By Erwin dela Rosa
“The biggest tragedy is not death, but life without purpose.” These profound words struck me. They came from Sarah Balabagan.
Sarah Balagan is the 14 year old woman who killed her employer in the Middle East in the mid 90s. Her employer attempted to rape her. She defended herself, and killed her employer in the process. She was sentenced to be beheaded but was spared through the intervention of the government. To be pardoned she need only pay blood money and receive 100 lashes.
The blood money was …

By Erwin del Rosa
I’m so blessed and grateful to have shared a table with a brother. It was at a membership fellowship dinner of the Gideons International last December in Rosales, Pangasinan, where I got to meet this profound fellow. His name is Arnold, and I’m glad to have met him.
I had looked forward to this dinner; I have been a part of this brotherhood since 2000. The Gideons International is a brotherhood, fellowship, and organization of Protestant and Evangelical Christian professionals and businessmen. We raise funds for printing copies …

by Victor A. Violenta, Jr. & Cristine C. Atrero
Zambales District celebrated with a Thanksgiving Assembly at San Antonio Youth Center last 21 November 2009. The theme was “Pasalamatan Ang Dios Na Pinagmumulan Ng Pag-asa.” Bishop Lito C. Tangonan was the guest preacher, and over 500 members  attended. This was also in line with the district’s vision to establish a local church in San Antonio, Zambales. It is the only town in the province that does not yet have a United Methodist Church. The activity started with a …

by Nitz E. Nicolas

People from both the United Methodist Church (UMC) and the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP), including the members of the PCU management committee, faculty, clergy and lay were witnesses to the signing of the Deed of Reconveyance of lot-title to the Philippine Christian University – Union Theological Seminary (PCU-UTS) at Taft Campus, Manila on 22 October 2009.

For the last 10 years, the UMC through the Philippines Central Conference (PCC) and UCCP, which are partners in the PCU-UTS merger, have been confronted with a …

by Mervin Montano

With the theme “Together in Mission Towards a Future with Hope”, the Southern Tagalog Provisional Philippines Annual Conference East (STPPACE) held its first annual Workers’ Convocation at the PACE-Conference Site at Kaytikling, Taytay, Rizal from 18-20 November 2009.

On its first year of existence as a provisional annual conference, the former Laguna-Quezon Mission District faces the challenge of mission work, making this the main focus of the 3-day event.

Recent typhoon Ondoy and Santi hit Laguna heavily, sparing no one in the community. It is in this light that …

by Nitz Nicolas

Being in relevant and sensitive positions in the church, 19 newly appointed and non-’graduating’ District Superintendents (DS) of the Manila Episcopal Area (MEA) underwent an orientation-seminar emphasizing conflict transformation at the UCCP Shalom Center, Ermita, Manila from 26 to 27 November 2009.

“Being a DS is a holy calling. It is important to renew a vision on conflict transformation. And his first role is to create a listening environment”, quipped Rev. Dr. Jose Sotto, one of the six resource persons during the seminar. The lecture was highlighted …

by Caroline Abalos-Santos

The Pampanga Philippines Annual Conference’s (PamPAC) Board of the Ordained Ministry (BOOM) conducted a workers’ study session and fellowship last 25 October 2009 at Doña Margarita Resort, Balas, Mexico, Pampanga. This event was designed and developed by the BOOM in accordance with the four quadrennial thrusts.

The study session was concerned primarily with the enhancement of church leadership. It challenged workers to continue their education with zeal and helped them to utilise their fullest potential in order to fulfill the mission they were called to.

Rev. Ciriaco Francisco …

by Norma P Dollaga, KASIMBAYAN

“All I wanted in my life is a good harvest to feed myself and family” are the words of Orong Namansulay, a 19-year-old member of the Higaonan, a tribe within the Lumad indigenous peoples in Agusan Del Sur in Mindanao.

Orong has dark eyes, and his bronzed skin reveals the color of an indigenous person exposed to the heat of a sun. He bears a typical posture of a shy-type country guy who would always send a gesture that he is inferior to the one he …

by Johann M. Osias

The Standing Committee on Central Conference Matters (SCCCM) of the United Methodist Church held  the first of its regular meetings last October 23-25, 2009.  Their venue was the historic Scarritt-Bennett Conference Center in Nashville, Tennessee. There were 39 members present, led by its Chairperson Bishop Patrick Streiff of the Central and Southern Europe Episcopal Area. The SCCCM consists of lay and clergy representatives from Central Conferences and the 5 Jurisdictions of the denomination, including representatives from various agencies such as the General Board of Global Ministries …

by John B. Manalo
Each annual conference under Manila Episcopal Area is charged to  facilitate leadership and ministry development for both clergy and laity. This is the challenge that Southwest Cavite District (SWCD) of Philippines Annual Conference Cavite (PACC) is rising to. SWCD is at the forefront of developing a Training Movement that seeks to address emerging theological and ministry needs.
Methodism started as a movement under the passionate leadership of John Wesley. I am certain that if we do not act promptly and accordingly, this movement founded by our forebears shall …

By Neki A. Soriano
Director
Comprehensive Community-based Primary Health Care Program
Visayas PAC, United Methodist Church
Office Tel # (82) 222-4474
Mobile # +639089021286
Web: healthdea.multiply.com
ikens@yahoo.com
This is a bit late but it is important nonetheless. -ed
An Appeal to Refrain from Using Firecrackers
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. May we celebrate this season with joy and merry-making but let us do it safely. Let us refrain from unnecessary use of firecrackers. Last year, the DOH reported 613 firecracker-related injuries from the period of Dec 21, ‘08 to Jan 3 ‘09. Of those injured, 24 …

by Danny Hernaez

Greetings!
“After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before.” (Job 42:10)
Have you ever been wrongly judged? Have you ever had people assume there was sin in your life because of the troubles you may have experienced? Or perhaps they judged your motives as wrong. What if the people judging you were your closest friends?
This was exactly what happened in the life of Job. His friends did not understand how a godly person could ever …

by Tomas Jerico Aliwalas Along with the growing clamor for change and in line with the church’s call for clean and honest elections, the United Methodist Youth Fellowship of  Philippines Annual Conference (PAC-UMYF) launched their own moral force movement dubbed  Moral Force Youth. The launch, with the theme “Kabataan Anong Say Mo? Tayo ang Pagbabago”, was held at Pandacan United Methodist Church on 29 November 2009. The activity was attended by young people from the two districts of PAC: Southwest Metro Manila District (SWMMD) and Northwest Metro …

by Erwin dela Rosa
Christmas time is party time.
As in previous years, I have been to one party after another. The office’s, the tennis club’s, other organization and association parties – name it. Almost everyone organizes a party one way or another. There are the usual gifts, plenteous food, parlor games, dancing, singing and booze for the drinkers. The atmosphere is filled with goodwill, merriment, cheer, fun and camaraderie.
I enjoyed the party prepared by my advisory class in the college where I teach. It was my first time to party with …