July 1 (Bible Study)
We continue with our bible study at the house of brother Rody as we are still not allowed to gather in church during evening and transportation for our brethren to come is minimal. Only few passenger vehicles are allowed to operate during this time of lockdown especially on evening and we also have a curfew. We studied Acts 11 as a family and I am happy to be part of this activity during this time that we are only allowed with few movements in our community.
July 2 (Bible study)
I have a conversation through facebook messenger by chat from three of the young teens in Palca. They have been students of my wife in their childrens class since 5 years old. Two of them are already 15 years old and one is 14 (Bea, Jamicah and Christine ). I made a group chat just for the four of us and they are asking questions regarding salvation. This is the first day of our conversation and it went through until today (July 27, the time of the writing of this blog).
July 5 (Worship at Tuguegarao, Palca and Dagupan)
I was tasked to preached in our sermon here in Tuguegarao. The lockdown is still in effect but now allowing church gathering with a maximum of 50% attendance. We must strictly follow all the rules for us to be allowed to gather (Social Distancing, wearing of face mask, alcohol, thermal scanner). I preached about "Enthusiasm" or our excitement to serve the Lord. I am excited with everything that is happening because we are slowly getting back to normal and so I made an outline about it.
In the afternoon, we had our first worship at the chapel at Palca for the first time since March 15. We've been gathering from different places last month (May), but now, we are happy to be where we belong. We cannot accommodate everyone on the chapel that's why those brethren who are from Dagupan will still continue to have their worship in the house of brother Enzo. I also preached the same lesson in both places (Palca and Dagupan).
July 7 (Bible study)
I received a call from Mrs. Ema Castro using the number of sister Teresita Puselero. She is asking about baptism and how to be saved. She have been attending our worship in Palca for almost 6-7 months when she is in Dagupan. She is only absent when she is in her son's house at Naruangan. We have a short question and answer. During that time, she is in Dagupan to get some of her clothes and be back to Naruangan the next day that's why she cannot attend our worships. The reason is, her son is jailed because of wrong accusations about drugs. She is asking prayers for the quick action of the case of her son so that she can already come back to her home. As of this moment (July 27), her son is already release and proven not guilty of the accusation. More news about sister Ema below.
July 8 (Bible study)
We again had our bible study at the house of brother Rody. We are now on the 12th chapter of the book of Acts. But before going to that chapter, we asked questions to the kids if they still remember everything we studied from the previous chapters. Most of their answers are correct and that's a sign that they are listening.
July 10 (Bible study)
July 5 when sister Elaine De Leon asked for prayers for her mother because she is rushed to the hospital due to cervical cancer. The next day, I got a news that her mother already died. July 10, morning here in the Philippines, her mother was buried. Sister Elaine is in Oman right now and because of the pandemic, she cannot come home. In the afternoon, I made a point to chat to her to comfort her with the situation she is facing right now. I send her biblical verses and comforting words. Please pray for our dear sister.
July 12 (Worship at Tuguegarao, Palca and Dagupan)
In the worship here in Tuguegarao in the morning, brother Rody preached in the sermon the topic about "The power of prayer in the Old Testament".
In the afternoon, at Palca, I preached to them about "Spiritual Distancing". I made a point that before we even have our worship, the brethren will already know what our topic is. I am posting the title of the lesson on our group page at facebook (Palca Church of Christ). Many brethren are contacting me about the whole outline and I gladly send them. After the sermon, the three teens (Bea, Jamicah and Christine) whom I continue to have daily chat finally decided to obey the gospel. I immersed them in water after the worship.
After the worship at Palca, I went to Dagupan and also preached the same lesson to them. Sister Ema is with us and still ask for our prayers for his son. And after the worship, she came to me and told me that she wanted to be baptized. I am very surprised and very happy with her decision. We've been encouraging her to obey the gospel for many months but during the time we haven't talk about it, she decided heartily and very excited. We went to Palca to baptize her.
July 13 (Bible study)
I decided to chat sister Leah who is in Dubai to see how they are now. They are in total lockdown and not even allowed to go out of their houses. They still do not have work and so they have no salary. It is harder for them to be there. They cannot go back to the Philippines. To comfort her, we had a short bible lesson.
July 15 (Bible study)
Our bible study at the house of brother Rody continues. We are now on the 13th chapter. We got news from several brethren who are infected by corona virus here in our country and so we include them in our prayers.
For the next days, I've been busy working on our house. I needed to put waterproofing on our walls, and fix our rooftop because if it is raining outside, it is also raining inside. We have our own waterfall inside our house which is bad.
July 19 (Worship at Tuguegarao, Palca and Dagupan)
In our worship here in Tuguegarao, brother Jerome preached in our sermon about "Where do I stand?" It is again a very encouraging lesson. If you noticed, since the lockdown, we do not have the bible study part on Sundays. That is because, we are only given a limited time to have the gathering. We need to follow rules so that they will not prohibit us from worshiping in the chapel again.
In the afternoon, at Palca, I preached to them about "Five things to forget". Since the start of 2020, many things have already happened around the world. Here in the Philippines, we suffered many earthquakes that destroyed our brethren's houses. Until now, they are still living in tents in Mindanao area. After the earthquake, volcano erupted in Taal and many brethren need to move away from the area. And now, this pandemic. I am thinking of forgetting everything and so the title of the lesson is that way. But the body of the lesson is about spiritual matters and not the things that are happening around us. I used biblical examples.
I also preached the same lesson at Dagupan. In Palca, I am using the projector, but in Dagupan, I am giving them copies of my outline.
The next days, I continue to work on our house. I wake up 6 am and have the breakfast, then start with the work until 5 or 6 in the afternoon.
July 22 (Bible study)
Even with the tiring work I am doing, I still managed to join our bible study. We are in the 14th chapter of the book of Acts. We all have decided that the next Wednesday, we will have the bible study on other houses. On July 29, we will be in the house of brother Jay. On August 5th, will be here in our house and that will be my wife's 35th birthday. On August 15, we will be in brother Jerome's house.
July 24 (Thanksgiving service at Maguirig)
I was invited by brother Jerome to work with him together with brother Jerry Soliva, Edgar Corpuz, Dennis Yuson, Mario Garma and Robert Pader in Maguirig. The said thanksgiving is for the daughter of brother Jake and sister Karen Bunagan.
July 26 (Worship at Tuguegarao, Palca and Dagupan)
In the morning here in Tuguegarao, brother Rody preached in our sermon about "The power of prayer in the New Testament". We continue to have our live streaming over facebook and is posted on the group page of Metro Tuguegarao Church of Christ.
In the afternoon at Palca, I preached to them the lesson about "Our Modern Society's concept of Hell". Many believed things regarding hell but not all of them are biblical. I answered them in this lesson. I also preached the same lesson in Dagupan.
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