Preaching activities from May 1-29, 2024

May 1 (Midweek Service)

For our bible study, the elders decided that they will invite preachers again from other congregations to teach. They invited brother Jun Antonio, a local preacher at Catarauan Church and Nabialan Church. He shared the lesson "We all sow and reap".

May 5(Sunday Worship)

For our bible study here at Metro Tuguegarao, we had brother Paul John Panopio scheduled to teach the whole chapter of Luke 8. For this session he ended up finishing until verse 18. In the sermon, brother Rody preached on Mark 16:1-8. Invitation was extended as always and one young lady came in front to confess her faith. She is one of the students of my wife in the children's class when she was 6 years old and below, and latter became a student of sister Tessie for those who are aging 7 and above. Her name is Divine Ortaleza. Her mother and sister are faithful members of the Lord's church but there father is from the Iglesia ni Cristo 1914. Sometimes sister Marvie, the mother, is telling us about their problem on her husband that he doesn't allow them to go to church. But because of their faithfulness to God, they are still going. Their love for God is above any other. Sorry I do not have any picture of the baptism.

In the afternoon, at Palca, I preached to them the lesson about "The True Worshippers". Brother Robert did not come because he was ill. Jhian and Henry continue to help me in the work. 

In Dagupan, I am also the one who preached and I shared the lesson on "The Healing at the pool of Bethesda".

May 8 (Midweek Service)

For our bible study, we have one of our elder, brother Flor Constantino teach. He shared the lesson on Genesis 1 on "How God arranged His creation".

May 9 (Bible study)

Brother Jay invited us to go in the house of sister Rosalinda Manzano. We stayed under a tree because it was very hot during that time and staying inside her house will be difficult. She just arrived coming from selling a box of snacks we call "Lumpia". Her profit when she sold everything is only Php 100.00 or $1.9 only. That will be enough for a small meal the whole day according to her. Only her and her husband are living in their house. All their children have family already. We didn't see her husband during that time. Brother Jerome shared an encouraging lesson about "Stand fast in the Lord". After that, we went to another house to visit another sister because according to brother Jay, she was absent for 3 weeks already. Unfortunately, we didn't see her but their neighbors told us, she went to Samar to visit her parents.

May 11 (Bible Study)

Brother Efren Respicio scheduled a youth bible study at Cadaanan. Several teenagers came from different congregations. Their are those who came from Alibago Church and also from the two congregations where I am preaching, at Palca Church and Dagupan Church. Brother Jet Mark Ramirez was the first to speak and he shared the lesson "Let God be magnified in our lives", then followed by brother Reymund Welba who shared the lesson "Spiritual Check up". After the bible study, we decided that we will do it again in other location. Our goal is for the teenagers to be focusing on the Lord's work instead of any other activities. And also for them to be meeting each other. This is the problem here in our region or even the whole Philippines. We do not know who are our brethren. We might be passing them by in the malls, market places, etc. but we do not talk because we do not know each other. We want the teenagers to meet and know each other. We help them pay for their transportations coming form our own pockets. We also talk to other preachers and encouraged their youth to join in this activity. 

May 12 (Sunday Worship)

In our bible study here at Tuguegarao, brother Paul John continued on the lesson given to him. He shared to us Luke 8:19-25. In the sermon, brother Rody preached "Mark 16:15-20". this is the last sermon he shared before going to London. They will be there until the third week of July that's why I will be taking his place as the one who will teach in the sermons here in Tuguegarao. 

Invitation was again extended after the sermon and one young man came in front to confess his faith. He is brother Joash Guimiran, who came from a very faithful family. Aside from our family, they are the second with the largest number of members in the Lord's church. From their grandmother until the third generation of their family.

In the afternoon at Palca, I preached to them the lesson on "Healing at the pool of Bethesda". 

In Dagupan, brother Robert preached about "Love of God". The weather is very hot once again, even with all the electric fans, it is still very hot. But even with that, we had a wonderful day in serving the Lord.

May 14 (Bible Study)

There is a new work that just started May 12 in Babayuan, Iguig. There is a church in that area before but during the pandemic, it stop. Brother Ronald Valdez is the preacher before and he wanted to re-establish the church in the area again. Just like before, they do not have a chapel and only having their worship in one of the houses of the brethren. 

He invited us to have a bible study. We stayed under a bamboo tree near the houses of the brethren. The neighbors also came and listened well to the study. Brother Jerome shared a lesson about "The necessity of baptism". I led the invitation song and two precious soul came in front. After the song, when brother Jay initiated their confession, another one came. We went to the near river and baptized them. 

After that, we immediately went to Tupang, Alcala where brother Fernando Duque is preaching. He also invited us for a bible study. We had the study at one of the houses of the brethren. There are also non-Christians in the audience. Brother Joeben Jacobo and brother Jerome both shared a lesson on Acts 2 and Acts 10. Invitation was extended but no response from them.

May 15 (Bible Study)

There is an invitation on one of the houses of our brother in Minagbag and so brother Jay invited us to go. The daughter-in-law of our brother is imagining things like ghost in their house or spirits lurking that's why he invited us to have a study about it. We studied the lesson "What happens when we die?" After that, we have conversation with his daughter-in-law and now she understands what the bible is telling us about this things. She is not yet a Christian that's why she believe in this things.

In the evening, we had our midweek service here at Tuguegarao. We had brother James Attaban teaching us the lesson "Keeping the church pure".

May 18 (Bible Study)

The bible study at San Manuel have been finally scheduled. We had this schedule for several times already but the availability of the brethren is not, that's why we needed to re-schedule every time. Thankfully, this time, most of them are present. We have a good number of audience. As we usually does, we had singing, praying and study. Brother Edgar Licodini shared to us a lesson on "Hindrances in going to heaven". It is good to be talking with them after the bible study. We just found out that there are those who are still babe in Christ in the congregation that is easily persuaded by other dominations. We tried to fill them with knowledge on the truth.

May 19 (Sunday Worship)

In our bible study here at Tuguegarao, brother Paul John should continue to teach but he got sick and so brother Flor took over and he shared "Luke 8:26-40". In the sermon, I am already the one in charge for the months of May to July depending on the request of our elders. According to them, there will be times that one of our two elders will preach. I shared to the the lesson on Genesis 3 which is the "Fall of man".

In the afternoon, at Palca, we have brother Robert preached to us about the "Love of God".

In Dagupan, I also preached to them about the "Fall of Man". We have problems again with our church building. For 4 straight days, there were heavy rain falls during the evening and the soil in the side of the building slides down. We are afraid that it will affect the soil beneath the flooring of the building. They suggested that we needed to fill more soil besides it so that even if there will be rains, it will not just slide down. We do not have any funds for it right now. We hope there will be none or just small drops of rain for now for it not to lose more soils.

May 20 (Bible Study)

There is again an invitation for a bible study. This time in Alibago where brother James and brother Jay is preaching. Only the three of us went and we where at sister Aning's house. Brother Jay led the preaching with the lesson "Reasons why we give thanks to God". After that, we visited to more houses, but no more bible study. We talk to them and give them encouragement. After that, we had prayers.

May 22 (Midweek Service)

For our bible study here in Tuguegarao, we had brother Boni Morales as our guest. We will continue to have guest preachers until the month of July as scheduled by the elders. He shared to us the lesson we can get on "Genesis 22, Abraham offered Isaac".

May 24 (Bible Study)

We were invited by brother Efren Respicio to have a home bible study at Cadaanan, Solana. We went to the house of a village councilor. He is not yet a Christian but his wife is together with their grandkids. Brother Jay was the first one to teach and he shared the importance of obeying God's word in Matthew 7:21-23. I followed with a lesson of remembrance on the things we have heard and the coming judgment on  2 Peter 3. Efren told us that the councilor is very supportive with the work of the church in Cadaanan but we do not know why he cannot decide to obey the gospel. If there are gospel meetings, he is there, but on Sunday worships, he cannot come. We hope and pray that before the coming of Christ, he will surrender his life to Him.

May 26 (Sunday Worship)

For our bible study here at Tuguegarao, brother Flor just continued with the last verses of Luke 8 from verse41-56. In the sermon, I was able to preach once again and I shared the lesson on "Enoch's Exam" with the main purpose to study how we walk with God.

In Palca, brother Robert wasn't able to come because he was invited to preach in a funeral near them. So, I was the one who preach and I also shared the lesson "The fall of man". 

In Dagupan, we are thankful to God that we have a good weather. It has been very hot for the last couple of months, but for this day, the wind is blowing beautifully. This is the third time to preach for the day but I needed to speak louder because the building is open and the sound of the wind is also strong. At the end of the day, I feel very tired. I have done this before, getting tired after preaching on three different places, driving for almost an hour, but not like this day where I went directly to bed without dinner when I got home. Even with that, I thank God for the opportunity He gave me to successfully preach his word.

May 28 (bible study)

I invited my fellow preacher to help me with the work at Palca. Brother Robert Rances, Efren Respicio, James Attaban and Reymund Welba joined me. Brother Efren shared a lesson on "Remaining Steadfast". We where at the house of sister Girlie Domingo. I noticed that she has been absent for the last three weeks and so I contacted her and asked if we can visit her. 

May 29 (Midweek Service)

For our midweek service, we had brother Reymund Welba teach to us. He shared the lesson on  "The sin of partiality and three kinds of faith". 15 minutes before we started, the rain pours very hard that's why there are those who wasn't able to come. There are also those who sent us message that they were sick.