"Healing Generations One Family at a Time"

                                                   THIS IS US! A SERVANT’S HEART

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Bishopric Consecration of Bishop-Elect Kelvin and Wife La Quetta Simmons to Take Place Sunday, October 14, 2018, at 4 pm at Immanuel Praise Fellowship (IPF).

 

Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. (October 2018) – Immanuel Praise Fellowship (IPF) and Mission Africa Kingdom Builders International invites the community to witness the bishopric consecration of Bishop-Elect Kelvin Simmons and Wife La Quetta Bush-Simmons. This special occasion will also raise money to support the building of a church and school in the village of Pamproase, Ghana in West Africa. The event is open to the community and will take place at Immanuel Praise Fellowship located at 9592 7th Avenue, Rancho Cucamonga 91730 and also to be streamed live on YouTube and IPF’s Website www.immanuelpraisefellowship.org.

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              This Is Us! Kingdom edition episode title: A Servant’s Heart. Opening Sequence/Act One

 

One year ago this month while in a West African village Bishop-elect Kelvin Simmons and his wife La Quetta Bush-Simmons had no idea that gifting a Lakers snap back cap to a child living in a remote Ghanaian village would be tacit confirmation to the village people of the bishopric mantle that God had placed on the IPF house moments prior. In that act of generosity, they simply were dutifully humbly, prayerfully, and gratefully serving God as they had done every day during their nearly three decades of ministry service. 

“Many years prior,” said Pastor Kelvin, “I promised my wife that I would one day take her home to Africa. Now at the time that I made this promise little did I know about the promise prophetic purpose as part of God’s divine plan for Immanuel a ministry that did not yet exist.” 

Fast forward to the fall of October 2017, Kelvin and La Quetta married nearly 25 years and co-pastors of Immanuel Praise Fellowship now in its ninth year of ministry, led a group of 10 on IPF’s first mission and humanitarian trip to Ghana Africa. Also unbeknownst to them that while in Africa it was God’s plan to elevate these faithful servants and appoint them as overseers of a fledgling church located in a village of Pamproase in Ghana, West Africa. 

Pastors Kelvin and La Quetta’s clothing revealed that as they were getting dressed that morning for their day they were not expecting the move of God that was to happen in just under an hour. He dressed casually in jeans, tee and a well-worn pair of Nike tennis shoes and she dressed in all black workout gear featuring a lime green “Adidas” logo splashed down the side of her t-shirt arrived at the village church with eight other IPF members in tow. As Pastors Kelvin and La Quetta stepped off the bus they were greeted by the beautiful sight of the tiny village church members sauntering down the dirt path toward the Sunday meeting spot with some carrying wooden benches on their heads, while others carried plastic chairs in one arm and a child in the other. Many of the elder villagers were outfitted in their Sunday best of vibrant African prints with matching smiles as they came to greet their IPF guests. 

An unfinished wooden framed enclosure that lacked a foundation would serve as the fellowship meeting tent. Together in the dirt the IPF mission team, the villagers, and the IPF mission trip host Apostle Kodjoe Sumney, Ph.D., and wife Dr.  Akosuah Sumney communed with God. It was of little consequence that the IPF members and the villagers were of diverse tongues because the spirit of God thick in the atmosphere melted away the language barrier like ice in the sun. Responding to the Spirit of God Apostle Kodjoe instructed Pastors Kelvin and La Quetta to kneel in the dirt. It was at that moment that the bishopric elevation was revealed: “This is a confirmation that an apostolic mantle has been placed upon you and now IPF has a branch in the African homeland,” Apostle Kodjoe stated. “Father I asked for you to send somebody to build here,” prayed Apostle Kodjoe. “And you answered my prayer by sending Pastor Kelvin, his wife, and God with us Immanuel Praise Fellowship.” 
Upon Bishop-elect Kelvin responding “Yes, I accept” to Apostle Kodjoe’s requests for verbal acceptance of the bishop mantle God had placed upon him, his wife, and his church the dedication was complete. 

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Upon Bishop elect Kelvin responding “Yes, I accept” to Apostle Kodjoe’s requests for verbal acceptance of the bishop mantle God had placed upon him, his wife, and his church the dedication was complete.

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                     A Servant’s Heart Act Two: Sowing Seeds of Authentic Love & Kingdom Service

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This past September-nearly a year after returning from Ghana-while leading 8 am prayer as she does most mornings, Pastor La Quetta repeated one of IPF’s principles, “We are more spirit than flesh.” She then continued, “The more God we become, the more we become love. Scripture tells us that God is love. Therefore, because we have God’s DNA we too have it in our power to become God’s, authentic love. Everything authentic love touches it changes, transforms and prospers.” Pastor La Quetta ended the prayer call like always with “Bishop and I love you all so unconditionally. Now go take on this day and don’t allow this day to overtake you.”  

“According to Pastor La Quetta taking on the day means that every single day you are actively working in the Kingdom and looking for ways to make God smile,” said Roslyn Flournoy, Executive Assistant to the Senior Pastors. Deandra Fossett, member of the IPF Executive Leadership Team stated, “Pastors Kelvin and La Quetta are very clear that IPF is not a ministry to come and try to hide out in because God has called IPF to a high level of service; therefore, IPF members should expect to be busy doing the work of the Kingdom and carrying the banner of service.” Pastor La Quetta often reminds the IPF congregation that God has promised a ministry that “will set the valley on the fire”, so members have to do the work. And when fear sets in about the work God has given IPF, then it becomes necessary to push ahead and “do it afraid!” (If you were to ask any IPF member Do it afraid is another well-known Pastor La Quetta-ism.) A powerful minister and pastor in her own right it is not by happenstance that God elected the IPF ministry to oversee an African village church that has a woman at the helm. 

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                                       A Servant’s Heart Act Three: Modeling God’s Authentic Love

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And it is with the IPF charge to sow seeds of authentic love and model Kingdom service that the IPF Pastors led a small group of willing members to Ghana. The inaugural trip was part of the vision God had placed on the house. Before starting the ministry, God gave Pastors Kelvin and La Quetta a 10-year 4W vision of a ministry that would change generations one family at a time by activating the areas of Worship, Witness, Wellness, and Wealth in the lives of every believer connected to the church. Under the anointing of the 3rd pillar Witness, God revealed a ministry that would produce covenant churches and participate in global fellowship in support of building international schools, housing, and medical programs. Nine years later in fulfillment of the vision, God sent IPF to Ghana and tasked the ministry with overseeing a remote Ghanaian village church and future school that is to be known as the Immanuel Praise Fellowship Kingdom Builders Church. 

After the bishopric dedication while walking back to the bus Bishop-Elect Kelvin noticed two young boys playing in the dirt. Desiring to leave them with a gift, he took off his Lakers snap back cap to offer it. But not wanting to leave the other out and supposing that the boys could share the hat, the newly minted bishop instead offered the hat to the village church’s pastor Mama Gladys instead. Immediately tears sprang forth from Mama Gladys eyes. Confused Pastor Kelvin looked to Apostle Kodjoe, who explained that in many African cultures the very act of a man leaving behind his hat is a sign of his intent to enter into a covenant relationship with and oversee that home. Scripture tells us the saying is true and irrefutable: If any man [eagerly] seeks the office of bishop (superintendent, overseer), he desires an excellent task (work). 1 Timothy 3:1 [AMPC].  

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                 A Servant’s Heart Act Four: God Elevates Faithful Servants – Bishopric Consecration

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In preparation for IPF’s return to Ghana in May of 2019, Apostle Kodjoe Sumney, as chief consecrator will lead the Bishop Consecration ceremony. The IPF pastors have asked the IPF family, friends of Immanuel and community to raise funds to complete the construction of the IPF village church in Ghana in lieu of a love offering to the Pastors. Bishops serving in the Inland Empire have vowed to lend their support and will serve as the Bishops’ Council: Raymond E. Watts, Ph.D. Auxiliary Bishop, New Direction Church C.O.G.I.C., Rancho Cucamonga, Ca; Candace C. Shields, Ph.D. Bishop, Twice Called Christian Center, San Bernardino, Ca; Philip Powell, Bishop, Centre at Highland, Highland Ca. 
 

Friends of Immanuel and those in the community unable to make the service are invited to stream the Bishop Consecration and donate online at IPF’s Website. For more information about IPF please contact simmons6197@gmail.com. 

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                             About Bishop Elect Kelvin Simmons and Pastor La Quetta Bush-Simmons

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Both Bishop Kelvin and Pastor La Quetta Simmons are ordained ministers who have been preaching and teaching the Gospel for a total of 22 years while they served at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Pomona, California for 18 and 29 years respectively. Bishop-Elect Kelvin and Pastor La Quetta are active in their local community. Bishop-Elect Kelvin is currently serving as President of the Inland Empire Concerned African American Churches (IECAAC). Pastor La Quetta sits on the board of directors for Project Fighting Chance a local non-profit organization that is currently featured on PBS docuseries Hopefuls. Bishop Kelvin and Pastor La Quetta Simmons have been married since 1992 and have a beautiful daughter Kandace Iman.

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                                                     About Immanuel Praise Fellowship (IPF)

 

IPF located at 9592 7th Avenue in the City of Rancho Cucamonga, is a ministry called by God to change generations one family at a time through preaching and teaching the saving, delivering, and healing power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Founded in 2008 with only eight members, IPF is a community-focused ministry. For more information about IPF visit us online at www.immanuelpraisefellowship.org.  

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                                             About Dr. Kodjoe Sumney and Mission Africa, Inc.

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Mission Africa Inc. is a Christian Non-Profit Organization based in California and Accra Ghana founded by Dr. Kodjoe Sumney and Dr. Akosuah Salome Sumney to develop global partners to offer humanitarian assistance and undertake mission work to Africans. In fifteen years the organization has brought over a 1000 Americans of all backgrounds as well as other nationalities to Ghana to assist in various projects to include building churches and schools in remote areas in Ghana. For more information about Mission Africa visit http://missionafricainc.org/about/mission-africa-inc.