Groundbreaking at Caingal, Sn Carlos

From the email sent by:

Chita Rebollido-Millan

President Emerita, World Federation of Methodist & Uniting Church Women

Dear Mga Kasama,

Good sabbath morning from Calasiao.  Pray all is fine with you.

I am sure the latest updates about our movement reached you by now.  Let us therefore lift up our praises and thanks to God Almighty from whom all blessings flow.  How faithful God is to his promise that He will supply our needs and that he'll be with us through the end of the age!  

Let us rejoice because finally we are now an official church under the Republic of the Philippines and among the Christian churches.  How fast it happened.  According to Pastor Aze all 15 incorporators were able to sign as of Dec 2, documents were submitted at SEC on Dec 6 and after evaluation and review, was approved/signed on Dec 7.  It was released last Friday, Dec 9.  Aren't these signs that God approves what we are doing?  All the more that we remain faithful to Him and do His his mission in this part of the world - "Misyon ni Kristo, Tungkulin ko.".    

The SEC release was so timely for the groundbreaking ceremony of the 1st ever AIMP church/school in the Philippines, that was in Brgy. Caingal, San Carlos held yesterday.  The 2,000 sq. m. lot is donated by Atty & Dr Gloria Gatchalian [nee Gloria Castro is from Caingal] with an initial money of P200,000 for the church building.  What big hearts the Gatchalians have.  Very soon Pastor Bayani Tecson will no longer preach under the mango trees with his members seated on their 'kanya-kanyang bangko'.    

Thank you for faithful friends who graced yesterday's historic and momentous event.  First on the list are our Pangasinense 'Senior' church workers/leaders [Kuya Romy Sison, Pastor Castillo, Manangs Aluida kasiguran, Panching Lucas and Perla Bautista, together with Manang Glo from Antipolo].  They arrived a day before [had dinner with us and slept at Pastor Tecson's mansion].  Special tasks were assigned to the men: Pastor Castillo as driver of his own Revo and Kuya Romy as documentor and writer for local publication of  the event.  Nueva Ecija friends led by Pastor Aze Bote were kind enough to be in Caingal, too.  And last but not the least, 3 loaded cars from Calasiao AIMP attended to draw inspiration from the once in a lifetime event, as well as give inspiration to others.  

We rejoice with Pastor Tecson, his loving wife Pacing, the Gatchalians, and members from Caingal and Calobaoan.  May they continue to be witnesses of Christ's overflowing love to those who remain faithful to Him.  

Attached with this email are some pictures taken by Art but the more official shots will be submitted [?] by our documentor, Kuya Romy [hahaha, bagong assignment].  

Mga kasama, 'go, tell it on the mountains, over the hills and everywhere' that ANG IGLESIA METODISTA SA PILIPINAS is officially born!  God bless us all.

Sisterly,

Chita        

EMAIL OF ROMY SISON (Your Insights Needed)

Blessings to All!

I had a rare opportunity to have a conversation with former SEC CommissionerPerfecto Yasay last Tuesday, Dec 6 while we were in court waiting for the session to open. We were both to give our testimonies to a mutual client. He is the son of a UCCP pastor in Mindanao. He shared me the following:

Organization. The AIMP should be registered as a "sole corporation" rather than a non-stock corporation being a religious entity. If you are registering it as non-stock corporation withdrew it and apply as "sole". You can come up with a "covenant" in lieu of "bylaws".

Choice of bishop. The corporations in the Philippines are patterned on the U.S. democratic principle of "rule of the majority." The election of the bishop through voting in a central conference will be prone to campaigning which is not good. Bishops should be chosen by a council whose membership will be chosen during the central conference. The council will get from the floor the nominations and the council will check their qualifications.Their term can be set in covenant. 

Appointment of local pastors. Pastor should be called not sent. There should be a list of qualified pastors duly checked by the bishops or a council. From this list the local congregation can ask for their pastors. In this way, pastor are chosen not sent. This will encourage the pastors to continue developing themselves. The rule of "pastors are sent" tends to allow pastors to just wait for an appointment and they dont care if the lcoal church will be happy with them or not. Appointment can be fixed depending on the rule to be set.

Missions. Local churches have a parochial view of setting up mission churches. They tend to go only to the nearby locality, close to them and where they can themselves handle. Seldom do they choose to go beyond their annual conferences. For example, a church in Luzon can set up or support a church  in Mindanao. They either help the church develop there or merely give financial support to the workers, etc. 

Church property. The central conference of the sole corporation should own all church properties. These are however, kept in trust by the local congregation for their use. The use will be designated or restricted to ensure that it will not be used for other than religious purposes, etc.  

Church based schools. The Board of Trustees should be appointed by the church council or church administration during the charge conference. A term will be set. Although they are supposed to be a corporation separate from the local church the BOT should be aware that they are representatives of the local church that created it. This will minimize school BOTs from dictating to the local church simply because they have more funds than the local church. 

Inclusiveness. the sole corporation should be inclusive. It accepts all sinners who profess to accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour and are moving on to perfection. 

Wesleyan tradition. The AIMP members should be Wesleyan Methodist at heart.

Perhaps the above insights are worth thinking about by the members of the AIMP now that we are in initial stages of our birth.

I shall appreciate your comments on this. Let us share them with others. 

Romy

  

"People don't know how much they mean, until they know how much you care."

"Pastors are called. Lay persons are sent."

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