General Conference 2012

May 7-10, 2012 at the Ottawa Convention Centre in Ottawa, ON.

Click here for the CONFERENCE LIVE STREAMING and COMMUNICATIONS links.
Click here for NEWS UPDATES.
_____________________________________________________________

Welcome from General Superintendent, David Wells
_____________________________________________________________

It is with anticipation that we gather “For His Glory” at General Conference 2012 in Ottawa.

This theme, and the passion behind the theme, flows directly from the mission statement of the PAOC: “to glorify God by making disciples everywhere by proclaiming and practicing the gospel of Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit.” As I have pondered and prayed about our shared mission together I have come to clearly recognize that the fulfilment of this mission is dependent on us continually growing in our discovery of loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, in addition to loving our neighbour as ourselves: the great command. To glorify God in our relationships we must demonstrate the attributes of acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with our God: the great requirement. From these foundations of love for God and demonstrated love for our neighbour we can, with credibility and empowered by the Spirit, declare the good news of Jesus in word and deed: the great commission.

With this in mind, the invitation to General Conference 2012 in Ottawa is to participate with the fellow members of your Pentecostal family regarding this great mission that we have. Throughout the conference, God’s Word will be presented with passion and clarity along these themes and there will be many opportunities to interact with one another in discussion and in prayer. Each morning will be devoted to gathering together for these purposes. Times of worship will add to this environment of having ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to us regarding our desire to live and minister for God’s glory. The evening sessions will focus on the great command, the great requirement, and the great commission within contexts of worship and clear presentations of the Word.

For His glory and for our spiritual formation and leadership development I welcome you to General Conference 2012.

For Him,
Dave Wells

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Welcome from District Superintendent, Craig Burton
____________________________________________________________________________________________

It is an honour to welcome the 2012 General Conference to Ottawa. This city is our nation’s capital, the second largest city in Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. Ottawa is home to our parliament: both the house of commons and the senate. We last gathered here in the national capital region twelve years ago. At that time we were the Eastern Ontario and Québec District, and the General Conference joined in celebrating the establishment of the new District of Québec.

Many other historically significant events have also taken place in this part of Canada-below is a small sampling of those that hold particular importance to us. In 1906 Canada’s first Pentecostal Church was founded: the Hebden Mission, located at 651 Queen Street East in Toronto. In the spring of 1919 a gathering of seven founding fathers in Mille Roche led to the formation of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada (PAOC). Parliament in Ottawa issued our Charter of Incorporation on May 17, 1919. Lastly, the first and oldest church building in the PAOC is located just outside of Ottawa in Kinburn, Ontario.

Today, the Eastern Ontario District includes the expansive territory of Nunavut, and its population fully reflects our nation’s rich ethnic, demographic, and missional diversity. We are grateful for a rich history and yet share in the passion across our Fellowship for a fresh and authentic outpouring of the Lord’s power and presence.

As we gather together let us believe the Lord for another significant event in this part of Canada! We honour our general superintendent David Wells, our executive officers David Hazzard and Murray Cornelius, as well as the entire leadership team as they serve at General Conference 2012. I know that our collective diversity, coupled with a commitment to unity, produces impacting ministry across Canada and around the world. May these days “For His Glory” prove to be challenging, meaningful, and refreshing.

I hope that during your visit to Ottawa you will have opportunity to experience some of our nation’s historic national landmarks as well as enjoy the warmth and hospitality of the national capital region. On behalf of the Eastern Ontario District family, I would like to say welcome!

Respectfully,

Craig Burton