40th Anniversary Concert Pix

Here are some pictures taken by Jordan during last Friday's 40th Anniversary Concert.

Tale Of Three Trees teaser pix

Here are some teaser pictures of what you will see on Friday. Thank you Eileen for the pictures.

Musical Concert Reminder

Just a reminder to all, Graceans or non Graceans.. all of you are invited this Friday to the GCC 40th Anniversary Thanksgiving Musical Concert. No need for tickets... it's absolutely free. Please try to come on time, so that the concert can start on time. Invite your friends, family, and even just someone you're meaning to say "hi" to. Don't forget.. 8PM! at the GCC sanctuary.

YGC FTF: The Pursuit of God

Last Sunday (Oct 19), the Youth Gospel Center (YGC) of the Philippines (in Masangkay,  Manila) held its annual Full Timer's Fellowship (FTF). You may be wondering to what that fellowship is for... The FTF is for anyone who is considering full time work..or pastoral work. It could be missions, teaching, pastoring, church work...yes, all the clerical work that you can think of... 

YGC on the otherhand, is a para-church. A para-church is like an organization, such CCOWE (Christian Churches Organization of World Evangelism, they are the pioneers of the magazine CCOWESpondence), or a center. In this case, YGC is a center. Para-churches are usually built by churches to serve a certain ministry need. If the need has been fulfilled, then the para-church's life ends. The only exception is evangelism...if evangelism is the purpose, then the para-church's mission doesn't end. One of those is YGC; YGC has been around for around half a century, it is supported by basically almost all the Chinese churches in the country. Now, you may ask, "there are many churches around the Masangkay area...aren't all the churches there also responsible for evangelism?" Good question.. the thing is..most non-Christian individuals (especially Chinese) would immediately close their minds if you say, "Hey, do you want to go to church?". That's an immediate NO to them. However, if you have a place such as YGC, then...their minds are a little bit more open. It's like a mediator between churches... Once evangelism is fulfilled in the non-believer, they are channelled to the different churches that suits them. It's actually very effective, that is why it has been around for half a century. I'll post more about YGC later on...

Moving back to the topic...

The speaker was UECM (United Evangelical Church of Malabon)'s head pastor, Rev. Danny Reyes. [To know more about him, you can check his testimony in one of CCOWEspondence's issues that was published with in a year ago].  The topic, as the title shows is... the Pursuit of God... this is a topic seriously aiming for those who are considering the ministry.

I won't narrate the whole message, just the highlights...

First, whether we are called to go to the seminary or just college... it is both a calling.. we serve and sacrifice in both fields. Anyway, for that day, the focus was those who are considering to go to seminary...

The passage was... 1 Timothy 4:12-16. This passaged was addressed to Timothy, a minister to the Gentiles. The verse goes...

"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, n faith and in purity. Until I (Paul) come, devote yourself to public reading of the Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you.

Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers."

First of all, if we are in church, many will tell you.. "don't look at people, look at God." Question: can you literally see God? Of course NOT.. So look at people.. that's why God told us to be a light of the world.. Our life must be a reflection of God.

In this verse, Paul is telling Timothy to:

1) Be an example.. in short, his BEING. in speech, in life, in faith and purity.

2) Preach and Teach. or his DOING. teach what? God's word!

Why? because (highlighted in blue) we can SAVE them and ourselves. Them, yes.. knowing that we have a good testimony will let everyone see God in us. It will help them know that we are God's children. But what about ourselves?? Ain't being saved always be saved? YES, once saved, always saved.

It is referring to us being accountable to everyone. God will one day judge us all...and we are accountable to all our actions. This is to save us from trouble. For example.. if a pastor tricked someone for his money.. and that pastor preaches in the pulpit, would you believe him?

....

You probably won't...because he has tricked someone, lied to someone..and he might be lying to you. Then..that pastor is accountable to all the souls that he has stumbled. God will judge him for what he has done. 

So what about the majority who are not called to the ministry? The same principle still applies.. the BEING and DOING, except that the DOING is a little different. You may not be preaching and teaching...but what ever field God has led you... you have a role there to DO.

One last thing... only a few went there this year (around 20, more or less)... A few years ago, there would have been around 40 to 50 attendees... But now, each church had an average of 2 or 3 representatives.. Grace has around 1000 church attendees weekly. Ain't it weird that only 2 or 3 have the burden to seek the fulltime ministry? Yes it is...I'm sure there are alot of members in Grace and other churches who are in pursuit of God. They are just not being taken care off.. They are not informed.. It is not being organized properly. This has been a wake up call for me... we need an accountability group, a fellowship, or anything that would let us gather all of those who are seeking to join the full time ministry. We need to be more prepared...

Luke 10:2 

"And He was saying to them, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseeech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.'"

Junior Church Christmas Camp

It has been announced that the official Junior Church Christmas Camp will be held on December 26 to 29. I'm not too sure what grades can join in; but I think it starts from Kinder or Primary, most likely. First and second year high school students can probably leech in. It was also announced that it won't be an overnight event. Just a day event! A day event where you can ship your kids to church and enjoy the holidays with your husband or wife during the day. It's like DVBS in December and right after breakfast. BUT, things could still change!!! To some, a day camp isn't enough. So the question is...do you guys think it should be an overnight event or not? 

Let us know your thoughts by participating in the poll on the left side of this page. Many thanks in advance to those who'll participate..

Thanksgiving Musical Concert

As I've mentioned in my previous post, our church will have a Thanksgiving Musical Concert on October 24, Friday at the sanctuary. It will start at 8pm. The performers are the Combined Children's Choir and the Special Anniversary Choir.

They will perform... the Tale of Three Trees and Selections from Handel's Messiah respectively.

The church isn't giving enough information about these two titles, but thank God for the internet... So before you ask yourselves....is the Tale of Three Trees just like the story of the Three Little Pigs? And who in the world is Handel? Is he really famous? Cause I've never heard of him, ever...

Tale of Three Trees was written by Angela Elwell Hunt and David C. Cook [not the guy from American Idol]. It's basically a story of three trees who each had their own dreams. I'm sure each of us have our own dream. So I recommend this for all you dreamers out there, and expect to be wowed on how God can fulfill them exceedingly beyond your imagination. And if you have a good memory or notes, this story has already been mentioned during one of our worship services, maybe a year ago. I can't wait to see how the kids will depict it.

Messiah, on the other hand, was composed by George Frideric Handel,a German-born Baroque composer in the early 1700s.  He was born in the same year (1685) as Johann Sebastian Bach and was regarded as one of the more famous musicians of his time. Messiah, his most famous work, was composed in 1741 and revolves around Jesus's life and His significance to Christianity. In fact, the very well-known chorus Hallelujah is a part of Messiah. So....he is famous, well... his songs are. So if you like Hallelujah, I'm sure you'll like his other songs as well.. See you there.

40th Anniversary

For all you folks that have been out of touch lately, Grace will be celebrating its 40th Anniversary starting this October. The events will start off during last week of October until the end of the year. Some of the events will be annual events, while some will be totally new.

So far, I've confirmed the schedule of two events....

Oct 24 (Friday), at around 8pm, we will have a Musical Concert by the Children's Choir and the Anniversary Choir. It'll probably be a joint fellowship in the sanctuary. More details later on....

Oct 25 (Saturday), most probably (again only probably), there would be NO Saturday evening service.

Oct 26 (Sunday), 

7:30AM - baptismal service. Let us try to wake up early and congratulate all our new members.

9:30AM - joint worship service. Try to get there a little earlier, since it will be really packed. hehe...

12 noon - anniversary lunch  at City Best Seafood Restaurant along Tomas Morato. It would include different programs, so expect to be entertained. It's a once in a few years lunch where we could remember God's love and faithfulness to our church. Tickets cost p400 per individual. You may avail of it by just walking into the church office, ticket booths outside the sanctuary during Sundays, and from church staffs and fellowship officers. If your 40 years old, I bet you've already set aside P10 each year, so p400 is no biggie.

A Letter for Healers

I got this letter from a friend who graduated from studying medicine. This is specially addressed to those who are in the medical field. But for those who aren't in any medically related field, I hope you read this still. Perhaps this challenge is not just for doctors or nurses or clerks, but can be applied to any Christian serving in the profession that God has entrusted upon them. Enjoy....

November 8, 2006

Dear ones,

           Clerkship is almost over, well not quite.

           What have you learned? The science of medicine, or the arts of medicine?

           We are being pushed constantly almost daily. The more I learned medicine, the more fearful, or even dreadful I became. It is a vast sea of knowledge. There is no end in all these searching and pursuit of knowledge. Truly, the old philosopher was right by saying Arts is long, and life is short, judgment difficult.

            

            "Ars longa,

                vita brevis,

                 occasio praeceps,    

                    experimentum periculosum,    
                         judicium difficile."

           Are you growing numb to the death of your patients? Are you still being moved by the howling of the relatives? Are you sad, depressed, after witnessing the flat line on the Cardiac monitor? Or perhaps, you felt this awful sense of relief, an un-resettled guilty feeling of pleasure with the realization of no more Q 1 monitoring, or even bedside monitoring?

           Compassion.

Sympathy.

Let not the study of medicine suck up your emotions dry. We feel, therefore, we give treatment… heart-fully believing that by giving these set of medications, our patient is going to get better. Let this be the conviction when you are about to put something in the prescription pad one day; but for now, let this be the indwelling conviction when you are about to present the case in the AD CON.

Watching someone die, makes one learn how to live.

          

            Are you alive, or dead? Breathing perhaps you are, but are you alive?

          

            “Only one life to live

           Soon will past.

           Only what's done for Christ,

           Will last.”

          

            Each one of us, entering medicine, choosing this long journey less traveled with a set of preformed ideology. What is your ideology?

          

            Well, I have mine, and I refuse to keep silence this time.

          

            Becoming a physician is not the ultimate end. It is simply a tool to achieve that ultimate end. This ultimatum is hidden in the heart of man, revealed to each one by God.

          

            “The ultimate end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”

          

            I am a Christian who happened to be a doctor.

          

            I have my identity that no one can take it away. My identity is not bound by that white robe. Take it off, and I will still be me, James, a Christian who happened to be a doctor. I know where I came from, why I am here, and where I will be going.

          

           As a clerk, there is little that I can do. But I have two hands that can fold, and a heart that can pray. This I say perhaps is the first and last lesson in the arts of medicine.

          

            Are you praying for your patients?

          

            You are instruments in a Mighty Hand! Let this be your confidence.

                                        

                                                                   Refusing not to feel,                                                                                      

                                                                          James Lee, M.D.(Mission Driven)

                                                                                           11-08-2006, Sampaloc Manila

 

"Leading is a temporary assignment.  Following is a
lifelong calling."
             --- Joseph Stowell, "Following Christ"

Any Writers Out There?

Just so you guys know... I'm trying to make this blog a GCC community blog. Sort of like a diary for Grace. As of now, I'm the only one writing. So, if there is anyone out there from GCC who wants to join in, could you send me an email or IM me? speng_14@yahoo.com. You don't need to be a writer (I'm not that much of a writer myself), I just need someone who has the heart for this kind of ministry. Many thanks....

Everybody's Question: What is God's will for me???

Every Christian will always have this question..

"What is God's will for me??? How will I know if it is my will or HIS?"

It seems like a simple question, but everyone seems to have a hard time answering it each time it is asked. We always have a desire, a circumstance, or a dilemma. Each time we have these, we go back and ask ourselves..."How will I know if it is God's will or my will?", "Did I make the correct decision?", "Is she/he the one for me?", "Will I regret this?", and many more questions that pop to our mind in an instant. We all wish that there was a so-called Will-of-God meter; where we can just type in our questions and it will give us a YES or NO. We always want that instant yes or no. The answers are always, YES, NO, and most of the time, WAIT for the YES. Sometimes, if we want something; we will make every possible excuse or reasoning for it to be "the will of God". Wanting a non-Christian wife or husband, "if God doesn't want me to be with her, why would He have led me to her?", "But she makes me so happy". Doing something illegal or unbecoming of a Christian, "It's OK, everyone does it, so it's alright", "I always get opportunities for these, it means God is giving it to me. He wants me to take this blessing". This is the thing, whatever it is...we, as humans, can always come up with an excuse to make everything God's will. There is always a reason to want or not to want something.

I've asked a couple of my friends to determine what they personally apply to determine God's will... I've chosen some of them that I'm sure can be helpful to most of us.

Anyway, here are some of the answers:

[BTW, most of them have been rephrased for grammatical credibility].

Person A:

"If it is your will... in decision making, it is so easy to say yes. No sacrifices are made, and you're just happy. If it is God's will... it is always hard on your end, and it requires sacrifice."

Person B:

"I pray and ask God to give me peace of heart to the decision that will coincide to His will [I think he meant Biblical]; and if I'm doing something against His Will, He shouldn't allow me to have a peaceful heart."

Person C:

"1) There is no clear cut way of knowing.

 2) As long as it is Biblical (not a sin, not a direct disobedience to parents).

 3) After a certain amount of time in prayer, there is peace.

 4) General opinion of more spiritual mentors that approve.

Bottom line... if it is God's will, it will happen unless there is no "action" from that person. (i.e. if you don't work, you won't earn money).

As one pastor puts it... 'God just dictates one thing...Christianity. then it's free will to pick . I guess the obvious next question is finding the best.'"

Person D:

"I think I need to have the right relationship with God, and my heart and motive must be right and selfless also. And I should not cause anyone to stumble due to my decision."

Well, these answers are all from ordinary people. But how about pastors, pastors who have heavily experienced God in the "search for His will".

Pastor A:

"One will never know for sure. We just need to trust God. This is assuming we are not violating any Biblical commands. Pray and ask for God's leading. Use the wisdom that God has given you. You can do trial and error, as long as you are not committing any sin."

Pastor B:

"Peace is the key. If you have peace then it is God's will. If not, then wait some more."

Pastor B: [second answer, "baduy dw" 1st answer]

"We can never know for sure, we can only assume His will for us. But in the end, we can confirm if it was His will or not. There are a lot of factors to consider before you take action. 

1) Sin issue must be out of the picture. 

2) Readiness of people involved - emotionally, financially, spiritually, - readiness to take on the responsibilities, consequences, and demands of it. 

3) PEACE (haha!) - do you have peace in your heart? if none, then wait for the peace of God to fill your heart before you decide on something.

4) as one speaker has said, "we must be action-oriented, because God will always close the door on us if it is not His will, and open another door leading to His will.

5) walk with God and He will never lead you astray"

Finally, this is what the Bible says...

Philippians 4:4-7

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

I personally liked Person A's answer more, but the keyword here is PEACE. I'm sorry for those who thought I could give you an answer, but there is really no clear cut answer. God just gave us methods to understand His will. We all know when we sin, even if we don't admit it. That's why we have the Holy Spirit within us. If you really think that there is not even a hint of guilt in whatever sinful thing you are doing, I suggest you re-evaluate your acceptance of salvation. I'm happy God gave us free will and doesn't dictate us. Imagine a world where we are all like robots. No free will, just do whatever we are told. 

Remember to pray to have peace, then you'll know His will. BTW, can anyone of you guess who pastor B is?hahah....