Pocono Grace Seventh-day Adventist Church at East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania seeks to be a loving, friendly community that worships God, and serves others. We place a high priority on teaching from the Bible and following the example of Jesus.
Our vision is to impact and renew East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania and beyond with the transforming message of Jesus Christ through words and actions. Everyone is welcome. Come as you are - we'd love to get to know you.
Mission statement: To reflect Christ in unity, service, and love to all generations.
Vision statement: Establish a church that will impact the community through ministries that tend to improve the quality of life and of its inhabitants and will guide them to the knowledge of the limitless and unconditional love of God and His soon return.
Dr. Christian Eugene Ekoto was born in Yaoundé, Cameroon on July 6, 1976, to a family of medical professionals. He completed his primary and secondary education in Cameroon before pursuing his bachelor’s degree in theology at Valley View University, a Seventh-day Adventist institution in Accra, Ghana. Later, he completed his master’s and Ph.D. in Education at the Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies (AIIAS) in the Philippines.
Dr. Ekoto has served the World Church since September 2007 as a School Chaplain, Church Pastor, Bible Teacher, and Faculty at the Secondary and Tertiary levels in Cameroon, the Philippines, and Haiti. He also served as a Professor and Vice President for Academic Administration at the Adventist University of Haiti in the Interamerican Division of SDAs.
Currently, Dr. Ekoto is the Senior Pastor of the Stroudsburg District in the Pennsylvania Conference of SDAs in the USA. He is a Christian educator and Adventist pastor who is passionate about honoring Christ through lifestyle, teaching, training, preaching, leadership, research, music, and youth ministry. He has organized and spoken at over 70 weeklong and weekend-long events on Religion, Education, Research, and Leadership in various countries, including Cameroon, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Ghana, Haiti, Jamaica, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Tanzania, the UK, and the USA.
Dr. Ekoto’s life goal is Christlikeness, which he shares with his wife Michelle, a Nutritionist and Dietician with a Master of Public Health from AIIAS. Michelle is a university faculty member who has also served in various roles at the Adventist University of Haiti.
Meet Our Pastor!
SHARING GOD’S GOOD NEWS FOR A BETTER LIFE TODAY AND FOR ETERNITY!
We believe that true peace is found in Jesus Christ, and our programs communicate these core biblical principles:
God is love and He has revealed Himself in His Son, Jesus Christ. 1 John 4:16; John 14:9.
Jesus is the divine Son of God, and not a created being, but the eternal God. John 1:1.
Jesus came to this earth to live a perfect life and give His life on the cross to redeem us from our sin. Romans 5:6-10.
When Jesus comes into our lives, He makes us new creatures. 2 Corinthians 5:17; Hebrews 8:10; John 14:15.
Bible prophecy reveals that the end of this world is imminent and Jesus will return soon. Revelation 22:12.
Our mission is to help people prepare to live for Jesus in this world and be prepared for His soon return. Revelation 22:17.
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS ACCEPT THE BIBLE AS THE ONLY SOURCE OF OUR BELIEFS. WE CONSIDER OUR MOVEMENT TO BE THE RESULT OF THE PROTESTANT CONVICTION SOLA SCRIPTURA—THE BIBLE AS THE ONLY STANDARD OF FAITH AND PRACTICE FOR CHRISTIANS.
CURRENTLY, ADVENTISTS HOLD 28 FUNDAMENTAL BELIEFS THAT CAN BE ORGANIZED INTO SIX CATEGORIES—THE DOCTRINES OF GOD, MAN, SALVATION, THE CHURCH, THE CHRISTIAN LIFE AND LAST DAY EVENTS. IN EACH TEACHING, GOD IS THE ARCHITECT, WHO IN WISDOM, GRACE AND INFINITE LOVE, IS RESTORING A RELATIONSHIP WITH HUMANITY THAT WILL LAST FOR ETERNITY.
Seventh-day Adventists accept the Bible as their only creed and hold certain fundamental beliefs to be the teaching of the Holy Scriptures. These beliefs, as set forth here, constitute the church’s understanding and expression of the teaching of Scripture. Revision of these statements may be expected at a General Conference Session when the church is led by the Holy Spirit to a fuller understanding of Bible truth or finds better language in which to express the teachings of God’s Holy Word.