LEWISTON – The Jesus Party Pentecostal Kids’ Church is observing its 13-year anniversary of urban youth outreach this year. The ministry will hold a special jubilee service, open to the public, at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 29, at headquarters, 291 Bates St.

In the fall of 1993, life-long Lewiston residents, Doug and Sonia Taylor, started attending the First United Pentecostal Church. After conversion, the couple desired to share the hope they found with their community through an inner-city children’s outreach.

The Jesus Party was born in the winter of 1994 in the basement of their home, located in a residential neighborhood near Bates College. The Taylors felt compelled to sell their home and move into the heart of the inner city.

For the first two years the ministry was based in a first-floor apartment at the corner of Birch and Bartlett streets. Then they held services at the Amazing Grace Missions for six months while transitioning into their new facility at 291 Bates St. in March 1997.

Because of the growth in attendance, the Taylors decided to incorporate the Jesus Party as a domestic nonprofit organization in March 2001.

After seven years of ministering to the inner city through the Jesus Party, gospel tent crusades, street preaching and vacation Bible schools, the couple was ordained by Bishop Clayton Alward and received credentials through the North American Ministerial Association. The ceremony took place at the North Monmouth Full Gospel Pentecostal Church on Sept. 22, 2002.

The Jesus Party, which uses current events to convey biblical teachings to children, meets weekly, and the decor is a party setting, with balloons, streamers, candy counters, popcorn and hot dog machines. The idea was to make it a fun place to be as well as a thought-provoking experience. The ministry uses a flannel graph board to illustrate the Bible as well as live music, video, audio, drama, song and dance.

The Taylors have four children who are active in the Jesus Party. Elizabeth, 18, is a senior at the Christian Academy of Portland and is a Sunday school teacher at the United Pentecostal Church. Danielle, 16, a student at Lewiston High School, is planning to attend Bible college to study theology and develop her music ministry.

Japheth, 13, attends Lewiston Middle School and plays drums at the church. Kaitlyn, 8, goes to Longley Elementary School and shares in song at the Jesus Party.

Anyone interested in sharing resources and/or abilities with the inner-city children can contact the ministry at 786-5568.