33RD YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE CHURCH OF GOD, PHILIPPINES
Report on the 33rd Anniversary of the Church of God, Philippines:
Last Sunday, 8Th of July, Saints from Metro Manila; Bulacan; Nueva Ecija; Tarlac; Pangasinan; Benguet; Aurora & Isabela Provinces came for the 33rd anniversary of the Church of God, Philippines. There were more or less 350-400 in attendance, we felt it's like convention time (please visit the COG Photo file the pictures of the newly made over chapel; etc.). As Sis. Grace of Samar; Bro Jet & i went to Lacayanga as early as 6:45am, the brethren from Sta. Maria & Norzagaray were just a few feet ahead of us and they were the first to arrive, thank the Lord for safe travels of all these dear ones and others to follow. The anniversary celebration was from 8am-5pm.
Our Sunday School started early at 7:50am. Our anniversary lesson was actually the Lesson #2 on the 3rd quarter Sunday School Journal: The Family of God at prayer. But God impressed on our hearts this to be our lesson as Saints from various part of the Luzon Island are coming over and His church must pray earnestly as the church here has a lot of battles to be won yet and we know we know our help only comes from God. And our theme for this year's anniversary was: "A praying church is a powerful church". The Lord help our Sunday School Teacher, Bro. Arnold Chichioco as he showed the accomplishments of prayer in the family of God and when the church prays in one accord, God will hear & answer as He did to the early morning church and prayers strengthen for trials.
The Lord blessed our souls on His message brought by Bro. Jet on John 12:35-36 "Believing in the Light" (the special song given by the Saints from Sta. Maria "In the light of God" just coincided with the message, praise the Lord. The Saints didn't know then the title of the message). Bro. Jet spoke on the history of the Church of God from the day our Lord Jesus Christ built His church on the day of Pentecost until it reached the Philippines, not China or India or Malaysia but the Philippines and we are so blessed to hear that.
A brief history (as we used to hear it from our dear pastor) how the Church of God in the Philippines was born was given to us along with the message. Our dear pastor, Victoriano Luzong & his late wife were saved from their sins in Baguio City in 1948 that the one who witnessed to them brought them to the Church of the Nazarene. Pastor said this sectarian church had a high standard then and was teaching about salvation, holiness, modesty until there came a time some of their missionaries from America who came to the Philippines had their hair cut & were wearing wedding rings that they decided to come out of this sect. However, they just founded another holiness church since they do not know yet about the Church of God. As Bro. Jet said it was not an accident that our pastor got hold of a copy of The Way of Truth Magazine but it was God's will for our pastor was seeking for the truth. One of the pastors in that group one day told pastor "you may want this (a copy of The Way of Truth" magazine late 1960's issue), I've got no use of this". Pastor told us that pastor tried to communicate with the publisher hoping for material support but they told him they are not a sectarian group & are not giving any material support but giving out those magazines for free.
Our dear pastor read the magazine & communicated with Bro. Earl Marquis, the pastor of the Church of God in Hagerstown & publisher of The Way of Truth Magazine during those days. And as he diligently studied the Word of God about the Church of God mentioned in The Way of Truth, the truth came to him that on July 4, 1974 our pastor & his family along with 6 other brethren who also believed (they were 10 in all), denounced sectism, the greatest sin of all ages and from then on lived & preached about the Church of God, Justification, Sanctification, Divine Healing & unity of the believers.
And from that small beginning, pastor & the few Saints who were added to His church in early 1980's prayed & fasted three days & three nights several times and local churches were planted with God's mighty help from the peaceful town of Paniqui to the northern part of Ilocos Norte to the southern part of Saranggani Province in Mindanao; from the eastern mountains of Benguet , Aurora and Isabela to the Western mountains of Tarlac our dream of local church all over the Philippine Islands is slowly coming true, thank the Lord. Filipino Saints who are working abroad are also doing their best to bring Christ to our fellow countrymen thus there are God's work in Dubai; Saudi Arabia; Canada; praise the Lord. And we are praying in more countries around the world where there are Filipinos. To God all be the glory for what He has done & doing to our country. At the end of the message, 7 precious souls were at the altar seeking salvation, praise the Lord.
The afternoon service started at 1:30pm. Special songs; reports of God's work & greetings were rendered by the various local churches. Bro. Antonio Domrique spoke on our theme. His text was on Acts 6:4 and he exhorted & encouraged the brethren to give ourselves continually to prayer & to the ministry of the word. And we all knelt in prayer pouring out our souls; telling all to Jesus about the condition of His church in the Philippines especially in Mindanao and we felt God's presence all the day long, thank the Lord for the peace in our hearts as we claim His promise everything will be all right & His church will be victorious when the storm passes by.
With this report we also wish to convey our deep appreciation though we know words will never be enough to thank our dear pastor, Victoriano T. Luzong a true servant of our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ. He has been so faithful even until he got sick few years back in laboring for the furtherance of the gospel of Christ. His dedication & faithfulness to God's work, as he never hesitated to answer God's call when there was something to do, whether it was to labor with his hands, to preach the Word, or pray for God to bless His Church. Many lost souls found the truth for he labored so faithfully in the Kingdom of God. The Lord has been so good not only to him but to God's church here in our country for he is still with us (he was energetic & looked very happy last Sunday) until these days. God knows we need him more today as we all endeavor to keep the unity of the Saints here in the Philippine Islands. And to the late Bro. Earl Marquis; to dear Uncle Ollen & Uncle Alvin; and to all the dear Saints in the United States of America we, the Filipino Saints, say thank you very, very much for keeping true and faithful to the truth of God's words that in His time this truth and light shone upon us here in the Philippine Islands, praise the Lord. May God continue to bless you all as you, through the Way of Truth Magazine, bring the lost to our Lord Jesus Christ.
Also we would like to thank all the dear Saints who helped one way or another for the repair our chapel though it is not yet fully finished & there are still things to be done yet, please continue to remember the needs in your prayers, too.
And to all who will read this read report, we do covet your fervent prayers for all the Filipino Saints and His church here. Thank you all for your love & concern for His church in the Philippine Islands!!!
unworthy servant of the living God,
sis. judith d batalla
Our Sunday School started early at 7:50am. Our anniversary lesson was actually the Lesson #2 on the 3rd quarter Sunday School Journal: The Family of God at prayer. But God impressed on our hearts this to be our lesson as Saints from various part of the Luzon Island are coming over and His church must pray earnestly as the church here has a lot of battles to be won yet and we know we know our help only comes from God. And our theme for this year's anniversary was: "A praying church is a powerful church". The Lord help our Sunday School Teacher, Bro. Arnold Chichioco as he showed the accomplishments of prayer in the family of God and when the church prays in one accord, God will hear & answer as He did to the early morning church and prayers strengthen for trials.
The Lord blessed our souls on His message brought by Bro. Jet on John 12:35-36 "Believing in the Light" (the special song given by the Saints from Sta. Maria "In the light of God" just coincided with the message, praise the Lord. The Saints didn't know then the title of the message). Bro. Jet spoke on the history of the Church of God from the day our Lord Jesus Christ built His church on the day of Pentecost until it reached the Philippines, not China or India or Malaysia but the Philippines and we are so blessed to hear that.
A brief history (as we used to hear it from our dear pastor) how the Church of God in the Philippines was born was given to us along with the message. Our dear pastor, Victoriano Luzong & his late wife were saved from their sins in Baguio City in 1948 that the one who witnessed to them brought them to the Church of the Nazarene. Pastor said this sectarian church had a high standard then and was teaching about salvation, holiness, modesty until there came a time some of their missionaries from America who came to the Philippines had their hair cut & were wearing wedding rings that they decided to come out of this sect. However, they just founded another holiness church since they do not know yet about the Church of God. As Bro. Jet said it was not an accident that our pastor got hold of a copy of The Way of Truth Magazine but it was God's will for our pastor was seeking for the truth. One of the pastors in that group one day told pastor "you may want this (a copy of The Way of Truth" magazine late 1960's issue), I've got no use of this". Pastor told us that pastor tried to communicate with the publisher hoping for material support but they told him they are not a sectarian group & are not giving any material support but giving out those magazines for free.
Our dear pastor read the magazine & communicated with Bro. Earl Marquis, the pastor of the Church of God in Hagerstown & publisher of The Way of Truth Magazine during those days. And as he diligently studied the Word of God about the Church of God mentioned in The Way of Truth, the truth came to him that on July 4, 1974 our pastor & his family along with 6 other brethren who also believed (they were 10 in all), denounced sectism, the greatest sin of all ages and from then on lived & preached about the Church of God, Justification, Sanctification, Divine Healing & unity of the believers.
And from that small beginning, pastor & the few Saints who were added to His church in early 1980's prayed & fasted three days & three nights several times and local churches were planted with God's mighty help from the peaceful town of Paniqui to the northern part of Ilocos Norte to the southern part of Saranggani Province in Mindanao; from the eastern mountains of Benguet , Aurora and Isabela to the Western mountains of Tarlac our dream of local church all over the Philippine Islands is slowly coming true, thank the Lord. Filipino Saints who are working abroad are also doing their best to bring Christ to our fellow countrymen thus there are God's work in Dubai; Saudi Arabia; Canada; praise the Lord. And we are praying in more countries around the world where there are Filipinos. To God all be the glory for what He has done & doing to our country. At the end of the message, 7 precious souls were at the altar seeking salvation, praise the Lord.
The afternoon service started at 1:30pm. Special songs; reports of God's work & greetings were rendered by the various local churches. Bro. Antonio Domrique spoke on our theme. His text was on Acts 6:4 and he exhorted & encouraged the brethren to give ourselves continually to prayer & to the ministry of the word. And we all knelt in prayer pouring out our souls; telling all to Jesus about the condition of His church in the Philippines especially in Mindanao and we felt God's presence all the day long, thank the Lord for the peace in our hearts as we claim His promise everything will be all right & His church will be victorious when the storm passes by.
With this report we also wish to convey our deep appreciation though we know words will never be enough to thank our dear pastor, Victoriano T. Luzong a true servant of our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ. He has been so faithful even until he got sick few years back in laboring for the furtherance of the gospel of Christ. His dedication & faithfulness to God's work, as he never hesitated to answer God's call when there was something to do, whether it was to labor with his hands, to preach the Word, or pray for God to bless His Church. Many lost souls found the truth for he labored so faithfully in the Kingdom of God. The Lord has been so good not only to him but to God's church here in our country for he is still with us (he was energetic & looked very happy last Sunday) until these days. God knows we need him more today as we all endeavor to keep the unity of the Saints here in the Philippine Islands. And to the late Bro. Earl Marquis; to dear Uncle Ollen & Uncle Alvin; and to all the dear Saints in the United States of America we, the Filipino Saints, say thank you very, very much for keeping true and faithful to the truth of God's words that in His time this truth and light shone upon us here in the Philippine Islands, praise the Lord. May God continue to bless you all as you, through the Way of Truth Magazine, bring the lost to our Lord Jesus Christ.
Also we would like to thank all the dear Saints who helped one way or another for the repair our chapel though it is not yet fully finished & there are still things to be done yet, please continue to remember the needs in your prayers, too.
And to all who will read this read report, we do covet your fervent prayers for all the Filipino Saints and His church here. Thank you all for your love & concern for His church in the Philippine Islands!!!
unworthy servant of the living God,
sis. judith d batalla
(For more pictures visit, http://picasaweb.google.com/jetbat/33rdYearAnniversaryChurchOfGodPhils and
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