• OUR MISSION
• OUR VISION
• OUR VALUES
• OUR BELIEFS

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OUR MISSION

Our mission is to lead individuals to Christ so that they can experience authentic redemption and be set free. We aim to be a community-focused church that puts the love of Christ into action. 

OUR VISION

Our vision is to exist as a church that embodies a multi-generational and multicultural set of believers. We wish to bridge the gap between the former and the present generation of believers to encourage unity and collaboration in the body of Christ. 
 

OUR VALUES

It is due to the love of God and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ that we are saved. Thus, as children of God saved by grace and loved by Christ, it is our duty to love others. We value love for humanity, empathy for the broken and for the hopeless, and kindness towards all of God’s creation. 

OUR BELIEFS

We believe that Jesus is the son of God and that God sent Jesus, His only begotten Son, as a living sacrifice to save humanity from our sins. We believe that Jesus was crucified on a cross, was buried in a tomb, and that He rose in glory three days later. We believe that Jesus is now at the right hand of God the Father and that He (Jesus) will soon return for His bride which is us—the church. We believe that the only way to heaven is through Jesus and we believe in baptism and repentance. We also believe in the holy trinity which is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Lastly, we believe that God created everyone in His image and that He has a unique purpose and calling for us all. 

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OUR HISTORY

Zion Community Church, formally known as Zion Pentecostal Church of God of New Direction, Inc, was founded in December of 2000 by Bishop Missel Josiaste and his wife Rev. Marie D. Josiaste. The very first service was held in the living room of their home with 7 members. A few months after the church started, they relocated to 55th and Haverford where they maintained for about a year and then moved to 59th and Girard Ave where they maintained for another 2-3 years.  

Eventually, Bishop Missel and Rev. Marie purchased a property on 61st and Vine and converted it into Zion’s new permanent house of worship. The church grew over the years birthing active youth, children’s, women’s, and men’s ministries.  Zion Pentecostal Church of God has been known for its persistent service in the community. Every year, the church would team up with Toys for Tots to distribute toys to children for the holidays. Additionally, the church has partnered with Philabundance to provide food and canned goods to those in need on a weekly basis. The church also founded “The Green Team” which is a community beautification initiative. Through that initiative, the church has planted trees and flowers in various neighborhoods.  

In addition to planting Zion Pentecostal Church of God in Philadelphia, PA,  Bishop Missel and Rev. Marie later planted a 2nd church campus and a K-8th grade school in Kolmini, Haiti. Some years later, the couple planted a 3rd church campus in Seaford, DE. All three campuses are still functioning today.  
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In December of 2020, on the day of the church’s 20th anniversary, Bishop Missel announced that he and Rev. Marie were ready to retire and that Pastor Jennifer M. Joseph, a long-time laborer in the ministry, would be installed as the new lead Pastor of Zion Pentecostal Church of God. Rev. Jennifer M. Joseph, with the blessing of her husband Deacon Ramond Joseph, accepted the call and was officially installed as the new Lead Pastor on December 5, 2021.  Rev. Joseph has seized this opportunity as a re-birth for the church and believes that God has called her to lead the church into a new season of growth. She is excited to take the 21-year old ministry to another level. The legacy of community service will be continued and Pastor Jennifer M. Joseph, along with the church's amazing staff, will work diligently to bridge the gaps between the former, the present, and the rising generations to come. 

About Our Lead Pastor

​Pastor Jennifer M. Joseph is a valued community influencer who is beloved for her contribution to the black and Haitian community in Philadelphia, PA. Her first introduction to ministry was teaching Sunday School at Zion Pentecostal Church of God at the young age of 13. As she continued to grow in her faith and in her anointing, she later became the Worship Leader, Youth President, and then ordained as Youth Pastor in June of 2011. Pastor Joseph was later promoted to Administrative Pastor and she served in that role for more than 5 years. Pastor Joseph has been divinely connected to Bishop Rosie O'neal of Koinonia Christian Center and is a member of the KFCM Fellowship. Bishop Rosie O'neal and Bishop Missel are Pastor Joseph's advisors and spiritual mentors. ​

In 2016, Pastor Joseph founded the Bi-Annual Women’s Fest Conference which is an empowerment event curated for women of color to equip them with the resources and tools that are needed to pursue their professional, educational, and business interests. She has also sat on the board of the Haitian Professionals of Philadelphia and also led one of the city's largest Haitian-American youth organizations---Christ-like Youth Ministries. (a.k.a "Jesus Swag")

Professionally, Pastor Joseph serves as the Director of People and Culture at Covenant House Pennsylvania. Prior to joining Covenant House PA, she was the Deputy Director & Chief DEI Officer at HIAS PA. Before being promoted to Deputy, she served as the Director of Operations where she led the agency’s transition to its new and improved location and also implemented new and improved agency-wide HR best practices. She was the Interim CEO and Human Resources manager at Accessible Home Health Care and Medical Staffing on the mainline before joining HIAS PA. 

In March of 2020, Pastor Joseph was recognized as a Woman of Achievement. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science, a certification in Human Resources Management, and is working towards her MBA. She obtained her Pastoral training at the Jameson School of Ministry and received her certification in 2011. In 2016, Pastor Joseph published her very first book titled "Her Redemption". She is a proud wife and a mother whose passion is to serve!

MEET THE TEAM