UNITED EVANGELICAL CHURCH OF THE PHILIPPINES PUBLICATION
Revival Night: Passion for the Word Leader’s Retreat: Servants of the Word Summer Camps 2013 Peer Observation Training Medical Mission to Caticlan
MEMORIES AND LEGACIES OF THE FORGOTTEN Rev. Stewart Young REMEMBERING & RESTING ON LAURELS Elder Edward Ong WITNESSING A CENTURY OF GOD’S FAITHFULNESS
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MEMORIES AND LEGACIES JULY-SE P T E M BE R 2 0 1 3
V OLU ME 1 I SSUE 3
FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK
TABLE OF CONTENTS Features Remembering & Resting on Laurels Celebrating God’s Goodness in Palawan My First and Last Memories and Legacies of the Forgotten The UECP Connection Pastors’ Corner Across the Miles Through the Years God’s Plan for Me My Spiritual Home Galleries 蒙恩感恩 The Heritage of UECP 頌揚耶和華所行之奇事異能 UECP’s Legacies to Me 青春到老，熱心教育; 獻身愛主，終生事主 Witnessing A Century of God’s Faithfulness 中華基督教會初期 Reminiscing... My Spiritual Home 驀然回首話當年 與教會同心同行 ，為主發光 Going, Glowing, Growing Old 信仰遺產傳給後人
NEWS Rev. Hor & Rev Yee Ying Visited UECP Leaders’ Retreat: Servants of the Word Workshop: Personal Bible Reading Revival Night: Passion of the Word Summer Camps 2013 DVBS 2013 Children Sunday Medical Mission To Caticlan Peer Observation Training Every Christian A Missionary
Of Memories and Legacies – The Acts of God 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 10 11 11 12 16 17 17 18 18 19 20 20 21 22 22 23 23 23 23 23 24 24 24 25 25 25
By Marlene Go
Inspiration! I got so inspired from the reading of stories of memories and legacies, of miracles and amazing acts of God. The words, memories and legacies – remember and receive seem to be passive words. Behind these seemingly passive verbs are the wonderfully active works of God. Action! UECP is an action-packed body. God’s acts came in 3 P’s and in 3 processes. God’s providence is the way to my salvation. Providence is divine guidance and care. God cares so much that He gave us His only Son to die for our sins. God’s free gift of fruitful life on earth and eternal life in heaven is my most precious legacy from God to me and my children. I rejoice when I see Mimi reading the Bible, singing and praying with her friend on the phone as part of her daily quiet time. God’s provision leads me in the path of consecration. Consecration is a solemn dedication to a special purpose and service. He provided me a place to serve Him and His people. He leads me to people to help me, mold me, and mentor me so that His work will be done. This path I took and am taking I now bequeath to my children. I praise God for Hannah’s ministry leading God’s people in songs and praises. May God continue to guide her group of young friends as they study God’s Word together. I am comforted and encouraged when I see Abigail ministering to her grandparents (2 sets of them). She accompanies her angkong to the doctor and to the barber. She feeds guakong (my dad) every time we go out to eat. She takes him to the barber too. She and Hannah spend time telling guakong stories and talking to him. My dad longs for these visits from his grandchildren. Surely, God is providing Hannah and Abigail with opportunities for a consecrated life! God’s protection is on me in sanctification. Sanctification is the act or process of acquiring sanctity, of being made or becoming holy.I have the full armor of God. Eph. 6:10-16. When trials and temptations come, I know that God will keep me safe – under His wings. Psalm 91:4 -He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. Job 23:10 -But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.This promise I claimed and will keep claiming for me, for my children and my children’s children. This issue of Herald celebrates 84 action-packed years of God’s faithfulness at UECP. Identify God’s providence in each of the lives of His children, how salvation came to their families. Read the pages of consecration as He provides for people in each ministry in each time period in each corner of His kingdom. Be amazed that our provident God protects His children when they go through the fire of testing, through wars and wants, through the challenges of conflicts. What for? So we will depend on Him and not on our own wisdom and strength. So we will be more like Him, reflect His image and His glory. Soar high, UECP! Hebrews 12:1-3 New International Version (NIV) Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Romans 15:5-6 New International Version (NIV) May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give us the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice we may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!
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Remembering & Resting on Laurels: Be Aware & Beware By Elder Edward Ong
We are nurtured from spiritual infancy to maturity through enriching ministry experiences. We are blessed to inherit ‘the ministry silver spoon in our mouths.’
Proverbs 24:30-34
New American Standard Bible (NASB) I passed by the field of the sluggard, And by the vineyard of the man lacking sense, 31 And behold, it was completely overgrown with thistles; Its surface was covered with nettles, And its stone wall was broken down. 30
When I saw, I reflected upon it; I looked, and received instruction. 33 “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,” 34 Then your poverty will come as a robber And your want like an armed man. 32
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he Chinese Cemetery at the boundary of Caloocan and Manila is a familiar place for me since I have been living near Monumento for the past 20 years. It houses many old, big and culturally designed mausoleums of wealthy families of the past. When I was young, I annually accompanied my dad in visiting the graves of his departed friends and relatives. He often pointed out that families of these mausoleums were once “kings” of business empires. Sadly, their “glory” was never sustained. A Chinese proverb states, “Family wealth does not last beyond three generations.” Untrimmed grasses and rusty fences around these mausoleums are all that’s left of the riches and glory of the past generation. What a pity! The author of Proverbs 24 must have experienced the same feeling of waste. The vineyard owners ended up poor because of just a little sleep, a little slumber, and a little folding of the hands to rest. This is where the problem lies. A little of everything adds up to something. This is not to say that we are to be workaholics. We need proper rest and sleep to be productive. These men however must have taken things lightly; they were late for work, daydreamed at work and left work before it’s done. Complacency set in and poverty came upon them. The principle of diligence and hard work holds true for our spiritual and ministry life. Just as laziness or complacency might jeopardize our means of living; resting on our laurels could bring dire consequences to our ministries. In the heart of downtown Manila, UECP provides us with a pleasant and comfortable place to worship every Sunday. Many have been blessed by the extensive ministries that cater to different age groups, ranging from toddlers to the most senior of our members.
Like the early generations of “rich” families, our predecessors have already paved the way for us. Through their faithfulness and diligence in serving the Lord, we, the younger generations, are now reaping the fruits of their hard labor. We need not go through “faithtrying” experiences of raising funds for a church building. Neither do we worry about sustaining a dying church. Our faith forefathers even established a school for us to have a “ready” soul market. Their burden for the lost compelled them to provide as much as possible for the continuation of the Lord’s ministry to future generations. Like the Biblical heroes of old, their lives and deeds still play an important role in winning souls for Christ. This is a challenge for us, the present generation. These inherited blessings are not merely for our enjoyment. They are our stepping stones to advance the kingdom of God. Let us not be contented with just keeping traditions or these blessings might become our stumbling blocks, keeping us from conquering unchartered territory. Older folks believed that ‘no progression is regression.’ To the pastoral team, to the board of elders and deacons and to all the UECP members, now is not the time to get a little sleep, a little slumber and a little folding of our hands to rest! Let us altogether hit the road running…. and run fast! The race is already set before us! If our forefathers were still with us today, I believe they would rejoice to see us do more than what they have done for the cause of the gospel. By the grace of God, UECP was once known as the largest FilipinoChinese church in the Philippines. Praise the Lord that in spite of our weaknesses and failures, we still have one of the largest FilipinoChinese congregations. But before we start to pat ourselves at the back and slip into a state of complacency, and a sense of false security, let us remember not to take all the credit. Everything we have and everything we are is solely by the grace of God. Like our predecessors, we must obey the commandments of our Lord and serve Him faithfully. The message of the fading mausoleums and the thorn-filled vineyards of Proverbs 24 are actually one and the same. Complacency must not gain a foothold in our ministry, lest we become a ministry sluggard and a church with no spiritual sense. Beware the day when passersby will look at an old, white, dilapidated, abandoned building and say, “This was once one of the largest churches in the community.” As a church, we are celebrating our 84th year and excitingly looking forward to a grander 85th year. Anniversaries are always great occasions for celebration, a time to remember and thank God for His goodness. As we celebrate our anniversary this month, let us not limit ourselves to its festivities. Instead, let us turn our celebration into a time of evaluation and altogether rise to the challenge. Let us renew our commitment as we encourage one another to do more for the glory of God.
Yes, earthly family wealth indeed might not last beyond three generations, but if we, UECP as a church, will continue to faithfully abide in the True Vine, we will bear fruits – thirty, sixty and a hundredfold for generations to come. HERALD * UNITED EVANGELICAL CHURCH OF THE PHILIPPINES PUBLICATION
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Celebrating God’s Goodness in Palawan By Donn and Tiffany Manalese
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eing certain of YAHWEH’s leading for us to minister in Palawan, we moved our family to make a new home in Puerto Princesa City (PPC) on October 19, 2011, starting a momentous period in our lives. Since then, it has been both a faith-challenging and a faithenhancing journey as we follow in the footsteps of our Master. God’s providence We vividly remember our first week in PPC. Immediately, we were immersed into the “life” here as we had to adjust to the scorching heat, regular brown-outs, omnipresent ants, and giant mosquitoes. Although it was mid-October, the weather was warmer than our hottest summer day in Manila. IT WAS H-O-T! On our second night, we were forced to hold an emergency 1-on-1 couple’s “prayer meeting,” as electricity suddenly went out and our baby twins cried until the wee hours of the morning because of the heat. That same week, we discovered ants were plentiful in PPC until we traced where the ants were housed – in our bed frame! With baby twins in tow, limited contacts, and no house helper, it was a challenge to establish an orderly home in a new environment. God taught us early on that if we were to even survive in the ministry, we had no choice but to depend on Him alone. And so, even if fixing our house a day at a time was both slow and tedious, we were comforted to know that He is our Good Shepherd. True enough, the LORD was leading us to His version of still waters. Upon learning of our dilemma with mosquitoes, a Christian couple helped us install a door screen to ward off insects. Incidentally, a few days after the bed-frame incident, someone came by on a big truck delivering a brand-new bedframe (along with a study table & chairs) for us to use! On another occasion, seeing how difficult it was for us to travel with two babies, one church member generously lent us her car for more than a month. What a blessing it was as we visited families and met with people for ministry that first month! When the time came for us to return the car, God providentially provided a brand new church vehicle, through anonymous donors! All this time, God was working and our role was simply to trust and obey. God’s harvest When we first arrived in UECPalawan, only around 15 people gathered for worship on Sundays. But as weeks turned to months, God constantly led new faces into our midst. At present, roughly 70 people (excluding kids and youth to whom we’ve also started ministering) join us for Sunday service. As resident pastor of UECPalawan, and acting school chaplain of HOPE Palawan, Donn saw first-hand how the Lord can draw people to Him and move them towards a growing faith in such a short period of time.
intentional in loving each other. How we long to see the Body of Christ live up to its true calling to be the salt and light of this world! What a privilege it is for us to be right in the middle of where God is working! God’s mercies Considering how isolated we felt at first, we are delighted that God has not only given us a spiritual family in UECP, He has now given us an extended family in PPC! Just as He providentially brought people to church, God connected us to new friends and peers who bring comfort and care as we go through our ups and downs. Oh, what mercies we‘ve received, each day, each week, each month! One of those mercies was Donn’s timely diagnosis of scoliosis. We would not have known of his condition if his back did not act up in pain. While we immediately took measures to address this, both help and encouragement came flooding in: texts, referrals to doctors and therapists, and being covered in prayers. When Donn further contracted Hepatitis A just a few weeks after, we were discouraged thinking we might be crippling the ministry. But God graciously reminded us that we were not indispensable in His work. Among the other mercies we have experienced are: safety and security (even though two of our neighbours have been robbed); the twins’ progress and development; having house help since February 2012; attendees who are now serving in church and caring for fellow believers; ministry partners; opportunities to connect with nonbelievers; grace that has allowed Donn to balance his pastoral and fatherly duties, even with unexpected events from birth to funeral. God’s glory Life and service here has definitely been challenging, but our battle cry is to follow God wherever… whenever… whatever. Wherever He leads, whenever He calls, whatever He asks.
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” Romans 8:18
Be it students, teachers, newfound friends, those who have long been out-of-touch with God or even those who have just begun searching for the truth, we are awed to witness how their lives are transformed by and for Christ… when they were once nominal, but now express a deeper desire to know, love and serve God… when once they would not think twice to cheat, now they aim to be godly in their busineses… when before they took relationships for granted, spouses are more
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My First and Last By Rev. David Cheung
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y first was the 12th Junior Summer Conference 少年夏令会 in 1972 with the theme 以善勝惡. Years later, I learned that in English it means overcome evil with good. In those times, the theme was always in Chinese, never in English, nor bilingual. Minnanhua was spoken by all, young and old. My co-campers in 1972 included Chong Hio Velasco, Joel and Paul Sim, Rudy Tiu, Judy Pedro (MN, USA), Angelie Ong, Walter Lim, Grace Shao, Phing Phing Tan, Philip Go (CA, USA), Charles Ong (PA, USA), John Ko (Vancouver), Shirley Lim (NJ, USA) and many others. Among those we perceived as ‘older’ folks were Luke Roxas, Joseph Shao, Joseph Dy, Elizabeth Chiong, Cecilio Pedro, Daniel Tan, Judy Tan, Belen Choa, Irene Tiu, Eunice Shangkuan (NJ, USA) and others. Then there were those we saw as ‘really old’ – 楊文碧, 何蔚端, Rebecca Go Bendicion 王吳寶珠 (Toronto), Nancy Ong 王霞 (now still my mama), etc. In 1973 (May 7-12) our theme was 耶穌是誰 (Who is Jesus). The theme song written by Rev. Wesley Shao was frequently sung among UECPers for quite a while. Campers included Irene Choa, Evelyn Shangkuan, Susan Co, Po-te Velasco (GA, USA), Henry Ong, Willy Chua, Luis Laroco, Huy-seng Chua (Taiwan), Singson Tiu, Edison Lim (Singapore), etc. Serving as camp counsellors were Santos Yao 陳榮生, Leonard Go 吳道光, Mary Chua Peng-cheng 蔡冰清, Julia Co 許靜玉, Yap Ai-kiao 葉愛嬌, etc. In 1975 (April 5-10) the theme was 時代少年 (Youngsters of the Age) – I missed 1974 due to illness. Campers included Jeff Cheng, Vicente Yap, Edward Fernandez, Chun Wang and Hwa-Hwa Tan, Francis Nubla, Elizabeth Ty, Marlene Lim, Gretel Ting, Wilson Gonzalez, Benjamin Young, Nancy Yao (Taiwan), Jenson & Juliet Wu (SA, USA) etc. Counselors included David Lim 林耀堂, Ciriaco Co 許仁國, Leonardo Tan 陳志僑, Lydia Co 許如育, etc. Maybe I should stop this survey of my JSC years and just focus on the first and the last of them, as my essay title specifies. Back to 1972: My first JSC held at Febias College of Bible, Karuhatan,Valenzuela. Bothersome news worried me long before we boarded the air-conditioned-less bus for the destination. Older kids were saying various things about the dorms: the rooms are door-less, the showers wall-less, the air motion-less and the mattresses make you sleepless. The last was on account of the omnipresent bedbugs. The motionless air made the electric fan a highly-prized item for the night – more so as there were only few units available. Still the camp experience was so wonderful I kept going to it until age disqualified me. Two important events happened to me at the 1972 camp. First, I was assured of the salvation of my soul. God’s instrument was Samuel Dy 李精華 who was then studying at the Biblical Institute of the Philippines (today’s BSOP). Second, I responded to the altar call for full-timers – the first time I made such a decision in public. This was repeated in the following year when the yet-unordained Stephen Tong (唐崇榮) issued the call. And repeated again and again in later years. The last JSC which I attended was the 46th in May 2006, at Kuhala Bay, Cardona, Rizal. The theme was Christ Little (小 小基督). All the campers were texting in alphabet letters. Each bedroom was doored, the air machine-cooled, the shower area walled, and the mattress bug-less. I did not respond to an altar call for full-timers but issued one myself. How things have changed.
Today I look back and say: Wow, I started at JSC – at the 12th, which fruited me for the 46th. How time flies. How wonderful His works! Now you know why UECP will always be a part of me…..
Rev. David Cheung 陳貽強牧師 (Ph.D., University of London, UK) is a pastor, author, scholar, theological educator, speaker and songwriter. A UECP member since 1977, he is formerly pastor and then missionary of UECP. Presently he is President Emeritus of Asian Theological Seminary and serves at Immanuel Christian Reformed Church 同在堂 (Vancouver, Canada). When not engaged in pastoral or academic pursuits, David loves to watch movies, make guitar music and do close-up magic tricks. HERALD * UNITED EVANGELICAL CHURCH OF THE PHILIPPINES PUBLICATION
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Memories and Legacies of the Forgotten By Rev. Stewart Young
“I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.” - 2 Timothy 1: 5
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n beginning the second letter to his “true son in the faith,” Paul encouraged Timothy with a very special and private memory. It was the memory of the wonderful spiritual legacy that Timothy’s godly grandmother Lois and mother Eunice had left behind him. Although not much more is known about Timothy’s two progenitors beyond Paul’s passing mention of their names, the important thing was their legacy of “sincere faith” was faithfully and successfully passed down to the next generation. As we celebrate the 84th Anniversary of UECP, it is inevitable that the memories of special people and events that God had used to bless the church in the past will once again be brought to light. Yet, more often than not, the construction of an official collective memory of the past has a natural tendency to become hegemonic. Official histories are often focused on and limited to remembrances of certain exemplary personalities (e.g., pastors, key leaders, etc.) and momentous occasions (e.g., foundational events, defining moments, etc.). In time, remembrance of such celebrated people and occasions has a way of perpetuating and canonizing itself for posterity. Meanwhile, the life and testimonies of the host of other virtually unknown personages and lesser-known occasions that have transpired in the past are often relegated and confined to the memories of those who care to remember. And with the passage of time the memories of the throngs of anonymous godly people and events made possible through true love and sacrifice are completely forgotten by men and only to be remembered by God. As I reflected on my own memories of and experiences with UECP, there were several people and occasions of varying significance that come to mind. Some of my earliest recollections bring me back the late 1960s. As a kindergarten student at Hope Christian High School, I would often visit my father who worked in the old Church Office during my recess. There I would often watch my father dexterously etch out the Sunday Church Bulletin on a stencil over an elevated light-table and printing it manually afterwards. Yet my father was not alone in the office. I recall that there were several other men and women who likewise faithfully supported the work of the ministry of the church during that time. I remember a tall, thin and somewhat elderly gentleman who wore dark-framed glasses. I remember that he was always so gentle and kind. Then there was a lady whose son was my classmate. I also remembered a woman pastor who also shared the same office. Unfortunately, their identities and deeds have largely been forgotten by time and obsolescence.
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As I became older, I came to the realization that my family’s roots were deeply intertwined with UECP physically and spiritually. In the physical sense, I was always aware that my father’s brother, the late Rev. Dr. Joseph Young, would often preach at the various UECP conferences, revival meetings and worship services during the 1950s and 1960s. I was also cognizant of the fact that my father once served as the late Rev. Wesley Shao’s secretary during the 1960s. I also knew that it was at the old wooden Tiong Hwa church where the late Rev. George Chua solemnized my parents’ wedding. Furthermore, I also discovered that as a one year-old child, I was dedicated to the Lord by the American Missionary, Rev. Joseph Esther, in the newly constructed concrete church building. In addition to these, numerous other long-forgotten moments of life in and around the old UECP building were captured by old monochromic images filling our family album which would undeniably attest to the veracity of these facts. In a spiritual sense, I learned from relatives that my maternal great-grandmother and grandmother came to know Christ through the life-transforming ministry of some unidentified Bible woman from UECP (formerly known as the Chinese United Evangelical Church) shortly after the Second World War. As faithful members of the Church on Benavidez Street for so many years prior to our family’s migration to the USA in 1971, the ministry of UECP has undoubtedly shaped the contours of my grandparents’ and parents’ spiritual orientation and understanding. This in turn has profoundly influenced the subsequent generations, including my own and that of my child. For me, this godly heritage that was passed down is more important than anything else my ancestors can ever give me.
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As I contemplated upon the deeper significance of these precious memories of the spiritual legacies in my own experiences, I am once again reminded that UECP is in reality a spiritual entity. When viewed from the light and hindsight of history, one can see that UECP is actually an entity that is very much alive, dynamic and constantly evolving as it engages and interacts with the prevailing challenges of each passing generation. The UECP in its deepest core is God’s Church, a local expression of the Body of Christ. It is comprised of many distinctly different and deeply flawed individuals from different generations who have been called out from the world and transformed by the renewing grace of God. Its mission is to serve the King of Kings and it is commissioned to be a bearer of God’s good news to the whole world. For me, this is what really matters. Once we begin to view UECP purely as a physical entity in the form that is grounded on the heroic deeds of men, it suddenly becomes captive to the artificial conditions and constraints of human deficiency. It begins to lose its vital essence and becomes deprived of something more from that which God originally intended. Yes, it is true that over the years UECP has witnessed the coming and going of many people as well as the passing of events. And most likely this trend will continue to be in the years to come. Inevitably, there will always be people and occasions that will be remembered, celebrated and passed down for the future generation’s sake. However, the sad reality is that most others will be forgotten in time. Be that as it may, for such is the nature of man’s finiteness, God is always gracious and remembers all the anonymous and forgotten ones who were faithful to Him and who continued to pass on the hope of God’s love and “sincere faith” to the next generation.
The UECP Connection – A Heart to Heart Trust (or Thrust!) By Jean Ty Chan
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n 1991, I officially became part of the pastoral team serving as one of the youth pastors in the Youth Work Council. As a fresh graduate from BSOP, and one who is not very familiar with the setup of a big church like UECP, I have to admit that I was afraid and experienced a week of sleepless nights before I reported for work. My assurance and confidence was the fact that it was God who led me to UECP – a place where everything was new to me. Why? So I will experience His grace. It took me awhile to adjust to things as well as to the people in the church. Before I realized it, 10 years had passed! Ten years working with the youth of our church is not short. I have accumulated lots of happy memories which I have stored in my heart and in my photo albums. I wish I could share all of them. Let me share just one treasure that I will forever cherish in my heart. It was the memorable moments I had with God’s children --- from high school students, to college youth to young professionals. I would like to call it the ‘CONNECTION.’ It was this connection with the young people that made it easier for me to adjust to a new environment. I will never forget those times when many of them would just drop by the pastor’s office, go to my cubicle, sit there comfortably, chatting and having fun with me.
“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” – Hebrews 6: 10
There were also times when they would ask me out for snacks at the nearby Happy Burger, spending time bonding and sharing personal stuff from the heart. I believe those times were most meaningful because of the transparency and trust these young people shared with me. I will always remember one particular morning in January, when I opened the office door and there they were, hiding underneath my table to surprise me on my birthday! I truly believe that the connection we had extended beyond the four corners of the church.
Rev. Stewart Young Ph.D. is the Director of the Research Office at the Biblical Seminary of the Philippines and an Assistant Professor of History at the Ateneo de Manila University. He is an itinerant preacher and has the privilege of ministering regularly in various churches and fellowships since 1995. He holds four academic degrees – in Biblical Studies, Intercultural Studies, Christian Counseling and Philippine Studies.
Through the years, strong bonds of friendship formed. I attest to this because today, I still meet with these youth-turned-moms and youthturned-career women, sharing more stories from the heart. We enjoy the same warmth and openness. Nothing seems to have changed. Each meeting is always just like the good old days. Although I am not serving in UECP now, I will always be grateful to God and to the church leadership for the opportunity to minister to the youth. It was through UECP that I realized my burden to minister to the youth. Today, God allows me to continue ministering to them in spite of my not-so-young age. I learned that working with the youth is not about being young in age, but all about being young at heart – like the heart of the young – a heart of true openness and trust.
Dear UECP, my heartfelt congratulations on your 84th founding anniversary! May you continue to be God’s instrument to further the cause of His kingdom.
Pastor Jean and her youth disciples
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PASTORS’ CORNER The legacy of UECP which I treasure the most is God’s Word in its pure form. Because she has imparted the Word to me, be it through words or through the lives of her different members, I found my roots in Christ. I have grown in His love and I am enjoying my love relationship with Him and with His people. ~ Pastor Irene Tan (Singapore) I remember enjoying the messages and stories of Rev. Wesley Shao. At one time, I sat beside some elderly sisters and observed how well they knew the Bible even though they did not carry one. I also remember that the back section of the old sanctuary was always the place where people meet to pray, or to gather and be oriented before going to summer camps. ~ Pastor Benzon Sy (Calvary Reformed Evangelical Church)
My first worship service outside of Sunday School was at this sanctuary called UECP. This was where I would bring my Chinese Bible and learn to read it in the Fookien dialect (before the diglot was common). Thank God for the spiritual nourishment from the pulpit primarily through the preaching of my father-in-law, Rev. Wesley Shao! This is also the sanctuary where I married my wife a month before the church moved in to our present sanctuary. God is surely in our midst! ~ Rev. Philip Co (BSOP)
Growing up, I considered UECP as my second home. I praised and thanked the Lord for bringing special people from my mother church into my life, especially my spiritual life. They helped mold me into who I am today. I am simply paying forward as I serve as a Pastor/School Chaplain. Thank God for my mother church, UECP. ~ Pastor Andy Pecson (Hope/UEC-Legaspi)
感謝主使我在中學時期，能在一間 信仰純正的教會學習和受裝備，那 就是旅菲中華基督教會。她有長老 會的教義教導，宣道會的宣教心， 和播道會的弘道精神，令我清楚知 道我所信的是誰，也知道整全的信 仰是怎麼一回事。 回想在中華的生活，無論主日崇拜 牧師的教導，查經班中導師解釋經 文，團契中兄姊的勉勵，以及聖歌 團指揮的忍耐訓練，都使我得益不 少。不但這樣，幾年後教會又給我 學習服事的機會，例如教主日學， 參加甲、乙組聖歌團，團契中作職 員等等。後來我們幾位好友組織宣 道隊，每主日下午到附近開鄰居主 日學，然後一起回教會學習聖樂。 假期時則與教會到中華所屬菲島不 同地方的支會傳福音。上午開暑期 班，下午出外派單張，晚上開音樂 見證佈道會。可以說中華的學習奠 定了我今日以師母的角色、協助夫 婿牧養教會的基礎，飲水思源，感 恩不盡。 謝謝教會在慶祝八十四週年時，讓 我有機會寫幾句感恩的話。願主繼 續賜福中華的聖工，更大更好地廣 傳福音並造就信徒，使天父得榮 耀。 ~ 羅邵晨暉師母 (Sydney, Australia)
so that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith. And we pray that we, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that we may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Ephesian 3:17-19 (NIV) 7
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ACROSS THE MILES My fondest memory of UECP is my Senior Choir days from 1984-1986. I was just starting college at the time when I was asked to join the Senior Choir by my Aunt Bethel Shangkuan as she was leading the choir then.
I now live in Canada and yet my heart continues to stay at UECP. It is my home church – where I was nurtured into the Christian faith; where I learned more about our Lord & Savior’s unchanging love; where I met other believers who eventually became my BFFs; where I was discipled in the faith by godly people; and where I met my lifelong partner.
I was probably one of the youngest members at the time but the 2 short years I had with the Senior Choir was what I considered the best years I have had when I was living in the Philippines. I met quite a few of my dear friends during this time with whom I still keep in touch to this day. The joys and memories of rehearsing and singing with them still bring a warm feeling to me. I used to ride with some of the choir members in the UECP van to and from rehearsal on Saturday nights. Because of this, I got to know them better and from then onwards, I developed lifelong friendships with them. I will always cherish these friendships even though we are now living miles and continents apart. I still vividly remember singing Handel’s Messiah for the very first time on Christmas 1984. To this day, I can still sing some of the alto parts in the choruses we have sung. To tell the story of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ through this famous oratorio was a truly remarkable experience. I was also very honored to be able to sing with the Senior Choir once again in June, 2009 for UECP’s 80th anniversary concert during my visit to Manila. It sure brought back a flood of nostalgia as I reunited briefly with my former choir members. May God continue to bless UECP! ~ Emilie Janice Go (Arizona, USA)
When I was young, I was so blessed to be able to attend Sunday school at UECP. Throughout the years, I grew spiritually and served in various ministries, such as Junior Fellowship, Student Fellowship, summer camps, Dei Gratia Fellowship (Hope Batch ‘88), UECP Puppeteers and Evangelical Explosion. Because of these experiences, I learned a lot of Christian values through my brothers and sisters in Christ. A very memorable experience I have at UECP is sitting on one of the pews by the organ side of the main sanctuary with most of my batch mates. It seemed to be a very treasured place for us. As time passed by, one by one, we left that pew. But I know that deep within our hearts, we will always remember the precious quality time we had at UECP. Another very memorable experience I had happened during one of the college camps I attended. I happened to be part of the advance party for the camp. I told my batch mates (Wingo, Wilson, Raymond, Heidy, Carol, Daniel, Jimmy) that the place we would be staying at was near to where we could buy some food. We walked from Tagaytay Picnic Grove to Mushroom Burger. It took us 1½ hours to walk there and after we bought the burgers, we had to walk back another 1½ hours. It was late. I was thankful they were not upset. They just said I had no sense of direction!
I consider UECP to be a place of blessing; the Lord blessed me countless times in my spiritual journey through the Sunday worship services. I was able to participate in small group Bible studies & in the singing group - Celestials; I grew spiritually through the summer camps; and I was blessed to be part of the editorial team of Bugle, our church publication, and also minister in our youth fellowships. This blessing continued on... My 2 older children gained a lot because of UECP’s dedicated Sunday school volunteers. To this day, despite the distance, I stay connected with UECP members because of the relationships that had been forged through the years - pastors & friends who continue to cover us with their prayers. My dear UECP, may you stand strong in promoting the faith, staying true to your very purpose & calling, showing Christ’s compassion to all that comes to your doorsteps, and caring for those already in your midst. Just as you’ve enriched my life, may the Lord continue to use you to spread His words and saving grace now in your 84th founding year and for decades to come. ~ Jhoane Young (wife of Deacon Jason Young, Vancouver, Canada)
Happy 84th Anniversary, UECP!!! ~ Yeng Tan Gelsinger (Reading, Pennsylvania, USA)
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ACROSS THE MILES Wow! I remember so many things about this picture [cover picture of Herald]. Cool peeps always liked to find the seats up the balcony. I normally sat on the pew on the right. We had our career week here. I also remember the church initiated a “clean the church” day where all the fellowships pitched in to clean it - each fellowship cleaning one section. And of course, how could I forget the ghost stories!
Lastly, in a world that seeks to live without God, UECP has taught me that true life is only found by faith in Christ. This has led me to boldly share the good news of Jesus with others so that they too may share in eternal life. Spiritual disciplines, serving others, and sharing the gospel - these are only a few of the important lessons I learned from the pastors, Sunday school teachers, camp counselors, and fellow believers while at UECP.
~ Cedric Tiu (Taipei, Taiwan)
Praise God for the work He is doing in and through UECP. I remember the old choir room where we all squeezed in for our weekly “senior” choir rehearsals... and the “old” recording room, where we had our weekly SRC (Solid Rock Congregation) rehearsals on Fridays. It was always great to fellowship with people through songs.
-------------------------------------I have fond memories of UECP days. Through the friendships in Young Pro Fellowship and leading cell groups, I grew most spiritually as iron sharpened iron. I miss these friends dearly. Hence, I am very thankful for this community that I’m still connected with across the miles! Thank you, UECP, and happy anniversary! Love and blessings, Ruthie Dy Wu (San Antonio, Texas, USA)
~ Dr. Cristina Go (Toronto, Canada) --------------------------------------
-------------------------------------My home church is still my Home church! It’s like family. There is this sense that I can run to this house and I will be welcomed. There are faces that accept me unconditionally, friends who offer a hand, a cup of coffee, a chat, a place to hang out. It’s funny that after 8 years, a guard stopped me to say: Where are you going, miss? And I realized these are no longer the guards who knew me in my teens when I literally loitered around the church day in and day out. As for the pastoral office, it still feels like home. :) And it’s nice to be home!! :) ~ Aileen Tiu Tong (Halifax, Nova Scotia)
I grew up worshiping at UECP and the seeds that were planted in me then are continuing to bear fruit today. In a world that demands instant results, UECP has taught me that spiritual growth begins with cultivating disciplines. Over the years, daily devotions, intercessory prayer, reading the Bible, tithing, and others have allowed me to increasingly experience God’s love and grace. In a selfserving world, UECP has also taught me that to follow Christ also means to serve others, be it serving in various ministries inside the church or serving the community surrounding our church building.
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~ Samuel Timothy Dy (Massachusetts, USA)
HERALD * UNITED EVANGELICAL CHURCH OF THE PHILIPPINES PUBLICATION
F E AT U R E S As UECP continues to remember God’s grace in the past 84 years, I thank God for this spiritual family, which allowed me to experience every spiritual blessing in Christ. The legacy of being faithful to God’s Word encouraged me to love God and His people throughout the years. Praise God for sound teachings, with faith and love in Christ Jesus, that reminded me to continue living a life worthy of His calling. Throughout the years, opportunities for different ministries in different capacities provided me opportunities to serve God’s people while learning from spiritual leaders. I pray that God will continue to bless UECP. May we do our best to present ourselves to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. May He who calls us find us faithful. ~ Sy, Stanley
(June 2013, Singapore)
施展六月 2013 新加波
Most of my childhood was spent tagging along with adult family members to church, watching them serve in ministries. As a child, I was a spectator, sometimes not fully understanding what I was doing, or why. I was young, this was what and how we were taught in Sunday School, and I didn’t know of any other way to live. But as I grew older, God started using the people in UECP to change my shallow understanding. He brought mentors into my
life who challenged me to really seek God and claim for my own this faith I had seen lived out in my father and grandfather. When my parents moved abroad, UECP became a second home, the place I went to for emotional support, good company, and godly advice. It was here in my spiritual home that I first started handling responsibility in ministries. It was here I found a group of friends, the kind who stay with you through each passing season of life. We accepted each other’s quirks, learned from each other, prayed for each other’s struggles, encouraged each other to stay true to our calling as God’s children. Such a community is what I hope newer members will find when they join us. This heritage is truly a blessing from God, and because of it, life is all the richer. ~ Stephanie Ainsley Sy (Singapore)
THROUGH THE YEARS UECP has long been known to be a very “musical” church, and I have been blessed to be part of the children’s, youth and senior choirs, and a small group, through the years. The choirs have always had the best conductors, instructors and accompanists. And more than that, we had many opportunities to perform with the very best guest conductors, soloists, choirs, and orchestras. I remember the inspiring atmosphere of rehearsals for Sunday church performances, or special concerts for Sacred Music Sunday, Easter and Christmas. There is a special joy in making beautiful sounds together and pushing towards a common goal.
I remember the day when the NMEC choir sang in UECP. And after that, the choir and some of our members were hugging each other, and some were even crying. I saw on their faces that they had waited so long for this day to come and it finally came. That day, I saw the heart of God and I will never forget it. -Lowell Lim Jr.
These are, personally, my fondest memories of UECP. Best of all, I have made lasting friendships along the way. I am happy to know that UECP’s tradition of music and musical excellence continues to this day, because I know it will bless others in the same way and even more. Thanks UECP!
October 07, 1984: it was in this old UECP sanctuary that my wedding took place. It was a rainy afternoon when my mother and uncle walked me down the aisle as my father had just passed away. The church was filled with family & friends. I shed tears of joy, not of sadness but a sense of longing for my father to witness it. The late Mrs. Shao (wife of Rev. Wesley Shao), was the one directing the whole entourage. After the exchange of marriage vows, James and I walked out the sanctuary to the cheers of the crowd amidst showers of colorful petals. I love this memorable place. I am glad it remains there to this day.
-Stephanie Dy (United Kingdom)
~ Betty Dy Tan HERALD * UNITED EVANGELICAL CHURCH OF THE PHILIPPINES PUBLICATION
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god’s plan for me
from the bukid to uecp to the village By Lydia Wee Byland (Broughton, England)
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y friend thought I was brought up in a BUKID (Filipino word for farm or country side), in Zamboanga City, where our nearest neighbour was miles away. Looking back I considered it was a good start for I was not attracted by worldly things around me but had a simple lifestyle. My life revolved around family and friends and I had a normal life like most of the people – studying from grade school to university, attending Sunday school to Sunday worship service and working as a grade school teacher. It involved a big change moving from the BUKID to the CITY (Manila). I worked with an accounting firm and initially attended only Sunday service at UECP. I felt that I was not growing by doing that only. I was like a coal being taken off the heap of burning coals. I thank the Lord that one day my colleague invited me to join Achida Fellowship.
MY SPIRITUAL HOME By Carolyn Yu Watson (Hong Kong)
D
ear UECP, happy 84th birthday. May God bless you for your influence in many people’s lives. My first memory of UECP was running up and down, playing with my cousins on the staircase of the old UECP church 45 years ago. It was a big church in the eyes of a small child. I was visiting Manila with my mom, who also grew up under the wings of UECP. In 1975 my whole family moved to the Philippines and UECP became our home church. Going to church was a ritual on Sunday morning followed by lunch at my grandparents’ home on Masangkay (formerly Magdalena) Street. Apart from this, I had nothing much to do with the church until my family members moved back to Hong Kong in 1980.
From then on, I was able to grow and serve the Lord in different roles: Senior Choir member, Meta C counsellor, Sunday School teacher, Young Prof retreat officer and Mindanao Fellowship officer. My Christian faith grew as I became more and more involved in HIS service. I must say, UECP moulded me to become a mature Christian.
That year I graduated from St. Stephen High School and was going to enter the university. My mother decided it was better for me to stay and have my tertiary education in the Philippines. I lived with my one of my mother’s sisters and her family. UECP provided a safe haven for me, in terms of spiritual and social growth. I acquired many of my life skills through serving. There were many, many opportunities to serve the Lord and fellow brothers and sisters. Mine included the following: Music: Church Choirs (Senior, Junior and Children), Celestials, two musicals, songleading, piano accompaniment.
I went to work in Switzerland in the 90s. I was miles and miles away from family and friends. However, the upbringing I had in UECP strengthened my faith and trust in the Lord. I learned that fellowship helps me grow as it involves getting together for spiritual purposes – for sharing needs, for prayers and for discussing God’s word to encourage, comfort and edify one another.
Administration: Involved in the planning of several Summer/Winter conferences for youth, children and young adults, church bulletins
A friend once told me that we are like ants crawling across a painting by Monet. We crawl across the black and think all of life is dark. Then we hit green and think – “Oh, this is better. Now all is green.” But soon comes the blue, then yellow, red and some more black. In our journey, from one colour to another, we never realize that God is actually painting a masterpiece in our lives using all the colours of the palette. Soon we shall be able to see the beauty of His whole masterpiece.
Fellowships: Metamorphosis B, Andrew Fellowship
Jeremiah 29:11 states “ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” I am now living in a village in England. Back to the simple lifestyle, I have the privilege to minister in our village Baptist church in various ways – serving in Luncheon Club, being the church mission secretary and occasionally playing the piano during the worship service. Thank You, Lord, for blessing my life.
Mission/outreach: Evangelical Explosion, counseling and mission trips to provinces Although it was just a short period of 5 years (1980 - 85), I blossomed in the Lord tremendously. Many brothers and sisters slightly older than me as well as many dedicated church workers looked after me. Living at home with my family would have been easier but I would not trade it for the experiences I had during those years. UECP was my spiritual home. It was the turntable on which the Lord molded me. Thank you, UECP.
Lydia welcomes friends to email her at: byland@btinternet.com.
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蒙恩感恩 黃大華 歌羅西書 3:23-24 23 無論做甚麼，都要從心裡做，像是給主做的，不是給人做的， 24 因你們知道從主那裡必得著基業為賞賜；你們所事奉的乃是主基督。 ﹝一﹞ 感謝天父上帝，自從1960年信主接受洗禮，蒙恩得救。以同樣心情教導子女；認識救主耶穌基 督。感謝天父上帝，垂聽我身為母親的祈求。使老大恩良，外孫女恬恬，能夠忠心熱心主日學兒童事工 的事奉。使我深感欣慰!! ﹝二﹞ 信主後，凡事心先向天父上帝禱告。 何時何處何事，言行一致以寬恕自勉。現實 年齡已高；力不從心。只能在靈修中;默默為 國事，華社，教會，學校，兄弟姐妹祈禱。 無論是在家庭，教會中以「謙卑，愛心待 人」能夠榮神益人。必蒙天父上帝賜福!! 深 信屬主的子女必得上帝天父的福份. Alexandra Lao My life is not perfect, but I thank the Lord for my mom. It was her faith in God that influenced me. She has kept the faith even on days when it was hard to keep. Mom worked hard when she was still a teacher at Hope Christian High School and also a Sunday school teacher. She taught the students the best she could and also instilled in them the truth of God’s Word, and sharing the gospel with them. She juggled her responsibilities between school and home. Though my father passed away in 2001, her faith, trust, and service to God remain steadfast. Through her faithfulness, I was encouraged to serve God in my own little way at Sunday school for the past 14 years. In her example, I guide my two children to walk in the same faith. My daughter Nicole has been serving as a Sunday school teacher in the Children Ministry for some years and I thank God for that. Through the years, I’ve seen God’s faithfulness in my family and His guidance in the lives of my children from their school days, to their professional work and even in their relationship with friends. God also blessed me with a supportive husband who is always there for me.
Nicole Anne Lao If there’s any truth to the saying that ministry should start at home, then I am blessed to say that I am a product of one. I had a happy childhood. Imperfect in many ways, but it was always nurtured with love. It still is. I owe this nurture and love all to my parents. They are my role models. I look up to them for their simplicity and humility. They taught me that though life could be harsh and complex at times, there is always hope, hope that can be found in my Savior, Jesus Christ. I have been serving in Children Ministry for almost ten years now. It wouldn’t be possible if not for the encouragement and guidance of my teachers - my mom and guama (maternal grandmother). Because of the kind of persons they are, I am honored and delighted to be compared to them. After looking back, and moving forward, I want to continue living out God’s truth the best way I can. If by His grace I might be blessed with children someday, I will pass on this legacy of faith. As faith, hope and love go together, so does God, family and ministry. As an expression of my gratitude, I’d like to dedicate this piece to my parents and my two grandmas whom I love very much. Note: Nicole’s paternal grandma: Lao Ong Ting Hong passed away on June 24, 2013, around 3 weeks after she submitted her testimony to Herald.
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頌揚耶和華所行之奇事異能 The Heritage of UECP 李寶珍 詩105：1你們要稱謝耶和華，求告祂的名，在萬民中 傳揚祂的作為。 感謝父上帝在我年輕時參加主日學就認識主耶穌基督， 老師所教的每一首詩歌，深刻在腦海中，使我心中感到 非常喜樂。直到如今年紀大了，還能記得清清楚楚。藉 著這些詩歌讓我接受救恩，這也是神奇妙的指引。 中學畢業後。神奇異恩典讓我有機會就讀於嘉南中學進 修高中三年制而且得到申請 奬學金，自力更生，完成高 中第三屆，因成績能保持優 越，由王故淑禧校長，及黃 故保先主任受請為嘉南小學 教師，一路經過多位校長帶 領下，由小學轉到幼稚園， 再轉回小學，再被提升為中 學輔導員，最後為小學訓導 主任，在校工作43年久。 從來沒有任何疾病，可是到 2001年因女兒的孝心，女 婿的同心，要我停止教育工 作，提早退休，遷移到 Quezon City，誰知這是神奇妙 的安排。 2002年8月開始全身腫水，那時心裡有一種意念，就是 禱告。希11：1－2：信是所望之事的實底，未見之事 的確據。祈禱就是力量，只要信就必得著。在這件事 上，只有上帝知道如何，使我病痛舉起信心仰望祂。雖 然醫生宣佈二顆腎都壞了不能運作，禱告的力量就是信 心的開始，藉著中華基督教會，長老執事，牧師傳道， 遠東電台，禧年堂眾同工同心禱告，求神憐憫，經過五 個半月洗腎，每星期三次，每次需要洗4小時，然後尋 找捐腎者，從始到終都能配對，手術順利完成。 在試煉 中經歷著神的同在, 醫治應許我能再活15年或以上，一 切都在神的手中。如今已整整十年之久。可11：24： 凡你們禱告祈求的，無論是甚麼，只要信是得義的，就 必得著。希13：15： 我們應當常常以頌讚為祭，獻給 神。太10：27：我在暗中告訴你們的，你們要在明處 說出來。阿們！主的恩典夠用
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By Marian Lim Ang
First, the UECP Sunday School nurtured in me the passion to study God’s word. Many Sunday school teachers from Hope Christian High School faithfully taught Bible stories every week and instilled in me the habit of memorizing Chinese Bible verses which I still remember to this day. High school Sunday Bible study teachers, who prepared their lessons well and communicated God’s word effectively in ways that students could understand, made a mark in my life. I am now a homeschool mom and because of the UECP legacy of engraving God’s word in young children, I teach my 7 & 9 year olds to memorize Bible verses in both English & Chinese. By God’s grace, they formed the habit of reading God’s word and writing in their prayer journal daily. Second, the Student Fellowship was staffed with faithful counsellors who were not only equipped spiritually but were committed followers of Christ. They mentored me and coached me during my challenging teenage years. They were genuinely concerned and were willing to pay the costs of discipleship. A sister in Christ gave me free tutorials in trigonometry and physics when I was in 4th year high school. Another sister wrote me cards and letters to encourage me when I was downhearted. Still another spent countless hours counselling me, giving life-changing advice, including how to pray for my lifetime partner. A brother, our METAMORPHOSIS-D (college fellowship) counsellor, explained God’s will to us in a relevant and practical manner; I still use his illustration to this day, when I need to explain the same principle to others. Third, the other ministries of UECP helped develop my gifts. The Summer Enrichment classes like cooking and theatre acting inspired me to love cooking, singing and acting to this day. The Summer Conferences gave me the opportunity to exercise servant leadership. The Youth Work Council (YWC) entrusted me with responsibilities even when I was inexperienced. They made me the praise & worship leader, camp officer and camp counsellor even when I was a neophyte. Being a choir member made me appreciate hymns and classical works sung during church anniversaries, Easter and Christmas celebrations. Now that I am married and worshipping in another church, I am gratefully indebted to UECP for training me in various ministries so that I am able to wear many hats in the church that I now serve with my husband, Wally.
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U E C P ’s Legacy To Me By Amanda Shao Tan
My church family’s legacies come in three Ms: 1. Missions: Growing up, I learned that my parents were involved in radio broadcasting. They would travel to the Far East Broadcasting station in faraway Valenzuela, Bulacan for taping of Chinese programs. My mom also translated English language resources into Chinese, which were then read by someone else over the radio. My parents’ involvement in this ministry impressed upon me that missions is important to UECP. The missionmindedness of the UECP of our parents’ generation bore the fruit of 13 associate (daughter) churches, 7 branch churches, 4 gospel points. 2. Mentoring and Modeling: From fellowships to camps to retreats, at the Youth Center, I had pastors and mentors who walked alongside me. One of my memorable experiences was serving as the executive director of a 300-camper youth summer camp. If it were not for the spiritfilled modeling and support of my mentors, I would not have had the joy and satisfaction of the Lord carrying me through such a challenging assignment! 3. Miracle: I believe in miracles. I have seen transformed lives, which to me are God’s miracles. And one of the most moving miracles I have seen happened in UECP. It was the miracle of corporate reconciliation. The pain of the split felt like a divorce of our parents. The aftermath of the “divorce” was even more painful. After 10 years, the God of miracles proved to me that He indeed is still the God of reconciliation. Through unnamed leaders who quietly paved the way by praying consistently and facilitating the talks between our church and the new one, we witnessed during our church’s 80th anniversary the heartfelt handshake, the warm embrace, and the joyful tears of patched relationships. May God be honored in these legacies that UECP bequeathed to me!
青春到老，熱心教育; 獻身愛主，終生事主 蔡嘉玲 陳邵蕙卿長老年輕時遠渡重洋來菲教書。曾在培元中 學，靈惠中學，中正學院及嘉南中學任教。結婚後，跟 隨丈夫成為菲律濱中華基督教會的會友。從此，嘉南中 學與教會就成了她一生奉獻最多的地方。 九十五歲的蕙卿長老不只是一位賢妻良母，一位盡職的 老師。她來自書香世家,祖父與父親皆為老師，她一生奉 獻教育，培育英才。同時，也參與過教會許多事工例如: 中英文字翻譯、甲組聖歌團、婦女聖歌團，成為教會執 事與長老等。在教會以外，她也參與DZAF電台閩南語節 目的翻譯。 邵老師一生與世無爭，凡事知足常樂，不貪圖榮華富 貴。這些是她人生的座右銘。她在整個訪問中不斷地回 應『沒有什麼』。豈知在她的謙卑下培育出多少成功的 傳道、牧師、翻譯員等在教會以閩南語事奉上帝。無論 是來自外地一句閩南語都不懂的牧師傳道 或 是土生土長 的菲律濱華僑，她都細心教導。關國瑞牧師，王國揚長 老，何青青傳道，孫培雄牧師等都是她的學生。至今九 十五歲，她依然每星期給學生上課，更是教會許多領袖 的閩南語顧問。 論感謝上帝的事時，邵長老感謝上帝讓她一生平安順 利，沒有什麼病痛，一生沒有任何敵人,丈夫在世也相 敬如賓，不曾爭執，兒女們也孝順聽話，從不因身體缺 陷，或生活卻少什麼而抱怨她。她們生活雖不是非常富 裕，但因不貪金錢與權勢，也就不曾感到有欠缺。
正如詩篇23:1 中所說的 : 『耶和 華是我的牧者,我必不至缺乏。』 她一生仰賴上帝,相信上帝，遇到 事情也教導子女說 : 『我們或許 現在不明白為什麼，但以後一定 會明白上帝的旨意。』 When I was a child, I always tagged along with my parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles & kin to church. It was the routine for me since this is how I was raised up. As I grew older, God used the church to nurture me which enabled me to understand people and the bible more. I realized that I am saved not because of me tagging along to church but because of my personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Consequently, I learned that my purpose as a Christian is to love God and love others.
邵長老能夠到九十五歲還依舊健朗，秘訣是凡事適量， 無論是飲食或任何事都不要超過。她也提出人生最重要 的是知足，只要知足常樂，必定減少許多煩惱，也可以 避免摩擦，人與人的關係也會變得更好。 提摩太前書 6:6 『然而，敬虔加上知足便是大利了。』
~ Nathaniel Jason Tan
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Witnessing A Century of God’s Faithfulness By Christine Sim
G
od’s faithfulness is from everlasting to everlasting….“I may not be perceived as zealous for God; neither am I well-educated …” These are the words of centenarian, Elder Sy Chi Siong, who testifies to God’s faithfulness in his life and his church, The United Evangelical Church of the Philippines. Elder Sy walks without a cane, goes to the office every day, swims regularly and attends the 3rd worship service of UECP every Sunday. He hears well without any hearing aids, he remembers clearly what happened in the past, and he answers questions with much wisdom and humility. His words during our interview and his accomplishments certainly belie his self-evaluation. Elder Sy’s mother, Lam Oi Yan, was a Christian. Hence, he was raised with Christian values at home. When he migrated to the Philippines at age 13, without his family, but only with an uncle, he experienced a lonely and forlorn life. He heard of “Tiong Hua Christian Church” in 1929, at the age of 16, and began going to church, which was located then in Alvarado Street, Sta. Cruz. He remembers Rev. Silas Wong as the senior pastor starting 1935, and Pastor George Chua, as the associate pastor who assisted and eventually continued Rev. Wong’s work for many years. The most significant memory Elder Sy has of UECP happened in 1934. The visit of missionaries, Betty Hu and Miss Nah, led the revival of the whole church. Many people with hearts seeking for God found peace in Christ Jesus and started coming to church. He saw a great revival in the community. In 1941, the church transferred to a new location in Benavidez Street and was renamed ’The United Evangelical Church of the Philippines,’ where it still stands today. Elder Sy also moved with the church. Its first official Sunday worship was held in December of that year, but the Japanese troops invaded the Philippines and war broke out on that same day. UECP then became a place of refuge during World War II, attending to the homeless and the helpless. Seeing the church helping the victims of war, Elder Sy realized that a church is not only there for people to worship God, but it is also a church to help people in need. This picture of what a church should be was deeply ingrained in his heart. When asked how UECP made an impact on his personal, family and spiritual life, Elder Sy firmly believes that he felt this impact most strongly in 1944. At that time, the effects of war were everywhere – transportation was at a standstill, bridges were bombed, fire destroyed the city. There was no business, and homes were burned. Being refugees along with other church members, they found solace in UECP – they were not only physically protected, they also had spiritual comfort and restoration. Elder Sy explained that he was so distressed, but he saw how the elders and deacons showed Christian concern and love to all who sought help in UECP. This Christian faith in action uplifted him and became deeply rooted in his life. How is UECP today different from the old days? He said that the Church, whose foundation is built on Christ Jesus, is the same then and now. He quoted from Hebrew 13:8, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.” Therefore, our church has not
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2 Centenarians: Elder Sy Chi Siong and Mrs. Chua Yu Piak Ching
changed. The truth that we believed in accordance to the Bible is the same before and the same now. Elder Sy used the hymn “The Church’s One Foundation” to describe aptly what he means: The church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord; She is his new creation by water and the Word. From heaven he came and sought her to be his holy bride; With his own blood he bought her, and for her life he died. Mid toil and tribulation, and tumult of her war, She waits the consummation of peace forevermore; Till, with the vision glorious, her longing eyes are blest, And the great church victorious shall be the church at rest. Elder Sy added that UECP has grown and planted several daughter churches around the Philippines. We have seen Christian families of the first generations to the fourth generations, worshipping and serving in the church today. He also admires the zeal of the young blood, to spread the gospel, particularly those who are new believers without any Christian background. He says that from these enthusiastic young Christians will come the future faithful preachers of UECP, who will follow in the footsteps of the pastors and missionaries before them. As he enjoys his 100th year of life, Elder Sy is thankful to God for a Christian mother who brought his family to know Jesus Christ; for God’s great mercy in granting him 100 years of grace and love; for allowing him the great experience of God’s faithfulness to UECP. Lastly, when asked what he desires from the Lord, he quotes the Scripture in Psalm 51:8-10 “Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Psalm 71:18 “Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come.”
HERALD * UNITED EVANGELICAL CHURCH OF THE PHILIPPINES PUBLICATION
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中華基督教會初期 施慈祥長老 聖會獨一的基地 聖會獨一的基地，是主耶穌基督， 由水由道來建置，萬古新奇創作， 從天降臨贖回她，做祂清潔新娘， 用血用愛來買她，替死在地面上。 勞碌窘逐在包圍，四面交戰的聲， 最後勝利會歸祂，安穩自在無驚， 心目看主在頭前，榮光滿意完成， 直到聖會都得勝，得享安寧平定。 初時，菲律濱中華基督教會是於 1929年由幾位自祖國蒞岷的基督徒 成立的，在阿描洛街ALVARADO 二樓籌備成立，當時設備簡陋，會 友稀少，祇有數十人，但是同心合 意，恆切禱告，各盡其職，用慈悲 苦勸，彼此屬靈交通，建立基督身 體。 當時教會先後敦聘了幾位傳道士， 如何亮，吳明恩，許清傳，蔡信彰 等主持傳道事務。1934年上海伯特 利神學院胡美林，藍如溪二位女士
蒞岷開佈道會，會友饑渴慕義，教 會復興，會友增加，會務鼎盛，後 來由蔡信彰傳道聘梧州神學院院長 黃原素牧師來岷主持會政。 直到1941年教會熱心長老楊忠懿 先生建議發起建築教堂，遂向菲人 陳文鼎先生購買位於民那美里示街 的一座舊學校，重修裝修後作為教 會，並於同年十二月的最後禮拜日 舉行落成典禮成立聚會所。豈料翌 日拜一日本發動太平洋戰爭，1942 年日本軍隊佔領岷里拉，這也就是 教會的第一次大災難。 日軍佔領岷里拉足三年期間，以僑 商領袖為敵人被關禁、殺害、財產 被沒收。領事館人員被殺，人心惶 惶不安，教會熱烈踴躍恢復聚會， 信徒在患難中加增信心。 直到1945年，美軍比日軍佔領岷里 拉更加慘傷，商店大部份燒毀，大 部份僑民無家可歸，我家亦其中之
一。教會成為難民營，因為許多教 會關閉，但咱教會無受損失，所以 別的教會會友也來中華教會聚會。 當時，我們有黃元素牧師， 鼓浪嶼 三一堂的陳秋牧師與蔡志澄牧師。 這兩次災難反而帶來了教會大復 興。 上帝阿，我到年老髮白的時候，求 你不要離棄我，等我將你的能力指 示下代，將你的大能指示後世的 人。詩篇七十一篇十八節 上帝阿，求你鑒察我，知道我的心 思，試煉我，知道我的意念。看在 我裡面有甚麼惡行沒有，引導我走 永生的道路。詩篇一百三十九篇二 十三至二十三四節 楓橋夜泊 張繼 月落烏啼霜滿天， 江楓漁火對愁眠。 姑蘇城外寒山寺， 夜半鐘聲到客船。
Reminiscing... My Spiritual Home By Sally Uy Home is a place of love, security and support and UECP is my home. I was born and raised in a devout Buddhist family but by God’s grace, I was sent to a Christian school. I was one of the first to embrace God’s love in our family. UECP gave me Christian brothers and sisters who walk with me in my spiritual journey. After being spiritually nurtured at a parachurch, I was advised to look for a church to belong to and serve. And so I went on my quest for a place where I could grow and be more intimate with God. Finally, I landed at UECP where I found my spiritual home. Singing has always been a part of my life since I was young. I was a choir and glee club member at our school. While looking for a ministry, I was invited to join SRC (Solid Rock Congregation), one of our youth singing groups. Every summer we went to the provinces to share the gospel and the love of Jesus. My funniest
and most memorable experience happened in one of these mission trips. I was tasked to tell a Bible story to the children we invited. Immediately I asked, “Can I use English?” since my Tagalog was (maybe still is) limited. “Sure!” they answered. So I prepared for my assignment. Lo and behold, a few minutes before storytelling time, they apologetically informed me that I had to tell the story in Tagalog! My face turned ashen white, a chill ran down my spine, cold sweat broke out all over. I was terrified but there was no turning back. I prayed so hard, summoned my courage and started to share Jesus with conviction and passion. In the middle of the story, I saw on some faces - gaping mouths and marbled eyes. I thought: “I’m getting their attention.” It was after the storytelling that I realized why they had those expressions. My Tagalog was so crooked that I translated word for word - Jesus being nailed on the cross. I did not know whether my poor Tagalog fascinated
them or they were simply lost - thinking “What is she talking about?” Thank God, despite the embarrassing event, it didn’t deter me from serving our God. In SRC, we became closer as one family. At UECP, we are one big family, able to reach out, give comfort and share the love of God. It is my deepest longing and sincerest prayer that our church UECP will continue to be a channel of blessing to this fallen world; and it will always be a spiritual home to the lost and other searching souls like me. To God be the glory.
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驀然回首話當年 上官錦蓉
二零一三年七月十四日乃為菲律濱中華基督教 會成立八十四週年可喜的日子，承蒙中華基督教會的「 先鋒會刊」總編輯林靜薇姐妹盛情邀請筆者及其他幾位 同道撰文以示慶賀之意，盛情難却，勉為其難，因此有 了這篇拙作。
菲律濱中華基督教會八十四載的悠長教會歷史 上，先後曾有過無數大小團契如雨後春筍相繼成立，尤 其是七十餘年代至八十餘年代有一群當時年齡算是較大 的會友們，若讓由他們參加教會青年團契似是老一點， 但若由他們參加屬壯年以上的兄弟團契或播道團卻又覺 得還未夠老成，因此介於兩輩年齡的一群會友們，其中 有於一九六五年本教會青年夏令會的三位主任委辦即許 素羨姊妹、楊人川弟兄及王文選弟兄等在當時會正邵慶 彰牧師激勵下發起了綠洲團契的組織，並獲邵牧師為綠 洲團契團歌填歌詞，同時由黃楨茂先生作曲。其歌詞意 示綠洲團契在塵沙飛揚的社会上「荒荒沙漠有綠洲，使 我心靈得悠遊……」。 綠洲團契正式成立的日期是一九七零年九月六 日，成立時由故邵慶彰牧師擔任大會主席，並主持新職 員就職典禮，同時由楊濬哲牧師講道，先父上官世璋長 老代表長執會勉勵。 綠洲團契第一屆職員計有主席即由當時章肇鵬 執事出任，繼後上主興起不少彼此間年齡較接近的教會 青年會友們先後出任歷屆職員。 筆者於年輕時乃先後是本教會乙組及甲組的詩 班成員。婚後夫婦倆即熱衷於綠洲團契的例常聚會及 活動，此乃始於七十年代至八十年代中期，遂後筆者即 全家移民美國。當時筆者夫婦在菲旅居期間，雖然亦是 長執會成員，但我倆最活躍參預的教會組織乃始於綠洲 團契。當時與我倆同樣熱衷於綠洲團契的「死黨」尚有 陳子健、李榮珠夫婦，莊金水、王幼敏夫婦，李子群、 楊蕙蘭夫婦，吳超傑、黃美珠夫婦，黃毓麟、施得靈夫 婦，林鵬騰、李寶珍夫婦以及其他於當時尚屬單身的幾 位男女中堅契友等。由於感情融洽、水乳交融；因此每 人於週五晚參加綠洲團契聚會後尚方興未艾，有一部份 契友還盼於翌晚讓「綠洲」捲土重來，搖身一變，「綠 洲」改名為「週六」，即假陳子健、李榮珠夫婦府上舉 行，除享受主人盛意預備招待的豐富菜餚餐點以外，大 家尚可在花園中輕鬆的天南地北講個痛快，有些較好動
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的契友們亦可參加打乒乓球或游泳等活動。 猶記得當年綠洲團契的主要兩項事工乃出版「 綠洲月報」以及由契友們自行錄製福音短劇「綠洲呼 聲」交由遠東福音廣播電台按時播出。除此以外，綠洲 團契每年均有在菲島外地諸如碧瑤、黎牙實備及其他等 地舉行秋令退修會，每屆均邀請不同講員主持專題及生 活講座等。 提到舉行秋令會，某年綠洲秋令會乃假當時大 雅台「四寒舍」Four Houses 營地舉行。為求節省開 支，特與營地主管人打個商量，自提供餐點予赴會契友 們。當時承蒙職員會「抬舉」，推出筆者充當廚師負責 一些膳務，「三日入廚作羹湯」，省本兼多利，何樂而 不為！ 綠洲團契當年全盛時期亦正逢教會金禧樓大興 土木，團契職員及契友們均踴躍捐輸，並每於團慶感 恩會中即畫隻大象或大鯨魚，然後將捐款數目寫在圖畫 上,連同支票一齊在團慶聚會中交予教會建堂委員會負 責人，博得鼓掌采聲，場面熱烈。 此外，當時綠洲團契為求使契友們培養閱讀聖 經，特按照各契友的住址規劃各人所屬「愛心小組」， 按時在每個小組不同契友的住處輪流或固定舉行查經， 並由契友們自行主持分享。當時筆者夫婦所屬的愛心小 組乃計順市地區，成員除我倆以外，尚有吳超傑、黃美 珠夫婦，黃毓麟、施得靈夫婦及黃希聖醫生等。 除了上述例常聚會及事工以外，每逢舉行團契 成立的週年團慶時，均有籌備特別節目慶祝一番。猶記 得某年慶祝綠洲團契成立十五週年時，乃由筆者自編自 導福音喜劇「老夫子蒙恩記」，由當時被譽為「千面小 生」的契友，亦即今為遠東廣播中國福音事工部執行主 任李子群牧師領銜主演，盛況一場。 綠洲團契歷年來的契友們現在分佈於世界各 地。長江後浪推前浪，但願綠洲團契此後有更多受屬靈 操練的契友們能挺身而出有份於此聖工，領導契友們共 同發揮綠洲團契互相扶助榮神益人的精神，而能如李榮 珠契友於當年慶賀本團契十週年的賀詞中寫道：讓綠洲 團契的善與美永遠存在每個契友心中。
特 寫 Going, Glowing, and Growing Old with UECP
與教會同心同行， 為主發光
by Cristina Dy as told by Mrs. Basilisa Chua Ho
一段回憶...
A stroll down memory lane.......
My mama, Mrs. Chua Yu Piak Ching, came to the Philippines from China in her early twenties. At that time, she gave birth to her eldest son. However, one year later, her son died due to a nurse’s oversight to give him the necessary injection prior to administering the prescribed medication. Mama was overwhelmed with grief and sadness, and did not go out of the house for some time. Elder Phoebe Co Guat Hua (許月華長老) from UECP, a relative of her husband, visited her, comforted her, and shared to her the gospel. In 1937, my mother joined UECP at Alvarado, and began her journey as a believer and a member of this church. UECP was a small church back then. Brothers and sisters in the Lord were very close, like one family. Every Tuesday, they held prayer meetings in the house of Pastor Co Giok Ching (許玉清傳道) and there was just love and oneness in spirit among them. She remembered how Rev. Silas Wong (黄原素牧師) preached the messages, and how Rev. George Chua (蔡信彰牧師) gave his time and care to help members in various matters including weddings, birthdays, funerals, education scholarships, and livelihood concerns. In the years that followed, she opened her house to her neighbours in Magdalena St. and invited them for service and fellowships, leading people to Christ. God blessed my parents with ten more children. Being the first believer in her family, my mother prayed for the salvation of her husband and children. She brought her children to Hope Christian High School to study, made sure they attended Sunday School, and instilled in them a strong spiritual foundation. Her utmost desire is to see her whole family come to the Lord and be saved. To her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, she always reminds them to go to church, to pray and trust that God will take care of things, to marry Christians, and to remain faithful to God regardless of the circumstances. At 100 years of age, my mother still reads the bible and prays in her room and goes to UECP every Sunday. She attended evangelistic and revival meetings till she was in her nineties. She is a living witness of God’s faithfulness to UECP - from how a small church family has turned into a big congregation, to the many ministers God sent to pastor the church, to the relocation of the church four times all these 84 years. She praises God for His great love, His merciful salvation, and granting her a heart of peace and contentment.
李雅姝 何蔡美梅女士述 蔡嘉玲譯 我母親蔡楊碧清二十歲出頭從中國來到菲律 賓。當時，她生下了長子。然而，一年後，由 於護士在藥物方面的疏忽，導致她長子死去。 媽媽一直沉浸在痛苦和悲傷裏，有一段時間沒 有出門。於是她丈夫的親戚，菲律濱中華基督 教會的許月華長老去看望她，安慰她，並與她 分享福音。在1937年，我母親在Alvarado 加 入菲律濱中華基督教會，開始了她作為一個信 徒及教會成員的旅程。 當時的教會很小，主內兄弟姐妹們都非常親 近，像一個大家庭。逢星期二，他們在許玉清 傳道家舉行禱告會，大家心靈一致。她還記得 如何，黃原素牧師分享的信息，以及蔡信彰牧 師付出時間和關心來幫助會友的各項事，包括 婚禮，生日，葬禮，教育獎學金和民生問題。 在隨後的幾年裡，她為Magdalena的鄰居們敞 開了大門，邀請他們一同參加聚會，引導人認 識基督。 上帝賜給我父母十個孩子。作為家中第一個信 徒，我的母親為丈夫和孩子的救恩禱告。她帶 孩子進入嘉南中學學習，確保他們每星期參加 主日學，為他們建立了強大的屬靈基礎。她最 大的願望是看到全家人來到主的面前並能得 救。她總提醒自己的孩子，孫子，曾孫要到教 會，要禱告，要信靠上帝會看顧一切事情，要 與基督徒聯姻，並無論在何種情況下都要忠於 上帝。 到了百歲高齡，我母親仍然閱讀聖經和禱告， 並每個星期天參加教會崇拜會。她九十幾歲 時，她還經常參加佈道及培靈會。她是上帝對 中華基督教會信實一個活生生的見證- 如何從 一個小教會轉變成一個上千會眾的大教會，直 到上帝差派來無數牧師來牧養教會，還有84年 來教會四次搬遷。她為上帝的大愛，祂仁慈的 救贖，以及祂授予的平安與滿足讚美祂。 先 鋒 會 刊
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特 寫 Rev. Eugene Hor and Rev. Ying Yee visit UECP
信仰遺產傳給後人 黄品品
UECP was able to grab the opportunity to invite Rev. Eugene Hor of Gracepoint, the English ministry of Burwood Chinese Presbyterian Church in Australia, and Rev. Ying Yee of the Chinese Christian Church in Milpoint, Australia on the weekend of May 4 and 5. During this 2-day event, they shared their insights with us through a series of seminars and talks.
欣逢教會慶祝其84年蒙主恩領的日子，作為教 會第三代會友的我想著該遺留些什麼給下一代? 中華基督教會與嘉南中學攜手鼓勵嘉南學生踴 躍參加主日學、查經班是一件美好的事，因為 自小扎根在主的話語中到老也不會偏離。有了 這樣的基礎，一畢業後就在嘉南中學任教，同 時也當主日學教師，幸蒙一位長老無微不至的 呵護及指導。她並嚴厲要求每位主日學老師必 須好好備課才能進教室分享主話。中國人常言 道「身教勝於言教」，她以身作則，每主日一 早便來督促我們，如此在她的調教之下，使我 們在各方面都有顯著的進步。 經過二十幾年後，當時我已被調在中學部任 教，剛好查經班教師有缺，另一位長老(查經班 主任)磋商，讓我過來幫忙中學生的查經班，這 两位長老始割愛讓我在中學查經班事奉。 第一年，教耶穌的生平，在教的當中遇到許多 不明白之處，就以禱告尋求主指教，查考其他 聖經譯本，如此一來，使我可邊教邊學，透過 多研讀聖經，更深入了解主的話；與主更親近 也因而更認識主、信靠主，甚而渴想過一個討 主喜悅的生活。 看到教會的大方針是要使凡踏進教會的兄弟姐 妹或慕道友都能扎根在主的話語上，鼓勵會友 勤讀聖經、背誦金句，參加適合各年齡的查經 班，我非常的欣慰。這就是我們要遺留給下一 代–神的話。希伯來書四章十二節：「神的話是 活潑的，是有功效的，比一切兩刃的劍更快， 甚至魂與靈，骨節與骨髓，都能刺入剖開，連 心中的思念和主意，都能辨明。」詩篇一一九 篇一百三十節：「你的言語一解開，就發出亮 光，使愚人通達。」
23 先 鋒 會 刊
Leaders’ Retreat: Servants of the Word Rev. Ying Yee conducted an afternoon retreat for church members who are involved in ministries. Sharing his insights from the book of 2 Timothy, the attendees were reminded to bear the cross of proclaiming the Gospel. As leaders, they are tasked to guard the Gospel because the greatest danger that the church in every generation faces is false teaching. He also reminded us to balance our ministry and personal time with God. Prior to the talk, a heartwarming testimony was given by Dcn. Belen Lim. She shared how she was challenged to lead the Precepts Inductive Bible Study, not only in an English class but also in a Chinese class. She also encouraged the attendees by sharing how big the group has grown from their initial class size.
Workshop: Personal Bible Reading The afternoon workshop opened with a testimony from Sis. Donna Munoz on how she benefitted from studying the Bible. In his introductory message, Rev. Eugene Hor discussed the challenges he encountered in reading the Bible and shared the right approach to reading God’s Word – which is to love Jesus more and not just to look for solutions to life’s problems. He also encouraged the listeners to read the Bible intelligently and be transformed; to be humble and depend on the Holy Spirit for understanding and conviction; to deduce what the passage is asking and answering, not what you are asking nor seeking answers for; and, to use a framework and write a journal about what you’ve read. This allows one enough time to think deeply and to meditate.
Revival Night: Passion for the Word Rev. Eugene Hor shared a revival message entitled Passion for the Word on the evening of May 4. Preaching from Hebrews 1:1-3, he encouraged our members to make Jesus their most precious treasure so that they would focus on him and not drift away from the faith. Sister Lucy Callos also shared her testimony that evening and recounted how she developed a passion for God’s Word and how studying the bible helped in her Christian walk.
DVBS 2013
NEWS
This year’s Daily Vacation Bible School was held from April 2-6, 2013 with the theme, Adventures on Promised Island. During those days, children learned about 5 of God’s great promises: I am with you, I care about you, I give you what you need, I will save you, and I will answer you. Daily activities included singspiration (praise and worship), Bible memory verse, games, storytelling, arts and crafts, and a video showing on the last day about the true-to-life story of Perpetua, a girl who died for Jesus. A total of 140 kids registered and 73 volunteers helped as storytellers, assistant teachers, counselors and staff.
CHILDREN’S SUNDAY
COLLEGE CAMP 2013
Jesus teaches us in Matthew 19:14 to “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
The College Camp entitled Director’s Cut was held on April 24 to 27 at CCT Tagaytay. Rev. William Jonathan Ong was the main speaker and he encouraged the campers to value the importance of imitating Christ which leads to transformed lives. 86 campers attended the camp; out of the 86, 2 campers accepted Christ for the first time, 50 renewed their faith, and 18 committed to join a cell group.
Last April 7, Children Ministry celebrated Children’s Sunday with lots of praising, singing and eating. The children enjoyed eating hash brown potatoes, hotdog with marshmallows, taho and ice cream while watching Psalty teach kids about praising God through music.
HIGH SCHOOL CAMP 2013
Children representatives from Sunday School and Children Worship classes also took part during the 3 Worship Services as Scripture readers and assistants in the offertory.
The High School Camp entitled SYNC, with the theme “From My Way to God’s Way,” was held at Rizal Re-creation Center last April 10-13, 2013. Using Romans 12:1-2 as the theme verse, the camp’s main goal is for every camper to understand and live out God’s purpose in his/her life.
JUNIOR SUMMER CAMP 2013 Last May 8 to 11, 2013, we held our Junior Summer Camp at CCT(Center for Community Training) in Tagaytay, entitled “Mighty JIM in 3DDaily Digging Deeper into God’s Word and Prayer.” Our goal was to challenge the campers to grow deeper in God through God’s Word and prayer. 59 campers attended, one-third of which were first timers. 36 accepted Jesus Christ into their lives in this camp and 45 committed to join Sunday School regularly.
83 campers, 18 counselors and 18 staff attended the retreat. 10 campers accepted Christ for the first time while 69 campers were reassured of their salvation. 18 people also dedicated themselves to fulltime ministry if ever God would call them.
Peer Observation Training “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another!” Proverbs 27:17 A peer to peer observation was organized by the Training Department of the Children Ministry during the summer months. This activity aims to improve the skills of our teachers as they learn new teaching techniques from their co-teachers. The observer-teacher was also tasked to give comments on the teacher being observed to encourage them in the areas that they are good at and to help them on the areas that will need improvement. HERALD * UNITED EVANGELICAL CHURCH OF THE PHILIPPINES PUBLICATION
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NEWS Medical Mission to Caticlan Twelve members of our church, headed by church elder Dr. Gideon Chan, went to Caticlan, Aklan for a medical mission last May 15-20, 2013. With the help of Ptr. Rey Casong, a UECP-supported missionary, they served the indigenous Aeta people. 121 Aetas availed of medical services, 36 availed of dental services, 17 availed of the free circumcision, and cyst extraction was performed on 2 patients. On May 19, Sunday, 40 children were gathered for a “Sunday School” that the group conducted to teach the children about God’s love.
EVERY CHRISTIAN A MISSIONARY; EVERY NON-CHRISTIAN A MISSION FIELD June is UECP’s annual Mission Month when members are
we have belongs to God & we should invest it for the advancement of His kingdom. Just as how Jesus used the little boy’s seemingly meager 5 loaves and 2 small fish to feed 5000, God can turn our insufficient resources into over-abundant blessings when we give to obey His great commission.
Starting with 3 worship services on June 9, Dr. Kohl spoke to various groups throughout the week (7 District fellowships, Men’s & Women’s fellowship, China Ministry, youth, prayer meetings) exhorting them to be passionate about bringing souls to Christ.
Dr. Barbara Kohl, wife of Dr. Kohl and an expert on teen sexuality, lectured on Educating Kids about Sexuality at the Couples’ fellowship on 6/14. The next day, she conducted a whole day seminar on Teen Sexuality. She challenged and equipped the participants (members of different churches, school teachers and parents) to take an active role in teaching the teens the right view on sexuality based on God’s design. This is different from the distorted view of society, media and even modern educational system and values. Participants are excited to share what they learned to the teachers and parents of their respective churches and schools.
encouraged to support and know more about mission work. This year’s guest speaker is Dr. Manfred Kohl. He served for the last 20 years with Overseas Council, an organization that helps theological seminaries and universities around the world.
At the joint worship service on June 16 culminating mission week, Dr. Kohl preached from John 6:1-14 with the theme: From Our Insufficiencies to His Over-Abundant Blessings. He encouraged the congregation to give twice as much to support missions. Giving should be driven from the perspective of stewardship: that whatever
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HERALD * UNITED EVANGELICAL CHURCH OF THE PHILIPPINES PUBLICATION
EDITORIAL STAFF
編輯人員 Advisers:
Rev. Leo Jaime Son
顧問:
孫培雄牧師
Elder Edward Ong
王國揚長老
回憶與傳承 – 教會如鷹返老還童! 林靜薇
Editor-in-Chief: Marlene Go
總編輯:
林靜薇
Assistant Editors:
副總編輯: (English) (英)
(Chinese) (中) Features:
特寫: News:
新聞: Chinese:
中文:
Christine Sim
陳堤熒
Mary Karen Monzon
蔡嘉玲
Cristina Dy
李雅姝
Wyndale Wong
黄天保
Patrick Tan
陳百德
Kline Regalado Cheng
蔡惠真
Merivale Chang
黃穗燕
Rosita Te
許麗玲
Hannah L. Go
張心怡
Cristine Joy Sy 許靈欣 Wang Min 王闽 Layout/Graphics: Jonathan Lim
平面設計:
Logistics:
總務:
林禮良
Benson C. Go
吳明純
Ernie Joventino Monzon
箴言 22:6 告訴我們 : 「教養孩童 、 使他走當行的道 、 就是到老他也 不偏離。」對我來說，這是菲律濱中華基督教會留給我最深的記憶。 在我生命中，尤其是從童年到青春時期，嘉南中學及菲律濱中華基督 教會，幾乎成了我的世界。我的學校、我的教會，這合而為一的大家 庭，成為上帝塑造我人生的器皿，並且也造就了今天的我。
林東陽 Paul Relucio 楊榮燦
Front Cover by Benson C. Go
封面 - 吳明純
Back Cover by Ernie Joventino Monzon
封底 - 林東陽
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我的母親是嘉南中學的校友、教師及中華教會的主日學老師。學校與 教會中的老師、學生、同事及朋友們塑造了她的人生。我對唱詩和音 樂的興趣愛好，並接觸兒童的機會，都是嘉南中學及菲律濱中華基督 教會所给予的。我一生的良朋益友也都是來自於教會的聖樂及兒童事 工。今天，當我看到自己的孩子們如何在主的道中成長，並且藉由主 的道影響感化他人，欣喜之情難於言表。最近，我問小女兒明恵，為 何手機講那麼久。她告訴我，“我和朋友一起查經靈修。”（她在夏 令會時結識的朋友）。聽她在電話中與朋友唱詩禱告，這是何等地溫 暖我心。我也因大女兒心怡在教會中領唱頌讚，並帶領年幼朋友們查 經，讚美上帝。二女兒欣灵經常撥時間關心祖父母及外祖父母,與他們 聊天,並帶他們去看醫生，這一切更是讓我深受感動。我不敢想像上帝 若沒有帶領母親到嘉南中學，而她也沒有聽從神的話語，並且教導我 走當行的道。如果我沒有上帝作我的天父，耶穌作我的救主，聖靈作 為我的保惠師，這將會是什麼樣的生命！ 這一期『回憶與傳承』記錄着上帝這84年以來，對菲律濱中華基督 教會的信實。在前輩們追憶教會所留傳事物的同時，希望這一切也能 成為我們年輕一代的祝福。請閱讀牧者的角落，見證上帝如何藉着教 會，作為一種渠道來建立信仰生活，並訓練上帝的兒女們宣揚祂的話 語。讓我們共同讚美上帝一代傳一代的事工。見證到上帝兒女們生命 中的奇蹟時，我們當對醫治肉體及心靈的上帝，心存感激與盼望。閱 讀這些有趣的經歷，超越時空的回憶，以及多年來，上帝使用無數不 完美的人，來改造他人生命的故事，一定會給讀者帶來歡笑。讓我們 一起回味過去的經歷並開始數算，恩上加恩 ，福杯滿溢！ 詩 篇103:1-5 我 的 心 哪 ，你 要 稱 頌 耶 和 華 ！ 凡 在 我 裡 面 的 ，也 要 稱 頌 他 的聖名！ 我 的 心 哪 ，你 要 稱 頌 耶 和 華 ！ 不 可 忘 記 他 的 一 切 恩 惠 ！ 他 赦 免 你 的 一 切 罪 孽 ，醫 治 你 的 一 切 疾 病 。 他 救 贖 你 的 命 脫 離 死 亡 ，以 仁 愛 和 慈 悲 為 你 的 冠 冕 。 他 用 美 物 使 你 所 願 的 得 以 知 足 ，以 致 你 如 鷹 返 老 還 童 。
蒙恩感恩 中華基督教會初期 頌揚耶和華所行之奇事異能 信仰遺產傳給後人
回憶與傳承 與教會同心同行 ，為主發光 驀然回首話當年 青春到老，熱心教育; 獻身愛主，終生事主 第一卷 第三期
二千十三年七月至九月