|
Origins
(1950s)
In July of 1950, evangelist G. A. Mangun and his wife, Vesta,
arrived in
Alexandria and began leading a group of about 40 people,
setting into motion the fervor for souls
and the dedication to prayer and fasting that still permeate
the existence of The Pentecostals of Alexandria today.
Sunday School Bus Routes began in 1953. Two years later,
the church at the corner of Sixteenth and Day streets was
built. By the next year, attendance was up to 281.
Growth (1960s-1970s)
Music
programs; new ministries; more growth; the dedication of the church
building at 2817 Rapides Avenue on May 2, 1969; attendance at 691;
youth programs; the beginning of an unbroken, 365 days a year, 24-hour
prayer chain in 1972; the opening of White Steeple Bookstore in 1976 .
. . the first three decades of Mangun leadership saw so much change and
so much expansion--yet the purpose, the drive, and the message never
altered.
New Direction (1980s-2000)
The next phase in the leadership at The POA began when Rev. Anthony
Mangun and his wife, Mickey, took the helm in 1980. An annual
conference for ministers and their wives began in 1982 and continues to
have a global impact today. The reason? Because of the Times. The beginnings of the much-acclaimed supernatural drama production Messiah
happened in 1983 with a two-performance musical. Another move, this
time across Meyer Street, led to a new building and a name change from
the Greater First Pentecostal Church to The Pentecostals of Alexandria.
Process
2000 began in 1994, pushing for a congregation of 2000 by the year
2000. By 1997, the year the Family Life Center opened, attendance was
at 2157. In 2000, the year of Jubilee, The Pentecostals of Alexandria
celebrated 50 years and a commitment to carrying the legacy of the past
into the future. View the Jubliee booklet.
Continuing the Legacy
Terry
and Melani Shock, who previously served as The
POA's Youth Pastor and then as Assistant Pastor, were elected Associate
Pastor in 2001, and they, along with the Manguns and the rest
of the pastoral team, continue to lead the congregation in the same
purpose; the same love for souls; the same commitment to prayer,
fasting, Bible reading, and evangelism; and with the same anointing
that have been a part of the church since its beginning. With plans on
the drawing board for expanding facilities and new programs, and with
weekly attendance moving toward the 3000 mark, The POA continues to
carry out its mission to provide connection for all people to Jesus
Christ through worship, evangelism, discipleship, and fellowship.
|
