The History of Holy Light Pentecostal Ministries, Inc.

Holy Light Pentecostal Ministries, Incorporated (HLPM) was birthed and established out of Holy Light Pentecostal Church, Inc. (HLPC), Poughkeepsie, New York. Holy Light Pentecostal church, founded by the late Bishop Mack B. McClinton in 1948 had it’s humble beginnings in Bronx, New York. The church moved to Poughkeepsie in 1950 and was incorporated in 1951. The Poughkeepsie church became the headquarters church of the organization, consisting of churches in the Bronx, NY, Modena, NY and Newburgh, NY.

Over a twenty year span the church was housed in rented storefronts. It was the prayer and desire of Bishop McClinton to have a church building for its official House of Worship. In 1971, God granted his desire and the church purchased a beautiful edifice in the historic downtown area, at 33 South Clover Street.

After two more years of anointed, power packed and revolutionary preaching, the Lord called his beloved, Bishop Mack B. McClinton home to his heavenly, peaceful rest. In 1973, the mantle of Bishop McClinton was laid upon his wife, Mother Addie B. McClinton who was appointed to the pastorate and later consecrated to the Bishopric. Under her leadership churches were added to the organization and the ministry flourished. Possessing a God given servant’s anointing, she was true to her motto, “living to serve”. In January 1992, after nineteen years of untiring ministry, Bishop Addie B. McClinton-Watterson closed her eyes in death and was called from labor to reward.

Immediately following the death of the pastor, Senior Elder Ronald West served as the church’s interim spiritual leader while awaiting the manifested will of God for a new pastor. During this time, Evangelist Debra E. Gause, the tenth child of Bishops Mack and Addie McClinton was serving faithfully as assistant pastor at Holy Light Pentecostal Church, Richmond, VA. Through prophetic utterance, she was summoned to leave Richmond, Virginia and return to the headquarters church.

Walking by faith and not by sight, Evangelist Gause and her family returned to Poughkeepsie in March 1992, submitting humbly to the leadership of Elder Ronald West. Through much prayer and supplication the Lord God responded to the cry of his people for a pastor. On June 12, 1992 Evangelist Gause was ordained as an Elder and installed to the pastorate of Holy Light Pentecostal Church, Inc. The organization then consisted of churches in the Bronx, NY; Catskill, NY; Mount Vernon, NY; Poughkeepsie, NY and Richmond, VA.

In 1994, under the divine inspiration and leading of the Holy Spirit, Elder Debra E. Gause and the Trustee Board formed a temporary Board of Presbyter to establish a new organization, named Holy Light Pentecostal Ministries. The following individuals were members of the board: Elder Debra E. Gause, Deacon George Gause, Evangelist Doris Milburn, Sister Ann Perry, Mother Daphne West and Elder Ronald West. The Board resolved that the Poughkeepsie church would remain the headquarters church of HLPM. McClinton’s Temple, Catskill, NY, pastored by Elder Audrey E. Giles was part of this new beginning.

As the ministry began to grow, other churches and ministries became familiar with HLPM and joined the newly established organization. By 1995, the corporation consisted of the following churches: McClinton’s Temple, Hudson, NY; The Lamb’s Temple, Tallahassee, FL and Refuge of Love Ministries, Valdosta, GA. With a committed corporate body, the First Annual Holy Convocation of HLPM was held at the headquarters church July 1995.

On March 28, 1996, Holy Light Pentecostal Ministries was officially incorporated. The first combined meeting of members and directors of the corporation was held on July 27, 1996. The following Board of Directors were present: Pastor Debra E. Gause, Pastor Audrey E. Giles, Pastor Willie Lamb and Pastor Vennissica Faison. Members present included: Sister Sylvia Green, Evangelist Doris Milburn, Sister Ann Perry, Mother Ethel Porter, Mother Daphne West and Elder Ronald West.

In November 1997, the First Annual Workers Conference Meeting was held in Jacksonville, Florida. During this meeting, Elder Linda Lathers was installed as the pastor of Repairer of the Breach, Jacksonville, FL and incepted into the organization. Subsequent to this meeting, the new organization convened for Fifth Sunday Fellowship Union Weekends. However, due to the expansion of the organization, it was unanimously decided that an Annual Fellowship Convention be held each year rotating throughout the southern region, commencing in 1998.

In March 1998, the First Annual Fellowship Convention was held at Refuge of Love Ministries, Valdosta, GA. As the vision began to unfold for HLPM, Elder Debra E. Gause, General Overseer, was consecrated to the office of the Bishop in the fourth (4th) Annual Holy Convocation in July 1998. The organization continued to grow to include additional churches from Americus, GA, and Antioch, TN.

By 1999, Bishop Gause’s international travels had brought her to Durban, South Africa. In 2000, Miracle Ministries, pastored by Apostle Victor Glenn and Elaine Smith became the first international church to be incepted in HLPM. As a result of the apostolic work of Bishop Gause and Apostle Smith over 15 churches from South Africa and Ghana, West Africa have been incepted into the organization. On the home front (USA), churches were added in the states of Alabama, Connecticut, Florida and New York. It was apparent that the apostle’s mantle was upon these servants of the Lord.

In April 2002, Bishop Gause cast vision for OAK, NOW (Operation Advance the Kingdom, Now!). The vision was written and made plain to establish a Christian Academy, a Citadel of Hope Transitional Center, a Senior Citizen Residential Housing, a 24 hour Prayer Tower, a Missions House, a Bible College and Training Center, a Christian Community Center, a Dome to accommodate the Sanctuary and Conference Center of 15,000 seats, Administrative Offices, Bible Book Store, and a Founders Library and Hall dedicated to the founders of HLPC, Inc.

During the Eighth (8th) Annual Holy Convocation in 2002, HLPM held its second Episcopal Consecration of Bishops. The Right Reverend Michael W. Johnson and the Right Reverend Cheryl D. Miller were consecrated to the office of the bishop. This sacred event established the formation of HLPM College of Bishops/Apostles. Apostle Victor G. Smith of Durban, South Africa was appointed as the first International Overseer of HLPM.

At the Ninth (9th) Annual Holy Convocation in 2003, Bishop Debra E. Gause was affirmed as an Apostle and set apart by the laying on of hands by Apostles. This consecration confirmed her call to plant and establish churches in various territories and to develop and implement apostolic authority, protocol and divine order for the Universal Body of Christ. On Saturday, July 26 the Right Reverend Audrey E. Giles and the Right Reverend Vennissica F. Kelly were consecrated to the office of the bishop and inducted into College of Bishops/Apostles.

The Tenth (10th) Annual Holy Convocation earmarked a decade of divinely orchestrated and anointed fellowship services. The theme, The Perfection of Divine Order, rallied the people to come in alignment with the mandates on their lives and to promote the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry.

To date, additional churches, ministries and missions have been birthed in Baltimore, Maryland, Jamaica, West Indies, Dominican Republic and New York. This Ministry is not only impacting different locales, but is affectively reaching the world one nation at a time. Holy Light Pentecostal Ministries promotes and advocates the motto of its Presiding Prelate, Bishop Debra E. Gause:

To win as many as possible,
To develop as many as possible,
To multiply as many, through as many as possible.

Welcome from the Board of Directors

The men and women selected to serve Holy Light Pentecostal Ministries, Inc. were chosen by God and our Presiding Prelate. We hope you enjoy learning more about the ministry.