Kalibo & Iloilo Brethren Receive Relief and Love from WCG Churches

About thirty (30) households who are members of the WCG churches in Kalibo & Iloilo sustained severe losses from typhoon Frank which battered the country last June 19-20, 2008. Two of them  lost their homes, two of them lost their roofs and all the rest lost almost all their belongings due to the flashfloods caused by the heavy rains during the typhoon.

In response to this calamity, WCG Churches responded by donating food and other supplies. Other brethren from overseas also shared their love through their supplemental relief of goods and support.

ND Eugene Guzon together with the WCG local leaders in Iloilo visited Kalibo this weekend to extend their support and encouragement in behalf of many who gladly responded in this time need. --Noemi Aileen del Rosario

Sorsogon Leaders Meet WCG Leadership Regarding Medical Mission

Sorsogon government led by Mrs. Evie Escudero and the Provincial Health Officer Edgar Garcia and Dr. Rogelio Rivera met with ND Eugene & AS Rey Tañiajura regarding the Medical-Surgical mission to be held on January 2009. This was the second preparatory meeting for this project and they discussed the different logistics/operational components of the program. The meeting was held at the residence of Congressman & Mrs. Escudero in Buhatan, Sorsogon last Thursday, June 26, 2008.

Other leaders included in the meeting are Sorsogon City Mayor  Leovic Dioneda, President Antonio Fontes of Sorsogon State College and other local officials,

The Medical-Surgical Mission are one of the regular programs of the WCG as part of its outreach to the different communities in the Philippines.

The surgeons and nurses for this activity will be coming mostly from the Houston, Texas and California, USA. Other local surgeons, physicians and nurses from Sorsogon will also participate in this project. It is expected that this 3-day mission will benefit about 300 surgical patients and about 4,500 medical cases.

The WCG leaders are part of the executive committee planning for this event. Some of the committees in the implementation of the medical mission will be handled by the WCG leaders in Albay and Sorsogon. --Noemi Aileen del Rosario

NHV High Prepares for Youth Leadership Camp

North Hills Village high school students & teachers in Norzagaray, Bulacan enthusiastically welcomed ND Eugene Guzon & Area Superintendent for Metro Manila Rex dela Peña last July 01, 2008. The purpose of the visit was to promote a Youth Leadership camp.

They were gladly met by high school teachers led by Marisse Marahas. ND Eugene & Pastor Rex presented the plan among the 2nd, 3rd, 4th year students. This camp will benefit about 80 students mainly from Bulacan. This is a joint project of WCG, Jon Whitney Foundation & New Life Fellowship based in California, USA.

Youth Camps have been among the major outreach programs of the Philippines Church and has led to hundreds of young people to Christ. --Noemi Aileen del Rosario

Paradise Church Celebrates 5th Anniversary

Paraiso Church in Barangay Paradise, San Jose del Monte, Bulacan celebrated their 5th anniversary last June 29, 2008. It was attended by about 30 brethren and visitors. The main message was given by ND Eugene Guzon. He spoke about “How to keep the church on fire for Jesus”.

After the service and lunch gathering, ND Eugene facilitated a meeting with the local leaders to plan and pursue their future plans and directions. He gave them certain opportunities for more effective ministry.

The brethren went home energized by the Lord as they reflected His faithfulness and purpose for their lives. Despite the rain around the lunchtime, the warmth in their faces demonstrated joy. --Noemi Aileen del Rosario

Purpose Driven Life (PDL) and Pre-Employment Orientation Seminars (PEOS) Conducted in Albay and Sorsogon

Some 21 pastors and Worldwide Church of God leaders in Albay and Camarines Sur provinces attended a Purpose Driven Life (PDL) facilitators’ training last June 13. Three other pastors and leaders from other denominations participated in the training. The event was held at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology compound in Legaspi City. The purpose of the seminar was to orient would-be facilitators of the PDL among police officers in the region. In a directive early this year, Philippine National Police Chief Avelino Razon required policemen all over the country to undergo PDL seminars.

In a related development, a Pre-Employment Orientation Seminar was also conducted at the Lewis College in Sorsogon City. Some 23 students of the nursing assistant program of the college participated in the seminar. Ms. Mutya Acebron, the program coordinator for the college invited Dr. Rey Taniajura to facilitate the seminar while he and national director Eugene Guzon were in the area for a meeting with Sorsogon City officials for an upcoming medical mission project early next year. Most of those who attended the PEOS seminar expressed a desire to work abroad after graduation. The Worldwide Church of God - Philippines in 2007 signed a memorandum agreement with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) where the church has agreed to help POEA in its information campaign to orient potential overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

Donsol Church Pastoral Team Re-commissioned

The new pastoral team of the Pleasures of the Lord Fellowship was re-commissioned in a worship service held last June 15 in Donsol, Sorsogon. The commissioning service coincided with the official declaration of Donsol as the new site of the former congregation of the Worldwide Church of God in Sorsogon City. The local church now meets at the residence of senior pastor Oscar Jimenez Sr. Led by pastor Oscar as senior pastor, the members of the pastoral team are Mrs. Erlinda Gubot, Mr. and Mrs. William Lita, Desiree Claree J. Razo and Jeranna G. Arevalo.  Dr. Rey Taniajura, area superintendent for Southern Luzon, presided over the commissioning ceremony.

Family Day Celebration at WCG Ipil

June 29, 2008, a 5th fifth Sunday of the month is a Family Day Celebration of Barandilla Community Fellowship (Ipil Church) and its daughter church the Fisher's of Men Christian Fellowship (Manil OBS) which was held in Timan Beach Resort in Liloy, Zamboanga del Norte. The activity was filled with fun and laughter as the youths coordinated various parlor games for young and old alike complete with prizes and goodies. The food table were laden with foods brought by Ipil and Manil brethren and their was no short supply with it. 

After lunch fellowship, an "okay-okay" fellowship was conducted wherein bundles of used clothing collected by the Ipil women's group the week before for the brethren, especially those from Manil to rummage for free.

The activities were capped with the baptism of five people who committed their lives to Christ through water baptism. They were from Ipil Church:  Elman Salajug Cagurin and wife Ann Tejeros-Cagurin and Jan Kathleen Estera-Colona and from Manil OBS the couple Archie Prejoles Egot and Amor Abrasado Egot.  May God be glorified! --Pastor Bert Colona

Death Announcement

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing away of Pastor David Oloya, senior pastor of the New Life in Jesus Fellowship of Legaspi City, last June 21. Ptr. Dave, as he was fondly called, just celebrated his 77th birthday last June 16. Baptized in 1972, he was one of the first ordained elders of the Worldwide Church of God in the Bicol region and served as elder and later as bi-vocational pastor for close to 30 years. He was survived by his wife, Elena; three children, Jose Isagani, Rameses and Israel, and daughters-in-law, Sally and Pearl; and three grandchildren, Anszleigh, Franz Kendrick and Amber Colleen.