Once again it is my privilege to share with you news which I have received from the Philippines. Before that I would thank you all again for your continued support in prayer and in financial ways. By the time that most of you read this I will again be in the Philippines, joining with or having joined with OBC at the Graduation services being held March 30th 2012.
{ Please note, if you hover your mouse over the photos you will be able to read the captions}
Mm NELY GAMAYON reports Greetings in the Mighty name of Jesus. We praise the Lord for His provision and guidance to us as we staged this year’s youth rally. The event was participated in by 18 churches (9 Advent Christian, 9 non-Advent Christian). Eighty-eight (88) young people officially registered, but some were late and did not register. So the program in charge, Ptr. Billy Comahig reported that the total number of participants was over a hundred. This year’s participants was the lowest in number. This was due to the request made for churches to send their college and graduating from high school young people only; and the invitation extended only to churches with students presently enrolled at the college. The Co-Curricular program department budgeted food only for 150 delegates and 50 for students and faculty.
During the altar call, 25 young people went forward, but only 9 indicated interest to come to OBC; 4 are Advent Christians and 5 non-Advent Christians. Please pray for these young people who made decisions to serve the Lord in fulltime ministry and be trained at Oro.
The speaker for the Youth Rally was Pastor Ariel Abao, a graduate of OBC with the degree, Bachelor of Theology in 2002. He served with Teen Missions in the US for 8 months before his graduation and in Butuan Teen Missions Boot Camp after his graduation. After Teen Missions, he pastored an Advent Christian church in Taguibo, Butuan, then another church in Nasipit, Agusan. Now He is the pastor of the Advent Christian Church in Sta. Cruz, Claveria at the same time doing church planting work in San Luis, Bukidnon. He is already ministering to a fellowship there. He married an OBC graduate, Deborah. They have a son and a forthcoming child.
I have attached pictures of the youth rally and pictures of the fellowship we have started at Alubijid, Misamis Oriental with our church planting program in our Field Education Department. Please pray for this ministry of the College. We need bibles for the people we have contacted for the Bible studies. At Alubijid, we are conducting worship service and children’s class. We are planning to have a DVBS both in Buena Oro and Alubijid in April and May.
Sincerely in Christ, Nely
PASTOR BENJIE RAGAS, MACANHAN, CDO has not written a paragraph this time but the prayer requests which he has submitted gives us a précis of the activities of the church:
- Youth Monthly Fellowship this coming 25 of March. Please do pray for this fellowship that there are lots of people will be change especially it is a kind of evangelistic ministry to the community and most especially to our young people.
- Balulang National High School Campus Ministry- Please do pray for the 600 students that they will know Christ in their lives sense some of them are Muslims.
- Upcoming Summer Youth Camp this coming May 23-25 will be held at Tinagpoloan, Cagayan de Oro City. Please pray for the preparation of the site and financial aspect.
- Our Church Building Renovation- Please pray for the renovation of our church that will be started this summer and other important materials for the renovation. Balulang was one of the areas of CDO which was severely affected by the flooding last December.
PASTOR RENIEL COMAJEG.Pastor Reniel “Skyped” me the evening (March 20) I am writing this “Update”.
He reported that he is able to undertake studies this April, 9-28, during the summer break. His subject will be “Introduction to Biblical Hebrew” He has also been given permission from CGST to study by correspondence during Semester 1 (School year 2012/13), the subject being “Creative Strategies and Styles of Teaching”. Give thanks that he is able to continue with his Master of Divinity studies. Pray that Pastor Reniel will be able to undertake his final two subjects for the same degree next January – March (2013). These will most likely be block courses.
PASTOR ROY ROCHA writes: Dear friends,
Thanks for keeping your hands lifted for us! NLCM family are encouraged each time knowing that prayers been offered for all of us and the rest of our advent Christian family all over the world. Souls are brought to Christ, needs were meet, sickness were healed, live were transformed, and passion to worship our living God is in high gear. Your constant prayers made the difference in our lives and ministry! Thank you very much!
Our ministry at Accelerated Learning System is doing well. This year, there are 45 young people will be under my care for their spiritual growth for 10 months. Please, continue to pray that our God will always empower me with strength and wisdom that is needed each day.
I also thank God because we are experiencing His mighty hand working in the lives on each of the family members that are attending NLCM. Spouses, their sons and daughters, and their friends are now attending our worship services since the beginning of this year. These are people whom I have not seen before in our services for the past. We thought as if we are celebrating our church anniversary.
We are praying for more chairs now!
The church is growing! And as the song goes “…I sing for joy at the woks of your hands, forever I love you, forever I stand, nothing compares to the promise I have in you…mountains bow down and the seas will roar at the sound of your name” God is awesome! We held our first evening service last Sunday, March 18, and thank God people still come with great joy!
Truly, the Lord is at work! Thanks for your prayers!
In Christ, Roy
PASTOR JONATHAN NAVACILLA sent the following:
Dear Brethren,
Your partnership with us through prayers is really a blessing. I would like to report that the evangelistic night that we had last month which I mentioned to you in the last update was very successful. We have opened a number of cell groups and Bible Studies because of it. Thank you for your prayers!
We would like to inform you that this coming April our Basketball Ministry will again launch an “Evangelistic League”; this will be the second league. We aim for another 60 new people to attend this said League. Those who accepted the Lord Jesus Christ and attended our Bible Studies and discipleship classes during our previous evangelistic league are now willing to help and assist us in this second league this April. As of the moment we are praying for at least 8,500 pesos for the jersey uniforms. If you would like to partner with us in this activity, it will be very helpful to us.
I leave Auckland on March 29 and will be at CDO for the OBC Commissioning Service at 8.00am on the 30th. The Graduation Ceremony will be held the same afternoon. There will be six graduates this year.
As of this time I have four preaching appointments … but you never know!!!
The next “Update” will come from the Philippines.
Thank you all again for your support for the work of AC churches in the Philippines. May the Lord bless and keep you all as you continue to serve Him,
In His service ,
Grant Aldridge
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.