The crisis continues! The Year 2009 in fact closed with series of maritime tragedies in the country: collision of mv Cathalyn and mv Anatalya in the Coast of Cavite a day before Christmas and the sinking of a ferry boat (RORO – roll on, roll off) Baleno 9 between Batangas and Mindoro leaving many casualties. Mayon Volcano in Bicol is erupting and about to spew the major blow, thus, thousands of families have to be moved to evacuation centers. What a way indeed to celebrate Christmas and New Year! In the third quarter of last year, typhoons ravaged the country and especially Typhoon Ondoy Metro Manila where the bulk of the population could be found was submerged in water. Not content with Ondoy, Mother Nature poured out torrential rains in Central and Northern Luzon when Pepeng and Quedan lingered in these areas. Truly the crisis continues as was the subject of our January 2009 newsletter reflections.

The last few days of 2009 witnessed one after the other natural calamities that brought people to crisis situations. Few weeks prior to December, the massacre in Maguindanao killing about 50 people left the country in stupor. The integrity of reigning

political leaders who were supposed to be vanguards of

peoples’ rights was shaken. The crisis truly continues! January 2009 lectionary theme, however, articulated that the crisis of the times was a call to new growth. This was twelve months ago and so the question to ask now is has there been a new shoot that is springing forth from out of this crisis? Has there any? Maybe we will answer by saying none at all. The situation has even worsened with the crises seemingly stumping on the ground and killing any “life” trying to break out from the ground. Nevertheless life within or underneath continues to grow whether the growth is seen or unseen. This is because God is at work! God provides new energies in what may seem to be a hopeless and lifeless situation. The God who is the Source of all strength and power continues to energize us through rest and solitude, trials and temptations nourished by God’s Word.

January 2010 will have as theme, “New Energies for the Long Journey.” New in that the constant replenishment being done by God brings new perspectives and insights. Energy is equivalent to strength, vigor, zeal, passion that fuels the drive to reach towards the goal. The “long journey” implies a lifelong process of making meaning in everything we do and discerning God’s activity in our lives. The crisis will continue and may even get more intense and complicated. Fixing it on our own could lead to more problems. What is needed is humble submission to God

and taking rest, minute Sabbaths as we trod on the road. New energies for the long journey calls for allowing God to lead the way for only in doing so would we find rest. God waits for us and moves according to our pace. When God leads the way we can be sure that the energy provided us would not get depleted. The oil in our lamp would continue burning. Let God be our Pace-Setter in order to savor the new energies we need in the long journey. Let the prayer below be uttered as we face another year in our lives…

“Slow me down, Lord! Ease the pounding of my heart by the quieting of my mind. Steady my hurried pace with the vision of the eternal reach of time. Give me amidst the confusion of my day, the calmness of the everlasting hills. Break the tension of my nerves and muscles with the soothing music of the singing streams that live in my memory. Help me to know the magical restoring power of sleep. Teach me the art of taking minute vacations…of slowing down to look at a flower, to chat with a friend, to pat a dog, to read a few lines from a good book. Remind me each day of the fable of the hare and the tortoise that I may know that the race is not always to the swift, that there is more to live than increasing its speed. Let me look upward into the branches of the towering oak and knew that it grew great and strong because it grew slowly and well. Slow me down, Lord, and inspire me to send my roots deep into the soul of life’s enduring values that I may grow toward the stars of my greater destiny. In Jesus’ name, Amen!” -Unknown

/ Lectionary and Schedule of Preachers for January
Theme:
“New Energies for the Long Journey”
3 / “Letting Go of Old Ways and Embracing the New”
OT: Joshua 24:14-24; NT: Ephesians 5:1-17
Preacher: Pastor Bea Hernandez
10 / “New Energy from Rest and Solitude”
OT: Jeremiah 29:4-14 NT: Mark 1:35-39
Preacher: Pastor Leng Lubang
17 / “Energized by Trials and Temptations”
OT: Joshua 7:24-8:2 NT: Luke 4:1-13
Preacher: Pastor Ronell Hernandez
24 / “The Bible as Source of New Energies”
OT: Deuteronomy 8:1-9 NT: 1 Peter 1:24-2:3
Preacher: Ms. Merly Aviles
31 / Openness to Surprises in the Long Journey”
OT: Exodus 14:10-22 NT: Matthew 14:22-36
Sis. Wilma Pelagio

“Letting Go of Old Ways and Embracing the New”

It is often said that a person who lives a life without change is living in a stagnant life and when you get the chance to be with them you will discover a short sighted principle attitude, a complicated person who will always fault find others. And because we see life as a long journey, we can never expect someone to be with us in the journey, not even those individual we hope to be with, not in the same situation we sought. If there be someone who wishes to be with us, it is God’s provision, it is God’s gift of comfort and grace, and such person would be those who carry the love that requires nothing but to give. An African proverbs (Oji) says: He who travels alone tells lies. It is like, being HOLY is easy when no one else is around to frustrate our preference, because we are never tested. Real maturity shows up in relationship, in a community where difficult people and matured people converse and travel together.

Our January theme NEW ENERGIES for the LONG JOURNEY indeed reflects the reality of life traversing a long and narrow road towards God’s aptness to man. Did you know that JOURNEY is a word that is a Noun meaning process of development? It is a gradual passing from one state to another regarded as more advanced, e.g. from innocence to mature awareness. This is very similar to a spiritual journey. It is when we find rest and solitude because of life’s journey in sorrow and grace.

According to my daughter’s science book, ENERGY is defined as the capacity of matter to perform work as the result of its motion (kinetic energy) or its position (potential energy) in relation to forces acting on it. What then are the motions and forces which create us to perform work and create energy? This question also applies to our private lives and public worship. It also applies to our work and mission in life, and to the entire household of God. So as you carry the perils in your journey remember the motion and position which creates energy in your journey. Allow God to create the energy for you, not you creating the force to battle life.

Because all of us travel in this life, we pass through different roads. May we become a person who is not stagnant. Someone said: life is a gift from God, what you do with your life is your gift to God, and so become productive, let go of the old ways which enslave you - your addictions, your selfishness, your being unbecoming, your extravagant way of life, because life is not all appearance. God is expecting us to become rooted, to become a spiritually grounded person that is becoming rooted to God’s teaching, able to practice the words spoken every after benediction. In a world where corruption is very normal, in all operations in this life, cheating becomes the motion and position, we have to get started and make a difference, that difference you make to a society of corruptedness is your development, your spiritual journey.

My friends, Let Go of the old ways but not the pains and crooked paths because it is where we learn life lessons, and Embrace the New, new are the things we do not know yet, new things which will infuse cheer and sadness. God therefore will always be there for us, through us and with us.

/
by: Rev. Ronell A. Hernandez

“Energized by Trials and Temptations”

A crawling infant and an old man are often used as symbols of year ending and welcoming of a new year. That baby also contains a message to parents being protective of their child shielding him/her from hurts, scars, accidents and danger. Reality, however, is that the baby will eventually experience life’s adversities as living goes on.

But life seems to be meaningless if there are no obstacles, trials or temptation. For us, Filipinos, our culture has contributed so much to our children’s weak capacity to deal with struggles. They have grown to be very dependent and decision makings are seldom practiced with responsibility. We tend to carry the task they are supposed to take. These have eventually avoided our children to make them accountable, critical and perceptive people in our time. Everything boils down to our own statement, “they are just children”. Thus, this makes them weak and vulnerable in temptation. What is necessary in parenting is how we give time and attention to help the child process his/her life and faith journey.

As we embark on the long journey we will surely be treading life that is “decorated” by trials and temptations. They are not few and limited. The plurality that is being stressed here is that trial and temptation are like obstacle in the track and field which need to be overcome. But the big question here is the “HOW”, implying some principles. There are no better principles than God’s principle revealed through a man in the Bible. Moses and Jesus similarly experienced in their early years infancy in exile to save their lives. The killing of babies in the Old Testament being threats to Egypt has instead made the Israelites more numerous. Likewise, Jesus in the New Testament, the killing of babies became a violent result caused by political threat to King Herod. On the other hand, as Kings exert effort to make barriers, Moses and Jesus confronted the trials and temptations in their journey. God’s anointing principle affirms the call and the purpose of the one who was being sent. God’s assuring principle also creates confidence and courage to deal with sin.

The energy Jesus and Moses had during trials and temptations came from the One who is the joy-giver. They were able to do it because they were driven by such purpose, they were challenged to send people to God as the One who is the Sustainer in our long journey. May we all see this picture of travelers who uphold that pain and trials because of God’s anointing comfort.

New energies come from looking back with gratitude to God for the past year 2009…

For significant church events, activities and gifts received

·  Responded to the UCCP National Office call for Membership Renewal in February 2009 being a National Council mandate

·  Revitalization of SCCD Music Ministry with the organization of SCCD Youth Choir in March, reorganization of SCCD Chancel Choir and strengthening of Jesus’ Kids Choir under a pool of choir conductors namely Ms. Liza Ranieses, Mr. Roel Sapida and Ms. Winnie Cruz

·  Staging of “Singsational Servants” Jesus’ Kids Choir Concert in March 2009 led by Choir Conductor Liza Ranieses and Director Teena Saquilayan providing avenue for children to hone their talents and setting up the CMDF (Children’s Ministry Development Fund).

·  Holding of Church Family Easter Outing in April which used to be a tradition in the past but was temporarily ceased when the church building activity took off in 2005

·  Hosting of the 11th Annual Session of the Lowland Cavite South Manila Conference in May as well as other major Conference activities, at least three during the year

·  Supported 26 scholars mostly indigent children from the Outreach Points enrolled in the DLA

·  Participated in the Piano YES! program of the Conference supporting ten scholars with Bro. Rey del Rosario, music worker of UCCP Anabu as teacher. Piano lessons are now being conducted in SCCD with the church piano overhauled and transferred to the Multi-Purpose Hall. Piano scholars are now playing simple hymns and provide keyboard accompaniment during Praise and Worship.

·  Granting of Recognition Status to the Disciples Learning Academy by the Dept. of Education in May 2009

·  Facilitation of Philhealth Voluntary Membership premium payments collection in partnership with the Dept. of Health Provincial Office beginning June 2009.

·  Called Pastor Bea Hernandez as Associate Pastor for Special Ministries in June

·  Birth of the Sabang Disciples Consumers Cooperative in June 2009 which now has 53 official members and a fund of about P100,000.00 with three business ventures namely DLA Canteen Management, Lending and Grocery

·  Dedication of the Temporary Parsonage in July 2009 with the full occupancy of Pastors Ronell and Bea Hernandez. This is about 100 meters north of the church, owned by Bro. Efren Frani.

·  Launching of PN5b Bamboo and Bricks in July as fund generation scheme for the waterproofing works of the exterior chancel wall and finishing works of the chancel wall area

·  Celebration of SCCD’s 83rd Founding Anniversary in July with the dedication of Memorial Garden Site where the Tirona Memorial Marker location was also identified.

·  Received generous donations for purchase of a new sound system amounting to P280,000.00 and a brand new digital piano.

·  Received seed money for the Typhoon Rehabilitation Program (TRP) which totaled to P75,000.00 appropriated not only for rehabilitation of human victims of natural disasters but also the physical environment.