Pastor Dona Williams

Pastor Dona Williams

Good Ground Family Church, Cohoes, NY

Dona Williams has been a Christian since August 1975. That same year, she married her husband Wendell and together they gave their marriage to Jesus on Christmas Day 1975 in Beverly, MA.  In 1976 they moved to the Berkshires where Dona taught Theater and English at a private Christian High School for five years. 

After the birth of her first son, Benjamin, a tumor developed on Dona’s pituitary gland causing a condition called Cushing’s Disease. Over the next 17 years she underwent five major surgeries to arrest the disease, attempting to remove the tumor. During these years she gave birth to two more “miracle children” , Chrissy and Isaac. Due to Dona’s chronic condition at the time, both pregnancies were a great surprise to the medical community, but great blessings to Wendell and Dona and their families. 

In 1991, Dona and Wendell moved to Tulsa, OK with their young family so Wendell could finish his Bible school education and be ordained for ministry. While at Rhema Bible Training Center, Dona attended the Kenneth Hagin Ministries Prayer and Healing Schools daily and served as Director of the live program broadcasts of the Rhema Bible Church Services. 

Following Wendell’s graduation from Rhema in 1993, they returned to NY where Wendell accepted a call and served as an Associate Pastor in a local Church for five years. In August 1998 they formed Good Ground Ministries International, Inc. In December 1998, God then led them to pioneer a new work, Good Ground Family Church, in Troy, NY. The Troy YMCA allowed them to use their Community Room.  This was their church home for one month until January 1999, when they were able to rent a storefront on busy Hoosick Street, where they ministered for three years. 

In September 2001, by the Grace of God and the help of many friends and supporters, they were able to purchase a 118 year old Catholic Cathedral in Cohoes, NY for $50,000 cash.  They have been ministering in Cohoes, since then, to a growing, vibrant, soul-winning congregation. 

After securing a generous grant, Dona will be launching an afterschool theater group called “Rated G – Classic Children’s Theater”, which will be focused on helping young people and youth become actively involved in a positive community program. 

Dona, holds a B.S. in Theater from Skidmore College and is an ordained Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She has been ministering to women’s groups for over a dozen years and has co-hosted the popular “Breaking Ground” radio broadcast on area Christian stations. She has many remarkable stories of God's faithfulness throughout her marriage, work place and ministry to edify and build up the Body of Christ.  

Dona can be contacted at 518-233-0398 or dona@goodgroundfamilychurch.org.