Tower Newsletter Q1 2026
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you, Tower Family & Friends!
As your Pastor and Lead Servant, I have spent time reflecting on where the Lord has brought us since May 2025 — and I am overwhelmed with gratitude. What we are witnessing is not a coincidence. It is not luck. It is not human strength. It is what TOTAL OBEDIENCE looks like as we embark on the year of DIVINE PAYBACK!
I want to start off by saying, Thank each of you for your dedication to the vision of Tower of Deliverance – House of the Remnant Church of God in Christ and Church of God in Christ – Shiloh District -AZ in 2025! Your support was amazing all year long. I honor each of you! I am looking for us to keep this momentum in 2026 and beyond. We have work to do!
Before we fully celebrate where we are, we must properly honor where we have been. Before Divine Payback came the Year of Total Obedience.
And obedience is what positioned us for increase. The Year of Total Obedience showed us just how UNCOMFORTABLE it can be but how necessary it is to fully obey God! Total Obedience required us to move when it wasn’t convenient. It required us to strengthen structure, confront immaturity, establish a greater order, and tighten leadership alignment! Obedience cost us comfort — but it produced clarity. We learned that delayed obedience is disobedience. We learned that partial obedience is still rebellion. And we learned that God honors full surrender.
During the Year of Total Obedience, we didn’t just strategize — we prayed. We, as a church, strengthened our corporate prayer culture, and Mid-Day Fire virtual gatherings began and have been a tremendous blessing to our church. We became more focused on consecration and grew in our spiritual accountability to God and leadership! We became more sensitive to the Spirit, more disciplined in devotion, and more intentional in seeking God first, because obedience begins at the altar.
The Year of Total Obedience was not emotional — it was structural. We, as a church, clarified leadership roles, strengthened departmental expectations, began building our Ministry Manual & Leadership Guidebook (to be released by May/June 2026), emphasized submission and protocol, strengthened the A-Team (Administration) framework, and reinforced accountability
We stopped operating casually and we started operating intentionally! I have come to discover that when order increases, oil flows just as it is stated in Psalm 133. The Year of Total Obedience grew us in spiritual maturity. It required us to choose unity over preference, alignment over ego, vision over personality, Kingdom over comfort! At the Tower, we grew through conversations, sometimes rough in nature but necessary for progress. We grew through correction and encouragement. We grew through recalibration. Because of it, we are standing healthier as men, women, and ultimately as the Body of Christ
Because we choose to obey God, our spiritual stamina increased, leadership culture strengthened, church identity clarified, influence expanded, and foundation deepened. Total Obedience positioned us for Total Alignment, and alignment invited Divine Payback! Tower, hear this clearly: Payback did not come randomly. It came because we obeyed! Heaven responds to obedience. When we surrendered, when we adjusted, when we aligned, when we sacrificed…God took record! And now, we are seeing the return on obedience.
As I was in prayer, I heard the Lord declare to me that 2026 would be our Year of Divine Payback, and even before we stepped fully into this year, we began to see the hand of God moving in undeniable ways.
From May 2025 to the present, we have experienced:
• Spiritual growth and deeper consecration
• Expansion in leadership structure and administrative systems
• Strengthening of departmental alignment and accountability
• “Refreshing Tuesdays” is becoming a consistent well of revival at 7 PM
• “Mid-Day Fire” Virtual Prayer igniting our Tuesdays and Fridays at noon
• Powerful Watch Night service that prophetically launched our year
• Ministry Mall outreach and engagement
• District and Jurisdictional involvement that elevated our presence
• Increased social media reach and digital evangelism impact
• Strategic planning toward our official Ministry Manual & Leadership Guidebook
• Strengthening of our A-Team leadership structure
• Greater unity through teaching on submission, protocol, and teamwork
• Restoration in relationships and renewed commitment to Kingdom culture
• Souls encouraged, families strengthened, and faith restored
Some of our local events were in no specific order:
1. Tacos and Talk II – Sponsored by TODC Women’s Department
2. Game and Fellowships Nights
3. Father’s Day Service
4. Fourth Church Anniversary
5. Third Pastoral Anniversary
6. Spirit Month 2026
7. Annual Resurrection Cookout 2025
8. Feeding My Starving Children – Sponsored by the Outreach Department
9. Food Pantry – during governmental shutdown
10. Mother’s Day Luncheon 2025 - Sponsored by TODC Women’s Department
11. The Prophetic Encounter 2025 with Prophet Mickles
12. End of the Year Revival 2025
13. Harvest Fest 2026 – Sponsored by TODC Youth Department & Grace Place Learning
14. Water Baptism 2026 – 10 candidates were baptized!
Just to name a few things.
We are not the same church we were in May 2025. And this is only the beginning.
What the enemy meant to delay, God used to develop.
What tried to break us — built us.
What felt like pressure — produced purpose.
Divine Payback is not just about things — it is about restoration. It is about recompense. It is about God-honoring faithfulness. It is about Heaven responding to obedience. The seeds we sowed in tears, The prayers we prayed when nobody saw, The sacrifices made quietly, The battles fought spiritually, God is repaying His remnant!
I want to personally thank every leader, worker, intercessor, giver, and faithful member who has stood firm. Your labor has not been in vain. Your consistency has not gone unnoticed. Heaven keeps record. Tower of Deliverance, the best is not behind us — it is ahead of us!
We will continue building. We will continue praying. We will continue aligning. We will continue growing. We will continue walking in order. We will continue pursuing souls.
Because when God declares payback, He does it completely!
Let us, as a church and individuals, remain humble, remain hungry for God, remain holy, and remain unified!
The Tower is rising. The Remnant is advancing. And Divine Payback is here!
With expectation and love,
Pastor Ronald R. McCray
Establishmentarian & Senior Pastor, Tower of Deliverance – House of the Remnant COGIC
Serving as a Resource During the 2025 Government Shutdown
During the 2025 government shutdown, many individuals and families experienced unexpected financial strain and uncertainty. For seniors on fixed incomes and working households alike, access to essential resources became increasingly challenging. In the midst of that hardship, our church remained steadfast in its commitment to serve.
Through our Food Pantry Ministry, we were honored to provide food and essential items not only to the residents of Tanner Community Senior Center but also to members of our own congregation who were impacted during this time. Because of the generosity of our donors and the diligence of our volunteers, we were able to respond quickly and effectively when the need arose.
For our church family, this outreach reinforced an important truth: we are more than a place of worship — we are a community of care. Families were able to receive groceries and household necessities with dignity, ensuring that temporary financial disruptions did not become overwhelming burdens.
Our outreach to Tanner Community Senior Center likewise marked the beginning of what we believe will be a meaningful and lasting partnership. During a time when many seniors faced uncertainty, we were privileged to extend practical support and encouragement. What began as an act of service has opened the door for relationship-building and continued collaboration.
As we look ahead, we are prayerfully working toward strengthening this partnership by offering ongoing resources, support initiatives, and fellowship opportunities. Our hope is not only to meet physical needs, but also to cultivate connection — creating pathways for encouragement, engagement, and future involvement with our church community.
Harvest Fest 2026 – Sponsored by TODC Youth Department and Grace Place Learning
In October 2025, Tower of Deliverance Church of God in Christ partnered with Grace Place Learning Lab to host our annual Harvest Festival, bringing families and community members together for a day of fellowship, fun, and celebration of the changing season.
A special highlight of the event was a visit from the Tempe Fire Department, who provided exciting fire engine tours for attendees. Firefighters also shared grab bags filled with educational safety booklets, stickers, and backpacks for participants to take home.
The church’s Hospitality Department prepared and served delicious food, helping create a warm and welcoming atmosphere for everyone who attended. Families enjoyed games, food, laughter, and meaningful moments of connection throughout the event, making it a memorable time for children and adults alike.
Our Youth Department also played an important role in spreading joy and encouragement by distributing candy bags filled with sweet treats and evangelism notes. At the welcome table, evangelism materials were also available for attendees to take and share with others, extending the spirit of outreach beyond the event itself.
Events like our Harvest Festival remind us that when we gather in love and fellowship, we reflect the heart of Christ in our community. We are grateful for the opportunity to serve, connect, and continue building a village rooted in faith, joy, and togetherness.
Water Baptism 2025 – 10 candidates were baptized!
One of the most meaningful moments in the life of our church is the opportunity to witness 10 believers publicly declare their faith through baptism. Last year, our congregation gathered for a powerful and memorable baptism service as ten candidates took this important step in their spiritual journey.
Each candidate went through classes to be sure they understood the importance of water baptism as an outward reflection of an inward change. These classes allowed the candidates to ask questions to our pastor about this journey they were about to embark on. This aligns with one of our core values, discipleship, meaning growing people change. We are so excited about what God is going to do in the lives of these individuals.
Baptism is one of the three ordinances that we believe in as a church. They are not means of saving the soul, but they are representations of our faith. Baptism represents a public confession of faith and a commitment to walk in new life. It is a sacred moment that reflects transformation, obedience, and a personal decision to follow Christ. During this special service, each candidate stood before their church family to affirm their faith and be baptized as a symbol of their renewed life. Dying to the old man and being born again in Christ. In that water, they left an old life, narrative, and nature to become renewed in Christ. Their lives will never be the same!
We will do the same this year! We will hold a baptism class and allow for a new group of candidates to be baptised.
To the Future!
As our church continues to grow and serve both our congregation and the broader community, we are excited to expand our church newsletter as a resource that informs, encourages, and connects us all. This publication will not only share important updates about ministry activities and church life, but it will also feature content designed to strengthen our faith, support our well-being, and highlight the many gifts within our church family.
One of the upcoming features will be our “Meet the Member” interviews. These conversations will spotlight members of our congregation, allowing us to learn more about the individuals who make up Tower of Deliverance. Through these stories, readers will discover personal testimonies, hear about members’ faith journeys, and gain insight into how God is working in their lives. This feature will help us grow closer as a church family by celebrating the unique experiences and contributions of our members. Our Pastor has expressed how every person in our ministry is a gift and is necessary to the body of Christ.
We are also excited to introduce Health and Wellness articles that encourage stewardship of our physical and mental well-being. These articles may include practical guidance on healthy living, stress management, nutrition, and maintaining balance in our daily lives. Caring for our bodies is an important part of honoring God, and these features will provide helpful insights to support that commitment. These tools are usually given during our virtual gatherings, such as the 3T Virtual Prayer Gatherings, and we are excited to have them now be a part of our newsletter so we can treat our bodies as temples.
Another valuable addition will be Financial Tips and Guidance. From budgeting strategies to saving for the future, these articles will offer practical advice to help individuals and families manage their finances with wisdom and confidence. Our goal is to provide information that supports financial stability and responsible stewardship, equipping readers with tools that can benefit both their households and their long-term goals. The church cannot be strong if our households are weak.
The newsletter will also create opportunities to highlight entrepreneurs and small business owners within our congregation. Through advertisements and business spotlights, members who operate their own businesses will have a platform to share their services with the church community. This not only supports local entrepreneurship within our congregation but also strengthens the spirit of mutual support among our members.
Of course, at the heart of every issue will be spiritual lessons and encouragement rooted in the Word of God. We plan to offer biblical insight, devotional inspiration, and teachings that inspire spiritual growth and deepen our understanding of God’s purpose for our lives.
Together, these features are designed to make the newsletter more than an announcement tool—it will be a space for connection, education, encouragement, and celebration. We look forward to sharing these new sections with you and invite members of our congregation to participate, contribute ideas, and continue building a publication that reflects the heart and mission of our church.