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FALL 2026 REVIVAL CHURCH UNITED PENTECOSTAL CHURCH 825 7th Street, Modesto, CA 95354 Business Phone: 209-522-5365

email us at: thenewsvine@gmail.com google us at: the newsvine or follow us on: issuu.com/thenewsvine EDITORS LEO AGUILERA VIRGINIA AGUILERA

BUSINESS LIAISON Charlene Wilson CHURCH LIAISON Jon Quinones GRAPHIC DESIGN Leo & Virginia Aguilera PHOTOGRAPHERS Leo Aguilera, Don Mellow, Josh Blackwood CREATIVE TEAM Alexis Diaz, Jocelyn Powell, Autumn

Amador, Devina Aguirre, Emma Zuniga, Angel Torres Colin, Russ Campbell, Andrew Mazon, Brooke Montes COLUMNIST Carol Castillo YOUTH PHOTOGRAPHER Alexis Diaz DISTRIBUTION Norbert Feliciano MAILINGS Virginia Aguilera

CHURCH STAFF

PASTOR H. TODD JOHNSON BISHOP RANDY G. KEYES

ADMINISTRATIVE PASTOR - JONATHAN QUINONES CHURCH SECRETARY - CHARLENE WILSON

CHURCH MINISTERS

RESIDENT MISSIONARY SPANISH MINISTRY YOUNG ADULTS GROWTH TRACK

Media Graphic Design JoshuaAguilera Jeannette Aguilera Matthew Aguirre David Amador Dana Le’ Blanc STUDENT PASTORS MUSIC MINISTRY

K.R.E.W. KID’S MINISTRY B.U.F.F. (MEN 50+) PRAYER MINISTRIES LIFE GROUPS JOSHUA MEN'S MINISTRY S.I.S. (Ladies' Ministry) MATURE LADIES MINISTRY NURSING HOME MINISTRY BIBLE QUIZZING PUBLIC RELATIONS SOUND ENGINEERS FUNDRAISING DRAMA MINISTRY

Uday Narayan Antonio & Gloria Gutierrez Chris & Lindsay Castro Moses Burciaga Noah Wells Chris Harris Jerry Powell Jeremiah Williams Vinnie Zapien Tim & Jeriann Montes Matt Aguirre, Nancy Holston, Tim Montes Sujey Diaz, Mary Aguirre Herb Jenkins Dana Le'Blanc, Josh & Jeannette Aguilera Jonathan Quinones Alex Diaz Angela Warren, Joyce Jones Joyce Jones Joyce Jones Joshua Williams Jeremiah Williams Jon & Brianna Harris, Prenesh Narayan Linda Salazar Danny Gregory

A Word from the Editors

n light of our upcoming annual Missions Conference to be held on October 16 - 18, we are featuring as our cover story, Angela and Daniel Warren, who play a huge role in supporting this momentous event featuring missionaries, both home and abroad. We are also including an article by Alyssa Suarez, who heads up our church's medical response team. She, along with other nurses from across the United States, traveled with Compassion Services International to the Southeast Asian country of Cambodia. It was fascinating to learn of this vital and unique opportunity to serve the Lord on the missions field. In addition to our missions focus, we are concluding the heart-wrenching, yet victorious, testimony of Mary Aguirre, as she and her husband, Richard, face the shocking diagnosis of cancer. This issue also contains highlights of events that took place during the third quarter of 2026. Although these summer months have been blazing hot, God is still moving in mighty ways. Although it feels as though our world is sharply divided, let the people of God be determined to remain tightly united and prayerfully focused on the kingdom of God. "Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace" (Ephesians 4:2,3 NLT). Maranatha, the Lord cometh! Editors Leo and Virginia Aguilera

SERVICE TIMES

SUNDAY - 9:00 a.m. 10:15 a.m. 10:30 a.m. MONDAY - 7:00 p.m TUESDAY - 7:00 p.m. WEDNESDAY - 7:00 p.m. THURSDAY - 7:00 p.m. 7:30 p.m. FRIDAY - 7:00 p.m. SATURDAY - 10:00 a.m.

Spanish/Service - Chapel Pre-service Prayer Morning Service - Sanctuary, KREW All-Church Prayer Growth Track Mid-Week Service, KREW Young Adults Service Spanish Service Revive Youth Service, Church Prayer Saturday Morning Outreach

THE NEWSVINE is published quarterly (first Sunday of January, April, July, October) by Revival Church, United Pentecostal Church of Modesto, 825 7th Street, Modesto, CA 95354-3414. Any submitted articles to The Newsvine are subject to pastor’s approval and editing by The Newsvine staff.

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Editors Leo and Virginia Aguilera in the gardens of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Japan

Table of Contents “Every page an altar to His works!”

4 8 12 22 27 28 - 37 38 40 42 44 45 46 48 50 52

Photos of past mission conferences: from left: Sheelah Grant Williams leads the choir; Mark Morgan speaks. It was a tradition for Editor Leo Aguilera to paint the theme banners.

Don Mellow

Jocelyn Powell

Autumn Amador

We credit our Newsvine Photographer Don Mellow and the Creative Team here for their outstanding talent in capturing over 200 photos of perfect moments. God bless Brother Mellow and the Creative Team for their devotion!

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ALL CHRISTIANS NEED TO KNOW: NEVER IS RISK MAKING GOD AFTER THERE A DEVIL! ( ILLUSTRATIONS ARTISTICALLY CREATED BY EDITOR LEO AGUILERA) YOUR OWN IMAG E! (As the Halloween holiday approaches, we all will be assaulted with ghostly. demonic, and witchery decorations in our neighborhoods and retail stores. To target the actual source of such commemorations, I am revisiting the topic of the existence and source of this evil. It's best to be armed with knowledge of Christianity's enemy to effectively combat him and his legions.) “The finest trick of the devil is to persuade you that he does not exist” is a quote from the 19th century French poet Charles Baudelaire’s work “Le Figaro”, written in 1864. Such a postulation makes a strong argument that the devil has no interest if you believe he exists. He is more concerned if you believe whether or not there is a God. Once the doubt sets in that personified evil and even hell cannot exist, then rejection of the supernatural heightens to unbelief in Christ Jesus, heaven, and the contents of the Bible. The unbeliever becomes insensitive to a divine order, that the universe is ruled by chance, and an afterlife is non-existent with the final blow of death. The unbeliever will have nothing to do with church, preachers and any readings from the Bible because of his/her rejection that God and the devil are living entities. But IT IS the Bible that declares the existence of the devil, and indeed history itself records man’s inhumanity to man - the evil in war and conquest, and the hideous atrocities one can read in the newspapers every day. It verifies something greater exists that malevolently influences men and women to do bar4 FALL NEWSVINE 2026 •

barous acts, murders, abuse, torments, ruinous addictions to their bodies, and blasphemies hurled against Christ and His church. WHO HE IS!

He goes by many names in the Christian world: Satan, Lucifer, Beelzebub, the Antichrist, the Father of Lies. In literature he is called the Lord of the Flies, the Prince of Darkness, and Mephistopheles. Islam calls him Shaytan, the Buddhists call him the demon named Maara, and the Jews say Satan is a verb expressing difficulty or temptation. But all these world views agree on one thing: he is the nemesis of good and all that is decent and moral. He is the adversary of God

heaven, he was known as Satan (“adversary”). Why was he cast out? His pride for his beauty, position, and influence among the other angels made him think he could be God and even replace Him. In the book of Revelation (Chapter 12) he persuaded a third of the angels to follow him, but in verse 9 he was hurled to the earth and his angels with him. Since then he has railed against God and His believers. During the time Christ walked the earth, Satan entered into Judas Iscariot and witnessed all the miracles and wonders our Savior performed. He and his demons knew Christ was the “Son of God” and many times screamed out the recognition, but the devil did not really understand what that meant. During his tempting of Christ in the wilderness, he dared to try to

Lucifer and his followers being cast out of heaven. "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!" Isaiah 14:12

and His believers. Most religions say he will be judged and damned on the final judgment day, along with all who have done wickedly; and in Christianity, all who also have rejected the gospel of Jesus Christ. In the book of Ezekiel (Chapter 28) the King of Tyre is described as a supernatural being with most Biblical translators agreeing this king is the personification of the devil. He was the “anointed cherub that covereth” who stood behind the throne of God, created with great beauty, his vestments were of the finest gold and jewels, and tradition said he led the choirs of angels in music, glorifying the mighty God. He was created perfect for he was blameless and sinless until pride and envy formed in his heart. Isaiah (Chapter 14) called him Lucifer (“morning star”), but when he was cast out of

Lucifer is now Satan, the adversary, stripped of his beauty and glorious robes. FALL NEWSVINE 2026 • 5

persuade Jesus to fall down and worship him, WHAT HE DOES NOW not knowing he was speaking to God AlAND HIS END! mighty in the flesh. Not until Christ cried out on the cross, “It is finished!” did Satan realize In the present age, Satan is allowed to have who He was. Since then he has used his own dominion on the earth and in the air. He domconfusion to confuse others to recognize Who inates the realm of sinners. He instigates, maJesus really is. nipulates, and even possesses individuals to commit heinous crimes, horrific murders, and WHAT HE IS NOT! fearful terrorisms which make the headlines of ours news networks daily. Unfortunately, The devil IS NOT omniscient, omnipres- Charles Manson and Ted Bundy are houseent, or omnipotent. He would like to exude hold names (their photos to the right). that he is all three, but he is not even one. Through the centuries man's inhumanity to Only our Lord Jesus Christ, in the fullness of man has clear evidence of demonic influence the Godhead, can claim all three as the mighty in the slaughter of women and children in God and everlasting Father. If the devil was Biblical warfares, the massacres of Genghis omniscient (all knowing), his fortune tellers Kahn, the terrible tortures of presumed hereand palm readers would be wealthy, for they tics during the Inquisition, and the injustices would know what lottery numbers and roll of and executions of the Salem Witch Trials in the dice to pick. The devil cannot guarantee America. to predict accurately not even one second into In modern times, Satan has empowered huthe future, but his mastery in manipulating mans with political power to persuade entire persons through the centuries is the gamble nations to commit unspeakable persecutions he can only take. The devil is not omnipresent on their own citizens or their conquered enfor he must rely on his principalities, powers, emies. We saw such atrocities committed by rulers of the darkness of this world, spiritu- Hitler during World War II and the armies of al wickedness in high places, along with his the Khmer Rouge on their own people in the demons and whatever other urchins he must gruesome "killing fields" of Cambodia. used to keep him informed of the success and failures of his evil intentions. He is certainIn the Bible we read that Satan and his ly not omnipotent. Only God is all-powerful followers will be rendered divine justice in the physical and spiritual dimensions. Sa- when they all end up in the Lake of Fire, a tan's desire is to create chaos, violence, and dimension separate forever from Christ and persecution of Christians, but he cannot attain the righteous. They will not exist in the New world control because of Christ’s mercy to Heaven and the New Earth. The New Jerusastill call those who must be saved. The Bible lem will dominate as the center of all things, does foretell of the devil’s Antichrist taking where Christ will reign forever with us who control of the world governments in the near are saved! future, but God’s word assures Christian beFor now, dear reader, remember THERE lievers the day of reckoning is coming; Satan IS A DEVIL, and to accept his existence is to will be defeated, and Christ will rule all things fight his evil with knowledge of him, divine with His saints in glory! intelligence, and faith in Christ Jesus! 6 FALL NEWSVINE 2026 •

HE MAY MOCK US NOW...

BUT THE LAKE OF FIRE AWAITS FOR HIM AND HIS FOLLOWERS!

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COVER STORY:

Time to Notice What the Warrens Do!

The Newsvine is featuring a couple in this issue who are exemplary examples of what it means to serve: Daniel and Angela Warren. From heading up our security team and SIS, our ladies ministry, these two faithful saints through the years have stepped in wherever and whenever there was a need, cheerfully and with the conviction that no task is beneath them, and no task is done until it is done with excellence. A LITTLE BACKGROUND

First, here is a little background on the Warrens. Daniel’s parents are Richard and Sherry Warren. Richard, now deceased, assisted the production of The Newsvine for several years, along with his wife, Sherry. Angela's parents are Jerry and Francis Burciago. Daniel and Angela have two children: Timothy (wife Mariah) and Zoe, and they also have one grandson, five-month old Ezra Christian. Daniel’s family moved from Arizona when Daniel was still a child. The family began attending Revival Church (then Revival Center) before the back wall was knocked down, doubling the size of our sanctuary. Daniel’s grandfather, Brother Gibson, who was 8 FALL NEWSVINE 2026 •

a long-time contractor, came from Arizona to supervise. “He told everyone what to do and how to do it,” said Daniel. Feeling the Spirit of God drawing him, at the age of 13 years old, Daniel was baptized by Jerry Powell. Angela on the other hand was always from California. She, along with her family, attended Faith Tabernacle in Tracy, a United Pentecostal Church, pastored by Jesse and Ingrid Brown. She attended school in Tracy, graduating from West High. It was at Western District Junior Camp when they both saw each other for the first time. “I knew who she was,” said Daniel, “but we weren’t friends. We didn’t talk.” It was not until Senior Camp, they finally started talking. “We went our separate ways,” said Angela. Her family later transferred to Revival Church in 1996. It was then she connected with her future husband, Daniel Warren. “The Lord brought me here to Revival Church,” said Angela. “That’s when we started talking again.” Daniel attended Tuolumne Christian School (TCS) where his uncle David Gibson was the principal and his aunt, Donada, taught. Upon graduating from TCS, he began taking classes at Modesto Junior College. Opportunity knocked at Daniel’s door when a family friend, Scott Stotler, who had an architectural firm in the Bay Area, offered Daniel a job while he was attending college. At this time Daniel and Angela had already started dating. He would drive to work in Morgan Hill from Modesto, go to his college classes in Fremont, and then he would come home to Modesto to see Angela. “I was doing that loop everyday,” said Daniel. Even at a young age, he was driven to achieve. Daniel began as an apprentice working under the direction of Scott Stotler, designing houses. Later Daniel worked at Booker Gery Hickman Architects in Modesto for approximately seven years. “At that time, I was full-time with them as Product Manager.” The firm designed a number of schools, broadening his skill set. From there he worked at a firm in Oakdale, RRM Design Group, which did design work for various police departments and city halls. Daniel eventually started his own architectural firm, Warren Designs, which he still owns. His firm does a variety of work, mostly in the Bay Area. Right now he is working on designing a couple of churches, pre-

Sisters in Seasons (SIS) attendees pose at this year's retreat held at The Barn. schools, and restaurants. With his staff of 3 full-time and one part-time employee, they also are busy designing apartment buildings and custom homes. One recent project he is excited about is Modesto Silos which converted an historic 1939 grain silo into a trendy restaurant. “God has been blessing me,” said Daniel. After graduating high school, Angela worked in retail for a time, and since she and Daniel married, she has been a mother and a homemaker. This flexibility in her schedule has allowed her to step in when the church badly needed her help.

ministry. When the church has a special speaker, she makes the gift baskets. If that’s not enough, when the church has special speakers, she does the entertaining. She will either order lunch to dine in the church’s conference room, or they will go out to eat. “Sometimes I will entertain special speakers at my home,” said Angela. And, of course, she is always available for Sister Johnson when she needs help.

HOW THE WARRENS FILLED A NEED Angela first got involved serving the church, working with Sister Keyes. Angela worked with her during missions, serving missionaries and guests at the Keyes’ home. When Bishop Keyes turned the church over to the Johnsons, Angela transitioned to assisting Sister Johnson. “I was asked to take on some roles,” said Angela. When a church member left who had been supporting Sister Keyes in all her responsibilities, Angela stepped in to fill the gap. “That’s when I started serving. There was nobody here. I got those jobs, not knowing what I was doing, not knowing how to do anything. I had to learn.” Angela learned from these experiences and the value of preparing others. “As I get older, I am not going to hoard a job,” said Angela. “It’s not mine to keep. It’s the Lord. It’s what He asked me to do. So I have started training other girls to serve. When I am not able to do something, I pick up the phone and ask them to step in.” Angela does the Sisters in Seasons, SIS, the ladies’

FALL NEWSVINE 2026 • 9

2022 Missions Conference. It takes a huge team of volunteers to coordinate transportation, meals, music, lighting, multi-media, sound, ushering, security, and countless other tasks. All done to bring glory to God and support missions. Brother Daniel is in charge of security, supervising a large team of men, armed when necessary, who monitor both outside and inside the building. “We try to catch a lot of stuff at the door,” said Daniel. Being a church downtown, brings a number of challenging issues, from handling visitors who wander in inebriated to one man who pulled out a knife on a security team member. “The newest thing we started is having someone shadow Pastor Johnson,” said Daniel. “We are trying to keep this place safe.” We can all be grate-

Each Saturday morning of Missions Conference, Pastor and Sister Johnson host a luncheon for our missionaries. The luncheon is catered and served by a team coordinated by Sister Warren. Depending on the location, arrangements must be made for all the components to seat our guests. It takes a large team to make it all happen. 10 FALL NEWSVINE 2026 •

ful to Daniel and his dedicated team. MISSIONS

Missions is an extremely busy time for all. There are many different components that are handled behind the scenes. First off is handling the transportation for the missionary families and special speakers. Daniel will usually drive the main speakers. Daniel and Prenesh Narayan coordinate all the transportation for the missionaries, working under the supervision of Pastor Quinones. In addition, Daniel is in charge of security. “Missions is tough,” said Daniel, “because a lot of the men who drive also do security.” It is challenging for Daniel to coordinate his team to cover both transportation and security so everything is always covered, especially as missionaries are landing in different airports at different times. “We train the drivers to ask the missionaries,” said Daniel, ‘Do you need anything? Are your kids hungry?’ If the missionary says my kids want McDonalds or they ask ‘Can we stop by the food trucks?’ When we do that stuff, the missionaries don’t pay for anything. We make sure all the drivers have money to accommodate the missionaries and the drivers have money to fill up their gas tanks. If they need to run to the store to buy clothes or to buy shoes for their kid, we accommodate that too.” Angela agrees. “Some will ask to shop, and we will take them shopping. Whatever they ask to do or even hint, we try to accommodate. We make their dreams happen.” Once a missionary needed a pair of brown shoes, Daniel gave him the brand

Above, missionary children being introduced by Pastor Johnson. On the right is a gift basket representing the hospitality baskets that have been a traditional gift to our missionary families for decades. Each missionary family receives a gift basket with goodies personally assembled by Sister Angela, and each child receives a gift bag assembled by her team for each service. new pair he had just bought for himself. Lucky for Daniel, one task he does not have to worry about are the interns, the young men who are assigned to assist each missionary. This is coordinated by Chris Castro. While her husband is busy with security and transportation, Angela is busy with a myriad of details. She is in charge of the gift baskets for the missionary families, both ordering what goes inside and assembling the baskets herself. She also makes sure the missionary children receive a gift bag for every service. With a pencil, with a good eraser, she works with Sister Johnson to create a seating chart for services. Angela is also the one who sets out all of the reserved seating signs. (The Newsvine is appreciative!) Sister Johnson and her daughter, Mehgan, are in charge of the cupbearers, the young ladies who take care of the missionary wives and if they have children, take care of them so the wives can enjoy the conference services. Sister Johnson approves all the cupbearers and meets with them to explain all of her expectations. “Nothing happens without Sister Johnson,” said Angela. The parents sit in the first three rows and the cupbearers and children sit behind them. During church, Angela is the one who sits with the cupbearers and assists them with any concerns. Daniel said, “We believe it is our job is take the load off of the Johnsons. We try to stop any problems before it gets to them, whether it is at missions or not.”

start at home. I always told my children that the Bible says not to touch the ministry. That doesn't just mean physically, but with our words, thoughts. We have to protect the ministry and pray for them. I wish that people take ownership in our church. Not only will you be rewarded by God, but you will be blessed by serving. We all have different unique gifts, use your gift. You have a gift that I don’t have. When you buy into the vision, when people buy into what the church is doing, our mission, these are the people who will give toward that. They are better tithers, they will give in the offerings, they will give sacrificially when they think, This is my church. Once people catch that, it changes everything."

FINAL THOUGHTS FROM THE WARRENS

"It’s so rewarding. I have taught my kids to serve. I was always at the church when they were little They had no choice but to learn to serve. They both know how to serve. If children see us serving, then they will do it. If you want your kids to do something, it has to

Sister Warren and her SIS team which worked hard to put on a lovely tea for our ladies. From left: Hilda Rochester, Barb Seah, Grace Zuniga, Joyce Jones, Angela Warren, and Jeanne Lozada. FALL NEWSVINE 2026 • 11

Testimony of Faith - Part 3 Sister Mary Aguirre (Editor's Note: This is last part of the testimony of Sister Mary Aguirre. As she warned me, you may also need a box of Kleenex as you read her account of her husband, Richard's battle with cancer. Richard, who had struggled many years with the temptations thrown to him by the devil, had finally repented and rededicated his life to the Lord. He was using his beautiful baritone voice and the story of his years as a prodigal, to minister to others. Then came the earth-shaking and heart crushing news: Richard had may have cancer!)

e waited anxiously for another month before the results finally came back. That month felt like an eternity. We tried to carry on with our normal lives, but there was always that unanswered question hanging over us. Deep down, Richard and I seemed to sense that something was seriously wrong. Finally, the day came when we returned to the doctor’s office. We sat there waiting, both of us wondering what we were about to hear. As soon as the doctor walked into the room, Richard looked directly at him. There was something in his expression—almost as if he had already pieced the puzzle together in his own mind. “Doctor,” Richard said, “I have non-Hodgkin lymphoma, don’t I?” The room seemed to become completely still. The doctor looked at Richard, visibly surprised by his question. He paused and then said, “You must have been doing your research.” "Suddenly the possibility of a cancer diagnosis felt frighteningly real." But Richard wasn’t just asking a question. He was confronting the possibility he had been fearing. Somewhere during that long month of waiting, Richard had begun to realize that this might be the answer. Perhaps he had searched for information, read the symptoms, and connected the pieces himself, not sharing with me what he found as he did not want to worry me. And now, sitting across from the doctor, he was looking for confirmation of what his heart was already beginning to understand. In that moment, I could see the weight 12 FALL NEWSVINE 2026 •

of those words on him. We had walked into that office hoping for answers, but suddenly the possibility of a cancer diagnosis felt frighteningly real. At that time, I had no idea what lymphoma was. When the doctor confirmed the diagnosis, our world seemed to stop. Mary Aguirre Richard had Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Richard was referred to an oncologist for further treatment, and just like that, our cancer journey officially began. When we met with the oncologist, he ordered a CT scan. A week later, we returned to hear the results. I will never forget walking into that cold, dark conference room and seeing the CT images displayed on the wall. The doctor confirmed the diagnosis: Richard had stage 4 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. “Mrs. Aguirre, your husband has hundreds of tumors. He has clusters of tumors throughout his body.” I was so naïve to all of this. I really didn’t understand what we were facing. Looking at those images, I asked the doctor, “Does he have one or two tumors?” He gently looked at me and said, “Mrs. Aguirre, your husband has hundreds of tumors. He has clusters of tumors throughout his body.” My heart sank. Then the doctor said something that has stayed with me ever since. He told us, “What’s strange is that not one of the tumors is near any of your vital organs.” As I sat there taking in those words, I couldn’t help but see something beyond what was on those CT images. To me, it looked like the hand of God had moved those clusters of tumors away from Richard’s vital organs. The diagnosis was frightening. The term 'stage 4' was terrifying. But even in that dark conference room, surrounded by images that represented something I could

barely comprehend, I felt a glimmer of hope. I didn’t understand everything that was happening, but I knew God was there. And looking back now, I believe He was already making a way for us—even before we knew how much we were going to need Him. When we walked out of the doctor’s office that day, we were both silent. We didn’t say a word to each other. I think we were both in shock. There really are no words to describe what it feels like to walk out of a doctor’s office knowing that your husband has cancer. "I believe He was already making a way for us—even before we knew how much we were going to need Him." We went our separate ways and headed back to work. Not long after, my phone rang. It was Richard. “Honey, can you believe what we just heard?” Neither one of us knew how we were going to tell our children. We both began to cry over the phone. Then, through our tears, we started to pray. We decided that we were going to believe God for his healing. We knew this was going to be a journey, but we also knew we would not walk through it alone. God would be with us every step of the way. We began doing our research on the doctor and learned that he was considered one of the best oncologists in California. We felt reassured that Richard was in good hands. When we met with the chemotherapy doctor, he sat down with us and explained the treatment plan. There was a newer chemotherapy treatment called Rituxan that had shown positive results for the type of cancer Richard had. He explained the possible side effects and what we could expect during treatment. Needless to say, hearing about all the possible side effects scared me, but Richard had a completely different attitude. He remained positive, and as always, he used his sense of humor to get through difficult moments. For three months, I attended every one of Richard’s chemotherapy treatments. Every week, I sat beside him and watched as he received his treatment. Richard would joke with the nurses, make them laugh, and talk to them about God. He would witness to the nurses and to other patients receiving treatment. Even while he was going through something so frightening, Richard was still thinking about other people and looking for opportunities to share his faith. Then, about two months into his treatment, something changed.

"I’m more concerned about the tumor on his chest.” Richard began experiencing severe back pain. It seemed to come on suddenly after he had started chemotherapy, and naturally, I became very concerned. I knew his body was already going through so much, and I wanted to understand what was causing this new and severe pain. We made an appointment with his doctor. When I told him about Richard’s back pain, he reassured me by saying, “Mrs. Aguirre, not every pain your husband has is related to the cancer. I’m more concerned about the tumor on his chest.” Those words immediately caught my attention. I had been so focused on every ache and pain Richard experienced, wondering if it was another sign that the cancer was spreading. Hearing the doctor tell me that not every pain was necessarily related to the cancer gave me a different perspective. But then there was the tumor. A tumor had suddenly appeared on the left side of Richard’s chest, and it was growing so quickly that it had become the size of a large grapefruit. That was what concerned the doctor the most. At that moment, I knew we were facing another frightening chapter in this journey. At the time, I didn’t know how significant those words would become. I was simply trying to take one day at a time, trusting God and standing beside my husband as we walked through something neither of us had ever imagined we would face. The doctor ordered surgery for December 13, 1996—my son Matt’s birthday. Even though it was supposed to be a day of celebration, our family was facing a completely different kind of uncertainty. By that time, hundreds of friends and family members, along with people we didn’t even know, were praying for Richard. In those days, we had MySpace, and that was how the word spread. We reached out and asked people to pray, and people began sharing the request with others. Prayer was coming from everywhere. We knew that we were not walking through this alone. When Richard went into surgery, the surgeon explained the plan to me. He intended to remove the large tumor and then treat the area with radiation. We were told the surgery would take approximately two hours. But only forty-five minutes later, the surgeon came out. We were caught completely off guard. He had come out so quickly that our hearts immediately sank. He met with me and my sons and explained that he had FALL NEWSVINE 2026 • 13

not been able to remove the tumor. It was located only inches from Richard’s heart, making it too dangerous to remove. He also told us that the tumor was growing rapidly. Richard was released from the hospital and sent home. After the surgery, however, the pain in Richard’s back began traveling down his leg. The pain became increasingly severe, and eventually it became difficult for him to walk. Then, one day, a nurse called Richard to follow up with him after his surgery. As he spoke with her, she could hear the pain in his voice. She immediately became concerned and contacted the doctor. The next thing I knew, I received a call at work. They told me, “Bring your husband straight to the hospital.” I knew then that something was seriously wrong. We had no idea that this call would lead us to another discovery—one that would change everything once again. "The doctor told Richard that he could not move at all because he was at serious risk of becoming paralyzed." As soon as we arrived, Richard was admitted immediately. The doctor ordered an emergency MRI of his back. The next day, after receiving the MRI results, the doctor came into Richard’s room. The first thing he did was apologize to both of us and tell us that he had been wrong. The MRI had revealed a tumor lodged in Richard’s spine. Because of its location, radiation could not be used to shrink it. The doctor told Richard that he could not move at all because he was at serious risk of becoming paralyzed. Once again, the people of God began to pray. The word spread, and people began bombarding heaven on Richard’s behalf. I will never forget how his hospital room became filled with people of God who came to pray. They prayed with such faith and such intensity. There was a presence in that room that was almost tangible. Later, one of the nurses came into Richard’s room and told us something I will never forget. She said that when she walked into the room, she felt something so powerful that it was almost as if something pushed her back. She could feel something powerful in that room. I knew exactly what she was feeling. It was the presence of God. We had been given frightening news, but we were not standing alone. Once again, the people of God 14 FALL NEWSVINE 2026 •

stood in the gap for Richard. Heaven was being bombarded with prayer, and we were believing God for a miracle. The doctor ordered another MRI. When the results came in, they showed the tumor had miraculously moved to where they were able to shrink it with radiation! They treated him for a week every day until he was able to go home. "What the doctors had feared would take Richard from us, God had touched with His healing hand." Every night, Richard would anoint the tumor and pray, believing God for his healing. We knew that this tumor could take him from us, but Richard refused to let fear have the final word. His faith remained strong. Then one night, we noticed liquid coming from his incision. I became frightened and worried about what was happening, but Richard looked at me and kept saying, “God is healing me.” He believed it with everything in him. And within a month, the tumor was gone. Gone! What the doctors had feared would take Richard from us, God had touched with His healing hand. When we returned for his next treatment, the doctor examined his chest, looking for the tumor and was SHOCKED to see it was gone! He kept repeating “Where’s the tumor?” Richard told him, Doctor, God removed it.” The doctor keep crediting the chemo treatment. When Richard went to the back room to get prepped for his next treatment, the nurse told my husband, "Dr. B will never admit it that it was a miracle, but I believe it was!” Looking back now, those moments are forever etched in my heart. I can still remember that hospital room—the prayers, the tears, the uncertainty, the faith, and the unmistakable presence of God that seemed to fill every corner. "And his faith became a testimony that reached far beyond that hospital room." Richard was in a battle for his life, but he believed that God was right there with him. And his faith became a testimony that reached far beyond that hospital room. Richard’s cancer testimony helped hundreds of people find faith and hope for their own healing. He preached faith. He prayed for the sick. He encouraged

darkest place—and that when God’s people come together in prayer, Heaven hears. WHEN THE CANCER CAME BACK

people to believe God when circumstances told them there was no hope. And many people testified of receiving their healing after Richard prayed for them. Richard’s faith was contagious. He didn’t just talk about believing God—he lived it. Even when his own life was hanging in the balance, he continued to believe, continued to pray, and continued to encourage others to have faith. His testimony became a living reminder to so many people that God is still a healer, that prayer still matters, and that when everything around us says, “There is no hope,” we can still look to God and say, “But I believe.” That season changed both of us forever. It taught me that sometimes the greatest testimony is born in the

The cancer went into remission year after year, and we believed we had finally been given more time. But in the sixth year, in 2005, it came back with a vengeance. Richard spent two months in the hospital. Every day, I would go to work, and as soon as my workday was over, I went straight to the hospital. I spent the nights there with him because he needed me. The night sweats were so severe that I was constantly changing his sheets and his hospital gowns. The nurses had become like family to us. They trusted me so much that they gave me the code to the linen closet and even the break room. If I was hungry, or if Richard wanted something to eat or drink during the night, I could help myself. Those little things may seem insignificant, but during those long and difficult weeks, they meant so much to me. We were all doing whatever we could to take care of Richard. We also became very close to his doctor, Dr. B., especially Richard. Richard had a way of bringing humor into even the hardest moments. Whenever Dr. B. would tell him he needed to be admitted to the hospital, Richard would put his arms around the doctor’s neck and try to talk him out of it. Then I would get the phone call. “Mary, you need to come talk to your husband. He needs to be admitted. His counts are too low.” I would go and try to reason with Richard, but eventually, he would have to be admitted. His counts never went up again. “Honey, am I dying?” How do you answer a question like that? A few nights before Richard passed away, something happened that I will never forget. The light from the hallway was shining across his face. He called me over to his bedside and asked me, “Honey, am I dying?” How do you answer a question like that? That morning, the doctor had told me there was nothing else they could do. I knew what he was asking me, and I knew the reality we were facing. But I also knew what Richard and I had always believed in— the power of God and the possibility of a miracle. So I looked at my husband and said, “No. We’re going to continue to believe for a miracle until your last breath.” FALL NEWSVINE 2026 • 15

And that is exactly what we did. Richard’s final night was filled with family. He had slipped into a semi-coma, but then he woke up and looked at me. Over and over, he told me, “I love you.” Those words are forever etched into my heart. Around 2:00 in the morning, he slipped back into a coma. We were all crying and grieving, and then his unsaved brother arrived. Somehow, Richard woke up. He lifted his head and looked at all of us and said, “Why are you crying? I’m not dead yet!” A roar of laughter filled that hospital room. The nurses came running into the room because they thought something terrible had happened. Instead, they discovered that Richard’s sense of humor had once again brought laughter into a room filled with tears. That was Richard. Even when death was near, he could still make us laugh. Then, once again, he led us in worship. He asked his son, Matt, and his sister, Norma, to be his praise singers. And as weak as he was, worship filled that hospital room. The presence of God moved into that room one last time. Then Richard called two of his unsaved brothers and his cousin, Guy, to his bedside. As weak as he was, he found the strength to pray over them. He laid his hands on them and began praying. There he was—dying, barely able to speak, and yet still thinking about someone else’s soul. God showed up in that hospital room. At 11:00 that morning, the two angels Richard had seen outside his window came, and they took him home to be with the Lord. His suffering was over. His pain was over. No more hospital rooms. No more treatments. No more night sweats. No more suffering. No more pain. Richard had fought the good fight, and when his earthly journey came to an end, I believe heaven opened its doors and welcomed him home. And I was left holding the love of my life in my heart, knowing that although I could no longer see him, the love, faith, laughter, prayers, his songs and the memories we shared would remain with me forever. LEARNING TO LIVE AGAIN You never really “get over” the death of someone you love. You learn to live with the empty space they left behind. Everyone grieves differently, and I learned that there is no right or wrong way to grieve. I studied the stages of grief. I read books. I tried to understand what was happening inside of me. But no book could truly prepare me for what it felt like to lose my husband. For a long time, I didn’t know how I was going to live

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without Richard. Before he died, I remember asking him, “How am I going to live without you?” He looked at me and said, “Mary, you’re a survivor. You’re going to make it. You know how to survive.” Those words stayed with me. After he died, I would sometimes drive by the hospital where he had passed away. I felt something pulling me there. I didn’t even know why I was going. Maybe part of me was still trying to understand that he was really gone. I couldn’t accept that the man I had shared my life with was no longer there. I would go to the cemetery and want to lie down on his grave. I just wanted to be close to him. At home, I would hide in the closet and hold his clothes. I would breathe in his cologne and pretend, for just a moment, that he was still there. Then, little by little, even the smell of his clothes began to fade. And somehow, I kept going. I had a fifteen-year-old daughter who needed her mother. My granddaughters needed me. My children needed me. Every morning, I had a reason to get out of bed, even when I didn’t feel like living. I don’t know how I did it. But now I know—I didn’t do it alone. God gave me strength again. There were days when the only place I could find that strength was on my knees. I would go to church and worship through the pain. Sometimes I worshiped with tears running down my face. Sometimes I didn’t have the words to pray. But I kept showing up. I would pray Psalms 23, 51:12, 147:3 to remind myself God is with me even when I didn’t have the words to pray. And God met me there. About a year after Richard died, my life was turned upside down again. My children were struggling with their own grief and their own crises, and because I was trying to help them survive, I didn’t have time to focus on my own grief. I was trying to hold everyone else together while I was falling apart inside. I couldn’t properly grieve my husband because I was grieving the crises my children were going through. I kept putting one foot in front of the other, trying to be strong for everyone around me. But, eventually, those storms began to settle. And that’s when God began to rebuild me. My pastors, Bishop and Sister Keyes and Pastor and Sister Johnson were there for me and my family every step of the way. I don’t know what I would have done without their prayers, encouragement, and love. Sister Keyes and Sister Kim Johnson stood beside me through some of the darkest moments of my life. Their presence reminded me that I was not alone.

how to make decisions without him. Five years of learning how to laugh again without feeling guilty. Five years of learning that it was okay to have joy again. And when I finally began to live again, I realized something important: Living again did not mean I loved Richard any less. It didn’t mean I had forgotten him. It didn’t mean the pain disappeared. It meant I had finally learned how to carry the love without letting the loss destroy me. Richard will always be a part of my story. He was my husband. He was someone I loved deeply. His death changed me forever. But his death did Mary Aguirre with some of her Sunday School team not get the final word over my life. God did. I surand students at a 2015 Kidz Zone Thanksgiving meal vived the days I thought would kill me. I survived and turkey giveaway for her Sunday School students the mornings when I didn’t want to get out of bed. and their families. I survived the nights when the silence was unbearable. I survived the cemetery visits, the tears, the "Serving others loneliness, the financial struggles, the family crises, and became part of my healing." the moments when I wondered how I could possibly go God also began to open doors for me in ministry. on. And I learned that being a survivor doesn’t mean Someone from the Sunday school department reached out to me and asked me to become a Sunday school you never break. Sometimes being a survivor means teacher. I said yes. I poured my heart into those chil- you break, you cry, you fall to your knees—and then, dren. Later, I became the Sunday school superintendent with God’s help, you get back up. That’s what I did. I and, eventually, I became involved in ministry wherev- got back up. One day at a time. One prayer at a time. er God could use me. Serving others became part of my One Sunday at a time. One breath at a time. And evenhealing. I discovered something along the way: some- tually, I learned to live again. Not because I stopped missing Richard. But betimes God heals us while we’re busy helping someone cause God reminded me that my story wasn’t over. I else. There were also times when I didn’t know where thought I was at the end of my life when Richard died. my next meal was going to come from. I had been used I didn’t realize God was beginning to write a new chapto having a second income, and suddenly I was living ter. He was writing it through my family responsibilion my own income. My children were living with me, ties, through the people who stood beside me, through and we were doing our best just to make it. Then God the children I taught, through the needs He met, and through the ministry He placed back in my hands. would send someone to bless us. "Looking back now, I can see His hand over my life in ways I couldn’t see while I was hurting." But God always provided. Always. When I didn’t know how the bills would be paid, He made a way. When I didn’t know what I was going to do, He opened a door. When I felt alone, He reminded me that He was there. Looking back now, I can see His hand over my life in ways I couldn’t see while I was hurting. It took me five years before I felt like I was truly beginning to live again. Five years. Five years of learning how to wake up without him. Five years of learning

As head of Martha's Ministry, Mary coordinates and serves Celebration of Life luncheons to families. FALL NEWSVINE 2026 • 17

"You made it because God was strong enough to carry you when you couldn’t carry yourself." And today, when I look back at the woman who stood at that graveside, the woman who hid in the closet holding his clothes, the woman who asked her husband how she would ever survive without him, I want to tell her: Mary, you made it. You didn’t make it because you were strong enough. You made it because God was

Mary today with her children: Matthew, Raquel, and Samuel. "And not only did I survive… I learned to live again," says Mary. strong enough to carry you when you couldn’t carry yourself. And He never left you. He was there in every tear. He was there on every hospital drive. He was there at the graveside. He was there in the closet when you held his clothes. He was there in the church when you worshiped through your pain. He was there when you didn’t know where the next meal was coming from. He was there when your children needed you. He was there when you thought you couldn’t take another step. And He is still here. And I am still here. I am a widow. I am a mother. I am a grandmother. I am a woman who has known unimaginable loss. But I am also a survivor. And more than anything, I am a testimony that when you think you can’t go another day, God will give you strength for one more. Then another. And another. Until one day you look back and realize—you survived. And not only did you survive…you learned to live again. But survival was never the end of what God had for me. He took the woman who once hid in a closet

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holding her husband’s clothes and gave her the courage to stand beside other grieving women. He took the woman who wondered how she would make it through one more day and gave her a ministry, a purpose, and a testimony. My pain did not disappear, but God gave it meaning. My loss did not become smaller, but His grace became greater. The empty space Richard left behind is still part of my life, but it is no longer the only thing I see. I also see the children I have taught, the widows I have encouraged, the people I have served, the family God helped me carry, and the countless ways He provided when I had no idea how we would make it. I once believed that living again meant leaving Richard behind. Now I understand that living again means carrying his memory forward while allowing God to lead me into what comes next. Richard’s life mattered. His love mattered. Our years together mattered. And my life still matters, too. So if you are standing where I once stood—if you are grieving, afraid, and wondering how you will survive—I want you to know this: You may not feel strong today. You may not be able to imagine tomorrow. You may only have enough strength for the next breath. That is enough. Take the next breath. Say the next prayer. Take the next step. Let God carry what you cannot carry. Because the God who met me at the graveside is the same God who met me in the church, in the closet, in the hospital parking lot, in my family’s crises, in my ministry, and in every uncertain day that followed. He will meet you, too. And one day, perhaps sooner than you think, you will look back and realize that the days you thought would destroy you became the days God used to reveal His strength. You will see that you were never walking alone. You will see that your story did not end with your loss. And you will understand what I know now: I did not simply survive Richard’s death. By the grace of God, I became someone new. And not only did I survive… I learned to live again. FINAL THOUGHTS WHEN I LOST RICHARD, I LOST MORE THAN MY HUSBAND After Richard died, one of the hardest things for me was going back to church. Everything reminded me of him. The songs, the services, the people, the places where we had sat together—so many things carried memories of the life we had shared.

But there was something else I wasn’t prepared for. I began to notice that people reacted to me differently. Sometimes it felt as though people didn’t know how to approach me, almost as if grief were something contagious and they were afraid they might say the wrong thing. I understand that. I truly do. I know people often don’t know what to say to a widow. They don’t want to make you cry. They don’t want to remind you of your loss. So sometimes, instead of saying something, they say nothing. But for the widow, that silence can be very loud. "I found myself wondering, Where do I fit now?" When I lost Richard, I also felt like I lost my friends. We had couples we were very close to—people we spent time with, people we would go out to eat with after church, people we laughed with and shared life with. We had relationships that were built around the two of us. And then Richard was gone. Suddenly, those invitations stopped. The dinners after church stopped. The visits and phone calls became fewer. People who once reached out didn’t seem to know how to reach out anymore. I don’t believe everyone did this intentionally. I think some people simply didn’t know how to relate to me anymore because I was no longer part of a couple. But knowing that didn’t make it hurt any less. I found myself wondering, Where do I fit now? Where is my place? I was still the same person. I was still me. I was still a wife in my heart, even though I was now a widow. I still loved the same people, worshiped the same God, and needed fellowship, friendship, laughter, conversation, and someone to sit beside me just as much as I ever had. But I felt misplaced. And I know I’m not the only widow who has felt this way. There are women sitting in churches today who are grieving not only the loss of their husbands, but also the loss of their place within their church community. They walk through the doors carrying a heart full of memories, and sometimes they wonder if anyone still sees them. Maybe what a widow needs most isn’t for someone to have the perfect words. Maybe she just needs someone to sit beside her. Invite her to lunch. Ask her how she’s really doing. Remember her birthday. Call her. Include her. Let her cry without trying to fix her. And, most importantly, don’t disappear because her husband is gone. Because she didn’t stop needing friendship when she became a widow. She didn’t stop needing

church when she became a widow. The Prodigal Son Thank you, Sister Mary, for sharing your powerful testimony with our readers. It was the story of a prodigal son who made his way back home, and also of the faithful wife who, despite all the challenges and heartaches in her life found purpose in serving others. She feels the old gospel song by James Cleveland sums up the message of her testimony: "If anyone should ever write my life story For whatever reason there might be You'd be there between each line of pain and glory, Jesus is the best thing that ever happened to me." Mary asked us to include the link to Richard's song, "Prodigal" which drew many to the altar every time he shared his testimony and sang. You can use this QR code to access his song on YouTube.

You can also access "Prodigal" along with several other songs he recorded, as well as a recording of his testimony at: https://richardaguirre.bandcamp.com/album/ prodigal

In April 2023, Mary was honored as RC Volunteer of the Month for her many years of serving others.

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And He Finished Well with Mary's Love!

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From top: Mary and Richard celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary; family picture taken on Richard's last Father's Day; another family photo this time of Richard with his father, brothers, and sons; the last two pictures are of Raquel and her father. She surprised her dad on his last Father's Day service by dedicating the song, "Have I Told You Lately that I Love You." Thank you, Sister Mary for sharing your life and these precious photos.

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My Life-Changing Medical Mission to Cambodia by Alyssa Suarez

Alyssa Suarez assesses a patient during her medical missions trip to Cambodia with Compassion Services International.

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"Every clinic felt like holy ground— places where compassion met need, and where Jesus’ love was made visible through simple acts of service." Our team held clinics in local churches, a school, an orphanage and a village. Each location revealed a different part of Cambodia’s heart. In the village, the elderly and families received care, and their gratitude was humbling. At the church, we saw faith and community woven together as people came not only for medical help but also for prayer and encouragement. The school clinic was filled with children whose joy and curiosihis summer, God allowed me to experience somety reminded me why serving others is such a blessing. thing truly life changing: serving on a medical misAnd at the orphanage, we were able to care for children sion in Cambodia with a wonderful team from Compaswho showed incredible resilience and warmth—chilsion Services International (CSI). From the moment I dren who simply needed love, attention, and someone arrived, I felt the peace and assurance that comes from to remind them that God sees them. Every clinic felt being exactly where God has led you. Every day, I had like holy ground—places where compassion met need, the privilege of using the gifts and talents He has placed and where Jesus’ love was made visible through simple in my life—not for my own recognition, but for His acts of service. glory and for the people He loves. Our mission was simple and powerful: to be the hands and feet of Jesus to everyone we encountered.

Alyssa stands with fellow nurses and Emma Nickel, Assistant to the Executive Director for CSI. Volunteers make up 90% of CSI's workforce.

"Our mission was simple and powerful: to be the hands and feet of Jesus to everyone we encountered."

Above, Alyssa is embraced by children at the school they visited. In addition to this school, clinics were held at local churches, an orphanage, and a village. FALL NEWSVINE 2026 • 23

Above: Baptisms in Jesus' name. "To witness lives transformed, hearts opened, and souls reborn," said Alysa,"was a powerful reminder that God's work is always deeper than what we can see."

"But the greatest miracles were not only physical—they were spiritual" But the greatest miracles were not only physical— they were spiritual. During our time there, people were filled with the Holy Ghost and baptized in Jesus name. To witness lives transformed, hearts opened, and souls reborn was a powerful reminder that God’s work is always deeper than what we can see. Healing happened in bodies, but it also happened in hearts. This mission was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. For years, I felt a pull toward missions, but I didn’t know when God would open the door. Danny and Esther Becerra, missionaries to Belize, were the ones who told me about Compassion Services International. They encouraged me, and ultimately pointed me toward the opportunity that led me to Cambodia.

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Even with excitement, I knew I needed to move in obedience. I prayed, sought counsel, and received the blessing of my pastor—something I consider essential. Obedience to spiritual covering brings protection, clarity, and alignment. I am grateful that God uses our leaders to confirm His direction and keep us grounded in His will. Looking back, I can see how every step was orchestrated by God: hearing about the mission, applying, receiving pastoral blessing, joining the CSI team, and finally stepping foot in Cambodia. None of it was accidental. God led it all.

Now, having experienced His purpose so clearly, I am already looking forward to my next CSI trip. My heart is ready to serve again, to grow again, and to continue walking in the calling He has placed on my life. This mission reminded me of a simple truth: when we are faithful, obedient, and willing, God will take us places we never imagined. Cambodia was one of those places for me—and I am forever changed.

The CSI team pose with the teachers and students of the school at which they held a clinic. Each student was given a gift bag of school supplies and toys. What a precious group of children!

With teachers looking on, Alyssa passes out gift bags with school supplies to delighted students.

Above, Brother Samuel preaches with Brother Josh Barsotti, the Superintendent to Asia, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. Brother Samuel is a pastor and leader of the Bible College in Cambodia.

Above is the husband and wife duo who are in charge of the church/school. FALL NEWSVINE 2026 • 25

One of the many places the CSI team visited was La Gloria Orphanage where they even joined in song with the children.

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Above, is a village church service and clinic day.

What is Compassion Services International?

ccording to their website (https://www.compassionservices.org), "Compassion Services International (CSI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to relieving human suffering and bringing hope to those in need. From disaster relief and education to humanitarian aid and medical missions, our work spans continents and cultures—empowering communities and transforming lives." Presently, they are working in 232 Nations & Territories with 691 Global Representatives.

Are you interested in making a difference with your time and talents? Do you want to do something in the mission's field, but can only give a week to 10 days of your time, then this might be a great opportunity for you. You can apply online by accessing the CSI Responder Application at https://compassion.breezechms. com/form/e269ce. Some of the areas of interest include: medical missions, disaster relief, construction, technology/communication, graphic design, ministry (teaching/preaching) and food prep. You must be at least 18 years old to apHow can you get in involved in this ministry? There are ply, and passport information is asked for on the applithree ways: cation. And after sincerely seeking God's will, be sure to get your pastor's permission before you fill out the 1) Compassion Sunday - just click on this link (https:// application. compassion.breezechms.com/give/online), and you can help financially. You have the option of a one-time 4) The Widow's Might: A North American Prayer donation, or choose to give weekly, every two weeks, Force, praying for international needs and changing monthly, or annually. Donations "will provide food, the world. clothing, school supplies, and essential care that help "Join a powerful community of widows committed to build a brighter future." This year CSI is supporting transforming the world through prayer. Be part of this three orphanages: Ke Nan Ke Children’s Home in Hai- impactful movement today by registering with your ti, Home International in Guatemala, and Hope Village contact information or by sharing this opportunity with International in the Philippines. Currently, there is also a friend. an option to donate to the Columbia Earthquake Relief As James 1:27 reminds us:'Religion that is pure and fund. faultless is to look after orphans and widows...' The Widow’s Might is not about raising funds— 2) What's Needed Most Fund - "When crisis strikes, it’s about raising prayers. Together, on bended knee, we there is no time to wait. The What’s Needed Most Fund stand ready to change the world." You can register at allows CSi to respond immediately—bringing hope, https://compassion.breezechms.com/form/f87834. help, and healing to people facing urgent and life-altering needs around the world. Whether disaster has Wow! So many ways to make a global difference struck, families are hungry, children lack education, or in addition to supporting your local church. Remember medical care is desperately needed, this fund places re- what the Bible says, "The generous will prosper..." sources where they are needed right now. Your gift helps us move quickly and compassionately—meeting critical needs through Disaster Relief, Humanitarian Aid, Education, and Medical Missions." 3) Join a Team - "From Disaster Relief to Education, Humanitarian Aid, and Medical Missions, our teams are making a global impact. Each team of 7–10 people partners with CSI representatives to serve communities around the world for 7–10 days. This short but powerful time frame allows professionals to use their unique skills to bring hope, help, and lasting change where it’s needed most." FALL NEWSVINE 2026 • 27

Holy Ghost Blowout! With Evangelist ntes David Pue

hat is a Holy Ghost blowout? It's an explosive, intense, prayerful, speaking in tongues worship service! That's exactly what we had during our first Sunday service of July. Who would have guessed a service like this would have been experienced on a 4th of July summer weekend? After all, it was also Sneaker Sunday. But God had other plans. God had already moved that morning during the 9:00 Spanish-speaking service preached by evangelist David Puentes. When the worship team, led by Matt Aguirre, filed onto the platform and began singing, "How Great Is our God," hands immediately began raising. When the team broke into "Good by Yesterday," young people

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all the way to elders began to rejoice. Then Pastor Johnson, moved by the Holy Ghost, came to the platform, and encouraged everyone to pray both in English and also in tongues. "We are turning this sanctuary into a prayer room," he said. "Put every distraction away, and be led of God." After an extended time of prayer, Brother Puentes came up to close out the service. We are thankful for this great move of God, and the ministry of our Pastor, worship team, and our evangelist. It may be summer time, but the Spirit of God still moves with great liberty and fire. May this service be a harbinger of a summer of revival, not only of saints, but of hungry souls. In Jesus' name, let it be!

Sister Angel Padilla filled a whole row of members of the Aguileras' home Bible study group. Praise God!

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Evangelist Ariel Lopez

t the end of July, we had a special service to show our love and support for Pastor Johnson as he prepared to begin cancer treatment. Many in our congregation donned a T-shirt with one of his favorite sayings: Winners Fit Anywhere. After a time of worship by our RC Choir and a special presentation for Pastor, Evangelist Ariel Lopez came up and immediately began reaching for those who needed to receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost. He 30 FALL NEWSVINE 2026 •

had the entire congregation first repent of their sins, and then he explained how to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. "There is a moment that you have to surrender, and your tongue is going to speak the holy language." He proclaimed, "By the authority of the Word of God, by the power in the name of Jesus...receive the Holy Ghost, speaking in new tongues." He encouraged those at the altar to raise their arms and worship. Then the sound of heaven filled the sanctuary.

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AIMer to Greece ejo n r o C e s s e J

Alexis Cornejo

Jesus: The Way, the Truth, and the Life “Sometimes you’ve got to take the first step and just go—and when you go, God will begin to do the miracle.” “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” — John 14:6 “There is nothing like being where Jesus is.” With those words, Brother Cornejo captured the spirit of a service already filled with the presence of God. While countless people face darkness, confusion, and circumstances beyond their control, there remains a place of refuge in the name of Jesus. 32 FALL NEWSVINE 2026 •

“You can call on the name of Jesus, and all of a sudden He shows up in the midst of the praises of His people,” he said. “You begin to feel peace when you know you shouldn’t have it. You begin to feel love when nobody else loves you. You feel joy when your circumstances tell you that shouldn’t be the case.” Taking his text from John 14:6, he focused on one of Christ’s most unmistakable declarations: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Calling it a “very bold statement,” he reminded the congregation that Jesus did not present Himself as merely one possibility among many. In a culture where truth is often considered personal and relative, the words of Christ remain unchanged. “When you’ve got a hold of Jesus, you’ve got a hold of the truth,” he declared. “That transcends every culture, every generation, every economic status, every nation, and every language. Jesus is the truth.”

The message then turned to Peter and John’s encounter with the lame man in Acts 3. When Peter declared, “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk,” the man was instantly healed. Yet instead of receiving praise from the religious authorities, Peter and John were threatened and ordered to stop preaching about Jesus. They refused to be silenced. “It doesn’t matter where, and it doesn’t matter when,” the preacher said. “Jesus is the Way. Jesus is the Truth. Jesus is the Life.” That same conviction has followed him into missionary fields overseas. He shared experiences from Cyprus and Montenegro where seemingly ordinary encounters became opportunities to proclaim the gospel. In Montenegro, a country in Southeastern Europe, a visit to a restaurant introduced Brother Cornejo to a man named Stefan. When Stefan expressed a desire to learn English, the Brother Cornejo agreed—with one condition: “I’ll teach you English, but I’m going to use the Bible to do it.” Their lessons became Bible studies. Stefan began speaking Scriptures aloud: “One Lord, one faith, one baptism,” and the necessity of being born of water and Spirit. Eventually, Stefan asked to be baptized in Jesus’ name and came out of the water speaking in tongues as God filled him with the Holy Ghost. Stefan is the first recorded person in our Apostolic organizations across the world who has ever been filled with the gift of Holy Ghost and baptized in Jesus name in Montenegro! The testimony illustrated one of the sermon’s strongest challenges: stop waiting and start going. “I don’t think Peter and John woke up that morning and knew that a man would be healed,” he said. “But while they were on their way, all of a sudden the man was healed in the name of Jesus.” Sometimes God does not reveal everything before the first step of faith. Sometimes the miracle is waiting along the way. And that responsibility does not belong only to missionaries, pastors, or evangelists. “We’re not leaving it up to the missionary or the preacher or the pastor to speak the Word of God,” he challenged. Our workplace is a mission field. Our neighborhood is a mission field. Our family is a mission field. The message was ultimately a call for the church to rediscover the boldness of Peter and John—to speak the Word, proclaim the name, and believe that the Jesus of Acts is still working today. Jesus is still the Way. Jesus is still the Truth. Jesus is still the Life! God bless the Cornejos as they boldly minister now as AIMers in the country of Greece. FALL NEWSVINE 2026 • 33

Brother Gaddy

Pastor from y d d a G m i T nsas a k r A , k c Little Ro

The Cross Still Makes The Difference! Pastor Tim Gaddy who leads New Life Church in Cabot, Arkansas, is always a very welcomed guest preacher. He speaks with authority and passion. The following is a summary of a sermon he preached at the end of August.

he Apostle Paul was one of the most educated men of his generation. Yet when writing to the church at Corinth, this learned man reduced the heart of his ministry to one central truth: “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). Paul certainly taught many things—the nature of

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God, the work of the Holy Ghost, Christian living, and the deeper truths of Scripture. But above them all stood one message: Jesus Christ and the Cross. “There is nothing more primary than the message of Jesus Christ and Him crucified,” the preacher declared. “You might forget other things that I teach you, but don’t ever forget the Cross.” Calvary is more than an event from ancient history. Everything we possess spiritually flows from what Jesus accomplished there. “We are nothing without the Cross of Jesus,” he proclaimed. “We are gathered here today because of the Cross of Jesus Christ. You and I can feel His presence because He went to the Cross.” Brother Gaddy's message focused on three powerful truths about Calvary. First, the Cross means Jesus understands our pain. Christ knew rejection, betrayal, abandonment, false

accusation, and unimaginable suffering. When we come to Him carrying wounds of our own, we are not approaching a Savior unfamiliar with sorrow. “He knows your pain,” the preacher reminded the congregation. “He doesn’t just know us when we’re shouting. He doesn’t just know us when everything’s going great. He knows us when were are broken.” Second, the Cross means the penalty for our sin has been satisfied. Scripture establishes from its earliest pages that sin brings death and that redemption requires the shedding of blood. Jesus ultimately became the perfect sacrifice, paying a debt humanity could never pay. Brother Gaddy summarized this truth with one unforgettable declaration: “My sin was great, but His payment was greater.” He then turned to Numbers 21, where Israel was plagued by poisonous serpents. God instructed Moses to raise a bronze serpent upon a pole, promising that those who had been bitten could look upon it and live. Centuries later, Jesus used this very account as a picture of His own death. For a world bitten by sin, there remains one remedy: look to Jesus. “If you have an addiction, look at the Cross. If you have depression, look at the Cross. If you’ve got a sickness, look at the Cross. If you’ve got something you can’t figure out in your family, look at the Cross.” Finally, the Cross shows us what it means to follow Jesus. Christ did not give Himself partially; He surrendered everything. In the same way, He calls His disciples to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him. We cannot give Jesus one portion of our lives while keeping another in reserve. The call of Calvary is a call to complete surrender. The Cross reminds us that Jesus understands our pain, His sacrifice is greater than our sin, and following Him requires our whole heart. Two thousand years later, its message has not diminished. The Cross still makes the difference.

Tim and Stacy Gaddy with their son, Landon, and his wife, DayLynne, who minister in Los Angeles.

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Pastor da Floyd Loza fornia i l a C , e n i t Gus

Handfuls of Purpose In September, we were blessed by the preaching of Pastor Floyd Lozada. He and his wife, Rosie, pastor West Valley Revival Center in Gustine, California. The following is a synopsis of the first part of his sermon, "Handfuls of Purpose." You will want to listen to his entire powerful sermon on Youtube. Naomi’s story begins in a season of famine. She left Bethlehem-Judah with her husband, Elimelech, and their two sons, Mahlon and Kilion, searching for relief in Moab. As the preacher explained, “They were not trying to ruin their future. They were trying to just survive the present season of their life.” But what was meant to bring relief became a decade marked by devastating loss. Naomi buried her husband and both sons before finally returning to Bethlehem with only her daughter-in-law Ruth beside her. Her experience reveals how easily present pain can influence decisions about the future. “Pain can destroy 36 FALL NEWSVINE 2026 •

our vision. Lack can cause us to rush to judgment. Discouragement can make another field look better than the place where God planted us.” Yet famine does not last forever. While Naomi was in Moab, she heard that the Lord had visited His people and given them bread again. Pastor Lozada offered a powerful reminder: “Do not make a permanent decision because of a temporary famine. Do not walk away from your faith because you’re in a painful season. Do not abandon your calling because the field looks empty today.” God can make the field produce again. When Naomi returned to Bethlehem, however, grief had changed how she saw herself. “Call me not Naomi, call me Mara,” she said. “I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty.” But Naomi was not as empty as she believed. Standing beside her was Ruth. “Naomi could only see what she had buried, but God could already see what Ruth was carrying.” Naomi saw a widowed daughter-in-law; God saw a woman who would enter the field of Boaz

and become part of a remarkable story of redemption. Pastor Lozada cautioned, “Be careful about calling yourself empty while God is still writing your story.” Ruth refused to remain idle. She went into the fields to glean and “happened” upon a field belonging to Boaz. What appeared ordinary was actually the quiet providence of God. “She thought she was looking at barley, but God was leading her to a redeemer.” Sometimes God works without thunder, lightning, or an audible voice. “God knows how to hide His providence in ordinary places.” While Naomi wrestled with yesterday’s bitterness, God was already preparing tomorrow’s blessing. Boaz noticed Ruth and instructed his workers, “Let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her.” Those handfuls were deliberately placed where Ruth could find them. And therein lies a picture of ministry. “God has placed something in your bundle that somebody else needs.” It may be a testimony, a prayer, an encouraging word, or wisdom gained through a difficult season. “You survived a season that someone else is still trying to get out of.” There are weary travelers coming home. There are wounded families needing restoration and prodigals who have “lived in Moab long enough” and heard that there is bread again in Bethlehem. The church must prepare the field for them. “Somebody must pray intentionally. Somebody must intercede intentionally. Somebody must fast intentionally. Somebody must welcome them intentionally. Somebody must serve intentionally.” God has placed something in our hands that was never intended for us alone. “Do not keep everything that God has given you tied up in your own bundle." said Pastor Lozada. "You got to reach in and pull something out. Leave a handful of purpose for the next person coming through the field.”

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Take Me To The Pillars

Not until his final living moments in the Philistine temple, did he ever humble himself before God and pray. He realized too late "Take me to the pillars that I may lean on that his great strength depended on God, and that he could no longer stand proud and them." Judges 16:26 independent on his own. "Take me to the In modern day Capernaum, ruins still re- pillars, " he said, "that I may lean on them." main of a 3rd century synagogue that was built over an earlier one where Jesus taught. Let us not die a lonely spiritual death, too After many hundreds of years, most of the proud to seek help. Let us not be cut off walls and roof have crumbled, but its pillars from others and isolated in our pride. God still stand proud as a testament to strength, has placed pillars of support for us to lean on when we're weak. Take me to those beauty, and longevity. faithful pillars that time has proven unshakGod has placed pillars of support to form en, firm, and reliable! Take me to the pillars a backbone in His Church. God has called whose foundations are built upon the Word all of us to be a pillar. "The one who is vic- of God and the Rock of Christ! And let me torious I will make a pillar in the temple of be a pillar to which others can come to be my God." (Rev. 3:12 NIV) A pillar faithfully bolstered, encouraged, and helped! stands unmovable and helps support others in the work of the church. It takes more than one pillar to do this - one person cannot bear the weight alone. Samson's mistake is he thought he could bear the weight all by himself. He is a tragic portrait of the loner leader. His amazing manifestations of strength came when he was alone. Every thing Samson did in his twenty years as judge, he did alone. He neither sought nor listened to wise counsel from others. Unlike King David, he did not surround himself with mighty men. And when he defiled himself with sin, he was alone with the woman who brought him down (Judges 16).

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"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord...." I Cor. 15:58

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REVIVE Youth Week!

uly brings many activities and events. Mid-July brought REVIVE Week 26, five days of fun activities, food, a Q&A panel, and special Friday night youth service. We are blessed to have our youth led by youth pastors Tim and Jeriann Montes, who carry a burden and passion for our junior high and high school students. May the foundations they lay in the lives of our children bright forth much fruit! Tim Montes

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Brett Mullings

During the Midweek service, there was a panel (above) tasked with answering questions from our youth. Panel members Jonathan Ramos, Nicole Evans, Nanci Holston, and Jeriann Montes discussed some very serious spiritual issues. The culmination of Youth Week featured Western District Youth President Brett Mullings. What an impactful week it was our students!

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young adults Week!

ur Young Adults, led by Chris and Lindsay Castro, had a packed week of activities in July as they celebrated Young Adults Week. They had a full-filled and spiritually edifying week from an evening of games in the park; to "House Talks" with Jason and Leah West who pastor Hope Center San Jose; to nights of bowling

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and ice cream; and ending with Hyphen Night at The Barn with Emiliano Barquet, youth pastor of The Pentecostals of the Bay Area. We are thankful to see how God is moving in their lives and are excited for their futures.

Emiliano Barquet

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Praying a Covering over our Students and Educators

bove, Pastor Johnson prays for our students and educators. Each school year, time is set aside during a Sunday service to pray for our students and school staff before school starts. We pray for God to protect and bless them all and to give them favor, and that they would be bright shining lights on their school campuses. Our elementary, middle and high school, and

college and university campuses are one of our greatest local mission fields. The harvest fields are filled with hungry, hurting, and searching souls. Remember the words of the Apostle Paul: "Honor Christ and let Him be the Lord of your life. Always be ready to give an answer when someone asks you about your hope" (1 Peter 3:15 CEV). To the left is a photo of many of our educators and school support staff. Thirty years ago, we only had one teacher in our congregation, Newsvine Editor Leo Aguilera. As you can see, God has blessed us with many more, including Josh and Jeannette Aguilera, his son and daughter-in-law. We now have school administrators, district personnel, and even at least one college instructor!

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Servicio en español "Sigueme" - Rev. Quiñones

lder Gilberto Quiñones preached an illustrated message this summer during one of our Spanish-speaking services. The topic was "Sigueme" (Follow Me). Just looking at the photos below, you will agree that it had to have made an impact on all those who attended that service. From Jesus and the saints sitting at the marriage supper to the devil trying to snatch souls, it was a clear call to make oneself ready!

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Let's GetConnected!

with monthly Home Connect Groups

n the last Wednesday of each month, we gather together--but in different places--to fellowship and study the Word of God. With a church of our size, it's easy to feel lost in the crowd. This is an opportunity to make connections and, hopefully, end up with some great friends who will encourage you in your walk with God. There is a place for you at Revival Church!

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Photo Taken by Editor Leo Aguilera

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Looking Forward to Our

Missions Conference

2026

Location:

Revival Church, 825 7th Street, Modesto, California

Times:

Friday Night - 7:00 pm

Date:

October 16th, 17th, 18th

Friday Night Speaker STANLEY HARVEY

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Saturday Night - 6:30 pm Saturday Night Sunday Morning Speaker JOEL URSHAN

Sunday Morning - 10:30 am Guest Worship Leader ALETT FRIAS

Global Missionaries

WESLEY & LINDSEY STEPHENS BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

AARON & ASHLEY DAVIS PHOENIX , AZ

JOSH & SHIRAN GARCIA WOODLANDS, TEXAS

JASON & RAHDONA PEARCY KNOXVILLE, TN

FERMIN & YESENIA VASQUEZ LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

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Missions Conference M

through the Years - Part I

issions has always been a focus of Revival Church. When Bishop Keyes sponsored Elder Uday Narayan's first trip to Fiji to share his newfound faith with his family, he realized the need of a yearly conference to not only raise funds for the mission field both home and abroad, but to also keep the congregation informed of mission efforts by our church and through the United Pentecostal Church. Through the years, the church has hosted missionaries from around the world in our missions conferences. When Pastor and Sister Johnson took over the pastorship, they continued the tradition. On these pages we highlight a few of our past missions conferences. Let us pass on to the future generations a burden for missions, remembering the past, but focusing on the future. We are thankful to be a part of the Lord's Great Commission to go "into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15). Pray. Give. And if God puts it on your heart, go!

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Missions Giving A

through the Years

t each missions conference, a sacrificial offering is collected. Among the pledge offering envelopes, cash, and checks, there have been years where a special spirit of giving fell over the congregation. At those times, people have been moved to give of their personal possessions: a piano, hunting riffles, televisions, game systems, purses, watches, musical instruments, furniture, cars, and bicycles. One year one of the missionary children donated his much loved horse for missions. It was immediately redeemed. We even had someone lay their marijuana on the altar. And there are those who had nothing to give and simply laid themselves on the altar. As Sister Keyes has said, our personal belongings are just "stuff." Perhaps we need to take a look at those things that we value so highly and if God lays it on your heart, give them willingly for the cause of souls.

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2026 FALL NEWSVINE, expanded version,indd