THE NEWSVINE “Every page an altar to His works!”
WINTER 2020 REVIVAL CENTER UNITED PENTECOSTAL CHURCH 825 7th Street, Modesto, CA 95354 Business Phone: 209-522-5365
email us at thenewsvine@gmail.com google us at: the newsvine or follow us on: issuu.com/thenewsvine EDITORS ASST EDITOR MULTIMEDIA BUSINESS LIAISON GRAPHIC DESIGN PHOTOGRAPHERS CREATIVE TEAM COLUMNISTS YOUTH REPORTER MAILINGS DISTRIBUTION
Tim Warren Charlene Wilson Leo & Virginia Aguilera Leo Aguilera, Grover Hunt Gabriel Chavoya Autumn Amador, Tim Warren, Alexis Diaz, Jocelyn Powell Jim Campbell Alexis Diaz Virginia Aguilera Norbert Feliciano
BISHOP RANDY G. KEYES
ADMINISTRATIVE PASTOR - JONATHAN QUINONES STUDENT PASTOR - JOSHUA AGUILERA
PULPIT STAFF MINISTERS
CHURCH SECRETARY RESIDENT MISSIONARIES SUNDAY SCHOOL DIRECTOR K.R.E.W. KIDS DIRECTOR PRAYER MINISTRIES CHOIR WORLD MISSIONS OUTREACH DIRECTOR LIFE GROUPS PUBLIC RELATIONS APOSTOLIC MAN MINISTRY B.U.F.F.(MEN’S 50+) HYPHEN (YOUNG ADULTS) THRIVE (YOUNG MARRIEDS) SPANISH SERVICES NURSING HOME MINISTRY BIBLE QUIZZING GROWTH TRACK
Jerry Powell Jonathan Quinones Jeremiah Williams Charlene Wilson Uday Narayan, Ravind Narayan, Xenn Seah Mary Aguirre Sujay Diaz Charles Bispo Kellee Hopper, Matt Aguirre Jerry & Andrea Powell Leonard Alvarez Jonathan Quinones Jeremiah Williams Alex Diaz Herb Jenkins Chris & Lindsay Castro Chris & Lindsay Castro Antonio Gutierrez Joyce Jones Sujay Diaz Dana Le Blanc
ALL SERVICES PENDING DUE TO PANDEMIC SUNDAY - 9:30 A.M. 9:45 A.M. 10:30 A.M. 12:15 P>M> 2:00 A.M. 5.30 P.M. 6:00 P.M. MONDAY - 7:00 P.M. WEDNESDAY - 7:00 P.M. Thursday - 7:30 p.m. FRIDAY - 7:00 P.M. SATURDAY - 10:00 A.M.
He Is the Light in the Darkness
LEO AGUILERA VIRGINIA AGUILERA
CHURCH STAFF PASTOR H. TODD JOHNSON
Dana Le Blanc Ravind Narayan Uday Narayan
A Word from the Editors
Sunday School-Children - Tuolumne Sunday School - Adults - Sanctuary Morning Service - Sanctuary Growth Track Spanish Service Prayer in Youth Chapel REVIVAL SERVICE All-Church Prayer Mid-Week Service, K.R.E.W Spanish Service Pulse (Youth Service) Saturday Morning Outreach
THE NEWSVINE is published quarterly by the United Pentecostal Church of Modesto, Inc., 825 7th St., Modesto, CA 95354-3414. Postage paid at 825 7th St., Modesto, CA 95354-3414. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Newsvine, 825 7th St., Modesto, CA 95354-3414. Any submitted articles to The Newsvine are subject to Pastor’s approval and editing by The Newsvine staff.
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“For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts...” is a timely verse in the second book of Corinthians. These words remind us of His command in Genesis, “Let there be light!” Our Lord Jesus Christ is the “Light of the world” and will never leave His church in the dark. As we begin 2021, we have never seen His light shine more for us than now. A plague engulfed our planet this past year and threw everything into chaos. But countless Apostolic Christians have placed their faith in Christ. We at Revival Center are one church in many which look ahead to the new year with Christ leading us into brightness and glory. The Newsvine staff pray for all our church families to experience the greatest year yet in church history. MARANATHA, the Lord cometh!
EDITORS, Leo and Virginia Aguilera
ALL TRUE CHRISTIANS ACCEPT THE AUTHORITY OF GOD’S WRITTEN WORD - THE BIBLE
15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. II Timothy 3:15-17 (KJV)
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he above scripture written by the Apostle Paul was inspired by the Holy Spirit in declaring these very words and the rest of the Bible as GOD”S WORD to mankind. There is no other written book on this planet that is like the Holy Bible. All men read in its sacred pages the holy doctrine centered on God manifested in Christ Jesus in both the Old and New Testaments. In the Bible we read the battle between good and evil in its true histories of the nation of Israel and the prophecies that are binding in interpreting the times to the present day and beyond. The Bible contains the inspired words to guide us, spiritual food to feed us, and passages to comfort us and keep us encouraged. No other book but the Bible shows us how to believe the way to salvation, how to become wise reading it, and how to be holy practicing its commandments. Here in these sacred words heaven is opened and the gates of hell are disclosed. Only the Bible offers mankind the compass and map to salvation. What a glorious gift God has provided for all His children of the earth! When we read the account of David slaying the giant Goliath, so much can be “profitable” in spiritual enlightenment,instruction in righteousness,” and for “reproof” and “doctrine.” Many preachers using this most famous narrative in the Old Testament in their sermons have taken even the smallest details of the story as vital, divine clues to a greater revelation of spiritual truths. For example, David in his youth and innocence, boldly accepting the challenge of fighting the giant, can easily represent his Descendant Jesus Christ, Who is many times called in the Gospels, “the Son of David.” They are both from Bethlehem, and they both are identified as shepherds: David first shepherds the flocks of his father Jesse, then is anointed to shepherd as king the kingdom of Israel. When he accepts Goliath’s challenge, he is willing to give his life for the nation of Israel. Jesus profoundly declares in the book of John, “I am the good Shepherd, the good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep.” We know Jesus fulfills His own words when He gives His life
on the cross for all mankind. Then who is Goliath? According to the NIV translation of the seventeenth chapter of I Samuel, Goliath, wears scaled armor and defies “the armies of the living God.” In Genesis Satan appears in the Garden of Eden as a scaled serpent who defies God’s commands to Adam and Eve not to eat of the forbidden fruit. When David picks up five stones for his sling, he may have noticed Goliath’s four brothers in the Philistine host, tall as they were, all born to the “giant of Gath” (mentioned in II Samuel 21:15-22). David was prepared to take on all five of them. Some preachers say the five stones represent faith, obedience, service, prayer, and the Holy Spirit. Others say David was coming against Goliath on the foundation of God’s word and His holy name. Therefore, David honored God’s word with the first five books of Moses called the Torah. All interpretations are true when preachers are anointed by the Holy Spirit. David cuts off the head of Goliath as Genesis predicts the seed of the woman, Jesus Christ, shall “crush” the head of the serpent who is Satan. Now the narration becomes a cornerstone of doctrinal truth. This example is one of many that fulfills the passage found in the third chapter of II Timothy, verses 15-17. David’s example is for us to follow so that we can become Christ-like. The authority of God’s word is established in the pages of the Bible. It reveals the mind of God and His will for each of us. It has the supernatural power to intervene in any event or circumstance that may arise in our Christian walk. Let us accept the divine authority of our Savior in His word. Bible verses should fill our memory, and we should read them frequently, slowly for study, and prayerfully! His word is everlasting! AMEN!
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saints Who leFt us For their eternal reWarD
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Sister Sharon Lambert, who ran our church’s daycare for many years, is honored as “Senior of the Year.”
Brother Alex Vento always had his hand on the mouse, assisting this editor for two decades.
Brother Stan Borja was one of our worship leaders for many years. We will miss his beautiful voice.
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his past year was unprecedented with its deadly pandemic, social unrest, contested presidential election, and record wild fires in our state. It was a year of masks, social distancing, plexiglass dividers, hand sanitizers, and empty shelves. Who would ever have thought that finding a package of toilet paper or a spray can of Lysol would be so challenging? Along with the many precautionary practices put in place by our governor, even churches were affected with restrictions on in-person services. We started the year with great revival and an expectation of greater things for our church, and suddenly a virulent virus hit not only our country, but the entire world, leaving overcrowded ICUs and refrigerated trucks parked outside of hospitals to hold the overwhelming number of the dead. Churches in California were required to cease having indoor services, so we switched to being entirely online. It was a challenging time, learning how to preach to an empty sanctuary or into an impersonal camera, trying to stay connected to a physically disconnected congregation. Thankfully our young people stepped up and learned new technology skills to enable the streaming of services on Facebook and YouTube, training each other to run the sound, lights, and cameras. While we were online only, ministries discovered new ways to connect such as Zoom, and members learned how to access services using social media. It was a stressful time, but we were determined not to let anything stop us from the mission of the church. We are presently, for now, meeting in person, complying with numerous CDC recommended practices. It is a delicate balance between our spiritual needs and safety issues. So for now, we have two congregations: in-person and those watching online. We pray for the day when we will be united again. 2020 also brought Revival Center many positive events. We celebrated Pastor Johnson’s 50th birthday, Bishop Keyes’ 70th birthday, and the amazing miracle of once again owning our church property. We have baptized numerous new souls, graduated members from our Growth Track ministry, and honored our high school and college graduates. We have married new couples and buried precious saints who have gone on to their reward. With the social and political unrest in our country, we have striven to stay united, even with our diverse viewpoints. We have disciplined ourselves to stay focused on our God-given purpose to promote Jesus to the world rather than expounding our political views. This year, to be honest, has made this a difficult challenge, but we are determined to let the world know we are Christians by our love and unity. As we end this year and hope is bursting at the seams with the approval of vaccines to fight Covid-19, let us look ahead to 2021 with faith, prayer, determination, and unity.
“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. (1 Peter 5:10 NIV).
Evangelist Victor Jackson, one of the mighty men of God who ministered to us in 2020.
Watchnight 2019: Pastor Johnson exhorts the church with his message “Above and Beyond.” Josh Aguilera and MaKayla Johnson sing as Matt Aguirre leads the ensemble.
Missionary Sit-Down with James and Elizabeth Corbin and Michael and Ivonne Warmer in February at the Aguileras’ home.
James Hackett (red shirt), our first ACTS graduate, is flanked by Pastor Johnson and ACTS coordinator Oscar Hernandez and his wife, Anna.
Pastor Johnson, surrounded by his family, was honored by the church on his 50th birthday with a drive-by parade.
Resident Missionary Ravind Narayan traveled to India and was warmly received.
Pastor and Sister Johnson are honored at our Pastor Appreciation Service. Thank you for your godly leadership.
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2020 high school and college graduates were honored by the church. Although 2020 was a challenging year, we pray these young people will persevere and be successful in their education and future careers and be a blessing to the kingdom of God.
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ChriStMaS ConCert “Born That We No More May Die”
Christmas this year was different for many of us. We were encouraged to keep our family gatherings limited to our immediate households to prevent the spread of the virus as our hospitals after Thanksgiving were overwhelmed with Covid patients. Our streamed Christmas concert was a much-welcomed tradition with our ensemble and children’s choir ministering in song, and Pastor Johnson delivering his Christmas message, “The Wonder of the Small.” Merry Christmas to all!
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GOD’S AMAZING MIRACLE FOR REVIVAL CENTER!
Pastor Johnson announced that we now bought our building back! It was a miraculous move of God, as you can read in the Summer 2020 issue of The Newsvine. And to top it off, we have over one million dollars of equity in our property due to our fundraising and the improvements we were able to make while we were saving up for the down payment. Our next goal will be to pay off our mortgage. Rejoicing, Pastor Johnson holds the signed copy of our loan papers. This was even more miraculous because it happened in the middle of a worldwide pandemic. All glory to God!
Fourth of July Celebration Jeremiah Williams, Modesto community leader and beloved member of Revival Center Modesto, was the coordinator for Modesto’s Fourth of July remembrance. Due to the pandemic, Modesto was not able to have a parade, so they opted instead to conduct a ceremony at 10th Street Place. Jeremiah sang the National Anthem and Pastor Johnson opened with prayer. The mayor was present along with civic leaders. God bless America!
Veterans Day Service Our church held a special Veterans Day service to honor our church members who are veterans, complete with a military color guard. Thank you, veterans, for the sacrifices you made for our freedom!
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MiSSionS ConferenCe 2020 “through
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his year’s Missions Conference was smaller than usual due to the pandemic. We only focused on one foreign missionary and on church starters, Meghan and Taylor Fairbanks. It was a time to rededicate ourselves to the work of God both local and foreign. The services concluded with a sacrificial offering, monthly commitments to missions, and to our Nehemiah Project. May we ever be faithful and generous in our giving. Top picture: ensemble leads the congregation into worship during this year’s Missions Conference. Middle row from left: Pastor Johnson announces this year’s conference theme-”Through It All”; the ensemble led by Matthew Aguirre sings “You’re a Miracle Worker”; Tommy and Sylvia George place their sacrificial offering into the collection basket. Photo to the right: guests to the conference, young people from Apostolic Jubilee Center of Modesto await the start of the service. 8 WINTER NEWSVINE 2020 •
it
all”
Candlelight Service -
Grateful
for the
Light
of
Jesus Christ!
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his year’s Candlelight Service was a wonderful time to remember when the Light of the World was born in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago. Pastor Johnson’s message on the hope we have in Christ was so applicable as Covid hospitalizations peak again in our state. Christ in the one in whom we trust. He is the light during times of great darkness in our lives. “For God, who said, ‘Let there be light in the darkness,’ has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God hat is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.
Pictured above: Pastor Johnson preaches on hope, and the ensemble sings, “Come, Come Let Us Adore Him, Emmanuel.” The last three pictures are of the congregation holding lit candles to reflect on the light Jesus has brought to each of our lives. No more do we walk in darkness.
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(Editors’ Notes: On September 2, 2001, the Fresno Bee featured on the front page of the Sunday edition an incredible testimony of Sister Bonnie Keyes and her faithful caring for her husband, Brother Isaac Keyes, who suffered from Alzheimer’s. Sister Keyes leaves a lasting legacy of love and devotion to her God, her church, her husband, and their sons - our Bishop Randy Keyes and retired Pastor Rick Keyes and their families. Read and be inspired.)
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onnie Keyes was born in Konawa, Oklahoma, in 1928. Times were hard as the state suffered through the Dust Bowl and economic hardships of The Great Depression. Her father, a carpenter, had a difficult time finding work causing the family to move several times. Tragically, when Bonnie was only nine years old, her mother died. Bonnie was taken in by relatives until her father remarried and the family moved to Colorado. The family eventually moved to the little town of Kerman in California where she attended school. During the summers, she would work in the dusty fields and vineyards picking cotton and grapes. It was here that she would encounter the love of her life. In her early teens, she noticed a young man named Isaac Keyes who was baling hay for a local dairy farmer. Although WINTERNEWSVINE NEWSVINE2020 2020• • 108 WINTER
Bonnie had been dating his cousin Jake, when she caught sight of Isaac, her heart was captured. But on December 7, 1941, the Japanese in a surprise attack bombed Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, thrusting the United States into World War II. Isaac left to join the army, and Bonnie, on that day that President Roosevelt declared would “live in infamy,” was baptized in Jesus’ name by Reverend Luke Hodges at the age of 13. During his time away in the service, Bonnie and Isaac corresponded and with each letter, their love blossomed. Finally, the war ended, and they were ready to make a lifetime commitment to each other. On April 27, 1946, the two were married at the Kerman Pentecostal Church. Their lives, though poor in material items, were rich in love. They lived in a rented room while Isaac attended barber college and Bonnie continued to work at a dress shop in Fresno. Isaac purchased a piece of property and with the help of his father-in-law, he built a two-room house with no electricity and no plumbing--pipes were in short supply after World War II. The house would be equipped later with more rooms added (it still stands today), but in the beginning Bonnie washed clothes on a washboard in a metal tub and stored food in a homemade ice box insulated with sawdust. After graduating from barber school, Isaac got a job at
Clockwise: Sister Bonnie Keyes as a toddler and in junior high; the Keyes’ wedding day; Bonnie with pre-schoolers Rick and Randy; Bonnie with sons Rick and Randy Keyes at dedication of Isaac A. Keyes Memorial U.P.C. Center for Biblical Studies in Thailand; the loving couple at our Bishop and wife’s 25th anniversary.
a local barber shop in Kerman and was known for giving the best flattops in town. The Keyes were faithful members of the United Pentecostal Church in Kerman. Prayer and the word of God were central to their lives, and they practiced their faith openly with their two children, Rick and Randy. They were strict, but loving parents. Their godly influence and example impacted their two boys. Their oldest son Rick became the pastor of the United Pentecostal Church in Santa Maria and was the presbyter for his district. Randy is the bishop of Revival Center United Pentecostal Church in Modesto, California, and served several years as Assistant General Superintendent of the United Pentecostal Church, International. Isaac helped build churches in Kerman, Firebaugh, and Fresno. For a time, Isaac owned his own barber shop, and then took a job at Wetlands Water District as a system operator. Bonnie took a job in food service at Community Medical Center in Fresno. They purchased a lovely home in Fresno, and they began to dream of the day when they would retire, buy a travel trailer, and tour the United States. But circumstances would drastically change for them. It began in the mid 1980s--little by little, small lapses in memory. Forgetting familiar terms, not recognizing every-
more photos on next page
day tools, difficulty in putting his thoughts together to teach a Bible study. Concerned, Bonnie took her husband to the doctor. The diagnosis: Alzheimer’s. Their dreams of traveling were set aside, Isaac retired, and Bonnie began the long, lonely road of caring for a husband who one day would no longer recognize her. For almost 14 long years, Bonnie cared for her husband at home: bathing him, brushing his teeth, and dressing and feeding him. Eventually, as he became bedridden. She took on the task of turning him every two hours in order to avoid him from developing painful bedsores. She was determined to take care of her beloved husband at home until he took his final journey to his heavenly home. That day finally came, and Isaac took his final breath. He had finished his race. Bonnie could finally rest from her labor of love. Sister Bonnie Keyes lived on for another 19 years, keeping the faith, supporting her sons’ ministries and her church. One of the greatest moments of her life was to travel to Thailand and help dedicate a Bible College to the memory of her husband. She enjoyed seeing the families of her loving grandchildren, Kim Johnson and Ron Keyes, grow and prosper. She finally joined her husband on September 17, 2020, at age 92. They walk on streets of gold in the eternal presence of their Savior. Until we see you again... WINTER NEWSVINE 2020 • 9 WINTER NEWSVINE 2020 • 11
Sister Bonnie Keyes
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e bid you farewell for now, Sister Keyes, but look forward to celebrating with you on the streets of gold. Thank you for your example of faithfulness and perseverence. What a legacy you and your husband Elder Isaac have left!
Pictured top row from left: Bonnie and Issac Keyes with sons Rick and Randy; Isaac and Bonnie Keyes with grandchildren Kim Johnson and Ron Keyes. Bottom row from left: Bonnie with sons Randy and Rick; Isaac stands on a rock to make himself taller than his wife - Bonnie never cared about her husband’s height, but he would often make jokes about not being taller than his wife (they were both 5’ 7”); Bonnie cuts the ribbon to dedicate the opening of the new Bible college in Thailand dedicated to the memory of her beloved husband, Elder Issac Keyes. 12 WINTER NEWSVINE 2020 •
Wednesday Night HYPHEN - Young Adults
Breakout Sessions & More!
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oodbye and thank you, Jeriann Montes (left), for your many years of leading Hyphen. She turns over leadership to Chris and Lindsay Castro (middle photo) who have been assisting her. Third photo from left: Autumn Amador teaches a devotional lesson for the group. Photo on right: Hyphens gather for a Christmas party outdoors. We are appreciative of Jeriann and the Castros for having a burden for our young adults, planning spiritual as well as social events to keep this age group engaged and involved.
STUDENT SERVICE - High School &
D STUDENT SERVICE - Junior High
espite the pandemic, Youth Pastor Joshua Aguilera and his wife Jeannette have been busy with Zoom sessions and recreational nights such as vollyball. Left students pose after a game of vollyball. Above Joshua leads an object-lesson based game focused on sharing the gospel.
KREW - Elementary Students
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n a recent breakout session night, Jeannette Aguilera leads the junior high group as Kiah Williams teaches a lesson.
KREW director Sujay Diaz teaches a Bible lesson. WINTER NEWSVINE 2020 • 13
Bishop Keyes 70th Birthday Celebration
CHURCH CELEBRATES BISHOP: Sister Kim Johnson planned a safe, outdoor church event for her dad’s 70th birthday. Masks were worn unless removed for a quick photo. Pictured clockwise from top left: Bishop Keyes and Sister Sharon Keyes; Sisters Pam, Rose, and Linda wait for Bishop to appear; Bishop and granddaughter MaKayla Johnson; Pastors Hurst and Emory showed up to honor Bishop; Bishop with Newsvine editors, Leo and Virginia Aguilera with their masks look like 3 bandidos; Mama ‘J’ with Nichole Evans; Elders Andrea and Jerry Powell offer up smiles: and Sister Donna Powell and Sister Dwanda Scott are happy for their Bishop. God bless Bishop Keyes with many more celebrations!
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Happy Birthday, Bishop Keyes!
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What Makes Jesus Marvel?
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hen Jesus began His ministry, the Roman army had occupied Israel for nearly 100 years. Burdensome taxes, Roman control of the High Priest, and brutal mistreatment of the Jews by Romans had created mutual distrust and hatred. Despite this a Roman Centurion sends Jewish elders to Jesus with a humble request to heal his beloved servant. “Don’t even trouble yourself to come to my house,” his message said. “Just speak the word and my servant will be healed.” This centurion understood why Jesus, a Jew, would want to avoid entering his home. His Roman religion was steeped with paganism and worship of many gods. He knew the Jewish covenant with God did not extend to him. Yet he somehow recognized that Jesus’ spoken word from a distance would be backed by the authority of Israel’s God. This centurion was the wrong person, at the wrong place, at the wrong time. The magnitude of his unexpected faith made Jesus marvel. Jesus said to the crowd that followed Him, ‘I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!’” (Luke 7:9 NKJV) Immediately the home-bound servant was made well! In contrast, Jesus went to preach in the Synagogue to 16 WINTER NEWSVINE 2020 •
the home folks back in Nazareth, but they were embarrassed by Him and offended at His teaching. “Where did he get this stuff? Isn’t this just Mary’s boy? Isn’t he only a carpenter?” Jesus was just someone they’d grown up with, an ordinary neighborhood kid. He had no credentials, no community standing, no rabbinical degree. They failed to understand greatness even when it stood right in front of them. Jesus “marveled because of their unbelief” (Mark 6:6 KJV) and could do no miracles there. Great faith and no faith are what makes Jesus marvel. Do you ever wonder what God thinks when He sees you? Would you prefer that He nod His head and marvel at your great faith...or be astonished at its absence? Know this: nothing moves God to mighty works like faith. Amazing faith. Active faith. Persistent faith. Committed faith. Submitted faith. Visionary faith. Mountain-moving faith! Jesus, help us cultivate and grow the faith that makes You marvel!
Blessings and Needs in the Country of India A Letter From Elder Chacko Thomas
Praise the Lord! This is a short update from our ministry in India. As another year draws to its close, I look back and thank God for your faithful partnership in prayer and support. I am grateful for your heart for the people of India. We were able to serve the people more in charity this year because of you. Just as for everyone else, this has been a challenging year for us too, and we could not do much proactive evangelism due to Covid restrictions and new harsher laws regarding religion. Two of my pastor friends in North India were arrested for holding house prayer meetings during lockdown. They have now been released on bail. A couple of my pastors serving in the South Indian urban areas were infected by Covid. They have been healed and are now back serving God! The ministry is being blessed by God, and we feel His hand upon His church in these trying times more strongly. People have been affected, and although we have provided many of our churches and pastors monetary, educational, food and medical help, the need is still great. Through this insecurity and chaos Jesus says, “My peace I give unto you”. His comfort and grace is sufficient for all of us! Due to increasing calls and requests for help, we had to continue our food relief, and we distributed provision kits to four more villages in Badlapur, and three villages in Aurangabad. This week we will be giving out clothes/sarees to the old widows in four village churches of Aurangabad. Also we will be having a Christmas celebration for the children at the orphanage. Local tribal families have been invited to this celebration of the birth of the Savior. Please pray that the Christmas message will go out to these indigenous, unreached locals, and that Christ will be born in their hearts. Once again I want to thank you for your mails of encouragement, fervent prayers and support. The harvest is ripe, and we are praying for laborers and open doors. Please continue praying for us and feel free to send me prayer requests too, so I can specifically pray for your needs. Looking forward to working together for His Kingdom in 2021 as well. My warmest Christmas wishes to you and your precious family and church! The greatest gift is not under the tree, but hanging on the Calvary tree! Thanks be to God for His indescribable Gift! (2 Cor 9:15) “O come, let us adore Him!” Merry Christmas! Yours in His service, Chacko Thomas
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TESTIMONY OF FAITH
FROM LOST TO FOUND
The Testimony of Julie Chavoya PART TWO (Editor’s Note: In our last issue, Julie had the divine hand of Christ lead her to a church of the Apostolic faith in the Bay Area where she will now be challenged to leave the world for good and become a true disciple of Christianity. While attending church, she notices a young man who has recently been baptized and feels a draw to him that will change her life. It is wonderful how the Lord intervenes into everyday life and calls an individual for His service. Julie is about to experience this divine touch with Jesus. Read and be inspired!)
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BREAKING FREE
ulie was always intrigued with the soul winners in the church. She wondered, how did they have such boldness to just talk to strangers about Jesus and persuade them to be baptized? She was so intimidated to do something she could never do! She found herself from her back pew studying these new souls. Could they really change? Would they continue? The next Sunday, she saw Sister Elizabeth Chavoya sitting near the front at her usual place with a different person. Julie asked her mom, “What happened to that John the Baptist looking dude who was baptized last week she was sitting with?” “Oh you mean Gabriel? That’s her son. He’s right next to her,” Mom said. “I was shocked,” she recalled. He was all cleaned up and clean shaven. Such a transformation! At the next Bible study that Wednesday, Elizabeth brought her son Gabriel with her. “Although I felt zero attraction towards him,” said Julie, “immediately we connected. It was like, what I would begin to say, he would finish and vice-versa. As they say, we would finish each other’s sentences.” Julie continued attending church and Bible studies. One night after she came back from Bible study, she got into a severe fight with her boyfriend, Pele’s father. She went into the bathroom, sat on the floor and just cried. She will never forget how he walked over to her, told her, among other things, to get up and stop acting like a baby. “For the first time, I rose up, looked him in the eye and told him he was a coward. I don’t know where the boldness came from, but it was a breakthrough in my faith,” she exclaims. She honestly thought he would hit her as they were now face to face. “But to my surprise,” Julie remembers, “he turned and walked away.” Then she was startled to see a dark mass following him, like it was attached from behind! “This frightened me, and when he left, I instantly locked the door behind him! I realized at that moment for years I was fighting with the man, but what I needed to fight against was that evil thing!” That night she did not find solace with wine. Instead she went to her room, got on her knees and prayed. “God, either change this man’s heart or show me a way out!” When she went to sleep she had a dream about Gabriel. For the first time in a long time, she woke up feeling alive. Then she turned and realized she was face to face with her son’s father. She immediately became nauseated. She got
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up, washed her face, looked in the mirror, and spoke to God, “Lord, I don’t know why I dreamed of Gabriel, but show me a sign. I don’t know what this means.” But deep down, Julie knew she wanted out of this sinful lifestyle more than she wanted her boyfriend to change. She was tired of waiting for him to convert and marry her. She felt God was showing her He had someone else for her, who would not mistreat her. Perhaps that man was Gabriel. But this was too hasty, she thought, since he was the first man in church with whom she had socialized. That Saturday, her boyfriend left the house to go visit his brother. She walked into the kitchen and saw that his emails were left open on his computer. He never left anything on his computer open without password protection. He was always so secretive. She went over, nervously took the mouse and scrolled through his emails, discovering what he was into, and that he was still communicating with his ex-girlfriend. At this point, Julie had been together with him for eight years! Why would he still be in touch with her? She was mortified. She called her sister Neaomy and told her what she had found. “Neaomy, I don’t know how to get out of this relationship. Pele will cry for his father,” she said. “No doubt he will fight with me for custody of his son.” Neaomy had a quick solution, “Why don’t you just leave him a Dear John letter and leave?” “Yes!” Julie readily agreed. Why hadn’t she ever thought of this? Julie called her mom and asked if she and her son could come stay the night. Her mother said of course. Julie packed a bag with at least two weeks worth of clothing, wrote a letter to her boyfriend, saying she had fallen in love with a new man and “His name is Jesus!” She then took her four- year-old on a trip to grandma’s house. When her boyfriend called and asked where she had gone, she told him to read her letter because she was leaving him. “I thought for sure he would come to break down the door for his son,” she said. She eagerly waited. To her surprise, he never called back. Instead, she heard from him three days later. He said he was so angry at her that he turned off his phone and went gambling in Reno, Nevada. For two weeks they talked but Julie realized he was never going to change. He was never going to marry her. Her mind was made up, She was getting baptized and never looking back! Leaving her boyfriend for good was leaving the world behind!
FULL SALVATION AND SURPRISES
Julie was baptized in the month of November, 2006. Afterwards, her mom and Eddie held a celebration lunch at their home. After all, the very first Bible study she had was with Eddie. She regrets it took four years! She remembers Eddie asking her how it felt to be baptized. She said surprisingly that she expected the water to be cold, but it was
very warm like a bathtub! She saw him and a few others in the group chuckle, and she asked what was so funny? Eddie told her that Gabriel went to the church early that morning and prepared the baptistery for her. He gave Gabriel the key. She thought, “Oh my word! Nobody has ever done anything that nice for me!” She looked at Gabriel and asked, “Is it true that you did that?” He said, “Yes, I wanted the water to be warm for you.” The very next week Julie attended a wedding at the church. She was helping to prepare food in the church kitchen that would be served in the church gymnasium. She was hoping someone would take Pele out of the kitchen and keep him occupied in the gym. Gabriel seemed to read her thoughts and did just that. As she prepared the food with the ladies, Julie mentioned to one girl named Marlo how much she would like to serve duck at her wedding, prepared correctly. When the food was ready, Julie and the ladies wheeled the meal on carts into the church gymnasium, and she saw that Gabriel was seated with her son at a table with her mom and Eddie. After the ladies served the wedding party, they were free to make their plates and join their families. Julie invited Marlo to sit with her family. The subject of wedding rings was brought up and Eddie, the minister, advised that instead of a ring, commitment is with the heart. Then Gabriel said the oddest thing, “At my wedding I would love to serve DUCK!” Marlo, quickly whispered to Julie, “Did you hear that?” Julie whispered back, “No way!” After the meal she and Marlo went to see the bridal couple cut the cake. Julie said to Marlo, “I just love the way he looks into her eyes. You can tell they are in love.” About 30 seconds later, Gabriel walked up behind them and said, “Don’t you just love how he looks at her? They are so in love.” Julie thought, “Dude! Get out of my head! I just said that!” Marlo was astonished and giddy at what was taking place between Julie and Gabriel. It sounded like they were reading each other’s thoughts. Then for the first time in her life, Julie caught the bride’s bouquet. “These are the types of stories you only see in movies,” Julie remembered. That night, Julie could not get the events of the day out of her mind. She decided to read her Bible and looked at the concordance in the back. When she decided to look up the word “love” in the Bible, the scripture that seemed to leap off the page was: “Behold, you are fair my love, you are fair, you have eyes of a dove” (Song of Solomon 1:15). She thought this described Gabriel perfectly. Although his ethnicity was Mexican, he had fair skin and blue eyes. She then boldly decided to text the scripture to his phone. It was after 9pm and wondered if he would text her back. She put her son to bed. Twenty minutes passed and nothing. Then she thought, “Oh he thinks I am on the rebound. I must look very desperate. My mother taught me that Apostolic women should be patient and pray - never make the first move when it comes to romantic interests. I totally messed up now, how do I explain my way out of this one?”
Uncomfortable silence. Gabriel finally responded “Well, I wanted to tell you that I have always wanted to ask you out on a date, but I never could because you were with your son’s father.” Julie suddenly felt a sigh of relief. He was actually feeling all this time the same way about her! “Okay, well, um... I don’t know what to say… I would like to go on a date with you if it is allowed,” Julie responded, her heart pounding just a little. “I am letting you know that I will be coming over to your mom’s house and asking Brother Eddie permission to take his stepdaughter on a date.” Gabriel replied. At 4:00 that morning Julie was awakened when she heard male voices speaking through the walls of her bedroom. Gabriel had come over that very night, woke up her stepdad, and did what he said he would do. Julie went back to sleep, smiling at his audacity, and pleased he was “pursuing her!” The next morning, Eddie called Julie into his office to inform her that Gabriel asked at an ungodly hour permission to date her. “And what did you say?” she nervously asked. “Well, I wasn’t sure if I should punch him or hug him. But I hugged him and gave him permission,” he joked. “Um... Okay,” she humbly responded, but was thrilled with his consent. After two weeks of talking on the phone with no formal dates, they decided to pray at the same time every night at 10:00 for one hour and then call each other back. Miracles were beginning to happen during this time, Gabriel began to manifest the gift of healing. His mother came home with a painfully injured elbow. He laid hands on her elbow and instantly she was healed! Elizabeth said Gabriel’s hands got very hot as he prayed.
A CONFIRMATION
Then her phone rang. “Not a phone call,” she groaned. “Julie, it’s me. I received your text message.” Julie then proceeded to respond with what she thought were babbling idiotic ramblings about the dreams she had, how she asked God for a sign, how the events unfolded from the moment she was baptized, the conversations she had with him and how he finished her sentences, and today during the wedding, how he seemed to be reading her mind. Then she stopped.
Julie and Gabriel Chavoya with their children: Pele, Estar, Chloe, and Phebe.
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Soon afterwards, Julie told Gabriel that while she was praying, the numbers 777 came to her mind for no reason. He said, “That is perfect! That is the day we have to get married!” “WAIT, WHAT?” she responded, shocked and surprised. Instantly she remembered how long she had wanted to marry - eight years! “Well I got out of jail on July 5, 2005, and was baptized on July 7th, so we should get married on 7/7/07!” he explained. She realized the significance of the numbers, then responded, “Okay, but you cannot propose over the phone like this! You need to come over here and really propose to me in person, like get on your knee and stuff.” Her emotions began to overwhelm her. “How about you come for dinner tomorrow?”
AT LAST!
The next day in early December 2006, Julie invited her real dad, Richerd, over also and made dinner for the entire family. Before Gabriel could even pick up his fork to eat, he got on one knee before everyone present and proposed, “Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have, give I thee, Julie, will you marry me?” Perhaps for the sake of entertainment, Julie gave him a strange look, hesitated a good ten seconds, then answered, “Yes! I will marry you.” They then posed for a picture with the silk flower bouquet she caught three weeks prior. Everyone laughed when Julie said, “I just realized, we haven’t even started dating yet!” During their engagement period of seven months, they discovered their spiritual gifts. She remembered telling a visiting minister that she wanted to figure out what her spiritual gift was. Julie explained to him that she had been coveting these gifts and wondered if a recent experience meant she had the gift of prophecy. Julie shared with the minister the story of how she was praying for a young girl at the altar. There were no visible signs she was pregnant, but Julie told her she was going to have a son and that he would be born on Julie’s birthday. Immediately the girl was filled with the Holy Ghost and joyfully convulsed into dancing. Julie later found out, when the girl came to, that she was four months pregnant but fearful. She and her husband had been wanting a baby for years, but she had kept having miscarriages. Julie was told by the visiting minister that it was too early to know if she had the gift. The possibility was very certain if what she spoke to the girl did happen. Well, needless to say, the girl did have a baby boy the following year, AND on January 25th, Julie’s birthday. Julie and Gabriel were married on July 7, 2007, in the church sanctuary. They hosted 325 guests at their reception. They decided to go with a Victorian theme wedding and had an English tea reception - but the funny thing, no duck was served. A vital revelation Julie testifies she had when their marriage began was the coveted spiritual gifts they were receiving were uniting both of them to fight spiritual battles together and reap the blessings using these gifts.
NEWLYWED CHALLENGES
They rented a humble two-bedroom apartment in Hayward. Julie remembered their first night in their apartment, She had a dream that Gabriel walked out in the middle of the night, down the street to someone’s house to go get high. “When I woke up, I immediately began praying and rebuking the enemy,” said Julie, “commanding these demons to stay far from my family and my marriage. Satan, let me introduce myself,” she went on, “I am just like my Father, skilled in spiritual warfare!,” she proclaimed. “You can’t have my husband!” The next morning was Saturday. They noticed the house across the street had an open house. They decided to walk through and check it out. When they came out, there was a baggie of meth on the curb. Ga-
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briel picked it up and said, “You know back in the day, I would have found this and smoked this.” But instead he took it and disposed of it. Julie was joyful and recounted her dream to Gabriel. She told him that she suspected there was drug activity in the neighborhood. Then the economy collapsed and the misfortunes began to rain on the newlyweds. Julie discovered she was pregnant. She was also told at the Masonic Home that there was a resident who complained she got a chemical burn from a perm Julie had given her, so the Masonic Home would not be renewing Julie’s contract. “Nobody would hire me. Every door was shut to me,” laments Julie. Soon, she and Gabriel had used up her savings and they were going into debt. “For the first time in my life, I was standing in food bank lines and applying for welfare,” said Julie. Their first daughter Estar (Esther with a modern spelling) was born on April 13, 2008, and Julie fell into depression. “When our first daughter was born,” said Julie, “my son Pele was five, and I really struggled with being stuck at home all day. Nobody was hiring. The entire country was experiencing a great recession. At this point we only had one car.” Then their apartment building was sold, and the new owner issued them a letter stating the monthly rent would be raised an additional $300. They barely had enough food to eat as it was. Julie began to fast and pray. Weeks before their new rent amount was to set in, they got a call for housing from one of the many wait lists she had placed their name. They were able to move into a newly built, larger three bedroom apartment for only an additional $100 per month. She was grateful her prayers were answered.
DISCERNING SPIRITUAL BATTLES
It was in this apartment that they began seeing the fruits of their labor. They learned about the Daniel fast, which caused them to fast and pray more regularly, and they were witnessing Christ to people in the apartments. Since she couldn’t go anywhere without a car, she prayed that God would send souls her way. Soon people were knocking on her door asking for a Bible study. Before they knew it, Julie and Gabriel had sixteen people regularly attending their weekly cell group in their home. One particular lady who came to her door for Bible study asked if Julie would come to her apartment to do a Bible study with her and her children. Julie walked over a few days later, went into the woman’s apartment and something just didn’t feel right. Julie told her, “I cannot do a Bible study right now with what I feel in this place.” There was nothing noticeably wrong with her apartment. It was nice and clean and prepared for guests. But, Julie explained that there were some things in the house that she felt were of the enemy. “I don’t know what they are,” Julie said. “You probably know what is hidden here, but after these objects are removed from the house, then I will come right back.” Julie reinforced her reasoning by accounting the story of Noah when, after the flood, he sent out the raven and it never returned - the raven feasted on the floating dead. Then Noah sent a dove, which represents the Holy Spirit, and it returned to Noah and rested on his hand, showing that Noah and his family were the only ones living, as the Holy Spirit can only rest on the living. Therefore, Julie said she could not successfully give a Bible study in a place where the Holy Spirit cannot rest. So Julie told her with boldness to call her back the next day after they had rid the home of the items. The next morning at 8:00 there was a knock at her door. The woman was crying and confessed her drug addiction. She said she could not throw the things away and asked if Julie would come over and help her. Julie went back to her neighbor’s apartment and flushed down the marijuana, pills, liquid methadone, and disposed of other devices and substances. She asked Julie how her house felt now. Julie discerned
that something didn’t feel right in her daughter’s room. Julie suspected something was under the daughter’s bed, but the rest of the apartment felt fine. The mother was not willing to start a search. Julie also didn’t feel comfortable going through the woman’s teenage daughter’s things, so she agreed that they could proceed with the Bible study in the living room. She then instructed the woman she could go into her daughter’s room after Julie was gone. Julie also instructed her to take oil and anoint her home. About a week later, Julie and another sister from their Bible study group wanted to go to the church to help with church cleanup, since they were preparing for a large conference. The woman’s teenage daughter offered to babysit Julie and her friend’s two infant daughters. They dropped them off with the daughter at the neighbor’s apartment. As they were driving to church, Julie could sense that her friend was uneasy and was getting more upset. Julie kept asking her what was wrong. The friend kept saying nothing was wrong. As they were pulling into the church, Julie persisted, “If something happened in that apartment, you need to tell me!” Her friend responded, “I just wish people wouldn’t tell me stuff.” “Okay, what did someone tell you?” “That girl is cutting herself.” “WHAT?” I shouted, “and we left our babies there? You needed to tell me this sooner, I am driving to get our kids out of there. The church does not need us that badly!” They drove back. Julie asked God to forgive her for the little white lie she was about to tell. “How come you are back so soon?” her daughter asked. “The church didn’t need us after all. There are plenty of helpers. Thank you! We will take the kids now.” Julie and her friend waited in Julie’s apartment until their husbands returned. When Gabriel returned from the church, Julie told them to please go to their neighbor’s apartment and ask if they could pray for her daughter. “She is cutting.” The woman let them in, saying that her daughter was in her room. He asked if they could go upstairs to her room to pray for her. She allowed him, following them. When they entered the room, he told the daughter they were here to pray for her. She accepted. However, before they began to pray, Gabriel felt something in her bedroom wasn’t right, like something had a spiritual attachment to it. They were allowed to search the room. Gabriel then lifted the mattress and there under the mattress where the girl laid her head was a metal medallion of a demon head. He picked it up and removed it from the room. Her daughter said she had no idea where that came from. Gabriel then laid hands on her and said, “I rebuke the spirit of depression to come out of you right now! I bind it and cast it out right now in the name of Jesus!” He told Julie that the weirdest thing happened. Her window was slightly open and as they prayed, Gabriel told Julie, “I watched as her chest swelled up and a dark mass came out of her chest, then flew out the window!” “Gabriel,” Julie said, “I never told you this but when I went there to do Bible study, I sensed something was under her bed, but her mother refused to look under her daughter’s bed. That is so crazy!” Gabriel responded, “Yeah, as soon as that thing left her, she was completely calm and was crying. Her mom was also crying. Neither of them had any idea how that item got there. She said she had never seen it before.” “I am not so sure I believe that. There was a demonology book that I told them to throw in the fire when we removed items from the home. Her daughter didn’t want to get rid of it because she said she paid $5 for it. So I told her I will pay her $5 for the book, and so she sold it to me and I burned it myself. Do you think maybe she just doesn’t remember when she brought it into the home because the spirit within
her worked through her? The only way why she truly doesn’t know is she may be possessed. If this is the case Gabriel, then we need her to be baptized and filled with the Holy Ghost as soon as possible! There is no way a person with the Holy Ghost can be possessed.” That following Sunday, this mother, her daughter and her son were all baptized in Jesus’ name, and all three received the gift of the Holy Ghost! For another five years living in those apartments, Julie and Gabriel saw miracle after miracle. “I literally could write a book,” says Julie. Actively involved with the Bible study cell minstry of the church, Gabriel and Julie reported they had given Bible studies to nearly 200 souls and saw 54 baptized! One young man who Gabriel mentored is now married with three boys and is a youth minister at his church in San Jose. Others are still continuing to live for God even after the Chavoya’s left the Bay Area.
FIRMLY IN GOD’S WILL
Julie decided when Ester was nine months old to go back to school and study to be a teacher. Julie completed her classes all online while raising their kids. During that time they added two more girls to their family: Chloe born March 26, 2010 and Phebe born October 23, 2012. Julie’s father, Richerd, suffered a massive heart attack on the way to the hospital following a three-day water fast. She told God, “If my dad is saved, take him. But if he isn’t, use me to save his soul!” She knew her father was not attending any church, and he needed a good reason to start. The doctors shook their heads and said he had too much blockage, but they wouldn’t know until after surgery. Gabriel prayed in the hospital’s chapel. When the doctor came out of the surgery room thirty minutes later, Richerd’s blockage had drastically reduced, no stints required. Julie asked the doctor, “Do arteries unblock themselves?” The doctor replied, “No, they don’t and typically ultrasounds are fairly accurate within 10% range.” Julie told the doctor, “It was Jesus, He is still in the healing business!” When Richerd woke from the anesthesia, Julie told him all about what Jesus had done for him while he was out. Soon after his release from the hospital, Richerd attended a conference with Julie and Gabriel, moved in with them after that, and fully committed his life to Christ. He believes this was a true miracle and was baptized in Jesus’ name and filled with the Holy Ghost. To this day, both of Julie’s parents are saved and living for Christ. With Julie’s dad also living with them, they quickly outgrew their apartment. In January 2013, after 42 days of fasting, God told Julie in her prayers the word “Modesto.” They moved to Modesto, California, after they received a letter from their pastor to approve their move to Revival Center United Pentecostal Church. Julie had earned her bachelor’s degree in 2013, and then her masters of arts in education in 2015. In 2017, Gabriel and Julie finally purchased their own home in Modesto. Julie’s mom and Eddie still attend church in Union City. He is part of the ministerial staff. Julie and Gabriel recently even bought a mobile home for Richard and her sister Neaomy to rent from them. God is good. Julie now teaches 6th grade in public elementary school in Stockton which she believes is truly her current mission field. Julie has also now rewritten the curriculum for ACTS (Alcohol Chemical Treatment Series) for our church. “We have a vision to offer a faithbased program to try and combat all of the addiction ailing our community,” she says. “Already we have seen our first client complete our 12-week faith-based program where he testified before the entire congregation, ‘I have been completely set free!’” God bless the Chavoyas for sharing their testimonies with our faithful readers. May 2021 be their greatest year yet!
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MORE... Men of God Preach the Word to Us
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e were blessed to have Evangelist A.J. Holloway and Brother Mark Brown, pastor of the Jesus Church in Watertown, South Dakota, minister to us late in the year. Their words challenged and encouraged us. To the left we see Brother Holloway giving us a Wednesday night Bible lesson, streamed from the office of Pastor Johnson. To the right is Pastor Mark Brown encouraging our church to be the beacon of evangelism in our city. We look forward to having visits from these two great preachers in 2021. Thank you, Pastor Johson, for bringing such a high caliber of preachers to our church, men who are sincere, prayerful, and passionate about the kingdom of God.
A.J. Holloway Mark Brown
BROTHER NORBERT FELICIANO, MASTER PAINTER!
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hank you, Brothers Norbert Feliciano and Mike Shoffitt for repainting our sanctuary, one of the many projects to update our building. At press time, they were painting the walls a beautiful silvery gray, under the talented designing eye of our very own pastor’s wife, Sister Kim Johnson. Thank you and God bless Sister Johnson, Norbert and Mike for making our sanctuary look first class - a job well done!
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Veterans Day Service - More photos
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hank you to Brother Jeremiah Williams for coordinating this year’s Veterans Day observance at Revival Center, complete with a color guard! We are grateful for the service of our veterans and the sacrifices that may made to keep our country safe. Top: our veterans line up to be honored. Middle from left: Jeremiah sings the National Anthem as the color guard stands at attention; Civic leader Frank Damrell recognizes veteran Jack Robinson. Bottom row from left: Keenan Rochester is pinned by Angela Warren; Juan Araujo receives his pin; Jeremiah praises our veterans as they are being pinned. WINTER NEWSVINE 2020 • 23
As we end the year 2020, let us remember...
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. - Isaiah 9:6 KJV
Nativity by Lorenzo Lotto (1480-1556)
Looking Ahead ▬ Theme for 2021 PURSUE!
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uring our last Sunday sermon for 2020 that was streamed, Pastor Johnson, with the cinematography talents of his son-in-law Pastor Taylor Fairbanks of Baton Rouge, delivered an inspiring message surrounding the theme of changing seasons. The setting was a local and beautiful almond orchard. He enlightened us that all the challenges of 2020 will pass. Announcing the theme “Pursue” for 2021 is the drive for us to stay united in one body and one accord to gear up our ministry of evangelism. We should expect great accomplishments for His kingdom, looking forward to seeing the end of the pandemic. HALLELUJAH and AMEN!
Mr. and Mrs. Jon Harris Congratulations to newlyweds, Brianna Fletcher and Jon Harris who were married in November by Pastor Johnson. Their selfless and faithful service to the church in running the sound and his help with our church’s electrical projects are much appreciated. May God richly bless their marriage.
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