Raymond Mesa Jr.

Raymond Mesa, Jr. was born on April 28, 1942 in Los Angeles County General Hospital in Los Angeles, California. He was the firstborn of seven children born to Ramon and Ermila Mesa. He was raised in San Fernando, CA.

At the age of 7, Brother Ray gave his heart to Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior and was baptized at Iglesia La Trinidad Asembleas de Dios. At the age of 9, while walking to school, he heard a voice calling him, and he presumed it was his mother. Brother Ray ran back home and asked her what was needed, but his mother told him she had not called him. After three recurrences, just like the prophet Samuel, his grandmother determined the Lord was talking to him, calling him into the ministry. She laid her hands on him, praying for the anointing of the Holy Spirit to be upon him.

Brother Ray preached his first sermon at 9 years of age and continued preaching the gospel until he retired at the age of 76. The first time he preached, people rushed to the altar to give their hearts to Christ. Immediately, Brother Ray was invited to preach at Confraternidades, revivals, and churches around the Los Angeles area. When Brother Ray was 11, his father took him to Chama, New Mexico where he preached for an Assemblies of God Camp Meeting that summer. From there, he was invited to churches all over Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona preaching from town to town. For a number of summers thereafter, Brother Ray would be booked to preach all over the Southwest.

In 1964 at the age of 22, Brother Ray enlisted in the Army, serving as a medical specialist hospital attendant. He was stationed at Fort Ord in California, then at Fort Sam Houston in Texas, and then at Fitzimmons General Hospital in Denver, Colorado. At each stop, Brother Ray was invited by local churches to preach revivals. Brother Ray was decorated as a marksman badge rifle m-14. At his Army graduation ceremony, the chaplain asked Brother Ray to say the prayer because he was known as a man of God.

While stationed in Colorado in 1964, Brother Ray met Carol Maikranz at a Youth For Christ service. They fell in love and were married the following year. After his military discharge, they relocated to California where Brother Ray preached as an evangelist. In 1972, their daughter Deborah Lynn Mesa was born. This prompted Brother Ray to become a pastor to provide more stability for his new family. He bought a home in Norwalk, and started a new church in La Habra, California, and continued to preach as an evangelist whenever he was invited.

In 1974, Brother Ray was assigned by the Assemblies of God Superintendent, Dr. Victor De Leon, to a struggling church in Buena Park to help heal the church. For years, the Assemblies of God would assign Brother Ray to pastor churches in conflict where his gift of preaching would promote healing and growth. This earned him the nickname, “El Parche,” (The Patch). Churches in Brawley, Phoenix, Carlsbad, Echo Park, and Salem, Oregon all were blessed with his preaching and leadership. In Oregon, Brother Ray sold his home in Norwalk and planted churches in Eugene, Roseburg, Independence, Monmouth, Hillsboro, Medford, Mount Hood and other cities in Oregon. He would take members from his church in Salem, train them as church planters, and pay for their expenses so they could start churches.

In 1981, Brother Ray was called to pastor the church in Selma, California, La Trinidad, which years earlier had been started by his grandmother, Augustina Mesa. Brother Ray and his family stayed in Selma for 9 years, as his daughter Deborah was able to grow through her high school years until she left for LABI. During those years, the church grew mightily, with souls being saved, friendships being formed, and the power of the Holy Spirit prevalent through it all.

In 1990, the Lord called Brother Ray to become the pastor of Christian Chapel in La Puente, California. From a start of 9 people, the Holy Spirit prompted tremendous spiritual growth with souls being saved and people being called to ministry. From there, Pastor Ray planted 4 more churches with members of Christian Chapel serving as pastors. He retired from pastoring in 2001, but Brother Ray continued preaching at churches all over until his retirement in 2018.

Generosity was a prominent characteristic of Brother Ray’s life and ministry. The Lord told him at an early age, “You take care of My business; I’ll take care of your business.” He gave liberally to bible students, preachers, and people in need. Untold numbers of people were blessed when he paid for their school admissions applications, rent, food, bills, you name it.

Pastor Ray was extremely well-loved by so many to whom he served as their spiritual father, grandfather, mentor, and friend. Many referred to him as, “Ápa,”, “Abuelito,”and other terms of endearment.

On a preaching trip to Jilquipan, Mexico in the 1990’s, Pastor Ray was led by the Holy Spirit to start a bible school there, even though he had never been to bible school. His preaching ministry from then on would be used to raise funds for bible schools in Mexico. He paid for the buildings, salaries for teachers, books and supplies for the students, everything they needed. In Honduras, Cuba, Guatemala, and Mexico, Pastor Ray started at least 11 bible schools. He also built 5 churches in Mexico. Later, he was called by the Lord to, “Hermosea la casa.” He would raise the money to beautify those churches, putting new floors, painting the sanctuaries, and strengthening the structures.

In 2018, Pastor Ray retired from ministry and he and Carol moved to Pennsylvania to spend his last years with his daughter, Deborah, and her family.

Pastor Ray Mesa was predeceased by his siblings, Rachel Cota and Daniel Mesa. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Carol Mesa; his daughter, Deborah Lynn Flores (Rev. Dr. Ernest Flores); his two grandchildren, Armida Linette Flores and Rachel Anne Flores; his siblings, Rev. Paul Mesa (Peggy), Ana Sanchez (Fermin), Lydia “Lilly” Contreras, and Joel Mesa; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, friends, and colleagues in ministry that outnumber the sands on the seashore.

Gratefully submitted by the Family.