UPDATE from WCG PHILIPPINES

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

Bill Sidney Graduates with Master of Counseling Degree

Please join me in extending congratulations to Bill Sidney, who graduated from the University of Queensland with a Master of Counseling degree. In addition to pastoral ministry, Bill works for Relationships Australia and counsels victims of violence. --Dr. Joseph Tkach

Congratulations to our mentor and friend, Kuya Bill! --Weekly Update Editor

Second WCG Men's Conference: You are Invited!

Join the 2nd National Men’s Conference in Tagaytay on June 19 - 21. We are inviting all fathers, all grown up sons, brothers, friends and neighbors. Let us come together and seek what the Lord wants us to do as men, as Christian fathers, Christian sons, Christian brothers, Christian husband…

The Conference will start with a Devotional Service at 7:00PM after dinner on Thursday, June 19 (Christian Development Center). Conference ends on June 21 after lunch. On-site registration will begin at 3PM. Our Guest Speaker is Mr. Dan Rogers – WCG – USA Church Administration.

Registration Fee is P1,200.00. A Pre-registration fee of P500.00 is necessary to help us with the immediate planning and booking of hall and other related expenses. Please submit or deposit your P500- on or before June 1, 2008 (Acct. Name: Worldwide Church of God BPI CA#0361-0011-33) and send a copy of your validated deposit slip along with this application form to the National Office. The balance of P 700.00 needs to be paid upon arrival. PLEASE NOTE THAT WE CAN ONLY ACCEPT CASH PAYMENTS at CDC, Tagaytay. TRANSPORTATION: We encourage participants to travel together in groups for their safety. The participants will shoulder travel costs. Please plan to arrive on June 19 (before 3:00 p.m.).

Note to all pastors: Please print the application forms (click this hyperlink) and share this with all your men in the local congregation. --Rex Dela Pena

Summer Enrichment Program 2008

YOUTH CAMP SITES

Negros Occidental: April 16-20 at CICM, Miranda Subdivision, Talisay City. Contact Terrence Santibanez, tsbaz@yahoo.com.

Bohol: April 18-20 at Ubay Church Center, Francisco. Contact Romy Pusta, romy_pusta@yahoo.com.

Misamis Oriental (SEP Mindanao): May 1-4 at Midway White Beach Resort, Initao. Contact Rollen Olango, rollen_olango@yahoo.com.

Negros Oriental: May 1-5 at PTA, Junob, Km. 5, Dumaguete City. Contact Angelo Ouano, ar_ouano@yahoo.com. Cell # 0915-804-4740.

Cavite (SEP Luzon): May 13-20 at Villa Julia Resort, Aguinaldo Highway, Silang. Contact Rex Dela Pena, rex.delapena@wcg.org.

Cebu: May 22-26 at La Playa de Asuncion, Badian. Contact Jimmy Boone, jimi_boone@yahoo.com.

Join us as we reach out to the Filipino youths! Please pray for and support SEP! For details, click here!

2008 Summer Enrichment Programs

We encourage the SEP camper and staff applicants to submit their forms early. Doing this would help the camp organizers project the feasibility of their camps and their schedules, along with the projected expenses for each. The earliest camp will take place on April 16 – 20. We invite the campers to submit their forms before the deadline. Certain camps need this crucial information in deciding whether the camp could push through or not.

LUZON camp applicants are reminded that to submit their forms immediately. While the deadline may be several weeks away, we are also concerned about the number of campers interested because we will be able to plan accordingly with those figures in mind. In Luzon, it looks like we can comfortably accommodate 120 campers. Please plan ahead and submit your application forms.

We will be having international guests at the SEP camp in LUZON. They will be attending as camper and staff. We have also received interest from a family in Lahore, Pakistan who wants to send their 2 teenage children to SEP LUZON.

Please pray for the planning and the provision of our campsites. Dumaguete will host its first summer camp and this will be quite exciting for them. Thank you for praying for the camp organizers, campers and would-be staff. --Rex Dela Pena

Medical-Dental-Optical Mission in Forestry Church

Forestry Church, in partnership with A-Cross Ministry and Forestry Neighborhood Association Cooperative conducted last March 16 Medical-Dental-Optical MIssion in the neighborhood of Forestry. Around 800 patient beneficiaries were diagnosed, checked-up, teeth extracted, and finally received reading eyeglasses and almost a month-supply of medicines and vitamins. This partnership of WCG to A-Cross Ministry has been finalized last year with a formal agreement to further the evangelistic cause of both parties. This was signed by National Director Eugene Guzon for WCG and Dr. Simma Yang in behalf of the Board of A-Cross Ministry witnessed by pastor Roman Saynes. Annually, A-Cross is committed to render our denomination with 4 quarterly medical missions nationwide. Three of them are within Metro Manila and nearby provinces while the other one which is slated every summer vacation can be done in any parts of far-flung Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, with additional service of juvenile circumcision. This year, next month, we are scheduled to serve the people of Antique led by the tandem of Lorna Huera and Emma Solis.

In a related development, pastor Roman Saynes who is also teaching at Philippine Graduate School of Christian Education, was elected as Treasurer of the Board of Trustees of PGSCE. This institution is the educational arm of Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC). I covet your prayers in this grave responsibility added to my teaching load in that institution. God bless! ---Pastor Roman Saynes

ASC celebrates its 4th Moving Up Day

March 28, 2008 marked a memorable and joyful event as proud parents and guests came to celebrate along with the Ambassador Teaching staff, Principal Adora Barnachea and President Eugene Guzon ASC’s 4th Moving Up and Graduation Day held at the main hall of UP Hotel (formerly known as PCED Hostel) in UP, Diliman. Thirty-three bright and outstanding pupils were honored during the Awarding ceremonies topped by this year's Valedictorian and Loyalty Awardee, Aiyana Danica Ables with a touching Valedictorian speech. A commitment to a tradition of quality Christian-based education and life-long foundation for academic, leadership and spiritual excellence is the core & heart of Ambassador School. ASC is now accepting enrollees for SY 2008-2009. Visit ASC at #60 Matahimik Street , Teachers’ Village, Quezon City or call 426-2294. --Rachel Sarmiento

Easter Celebrations, Closing Ceremonies in Mindanao

During its 9th closing exercises last March 22, eighteen (18) children graduated from the Day Care Center managed and run by WCG - Kiara Church. The ceremony, which was held as part of the day's worship service, was attended by some 500 parents, guests and brethren. This occasion was a combined worship service of all 4 local churches in Bukidnon to celebrate Christ's life, death and resurrection. The Mindanao Area Superintendent who attended along with his family, was guest speaker.

The following day, Easter Sunday, a combined worship service was also held in Cagayan de Oro where some 150 brethren from the local churches of Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Jasaan and Iligan attended. In both places, the area superintendent spoke about the greatness of the triune God's love for all humanity and for all creation and the importance of Christ's life, death and resurrection and it's relevance to our daily lives (Christ-centered theology).

In the afternoon, the area superintendent and his family were surprised when the brethren showered them with much love and great affection through their testimonies (with hugs and tears for some) which they gave one after the other. The family was first assigned in Mindanao for 5 years in 1985-1992 and then in 2001 to the present (about 6.5 years). A very close family bond was built among the brethren through all those years. The family will now move back to Luzon in a few weeks as senior pastor for Pampanga Church.

Update from Barandilla Community Fellowship, 7 Baptisms

March 30,2008 Barandilla Community Fellowship (WCG IPIL) held its regular 5th-Sunday family day and baptism Sunday together with its Manil OBS (Fisher's of Men Christian Fellowship) in Manil, LB Postigo, Zamboanga del Norte. The event was attended by 198 people.

The day starts with the Blessing of Children Ceremony in which 17 children, mostly children of non-members whom we are reaching out, were dedicated to the Lord. After the dedication followed the worship service. During the worship service couple, Manny Bael and wife Margie were commissioned to assist Pastor Bert and wife Fe in the nurture of Manil OBS. They were prayed over by Elder Ed Villamil.
The highlight of the service is the "send off" prayer for Rhoam Eguia,our first young people to go to the Bible College. He is a recipient of a three partial scholarship grant of Calvary Chapel Bible College in Dumaguete City where he will undergo a two year academic training and one year internship in preparation to be a Bible teacher and a Church planter. The praying of Blessing and sending off was led by Pastor Geoffrey Balatero and wife Sarah.
After the worship service the whole congregation and visitors went down to the seashore to witness the baptism of seven people who committed their lives to Christ for water baptism. They were (from Manil) Carlos Causapin, Jonard Causapin, Arnel Aleman, Estelita Quadra and Rose Mie Gore and from Ipil were:Reynan Fernando and Princes Redoblado. --Bert Colona, Senior Pastor

Prayer Request for Elder

We are asking our brethren to include in your prayers Dad FEN (Mr. Henson Fen Santos) from WCG Sta Rosa. He has been experiencing difficulty in passing his urine for the past 2 months. He is 77 years old and has been a long time member, minister in Metro Manila. Kindly remember him and wife, Mommy Cerma in your prayers. --Rex Dela Pena

Comments from our Subscribers

"I thank you so much ever since the beginning you've been sending me e-mails of events happennings in the Philippines. I attend the WCG here in Miramar,Florida USA" --Name Withheld

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)