in Petersburg from 1935-36.
Charles McDonnell was elected to the office of General Superintendent of the Lower Light Church in 1946, and served in that capacity until 1960.  His administration was marked by steady progress and will be remembered for the steady hand he held at the helm.  He executed the duties of his office with quiet dignity and carried responsibility with much grace.  

Before his election as General Superintendent, he served on the official board for 11 years, and held the office of Assistant General Superintendent for 6 years.  He also served as district elder for some time.  In addition to these offices, he filled pastorates at Petersburg, Tecumseh, Toledo, Ann Arbor, & Alagansee.  While pastoring at Ann Arbor, he designed & built the parsonage there.  He served as editor of the Lower Light Evangelist for some time, and pondered ways to improve the church periodical.  Under his leadership, the paper was first printed by the National Religious Press, at Grand Rapids, MI.  This resulted in a more attractive magazine, an improvement which was passed on to succeeding editors, and is still in effect at this writing. 
Charles McDonnell is said to be much like his father, William, whose quiet manner and pious tendencies set him apart from all others.  Charles spoke in the same calm way, yet with a decisiveness which gave confidence & direction to the people.  A well-beloved brother, he led the people with a kind spirit.  He always remained close to the Lower Light people, though laboring in another church affiliation.  He was the special speaker for the 40th anniversary service held in 1975, and was a frequent visitor at the camp meeting held in Petersburg, MI.
Matthew M. Harden, native son of Scotland, was elected to the office of General Superintendent of the Lower Light Church in August of 1960, and continued in that capacity until August of 1973.

Brother Harden was ordained in 1940, and joined the Lower Light Church in 1941.  He served on the official Board for many years, and also served for 14 years as Assistant General Superintendent. While pastoring the Ann Arbor church for 12 years, he supervised the building of the new church.  He also at Petersburg, and assisted in two other pioneer endeavors.  He assisted with a radio broadcast over WTOL, in Toledo, and edited the Lower Light Evangelist for several years.  He became very interested in photography, and supplied all the photos used in the paper.

During his administration, Bro. Harden held fast to the ancient landmarks, and encouraged the people to take the narrow way.  He scheduled spiritual men as camp evangelists, and encouraged the pastors of the movement to choose spiritual men for revival meetings.
He preached that the Bible means what it says, and his Ministry was very effective & fruitful.  His views were respected & his standards were appreciated.

Bro. Harden was a man of great energy.  His quaint Scottish brogue added to his colorful personality.  He was enthusiastic from head to toe, and one could not be around him for very long before realizing that his enthusiasm was catching.  Young people clustered around him, and he was the apple of their eye!  He spoke their language & he was an excellent youth worker.

His wife, Lorraine, served for many years as General Secretary, and was a constant source of encouragement as Pastor's wife.  She also served as camp cook for many years.  The Hardens were highly esteemed & loved by the Lower Light people!
Joseph Christian was elected to the office of General Superintendent in August of 1973, and served in that capacity until August of 1976.  He came up through the ranks and was yet a young man when he took office.  This was a time of resurgence for the church.  It was a time of transition & youthful aspirations.  God was moving on younger minds, and they were entering into the work with youthful zeal.  

The old Tabernacle was in a deteriorating condition when Joseph Christian took office in 1973. A severe wind storm had swept through the area in June of that year, toppling trees, and leaving a trail of devastation in its wake.  The old Tabernacle roof was punctured by falling trees.  Repairs were made, but it seemed impossible to stop all of the leaks, and if it rained during camp, people had a hard time dodging the raindrops!  As younger minds began to be active, hope began to rise for a NEW Tabernacle!
When Bro. Christian became the church's new leader, a new tabernacle became a priority!  Things began to happen!  Working closely with the general board, Bro. Christian pushed steadily forward, and plans for the new building on the new property were formulated.  Plans were to build a 60x90 ft. structure with overhead steel beams.  Construction began in April, 1974, and the building was completed in time for the Annual Camp in August of the same year!  It was a time of Praise, Triumph, & Prevailing Victory!!!  The people responded by giving freely, and the building was completely free of debt in a few short years!

Besides serving as General Superintendent, Bro. Christian served 5 years as Assistant General Superintendent, along with serving on the general Board for many years.  He also pastored churches in Melvindale, Ann Arbor, & Alagansee, MI.  He & his wife, Patricia currently live in Florida where they are pastoring.
Harlan R. Sannes was elected to the office of General Superintendent in August of 1976, and served in that office until August of 1982.  Prior to this election, he had served as Assistant General Superintendent for 7 years and had pastored the Tecumseh Lower Light Church from 1967 to 1975.

In 1969, God began to move on the heart of Bro. Sannes concerning the possibility of opening up a Christian Day School for our children. With the continuing pressure of Atheism, and Humanism, and other debasing influences in the public school system, he considered the danger of losing our children to these dominating influences as great.  

Bro. Sannes continued to explore the possibility of opening up a school through 1971, and by November of that year there was enough interest, so a steering committee was formed.  This committee worked on the constitution & by-laws throughout the years of 1972 & 1973.  Holiness Christian School was opened in September of 1974 with 18 students.  In June, 1979 the first Graduation ceremony was held, with 3 graduates!  Since that time, many students have come these halls of learning, and some have gone on to really make a difference in society.  Some nurses, some teachers, some preachers, some good solid laymen. . . We truly are indebted to this man of God, Rev. Harlan R. Sannes for his unshakeable determination to succeed in his quest for Christian Education!
W.O. Kneal was converted at the age of 16.  Soon after, the new tabernacle was opened for services on Center St. in Petersburg, MI in the spring of 1934.  The aftershocks of the "Rabbit House"  revival had not yet abated and the surrounding communities were still in a state of spiritual awakening.

After his conversion, he became active in the Petersburg church, functioning as Youth Leader for the Petersburg youth group.  Later, he was elected as the General Youth President of the LLYP.  He also served as recording secretary for the Conference, and was a student in the Bible School in 1935-36.

He received exhorters license in 1935, Local preachers license in 1936, Deacons orders in 1937, and was ordained in 1940 at the age of 21.  He had already completed the course of study mandated by the Conference, and met the requirements for the office, but was not eligible for Ordination until the age of 21.  He was drafted into military service in 1944, at the age of 25, and served his country until January, 1946.  

His greatest Ministry for the church began after his return to the states, though he had pastored earlier at the Tecumseh church, Serving as founding pastor at the Maumee St. location in 1937, and at County Line Church, in Deerfield, MI before entering the Military.

He served as pastor of the Adrian church for 8 years, and at the Petersburg Church for 14 years.  He served as General Treasurer  for 35 years, District Superintendent for 16 years, Assistant General Superintendent for 10 years, and General Superintendent for 16 years.  He lives with his wife, Jesse, in Dundee, MI.  Rev. & Mrs. W.O. Kneal are the only living charter members of the LLM. 
He believed God for Revival, and God honored him.  Revival swept through the city of Petersburg in 1933-34, sweeping many souls into the Kingdom of God, & founding a church that has endured for 75 years! He passed away in 1961.

      Rev. David Linville
General Supt. 1998-Present
David Linville was elected to the office of General Superintendent in August, 1998, and currently serves the organization in that capacity. Before his election, he served as a conference board member for over twenty-five years.  He has also been involved in Christian Education since 1973, having been on the steering committee for Holiness Christian School, serving the school as board member, board secretary, school Pastor/Administrator, and board chairman, which position he currently retains.    

As a timid and shy country lad of seventeen, he was saved in October, 1955, in Carlisle, Kentucky, during a revival at a little Pilgrim Holiness church, under the ministry of Rev. Howard Williams.  He entered God’s Bible School in the fall of 1957, and graduated with a B.A. degree in 1962.  On September 2, 1961, he married the former Grace Kneal, and they made their home in Cincinnati, Ohio, and then South Fort Mitchell, Kentucky.  They were both members of the Erlanger Pilgrim Holiness church, where they served the church in various capacities. Grace was secretary and Sunday school teacher, and David was youth leader, Sunday school Superintendent, and board member.

In 1965, they moved to Michigan and became members of the Lower Light church in Petersburg, where Grace’s father, W.O. Kneal, was pastor.  Brother Linville’s pastoral ministry began at the Lower Light church at Adrian, MI, in 1970, and he was ordained in 1971.  He retired from Ford Motor Co. June 1, 1998, after thirty-three years. He resigned from his pastorate in August, 1998, and was elected to the position of general Superintendent.

He has also served as Editor of the Lower Light Evangelist, the organization’s official periodical, since his election to that office in 2007. 

Having served in the maintenance department of the conference for over forty years, Brother Linville has a keen interest not only in the spiritual stability and growth of the church, but also in the physical condition and appearance of the camp grounds and buildings.  He continues to be personally involved in many improvement projects that will preserve and enhance the beauty of the camp ground.  He is always open to fresh ideas for improving God’s property and kingdom. 

   Celebrating 83 Years
        1935 - 2018