Our History — Del Paso Church of God

Our History.

Our Community

Del Paso Church of God (DPCOG), formerly known as the Parker Homes Community Church of God was established in April 1947. On July 20, 1947 the first business meeting of the church was held. The Church is located in the heart of the Del Paso Heights community, and has participated in the area’s development for years. Most recently the church has developed an outward focus in an attempt to respond to the various needs of the Del Paso Heights community.

Under the direction of Senior Pastor Wilmer Brown, Jr, who is also the former Director of Family Services for the Mutual Assistance Network of Del Paso Heights from March 1998 through June 2007, DPCOG has been involved in the following community building and strengthening projects with area families, that has involved collaborating with Child Protective Services, the County of Sacramento, the Department of Human Assistance and various Health Providers:

Participating partner for mentoring and youth leadership development with Mutual Assistance Network for the Wellness Youth Village sponsored by the California Wellness Foundation.(1997-2001)

DPCOG has adopted many families that have been participants in many of the MAN family service programs. DPCOG provides on average over 100 food baskets per year to families referred by FRC staff. (1998-2007)

DPCOG partners yearly with the Sacramento Children’s Home to distribute toys and other assistance to neighborhood families.

DPCOG conducts yearly clothing drives to meet the needs of families in the North Area.(1998-2006)

Site for a number of staff trainings sponsored by the Child Abuse Prevention Council and the County of Sacramento, Birth and Beyond program, as well as the Black Infant Health Program. (2000-2007)

Recruiter and host site for the Del Paso Heights Farmer’s Market, currently 10 local families grow crops for their personal use on approximately 1 acre of church property.

Host for the Del Paso Heights Historical Society project. (2007)

Frequent referral source to the Firehouse Community Center, employment program, the Sacramento Urban League, The Sacramento Food Bank, and the Del Paso Heights Elementary School District as well as numerous referrals to services at the North Sacramento Birth and Beyond site.

Location of a K-3, Charter school currently serving over 50 students from the Del Paso Heights/North Sacramento area.

The Church of God

The Church of God, with U.S. offices in Anderson, Indiana, began in 1881 as a movement emphasizing the unity of God’s people and holy living. Daniel S. Warner and several associates sought to forsake denominational hierarchies and formal creeds, trusting solely in the Holy Spirit as their overseer and the Bible as their statement of belief. These individuals saw themselves at the forefront of a movement to restore unity and holiness to the church. Their aim was not to establish another denomination but to promote primary allegiance to Jesus Christ so as to transcend denominational loyalties.
This movement is not historically related to the several Church of God bodies rooted in the holiness revival of Tennessee and the Carolinas in the late nineteenth century. Although it shares their holiness commitment, it does not emphasize the charismatic gift of speaking in tongues generally associated with Pentecostal churches.

Deeply influenced by Wesleyan theology and Pietism, the church’s generally accepted teachings include the divine inspiration of Scripture; forgiveness of sin through the atonement of Jesus Christ and repentance of the believer; the experience of holiness; the personal return of Christ, unconnected with any millennial reign; the kingdom of God as established here and now; the resurrection of the dead; and a final judgment in which there will be reward for the righteous and punishment for the wicked.

Within the church, baptism by immersion is viewed as a witness to the new believer’s regeneration in Christ and inclusion in the family of God. The Lord’s Supper reminds participants of the grace experienced in the life of the believer. Foot washing is often practiced in acknowledgement and acceptance of the servant ministry of all Christians to each other and to the world. These symbolic acts are understood to be affirmative reminders of what God has done in Christ. None of these practices, termed ordinances, are considered mandatory conditions of Christian experience or fellowship.

There is no formal membership. Individuals are assumed to be members on the basis of personal conversion and conduct that supports that conversion experience. This is consistent with the church’s understanding of how Christian unity is to be achieved–a unity based on spiritual experience rather than creedal agreement.

The Church of God is congregational in its government. Each local congregation is autonomous. Ministers meet in voluntary state, regional, and national assemblies, and other associations. In North America, the General Assembly, composed primarily of ministers but also including lay congregational delegates, meets in connection with the movement’s annual North American Convention held in Anderson, Indiana.

In 1996 and 1997, the General Assembly initiated a restructuring of the work of the national ministries of the Church of God within the United States. The result was the formation of Church of God Ministries Inc. Priorities for the work of this organization are identified by representatives selected from the grassroots church.

In 1891, the movement’s first missionary was sent to Mexico. Since those early days, the Church of God has continued to grow into a multinational community of faith. At present, the largest concentrations of U.S. churches are in the Midwest, along the Pacific Coast, and in western Pennsylvania. Average weekend attendance in the congregations of the United States and Canada totals approximately 250,000. There are approximately 2,300 congregations in the United States and Canada. Worldwide, the movement has work in eighty-nine countries and territories representing approximately 7,300 churches and more than 750,000 believers.