LEWISTON — Rev. Doug and Sonia Taylor, the ministry directors of the Jesus Party Pentecostal Kid’s Church, will hold a special night of worship open to the public in honor of their 18th year involved in inner-city children’s ministry. The gathering will take place at their chapel, 291 Bates St., at 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23.

The Taylors started their ministry in the basement of their Brault Street home in 1994. In February 1995 they sold their home and relocated to an apartment at the corner of Birch and Bartlett streets. This was the birth of a full-fledged faith-based Christian children’s ministry that would soon become the talk of the town.

The Taylors were hurled into the square of public opinion as the couple took strong stands on very controversial issues that affect the lives of children. The Taylors are best know for their protests over the years against the Harry Potter books and movie series that brought national coverage to their ministry.

The ministry has also found itself at odds with New Beginnings and the Trinity Episcopalian Church over the distribution of contraceptives that lead to protests in 2000. The children’s ministry has also clashed with the hate group The World Church of the Creator in protest of their racist rally in 2003.

The ministry’s board of directors also protested at the Lewiston MPBN offices in 2005 over an episode in the children’s television series “Postcards From Buster.” At issue was a portion of the show that promoted same-sex marriage.

With all of the exposure by the media the Taylors decided to incorporate the ministry as a domestic nonprofit organization and sought to obtain ministerial credentials to better serve the children of their ministry and bring a sense of legitimacy to their causes. Today the ministry is in its own facility on Bates Street and promotes such causes as domestic and child abuse awareness as well as taking strong stands against peer pressure, drug use and bullying.

Rev. Taylor gave the invocation at Robert Macdonald’s mayoral inauguration in 2012 and also was awarded the Spirit of America Award by the Spirit of America Foundation. Mrs. Taylor is a second term Lewiston School Committee member.

The Taylors lay aside their politics as they conduct their children’s ministry every week offering a fun-filled worship atmosphere for youths that might resemble a Sunday School gathering on steroids. The meetings are very exuberant, emotional and uplifting, allowing children to express themselves by jumping, dancing and clapping their hands.

The Taylors bring practical and adaptable life lessons to the children using the Bible, faith-based movies and through music. The children are encouraged to make prayer and participate in giving testimonies.

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