The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada, which became a chartered religious organization in 1919, has a rich history stretching back over a century to the earliest days of the Pentecostal Revival which began in 1906. The Archives exists to preserve and make available the wealth of information that chronicles our family story.

The Archives was established in 1981 under the supervision of General Secretary Charles Yates. Dr. Ron Kydd was called upon to organize and lay out the guidelines. All our general officers have strongly advocated the cause of preserving the past. Extensive contributors to the Archives have been G.F. Atter, Earl Kulbeck, James Montgomery and a host of other Pentecostal leaders. Margaret Rogers served as director until her retirement in 1986. Douglas Rudd served as director until 1998.

Under General Secretary-Treasurer David Ball, a committee was formed in 2000 to advise and facilitate in the expansion and upgrading of the PAOC Archives. This was accomplished under the leadership of James Craig who designed our state-of-the-art facility and reconfigured the collection in accordance with current archival principles. Rev. Craig served as the first full-time Archivist, assisted by Dorothy Raymer, from January 2000 until January 2004. Since March 2004, Marilyn Stroud served the Archives on a half-time basis to assist with the daily requests from researches around the world as well as searching out important historical documents for the International Office. James Craig continued to serve as Archives’ consultant. With Ms. Stroud's passing, Rev. Craig currently has resumed the role of PAOC Archivist on a part-time basis.

Special Projects

One of the first major projects was the preservation process for all issues of The Pentecostal Testimony from 1920 to 2001. Because of the deterioration of the older copies, it was felt necessary to preserve the publication on a 12-set CD with a searchable format so every issue could be used for extensive research on topics relating to current issues, opinions and teachings of the PAOC.  These CDs are available for sale from the Order Desk of the PAOC for $149.95 plus shipping and handling. A further ten years if testimony issues are currently being scanned for another series of CDs that will allow researchers the opportunity to search the testimony from January 2002 to December 2010. Further information will be forthcoming when these CDs will be available.

More recently, the PAOC General Constitution and By-Laws (1928-2006) and General Conference Minutes (1919-2012) have been scanned and are available on CD from the Order Desk of the PAOC for $25.

What We Do

We compile and preserve materials in our state of the art repository. As part of the work of the Archives, we ensure that details such as dates, names and events are correctly recorded. It has been said that our pioneers were so busy making history that they did not have time to record it! As a result, some of our history has been lost or is in sketchy forms. When it came time to record events years after the fact, accurate dates were lost and some of the details were forgotten. We are working hard to capture our history as it happens today. Any contributions you can make to the past would be greatly appreciated. Donations including early Pentecostal magazines, books, pictures of churches, people and events, biographies and outstanding testimonies can be of great value to the Archives. If you are able to donate any of the above or other material please contact our office to make arrangements for transfer to the Archives.

What We Preserve

We preserve everything of historical value including conference minutes, important legal documents and correspondence, publications, church histories, biographies, personal papers, records of our missionary outreach and personnel, District Conferences, Bible Colleges, camp meetings, benevolent institutions, photos, books, manuscripts, theses, audio and visual tapes and films, artifacts, etc. They are then processed and placed in acid free containers and placed in the repository so they can be used for future research.

What Archival Resources are Available

When you arrive at the Archives, you will have access to a reading room, a 12-disk set of CDs of The Pentecostal Testimony-1920-2001, the original charter of the PAOC from 1919, books and pamphlets written by PAOC clergy and members, year books from PAOC Bible Colleges and Seminaries, photos of Conferences, camps and celebrations, significant artifacts, photos of credential holders, churches, missionaries, mission fields, Bible Colleges and Seminaries and a 900 sq. ft. climate-controlled repository which preserves the historical documents in acid-free cases on specially designed metal shelving.

Who uses the Archives

• Academics, researchers, students and others wanting information on the PAOC, the growth of Pentecostalism, or information on historical individuals;
  
• The General Officers and staff of the International Office who are investigating PAOC history or current topics for discussion papers or needed statistics for reports;
  
• Churches, pastors and lay people researching background information about the church and its former pastors;
  
• Local churches and pastors who wish to preserve the history of the church by donating artifacts and materials for safe-keeping;
  
• Individuals looking for information on family members who served as PAOC pastors or missionaries.

How to use the Archives

There are two ways to access material in the Archives:

1. Pay us a visit. We provide a Reading Room where clients can use materials from the collection and receive assistance from our staff with their inquiries. Visits are by appointment only. Call 905-542-7400 and ask to speak to the Archives or email us at archives@paoc.org. Please contact us at least two days in advance of your visit. Those anticipating research requires more than a day must provide at least a week’s notice. If you are coming from outside of Ontario and expect to spend several days in the Archives, contact us at least 3 weeks before your arrival.
   
2. Contact the Archives by telephone (905-542-7400) or email (archives@paoc.org). Requests requiring extensive research usually require a visit to the Archives. If you leave a voicemail, be sure to include your telephone number and e-mail address.

How to get Involved

Volunteer – If you live the GTA or within a reasonable drive from Mississauga we always appreciate an extra pair of hands to assist us with routine tasks. This frees us the staff for work requiring greater expertise.

Donate Historical Materials – The Archives collection grows as individuals and PAOC churches share their historical treasures with us. Our collection is mandate to acquire and preserve all material relating to the activities of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada in Canada and abroad. If in doubt call or email for more information. Please note we do not accept COD packages.

Give – We have a number of important projects which require funding beyond our current budgetary resources. All gifts to the PAOC Archives are tax deductable. To make a donation, please click here. Thank you for your support!