Rev. Fred E. Kinzie

Frederick E. Kinzie was born to Mr. and Mrs. William Kinzie on February 4, 1914. When he was five years old, his family moved to a farm near Lapaz, Indiana. There, playing with the next door neighborhood kids, Fred met Vera Berger, who later became his wife. They both graduated from Lapaz High School and in 1934 were married.

Fred and Vera began life together as farmers, fully expecting to farm for the rest of their lives. In 1936 things dramatically changed when they yielded their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ and received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. They became active in the Plymouth, Indiana, Old Time Religion Tabernacle pastored by Walter D. Mangun. Brother Kinzie became an elder, and Sister Kinzie ministered as a musician in the church. During that time he was superintendent of a non-denominational Sunday school for three years.

In 1941 Brother Kinzie felt the call to the ministry. In the winter of 1944, the Kinzies took time off from the farm to help Evangelist Earl Gamblin, preaching and singing in meetings in Miami and Pensacola, Florida. Suddenly, rheumatic fever began its throbbing pain in Brother Kinzie while he was driving between the two cities, and he ended up in a hospital in Pensacola, Florida. Finally, in earnest prayer he committed himself to the ministry. That day, Vera wrote letters home informing their folks that they were leaving the farm. The next morning, Brother Kinzie was a healed man.

Two months later in July 1944, Brother and Sister Kinzie began evangelizing. Pat and Pam McQueen went with them, making a musical team. They sang, preached, and were known as the Kinzie Evangelistic Party throughout the United States and Canada. The group traveled for the next nine years. In 1950, another member was added to the party with the birth of their daughter, Cassandra.

Brother and Sister Kinzie were honored to be a part of the Merger conference in 1945.

Many opportunities to pastor churches in states from California to Florida were offered Brother Kinzie while traveling, but the Lord impressed him to "keep on doing what you're doing." His call to Toledo was so definite that doubts never crossed their minds. They arrived in that city in May 1953 and they helped build three church buildings during their pastorate.

Thirty years later Brother Kinzie turned the church over to his son-in-law, J. Mark Jordan and family. Brother Kinzie serves as pastor emeritus.

After retiring, Fred Kinzie began writing. Four books were published by Word Aflame Press and many articles printed in the Pentecostal Herald and district magazines.

On December 16, 2006, Sister Kinzie went on to meet the Lord.