Rev. Billy Cole Passes

Rev. William H. “Billy” Cole passed away on 27 July 2009 at his West Virginia home.  Bro. Cole was well-known in the United Pentecostal Church for his great faith and his leadership in international Holy Ghost crusades.

According to his obituary, Bro. Cole established churches in Ravenswood and Wheeling, West Virginia.  He also planted 53 churches in Thailand, where he baptized 289 Buddhist priests in the Name of Jesus.

William Cole was born 28 July 1934 in Newark, Ohio to the late Rev. Jewell Colonel Cole and Mary Shirely Cole.  He is survived by his wife, Shirley; one daughter and son-inlaw, Brenda and Rondel Moss II; three grandchildren and their spouses.  Services will be held at North Charleston Apostolic Church in West Virginia on 4 August.

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United Pentecostal Churches of Arkansas Help Tornado Victims

Scott Langford, pastor of Fox United Pentecostal Church, experienced a tragedy in 2008 when a tornado ripped his home from its foundation.  Langford felt blessed by the response of area churches that responded to the disaster and got a burden to return the favor.

Through his experience, Bro. Langford, with the assistance of his presbyter, Dwight Wilson, formed a disaster response team in the Arkansas District’s section 7.  The group consists of 13 UPC churches.

When a tornado struck last week, nearly destroying the small town of Mena, Section 7’s team charged into action.  Some of the men are remaining in the area for several days helping with debris clean up.

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Apostolic Sanctuary reaches promised land with new church dedication

SILVIS, IL – An exodus awaits enterers to the new Apostolic Sanctuary in Silvis.

”And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them,” from Exodus 25:8 appears on the wall of the church’s lobby area.

”That Scripture fits what we did,” church pastor the Rev. Gary Randol said.

The formerly known Jesus Church didn’t have to move from its earlier Silvis site, ”but we felt this is what God wanted us to do,” Rev. Randol said. ”This church is His mission and we are glad to be a part of it.”

Public dedication services for the sanctuary, at 1501 John Deere Parkway, Silvis, will be held March 20-22.

The Rev. Kenneth Haney, general superintendent of the United Pentecostal Church International, will speak at the main dedication service at 7 p.m. Friday. An open house will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 21. It will include guided tours and refreshments. The Rev. Scott Graham, pastor of The Sanctuary in Hazelwood, Mo., will lead a 6 p.m. serviceMarch 21.

The celebration will continue March 22 with a bilingual service at 9:30 a.m., led by the Rev. G. Alan Browning, Kentucky district secretary/treasurer and pastor of Greater Life Apostolic Church, Louisville, Ky., followed by a 3 p.m. “Honoring the Past as we Celebrate the Future” presentation, led by the Rev. Doyle Randol, Cape Girardeau, Mo., Rev. Gary Randol’s father.

The new sanctuary ”is a God thing,” Rev. Gary Randol said. ”This building is not ours, we have built His Sanctuary,” Rev. Randol said. ”God”s blessings have been upon us throughout this transition. Anybody who has ever been through a building program knows how difficult that can be on a church. But we have seen tremendous growth throughout this transition, and we want everyone to come and check us out and see what God is doing here.”

Its construction began in September 2007 and was completed at the start of this year. Services were held for the first time Jan. 7.

The church”s main level houses worship space that seats 800 people. It also has a chapel that seats 125 people, a dedicated prayer room, choir practice room, office facilities, book store, nursery, guest reception area and restrooms.

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Calvary Tabernacle UPC welcomes new pastor

ROCKLAND (March 8): The Calvary Tabernacle United Pentecostal Church in Rockland has a new pastor who would like to see his congregation grow.

The Rev. David and Becki DeVall moved here from Tennessee in January along with their 21-year-old daughter Amanda. Their son Jonathan, 19, is attending seminary in St. Paul, Minn.

The DeValls are not strangers to New England, however, having lived in New Hampshire while their children grew up and attended school.

The Rev. DeVall said one of the challenges of being a minister is having to move around a lot. “But we’re tired of moving,” he said. “We’re going to stay in Rockland for the long term.”

DeVall knew the church was going to have an opening so he and his wife came in October and he preached at the church. “We fell in love with Rockland,” he said. “It’s a beautiful city.”

Rick Gamage of Rockland, a deacon at the church, said the church’s goals and DeVall’s goals are the same. “David is focused on teaching and church growth,” said Gamage.

DeVall said he teaches an Apostolic doctrine, meaning he follows the teachings of the original 12 apostles. “We are practical in our thinking and our mode of worship,” he said.

“People are looking for the truth,” said DeVall. “Religion is man made. I preach about people’s relationship and experience with God. It’s about people’s experience, not religion.”

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Band of Backsliders Stakes Out International Territory

The Kings of Leon have enjoyed great popularity in the UK and Europe, but they now seem to be penetrating the US market.  The band, which consists of  brothers Nathan, Caleb, and Jared Followill, along with first cousin, Matthew Followill, have a Pentecostal past.  The brothers’ father, Leon, was a UPCI evangelist, and the family grew up travelling and singing.  Their father and grandfather bore the name Leon.

Today, they have taken their musical gift well outside the walls o the Church.  Some of their songs “Sex on Fire” and “Holy Roller Novocaine” demonstrate their distance from their Apostolic heritage.  Telling lyrics of the latter song are:  “Lord’s gonna get us back, I know, I know.”  A recent album was entitled “Because of the Times,” named for the annual ministers’ conference in Alexandria, Louisiana. 

In December, the group were nominated for three Grammy awards.  Please remember these young men in prayer.

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Apostolic Minister and Spouse Celebrate 50 Years Together

Rev. and Mrs. Joseph Cannon, of Diboll, TX, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on December 6, 2008. Their children surprised them with a party honoring their marriage at JR’s Barn in Diboll on Saturday, December 6. Their children are Jody Cannon of Diboll, Jubal and Tracie Cannon of Lufkin, Jeff and Lori Cannon of Diboll, and Jon Cannon of Diboll. In attendance were numerous guests, including Rev. Cannon’s brother, Jack Cannon, his wife, Margie, and their son, Mike, who drove from Milton, Florida, to surprise and honor them.

Other guests came from Arcadia, Florida, Lake City, Florida, LaGrange, Texas, as well as many friends from this local area. Rev, and Mrs. Cannon moved to Diboll over two years ago. They previously lived in Arcadia, Florida, where they were the pastor of the First United Pentecostal Church for 26 years. They have also been pastor of churches in Okeechobee, Florida, as well as LaGrange, Texas. Rev, and Mrs. Cannon are well-loved by their family and friends, and by anyone who makes their acquaintance. In addition to their four sons, they have a daughter who lives in Cape Coral, Florida, and they are blessed with thirteen grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.

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Texas District UPCI Youth Ministries To Hold Youth Workers Training Event

Youth Workers

The Commune-ity Meeting – Texas
February 20-21, 2009

A youth ministry training event, sponsored by the Texas District Youth Ministries. This event is designed for Youth Pastors and Leaders, Youth Staff, older teens and young adults who are potential leaders.

DO NOT MISS THIS EVENT!!

Register Online Now!!

Location:
Dallas Emanuel Pentecostal Church
Rev. Richard Flowers
1200 Poplar Dr., Mesquite, TX 75149

Louisiana Apostolic church takes a tuneful message to inmates

As roughly a dozen jail inmates clad in red uniforms looked on, Beatrice Randolph clutched the cell bars in front of her and belted out a hymn encouraging them to cheer up and “live in the sunshine.”

Upon completing the song “Father Along,” Randolph, tears welling in her eyes, turned away from the bars and slowly walked back to her place among other members of her church choir, as prisoners applauded.

Choir members from House of Prayer United Pentecostal Church in Thibodaux, LA performed various praise and worship numbers Sunday night during a first of its kind mini-concert at the Lafourche jail designed to provide inmates with not only entertainment but a measure of hope.

“This may be the first time people tell them they care about them,” Lafourche jail Warden Alan Abadie said. “Maybe this will teach them to have better self-respect.”

Abadie thanked House of Prayer pastor Ronnie Melancon for being receptive to the idea of the jailhouse ministry through song. Tammy Theriot, coordinator of inmate services and programs, organized the event.

Using two acoustic guitars, a keyboard and more than a dozen voices, the House of Prayer choir provided uplifting sounds for inmates throughout the jail.

For much of the night, the group performed out of sight from the prisoners, whose whoops and whistles of approval were heard, even when they themselves could not be seen.

Some inmates cried. Others enthusiastically sang along.

Inmates on Cell Block D, all of whom are awaiting trial on felony offenses, said Randolph’s song of redemption resonated with them.

“Due to the dark days we usually spend in here, that was pretty enlightening,” said 35-year-old Christopher Johnson of Thibodaux, who faces a murder charge. “That brought a lot of joy to people’s hearts.”

Johnson said his favorite song of the night contained the words, “I am a friend of God; he calls me friend.”

“We have all fallen by the wayside,” Johnson said. “It’s not about falling, it’s about getting back up and dusting yourself off again.”

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Members of St. Louis UPC Church Heed Obama’s Call for Service

President-elect Obama asked the nation to spend Martin Luther King Jr. Day performing acts of service in their community.

In reponse, nearly 40 teens from Sanctuary United Pentecostal Church, led by Bros. Timothy Dugas and Scott Graham, spent time volunteering at the St. Louis Area Foodbank, which supplies pantries, shelters, and soup kitchens in the St. Louis regions.  Teens from the church spent about three hours inspecting, sorting, and packaging food.

Whitney Merritt, who attends the church, said that the experience has inspired her to continue volunteer service.

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Because of the Times 2009

Because of the Times 2009 (BOTT) will begin tomorrow and run through Thursday, January 22nd.  BOTT is very popular conference for ministers and their families. BOTT is hosted by the Pentecostal of Alexandria in Louisiana.

Thousands of ministers from numerous Apostolic organisations will gather at this conference.  BOTT follows a basic format of about twelve or thirteen anointed speakers with diverse delivery methods. The theme for this years conference is II C 7 14, from the familiar passage in II Chronicles 7:14.

Speakers during the conference include: Host Pastor Anthony Mangun, General Superintendent Kenneth Haney of the United Pentecostal Church International, Assistant General Superintendent Randy Keyes, T. F. Tenney, Vesta Mangun, Terry Shock, Jeff Arnold, and others.

For more information click here.

Apostolic Church Featured in ‘Worship Facilities’ Magazine

The Life Church of Kansas City, MO was recently featured in the “Financial Feature” section of Worship Facilities Magazine.  In the article, Senior Pastor Stan Gleason is interviewed regarding their site, buiding, and capital stewardship campaign.  According to the article, The Life Church is a 420 member church founded 54 years ago and currently at its third location.  The church enjoys a new 41,000 square foot facility on 43 acres with high visibility and easy accessibility from the Interstate.

Read the online version of the article HERE.

UPCI Church Receives Grant for Geothermal System

Calvary United Pentecostal Church of Mount Vernon, IL will be moving into a new building this Sunday, and the new building will feature a geothermal heating and cooling system.

“This is not a conventional heating and cooling system,” pastor Steven Edwards explained. “It’s extremely efficient and utility companies nationwide are encouraging new construction to use this type of system.”

Tri-County Electric Cooperative, which provides electrical service to the site of the new church at 406 N. 44th St. and is a member of the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives in Springfield, was able to help the congregation obtain the new technology with a grant of $12,467.

According to the association, geothermal heating and cooling systems are the most efficient systems available today. The technology harnesses the natural energy trapped beneath the earth’s surface and taps into the renewable energy of the sun.

“You may realize that no matter whether it’s frigid winter or boiling summer, the temperature of the earth stays fairly constant below ground level,” information from the association states. “In Illinois, the temperature below ground is a constant mid-50 degrees. To heat, a geothermal system uses an earth loop to extract this heat from the ground. The system draws the heat from a fluid that is circulated from a closed earth loop, maximizing the heat energy through a simple refrigeration process. The heat is then distributed through a conventional duct system.”

To cool, the system takes heat from inside the building and moves it back to the earth loop.

Read the full story here.

Facebook Connection Results In Salvation

A couple of Bible School students have used a social networking website to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. Brian Dennis is not your regular convert or Bible Study student. Brian was contacted by two Apostolic Bible Institute students via the popular social networking website, Facebook.  Brian has received the gift of the Holy Spirit and was baptized in Jesus’ on Sunday morning, January 11th, 2009.

You can view his baptism here.
(You can fast forward to the 31 minute mark).

UPCI General Superintendent Joins Pentecostals & Charismatics Preparing for Commission on Holy Spirit Empowerment in the 21st Century

Bro. Kenneth Haney, General Superintendent of the United Pentecostal Church International, recently met with other Pentecostal and Charismatic leaders in Newport Beach, California as part of preliminary meetings leading up to the 2010 Commission on Holy Spirit Empowerment in the 21st Century, a Pentecostal/Charismatic congress slated for 2010 on the campus of Oral Roberts University.

The Commission, which is chaired by Rev. Billy Wilson, executive director fo the International Center for Spiritual Renewal and vice chair of the Oral Roberts University Board of Trustees, is attempting to cast a vision for the future of the Pentecostal movement. 

The Congress will be held on the Tulsa campus of Oral Roberts University 8-10 April 2010.  The inclusion of Bro. Haney does signal the inclusion of the Oneness branch of the Pentecostal movement in the Congressional efforts of the Commission.

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Pastor Tries to Feed a Hunger in Crime-Shaken D.C. Neighborhood

A UPCI daughter work was featured on the front of today’s (Sunday) Washington Post.  This is a daughter work of Antioch, The Apostolic Church.

 

By Michelle Boorstein

Washington Post Staff Writer

Carlos Williams swore he’d never return his children to Washington, the city where drug deals, fights and drunks outside his father’s apartment used to keep him and his brothers awake at night. But there they were, Carlos, his wife and their seven children — all under 13 — tumbling out of the family’s white van one Saturday in Trinidad, the small Northeast D.C. neighborhood plagued by more than 125 violent crimes in the past year.

As they began their rounds, the kids giggling and running up alleys, young men on sidewalks and older women on stoops tended to stare, as if to say, What are you doing here?

Saving souls, or at least trying.

The Williamses believe that God called them to Trinidad two years ago, and they have reorganized their lives around the neighborhood, even if it costs them the stability it took more than a decade to build. In September, they sold their home on a wooded, 1 1/2 -acre patch of Anne Arundel County and moved into a rented, one-bathroom rowhouse on Florida Avenue, where Zenobia Williams home-schools all seven children. Before moving, they drove 25 miles to get to Trinidad every Saturday, an unlikely looking missionary troupe, checking on people, praying with them on doorsteps, walking past a police checkpoint. Twice they brought a mobile baptismal tank in a school bus and prayed in tongues as Trinidad’s children plunged beneath the water.

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