How we began
Our Roots - 1922-1968
Ossington Pentecostal Church began in Toronto as a small assembly of Italian Christians led by Rev. Ferdinando Zaffuto and Rev. Luigi Ippolito. Known as the “Assemblea Cristiana”, the gatherings started in 1922 at 193 Montrose Avenue. In 1956, a new church building was erected at 686 Ossington Avenue, Toronto to house a group from the growing church, which became known as “Assemblea Cristiana Pentecostale Italiana (ACPI)”. Pastored by Rev. Ferdinando Zaffuto until his death in February 1968, the independent church reached out primarily to Toronto’s Italian community.
Our Growth - 1968- 2002
Rev. John Totafurno served as pastor from 1968 to 1984, and Rev. Gino Zucchi took over from February 1985 to February 1991. Under Rev. Zucchi’s leadership, ACPI expanded the meetings to Woodbridge, Ontario and became known first as Woodbridge Pentecostal Church and then, as Bethel Pentecostal Church. Around that time, the ACPI formalized its affiliation with the Italian Pentecostal Church of Canada, now the Canadian Assemblies of God (CAOG), and became known in Toronto as Ossington Pentecostal Church (OPC). In May 1992, Rev. Giulio Gabeli was installed as pastor, followed by Rev. Ed Grasso for a one-year term ending in January 2002. As an answer to prayers, the church grew to embrace many other ethnic groups in the surrounding communities.
Our Expanding Vision - 2003- 2022
Rev. David Quackenbush moved from Montreal with his wife Angela in February 2003 and has since pastored the church with a strong commitment to a cross-cultural ministry, spirit of growth, and discipling.
Church Renovation- 2020-to date
Through God's grace and faithfulness, the building project broke ground in March 2020. This was a long- awaited project, to update and create a building for growth and ministry. Despite facing the unknowns of a global pandemic, God continued to provide, and the project was completed in the spring of 2021.
Through all this, Pastor David kept the congregation united and focused on the goal of returning to worship together in a brand-new building that God provided. Pastor David remained faithful to his calling as the shepherd of OPC even when his strength and health was starting to decline. It would be discovered later that he was fighting cancer. Through it all, he faced his diagnoses with a strong faith in our Lord and the promise He gives to all who follow him. In January 2022, pastor David graduated to glory to be with his Saviour.
The congregation of Ossington Pentecostal Church now worships in a new building and continues to be a diverse and thriving congregation that is tasked with the ongoing mission to be a light into the Bloorcourt community.
Since the passing of pastor David Quackenbush, we have been blessed with the ministry of our Associate pastor Kara Lee Palma while continuing to wait upon the Lord for His guidance and direction for the next chapter for OPC.
To God be all the glory.
Our Affiliation with the
Canadian Assemblies of God
Our pioneer fathers, already acquainted with evangelical truth, experienced the Pentecostal outpouring in the City of Hamilton in 1912, and in Toronto and Montreal a few years later. They were led by the Holy Spirit to preach the full Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Italians in Canada. By the early 1920s, the Italian-speaking Pentecostal churches had been established in several cities in Ontario and Québec. God mightily accompanied the preaching of these dedicated and fearless men with such outstanding signs and wonders that many believed, even in the midst of great persecutions.
At an official gathering of these churches in 1944, a conference was held to promote cooperation in missionary endeavors, unity of doctrine and recognition of God-given ministries. The Lord enabled the Italian Pentecostal Churches of Canada (IPCC), now called the Canadian Assemblies of God (CAOG), to extend its ministry in Canada, from Montreal to Vancouver, through four generations.
While maintaining the vision to reach the new Italian Canadians with the Gospel through faith in Jesus Christ, the CAOG also ministers to English-speaking Canadians and many other ethnic groups residing in Canada. As a result, our churches are reflecting more and more the cultural diversity in which we live.
In Loving Memory of our late Pastor- 2022
David L. Quackenbush
August 8, 1956- January 3, 2022
Pastor David served in the ministry for 34 years in Winnipeg, Montreal and the past 18 years in Toronto at Ossington Pentecostal Church ("OPC"), where he has faithfully served as our beloved Pastor. He genuinely loved everyone he met with and was always passionate about making them know how important they were to God. Having had an encounter with God and another with an Angel in his younger years, his life was enveloped with the love of God and he wanted others to have the same experience of knowing Jesus intimately. This he did in the way he explained the Bible, worshipped, prayed, lived with joy, a light heart and loved. If you knew Pastor David…you were family.
Rev. David L. Quackenbush went home to be with the Lord on Monday, January 3, 2022 at the Lakeridge health Oshawa Hospital. David, in his 65th year, beloved husband to Angela for 44 years. Loving father of Jonathan (Victoria), Stephen (Margaret), William (Angela). Proud grandfather of Adriel, Naomi, Jordan, Davide, Emma, Michaela.
In the fall of 2021, Pastor David was able to see the completion of our large church building renovation project, and was even able to preach a few times via livestream from the premises. He spent countless hours of hands on labour into making OPC the best it could be for the glory of God.
Pastor David will be dearly missed by his Ossington Pentecostal Church family. His legacy for the word of God, heart of worship, faithfulness, love and dedication to the work of the Lord will remain in our hearts always as an example and reminder of what we should all strive to be.
..."Well done, good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:23)