Cleveland, TN–David B. Lorency, president of Operation Compassion, passed away unexpectedly early this morning April 3, 2020. He was 75.
Lorency spent 48 years in ministry with the Church of God, characterized by reaching the poor and underprivileged, starting with outreach to sailors and street witnessing in Norfolk, Va. He began coffee houses, servicemen’s centers, and beach ministry stations which grew to reach thousands of youth.
Throughout his ministry, Lorency also served as a pastor, where at each location his leadership focused on the needs of that community and encouraging the church to respond. He was an Evangelism Director for both Chicago Metro and California. Lorency was responsible for starting more than 100 ethnically diverse churches.
In 2000, David Lorency was selected to serve as Executive Director of Operation Compassion, a non-profit international disaster relief organization. He has guided and directed the growth and development of Operation Compassion from a small charity starting with a pick-up truck and $200 to an organization handling more than 1,500 semis or more per year. Lorency has been instrumental in OC’s financial growth as well. In 2006, he was named president.
[1]Lorency
“Dave Lorency was a champion, head and shoulders above everyone else, in challenging times,” stated Raymond Culpepper, first assistant general overseer and liaison to the Division of Care for the Church of God. “That includes hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, earthquakes, and health crises. His leadership of Operation Compassion has been there from the start and is legendary. The roots of Operation Compassion are in the Church of God and David Lorency has navigated the tricky waters of benevolence, the church and government to bring this organization to the very top of relief organizations worldwide. This is truly a great loss for Operation Compassion and the Church of God, but at the same time we are rejoicing for his exemplary and selfless life of ministry.”
Church of God General Overseer Tim Hill said, “Dave Lorency has left a legacy in the Church of God that will never be duplicated. His heart for outreach and leadership in disaster relief has made an impact that will live on for generations.”
David Lorency has been married to his wife, Laura, for 54 years. They have four daughters, four sons-in-law, eleven grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.
A graveside service will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Operation Compassion (operationcompassion.org).