Preaching activities for the month of February 2021

 February 3 (Midweek bible study)

As we continue to suffer the lockdown in the entire town, we didn't stop for doing what we know is right. We still had our bible study, but not the usual way where we are in the chapel. We were at brother Rody's house and only our family are in attendance. People are still not allowed to go out of their houses especially during night time where we usually held our midweek service. We studied Romans chapter 8.

February 7 (Sunday worship in three congregations)

The hard lockdown ends last February 3, but we are still under may protocols. Thank God that we are able to worship with the brethren at the three congregations where I am working. We first had our worship here in Tuguegarao in the morning where brother Jerome Forelo preached the sermon about "Blessed Assurance". After the sermon, the invitation of the Lord was extended and we are happy that three precious souls obeyed the gospel.

In the afternoon, at my first destination at Palca, I am very happy to see them all because of not being with them for the past two weeks due to the lockdown. I preached to them about "Ways to ruin your life". It's kinda negative if you think about the topic but it shows us a warning that we shouldn't follow this kinds of attitudes/ways that the world is doing.

After the worship at Palca, I needed to go immediately to Dagupan Church. I have only 5 minutes to do that because we needed to start at 3 p.m. We start the worship at Palca, 1:00 p.m. and usually ends 2:45 p.m. But sometimes I preached long enough that I forgot the time that's why I am rushing. I still needed to talk to the brethren before even going away to know their concerns. I am not leaving without speaking to them.

I also preached the same lesson at Dagupan. Many of them are not in attendance because of sickness. Sorry for not having enough pictures for this report, my phones battery easily dies that's why I needed to talk to one sister at Palca and a brother at Dagupan to take pictures of me for the next weeks.

February 10 (Midweek service at Tuguegarao)

Everything is fine now in our town except on some other areas around our region. Thankfully, we can already have our midweek service at the chapel. Our elders (brother Rody Gumpad and brother Florencio Constantino) decided that we invite other preachers to come and teach to us every Wednesday. For this evening, brother Robert Pader is our invited preacher. He preached about "Laborers in the vineyard". This is the first time also that we have a live streaming on our midweek service. Unfortunately, for some reason we do not know, the video was deleted by facebook.

February 12 (Home bible study)

We went to the house of brother Nelson Nalog because of his invitation that he also wanted his in-laws to hear the gospel. That's a very nice thing to do, showing that you don't want any of your family to be lost in hell but to have salvation. Brother Rody, sister Tessie and I went to their house. Many questions are raised by her mother-in-law because she is a school teacher and also teaching religious subjects.

February 14 (Worship service at three congregations)

In our worship here at Tuguegarao, brother Rody preached to us about "The church at Smyrna". He will be teaching to us the seven churches in Asia every time he is scheduled on Sundays. Our attendance is slowly getting back to normal. We just needed to follow a few protocols. I continue to work with our live streamings. It is still not perfect until this time because the internet in the chapel is weak and our gadgets still needs upgrades. 

In the afternoon at Palca, I preached to them about "Let us not depart from the Living God". We have 6 visitors with us and one of them is an ex-chieftain of the other village. He is around 70 years old already and he just walks about one kilometer just to join us in worship. I gave him a bible after the worship. We are all praying that he will obey the gospel soon. I offered him a ride back to his house but he insist on walking. His reason is, he is already getting older and he needed to exercise his joints. The thing I am worried is, the temperature is about 104 degrees fahrenheit and he might get a heat stroke. 

In Dagupan, valentines day is the scene in the worship. Many of our brethren wear red shirts. I even tease them that they are already ready on their dates after the worship. I also preached to them the same lesson of "Let us not depart from the living God'. There are still some who are not with us because of sickness. Thankfully, not of them have covid.

February 17 (Midweek service at Tuguegarao)

We again have an invited preacher and this time it is brother Robert Rances, the local preacher at the congregation in Lingu, Solana. He is also a member and an elder of the church here in Tuguegarao about 5 years ago, but he left and concentrated on the work in his hometown. He preached about "John 14:1-3".

February 19 (Service at the wake of brother Rolando Agpoon)

We visited the wake of brother Rolando Agpoon. He is one of the first preachers who started the work in the town of Kalinga. One of his fellow worker brother Virgilio Bocarile also died last March 2020 just three days when the lockdown started in the whole country. We didn't have the chance to visit him that time. This time, we wanted to make sure that we visited our fellow worker before he will be brought to his final resting place. He mentored many young preachers and are not working well in the Lord's vineyard. It is sad to loss someone who did a lot for the Lord's work but behind that, he is now in the place where the faithful saints are waiting for the Lord's return, in paradise. We had a service and prayer with his family.

February 21 (worship at three congregations)

This is the day that I needed to preach three times. I am scheduled by our elder to preach here at Tuguegarao in the morning. The easy part is that, I can preach the same lesson. The hard part is, I am almost out of breathe in the last place I preached. 

I first preached here in Tuguegarao in the morning. While preaching, I also needed to monitor our live streaming because I am the only one left to do it every Sunday. Brother Jay already choose to be with his congregation at Minagbag in the morning. No other else can do it except me. I preached about "King Ahaziah". 

In the afternoon, at Palca, I also preached the same lesson. Sister Nicole who is the one taking pictures of me when preaching is out of town because of work and I only noticed she was not in attendance when we finished the worship. We continue to have our visitors and I have a little conversation with them before I left.

In Dagupan, the same lesson was preached. Our brethren at back from their sicknesses and some of them also came back from other town. We also have a visitor and I am happy that she is very interested to listen. Upon writing this blog, she already attended two in a row and hoping that she will also decide soon to obey the gospel.

February 24 (midweek service at Tuguegarao)

Our bible study is again headed by preacher from other congregation. We invited brother Dennis Yuson, the preacher at Aquib Church. He shared a very good lesson about "What were the cities of refuge on the old testament?". 

February 27 (Gospel Meeting/lectureship at Nangalinan, Baggao)

In a short notice, brother Sammy Paet invited us to join them in the lectureship at the congregation of his father, brother Virgilio Paet Sr. They asked the three of us (Jerome Forelo, Dennis Yuson and I) to discuss the entire book of Acts. It was a short notice that we needed to rush our outlines. Thankfully, I've been preaching this book for so many times that's why it is not that hard to do. When we are entering the town of Baggao, we are stopped in the checkpoint. They do not want us to enter the town because we do not have any travel pass. Only that Friday that they imposed new protocols in the area that's why we didn;t know. We stayed in the checkpoint for almost 30 minutes and by contacting brother Sammy, he went to the village chieftain to ask for permission. Thankfully, God is so good that they allowed us to continue with our travel. We still needed to travel at least an hour to reach the destination. We already loss a lot of time that's why we needed to make adjustments with the lecture. I shared to them "Acts 1-5", brother Dennis shared "Acts 6-15" and brother Jerome shared "Acts 16-28". With all the hindrances Satan did, we still successfully finished our lecture. Satan cannot do anything if we have God on our side.

February 28 (Sunday worship at Three congregations)

In our worship here at Tuguegarao, brother Rody continue with his lesson on the series of the churches in Asia. This time he shared to us "The church at Pergamos". I post a picture here a screenshot of our livestream. It still need a lot of improvements.

In Palca, I am happy to see the family of sister Jonalyn Uton back with their new baby. One month after her delivery, they went to the town of Enrile where his husband is from and after four months, they came back. They worship with the brethren at Alibago church in Enrile during their stay there. 

With the previous lectureship I attended, I decided that I will start again to teach the book of Acts. We will do this every time we have to gather. This coming March, we have decided that every Friday, we will have the bible study. First Friday of March, I will be teaching in Dagupan, 2nd week will be at Palca, third week will be back to Dagupan and fourth week, we are still unable to decide because there is a previous invitation for a Gospel Meeting for me. If that will push through, I will attend the meeting, but if not, we will have the bible study at Palca.

For this Sunday, I preached the first chapter of the book of Acts in both congregations. I can see that they are very interested especially the new converts because they haven't heard the full content about it yet. Hopefully, they will learn more from our study and for our visitors to learn that there is only one church that we needed to join, and that is the church that we can read in the book of Acts.

Preaching activities for the month of January 2021

 January 3 (Worship at three congregations)

It is the first Sunday of the year and I am happy to be with the brethren for this wonderful day. Every first Sunday of the year, we have a thanksgiving in the congregation where we have celebration after the worship but because of the pandemic, we are not allowed to do so. The brethren gave me the job to take care of the live streaming. In our worship, brother Rody shared a sermon about "What will happen to us this year 2021?". After the sermon, we extended the invitation and 1 soul came to confess his faith. He is the son on brother Jerome and my nephew, JM Forelo.

In the afternoon, I invited brother Jerome Forelo and brother Dennis Yuson to come with me in Palca and Dagupan. Brother Jerome preached on both places while brother Dennis helped in singing. After the sermon in Dagupan, 5 precious souls came in front to confess their faith. One of them is very young at the age of 11 and so we needed to make sure she understand what she is doing. Thankfully, she answered directly. We brought them to Palca to baptized them. They are Lea Mangulad, Analiza Robles, Maribel Manicad, Cris Mae Manicad and Jeraldine Manera.

January 4 (Radio program)

Brother Junior Gumpad already went to Manila and so brother Rody asked me to helped him with the radio program every Monday. I am the one taking care of the technical matters while he preached on the radio.

January 6 (Midweek Bible Study)

The first Wednesday of the year and I am happy that we can have the midweek service. The last couple of months, we have times that we cannot have the gathering on Wednesday because of the protocols, but this time, we can meet with our dearest brethren. This year gave us different scenarios and we needed to adjust every single day. We continue to study the book of Romans and we are now on the fifth chapter.

January 8 (Wedding at Pussian)

We were invited to the wedding at Pussian, Alcala. It is the congregation where brother Joeben Jacobo and brother Fernando Duque is preaching. Before the wedding ceremony, brother Rody shared a sermon about marriage. I was asked to lead the prayer. Only the lady is a member of the Lord's church while the men is not. Hope and pray that he can also follow the path of his wife spiritually.

January 10 (Worship at three congregations)

In our worship here at Tuguegarao, brother Rody followed up the lesson I preached about eldership in the last Sunday of December. We again extended the invitation and the wife and daughter of brother Jun Gumiran finally decided to obey the gospel. I immersed them in water afterward.

In the afternoon, I also invited brother Rody to join me in Palca and Dagupan. He also preached in both places while the rest of the work is done by me. We again have many visitors in both places. I got their facebook accounts so that I can communicate with them. Mrs. Leds Castillo and her two kids, Geraldine Gaton, Kyle Andrada and Jerry Mangulad.

January 11 (Radio Program)

We again have the radio program. It is also posted in the account of brother Rody on facebook the live stream we made.

January 13 (Midweek service)

This is again the last Wednesday we have to meet this January because of the sudden changes in the protocols. We studied Romans 6th chapter.

January 17 (Worship in three congregations)

This is the last Sunday of January that we are able to meet with the whole congregation (with the average attendance) because of the protocol changes. Brother Rody preached about "The church at Ephesus."

In the afternoon, at Palca and Dagupan, I was able to preached the lesson about "Religious but not righteous." The weather was so cold, not the usual weather we have that's why the most of the brethren are wearing their jackets. I am happy with the outcome of our worship because even though the weather is not good, they have good feedbacks after our worship. I am encouraged by their zeal.

January 20-29 (Lockdown)

Another trial had come to our town and especially to our faith. It was declared that we have a total lockdown in the whole city. We cannot go out of our houses unless we will buy our necessities of if we go to the doctor. I tried getting travel pass so that I can go and preach to Palca and Dagupan, but they won't allow me. I only told them the truth why I needed to have the travel pass, but because it was a church gathering, they rejected it. I don't know how the others got their travel pass. I asked brother Dennis Yuson instead to be with our brethren at Palca and Dagupan because he is from the other town and just near the congregations. 

This situation didn't stop me from doing what I needed to do. I have communication with every brethren at Palca and Dagupan and so I continue to share to them the gospel. I also shared to those who are visiting us during our worships. 

January 24 (Worship at Tuguegarao)

The lockdown is still in place and so the brethren cannot come to worship. Only our entire family who leaves near the chapel came. I continue to work with our live streaming and brother Rody preached the sermon. The lesson is about the "Powerful words of Jesus". You can visit the post of our stream in this link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/metrotuguegaraococ

Brother Dennis did a good job in Palca and Dagupan. He sent me the pictures of the worship.

January 25 (Radio Program)

We can still do the radio program because we are doing it in the house of brother Rody. We still do the live streaming on facebook so that it is not only the listeners here in Tuguegarao can listen to the preaching but the entire world.

January 27 (Midweek bible study)

We are still not allowed to have the meeting the chapel and so we did the bible study in the house of brother Rody. We are on the seventh chapter on the book of Romans.

January 29 (lockdown)

The lockdown supposed to end by this day but because of the continues increase of the cases on covid, it was extended to another five days. So sad because I cannot go and preach again. I continued to do other ways to preach the gospel to our brethren. Thankfully, I am making much use of technology during this pandemic and brought fruits of obedience from my contacts.

January 31 (Worship at Tuguegarao)

Our family is again alone in this worship. We still do the livestream so that our brethren can join us. Anyone still not allowed to go out. Many are already caught who are not following the protocols and they are fined big. In the sermon, brother Rody preached about the Four Anchors.

Again, in Palca and Dagupan, brother Dennis went to preach. He again sent me pictures. Thankfully, one of those whom I am sharing the gospel contacted me before their worship at Dagupan. He told me that he wanted to obey the gospel now. I told brother Dennis about it and he baptized him in Palca. He is Jerry Mangulad. I am praying that those other contacts I am also sharing will obey the gospel soon.