Retiring Africa missionaries to preach last sermon Sunday. 

Retiring Africa missionaries to preach last sermon Sunday. 

LUDINGTON — After 37 years in the African mission field, Jim and Becky Petersen are retiring. The couple will be in Ludington on Sunday, Nov. 1 to preach their last sermon, in the place where their mission career began, Prayer and Praise Assembly of God, 509 N. Staffon St.

Jim served as an associate pastor of the church from 1975 to 1980. During that time, he and Becky operated a youth program called the Carpenter Shop, which was located on South James Street in the building that now houses A Bride’s Time. Jim has described it as a non-denominational coffee house ministry that was affiliated with Prayer and Praise. At one point, 17 churches had been represented. Jim said many of the kids from the Carpenter Shop are today serving in ministry in some form.

Jim, 69, is a second generation African missionary with Assemblies of God. His father was a missionary in Africa for 32 years, which is where Jim grew up. Becky, 70, grew up in Ludington and graduate from Ludington High School. 

Their most recent mission assignment was in Botswana. The Petersens have also served in Tanzania, Zambia and South Africa. Their primary focus in Africa was to teach nationals how to start churches in their own countries. They also helped begin a non-denominational United Nations refugee camp for victims of the Rwandan genocide, started an orphanage for children with AIDS and ministered a church.

They came home to the U.S. in July, after months of attempts to leave the country; their arrangements were complicated due to COVID travel restrictions. They now live in Texas near their son, J.J. and his family. 

On Sunday, Jim and Becky will be joined by their daughter, Shannon, and her husband, Logan, who are also African missionaries. 

Services begin at 10 a.m. 

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