WCG Phils. Weekly Update

December 19, 2008

ASDECS Class Completes "Church Growth" Course

The Manila South Pastoral Team together with Pastor Rex de la Pena and National Director Eugene Guzon celebrated last Saturday, December 13, 2008 the successful completion of the course "Church Growth." The 3rd of the 12 required for the Masters in Transformational Leadership program of ASDECS, the subject aimed to equip the participants to be Church Growth consultants.

It was facilitated by Ka Eugene, and those who completed the 5-day training were Pastor Rex, PT Chairman Nomer Venus and his wife Gemma, PT members Ardel Magararu and wife Vergie, Athos Parane and wife Tets, Andy Ducay, Orly Micabalo, Ding Guerrero, Eric Absalon and Sister Adela Argate. To cap the celebration, the wives joined the group and enjoyed a hearty lunch at Max's Restaurant in Pacita, San Pedro, Laguna. Also in the picture are Mrs. Nadine Absalon, Sheila de la Pena, and Nelia Ducay. --Eric Absalon

National Office Closed for Christmas-New Year Break

We would like to inform all everyone that WCG Philippines National Office will be closed from Dec. 25, 2008 until Jan. 1, 2009 in observance of Christmas and New Year. Regular office will resume January 5, 2009 (Monday). --Doris Manubay, National Office

Lighthouse Ministries Update: Times of Refreshing Retreat Uplifting

Stimulating. Transforming. These in a nutshell sum up the church retreat that the Lighthouse Ministries (Iloilo Church) hosted on November 28-29, 2008 with the theme “Times of Refreshing: Desiring a Glimpse of Jesus Christ” and facilitated by Ptr. Rex dela Peña, Assistant to the National Director. A total of 86 participants from Aklan, Antique, Guimaras, Iloilo gathered at the Boracay Hall of DepEd Regional Office No. 6 in Iloilo City. Ptr. dela Peña exhorted the brethren on “Living Life to the Full” that set the mood for a series of powerful messages.

Two thought-provoking questions tugged the hearts of the participants: 1) Do you live your life to the full? 2) How do you want the Lord to come to you at this time? Likewise, the unanimous choice of the topic “Living in Faith or Out of Faith?” has an awesome impact to the participants, too. Even the video presentation of the “Greatest Dad” touched hearts, with some brethren wiping their tears afterwards. Aptly, the retreat was capped with a communion service.

On November 30, 2008, there was a combined worship service, with 102 attendance. The sermon was delivered by Ptr. Jessup Bahinting, member of the national director's advisory council. Mrs. Bahinting gave the devotional on the “Greatest Preparation” being an Advent Sunday, while Ptr. Bahinting delivered a candid and inspiring message on “Faithful Stewardship.” It was extra memorable since it happened to be his 57th birthday; and they celebrated as well their 33rd wedding anniversary during the week.

The advent Sunday was a milestone for the Lighthouse Ministries ( Iloilo Church ) due to the commissioning of the pastoral team, with Engr. Elmer Melendres as the Senior Pastor. The members of the team are the following: Dario Mortola, Raul Enerio, Geoffrey Tinamisan, Elvero Bermejo, Blanche Jordan and Rolando Valdez. Ptr. dela Peña represented our National Director, Ptr. Eugene Guzon in the commissioning, while Ptr. Bahinting prayed for Ptr. Melendres and the pastoral team members. --Fe T. Martinez

40 Baptisms at 2 Pampanga District Jails

The prison ministry team of the Worldwide Church of God - Pampanga headed by Pastor Ed Estrella and Pastor Pio Umlas conducted a two-day baptismal activities at the Angeles District Jail and the San Fernando (Telabastagan) District Jail last Wednesday and Thursday (December 17-18). Last Wednesday afternoon, 19 male inmates at the Angeles District Jail were baptized. The following day, 9 male and female inmates were baptized at Telabastagan. In the afternoon, 12 female inmates were baptized at the Angeles District Jail. The two-day baptismal activities are a result of the prison ministry team's diligent effort to share the gospel every week to the inmates for a good numbers of years now.

The newly-installed senior pastor for this local church, Len Joson, also joined in the baptismal activities to see first-hand this local church's prison ministry in action. He was also able to talk to one inmate (who has a PhD. and a theology degree) who suggested that this local church's prison ministry can do some more in the area of para-legal services, food, health and medicine for the inmates.

The prison ministry of WCG Pampanga has been going on for about 7 years now serving 3 different jails weekly in the province namely: 1) Pampanga Provincial Jail, 2) San Fernando City (Telabastagan) District Jail and, 3) Angeles City District Jail (3 times a week). After some 7 years, some of the prison ministry team members would like to take a "sabbatical leave" and do outreach activities outside of prison while some of the team members woud like to focus more on helping prison inmates in the area of providing para-legal services which was seen to be sorely lacking. One inmate who has been released is now part of the prison ministry team and is regularly attending this local church.

Speaking of Life 118: BABY JESUS, BABY CHRISTIANS

Late one night around 4 B.C., in the Roman province of Judea, an angel appeared to a group of shepherds and told them that a Savior had been born in Bethlehem.

The Savior was Jesus, but Jesus wasn’t saving anyone right then. He even needed to be saved himself, because his family would soon have to flee to Egypt to save the baby from King Herod.

But God called that helpless baby a Savior. This infant was the light to the Gentiles; he was the blessing for all nations; he was the son of David who would rule the world; and he was the child of Eve who would crush the serpent’s head.

Jesus would grow up to give his life as a ransom for our sins, to bring us forgiveness and draw us into his own intimate fellowship with the Father. He would defeat the devil. He would defeat death itself.

But on that starry night he was just a baby, born in a stable, his life in danger.

That is how we often see ourselves – small, helpless and in danger. We might look at ourselves and think, I don’t see much here. I still struggle with sin, doubt and guilt. I am still selfish and stubborn. I wonder if God is really doing anything in my life.

The answer is to remember Jesus. Our spiritual beginning may not seem like much right now, but because we are in Jesus, our weak beginnings hold a future of glory. The Holy Spirit in us is a like a down payment, a wonderful taste of glory yet to come.

Luke tells us that a great company of the heavenly host praised God when Jesus was born. It was a moment of triumph, even though humans couldn’t yet see it that way. But the angels knew that victory was certain, because God had told them so.

In I Corinthians 15:57, the apostle Paul wrote:

”… thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Just as there was glory in the baby Jesus, there is glory in the baby Christian. Whether you’ve been a Christian for 50 seconds or 50 years, in your weakness God’s strength is revealed. In Christ the victory is yours. You belong to him and he will never let you go.

I’m Joseph Tkach, speaking of LIFE

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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)