Gil Moreno was born in Santa Maria, TX to Maria G. Moreno and Juan Antonio Moreno on February 1, 1935. He began working in the cotton fields at the age of ten in Mississippi, and he continued working in agricultural fields until the age of eighteen. In 1947, when Gil was only 12 years old, he heard the Gospel for the first time through a man named Julio Rodriguez. This man approached the family with a Bible in hand and a twelve-string guitar strapped to his shoulder. Gil was so intrigued by his teachings and singing of soul-stirring apostolic songs, he decided right then to give his heart to the Lord and become a Bible teacher just like that man. He watched and listened intently as each of his family members were changed by the teachings of God’s Word. Brother Gil would steal away into the woods and stand behind a tree stump and preach to the trees. God’s presence would surround him as he repeated what he had learned from the Bible. His burning desire to win souls for Christ was carried by the wind into the throne of God who chose him as a servant to take His message to the unbeliever.
In 1950, he was baptized and received the gift of the Holy Ghost in the Apostolic Church in Weslaco, TX, where he served the youth of his church. It soon became evident that God had a special calling for him, in the ministry. He became totally absorbed in the study of God’s word. The Oneness of God and baptism in the name of Jesus Christ became his life-long teaching passion. By the age of sixteen, his calling began to bear fruit as lives were changed. He was initiated to the ministry in 1953, and was ordained in 1954 by Bishop Benjamin Cantu who recognized God’s anointing on his life. Brother Gil relocated to the state of Arizona where he served as president of the Messengers of Peace for two years.
In 1956, as President of the Messengers of Peace, Brother Moreno went to preach at a youth service in Tucson, AZ. His purpose was to meet the treasurer of his board, Eva Ramirez, the local pastor’s daughter, who in turn ignored him. At a later date he was invited to preach in Eloy, AZ. He preceded his sermon with the song “Las Pisadas de Cristo” as Eva accompanied him on the piano. He drew her attention with his dreamy eyes, flashy smile, stylish tie, sweet and inspiring voice, and later hooked her with his charming personality. Later that evening, after talking for about 15 minutes, shaking hands, they parted ways. She turned to the girls in her car and said “Es mio, ya me lo heche a la bolsa” (“He’s mine, I have him in my pocket”)! Eva Ramirez became his wife on April 7th, 1957. Together they had five children.
He moved his family to Orange County California, where he served under three pastors in various capacities; as a Sunday School Administrator, Teacher, and Evangelist. In 1965 Pastor Gil began a new era in his ministry. He aided his cousin, Pastor Vasquez, in establishing the Apostolic Church in Orange, CA where he served as Assistant Pastor.
His evangelistic work grew with the baptism of seventeen souls, a direct result of his home Bible studies. Pastor Gil and his wife answered the Lord’s call to serve as pastors in the Apostolic Church in Sebastian, TX from 1967 to 1969, and in Corpus Christi, TX in 1974.
Pastor Gil and his family begin a new work in Placentia, CA in 1975. There, by the grace of God he was able to establish a church. He pastored fervently teaching home Bible studies, praying for the sick, seeing them healed, and coaching young men for the service of God in various forms of ministry. In addition to pastoring, he also preached and taught the Word of God in various countries including Italy, Argentina, Uruguay, El Salvador, Colombia, and Mexico. In 1986 Pastor Moreno established a second church in the city of Norwalk, California and continued pastoring in the cities of Anaheim and Fullerton until April 2014. Thousands of lives have been changed and ministries developed through Pastor Gil Moreno Sr.’s 40 years of pastorship.
In his retirement, he returned to his native state of Texas and settled in San Antonio, TX where the Lord called him home on May 22, 2015. His legacy will continue into the future through his children, grandchildren and many others that were influenced by his love for soul winning, evangelism and ministry.
Pastor Gil Moreno Sr. is survived by his wife, Eva R. Moreno; sons, Gil Moreno, Jr. and his wife Norah and Joel Moreno and his wife Esther; daughters, Delilah Smale and her husband Duane and Eva Marie Ragazzo and her husband Rafael; grandchildren, Timothy Moreno and his wife Candace, April Lopez and her husband Allen, Abram Moreno and his wife Noemi, Jacob Moreno, David Smale, Alexa Ragazzo-Bernal, Danae Smale, and Zachary Ragazzo; great-grandchildren, Aayliah Morones, Zion Moreno, Alanna Moreno, Eliza Bernal; and sisters, Aurora Granillo and her husband Ruben, and Rosie Aguirre and her husband Daniel.
A funeral service will be held 9:30 a.m., Saturday, May 30, 2015 at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home in Allen, Texas. Interment is to follow at Ridgeview Memorial Park in Allen, Texas. The family will receive friends during a visitation on Friday evening from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home in Allen, Texas.