Father Al Lauer, the founder and spiritual leader of Presentation Ministries was received into the heavenly Eucharist on October 13, 2002. God in His wisdom chose to take Father Al home to Himself after a lifetime of service and self-sacrifice for Jesus and His Church.

Father Al was ordained a Catholic priest for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Ohio in 1974. During his second year of priesthood, Father Al experienced a renewal in the Holy Spirit that was the key to his highly effective ministry. As he began teaching the Bible, he experienced first-hand, the power of God's word as did all those who heard him.

While praying at a retreat in 1983, the Lord called Father Al to begin reaching people through the radio. In addition to radio broadcasts, Father Al trained lay people to be Bible teachers, ministers of healing, intercessors, and leaders of small Christian communities.

He was the founder and long-time author of One Bread One Body, a daily Scripture meditation booklet. He wrote numerous other books and pamphlets. His teachings are available on audio and video cassettes. Father also founded the Bible Institute to provide equipping seminars for the laity. His vision included raising up lay people as disciples of Jesus.

Even as he lay dying, Father challenged us at Presentation Ministries to "Put out into the deep" (Lk 5:4). He urged us to not just maintain this ministry, but to move forward in growth and development. He charged us to accept Christ's calling to a radical lifestyle of preaching and living His gospel.

In his zeal for souls, Father Al poured himself out to the end. As always, his focus was on bringing about the Kingdom. Even now, we believe that he is a great intercessor in heaven along with others in Presentation who have departed this life. We pray that we will receive all that the Holy Spirit wishes to give us in order to continue this great work of evangelization and discipleship.

Since Father Al's death, Presentation Ministries is continuing to move forward. Existing ministries are flourishing and even new ministries have been added -- the Word's Gift Ministry and Discipleship Outreach Teams.