Chapter 30 – My 2rd 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 2nd 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.
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