UPDATE from WCG PHILIPPINES

An official weekly e-mail newsletter from the Worldwide Church of God - Philippines

Its that time of the year when we as a denomination gather with friends and families to take time out from school and work to be together and do one thing- that is, to bask in the joy of celebrating and worshipping God as one big family!

The recently concluded Luzon Festivals held in Baguio City from Sept. 19 till 23 took on the theme “Carry the Light”. As brethren from all over Luzon, other parts of the country and abroad came, the festivals’ attendance reached a number close to a thousand towards the weekend.

The schedule this year allowed for a good mix of free and fellowshipping time, and was dotted with various activities that catered to the different age groups represented, such as a simple Seniors’ Social; a fun afternoon of games and snacks for the kids and the young adults; and a singles’ activity which was aptly called “Single Mingle ‘07”. The traditional dance night for this year was also notably well attended as everyone who came was seen dancing the night away to a 70’s- 80’s inspired theme! Another highlight would be the Appreciation Dinner hosted in honor of the Luzon Pastors and Pastoral Team Members. Here, ND Eugene Guzon expressed his thanks to the men and women who tirelessly partnered with the church to help nurture the brethren in their specific areas, he also mentioned his intention of holding another Luzon Pastors’ Conference by December of this year. A team of 12 missionaries from San Jose, California led by Pastor Mel Dahlgren and Mrs. Myra Paulino was also present during the festivals. They will be in the country till the end of the month for a string of missions exposure projects.

All throughout the four- day festival, each morning was started off with praise and worship services. On the first day, Pastor Jerry Ortiguero gave the sermon, followed by Pastor Rex dela Peña on the second day. The latter delivered a stirring message that focused on the value of Christians depending on the true Light for real togetherness. He stressed that a deepening and authentic bond among Christians is caused by God himself, and that real unity cannot be formed if we are to depend solely on our own efforts.

This was then followed by ND Eugene’s very uplifting message entitled, “Jesus, the Light that Overcomes Darkness”. There, he gave three equally important points why we as Christians should prioritize our intimacy with Jesus Christ--- because He came to reveal the deepness of God’s communion; He came to demonstrate the wideness of God’s compassion for mankind; and He came to supply us the fullness of God’s provision. On the same day, Dr. Joseph Tkach gave his personal greeting to the festival goers through a video presentation. Everyone was pleasantly surprised to have seen and heard the Pastor General end his greeting with a statement delivered in Tagalog!

This year’s Luzon festivals may have come to a close, but the fire that has been set ablaze through Jesus Christs’ perfectly inclusive love by the power of the Holy Spirit shines ever so brightly as everyone headed home, filled by that very same love, motivated to keep on carrying the Light for all to see. --Abi Natividad, National Office, WCG Philippines

"...saying that God would predestine some people to hell -- after Jesus went out of his way to say he came to save them all -- isn't Gospel. It's just moralism in theological drag." --Robert F. Capon, The Mystery of Christ...& Why We Don't Get It

The gospel, the good news, tells us: You already belong to Christ—receive it. Enjoy it. Trust him with your life. Enjoy his peace. Open your eyes to the beauty, the love, the peace, the joy in the world that can be seen only by those who are at rest in Christ’s love. In Christ, we are free to face and admit our sinfulness. Because we trust him, we are not afraid to confess our sins and unload them on his shoulders. He is on our side. Read article, Take the Leap.

“God will not come into certain corners of our lives until we open those corners to him. Certainly, God knows our hearts better than we know our hearts. But he will not work in those areas unless we say, "Come." That's part of the active relationship of God giving us perfect freedom to invite him to come. It isn't just amounts of knowledge we're talking about. It is the life relationship, the interaction with God, that changes us." --Richard Foster, Plain Truth Interview with Mike Feazell

"I find the excerpts very helpful to highlight certain positions and doctrines of our church in a paragraph or two. Thanks." --From Metro Manila

Thank you most sincerely for the updates. It is always a refreshing read and I thank God for all the things that the brethren in the Philippines are currently empowered to do in ministering to others. May I ask for prayers for the tiny ministry my husband and daughter and some friends in Canada are doing for our WCG people in Sta. Teresita, Iriga, Camarines Sur." --From Canada

To subscribe, unsubscribe or send comments, please write to Len.Joson@wcg.org. This Weekly Update can also be viewed at www.wcg.org/ph/updatelist.htm. The Update from WCG Philippines is an official e-mail weekly update from the Worldwide Church of God in the Philippines.

Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you." (2 Thessalonians 3:1)