by Lynn Basan

We’ve been trying to start this column forever, an in-the-here-and-now discourse of technology partnering with the church (technology + ecclesia – get it?). Technology is fun; it opens up new avenues of thinking, new ways of doing things, it creates more room for challenges. It forces you to be nimble and open-minded.
And yet I am constantly reminded of the limitations we face. These limitations are, in fact, more cultural than technical although some people will argue the point until they are red in the face.
It can get really …

By Danny A. Hernaez
Greetings!
I am sure you played a game called Clue when you were a child. It is the classic whodunit board game! Poor Mr. Buddy’s been murdered in his own mansion. Who could have done it? How? And where? With six suspects, six possible murder weapons and nine rooms in the mansion, there are hundreds of possibilities, and plenty of clues to investigate! It is a mystery every time you play. Like the game, life is also a mystery with hundreds of possibilities. Each day is filled with …

By Danny A. Hernaez
Greetings!
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness’.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)
If there is one thing that is consistent throughout Scripture, it is this: God calls people when they are not ready. God will never call you into service when you think you are ready. This is intentional on God’s part.
And, you can be sure when God calls you, you will have similar responses as Saul did when he was called to be the first king, or …

By Danny Hernaez

Greetings from Frisco TX!
Just as you excel in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us – see that you also excel in this grace of giving. (2 Corinthians 8:7)
Dr. F. W. Meyer once commented on this verse, saying, “Probably there is no greater test of our true religion than our behavior in giving. How few, comparatively, give in proportion to their income! How few give systematically! How few have learned the joy and luxury of giving, so …

by Rev. Bing Canlas
(This weekly guide to prayer may be used by an individual for personal daily devotion or by prayer groups in retreat)
February 15-21, 2010
Theme:  God Forgive Us, Your Children
I. Opening Prayer
O God, in mystery and silence you are present in our lives, bringing new life out of destruction, hope out of despair, growth out of difficulty.  We thank you that you do not leave us alone but labor to make us whole.  Help us to perceive your unseen hand in the …

by Danny Hernaez

Greetings!
“The person that serves you like a servant is the greatest person among you. Every person that makes himself better than other people will be made humble. Every person that makes himself humble will be made great.” (Matthew 23:11-12)
Humility is a greatly under-emphasized quality among humans.
We don’t know what it means. We don’t know how to appreciate it. We don’t know how to do it. And we are not all that sure we want to have it.
Culturally we’re much more drawn to the energetic, dynamic, charismatic, crowd-drawing leader. …

by Rev. Bing Canlas
(This weekly guide to prayer may be used by an individual for personal daily devotion or by prayer groups in retreat)
February 8-14, 2010
Theme:  God’s Word… In Us
I. Opening Prayer
Our heavenly Father, we your humble children invoke your blessings on us.  We adore you, whose name is love, whose nature is compassion, whose presence is joy, whose Word is truth, whose Spirit is goodness, whose holiness is beauty, whose will is peace, whose service is perfect freedom, and in knowledge of …

by Mighty C. Rasing

I got involved with the School for Christian Youth Development (SCYD) when I was still in high school. I would say that this school was very influential in developing my leadership in the church, in my school and in my personal development. I also developed a lot of friendships and important connections by participating in this school.
The School runs for three years. It’s like going to a Bible School for teenagers. You get to study about the Bible, how to lead bible studies, how to lead group dynamics, …

By Danny Hernaez

Greetings!
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness…” (Romans 8:26)
Have you ever been in a situation that seemed like such a mess you simply couldn’t make sense of it? Like trying to straighten out a tangled necklace, you wonder how in heavens’ name did all these knots get kinked and twisted and pulled so tight. And in the midst of trying to untangle a knot on one side you inadvertently form another on the other end. It is frustrating when this happens with a piece …

by Rev. Bing Canlas
(This weekly guide to prayer may be used by an individual for personal daily devotion or by prayer groups in retreat)
February 1-7, 2010
Theme:  God, our Source of Strength
I. Opening Prayer
Almighty and everlasting God, in whom we live and move and have our being, you created us for yourself, so that our hearts are restless until they find rest in you.  Grant to us such piety of heart and strength of purpose that no selfish passion may hinder us from knowing your will, and no weakness …

By Danny Hernaez

“Today salvation has come to this house … For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” (Luke 19:1-10)
So what’s the purpose of the church? Over the years, we have oscillated back and forth between two different perspectives: The church exists to be a fortress for the saved to call each other away from sin and toward God. And, the church exists to be a front porch for the lost to come and meet God and find a home with him.
But which is …

by Rev. Bing Canlas
(This weekly guide to prayer may be used by an individual for personal daily devotion or by prayer groups in retreat)
January 25-31, 2010
Theme 5:  God’s Word…With Us
I. Opening Prayer
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hidden.  Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name, through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

-The Collect, the Book of …

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 Danny Hernaez
Greetings from Houston TX!
Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life. (Philippians 2:14-16)
Stars.
They have always been a source of constant hope for God’s people. “Your descendants will be like the stars,” God told Abraham. “When I see the stars, what is man that you are mindful of him?” the Psalms ask. The Wise men …