INSTALLATION — Installation Day ceremonies for Bishop Darrell Cummings were held Friday at Wheeling University. -- Joselyn King

WHEELING — Bishop Darrell Cummings is now two-thirds of the way toward being fully installed as the bishop for a community in South Africa through the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World.

Cummings — who serves as pastor at Shiloh Apostolic Faith Assembly in Weirton and Bethlehem Apostolic Temple in North Wheeling — was first consecrated as bishop of the Eastern Cape of South Africa during a ceremony in July that was part of PAW’s national convention in Baltimore.

On Friday, he had his Installation Day celebration and ceremonies locally at Wheeling University. He will travel to South Africa for his final ceremony on Oct. 11 among the people of Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

The installation service in Wheeling on Friday evening took place in the Troy Theatre at Wheeling University.

Cummings said the feeling was different from that of the first installation in Baltimore, and he suspects it won’t be similar to the upcoming ceremony in South Africa.

“This is where I have spent the last 30 years,” he said. “This is with the people I have spent my life with, and a familiar place where I brought up my family. Hopefully, I’m an adopted child of the Ohio Valley.

“It’s scary, but I hope it’s worth it. I’m beyond words for those who have chosen to come and support me.”

Among those joining PAW bishops on stage for the ceremony was the Bishop Mark Brennan of the Wheeling-Charleston Catholic Diocese.

Wheeling Mayor Denny Magruder addressed those present, and spoke of the “peace, love, joy and hope” Cummings and his wife Latisha bring the community.

At the next meeting of Wheeling City Council on Oct. 1, the city will honor Cummings with a resolution and a key to the city, he said.

Magruder on Friday night went ahead and presented a second key to the city to Bishop Richard Howell Jr., 2nd Assistant Presiding Bishop of PAW, who provided the consecration message during the service.

Other officials speaking of their relationship with Cummings were Del. Shawn Fluharty, D-Ohio; state Sen. Laura Wakim-Chapman, R-Ohio; Wellsburg Mayor Dan Dudley; Ohio County Chief Deputy Nelson Croft; and Ohio County Administrator Randy Russell on behalf of the Ohio County Commission.

Earlier in the day there was a luncheon for Cummings at WU’s Erickson Alumni Center. It began with a video of photos depicting the trip earlier this year by the Cummings family to Port Elizabeth.

While there, they distributed Bibles, needed clothing, food and supplies to those living in severe poverty there. They visited orphanages, and then preached the Gospel at night.

After the video, Howell told of how, when his group arrived in Wheeling at their hotel Thursday night, workers there asked about them and why they were in the city.

He told them, “Bishop Darrell Cummings.”

“It’s like everything lit up when I said his name,” Howell said. “It’s a good name within the community, and it will be a good name within the world.”

Howell said of the PAW and its missionaries, “We are the world.”

“And seeing the work that Bishop Cummings has always done before his consecration – passing out Bibles, visiting orphanages … I’m telling you I thank God the work of the holy spirit still works today.”

A panel discussion of some already serving as Bishops and missionaries in other countries followed. It was led by Suff. Bishop Jeffrey Akers.

The first question he asked was why missions to other countries by religious leaders are important?

Bishop Gwendolyn Weeks answered that while God loves everyone, there are five groups that are closest to him – children, the homeless, the poor, widows and strangers.

She continued God’s message is to “not take everything, but to leave something behind for those most in need.”

“When we talk about missions, those are the groups we minister to,” Weeks said. “Missions are important because they are important to God.

They were asked what was most difficult about being on a mission.

All replied that travel and raising funds to provide for those in dire need were a challenge.

“The need is always great, but God is greater than the need,” said Bishop Kandy Akers.

Weeks added it seems there is never enough funds to provide the poor what they need.

“The biggest challenge is not having the money to bless,” she explained. “Most of the people in these countries have a salary that is only $100 a month. It’s so hard to not want to put something into their hands. We need funds to bless.”

Suff. Bishop Walter Oliver advised that anyone preparing to go on a mission make an effort to learn basic words and phrases in that country before they travel there.

“There are cultural and language barriers,” he said.

Oliver added it is also important to remember that while in America we may financially struggle and not feel we are rich, we are compared to much of the world.

“What we have is so much more,” he said.

University President Dianna Vargo dropped in during the panel discussion to address those present.

She said she has worked alongside Cummings for many years as they both serve on the Wheeling Hall of Fame committee.

“It’s an honor that he asked us if he could hold his celebration here at Wheeling University,” Vargo said.

She invited Cummings to come back “for anything.”