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"Demonstrating Unity in the Power of the Spirit" |
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Several PCCNA Leaders Stand With DACA Dreamers
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Assemblies of God Pastor Noe Carias was released from the Adelanto Detention Center after being detained for nearly two months by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office. |
Foursquare President Rev. Glenn Burris, Jr. issued a
statement in support of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) Dreamers. More than 800,000 "DREAMers" are at risk of deportation due to the threat of DACA being rescinded. Congress has six months to remedy the situation.
"We unequivocally stand against the deportation of those who have been protected by DACA. We cover them with our love and support," President Burris said in his statement. "I'm grateful to belong to a church movement that is more like a family than a denomination. We don't 'card' people coming through the door to see if they are sinners or saints, members or non-members, documented or undocumented. Scripture refers to houses of worship as 'sanctuaries.' They are safe places that help mitigate our mistakes. They shout out that we are all recipients of God's mercies, grace and forgiveness. They are to be houses of prayer and worship for all nations."
Recently Assemblies of God Pastor Noe Carias was released from the Adelanto Detention Center after being detained by U.S. immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for two months.
Assemblies of God PE News reported that Carias, 42, is pastor of Iglesia Pentecostal Cristo la Roca de Poder Asambleas de Dios in Los Angeles.
Although he has lived in the U.S. for the past quarter century and has been married to his American-born wife for 14 years, Carias, a native of Guatemala, faced the threat of deportation. Federal officials in July denied his renewal petition for a stay of removal and placed him in Adelanto Detention Center. "I cannot describe with words the emotion I have to be with my family again," Noe Carias told
PE News. "God answered the prayers of many people."
Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference said he was overjoyed by the news of Pastor Carias' release. "And yet, while we are grateful, we should never have gone through such a heart wrenching process in the first place. We should be deporting pushers, not pastors. Noe's story is a powerful reminder of just how desperate our nation is for comprehensive immigration reform,"
Rev. Rodriguez said in a statement.-
Leilani Haywood
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Mexico Chapter Helps Rebuild Churches Destroyed by Earthquake
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A 7.1 earthquake hit Oaxaca, Mexico on Sept. 23rd. More than 5,400 people were injured and 333 killed despite 20 econds of advance warning in Mexico City.
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PCCNA Mexico Chapter led by Pastor Fermin Garcia is spearheading efforts to help rebuild churches destroyed by the earthquake that struck on September 23rd. The 7.1 earthquake was centered approximately 34 miles south of the city of Puebla. The earthquake caused damage in the Mexican states of Puebla, Morelos and the Greater Mexico City area with the destruction of more than 40 buildings.
"We are putting together one or two churches in the USA and Canada to sponsor churches in Mexico," said Pastor Garcia. "Many of the churches in the Oaxaca and Chiapas region are totally destroyed. We want churches to sponsor a church to help rebuild. We can do this as a PCCNA Mexico endeavour. Also Jujuntla Morelos is in ruins and people are sleeping on the streets. We need tents for the brethren even more than food and water."
Pastor Garcia added, "We are working with Convoy (Convoy of Hope) in areas and Rebuilding churches and homes in other areas. We're working heavily in Juchitan Oxaca where the entire city was devastated. It is an impoverished state and forgotten in all of this and it is where the epicenter of the earthquake. We just sent two semi's full of food and are being escorted by federal police for protection."
Pastor Garcia's church, Grupo Unidad is sending a loaded semi truck to Oaxaca. If you would like to donate towards rebuilding churches destroyed by the earthquake, click here. - Leilani Haywood
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Members on the Move
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On Sunday, also known as National Church Planting Day in the Assemblies of God, a record 70 new AG churches were launched - besting last year's record launch by 26 additional new churches. In addition, there are 90 new churches confirmed to launch in the month of September, again besting last year's record of 75 churches in one month.
"Last year we saw a record-breaking number of churches launched on National Church Planting Day," observes Chris Railey, the Church Multiplication Network (CMN) director. "Now, we're already shattering last year's record with even more communities about to be impacted by the presence of healthy, Spirit-empowered churches. It's clear that God is working in our Movement through pioneering church planters who want to see the Kingdom multiplied!" Read more
Brian Sutton of COGOP International Offices Releases New Book 'Conversation With God' Brian Sutton, executive director for Leadership Development and Discipleship for the Church of God of Prophecy, as well as a member of the Discipleship Commission for PCCNA, has released his newest book Conversation With God through Broadstreet Publishing in September. The book shares spiritual insights and provides a clear path for all people to experience a deeper relationship with God through prayer. "Prayer is a conversation," Sutton writes in the book's opening chapter. "It cannot be something we pull out of a tool bag when we desperately need to do a specific job. Prayer cannot become something we use to get what we want. Rather, Continued on the next column
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Pastor Appreciation Encouragement from President Randall Bach of Open Bible Churches
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(PAOC) Perspective: A Passion for the Return of Christ - Revisiting a Cornerstone of Pentecostal Theology by Adrian Isaacs
Since its earliest days, around the start of the 20th century, the modern Pentecostal movement has been characterized by a fervent belief that Jesus' return is imminent. For the early Pentecostals, this was not simply a doctrinal confession, but a heartfelt persuasion and one that many writers agree led to passionate missionary service. 1 Within a Canadian context, the pioneers of the Pentecostal movement in this country were certain they were living in the final days of the age of grace. 2 Along with salvation, baptism in the Holy Spirit, and divine healing, the doctrine of the Second Coming became one of the fundamental doctrines of the young Pentecostal Fellowship in Canada. 3. Our Fellowship, The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada (PAOC), was established to conserve the fruits of the labours of the Canadian Pentecostal pioneers. Read more
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Jeff & Ramona Farmer |
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"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends
of the earth." Acts 1:8 (NIV)
Jeff Farmer, President Pentecostal/Charismatic Churches of North America
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