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AS THE SECOND ADVENT of the Lord Jesus Christ draws very near, it is the Church Administration’s earnest desire that all members of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) continue to grow and mature in the faith. Since the time of God’s Messenger in these last days, Brother Felix Y. Manalo, up to the stewardship of the present Executive Minister, Brother Eduardo V. Manalo, the brethren are led and guided to attain this noble aim of the Church Administration.
Two days after the entire Church commemorated Brother Felix Manalo’s 137th birth anniversary on May 10, Brother Eduardo Manalo conducted a pastoral visitation to the Local Congregation of Templo Central, which also marked its 75th anniversary of establishment. On that sacred occasion, 38 ministerial workers were ordained to become full-fledged ministers of the gospel.
In his Bible-based homily, the Executive Minister exhorted the brethren to level up in their faith to reach spiritual maturity—a quality needed to be worthy of salvation. It is towards this end that the leaders whom God placed in His nation always teach the brethren to live in a way that befits His children and to hold firmly and never let go of His instructions.
Brother Senen C. Capuno led the opening prayer. After Brother Eduardo Manalo’s preaching, Brother Romer D. Galang led the congregation in prayer followed by the oath-taking of the ordinands led by Brother Bienvenido C. Santiago. The ordination followed. Brother Arnel R. Canicosa led the prayer after the ordination, while Brother Ernesto V. Suratos led the offertory prayer. The worship service was concluded by the benediction which was said by Brother Santiago.
Other brethren from congregations in various parts of the world and an ecclesiastical district, which were commemorating their respective milestone anniversaries, also witnessed the sacred gathering through videoconferencing.
Templo Central, Quezon City
By Maniel Angeline Soriano
Established in 1948, the Local Congregation of Templo Central was formerly known as Balara and was located in Brgy. Pansol in Balara, Quezon City. In 1971, when the Church’s Central Office was built along Central and Don Mariano Marcos (now Commonwealth) Avenues in Diliman, the congregation was transferred to its current location, and thus, renamed Central (which eventually became Templo Central). On July 27, 1984, in a worship service led by the then Executive Minister, Brother Eraño G. Manalo, the Central Temple was dedicated to God.
As Brother Eduardo Manalo led the worship service in the Local Congregation of Templo Central, in celebration of its 75th anniversary, he urged the brethren to pass on the strong faith to their children, down to the next generations. Sister Miah Rose Delloro, a choir member, is one of the brethren who strives to heed the advice of the Executive Minister.
“Together with my husband, we always teach our three children to give utmost importance to the worship services and must prioritize fulfilling our duties inside the Church at all times,” Sister Miah said. “We know that being good role models to our children requires that we also show our them that we always live by the commandments of God.”
As active members of the Church, Sister Miah’s grandparents and parents also instilled in her the teachings of God even at a young age. She recalled, “When I was still in third year of high school in Iloilo, I was chosen to represent Region 6 in the Regional Schools Press Conference and compete in the national level in Baguio City. But it was scheduled on a Sunday coinciding with my performance as a choir member, for the first time, in the Holy Supper. So, I didn’t join the contest and chose to prioritize my duty. Now, as I look back, I contemplated on all the blessings God has given me far beyond what a victory in that contest could’ve offered.” This experience truly helps Sister Miah explain to her children the importance of prioritizing one’s sacred duty.
Sister Miah and her husband, who is also a choir member, are business owners who have hectic schedules yet they never neglect their duties to God. “As the Executive Minister taught us, we should level up in our Church membership. So, we ensure that we put into practice what we hear during worship services.” Sister Miah further added how they use the blessings from God to fulfill His commands. “Inasmuch as we want to share our faith, we dedicated a portion of our office as a center for missionary activities. With God’s help, we became instrumental to the conversion of some of our employees,” she said.
Contemplating on the homily, Sister Miah recognizes the importance of parents leading their children in the true worship of God. “Although they are young, they had accepted duties in the CWS choir. It’s vital that we are instrumental in instilling the firm faith to our children so they may also pass on their faith to the next generation and they will not turn back on their membership. We pray that, one day, when our kids reach the proper age, we may all perform together in the same choir singing hymns of praises to our Lord God.”
Magao, Tarlac
By Alondra Manalastas
The congregation of the Church Of Christ in the small village of Magao, in the municipality of Conception, province of Tarlac, has grown remarkably over the past decades. Currently, Magao is the first congregation in the Ecclesiastical District of Capas, Tarlac to reach 100 years. In celebration of its milestone anniversary, brethren witnessed the worship service, through livestreaming, officiated at by Brother Eduardo Manalo.
Among the brethren who commemorated the congregation’s anniversary were the remaining pioneer members, who reminisced the time when Brother Felix Manalo visited them. It was 1930 when he led the dedication to God of their house of worship.
Sister Carmelita Cayanan, shared her precious moment during the time of the Sugo, “We would go to different barangays to invite other people to evangelical missions. It was memorable because it strengthened our brotherhood.”
Brother Lito Macaraeg, a deacon and Children’s Worship Service (CWS) teacher, recalled, “I often read and hear stories about how the Sugo himself persevered to start the work of propagation here in Magao. Our parents also made sure that we are aware of the hurdles they faced during the humble beginnings of our congregation.”
In his Bible-based preaching, Brother Eduardo Manalo reminded the attendees to remember the works and faith of Brother Felix Manalo, that is by always obeying the will of God and living a life that is pure and faultless even in moments of strife and struggle.
“To be able to personally witness and celebrate our centennial anniversary makes my heart full of joy. This milestone anniversary proves that the work of the Sugo did not go to waste,” said Brother Lito. As he listened to the homily, his conviction in fulfilling his divine obligations was renewed. “I will continue to remind the right path to the young brethren so as to inspire them to be in complete obedience to and active service of God. No matter what trials we face, we will not lose hope in what God can do in our lives.”
For the 77-year-old deaconess Sister Carmelita, “Troubles are given not to make God’s servants suffer but to be strengthened and purified in our faith.” She attested, “Despite the hardships that we encountered, we did not lose hope but are continuously joyful in serving the Lord. As what the Sugo and the Church Administration have been teaching us, we will complete our race so their labors will not be in vain.”
Rockland, New York
By Jennifer Polintan
In the dark predawn hours of May 12, 2023, the sanctuary of the house of worship of the Rockland Local Congregation, Ecclesiastical District of New York, was ablaze with lights. Five days earlier, May 7, the congregation has reached three decades since it was established in 1993. In commemoration of this, the brethren were blessed to attend the worship service led by the Executive Minister, Brother Eduardo Manalo, through videoconferencing. Among them was Sister Jennifer Anderson, together with her husband, Brother Desmond, a deacon and the Buklod local president.
Sister Jennifer’s mother, Sister Nenita Polintan, is a pioneer member of the congregation and was instrumental in establishing it as an extension of the Local Congregation of Long Island City in 1979. Her mother, a choir leader, passed away during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic but memories of her mother and her stories came to mind as Sister Jennifer sat and meditated, in her deaconess uniform, for the said worship service to begin. “My mother always told us to put God first, to be faithful and prayerful.” She further said, “When I feel overwhelmed, she would tell me, ‘God will never give you something you cannot handle.’”
Brother Leo, Sister Jennifer’s eldest son who is 11 years old, is on the autism spectrum. She shared, “He’s very smart, has a great memory, and can communicate with us. But given his condition, it’s challenging for us to balance his needs with our other responsibilities. But my mother taught me to entrust everything to God, for as long as I’m steadfast and dedicated in performing my duties, He will watch over our family.”
Her youngest son, Brother Max, 9-years old, is a Children’s Worship Service choir member. It was Sister Jennifer’s prayer that his sons would also learn how to value their Church membership, even at an early age. “I started singing in the choir when I was seven. My duty trained me at an early age to always put God first. So if my children would do the same, I never have to worry because God will be with them all the time.”
As what the Executive Minister taught, Sister Jennifer will continue to tell her and her mother’s life experiences to her sons so they, too, can learn about God’s many goodness in their lives. “My mother’s stories of hardship and how she overcame them give me reassurance that God is always there for His children. I’ve witnessed how God has blessed my mother because of her dedication and I can also see God’s blessings in us, and I want my children to experience the same as they grow old,” she said.
Mercedes, Camarines Norte
Sinulat ni Juvie Mangubat
Ang bayan ng Mercedes ay matatagpuan sa silangang bahagi ng lalawigan ng Camarines Norte. Ang gawaing pagpapalaganap ng Iglesia Ni Cristo sa bahaging ito ng Bicol ay nagsimula noong Disyembre 1947. Pagkalipas ng limang buwan, noong Mayo 10, 1948, naitatag ang Lokal ng Mercedes na siyang kauna-unahan sa probinsiya. Pagkalipas ng 75 taon, namamalaging maalab sa pakikipagkaisa ang mga kapatid sa lahat ng mga pinaigting na gawain sa Iglesia.
Isa ang sambahayan ni Kapatid na Belinda Ubana, diakonesa, sa kaisang-diwa ng Pamamahala sa pagtataguyod ng lubos na pagsunod sa mga kalooban ng Panginoong Diyos. Sa katunayan, nakatanggap ng Gawad ng Pagkilala ang pamilya Ubana bilang sambahayan na may pinakamaraming naibunga sa taong 2021 at 2022. “Bilang mga maytungkulin, sinisikap naming mag-asawa na maging huwaran sa aming anak at sa iba pang mga kapatid upang akayin sila sa kasakdalan,” sabi niya.
Itinuro ng Kapatid na Eduardo Manalo sa panahon ng pagsamba, kung saan kabilang ang Lokal ng Mercedes sa mga nakasaksi nito, na ang mga magulang ang dapat na maging pangunahing mabuting halimbawa sa kanilang mga anak sa pagiging mature sa paglilingkod sa Diyos. Ito ang nagsisilbing panuntunan nina Kapatid na Edgardo “Edz” Cruz Jr. at ng kaniyang asawa, parehong maytungkulin sa Pananalapi, ngayong sila ay nagsisimulang bumuo ng sariling pamilya.
“Ikinasal kami noong Abril 2022. Patuloy naming ipinagpapanata sa Ama na kung pagkakalooban Niya kami ng mga anak, nawa’y gawin Niya kaming mabuting mga magulang sa paraang maisalin namin ang tunay na pananampalataya sa kanila,” saad ni Kapatid na Edz. “Sinasampalatayanan kong biyaya na galing sa Diyos ang aking asawa kaya lalo kong pagyayamanin ang aming pagsasama sa paraang pagtatapatan ko ang pagsunod sa mga kalooban ng Diyos, kabilang na ang Kaniyang mga kautusan tungkol sa mag-asawa at pangangasiwa ng pamilya.”
Pangako ni Kapatid na Edz, “Mas pag-iibayuhin ko pa ang aking pagtupad at dadagdagan ko pa ang dedikasyon sa pagsunod sa mga kalooban ng Diyos. Hihikayatin ko at aanyayahan na makinig sa mga aral na ating sinasampalatayanan ang aking mga kamag-anak at kakilala.” Para naman kay Kapatid na Belinda, hindi niya pagsasawaan ang mga gawang paglilingkod bagkus ay patataasin pa ang uri ng kanilang pagtupad: “Tulad ng itinuro sa atin, ang Panginoong Jesucristo ang aming gagawing modelo sa ating pananampalataya lalo na sa pagdadala ng aming buong sambahayan upang hikayatin sila sa lalong ikasasakdal ng aming mga paglilingkod.”
