Seeing Double

September 23, that’s today, is designated to be UCM Sunday and we celebrated it without a bang but with solemn worship services. Our 6:30AM worship service at the SU Heights Chapel in barangay North Junob had for their speaker Mr. Leonel de Jesus who is currently the SU Church UCM President. At 8:00AM at the Udarbe Memory Chapel, I was tasked to take over the preaching assignment due to the backing out of our invited speaker due to conflict of schedule. The same is true with the 10:00AM worship service–Pastor Noel Villalba has to take the reign as the scheduled preacher backed off early on. On the other hand Mr. Clinton Jubela, an active member of the UCM was the preacher during the 4:00PM worship service and I believe he was able to share his experiences in the UCM.

However, the 5:30PM contemporary worship, which by the way is still ongoing as of this posting, is having a wonderful time together with a local youth theater group led by Dessa Quesada. Their group called the YATA, short for Youth Advocates Through Arts, is performing “Mata Na!”, a ‘theatrical informance’ that tackles stories, issues and laws pertinent to the discussion of Violence Against Women and Children, specifically human trafficking, child abuse, domestic violence and rape.

Earlier on, I started the afternoon with the prisoners over at the Negros Oriental Detention and Rehabilitation Center, as it was our (SU Church) assigned Sunday to lead the worship service for the UCCP group inside. After that I have to run to the SU Assembly Hall for the Bike for Life forum. You can read all about what this Bike for Life campaign is all about here.

Well, all’s well that ends well, as they say. Tomorrow, the UCM will gather for their weekly Bible Study schedule at 7:30PM at the church conference room. However, tomorrow’s session will be different as it will be a movie night with “Evan Almighty,” and with the hope that the movie will generate enough interest for the UCM to continue to examine what God would have them do with their lives.

Till next posting. To God be the glory!

Today we celebrated Youth Sunday under the bigger celebration of the Christian Education and Nurture month. I am so happy to see so much enthusiasm in the youth today as they took the leadership of all our worship services, from the 6:30AM Silliman Heights Chapel service, down to the 8:00AM, 10:00AM, 4:00PM worship services and the specially made for the youth 5:30PM contemporary service. The 4:00PM spilled over its alloted time, pushing the 5:30PM service to start past 6:00PM already. But hey, they had a great time worshipping God with music, testimonies, and messages from the youth as well as from Pastor Haniel.

 I joined in the 8:00AM service, it being my ‘regular’ worship assignment and served as its minister. Cool! Micah Dagaerag, a philosophy student, gave the message while Jennelie Bomediano who just passed the Medical Technology board examinations last week gave a testimony. Our 8AM worship service was held at the big church since the body of Dr. Raymundo R. Dato, Sr. was still in the Udarbe Memory Chapel. We held the funeral service at 1PM and had the commital soon after day. However, I didn’t go to the commital anymore since I was scheduled to go on our Sunday shut-in visits together with some members of the Board of Elders.

We were able to visit Mrs. Dolores Tabasuares who is already 84; Major Rustico and Mrs. Edna Paralejas who are 88 and 86, respectively; and Mrs. Genovena Macalisang who is also in her 80s. With me were Prof. Connie Cadeliña, Mr. Clinton Jubela and a Divinity School Field Education student (Yen-Yen).

Coming back to church at the end of our shut-in visits, I chanced upon Neil Rio who just had their 3rd child baptized during the 4:00PM worship service. Neil and I go way back together in our NSDC-CYF (Negros-Siquijor District Conference Christian Youth Fellowship) years where we were both actively involved in the leadership.

Praise and thanks be to God for a very fruitful Sunday! To God be the glory indeed! 

August breezed away like the wind as the Founders Day of our beloved Silliman University went full blast with activities left and right. The church played a central role in reminding the people of Silliman’s mission as an institution called to serve the people as a response to God’s call.

In our website are links to two of our Guest Preachers sermons during the 8:00AM (Dr. Noriel C. Capulong) and 10:00AM  (Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno) Worship Services. Puno came as a guest of honor during the SULAW Awards and was invited to extend his stay to preach. Dr. Capulong is a resident faculty of the Divinity School.

Please read their messages and try to reflect upon Silliman University’s theme this year — “Descending into Greatness.”

Pastor Ditz (Hidita Castrodes-Villas), our Christian Education Pastor is swamped with all the preparations for the Christian Education Month this month of September. Last Sunday the kids told the congregations the story of Paul’s missionary journey as we celebrated Children’s Sunday. Next Sunday is Youth Sunday, so we expect to see the youth leading in our worship services.