Preaching Activities from September 23 - November 1, 2021

September 23 (Burial Service)

Together with brother Dennis Yuson, we went to Mungo, Tuao to have a service in the burial of our sister Pacita Quines, a faithful member of the Lord's church at Palca. The wake was placed there because her sibling requested to do so. Sister Pacita is 92 years old. She is always in attendance in all our worships and other services. Even though there are restrictions during the pandemic, when we have worships, she never fails to attend. 

September 26 (Sunday Worship)

In the morning, we have our worship here at Metro Tuguegarao Church. The city already allowed church gatherings that's why most of our brethren came. 

After 8 weeks, I can also go to Palca and Dagupan church again to preach. In Palca, we have many brethren who are sick that's why we are only 22 in attendance. In Dagupan, we are about 34, there are also brethren who didn't came because of sickness. 

September 27-October 17

Monday (Sept. 27) when I started to feel some symptoms of covid so I started to quarantine at home. My sister-in-law who is a doctor told me to have an antigen test at the hospital and so I did. It came out positive that's why we are asked to have the swab test. To shorten the story, me, my son and my eldest daughter tested positive. We were brought to the quarantine facility and stayed there until the 17th. Thankfully, only mild symptoms and we are never brought to the hospital. We thank God and those who helped us for our recovery.

October 20 (Midweek service)

After our quarantine, we are happy to be with the brethren again. We attended our midweek service here at Tuguegarao and by God's grace, I can help again in the work.

October 24 (Sunday worship)

Our first Sunday worship after the quarantine. It is like having a new life once again. I feel the excitement and joy attending the worship. It is not the same when just watching it on facebook. We have a good attendance of more than 60 here in Tuguegarao. 

In the afternoon, at Palca, some of the brethren are also in quarantine because there is also a covid outbreak during the time I was not there. Our attendance is only 24. I preached about "Knowing our purpose".

In Dagupan, our attendance is 42. We have many visitors also in attendance. After the sermon, we extended the gospel invitation and two young ladies confessed their faith and were baptized into Christ. They are Jane Casballedo and Cristine Castro. During my time in quarantine, I've been in contact with them. I am sharing them the words of God even just in the chat box. Thankfully, the seed that was planted in their hearts grew. I am happy with our teenagers in Dagupan because they are very much interested in helping in the work. I needed not to tell them what to do or prepare in our worships, they voluntarily do everything. They are also the once inviting their friends to come and join us.

October 27 (Midweek service)

I am again in charge of making our activities go live on facebook. This time, we are also televised in our local tv station. It means that even those who do no have access on the internet but have cables can already join us in our bible studies and worships. We continue to study the book of Proverbs with brother Rody.

October 28 (Bible study)

Together with brother Rody Gumpad and brother Robert Rances, we talked about having bible studies in our congregations. We decided that we will start in Dagupan. When we schedule Palca and Dagupan, he will be the one to preach but when we go to his congregation at Alibago, I will be the one to teach. We are praying that this will continue and that there will be no more lockdowns. There will be other places we will visit like in Barucboc Church and Minagbag Church. 

Brother Rody shared the lesson for us. After the worship, we visited a lot that the cousin of brother Enzo is selling. We've been in search for a lot that we can build the chapel for so long because the number of brethren in Dagupan is already growing. In our record, we are already 63 and when we are all in attendance, the place where we worship will be full. We are praying that we can buy a lot and build the church building already.

October 31 (Sunday worships)

In our worship at Tuguegarao, we again went down on attendance to below 50 because one of our elders, brother Flor Constantino and his family are again infected with covid. This is already the second time. Thankfully, we can still do the worship. Brother Rody continued with the series on Proverbs.

In the afternoon, I invited again brother Rody because we will also talk to the owner of the land in Dagupan. He preached both in Palca and Dagupan while I do all the other works. 

After the sermon in Dagupan, we are again very happy because during the invitation, four precious souls confessed their faith. We brought them in Palca to be baptized. They are Virginia Maners (68 years old), Marife Casballedo (16 years old), Jahnine Tumanguil (15 years old) and Terrence Tumanguil (14 years old).

November 1 (Thanksgiving Bible Study)

We went to Alibago for a thanksgiving bible study. Brother Victor and sister Jonalyn Soriano, members of the church in Palca are staying for the mean time at their parents house and decided to have the service there in Enrile. The purpose of this is for them thanking God for giving them a baby and now celebrating her first birthday. Brother Robert led the singing, I led the prayer and brother Rody with the sermon. Most of the audience are their friends and are non-christians. This is a good way to share the gospel.

Preaching activities for the month of August 2021

 August 8 (Sunday Worships)

To start, my report for August 1 is in the last blog. And this day, the 8th, this is the only Sunday we have for the whole month that we got a chance to worship together as a church. We are about 50 in attendance. Our town have an increasing number of covid cases that made our officials declare another tightened lockdown.

For this Sunday, brother Rody preached on Proverbs 10:1-3 here in Tuguegarao. 

In the afternoon, I am thankful that we still have the time to have the worship. The lockdown is already announced but that start is on the 10th. Unfortunately, in Palca, many of our brethren at sick. We are only 27 in attendance.I preached to them about "God's traffic lights", the go, caution and stop from God's word.

Im Dagupan, we have a good attendance of 43. I also preached the same lesson to them. We also have visitors. After the sermon, 3 precious souls decided to obey the gospel. Tony Simangan who worked in Singapore before told me that he is joining the services of Church of Christ there. But when I searched the internet, I cannot find any sound church in that country. I then learned that the church he is telling me are using instruments and they teach different doctrine. More like the Pentecostal church. When I learned that, I started to share to him and his wife about the true church. Thankfully, they opened their heart and both decided to obey the gospel. The other one is the son of sister Felisa. He is Ian Carlo. Two months ago, he met a motorbike accident. His uncle who is with him during that accident died. He only got a few bruises but got traumatized. Since then, we were praying for him until his mother invited him to church and now he was baptized. He should be helping with the work during worship like praying for our Lord's supper but then this lockdown came. 

During the lockdown, this are the lessons I shared to the brethren at Palca and Dagupan. It is through a video I send them in our facebook group chat.

August 10 - Proverbs 1:1-7
August 12 - Genesis 1-2
August 13 - Acts 6
August 17 - Provers 1:8-19
August 19 - Genesis 3
August 20 - Acts 7
August 24 - Proverbs 1:20-33
August 26 - Genesis 4
August 27 - Acts 8
August 31 - Proverbs 2:1-11

August 15, 22, 29 (Sunday Worships in Tuguegarao)

Despite of the lockdown, we can still have the worship here in Tuguegarao. It is because we are just near the chapel. Only our family are in attendance (Rody Gumpad, Jerome Forelo, Jayjay Gumpad and my family). We do the live streaming that is watched by many from several congregations here in our region. They are joining us because they also do not have any physical worships. There are also those who worked abroad who are joining our live streaming. We have three brethren in Hongkong who are from Palca that are always watching the sermons. There are also those from other regions here in the Philippines and even Filipino brethren in the US and London who joins us. We have low quality gadgets to use but the message of God is more important that everyone should hear especially now that church gatherings are prohibited.

Preaching activities for the month of July 2021

 July 4 (Sunday worships)

Our city is still on a lockdown that's why our attendance is limited again. I was asked by our elders to preach here in Tuguegarao. Many of our brethren are quarantined because of suspected infection of virus to them. It was not until the end of the worship that we were informed that they got positive tests. They were brother Rody and sister Tessie Gumpad, Rody Gumpad Jr. and his son Thirdy, Jay and Michelle Gumpad, Ella and Joy Duque. We are living with them in the same compound but I am very thankful to God that my family is safe. Thankfully, because of the good work of our government, they didn't pay any single peso in the hospital.It was all free because of the health care service of the nation. Unlike last year that all those who were hospitalized needed to pay not less than $2500.

And so, in our worship, I, alone did all the work. From leading the songs, prayers, sermons and even distributing the Lord's supper, because only one man is with us in the church during that time and he is not even a member of the congregation, but in Babalag Church. Our attendance is below 30. I screenshot our live-streaming to show you the preaching. You can check our page in facebook for all the live streamings here in Tuguegarao. 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/212295806642969

In the afternoon, at Palca, it is also the first time we meet since the lockdown last 3rd week of May. It is still lockdown but we got the permission from the village chieftain to have the worship. Not everyone came due to the fact that the town still have strict protocols. Just like in Tuguegarao, I also did most of the work. Brother Lino, our song leader is sick. I forgot his illness, but it is on his kidneys. Please pray for him, he is a faithful brother who work really hard in the church.

In Dagupan, thankfully, all the man came and they helped me with the work. I only preached to them. Many are also not in attendance. As my previous reports show that most of them are teenagers and the town is very strict with teenagers going out. 

I'm sorry I only have the picture of Palca worship. Most of the time I forgot to take pictures because I concentrate on doing my work. 

July 11 (Sunday Worships)

Visiting other places or people is prohibited that's why I continue to do preachings by our group chat in facebook.

The chapel here in Tuguegarao is totally closed by the order of the elders. It is a precautionary method because of the brethren infected by the virus. That's why the elders told me to do the live streaming in our house. The picture is different from our previous live streams because I am using a green screen. I bought a very cheap green clothe to use.

In the afternoon, at Palca, I am happy that most of our brethren are back. They are not that strict anymore because the town have zero cases of Covid. I am happy also to see two mothers joining us. Sister Angelina Santiago invited them in the church. They are her neighbors. I gave them bibles after the worship.

In Dagupan, most of our brethren also came. After the worship, I am very happy that two precious souls decided to obey the gospel. Before the lockdown last May, they are already attending the services, and this day, they finally decided to be baptized. We brought them to Palca where we have the baptistery. They are brother Ronald and sister Jeraldine. 

August 18 (Sunday Worships)

The chapel is still close here in Tuguegarao that's why the elders still told me to do the preaching. This is hard for me physically because I need to preach in three congregations for a day. But it is also a joy in my heart because this is all for the Lord. I may come home in the afternoon very tired, but it is very fulfilling. I did the live streaming again here at home and I am interacting with the brethren through their live chats.

In the afternoon, at Palca, the visitors are again with us. Hope and pray that they will obey the gospel soon. I continue to work on giving them the knowledge of the truth. It is hard to convince those who grew up us devoted Catholics. They are those who are joining in idol processions. I will try my best to save their souls from destruction.

In Dagupan, we also have visitors. They are a couple who arrived coming from Singapore and they told me that they also worship in a church of Christ congregation there. I doubt it is the same as the church we are in because there are no sound church in Singapore. We do not have enough time to talk because they are also in a hurry after the worship.

July 25 (Sunday Worship)

This time, my schedule is different. Brother Rody Jr. is already out of the hospital but he is still in quarantine. He is still not allowed to go anywhere. We talked through phone and we both agreed that he will do the live streaming. Because of that, I will not have anything to do the morning and so I contacted the brethren at Dagupan that we will move our worship in the morning. They all agreed and so we push through with the plan. We had our worship 10 in the morning. 

At 12:30, we had our worship at Palca. I am happy that after the worship, two teenagers who is attending the worship  for almost 5 months already, decided to obey the gospel. They look like 8 years olds but they are already 14 years of age. I am happy to be helping them grow up as christians.

July 30 (Young people Class)

I was invited by brother Robert Pader to preach in a group of teenagers in Bangag Church. This was supposed to happen last January but because of many lockdowns, it was cancelled many times. We thank God that it was finally push through. I am happy to be teaching this teens the way of the Lord. Some of them came from Bauan Church and Maguirig church also.

August 1 (Sunday Worship)

The last Sunday, when brother Rody Jr. preached in the live streaming, I saw him having like a shortness of breath. I knew it, because he is still recovering from covid. But he insist on doing it the last time. This time, I told him that I will do the work. I am happy that the elders already decided to open the chapel. I preached the sermon. We are exactly 50 in attendance. My wife didn't join us physically because she is having a cough. 

In the afternoon at Palca, we have again a good attendance. The two visitors are still with us. This time, they also invite one of their friend. 

In Dagupan, we also have a good attendance. After the sermon, one precious soul decided to obey the gospel. She is Exan Puselero. She's been with us since the first week of July. We should be baptizing here in the baptistery at Palca but there is no water coming out of the faucet. We then decided to bring here to the river which is about 5 kilometers away. I am thankful for the guidance of God that I am able to preach His word and positive responses are the results.