Timeline

One God, One Faith, One Church, One Baptism in Jesus Name

We are one in the body of Christ

Colossians 1: 15-20 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Christ who fills the universe in all its parts Ephesians 1:23

Historiae Nostrae et Praecipuae Notae

We are an Independent Catholic mission devoted to prayer, Eucharistic adoration, and Marian spirituality, seeking to bring souls closer to Jesus Christ through a life of simplicity, devotion, and love.

Eric Michel Ministries International is a Catholic Franciscan apostolate dedicated to:

Spiritual formation and renewal
Pastoral care and sacramental life
Evangelization rooted in tradition
Fraternal community in the Franciscan spirit

Guided by the charism of simplicity, humility, and charity, this ministry seeks to bring souls into deeper communion with Christ and His Church.

HISTORY

In the spring of 2017, the Rev. B. Philip Kumar of the Pentecostal Church in Vadapalli, India, and the Rev. Xaviour Sebastian Chikwatu of the United Methodist Church in Malawi requested to work with us.

The “Eric Michel Ministries International ministry of the Interdenominational Assembly of Churches was born upon the teaching of Christ. We are an association of member churches and para-churches serving members in over 85 head churches worldwide. Through our local churches and online ministries, we provide a Seminary, a Bible Academy, a missions outreach program, and resources such as counselling and a support committee for Ecclesiastical rules and order through our Canon Law and Ecclesiastical College (House of Bishops), and much more.

The IAoC is divided into five regions, Africa, America, Asia, Europe and Oceania, overseen by a “District Superintendent Bishop”, who provides the management

spiritual support to the churches that he is responsible for.

Canada is the central headquarters, where Archbishop Eric M. Gagnon (Minister & Founder of Eric Michel Ministries International) is the international Elected Prelate and executive director of the Board of EMMI. Members vote every year on resolutions and other business of EMMI IAoC. All Ministers serve under the annual assembly named the Synode Symposium.

The Interdenominational Assembly of Churches Ministry Association (IAoC) was created in 2017, and we had our 1st Symposium in January 2018. At that time, we had only four (4) church affiliate members and two associate members. In the last months of 2018 and the beginning of 2019, we had 18 church members, or Christian organizations, represented by 83 Ecclesiastical persons from Nepal, India, Pakistan, Malawi, Uganda, Kenya, Canada, Cameroon, Togo & Ghana, Brazil, the USA, and Burundi.

Isaiah 9:3 Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.

African District Of IAoC

District 04 Malawi: African United Methodist, Life in Jesus Pentecostal Church, Prophet J Elisha Ministries, Divine Light Ministries
District 05 Uganda: Greater Grace Ministries Evangelical church, Set free Church & Ministries, Happy Times Care Ministries, Touch Jesus Outreach Ministries
District 07 Kenya: Province Our Lady of Africa, Christ Commission Fellowship Church, Glory Ministries, Bethel Orphanage Care Foundation, Grace Ministries Welfare Society, Builders For Christ Assembly Church, House of Light Church, Grace Outreach Church, Wilken of Builders for Christ Assembly Church
District 10 RD Congo: Province Our Lady of Africa
District 11 Nigeria:
District 12 Zambia:
District 30 South Africa: EMMI African Headquarters
District 32 Mozambique: Divine Light Ministries
District 33 Burundi: Jean NDAYIZIGA
District 34 Liberia:
District 35 Togo: Agape Family Fellowship, Espoir pour Afrique Togo 2018
District 36 Ghana: Agape Family Fellowship
District 37 Cameroon: Province Jesus the Good Shepherd
OLD CAMP GROUND BIBLE INSTITUTE OF EASTERN AFRICA
Centre of Praise Fellowship Church

We at Eric Michel Ministries International have grounded our presence in Africa

January 19, 1978: Eric Michel Ministry Foundation
1988.12.07: Priestly Ordination of Eric Michel Gagnon by Bishop T.T. (Willy) Williamson of Albany, New York. Johannic Church. Note: Eric M. Gagnon started a journey at the Johannic Tradition Church in 1977 and was ordained deacon in May 1985 by Bishop T.T. (Wally) Williamson. On December 07, 1888, Eric M. Gagnon was ordained as a priest of the Universal Christian Church with the ecclesiastical name Michel of Notre Dame. On Wednesday, November 30, 2010, Eric Gagnon was consecrated Bishop by Bishop T.T. (Wally) Williamson. Bishop Eric M. Gagnon chose the motto: Semper Christo Fidelis’ Always Faithful to Christ”. During the election of the board of elders, the General Assembly elected him Archbishop (Bishop President) in January 2011, and he was installed on May 6, 2011.
2012 May 12: Important date: the Baptist Minister, the Reverend Marie Arnold, teamed up with EMMI and became Eric Michel’s spouse
July 14, 2014: Eric Michel Ministries International registered our new name with the government. Eric Michel Ministry & Chaplaincy became Eric Michel Ministries International, legally constituted as a Not-for-Profit Religious corporation at Industry Canada under the number #895170-5 and at the Canada Revenue Agency under the number #80323 9177 RC001.
2017: Established an association with Christian Churches and Para-Churches. Founded the Interdenominational Assembly of Churches Association Ministry with Pentecostal Church Vadapalli, India, represented by Philip Kumar; J.Kaladhar; Bethel Orphanage Care Foundation, represented by the Rev. Robert Muhindo; Glory Ministry in Kenya, represented by the Rev. Philip E. Odhiambo; Christ Commission Fellowship Church, represented by Rt.Rev. Julius O. Nyambuoro, Conceição Souza NGO in Caucaia, Brazil, Happy Times Care Ministries by Pastor Muwonge Ibrahim, SET FREE CHURCH /MINISTRIES by Pastor David and Petronilla Turyatemba, African United Methodist by Rev. Xaviour Sebastian Chikwatu, Greater Grace Ministries by Rev. David Kisaame, Pentecostal Church in Nepal by Rev. Sunu Bajracharya.
June 11, 2017: A Ugandan church joined us
June 18, 2017: A Malawian Church joined us
2021: The Notre Dame of Grace Benedictine Oblate was founded on 15 October 2021, as an Independent Catholic Ministry that promotes Christogenesis, the monotheistic Catholic Ministry of Eric Michel Ministries International (EMMI). Bishop Celestin of Cameroon had resign is role in 2025.
September 2023: Pope Francis paid tribute to Eric Michel and the Ministry on 45 years of service to the community.
2023 September 06: Reaffirming that EMMI is NOT a church but a Ministry
July 14, 2024: The Brotherhood of Missionaries Jesus the Good Shepherd established a Catholic Metropolitan Province in Yaounde, Cameroon, by appointing Eric M. Gagnon Metropolitan Archbishop
2026: Open an office in South Africa
August 24, 2026: Partnership Proposal from MuCaBI (Nigeria) with African Harvestime Bible Academy
2026: Establishing a Catholic Metropolitan Province in Nigeria

The Metropolitan Archbishop, the Most Reverend Eric Michel, OFS, MI, Chaplain