From a basement to a mountain...

​In the 1970’s, Glenn and Betty Kagarise began holding church services in the basement of their home. At that time, they also attended a local church with their family. However, as the decade came to close, Glenn felt that God was leading him to go beyond having services in the basement and living room and to start a new work. Glenn felt a deep concern that man had begun to take the place of God in the church. He believed it was essential to give leadership back to God and to allow God’s word to reign over the word of man.

While Glenn prayed and pondered over where to begin a new church, the Lord showed him, “You already have a building.” Glenn realized that an old restaurant he had purchased some years prior for business purposes could be renovated to make a worship center. Step by step, along Route 22 on top of Short Mountain outside of Williamsburg, the main hall of the former “Pete & Piggies” diner—famous in the old days for its pies—transformed into The Church of Living Water. The first services were held in 1981. In time, Sunday school rooms also emerged. In 1993, the upstairs became Living Water Christian Academy, a K-12 school utilizing the A.C.E. Curriculum system. The Academy ran for 22 years, closing in 2015. With the closing of the Christian Academy, the church chose to lend assistance to individuals within the congregation who are homeschooling their children. In 2001, a new kitchen and fellowship room opened for operation.

From 1981 to 1996, Glenn served as the senior pastor. In 1996, though he retained the position of senior pastor, Glenn moved on to other ministry responsibilities, and Robby Kagarise assumed the central leadership role as pastor. From 2007 to 2008, Rowdy Kagarise temporarily assumed this role while Robby and his wife Julia spent time away helping family. In 2008, Robby and Julia returned to Williamsburg, and Robby took up the pastoral role once again. From February 2016 to February 2017, Robby and Julia relocated to California, where Robby served as a Bible college and seminary administrator. During this time, elders of the church shared the leadership duties. In March 2017, Robby and Julie returned again to Living Water, where Robby took up the pastoral role once more.

In the early 1990’s, The Church of Living Water changed its name to Living Water Family Worship Center. Living Water is an evangelistic church whose goal, both past and present, is to be a place where people can find God and worship Him in accordance with His word.