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Donadio

Rev. Patrick J. Donadio, the first director of U.S. MAPS ministry, passed away unexpectedly Sunday at his son's home in Virginia. Donadio was 72.

Donadio, who was a gang member while growing up in Schenectady, New York, was radically saved during a revival. He would go on to attend Pinecrest Bible Institute in Salisbury Center, New York; Philadelphia College of the Bible; Northeast Bible Institute (now Valley Forge Christian College in Phoenixville) Pennsylvania; and, after marrying Ruth (Spuler) in April 1962, would continue his Bible education at Central Bible College in Springfield, Missouri. In June 1965, Pat was ordained by the Alaska District and the Donadios would then minister in Alaska for more than 20 years as nationally appointed AG home (now U.S.) missionaries, planting churches among the native people.

In 1986, Lamar Headley, MAPS coordinator, and Bill Strickland, MAPS Construction, invited Donadio to be a part of the MAPS (Mobilization and Placement Service) ministry. In 1991, MAPS was divided into a World Missions MAPS (Missions Abroad Placement Service) and Home Missions MAPS (Mission America Placement Service) arm, with Donadio being appointed to lead the Home Missions MAPS effort, where he served until 2001. Under his leadership, the RV Volunteers (RVers) ministry would blossom, with some 1,200 men and women joining and traveling cross-country to help build AG churches, campgrounds, Teen Challenge centers and other church venues and save these ministry centers millions of dollars in labor costs. In 2001, Donadio began service with AG World Missions and continued to minister in several capacities until his passing.

"It still baffles the minds of many people," Pat Donadio frequently remarked, "how individuals who have earned retirement are willing to sacrifice their time, talents and finances to work on churches and various projects. Totally free."

Donadio is survived by his wife of 50 years, Ruth, as well as their two adult children, Dale (Angela) and Doreen (Robert) Kelley.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Greenlawn East of Springfield, Missouri. The funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, May 24, at Central Assembly of God, 1301 N. Boonville, in Springfield.

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Thu, 19 Nov 2009 - 4:41 PM CST

The Assemblies of God

The Assemblies of God was founded in 1914 in Hot Springs, Arkansas with 300 people at the founding convention. Today there are more than 12,500 churches in the U.S. with over 3 million members and adherents. There are more than 64 million Assemblies of God members worldwide, making the Assemblies of God one of the world’s largest Pentecostal denominations.

The U.S. Assemblies of God national office is located at 1445 N. Boonville Avenue, Springfield, Missouri. It houses the denomination’s executive and administrative offices, service divisions and departments, and the Gospel Publishing House printing plant which produces over 12 tons of literature daily.

History And Polity Of The Assemblies Of God

Origin

Assemblies of God Headquarters
Springfield, MO

The Assemblies of God, founded as a result of a religious revival which swept around the world in the early 1900’s, has become the largest Pentecostal group. It was organized in a constitutional convention at Hot Springs, Arkansas, in 1914.

Doctrine

Doctrinally, the church emphasizes personal salvation, water baptism, divine healing, the baptism with the Holy Spirit accompanied by the evidence of speaking in tongues, and the pre-millennial second coming of Jesus Christ. The Bible is recognized as the inspired word of God and provides the rule for faith and practice.

The church’s four-fold mission is expressed through

Evangelism
Discipleship
Worship
Compassion

Government

Assemblies of God government is a combination of congregational and Presbyterian principles. Each church is sovereign in the choice of pastor, owning and holding property, maintaining membership rolls, management of all local business or activities, and voluntary participation in denominational programs.

To assist local churches, 61 district councils (most following state boundaries) have been formed in the United States. Each district conducts an annual business meeting called a district council, and elects a district superintendent and other officers. District councils have oversight of churches and ministers in their areas.

There are 14 language districts in the United States, organized similar to but overlapping geographic districts.

The General Presbytery is the second highest policy-making body for the church and serves as an advisory board for the Assemblies of God. It meets annually.

Between these annual sessions, the church’s interests are cared for by a 20-member board of directors called the Executive Presbytery. This board includes the church’s top elected officials together with regional representatives and language and ethnic representatives.

The Assemblies of God is a member of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE), the Pentecostal and Charismatic Churches of North America (PCCNA), the Pentecostal World Fellowship (PWF), and the World Assemblies of God Fellowship (WAGF).

General Council

The General Council is the biennial business meeting of the U.S. Assemblies of God. General Council is held to conduct important church business, elect top church officials, and to convene ministries and activities of the church. Voting membership at the General Council consists of all licensed and ordained ministers and a lay delegate elected from each local church. The next General Council meeting will convene in Orlando, Florida, August 5-9, 2013.

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