Philippine Update: BPACCI Updates ( Brief report from Bishop Rev. Efrin Miranda)

I intended to spend my first one hundred (100) days of office convening with the different Department Heads directing them to establish programs and/or projects geared towards conveying basic services to all the constituents. Definitely, not to meet every expectation for the moment but we’ll tend to shift into a higher level in our journey as we make use of the remaining days God extends for us before His startling return.

On Social Concerns Department

Many, if not all of us are yearning for basic support from the Conference but are upset since we all have learned long before and even from recent reports that we are constrained on finances. I sympathize with those who in the past have suffered alone in their desperate needs for several times.

One department is now turned on to look after this relevant concern. On July 13, a preliminary meeting was made by the Bishop with the Director of Social Concerns Department encouraging him to form a committee to discuss and create programs to meet such kind of a need. And to develop the scenery of this particular spot, a committee was formed and on July 20, it convened to conceptualize a Welfare Fund called “BEARS”. It stands for BPACCI’s Emergency Assistance and Relief Services.

This project will stand by simply pulling together a portion of our local resources then mounting them up to become a Welfare Fund to be utilized in times of our exigencies. The committee that worked on this will be giving more orientation as they come and promote this program in the local churches.

On Matters Concerning BPACCI’s Commitment To the Great Commission

The Department of Evangelism and Church Planting called for a committee meeting on August 13, 2011. On the said meeting which was initiated by the Bishop, the BPACCI Vision 20/20 is established.

Vision 20/20 is seeking to encourage every member to become ministers themselves to see Twenty thousand (20,000) disciplers in the year 2020. This is in response to an observation that for the past years, scores of our churches envisioned about heightening their ministry efficiency such that of winning souls but are encumbered by inadequate resources, system or approach.

A team of seven (7) is now at work to address this pertinent stuff. Seated in the photo shown above; Bishop Efren Miranda on the extreme left, to his right Pastor Jong Navacilla, Rev. Virgilio Pallo, Pastor Jess Gawangon, Rev. Pablito Molina, Bro. Rucky Pallo, and Pastor Gayonan Tatao.

This team is now busy working the first phase which is focused on orientation stage. Workshops of the team are frequently done and then an orientation for the BPACCI pastors is set hopefully in the last week of October this year.

Through this, A.C. churches in the Philippines are anticipated to multiply within the few years that come.

Surely we won’t linger habituated to our seemingly leveled growth as years get ahead of the Philippine Advent Christians.

On Property Management

God has so blessed the Philippine Advent Christian Conference by placing into its stewardship some properties such as lands which most of them were acquired through strong partnership with foreign missions and individuals.

One primary trust that is put upon the director of this department is the completion of the documents to be settled with the government offices concerned.

We also hope to see a maximized return of this investment so that last week, the Bishop was able to meet with the 2 directors; Rev. Samuel Compra and Pastor Marcelino Patindol who now have started the Income Generating Project (Orchard Plantation). The earlier suggested to them to complement with each other to plan for other possible programs/projects that would better benefit the pastors and even the general membership of the conference.

On Provider Farm (IGP at Sta. Cruz, Claveria)

When I visited the project last June, I found the orchards need to be rehabilitated since it has been engulfed with undesirable plants (weeds), anticipating that within a period of two years, some may begin bearing fruits.

I thanked the commitments of pastors who offered voluntary service so that the two BPACCI Districts namely; Cleveria and Macajalar had a joint “pahina” (a work fellowhip) cutting the grasses that engulfed the fruit trees.

Prayer Concerns:

1. Utter divine wisdom, strength and guidance for the bishop as he perform his role in a new, complex and a wider scope of ministry.
2. Pray for financial provision as BPACCI holds a three-day Pastors’ Retreat in October bearing the theme, “SUGNIB for Souls” (Souls Under God Now In Burden for Souls). SUGNIB is a Visayan language implying lighting up, ignition or igniting. That is because we tend to mobilize Filipino AC workers and Pastors for a more intensified ministry on soul winning.

Thank You for your unwavering support to the ministry of the Philippine Advent Christian.