Our History
A Lifetime of Fruitful Service
I've Never Been Sorry
I Will Build My Church
The Making of a Minister
The Blade, The Ear, The Full Corn
"What Is Your Excuse For Living?"
The Continuing Story
Testimony of Rev. Alfred Capozzi
The Continuing Story
by Ruth Joy (Kalis) Capozzi
Following the home-going of Robert D. Kalis, January 12, 1994, the congregation of Emmanuel Pentecostal Church dwindled. Parishioners had moved away, the ministry was mainly to teenagers off the streets involved in gangs. There were not enough parishioners to warrant keeping a building of such magnitude. It was a dark night for Emmanuel. "Weeping may endure for a night but JOY comes in the morning!" After every attempt had been made to keep the work their alive, in 1998 the building was placed on the market for sale. In March of 1999 it sold to a Haitian Church of God called "Smyrna Church of God." Through a series of small miracles, God led us to some beautiful property in Pennsylvania where literally a re-birth is taking place. We are thankful that the work of the Kingdom of God is still on-going in the physical building in New Jersey, but also here in Pennsylvania, the story follows!
Joy Bringer Ministries, Inc., birthed in 1999, is actually a re-birth to a ministry started 65 years ago by my grandparents. Rudolph & Anna Kalis who came to the east to assist in a church in New York when a call came from a troubled church in New Jersey. Would they come and help the struggling church out? They responded to that call and ended up spending the rest of their lives laboring for the Master in Elizabeth, New Jersey as pastors of Emmanuel Pentecostal Church. Their firstborn son, and my father, Robert D. Kalis, eventually joined them in the ministry with my Mom in 1955.
In 1975 after the death of his father, Robert with his wife Ruth Kalis became the pastors and continued in that capacity until 1993 when my Dad suffered a massive stroke and lived and suffered for 9 more months. Through the years the church fluctuated with highs and lows as does any work. Towards the end of my Dad’s life many families had moved out of the area surrounding the church and the area had changed drastically. Eventually, it became apparent to those of us who were left that we would have to sell the building and look for God’s direction as to where and what to do. It was a long and painful process but finally a buyer was found and a closing date was drawing near. “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.”
The year of our Lord 2000 dawned as a year of new beginnings and sequence of God’s miraculous leading. A customer of my husband, frequently urged him to visit her in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. When finally we visited her, God began to open a new door of opportunity for us.
At a Pastor’s Couples conference in Branson, Missouri at the Gary Smalley Relationship Center the beginning of March of 2000, God confirmed to our hearts that we should move forward. A day or two before we were to fly out of town we received word that the closing of the church building in Elizabeth was to take place while we were away. This was actually God’s minute care for me. Having literally “grown up in the church” it being like a second home to me—I had often wondered how it would be possible to do that last “walk through” and then have to turn the key in the door for the last time and walk away. I never had to do that. Our lawyer had us sign the necessary papers and he went to closing for us and assured us he would call us on our cell phone the moment all was done.
We were in the conference morning session that had started by us singing a chorus, “I will restore to you all this and more”. H. B. London was speaking to us about not losing our dreams. He related how often pastors, through the process of life lose their dreams. He went on to remind us Joseph in the Bible who never stopped believing his dreams! It was at this moment that our cell phone rang with our attorney at the other end saying “all is well, the closing has transpired.” It was a moving moment. At the close of this session we sang twice more “I will restore to you all this and more!”
We moved to Mt. Pocono in the year of our Lord 2000! Through the ministries at Joy Haven, (Christian Coffeehouse, Christian Encouragement Center, Hospitality Home, Ministerial Coalition) many divine connections were made. Much healing and restoration took place. Through these connections God has once again led us on to Pastor in Bloomsburg, PA. His truth is marching on!