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TWO DAYS BEFORE his birthday on October 31, Brother Eduardo V. Manalo, the Executive Minister of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ), officiated at a worship service in the Local Congregation of Templo Central, Ecclesiastical District of Central, on October 29, 2023. During the occasion, 35 regular ministerial workers received the laying on of hands from the Executive Minister and became ministers of the gospel. Aside from the brethren from the Local Congregation of Templo Central, those from different local congregations and ecclesiastical districts around the world commemorating their respective milestone anniversaries were also blessed to attend the special gathering. They were connected live via videoconferencing.
In his homily, Brother Eduardo Manalo addressed the ordinands, along with the ministerial students and the Church officers in attendance. He preached from the Bible that those whom God placed to lead His people should be the first to obey God’s commands and should lead by example. They also ought to fulfill their duty with the highest degree of love and concern for Christ’s flock, focusing on caring for their spiritual welfare. Afterward, the Executive Minister reminded the brethren of the importance of living by God’s words taught to them. He encouraged the congregants to hold on firmly to the true faith they received, so that their focus will not be consumed by material things and the dire situation of this world.
The opening prayer was led by Brother Senen C. Capuno, the supervising minister of the Ecclesiastical District of Central. After the preaching of Brother Eduardo Manalo, the closing prayer was led by Brother Romer D. Galang. Brother Bienvenido C. Santiago led the oath-taking of the ordinands; the prayer after the laying on of hands by the Executive Minister was led by Brother Arnel R. Canicosa. The prayer for the voluntary offerings was led by Brother Ernesto V. Suratos. Brother Angelo Eraño V. Manalo said the benediction.
Fully confident in what God can do
Templo Central, Central
By Maniel Angeline Soriano
“Dear Father, please give me the life and strength that I need. I promise you I will use this to fulfill my duty.” This is part of the personal prayers of Brother Zorrel Juanta, a deacon in the Local Congregation of Templo Central. After the worship service that Brother Eduardo Manalo officiated, Brother Zorrel said, “We are being taught to lead by example as Church officers. The Church Administration is never remiss in teaching us God’s words. It is our duty to ensure that we follow these commandments and live in holiness. As part of loving the brethren under my care, I always remind them to never waver in obeying the words of God and to put their trust in Him.”
Although it has been almost a decade of performing his duty as a deacon, Brother Zorrel’s journey is not without challenges. He recounted, “In 2022, I was diagnosed with stage 5 chronic kidney disease. While walking home after my regular visit to the brethren under my care, I felt unusually tired so I went straight home and rested. After dinner that night, I still felt unwell so, my family brought me to the hospital where laboratory tests were conducted. That was when I found out about my condition. The doctors soon told me that only less than 15% of my kidneys were working.”
Despite being bedridden, Brother Zorrel did not abandon the worship services. He said, “I attended the worship services via livestreaming. Nevertheless, I did not lose hope. I continued with my devotional prayers to God and the anointing of oil for the sick.” He restated his promise to God that he will use his life and strength in performing his duty. “Then, I strove with all my might to go to the Bible study venue of our area. I felt reenergized when I saw my fellow Church officers and the brethren under my care who were also elated to see me able to stand up again,” he continued.
“I have not yet fully recovered from my illness. There are days when my legs are sore and I feel tired. Yet I know that my life is in God’s hands. I am fully convinced that the Almighty Father is the One Who can heal me. Until the end, I will fulfill my duty and place my confidence in Him,” said Brother Zorrel, as he is able to continue fulfilling his duty as a deacon and area overseer through the help and guidance of the Almighty God.
God’s words are an inspiration and blessing
Ecclesiastical District of Ottawa
By Leilani Galsim-St-Amand
Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is situated near Montreal and the U.S. border in the southeast. The humble beginnings of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) in the area show the growth of the brethren not only in number but also in faith. As Church Of Christ members in the Ecclesiastical District of Ottawa celebrate the fifth anniversary of the formation of their district, they also ponder on the countless times that they have felt God’s love despite the different tribulations they face day by day.
Brother Jean Marc Chartrand, a French-Canadian, fulfills his Church duty as the group overseer in the Laval Group Worship Service. He recalled the times in his life when he found himself in desperate situations. “I was bankrupt. I was poor. I had nothing to show for in life. But now, I’m blessed beyond what I could have ever hoped for. I have a great family. I have a great career. I am content with what I have, and that’s all because of God,” he said, when asked how becoming a member of the Church Of Christ changed his life.
“Everything in my life, everything that I have now, I owe to God. And every day I wake up is one more day that I’m thankful for. So, the way I see it, every day is a day where my faith gets stronger because I’m alive and I’m still getting the blessings from God, although I know I don’t deserve them,” Brother Jean Marc testified.
According to him, no matter what happens in his life, he will always continue performing his duty and that is the one thing he has that nobody can touch. He continued, “That’s the one thing in my life that keeps me safe and sane, healthy and strong. That’s the one thing that allows me to go through my life every single day—the Church duty that God entrusted me with.”
After attending the livestreaming worship service officiated by the Executive Minister, Brother Eduardo Manalo, Brother Jean Marc had this to say: “It’s truly an inspiration and a real blessing to hear him teach us the words of God. He taught from the Bible that we are truly privileged to be called by God in the Church Of Christ. Thus, we ought to show God how much we trust Him by never wavering in our worship services to Him. But we don’t stop there, we have to share our faith by helping in the propagation of His words to bring more people to salvation.”
Ibubuhos ng Diyos ang Kaniyang awa sa mga nagtitiwala
Naga City, Camarines Sur
Sinulat ni Cherry Abad
Sa pagsapit sa ika-75 anibersaryo ng pagkakatatag ng Lokal ng Naga City, isang malaking biyaya ang tinanggap ng mga kapatid mula sa Panginoong Diyos nang makadalo sila sa pagsambang pinangasiwaan ng Tagapamahalang Pangkalahatan, ang Kapatid na Eduardo Manalo, na kanilang nasaksihan sa pamamagitan ng livestreaming.
Ilan sa mga dumalo ay sina Kapatid na Marvin at Sheila Monteagudo na ikinasal noong 2007. Gaya ng karamihang mag-asawa, ninais nilang magkaroon ng mga anak. Subalit sa kalagayan ni Kapatid na Sheila na may Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) at hormonal imbalance ay tila napakahirap para sa kanila na magkaanak.
Noong 2010, nagdalang-tao si Kapatid na Sheila subalit hindi tuluyang nabuo ang kaniyang ipinagbuntis. Sa kabila ng nangyari, hindi tumigil ang mag-asawa sa pagpapanata sa Panginoong Diyos at pagpapapahid ng langis. “Sabihon man na imposible na kami magka-aki, pero para samong mag-agom mayong imposible sa magigibo kang satong Ama (Sabihin man ng iba na imposible na kaming magkaanak, ngunit para sa aming mag-asawa, walang imposible sa magagawa ng ating Ama),” wika ni Kapatid na Marvin.
Taong 2012 ay ipinagkaloob ng Diyos kina Kapatid na Marvin at Sheila ang kanilang anak na si Liam. Tuwang-tuwa ang mag-asawa dahil sa wakas ay ibinigay ng Ama ang matagal na nilang hinihiling sa panalangin. Nagdiwang sila at nagpasalamat sa Kaniya. Ngunit nang sumapit ang ikatlong kaarawan ni Liam, nalaman nila na mayroon itong Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Bilang pagmamahal sa kanilang anak ay inaral nila ang kanilang dapat gawin para magabayan si Liam. Mula sa therapy at special education, at, higit sa lahat, sa pagtuturo nila kay Liam tungkol sa Iglesia Ni Cristo at sa tunay na paglilingkod sa Panginoong Diyos, sinikap ng mag-asawa na hindi sila magkulang sa mga bagay na ito, bilang pag-aaruga sa anak na ibinigay sa kanila ng Diyos.
Kasama ang kaniyang mga magulang, laging dumadalo si Liam sa Pagsamba ng Kabataan. Dito ay nasasanay na siyang makasama ang mga kapuwa niya bata at maturuan ng mga salita ng Diyos. Sa kabila ng mga pagsubok na kanilang naranasan ay hindi tumigil ang mag-asawa sa pagtupad ng kanilang mga tungkulin bilang diakono at diakonesa. Mga maytungkulin din sila sa kapisanang Buklod at sa kagawaran ng pananalapi.
“Dakulang inspirasyon sako na madangog an pagtutukdo kang Tugang na Eduardo Manalo, totoo na dakulon ning katibaadan na namamatian ang kada tawo, pero bilang maytungkulin at kaanib sa Iglesia Ni Cristo importantihon na maray ang Pananalangin. Gabos kayang itao kang satong Ama basta manalangin kita pirmi asin magtubod sa magigibo niya (Dakilang inspirasyon sa akin na mapakinggan ang pagtuturo ng Kapatid na Eduardo Manalo. Totoong napakaraming pagsubok ang nararanasan ng bawat tao pero bilang isang kaanib at maytungkulin sa Iglesia Ni Cristo ay naranasan ko kung gaano kahalaga ang pananalangin. Lahat ay kayang ibigay ng ating Ama, manalangin lang tayo lagi at magtiwala sa Kaniyang magagawa),” wika ni Kapatid na Sheila.
Kapangyarihan ng mga salita ng Diyos
Bongan, Surigao del Sur
Sinulat ni Lovelyn Gaylo
“Bakit kami magpapaunlak sa inyo, hindi naman totoo ang relihiyon ninyo!” Ito ang madalas na marinig ni Kapatid na Wenita Mabido-Sanchez, 71 taong gulang, kapag nag-aanyaya siya ng mga tao na dumalo sa mga pamamahayag. Siya ay isang pangalawang katiwala ng grupo at pioneer na kaanib ng Iglesia Ni Cristo sa Lokal ng Bongan, Distrito Eklesiastiko ng Bislig City, Surigao del Sur. Mula noong bagong tatag pa lamang ang lokal na ito noong Oktubre 1973 ay kinaugalian na niyang mag-anyaya ng kaniyang mga kababayan na makinig sa pangangaral ng mga salita ng Diyos sa loob ng Iglesia.
Dahil hindi tumigil si Kapatid na Wenita at ang mga kapatid sa Lokal ng Bongan sa masiglang pagtulong sa gawaing pagpapalaganap ng mga salita ng Diyos, maraming tao ang nahikayat na makinig sa pagtuturo mula sa Biblia at nagpasiyang magpabautismo sa Iglesia. Sinabi niya na nabanggit daw ng isa sa mga nabautismuhan na kaniyang inanyayahan noon na humanga siya sa kaniyang nakita kung paano hinaharap ng mga kaanib ng Iglesia ang mga suliranin at pagsubok sa buhay, tulad ng nangyari kay Kapatid na Wenita. Pahayag niya, “Ang salita ng Diyos mula sa Biblia na ipinangangaral ng mga ministro ng Iglesia ay may kapangyarihang magpakilos ng tao patungo sa pagsunod sa katotohanan. Iyan ang isa sa mga itinuro ng Kapatid na Eduardo Manalo noong nangasiwa siya ng pagsamba.”
Naalala rin niya na noong siya ay bata pa, kasama siya ng mga magulang niya sa pagdalo sa pagsamba. Sa panahong iyon, wala pang lokal sa Bongan, kaya naglalakad sila ng 18 kilometro patungo sa kapilya ng Lokal ng Mangagoy kung saan sila dumadalo ng pagsamba. Isang pagkakataon, pagkatapos ng pagsamba, nagmadali silang umuwi upang alagaan ang kaniyang kapatid na may sakit, ngunit sa kanilang pagdating ay namayapa na ito.
Bagaman nalungkot si Kapatid na Wenita, hindi siya nahadlangan sa kaniyang mga pagsamba at paglilingkod sa Diyos. Sa halip na malugmok sa kalungkutan at panawan ng pag-asa, lalo niyang inilapit ang kaniyang sarili sa Ama na Makapangyarihan sa lahat. “Nanalangin akong lagi at hiniling sa Diyos na malampasan ko ang pagsubok na iyon. Kaya ngayon, ipinapayo ko sa aking mga anak na kahit anong mangyari sa kanila, huwag silang susuko. Sa halip, dapat manalangin at sumampalataya sa magagawa ng Diyos,” wika niya. Kahit nagluksa siya at ang kaniyang pamilya, panatag siya na namatay na Iglesia Ni Cristo ang kapatid niya. Natapos nito ang kaniyang takbuhin, kaya maliligtas siya pagdating ng Araw ng Paghuhukom.
Sa kasalukuyan, si Kapatid na Wenita at ang kaniyang sambahayan ay nakatala sa Lokal ng Luzon, Distrito Eklesiastiko ng Central. Patuloy pa rin sila sa masiglang paglilingkod sa Diyos, at nangangako na anuman ang sitwasyon ng kanilang buhay, hindi sila titigil sa pagsamba sa Kaniya.
