New Life Assembly of God has been at several different locations over the last eight decades. Still, the mission and God's message has never changed. We have always been and will continue to be a multi-ethnic and intergenerational fellowship that serves as a house for the Lord. We welcome all cultures to come together and worship Him.
We were founded in 1944, by Pastor Pedro "Sammy" Mones in Pasadena, California. Our original name was “Filipino Full Gospel Church” since the founding members consisted of immigrant families from the Philippines that settled in the Pasadena area. We hold the designation as the first Filipino Assembly of God church in the continental United States.
The congregation initially met in Old Pasadena at a small storefront on 38 South Raymond Avenue, before relocating to a traditional church building on 27 Mary Street (current site of the Parsons Corporation) in the early 1950s. The church was welcoming to all ethnicities, and its makeup started to reflect the cultural diversity of the time.
When the 210 Freeway was brand new, a small parcel of land became available at our current location on 330 North Hill Avenue. The church was able to secure the property and broke ground for a new church home. The building opened its doors for the first time in early 1974. Reflecting on the diversity of its membership, the Pasadena area, and surrounding communities, our name changed to Full Gospel Church.
After the retirement of Pastor Mones in 1976, Pastor Glen Gotcsik, moved his young family from upstate New York to lead our multi-ethnic congregation. By the end of his five-year tenure, we had undergone another name change: New Life Assembly of God.
New Life Assembly of God found itself with a new leader when the SoCal Network of the Assemblies of God called a seasoned minister, Pastor Milton Barfoot, out of retirement in 1981. Pastor Barfoot was at New Life Assembly of God for 15 years until his second retirement from the ministry in 1996.
In the fall of 1996, Pastor Ruben Macabitas became the pastor of New Life Assembly of God. Ironically, Pastor Ruben's family was one of the original founding members of our church, and he grew up under the ministry of our founder, Pastor Mones. Pastor Ruben was the pastor at New Life Assembly of God for 23 years, until his retirement in early 2019.
Currently, our pastor is Ken Joe. Pastor Ken was installed in October 2019, making him only the fifth lead pastor in New Life Assembly of God’s rich and storied 75-year history.
