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Commonwealth Chapel The Assemblies of God Church has two classifications for their affiliates. General Council affiliated churches are those that have developed to be self-governing and self-supporting. District affiliated churches are those that have not developed into full autonomy. In both types of affiliations, the local church is required to abide to the Statement of Fundamental Truths outlined by the Assemblies of God. The Commonwealth Chapel is a district affiliate church. The Commonwealth Chapel falls under the jurisdiction of the Virginia District and the National Assemblies of God Church. The Commonwealth Chapel abides by the decisions of these entities and by the Assemblies of God Statement of Fundamental Truths doctrine. T he Assemblies of God churches, including the Commonwealth Chapel, elect their own pastor and the board of deacons.
The primary focus of the Assemblies of God and the Commonwealth Chapel is evangelism and missionizing. The Commonwealth Chapel supports numerous ministries: children and students ministries, community core groups that are located throughout the Richmond area, leadership family, local meals missions, friendship circles, prison missions, and international missions.
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The Commonwealth Assembly of God church is a small congregation consisting of approximately 150 members. The congregation consists of mostly middle class families of all ages, and most members are of European descent. According to the Commonwealth Chapel website, “Commonwealth Chapel is an Assemblies of God church with a ‘trans-denominational’ emphasis.” Worship services at the Commonwealth Chapel are characterized as fundamental in style. During the service, members are free to stand, kneel, sit, clap, raise their hands, or sit quietly. Commonwealth Chapel only requests that activities be conducted in “orderly freedom” or in a method that it will not disrupt others in attendance. When singing occurs during the worship service, members are free to partake of Communion and light a prayer candle if they so desire to do so.