A Lifetime in the Master’s Service
Daniel Ippolito was born in Toronto on December 20th, 1923. His parents, Luigi and Mary Ippolito, were known in Pentecostal circles in the City of Toronto for many years, having come to Toronto in 1919. Rev. Luigi Ippolito served as a Pastor of the Italian Pentecostal Church of Toronto beginning in 1919. In February of 1958, Daniel succeeded his father when the congregation extended a call to him to become their pastor.
Daniel took his schooling in Toronto, graduating from the Radio College of Canada. In his late teens he committed his life to Christ and recognizing the call of God on his life, in 1944 he enrolled in the Ontario Pentecostal Bible College (later Eastern Pentecostal Bible College, and now Master's College and Seminary). He later graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toronto.
In 1947, after graduation from Bible College, he entered the ministry pastoring a pioneer work in Whitby, Ontario. He later served as an Evangelist for several years, both in Canada and the U.S.A. In May of 1949, he was ordained to the Ministry with the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada.
In August of 1951, the call of God led him to Italy; trusting God to meet his financial needs, he learned the Italian language and ministered throughout Italy for a year and three months.
In 1954, he married Angelina Marie Ventura of Clarksburg, West Virginia, U.S.A. Angie was born and reared in a Christian family and committed her life to Christ in her late teens.
After their marriage, they left for Italy and spent a year ministering in Florence, Italy, and then throughout Italy in evangelism, Bible teaching, and Sunday School promotion. He also taught a course at the Assembly of God Bible School in Rome, Italy.
Upon his return from Italy, he pastored in Warren, Ohio, U.S.A., for two years. He was a member of the Executive Board of the Christian Church of North America (now known as the International Fellowship of Christian Assemblies) of the United States.
At the beginning of 1958, he received a call to pastor the congregation of the Italian Pentecostal Church of Toronto, Ontario. After a few years, the growing congregation had to look for new facilities, and in January of 1970, the Howard Park United Church was purchased, and the first services were held in April of that year. The Church became known as the Howard Park Pentecostal Church.
Daniel was a loving husband to Angie, father to their three children and grandfather to his eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Esther was married to the late Anthony Malandra. Their children are: Jordan, married to Arshbir, their son is Aidan. Michelle is married to Jordan Snow.
John is married to Kathryn (nee Wenzel). Their children are: Jeremy, married to Kathryn. Their children are Josiah and Adassa. Mark is married to Roxanne. Their children are Liam and Remy. Andrew is married to Cynthia. Their children are Raiden and Kaida.
Elizabeth is married to Tim Day. Their children are Nathan, Rachel and Joshua.
Angie is a devoted wife and mother and has always been an untiring Christian Worker beside her husband and an inspiration and support to her husband's ministry. She led the Women's Ministries of the Church for many years, taught a Sunday School Class, sang in the Choir, and served as secretary in the Church office for several years.
Daniel Ippolito served as General Secretary of the Italian Pentecostal Church of Canada (now the Canadian Assemblies of God) for 11 years and General Superintendent for 20 years. At the Conference in October 2002, held in the Howard Park Church of Toronto, at the age of 79, he withdrew his name from any office.
He was also active throughout his ministry in the City of Toronto on the Executive Board of the Pentecostal Fellowship of North America, serving at times as President of the Metropolitan Toronto Chapter.
His greatest love, aside from his family, was for the congregation of the Howard Park Church, where he pastored for over 37 years. He saw its growth from about 150 members in 1958 to a congregation that in 1995 numbered over 900 members and adherents. As pastor, he was always known to the congregation to be present and available.
Throughout his years of ministry, he ministered in several states of the U.S.A., in Scotland and England, twice in Australia, in Haiti and India and on three occasions taught in the Ukraine Biblical Seminary in Ternopil, Chernovtsii and Valta, Ukraine and on two occasions was the Baccalaureate and Commencement Speaker at these seminaries. He ministered at the Annual Conventions of the Christian Churches of North Europe and among many churches of the countries in Northern Europe. Over the years, he returned often to minister in churches of the Assemblies of God of Italy and, in 2001, was their Conference Speaker.
During his years of ministry, he was Co-Editor of the Publication ‘The Evangel Voice’. He was the author of ‘The History of the Canadian Assemblies of God’, recounting its nearly 100-year history. In 2006, he returned to serve the Weston Road Pentecostal Church of Toronto as Interim Pastor for one year.
Daniel’s ministry began soon after his conversion in the 1940s and continued into his 90s where he ministered in retirement homes and churches. Retirement never crossed his mind while serving the Lord, who called him into His service.
The Psalmist said: "They shall still bring forth fruit in old age." His testimony was:
"Surely, goodness and mercy HAS followed me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever."
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Carpenter Hospice