Belton Santos Rivera

Belton Rivera entered Heaven on February 2, 2023, in the 53 rd year of his life. With his departure, he leaves behind a body and mind ravaged by aneurysm and years of diabetes and now enjoys freedom of movement, thought, and rejoicing in the presence of God.

Belton was born the third of four surviving children in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines on February 25, 1969, to the late Reverend Ben S. Rivera and the late Nenita Santos, who were both Christian missionaries.

Belton’s family moved to Linapacan, Palawan in 1977 to do missionary work there. They then returned to Puerto Princesa in 1986 when his mother became ill. When his mother passed away, he felt the calling of the Lord and decided to become a pastor and studied at Bethel Bible College (BBC), from which he graduated in 1991 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Christian Ministries Major in Biblical Studies.

Belton pastored in Isabela Province after graduating from the BBC before moving to Cavite Province in 1992, when he became the youth pastor for the Hundredfold Covenant Assemblies of God and a teacher at Bethel Academy in General Trias, Cavite. He then pastored the daughter church of the Hundredfold Covenant Assemblies of God in Tirona Village, General Trias. He touched many lives as a youth pastor, teacher, and pastor.

Belton began pastoring at a house church in Novaliches Village, Quezon City in 1995 and would do so for two years. (A youth from that house church now pastors a church in Quezon City).

Belton, along with some Christian workers, went to China in 1997 to smuggle bibles there. Whenever he recounted this experience, he always showed his amazement at how the Lord protected him and his colleagues during those tough times. He then went to Hong Kong in 1999 to pastor at Shalom Fellowship Church and would later plant Evangel Fellowship Church in 2002, which he pastored at for four years.

Belton later moved to Canada, where he became affiliated with Church Planting Ministries, Incorporated (CPMI) and the Associated Gospel Churches (AGC). In 2008, he became the pastor of House of Praise (HOP) at Ajax, Ontario and would remain so until August 2013, when he planted and became the pastor of Arise International Ministries (AIM; formerly HOP-East, daughter church of HOP).

Belton returned to Linapacan for the first time in almost three decades in 2015. After much thought, prayer, and heeding the Lord’s calling to carry on his parents’ work, he again returned to Linapacan for a month in 2018 to plant AIM-Project New Grounds. (AIM-Project New Grounds was first pastored by the late Reverend Samuel Viñas and then by its current pastor – Belton’s younger brother, the Reverend Timothy Rivera). He also planted a house church (Arise West) in the Mississauga-Brampton area around the same time.

Belton’s love for the Lord gave him the heart to continuously connect with people who had church planting in mind. In 2021, he got connected with the Canadian National Baptist Convention (CNBC) and SEND Network, who nurtured, trained, and equipped him in his desire to serve the Lord more and more.

Belton liked to drive, travel, and go on adventures. He was a man of the sea and would often set out with his friends to fish. He also liked the forest and was an avid hunter. He used an airgun to hunt wild chickens for selling and gave his earnings to his mother. Aside from these, he was also a recreational miner, a carpenter, a cleaner, and a label-printing press worker.

While pastoring at AIM, Belton worked for the Oshawa Clinic Group as a Cleaner for more than two years. He then worked for the Resource Label Group as a Flexo Press Support Technician for more than two years. His colleagues in both places said that he will be remembered for his kind soul and positive, hardworking personality.

Belton was said to be kind, generous, and patient. He helped a lot of people without expecting something in return and was able to build lasting friendships with them. He will be remembered for his jokes, his stories, his gentle spirit, and his love for Filipino food (such as biko and diningding). He will also be remembered for his openness in sharing stories of the struggles and victories in the ministry, his warm and welcoming smile, his appreciation and love for the members of AIM, and being a hardworking servant of God.

Belton was a family-oriented man, a loving husband, and a good father. He always made sure to spend quality time with his wife and children.

Belton is survived by his wife of 27 years, Charisma (Columna), whom he married on May 6, 1995, and two children: Matthew and Philene Amara.

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The Reverend Belton Rivera of Whitby, Ontario, passed away on Thursday, February 2, 2023, at Lakeridge Health Oshawa. He was 53 years old.

Belton, a native of Palawan, Philippines, was born the third of four surviving children to the late Reverend Ben S. Rivera and the late Nenita Santos in the City of Puerto Princesa on February 2, 1969. The illness and subsequent passing of his mother in 1986 spurred him to become a pastor. He studied at the Bethel Bible College (BBC) from where he graduated in 1991. After graduating from the BBC, he became the pastor of a church in Isabela Province until 1992, when he became the youth pastor for the Hundredfold Covenant Assemblies of God (HCAG) and a teacher at Bethel Academy. He then pastored at HCAG’s daughter church in Tirona Village, General Trias, and also planted a house church in Novaliches Village, Quezon City.

Some time in 1996, Belton and some church workers went to China (PRC) to smuggle bibles there. He then moved to Hong Kong in 1999 to pastor at Shalom Fellowship Church until 2002, when he planted and pastored at Evangel Fellowship Church until he moved to Canada in 2005. He served at a church in Windsor, Ontario before bringing his family from the Philippines in 2008, when he became the pastor of House of Praise (HOP) in Ajax, Ontario. He served as the pastor of HOP until 2013 when he became the pastor of Arise International Ministries (AIM; formerly HOP-East, daughter church of HOP) in Whitby, where he served until his passing. In conjunction with his duties at AIM, he would go on to plant a house church in the Brampton-Mississauga area (Arise West) and to revive his parents’ work in his hometown of Linapacan, Palawan (AIM-New Grounds). He became affiliated with the Church Planting Ministries, Incorporated (CPMI), the Associated Gospel Churches (AGC), the Canadian National Baptist Convention (CNBC), and SEND Network while pastoring in Canada.

While serving as the pastor of AIM, Belton also worked first for the Oshawa Clinic Group as a cleaner and then for the Resource Label Group as a Flexo Press Support Technician for two years each. His colleagues in both places will remember him for his positive, hardworking attitude.

Belton will be remembered by his friends and family for his kindness, gentleness, and being a good, loving, and caring husband and father.

Belton is survived by Charisma (Columna), his wife of 27 years, and two children: Matthew and

Philene Amara.

A visitation for Belton will be held Saturday, February 25, 2023 from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM at Courtice Funeral Chapel, 1587 Highway #2, Courtice, ON L1E 2R7, until time of memorial service in the chapel at 1:30 PM.

Please join the family via Livestream at https://funeraweb.tv/en/diffusions/69675

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.courticefuneralchapel.com for the Rivera family.