Mostly Cloudy
MINISTRY TEAM
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
Paula Christie
Paula Christie was born in Alabama and relocated to Connecticut in 1980. She was baptized in Jesus name and filled with the gift of the Holy Ghost in 1984 at age of eleven at Christ Church of Deliverance in Hartford, CT. In 2001 her life was blessed with the addition of her husband, Donovan Christie. Donovan was born in Jamaica, West Indies and relocated to Hartford, CT in 1990. Their marriage has been richly blessed with twin sons, Derrick and Devon, and their younger brother Derian.
Paula was invited to service at The Pentecostals on February 15, 2004. Paula came by invitation but the presence of God welcomed her to stay and make The Pentecostals her church home. Two years later her gifting and willingness to serve opened the door to ministry to our children as a Sunday School Teacher. She continues serving in that capacity and was promoted in January 2007 to the role of Christian Education Director. Paula's love for God and our youth is very evident in her teaching, leadership, and ministry to children of all ages.
HOSTING MINISTRY
Alvin James
Alvin James and his wife, Mauvelyn, are Jamaican natives. They surrendered their lives to the Lord during their teenage years and were very active in their home church, The Mount Beulah Pentecostal Church in Green Hill, Saint Ann. Their involvement included the choir; youth outreach ministries and the brotherhood movement. Along with their three children, Alvin Jr., Jannel and Wade, they migrated to the United States and for the past several years, have been residing in East Hartford, CT. They were introduced to The Pentecostals by friends, and they describe it as love at first sight. They quickly became members of The Pentecostals, and their lives have been richly blessed as a part of this body of believers.
Presently Alvin is the Director of the Hosting Ministry, serves on the The Pentecostals Financial and Church Board, and helps with maintenance around the church. Mauvelyn is a registered phlebotomist and on the job at Clinical Laboratories she is quick to tell her patients that their blood is very precious! And how the blood of Jesus is the only blood that can cleanse their lives of sin. She is a Christian Education Teacher and very active in the H2H Ministry. Alvin Jr. is a member of the Music and A/V Ministry teams, Jannel is a Christian Education Teacher, and Wade is on the Senior Bible Quizzing Team. All three of their children are very active in their youth group at The Pentecostals.
MUSIC MINISTRY
Paul Villanueva
Paul was born in Nigeria, Africa and lived in Quezon City, Philippines for a couple of years as a young child. Most of his childhood was spent in Gaborone, Botswana, Southern Africa. At five years of age he began learning the keyboard from a missionary. His interest and passion for music grew as he pursued distance learning of classical Piano through The Royal School of Music in London, England.
At the age of twelve he was baptized in Jesus' name and received the gift of the Holy Ghost and God began calling him to serve in ministry.
He is very passionate about learning different instruments such as keyboard, organ, drums and guitar. In his music, he tries to use different musical styles in ministering to a diverse congregation and unify God's worshipers into one voice of praise.
In his life, he is very grateful God allowed him to be one of the pioneers of The Learning Center School (a Christian Education Institute). This school was founded by Senior Pastor Tim and Mrs. Carolyn Simoneaux along with Pastor Rick and Mrs. Stacey Perry in Gaborone, Bostwana. Paul finished his High School in this Christian school and became a staff member (Music Teacher) follo wing his graduation. He served faithfully there in school chapel services, District Conferences, and regular church services of UPCB. He was also given the opportunity of directing a children’s choir and praise team in The United Pentecostal Church of Botswana (UPCB). The church and school grew in the span of a decade to an average of 700 members at the church and 700 students at the school.
His life was blessed with his lovely wife, Marivie, whom he married in South Africa in January of 2007. Together with Roger Renacido (his brother-in-law) this couple submitted to God’s direction of joining Pastor and Mrs. Rick Perry in birthing a new church, Haven of Hope, in West Haven, Connecticut. They have been a tremendous blessing to The Pentecostals since their arrival in the United States and are looking forward to great things from God in 2009!
HOUSE TO HOUSE MINISTRY
Jennifer Wade - Manchester, CT Area
Jennifer Wade was born in Kingston, Jamaica and migrated to the United States with her mother and three brothers when she was eleven years of age. She then moved to Connecticut on September 21, 1977. She works at Hartford Hospital where she is a constant witness of the work God has done in her life.
Her relationship with God really began in 1999 when she gave her life to God soon after her two daughters, Zakiya and Charmaine, who had received the gift of the Holy Ghost on Pentecost Sunday of that year in their first visit to The Pentecostals. She received the gift of the Holy Ghost at a Connecticut District Crusade Service in Waterbury in June 1999 and was then baptized at The Pentecostals. Her life was radically changed from that day and she continues to grow in Christ. Her passion is to present the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the testimony of how it has changed her life.
Jennifer has coordinated the Nursing Home Ministry for several years, is a Sunday School Teacher, a personal Bible Study teacher, and serves on the Pastoral ministry team.
Vishwanatha Srinivasan - East Windsor, CT Area
Vishwanatha Srinivasan (Vishwa) is the leader of our House to House Ministry in East Windsor, CT. Vishwa is also an active part of our Hosting Ministry. He had his first encounter with God after meeting his wife Amy and attending his first church service in September of 1999 at the Christian Apostolic Church in Coshocton Ohio. This is where he heard his first Message “Come Unto Me.” God dealt with him greatly after that first service. Vishwa received the Holy Ghost while praying at home and was baptized in Jesus name two years after this first encounter with God.
Vishwa was born and raised as an unorthodox Hindu in a small town in South India called Chintamani. His father later moved their family to Bangalore. Vishwa graduated with his Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science from Bangalore University in 1994. He also received an advanced diploma in Software Engineering in 1996. Vishwa began working for Phoenix Global Solutions in Bangalore in 1998, which later brought him to Hartford, Connecticut.
Daniel Odum - East Hartford, CT Area
Daniel was born into a large Pentecostal family in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His father, Wayne Odum, a minister licensed with the United Pentecostal Church International, felt a call of God to go to the East Coast in 1973. He and his wife, Phyllis Jane, moved their family of 11 children to Connecticut to start a church. There is a heritage of faith and many testimonies of God's miraculous power and blessing woven into the fabric of Daniel's early life through the experiences this faithful family had during those years.
He was baptized in Jesus' name as a boy and received the gift of the Holy Ghost. Because of his strong faith in the word of truth, even as a teen, Daniel was instrumental in the discipling and, ultimately, the conversion of his girlfriend, whom he met in 1986. Wendy McIntosh, a native to Connecticut, was baptized in Jesus' name in February of 1989, and received the gift of the Holy Ghost in August of that same year. The couple married in July of 1990 and now have two beautiful children, Kyle and Karah. Through the years, they have worked together to serve God in the ministry.
Daniel has spent most of his life in the northeastern corner of Connecticut, as a result of the church his late father founded. This is where he received the call of God on his own life and pursued his local and general ministerial licenses with the UPCI. His ministry over sixteen years has included serving as assistant pastor, Youth leader, Bible teacher and preacher. In the Connecticut District of the United Pentecostal Church he has filled the roles of Sunday School Secretary, Sunday School Director, and currently serves as the Junior Bible Quizzing Coordinator.
In January of 2005, the Odum family began attending the Pentecostals of East Hartford. A loving, devoted husband and father, Daniel is concerned about the success of relationships within the families of the church body. While teaching, it is his desire to shed light upon the Word so people may apply it in a useful and practical way to their lives.
Jim Fagan - Hartford, CT Area
Jim Fagan was born and raised in Hartford. He was invited to The Pentecostals Church by his future wife Judith in July of 1998 and received the gift of the Holy Spirit at a District Rally. He was later baptized in Jesus name in February of 1999. Jim and Judith were married in April of 2002 and have made their home in Hartford. They have three wonderful children Lakiesha and her husband Gavin, Zaudita and her fiancé Teddy and Khaleel and his fiancée Jennifer - and the four most beautiful, intelligent grandchildren in the world--Zavon, Kamyra, Jakeel and Symone.
Previously, Jim and Judith were co-teachers of the Teen Sunday School class. Presently, he is the leader of the Hartford area House-to-House group. Meetings are held on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month. Jim is also Chair of the Finance Committee and a member of the Church Board.
YOUTH MINISTRY
Tia Bennet
Once upon a time in a far away tropical island lived a beautiful little girl named Katiya with her brother Marvel and grandmother, Vera. Her lively imagination is displayed in this brief bio as parts of it are purely imaginary. Her aspirations to be the first representative from her island to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee were accomplished by her fellow islander, Jody Ann Maxwell, who represented the island and spelled “chiaroscurist” to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee in May of 1998. Soon after on July 1, 1998 this little home moved from the sunny, laid back tropics to the cooler summer climate of Hartford, Connecticut. There this happy home rejoined her mother, Patricia and younger brother Christopher. Soon after her arrival she began attending The Pentecostals. Katiya was a charter member of the youth group when Senior Pastor Jon W. Petoskey served as the Youth Group Leader. Her relationship with God strengthened and grew through the many tests that came her way . She graduated from Hartford Public High School in 2001, demonstrating keen academic excellence. Her scholastic abilities merited several scholarships of which she chose to pursue an undergraduate degree in Psychology at St. Joseph's in West Hartford. As she was finishing her degree she began working for the nation's number one coffee retailer. From the interviewing stage she was recognized by management there as a “super-superstar” and has been promoted for her barista brilliance to a management position. Her hobbies include scrap-booking and gardening and she is most proud of her organic hot peppers. She completed a B.A. degree in Psychology from St. Joseph's in 2007. She currently serves as Senior Pastor's Administrative Assistant, Youth Leader, and interim Treasurer.
IGLESIAS CRISTIANA LA ESPERANZA
Ben Castro
Ben Castro came to the United States at the age of twelve from Humana, Puerto Rico. He was raised and grew up in a traditional Catholic home. He is a graduate of Hartford Public High School and pursued further vocational training at a trade school. As he grew older with a wondering heart he began to read and study the Bible more and more. His searching led him to a nondenominational church where he attended for nine years and was a Bible Institute student. During his years attending there he served in a variety of roles, including musician, board member, usher, and youth helper. Ben married his lovely wife, Evelyn, in 1974 and they were blessed with two wonderful sons, Benjamin and David. God has also blessed them with a beautiful granddaughter, Mellenia.
In 1999, a friend invited Ben and Evelyn to a service at The Pentecostals. The church family here at The Pentecostals quickly became their spiritual family. He was baptized by immersion in the name of Jesus and soon after received the gift of the Holy Ghost. That experience transformed his life! As he has grown in Christ he has served The Pentecostals in a variety of capacities. Ben & Evelyn together coordinated the Singles Ministry for several years, he has also served as an Usher, the Head Usher, and musician. Currently, he is on our pastoral staff and a musician. He responded to God's call into the ministry in 2004 under our Senior Pastor's leadership. He has clearly felt for several years a calling to minister to the Hispanic community of greater Hartford. In honoring that call in July 2008, Rev. Castro and The Pentecostals launched Iglesias Cristiana La Esperanza. This brand new church holds services once each month, for specific schedule information please see our Calendar or contact the church office.
SINGLE'S MINISTRY
Eric Slater
Eric Slater was born and raised in East Hartford, CT. He grew up as an atheist but received a revelation of the true living God at the age of 17. Soon after this revelatory experience he was invited to The Pentecostals by a co-worker.
After many years of struggling with alcohol and substance abuse, he turned his life over to the Lord and was delivered on July 16, 2007. This commitment began a transforming work in his life. He has been actively serving in the Singles Ministry and plays guitar and bass in the Music Ministry.
He is a single parent with one daughter Angela. The Bible continues to motivate his complete transformation and directs his desire to serve the Lord with greater dedication, especially the verse in Matt 5:16 that says "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven."
Roger Renacido
Roger was born and raised as a Catholic. He finished a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering while living in Manila, Philippines. During his college years, he joined a charismatic group of believers but was still searching for more of the Word. He felt directed by God to move to Botswana, Africa in 1998. There he received the complete message of the Gospel and was baptized in Jesus’ name and received the gift of the Holy Ghost in 1998. Since then his life was never been the same! He completed his certification through the Purpose Institute Bible School while in Botswana in November 2006.
He lived in Botswana, Southern Africa for eight years and had the opportunity to serve as a staff member of both the United Pentecostal Church of Botswana and in The Learning Center School (a pre-k through high school fully accredited school). During this time he was blessed to fill the role of a missionary impacting this world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. In the church he served in many different roles including in the Music Ministry playing the guitar, praise singing, teaching Sunday School, House to House Leader, evangelism, preaching, and as a Church Board Member.
In October 2006, he was called to a new missions field, West Haven, Connecticut. He envisions working alongside his sister and brother-in-law helping birth Haven of Hope which is pastored by Pastor and Mrs. Rick Perry. He has served in many capacities here at The Pentecostals since January 2007, including Christian Education, Music Ministry (including serving as Director for 2007), Evangelism, and Marketing. Presently, he continues in ministry at The Pentecostals in Music Ministry, Sunday School, Evangelism, Event Coordinator of Concert of Praise and Family Crusade, Multi-Media, Administrative Work and Single’s Ministry.
Erica Roberts
Erica Roberts was born in Jamaica and grew up in a home where going to Sunday School was not optional. All of her childhood there were rules that she had to abide by that many times rubbed her the wrong way. Once she tried to get out of going to Sunday School because she didn't have a pair of church shoes. Her mother, who was a single parent, said, "Yu nah tan ina di yaad tiday!" (meaning: you are not going to stay home today). She was the child all the parents prayed for and all the other children feared, it seemed she was in a fight every day as a youth. One Friday summer afternoon in 1989 at Vacation Bible School, God fixed her business. You may guess what happened. She was filled with the Holy Ghost. And this Experience was a total package. Two weeks later she was baptized in the saving name of Jesus, the only way the Bible instructs and her walk with the Lord started. Through good times and blessed days living for God, He was faithful through everything. Even when along they way, she took her eyes off the Lord and made choices that she wasn't proud of falling from His grace. Thank the Lord His grace was sufficient for her! It saw her back onto this blessed pathway!
In 2001 Erica migrated to the United States Of America with so many different motivations that church and God were not even in the picture. In 2005 she was invited to the The Pentecostals by Alvin James. It was not the kind of invitation she had much interest in but her roots caused her to not turn down a church invitation. There was a Special Guest waiting for her that day, Who reached out and touched her soul and refilled the emptiness of her life with the Holy Ghost. Was she ready for this? No! But Alvin and Mauvelyn never gave up on her, every Sunday after church one of them would say, "See you next week!" and there was another invitation. One Sunday the Pastor called her Sister Erica, which caused her to ask herself, "What should I do now? I am loved by God and The Pentecostal's Family?" She felt compelled to be a part of this wonderful church family. She continues doing her best living for God, persuaded that He is able to keep Her from falling.
Erica is blessed with two wonderful children, Alexia and DeeJohn. She is currently serving as one of the leaders of the Singles Ministry and as a part of the Hosting Team. She views herself as an instrument of worship who God is still working on her to make her what He desire she be. Through prayer, fasting, and being obedient to His Word she is determined to make Heaven her home, and hopes you will join with her in that goal.
Jennifer Wade
Jennifer Wade was born in Kingston, Jamaica and migrated to the United States with her mother and three brothers when she was eleven years of age. She then moved to Connecticut on September 21, 1977. She works at Hartford Hospital where she is a constant witness of the work God has done in her life.
Her relationship with God really began in 1999 when she gave her life to God soon after her two daughters, Zakiya and Charmaine, who had received the gift of the Holy Ghost on Pentecost Sunday of that year in their first visit to The Pentecostals. She received the gift of the Holy Ghost at a Connecticut District Crusade Service in Waterbury in June 1999 and was then baptized at The Pentecostals. Her life was radically changed from that day and she continues to grow in Christ. Her passion is to present the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the testimony of how it has changed her life.
Jennifer has coordinated the Nursing Home Ministry for several years, is a Sunday School Teacher, a personal Bible Study teacher, and serves on the Pastoral ministry team.
