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 Erie Street Gospel Centre
A Ministry of Church of God of Prophecy
17 Erie Street, Oshawa, Ontario
INSTALLATION SERVICE FOR
PASTOR KEVIN M.A. COLE AND MARCIA COLE
AUGUST 30, 2009
The service started off with a very inspiring devotion led by Sis. Rayon Morgan and the Praise & Worship Team, followed by a processional march led by Bishop Woodroe Thompson and his wife Sis Pauline Thompson, Pastor Kevin Cole and his wife Sis Marcia and son Kenneth Cole were next, and they were followed by their parents the former senior Pastor Bishop Newton Cole & Verna Cole.
District Overseer, Bishop Loxley Walters prayed a powerful prayer. Bishop Newton Cole greeted the congregation and moderated the service, he then recognized the Administrative Bishop, Woodroe Thompson.
Lay Minister James Morgan, the Public Relations Director, welcomed everyone and encouraged them to pay their tithes and to give a good offering for the day. He referred to Malachi 3 verse 10.
Bishop Newton Cole then presented Bishop Woodroe Thompson our Guest Speaker to the congregation. Bishop Thompson greeted the congregation and thanked them for their presence at this important service. Bishop Thompson’s Message text was taken from Acts: 20: 25 - 38 and his topic was “A charge to New Testament Leaders.”
He spoke regarding leadership, that it was very essential in our time, not only to the church, but to the world also. We are called by God to do the work that was assigned to us, he said. All the gifts that God has given are not only for the church, but are for the world also. He further stated that the New & Old Testaments equip leaders in the Church, and stated that the standard of God was very high. He noted that when the apostle Paul spoke concerning Church growth, he did not focus on skills but on Godly character.
Bishop Thompson encouraged Pastor Kevin to be a Godly person, and that he should serve the Lord with great humility, as God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. He said God had placed him, Pastor Cole, foremost to lead the people of God; he referred to the apostle Paul who came to the church with great humility. Furthermore, he continued, we are sinners saved by grace; and were it not for grace, we would not be what we are today. He admonished those present to not feel superior to sinners: we should have compassion for them and always remember to pray for them. He also said we came into this world naked and we will be going back naked; whatever we achieve it is through the grace of God. He admonished us to stop the boasting and give God the credit.
Under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, Bishop Thompson admonished Pastor Kevin and his wife Marcia first to serve God with all humility and be not afraid to cry. It is alright for men to cry, he said, and noted that the apostle Paul spoke about the sufferings for Christ, and the glory that should follow. He further stated that if a Christian was not suffering, such a person needed to question the reality of his or her relationship to God. He referred to the sufferings of Job.
He also stressed the importance of how the church should show compassion, and how very important it was for Pastor Kevin and Sis. Marcia to be diligent. He quoted 2 Timothy 3: 16. Bishop Thompson stressed that the word of God must be preached publicly and privately, and that it must be taken to every ethnic group. He advised them that ministry was hard work, and there was no time for cruising.
Bishop Thompson admonished the church to pay the Pastor, take care of the pastor, but if it refused to do so, the Pastor should continuing ministering, as he was not in ministry for the money, but should remember that he was called by God.
Bishop Thompson said Pastor Kevin should know his strength and his weakness. He should have an intimate relationship with God and feed the flock. The Bishop went on to admonish the church to be obedient to our leader and be very supportive.
He reminded us that we all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God but God sent His only Son to die for us. Bishop Thompson concluded his message by asking us to rededicate our lives to God: after which he prayed for the unsaved. His message was followed by a solo from Sis. Keisha Sharpe “My Hope is built on Nothing Less”
ACT OF INSTALLATION
Bishop Woodroe Thompson, Administrative Bishop
Bishop Loxley Walters, District #1 Overseer
Presentation of Pastoral Candidates: Bishop Loxley Walters
BIOGRAPHY OF CANDIDATE & WIFE
- Lay Minister, Israel Harriott
- Scripture Reading: 1Tim 3:1-7 by Bishop Loxley Walter
- Profile of a Pastor, Bishop Woodroe Thompson
- Expressions of appreciation to our outgoing pastoral team, Bishop Loxley Walters
- Charge to Pastor Kevin Cole: Bishop Newton Cole -father; and
- Bishop Woodroe Thompson
- Invitation & Covenant for the church to the new pastor
- Covenant Litany: Congregation
- Pastoral Covenant to the church: Pastor Kevin Cole
- Charge to the pastor & the church: Bishop Woodroe Thompson
- Pastor and people mutual covenant
- A charge to the pastor’s wife
- A charge to the pastor’s children
- A charge to the ministries
- A charge to the committees
- Final charge to the congregation
Statement of Installation: Administrative Bishop
- Dedicatory prayer
- Presentation of Pastoral Team
NEW PASTOR’S RESPONSE
Pastor Kevin said God had called him to His vineyard and he pledged himself to the work of God and His church. He thanked his parents and his sister Francine for all the love that they have given him. He said his father was always praying for him and that it had changed his life. He also stated that his mother was always telling him of the importance of education and that had also changed his life. There were many teary eyes during his response.
Recessional & Congratulations: Followed Pastor Kevin’s response.
Thank God for a wonderful day in the history of the Erie Street Gospel Centre.
A celebration dinner followed.
Respectfully submitted:
Linda M. Fagan, Church Clerk |
