The Praise Report. Welcome to the Young Mothers Ministry. Dance Ministry of COPIM. A church in the community for the community. October December 2017

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1 The Praise Report Inside this issue: Harvest Conference 2017 Intercessors The Power of Prayer 2 2 A church in the community for the community Welcome to the Young Mothers Ministry October December 2017 Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed, frustrated and all alone when it comes to your child? You don t need to feel alone anymore, the Young Mothers ministry was created for you. The Ministry Coordinator Ashley Anderson has a passion to help young mothers wanting to find their way in the house of God. She thanks God for her skills, talents and ability to maintain her own business, as a hairstylist. Her scripture for this ministry is Titus 2:2, and her purpose is to create a sisterhood of strong, wise and responsible young mothers. This Christmas these young mothers will be giving out handmade quilts for gifts. Phenomenal Executive Pastor - Reginna Criswell Woman of Faith and Courage: Rhonda Crayton Meet Diamond Perkins the 16-year-old author Fun at Harvest Fest 4 Our Vision 5 Above all she wants you to remember, You are a Queen with a purpose and be welcomed to this dynamic ministry. Amen Dance Ministry of COPIM The Cathedral of Praise Dance Ministry is on the move and on fire for God! Meosha McAfee, Ministry Coordinator and Dance Instructor, has done a fabulous job with this ministry and is excited for what is to come. Let's take a look and hear a little more about this phenomenal group. The Dance Ministry of COPIM main focus is to be used as vessels of God. We definitely see this demonstrated every time this group ministers. With a ministry theme of, We don't perform, we minister, God is glorified and souls are being liberated with every dance. Organization is a priority and each dance routine is backed by a scripture. The three in particular that focus on wisdom are II Corinthians 5:20, II Corinthians 4:7 and I Corinthians 6: Throwback to the 70s - Presented by The Mothers Ministry 5 The Dance Ministry is looking for dedicated members to join the team as they stand with Bishop's vision and work towards growth. They have expanded the ministry throughout the community by networking with other churches and plan to have their first workshop in June Ranging from ages 5 years old and up, this is something you don't want to miss! Let's get behind this awesome group and spread the word. We know that God is pleased! The Dance Ministry meets Saturdays at 11:00 am.

2 The Praise Report Page 2 Harvest Conference 2017 With special guests from the North, South, East and West, the COPIM Harvest Conference was a success! The first night, musical guests Bishop Cortez Vaughn and Bishop Marvin Sapp showed up and showed out with the Voices of Cathedral Choir. The night continued with a dynamic performance from our own Praise Dance Ministry and a medley of selections ministered by Bishop Marvin Sapp. Be sure to pick up a copy of his new CD Closer and continue to relive the worship experience whenever you feel like getting your praise on. Thursday night, presiding Bishop Neil C. Ellis and founder of Global United Fellowship, blessed the house with his message titled Operating in Crazy Faith! A prophetic word hit the house and we know that God was pleased! Bishop Paul S. Morton brought down the house with a message that was sure to bring down walls and build up faith. Who other than Bishop's spiritual father can close out a conference like Bishop Morton? A powerful word on spiritual mindset, strength and courage has left our church family with an overflow of favor. Bishop Morton could not leave us without ministering in song with an all time favorite, Don't Do It Without Me. The house was filled with praise and we look forward to what God is going to do in this season. We know that next year's Harvest Conference will be even better! Bishop Craig W. Johnson and Lady Demetria Johnson and Bishop Paul S. Morton Make sure not to miss this dynamic time of music, fellowship and the word. Pick up your copy in the Harvest of Praise Bookstore or watch live stream on the church website. See you next year! Bishop Marvin Sapp Intercessors - The Power of Prayer What is prayer? Why pray? These are questions we ask ourselves daily as Christians. We must identify the need for us to seek God and request His guidance and assistance in everything that we do. According to the New Oxford American Dictionary, prayer is defined as, a solemn request for help or expression of thanks addressed to God or an object of worship. Therefore, in order for us to navigate this earth realm peacefully and overcome the snares of the demonic spirits, we must pray without ceasing. According to Thessalonians 5:26, we should Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God s will for you in Christ Jesus. Seated: Ministry Coordinator Elder Loria Willoughby and Ministry Stream Coordinator, Carey Willoughby We pray for protection, provision and direction to overcome the wickedness of this world. We thank God for all these things daily. Without prayer, we will be like lost sheep wandering in the wilderness with no shepherd! The Intercessory/Altar Prayer Team of COPIM is led by Ministry Coordinator Elder Loria Willoughby. It is a ministry of reconciliation ordained to help the poor, heal the hurting, deliver the captives, and restore wisdom to the spiritually blind and to set the oppressed free. This ministry is on the move to accomplish God s business! The team continues to intercede for the needs of the house, as well as train, recruit the youth and teach believers how to pray. Join the Intercessory Prayer Team and ignite the power of the Holy Ghost! Believe and trust God to answer your prayers!

3 The Praise Report Page 3 Phenomenal Executive Pastor Reginna Criswell Our Executive Pastor, Reginna Criswell had quite an auspicious beginning. Born on April 24, 1960 in San Francisco to parents, the late Senior and Mary Lou Criswell, she is the youngest of six children. Her dad was head deacon at Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church (MMBC). Because her father did not want to miss his blessing by leaving church early before the benediction, and because baby couldn t wait, Pastor Criswell was born in her dad s 1957 Ford while stopped at a stoplight on the way to the hospital. She has lived with this story all her life but it really was a sign of future success and mirrors her mover/shaker personality. Since she was a deacon s kid, Pastor Criswell grew up in church. MMBC was her second home. In spite of this, or maybe because of her early church connection, her childhood was filled with enjoyable memories. By the time she was 18, Pastor Criswell had had enough of church. Thinking she was grown she left the church for a short period of time. Very short! It took only one month for her to realize the need for God in her life. She returned to church as a teenager and has been a faithful member ever since. While returning to church in the Bay Area, she served in various positions including choir member, choir director, usher, Sunday School teacher and Sunday School Superintendent, pastor s secretary and youth leader. Her chosen profession is education. A career advancement move led her to the Southern California city of Fontana, California. She relocated against the wishes of her mom and family, and at first, nothing worked out as she had planned. But God showed her that He Protects and Provides. When times were hard, He came through on His promises to her. Pastor Criswell proclaims that Obedience is better than sacrifice! And today she doesn t want for anything! In yielding to God s will, she accepted the call to ministry in This was a difficult decision because her family was reluctant to recognize a woman minister and because women in ministry were not recognized in the Baptist Church. Pastor Reginna was licensed when she came to COPIM in 2001 under the leadership of Pastor Craig Johnson. Not one to settle for being a COP bench member, she has served as a Greeter, Singles-Ministry Servant, and Vacation Bible School Coordinator. In 2004, she was ordained as an Elder. In 2016, 30 years after becoming a minister, she was ordained as Executive Pastor of COPIM. In this capacity, she serves as right hand person to our Senior Pastor, and assists in carrying out the ministry of the church. Pastor Criswell states the journey at COPIM has been wonderful. The qualities that make her an excellent principal make her a phenomenal Executive Pastor. She is patient, caring, and kind. She is passionate about her job. She provides support; she s highly visible, she s an effective listener; a problem solver. She s fair, consistent, discrete, dedicated and has a clear vision. The Ministries that she oversees are Christian Education, Helping Hands, Newsletter, Bereavement/Spiritual Guidance, Visitation, Women, Marriage Encounter, Divorce Care; Divorce Recovery; Mothers; and Young Mothers. She s amazing! She loves her church! And we love her back! Our Phenomenal Executive Pastor! Woman of Faith and Courage: Rhonda Crayton Rhonda Crayton is a blessed, courageous, and inspiring woman. Rhonda has faced and conquered breast cancer twice within the last three years. Rhonda, who was diagnosed in November 2014, underwent six months of chemotherapy, 42 rounds of radiation and two surgeries. While on the road to recovery, in July 2017, she discovered the cancer was back. Deciding to hit back hard, she elected to undergo a double mastectomy. Determined not to let her health issues define her, Rhonda focused on staying alive and became a fighter. She decided to stay positive and became determined to do something to make herself better. After it became clear that she could no longer work, she became a full-time student. School became her outlet. She attends San Bernardino Valley College where she is an A student. She devotes her time to attending classes, doing homework and taking tests. She is studying Communications, Liberal Arts and Human Resources and will earn degrees in these three areas when she graduates next spring. She will also earn a Certificate in Case Management. Rhonda was recently honored during Breast Cancer Awareness Month by San Bernardino Valley College Foundation for being a Survivor and for her academic achievements. Rhonda says that she gets through each day by staying positive, praying and knowing that by His stripes she is healed. She encourages anyone in a similar situation to: 1) Stay Positive; 2) Choose to fight; 3) Spend time with God every day, PRAY; 4) Avoid negativity. Her advice is to find something you like and do it! Get interested in something and stay busy. Don t give up! Turn your negative situation into something positive. Focus on doing something to better yourself. Rhonda has chosen to make a difference in spite of it all. She trusts God, and is a role model, not only for her two daughters but to us all. Congratulations Rhonda!

4 The Praise Report Page 4 Meet Diamond Perkins the 16-year-old author Diamond Perkins, a 16 year old author, is letting her light shine at COPIM, across the Inland Empire and on the internet. This young lady lit up the halls of COPIM with her second published book, Here I Am on October 1, Published in August of this year, the Newsletter Ministry wanted to be sure to report what this awesome, talented young lady is doing and what's to come. Diamond Perkins (left) signing her book at COPIM At the young age of 9, Diamond published her first book titled, Kid Problems in This was the start for this 4th grade student who wanted to share about problems that kids face and how to solve them. Inspired by the loss of her grandmother to uterine cancer, Here I Am is a book filled with words of wisdom, knowledge and thoughts that are sure to open ones mind and spirit. Diamond states, Proceed with caution Flip the pages with open minds and hearts. Read to think and reread if necessary. This is a true statement, for I have reread the book myself and had a different experience the second time around. Diamond has been featured at several events throughout the Inland Empire. From book signings at her local high school to live promotion on social media, this young author is on the move and doing great things in her community. How can you get a copy? That's an easy question to answer! You can find both of these books on Amazon and check out the five star reviews on your way to check-out. We want to say thank you to Diamond for sharing her story, life experiences and speaking on subject matters that others turn the cheek to. Let's support her all the way to the top! Fun at Harvest Fest What an amazing time we had at the Annual Harvest Fest at Cathedral of Praise International Ministries (COPIM). This event combined our church family and the community for a night of fun, food, and excitement. The day began during the early afternoon hours with our volunteers preparing for a life changing event for both adults and children. the music. It was fun seeing everyone. Approximately 1500 guests arrived on site to enjoy hot dogs, potato chips, cookies and water. After receiving bags of food items, each child participated in the Trunk-A-Treat There were more than 20 decorated cars with their trunks full of candy and treats. Those hosting the treated trunks were in costume as well. The children were so excited upon entering the church ground because the first thing that caught their little eyes was the lighted Ferris wheel! That s right; we had a huge Ferris wheel that could be seen from the 210 freeway. In addition to the Ferris wheel attraction, we had the following: 5 Game Booths (with prizes), Petting Zoo, Photo Booth, Cotton Candy and Popcorn. The Theatrical Arts Ministry performed a skit and D.J. Hope brought The great thing about this event is that was FREE! COPIM provided a safe place for kids (and adults) to have fun. We cannot wait to see what the 2018 Harvest Fest will look like. Stay tuned.

5 Know y our Bible Word Find The Praise Report Our Vision Page 5 The vision of Cathedral of Praise International Ministries was stated by our founder, Jesus the Christ, and recorded in Luke 4: This is a ministry of reconciliation ordained to assist the poor, to heal the hurting, to deliver the captive, to restore sagacity to the spiritually blind, to set free the oppressed, and to preach and teach the truth of the Gospel. We have been commissioned to focus on people rather than programs, to create a spiritual atmosphere where true worshippers can praise Him in the freedom of the Spirit, and to break down the walls of tradition that make the Word of God of none effect. We are commanded to edify the people of God by demonstrating unconditional love, by developing a community of believers who give of themselves so that no one is lacking anything, and by sowing the Word of God in our lives that a harvest of spiritual fruit might blossom forth. COPIM is a Non-denominational Christian Church. Our spiritual covering is provided by Bishop Neil C. Ellis, Nassau, Bahamas. We consider it a privilege that you have taken time to discover who we are and sincerely hope you receive a blessing from this experience. Throwback to the 70s - Presented by the Mothers Ministry This year marked the fifth celebration of the Senior Fest. It was a time to reflect on how good God has been to members of the Mothers Ministry at the Cathedral of Praise International Ministries (COPIM)! The event was seventies-theme and the stage was set with everyone dressed in seventies apparel from miniskirts and hoop earrings to long, colorful dresses and dashikis. Those in attendance dusted off their throwback fashion to pay homage to and remember what God has done over the years. It was a fun and laughter-filled event. The program featured Brian Mullgrave, the event s musical guest, who performed a rendition of one the classics: Jesus is the Center of My Joy. His performance captivated the attention and hearts of the audience. Some of COPIM s own elders and deacons rendered a medley of songs, led by Pastor Sterling Evans, as a sing-along that encouraged audience participation and created an inviting and relaxed atmosphere. The event culminated with the recognition of seniors who have diligently served in various capacities at COPIM. Mother Mary Taylor, Ministry Coordinator of the Mother s Ministry, honored them with the following awards: Outstanding Service Awards Susan Green Dantzler Yolanda Harris Lenora Patterson Michelle Green Beverly Rouzan Mary Taylor The Caleb Mentality Award James Harris Phillip McCririe Melvin Le Sure The Lydia Mentality Award Gwendolyn Criswell Audrey Brock Margie Henderson Toni Parson Vicki Hutchinson The Mothers Ministry is a testament to commitment and resiliency. While most of the seniors at COPIM are retired, they have clearly shown they are not tired. Even in retirement they continue to actively participate in various ministries such as Prayer, Helping Hands, Ministry Fairs, Bereavement and Music/Choir. We take this time to acknowledge and salute our seniors of the Mothers Ministry for their continued inspiration!

6 The Praise Report Page 6 CATHEDRAL OF PRAISE INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES 3030 N. Del Rosa Ave. San Bernardino CA, Phone: Fax: info@copim.org We re on the web at Calling all business owners Are you a business owner? Do you want more exposure for your business? The newsletter is offering advertisement space to business owners. If you are interested and want more information please Newsletter@copim.org. We want to hear from you Do you have news, photos or accomplishments you would like to share in The Praise Report? Please send the information in a short paragraph and your contact information to newsletter@copim.org and we Newsletter team members Executive Pastor Reginna Criswell Ministry Coordinator, Pasha Fruman Windy Brewer Gina Day Shanikqua Freeman Ashley Howell Pat Ogiamien Yolanda Richardson Desiree Thomas Tempest Willoughby If you are interested in joining our team, please send an to: Newsletter@copim.org.

7 The Praise Report Page 7 CATHEDRAL OF PRAISE INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from The Newsletter Ministry 3030 N. Del Rosa Ave. San Bernardino CA, Phone: Fax: info@copim.org Back row; Pat Ogiamien, Pasha Fruman, Nina Whiteside, Yolanda Richardson, Pastor Reginna Criswell Seated; Renee D. Jones, Gina Day Windy Brewer Missing from photo: Shanikqua Freeman and Desiree Thomas and Ashley Howell We re on the web at The birth of Jesus - Luke 2: In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord stood before them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them. Don t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born for you in the city of David. 12 This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in cloth and lying in a feeding trough. 13 Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: 14 Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people He favors! 15 When the angels had left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Let s go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us. 16 They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the feeding trough. 17 After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying God for all they had seen and heard, just as they had been told.