International (MNN) ― Sometimes volunteer work can feel fruitless, but one ministry has found that a few hours put in by a lot of hands have been absolutely invaluable.

The man who coined the name Earth Day was a Pentecostal minister who thought the observance would help promote peace and unity.
According to the Assemblies of God (AG) Heritage magazine, 95-year-old John McConnell Jr., a longtime Pentecostal and peace activist, first proposed the idea for Earth Day in 1969. His plan was to mark the day in late March at the start of spring to promote peace and justice as a prerequisite for ecological preservation.

A team from Georgia recently visited us in Haiti to help remodel the missionary house that will accommodate teams of workers through the next few years. They did wood work where termites had done some damage, as well as electric, plumbing, cleaning and organizing the shops.

MIDDLE EAST — In a country where the Apostles once walked, a breath of the Holy Spirit manifested himself among the people willing to receive the Baptism of the Holy Ghost.

Eight individuals who have made a mark on the Pentecostal/Charismatic movement over the last 50 years were honored as part of the Empowered 21 conference held earlier this month in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Dr. Silvina Gonzalez M.D., M.Div., is a native of Uruguay. She is a physician who integrates her faith with her medical missions work.

A group of leaders from the Church of God in Florida recently arrived in Krakow, Poland. The visit came at the same time world leaders converged on the city to mourn the death of the Polish President and 90 state and civil leaders who were in a tragic airline crash recently.

Years ago, I took a group of worshipers and intercessors to a large park in Tel Aviv, Israel, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. It was a holiday and the area was flooded with hundreds of families having picnics….

Attaining peace through sports is the goal of an upcoming weeklong sports pilgrimage, which includes a 10-kilometer, noncompetitive race that passes Israel’s security wall.