Thoughts for Thursday

Love Fellowship 2014

Hi there! Last February 16, Youth Enjoying Service (YES) to Christ held its Love Fellowship with the theme “Love Triangle: Third Party is a Must, God Must be On Top” at BCI Marikina Church, Balagtas St., Marikina City. Almost two hundred youth and young professionals from BCI Marikina, BCI Cogeo, BCI Angono, Faith Bible Church, MPC students and visitors of church members attended the said event. Ate Kezia Darroca and Kuya Peter Dingle hosted the program.

At 2:30 in the afternoon, the program started with singing and welcoming the guests. Special numbers by the different churches followed. Selected young people from BCI Marikina performed a short play. BCI Cogeo rendered a song number. BCI Angono boys did a song interpretation. The Recerone sisters, Ate Mabel and Ate Hannah, also gave a song number.

Special number from BCI Cogeo

Special number from BCI Angono

After this, Pastor Russell’s preaching entitled “What is Real Love?” followed. The preaching focused on 1 John 3: 7-19. He talked about what is an infatuation and how it affects us, the difference between love and lust, and the meaning of real love. He ended his preaching with a short video clip reminding us that true love waits.

1 John 3:18-19

¹⁸ My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

¹⁹ And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him.

Pastor Russell while preaching

Kuya Son Tuazon and Ate Sharon Fajardo facilitated a game from Minute to Win It where a pair, a boy and a girl from each group, would try to throw and catch plastic bottles with a basket. The pair who catches the most number of bottle wins. Every participant gave their best but Jay-Ar Osita and Jennifer Fabillar from Marikina Polytechnic College won the game.

YES president, Kuya Kyle and Ate Sharon

The winners! Jay-Ar Osita and Jennifer Fabillar.

Next, Pastor Eugene Recerone, Pastor Boyet Adecer, Pastor Jovy Reyes, Pastor Mike Tan and Pastor Russell Coles gamely answered some questions regarding love. Everyone learned a lot from this question-and-answer portion especially about how to know God’s will in choosing one’s life partner.

Question and Answer portion

Before the event finished, three special awards were given:

Mr. and Ms. Lovable Face – Alan Troy Blanco and Jezliah Jirah Gaspar

Mr. and Ms. Killer Smile – Dan Albert Cristobal and Dane Rodriguez

Mr. and Ms. Serious – Dane Christian Competente and May Gapner

L-R: Mr. and Ms. Lovable Face, Mr. and Ms. Serious and Mr. and Ms. Killer Smile

Everyone enjoyed the yummy palabok, bread and juice prepared by WOW. Before going home, the attendees took selfies and group picture at the photo booth. See you next Love fellowship! 

Thoughts For Thursday

Advance Happy Valentines Day everyone!

Too Much Love Can Kill You*

*Disclaimer: I was thinking of a title for this post that will be catchy or related to the approaching Valentine's day but sorry to disappoint you guys, this post ain't about romantic LOVE per se but about our love for material things. It was written by one of our church member who wanted to share her thoughts regarding this topic. Here it is:

As humans, it is inevitable to us to constantly want things that we think will make us happy or satisfied. We want to feel pampered and loved. Do you know someone who doesn't like something nice once in a while? It can be as simple as a new pair of shoes or it can be as extravagant as an opulent real estate. Also, as humans, we are still living in our flesh which also makes us vulnerable to deeds which are not pleasing to God.

I, myself, have a long long long list of material and ideal things that I want to attain in my life. I have been writing it down since time immemorial to compare the things that others have and the things that I don't. Haha!

But, most of these things are just luxuries and are worth more than what I can earn or afford. Nowadays, we are offered numerous ways on how to conveniently and easily acquire things. One way is the use of a credit card. Once you've got the hang of using it, you don't want to stop. With the help of it, you can buy anything you want with the amount of money you are not even sure you will earn. You can ask your parents or Google on how this works.

Yes, I have a stable job with good pay, but this doesn't mean that I should be spending it on things that I wanted others to notice, or what others think as "socially acceptable or fashionable". I want to acquire things that looks stylish but in reality I just wanted to brag, to intentionally/unintentionally tell others that "Yes, I CAN have fancy things, too. Sucks on you."

I am not saying that buying expensive things is bad or wanting to achieve wealth. Even God wants us to be prosperous, as this will let other people know about His greatness and power. Material things and money can also be used in serving God.

What is bad is our intention on why we desire such "whatchamacallits". We can call it selfish if we desire to be wealthy for ourselves alone and to please the desires of our flesh. The Bible, in Romans 8:5, tells us that "For those who live according to the flesh have their outlook shaped by the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit have their outlook shaped by the things of the Spirit (New English Translation)."

This simply tells us that if our view in life is with accordance to the world's, then we are not living in the Spirit, which is of God, through our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Galatians 1:10 tells us that if we are really for Christ and offered our lives to serve Him and follow His commandments, then we should live not to please men or seek the approval of men, but only to please God.

When I was going home after work, around 7 PM today, the jeepney that I rode was about to leave the terminal, when suddenly a man standing outside grabbed a passenger's mobile phone and tried to snatch it from her. Some of the other passengers helped the lady, but still the man got away with what he targeted to steal. This made me think about the man's intention on stealing the phone. Does he need to have instant and huge sum of money to pay/ buy his necessities like food, bills or tuition fees? Or was he just mesmerized by the gadget and felt greedy or envious?

Matthew 6:19 informs us the truth about these material/ideal things on earth that we keep on desiring/collecting. These are just temporary and will be easily destroyed or taken away from us. So let us not focus on such things, but let's concentrate on the real treasures we can have and collect, those that are kept in Heaven. We can have these through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Matthew 6: 19-21

19 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (New International Version)

Too much desire for worldly things up to the point that God is not the center of our lives anymore is dangerous. Indeed, too much love for material things can kill us--financially and spiritually.

I am wondering if you also want the treasures in Heaven? If yes, like I do, then we should start on living our lives according to what is pleasing and acceptable to God, and not forgetting that He is ABLE to provide our needs, and more than what we need, if only we ask Him too.

Blessings for the Month of January

Thoughts for Thursday

We couldn't agree more! We sometimes experience pain and heartaches but God is there for us. 

Ministry Fair

Do you have a golden voice? Do you like entertaining and encouraging people? Are you a social-networking junkie or a techie buddy? Do you enjoy story-telling to children? Are you a computer wizard? Do you love praying for other people? Are you an artistic gal and loves DIY? Have a thing for orderliness?

Last Sunday, February 2, 2014, Youth Enjoying Service (YES) to Christ held a ministry fair at the BCI Marikina church. Pastor Russell talked about the importance of using one's talent in serving God, the Church, and our community. Then, the youth and young professionals were encouraged by the eight ministry leaders to join their respective teams. After the sign-up process, the new members were briefed by the leaders regarding the upcoming events/projects. 

Come and join us and use your God-given talents. Aanhin pa ang talento kung palagi namang itinatago? Don't hesitate to approach each team's leaders to sign-up.

Here are the ministries and the corresponding leaders:

Ushering Ministry: Sarah Ursua
GRATITUDE/Music Ministry: Hannah Recerone
Promotions/ Publications Ministry: Kyle De Guzman
CARE/ Children's Ministry: Sarah Garcia
Technical and Stage Management Ministry: Mabel Recerone
Prayer Warrior Ministry: Peter Dingle
Production Designs Ministry: Nica Salva
Maintenance and Orderliness Ministry: Bon Principe

The lovely ladies of the ushering ministry.

Mukhang excited nang kumanta ang Music ministry.

Go Promotions team!

The teachers of the Children's ministry.

The technical and stage management members.

Our Prayer Warriors.

Nag-meeting agad ang Production ministry?

The MMDA Boys (joke!)

January is Bible Month

Read your Bible, pray every day,

Pray every day, pray every day.

Read your Bible, pray every day,

And you’ll grow, grow, grow.

And you’ll grow, grow, grow.

And you’ll grow, grow, grow.

Read your Bible, pray everyday,

And you’ll grow, grow, grow.

Don’t read your Bible, forget to pray,

Forget to pray, forget to pray.

Don’t read your Bible, forget to pray,

And you’ll shrink, shrink, shrink.

And you’ll shrink, shrink, shrink.

And you’ll shrink, shrink, shrink.

Don’t read your Bible, forget to pray,

And you’ll shrink, shrink, shrink.

This Sunday school song reminds us about the importance of the bible in our Christian lives. BCI Marikina held a short program last January 26, 2014 to commemorate the bible month. A bible quiz tested the members' knowledge about the bible. After this, the Juniors, YES, WOW and AMEN competed with each other in the Picture Frame contest wherein they would portray different scenes from the bible. Everyone enjoyed and at the same time were reminded to read their bible to uncover God's wonderful messages to us. 

"The Bible is meant to be bread for daily use not cake for special occasions."

First Youth Assembly for 2014

Last January 26, Youth Enjoying Service (YES) to Christ held its first monthly youth assembly for 2014 at four in the afternoon at BCI Marikina Church, Balagtas St., Marikina City. Ninety-three youth and young professionals attended the said event. Ate Reselle Maningding and Kuya Dan Cristobal hosted the program.

Ate Sharon Fajardo's E12 group facilitated the bible quiz and the bible verse relay that everyone actively participated. For the testimony, Ate Jelly Gumalad shared how God saved her from her sinful past and how He guides her everyday. Kuya Den Ranola's E12 gave a special song number while Kuya Jason Tuazon's E12 performed a short skit comparing the bible to different things.

The participants while enjoying the games

Clockwise: Ate Jelly sharing her testimony, Kuya Den with his E12 while singing a song, and Kuya Son's E12 during the short skit.

Pastor Russell Coles' message reminded us that God's Word is not boring but ALIVE! 

Hebrews 4:12

New International Version (NIV)

12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Pastor Russell while preaching

Thank you Lord for the snacks that were prepared and served by Ate Kate's E12! Thank you for the tasty palabok, hot pandesal and refreshing juice. 

See you next month on our love fellowship. To God be the glory!

Left: The new YES president, Kuya Kyle