My 2nd Year Ministry at MCEC -Evangelizations & Revivals, Church Renovations, Transfer of Worship Service from 9:00 AM to Earlier Time. at 6:00 A

M E M O R I E S: Life and Time of Pastor Rudy Bernal, his  Glimpses on History &

                           The People’s Struggle for Freedom

Chapter 30 – My   2^rd  Year Ministry at  MCEC – Evangelizations & Revivals,  Church Renovation,   Transfer of Worship Service from 9:00 AM to  Earlier Time, at 6:00 AM

This was in  1975  on my  2^nd    year  ministry at Maao Central Evangelical Church.

We  ventured   into  some  activities that  we hoped  will strengthen our ministries.

We held an evangelistic & revival meetings with Evangelist Greg Tingson. At the same time, reaching out   to the students of Maao Central Elementary &  High School at 7:30 in the morning. We have  experienced a   strange encounter with a “demon possessed” young lady. We also strengthened our church choir, trying to learn from the best  Baptist choir in Negros Kasapulanan.

We changed our worship service from 9:00 AM to a very early time at 6:00 AM,  so more sugar central workers can attend  our worship service.  We renovated and improved our church building, installed glass windows  with  tainted  & heart shaped  color at the top.

To  strengthen our ministry, we tried  to revive the church and reach- out to the youth.  We  invited Rev. Greg Tingson and his soloist, Teine Lahaylahay to  hold a  3-days evangelistic and revival  meeting at CMEC.  They preached  in the evening,  calling people to accept Jesus Christ as  Saviour.  The response was good.  It  helped  much reviving the spirits of our church.   And  in the early mornings, at 7:30 AM the team held  meetings  with students at the schools' small auditorium with messages and  gospel  songs.

During  those times, many  young people, who did not attend church,  were reached  by the gospel’s challenges.  Slowly,  more young people came and  became part  of the young people’s group. They came, a number  of them, making  the church,  their second home.

Our   worship service on  Sundays  started   at 9:00 AM.   At the sugar central,  there were three shifts daily of workers.  Less than  40% of our male members attends Sunday worship services.  Those who were scheduled to work, starting at 7:00 AM,  would not be able to attend  worship service. They will be working already at 9:00 AM.  And those who finished their works at 7:00 AM  would not be able to attend  worship at 9:00 AM.  They have already gone home. They have breakfast  and rested or slept, preparing again to work the following day.

We decided to change our worship service to 6:00 AM. Those who were scheduled to start work at   7:00 AM  will have   time for worship at 6:00 AM.  And those whose works ended  at 6:00 AM  shifts,   could attend worship,  before going home,   have   breakfast and slept.

But it was hard for many of us to wake up 5:00 AM,  and  be ready for worship at 6:00 AM.  But the challenge was there. Our members saw  the need to  change our  worship  service schedule and tried to follow.  I saw, how our members, both old and young,  moved   fast  and worked hard to  come before 6:00 AM.  I saw how, the choir members struggled  and be  ready before 6:00 AM.  That change was planned by  most members, and worked to  implement it.  It revolutionized the lifestyle  and work styles  of our working  church members in the sugar central.

To reached out  the church and the community, we  procured   a  Sound System. We bought  a   powerful amplifier with 3 trumpets.  The 6 housing  subdivisions  of workers and their families were  now   reached easily with  recorded tapes, that brought   soft gospel musics  and  beautiful songs  on the  air lanes.   The soft music  gospel music   helped   prepare the members  to be  ready for the early worship service.  At  5:00 A.M. our sound systems,  spews  soft beautiful gospel songs. Then at 5:45, we made full volume to reach  the  community’s   3  kms radius.  The community learned to love the  early   meditations  thru  the gospel music.

One time, after the church service, we encountered   a “demon possessed” young lady. That  Saturday evening, I was visiting some members in the community. In one of the houses, there were many people  around  the house.  Inside,  I   heard a woman’s voice. She was talking in a  high pitched  voice.  I tried to listen.

A friend  told me that there was a  “demon possessed”  woman inside the house.  She has skills   healing people.  But, sometimes, she often lost  consciousness and fall down with her body stretched  hard. I learned,  she was came here 4 days ago.  When  the woman recovered from her trance, she can tell the sickness of those around.   Many  people  gave donations for her  healing advises.

I went home that night. And here, near our church, about 100 meters away, a “demon possessed” woman was  doing some kinds of miracles. And many people came to her. I kept thinking. How could we challenge such things in  our community, with some Baptists living with "demon possessed young woman"? She would  influence the lives of the  community people?

That Sunday, while  I was preaching a group of 3 person, two men and a  young woman, came.   It was the first time I saw the woman.   They  settled  on the last  bench at the back.  I saw the woman.  She was young and lovely.  She was dressed in  dirty white.  I don’t know if  she’s  married. And  I  don’t  knew  who she was.  I knew his two companions.

I  went on with my message.   After the benediction,  I went  down to shake  hands with all members. I proceeded to the bench of  the woman and his  two  companions.  She stood.  I came near her. I was about to shake her hand, when I  saw  her  begun to wreathe  in pain. Then,   she  stretched  her body and began to fall down. I came fast and caught her, before she fall to the cement floors.

I asked some to help  make her lie in the bench. Then she,  began to speak. One of the men accompanying her said: “Ara na. Nag-abut na. Mahambal na sia. (It’s  now time.  It came. She will now speak).  She began to speak. I cannot understand her words. I called  on our members to go around her.  We will pray.  I have not seen any one, possessed by an evil spirit before.  I have a mixed feelings of anxiety  and excitements. We surrounded her and prayed.

Mrs. Gonzaga, one of our church deacons came near. She’s a nurse.  She  touched and speak to the woman, who was talking.  Mrs. Gonzaga said:  “Hipos. Indi  ka  mag gahud”. (Kept silent. Don’t talk.)  Mrs.Gonzaga took the pulse of the woman. She tried to  brushed her hair.  She   opened  her eyes.  She  looked  deep into the  girl’s eye balls. Then, Mrs. Gonzaga said.  “Indi ni demon possessed. Indi ni sia naga trance.  Nagabugtaw  ni  sia.  Wala  sia nagakatulog.  Ari,  ang  iya  kalimutaw nagahulag.” (This is not a demon possessed woman.  She’s  awake. She’s not on trance.  She’s  not sleeping. Look, her eye balls were  moving).

Then, Mrs. Gonzaga told the men:  “Dal-a ninyo sia pauli. Papahuwaya ninyo sia.  Indi ni sia demon possessed.  Luyag lang niya mag negosyo paagi  sining  ipakita niya  nga miraculo.” (Please bring her home. Let her rest. She is not demon possessed.   She will just make some business by  showing  some miracles.”

The girl went home with her friends.   I heard she went home to their town, that day, in South Negros.   During the last four days when  she was here, she has developed a group  of people, who believed she has  power. That she can make miracles. That she can heal the sick. And some gave her donations.

In   mid-1976, we   began  thinking of  renovating the church building.   The church was built strong,  with heavy cement posts and hollow blocked walls.  It has a two   storey  staple. The  walls  have no finishing. The altar was old.  And the   windows, made of wood was dilapidated. The church has no fences.

During  meeting  called that day,  Ms.  Ramonita (Toto), Apostol, Church Treasurer, spoke  that the church building  was not touched and improved for several years. It was now time to make the needed renovations. We asked how we will do it.  And suggestions came.  Time now  to beautify the church. Improve the altar with colored glasses. The church hollow block walls  be given finishing touches. The wood windows, now dilapidated will be replaced with glasses with the upper part, with colored glasses, shaped like hearts

 Toto Apostol  said  we have P5,000.  But we can start work and request for  donations.  The young people said, they will have  Musical Concerts in the church, and request Love Offerings  for MCEC renovations. The Baptist Men and Womens’ Missionary  Society  said they will save help with some donations. I suggested, perhaps we  can  apply for  a building loan from the  Baptist Convention.   The suggestions were approved.

The church wrote a letter to the Convention requesting for church loan of P20,000, payable in 5 years. We sent it to Rev. Ediwn Lopez, General Secretary. We sent our application loan with  all  needed documents.  It was signed by the Secretary and noted by the President. 

That Monday, I   went to Iloilo City. I met  Rev. Edwin Lopez, General Secretary.  I gave him our letter.  He met with the Treasurer. They approved  our  P20,000 loan,  payable in 5 years. When, I returned that afternoon, I  have the  P20.000 check. I gave it to the President. He called the  Treasurer. They made plans to start the church renovations.

The President gave the task to the Building Committee, chaired by Mr. Doronila &  Mr. Hermosura, Chairman and Vice Chair of the committee. They made the programs of works. The Young People and the Womens’s Society  made  plans for fund  raising.  Mr. Alvarez wrote a letter to Mr.  Araneta, Manager of Maao Sugar Central Company, Inc., requesting for 34 pieces of steel track rails, 8 - foot high, as post for church fence.  Mr. Araneta gave us all  the  steel rails we need.  

We finished the renovation and improvement of the church. We have fenced it with Cyclone Wires with steel posts. We paid fully our  P20,000 loan   in 5 years time. Now, with new confidence the church move to meet new challenges.We learned problems and challenges make  the church grow and strong.