Chapter 32 – Our 3rd Year Ministry at MCEC – Conscientization & Social Awareness, Mobilized Prayer Groups with NFSW & Workers Strike in La Carlota, Held Violin Concert in Bago City with Dr. Gilopez Kabayaw.
Our third year ministry at MCEC tried to widen our ministry starting the 3rd Quarter of 1975 until the end of 1976. We tried to learn new technics on management and leardership building and mobilizations,. We invited Rev. Conrad Brown, for a 2-day seminar on conscientization and socio-political awareness, involving most of our church leaders and members.
To upgrade me on church works, I often sat with Rev. Esfe Tandog whenever he comes home as Minister of Negros Kasapulanan. I always come when he comes, and share lunch with him and Mrs. Nelly Tandog at their home. I tried, to get secretly some of his ideas and thoughts on the ministry. Often, I also visited Rev. and Mrs. Floripe Herradura in Maao Evangelical Church, trying to get his experiences on his evangelization ministry. During their time, they helped build 4 church congregations in Barrio Maao.
One time, we invited Rev. Conrad Brown, American missionary and in-charged of the Center for Education & Research (CER), a project of the CPBC. He has skills on organizing, conscientizations and peoples' mobilizations. I have joined him in some seminars and workshops in Iloilo and saw the need to involve the church in this ministry. Rev. accepted our invitations. It was for a 2-day workshop, that starts at 9:00 AM on Saturday and ends at 10:00 AM. On Sunday,
We request Con Brown to pay for their transportation. He invited Rev. Larry Leysa, a parttime staff of CER and Promotional Secretary of Iloilo Kasapulanan of Baptist Churches to join him. Mrs. Nelly Tandog and her younger sister, Gloria, attended the seminar. A few weeks later, we baptized Gloria, Atty. Wally Hidalgo, and two other young people.
We have a 2- day affair, from Saturday morning to 10:00 PM. Then on Sunday, we started at 8:30 AM to 9:00 in the evening. On Sunday, from 8:30 -11.30, we have a process education that includes the worship service. A group prepares food for all...
It was a very helpful education process. The young people were there. The Baptist Women and Baptist Men. Members of the Board of Deacons and Board of Trustees. The choir were there. Some younger young people, the Junior high came. We invited anyone who has time to attend, from 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM the next two days. It was a great learning process.
That Sunday, we continued with the process. We started at 8:00 AM. The worship service continued with Dr. Brown and Rev. Larry Leysa leading the worship. The worship situation was different from our worship services before. We have songs, the kind we called “Struggle songs.” The sermon was different. It was not preached at the altar. Nor on the pulpit. The message was preached on the church floors, where all of us setting together. On the middle was Dr. Brown.
That morning, we were all preachers. Rev. Brown made a reflection based on a gospel story. Then he called us all to share our understanding of Jesus messages. He encouraged all to speak, including the Junior highs. Everyone spoke. We all shared our messages. A three minutes reflections, 2 minutes, 4 minutes, 7 minutes, 10 minutes. We were all encouraged to speak. All of us preached short messages that day.
Then Rev. Brown, stood at the front of us all. He stood on the floor. He summarized all we have shared. That was his message for all of us. Dr. Brown taught us, new methods of teaching and preaching. Not on the pulpit above the people. He preached standing on the floor. No microphones. He stood, on the same level with the people on the sanctuary.
That afternoon, and evening we continued with the process. And at 7:30 PM, we came for the last session. It was sharing again of all we learned during the day. We were also called to share what we hoped to do and accomplished in the worked of the Lord the next 3 years. At closing, Rev. Larry Leysa prayed for all of us. He entrusted us all to the Lord.
That seminar helped provide us with additional ideas and skills on leadership, and mobilizing of people for action. The need for continued change process in the leadership of our church at Maao Central. It was an experience, most of us learned and use in our inistry.
As I reflect on what we hoped to happen the next 3 years, as Dr. Brown challenge us to think and consider, lots of potentials came to mind. For May 1976, were very important days. Its the election of officials – President, Vice President and 7 members of the Board of Trustees. It will be followed in June with the election of the General Secretary.
That night, with all participants gone home and Rev. Brown sleeping, Rev. Leysa and me, talked about the future leadership of the Convention. We need new leadership, the President, Vice President, the 7 members of the Board of Trustees and the next General Secretary. Together we prayed for the future. And we tried to identify possible people to be on the leadership of the Convention. We decided to visit some leaders in Negros and Panay. And planned with them on the future leadership of the Convention.
With the Young People and the Choir, we looked for ways to make them a strong partners in our ministry. We need to explore new means for the development of MCEC music ministry, the choir and the “The Joyful Singers.” Last year, our choir was invited to sing at the Negros Kasapulanan of Baptist Churches assembly. We were invited together with choirs of Bacolod Evangelical Church, Bacolod Cosmpolitan Church, Bakyas Evangelical Church and La Carlota Evangelical Church. We also begun working for a possible Musical Concerts on 1976’s Valentines Day and Christmas Cantatas.
I tried to recall in my mind, our choir un those days. We have one of the best choirs in Negros Occidental. The choir members were young and lovely, all unmarried, headed by Elmer De Asis and Art Samson, directors -- Deding Moncay, Hesther, Hilda & Rachel Alvarez, Emelia Abilarde, Lota and Linda Bulaclac. Daday & Rosario Doronila, Alpha & Omega Hermosura, Jean and Mja Inocencio, Erle, Tata and Jiji Gonzaga.
Our male choir members were Tongue Inocencio, Nap de Asis, Julios Samson, Mondo Aligonsa, Doroy Ada, Merare Garovillo, Telo Bagaforo, Cecilio Villasenor, Elmo de Asis and Conan.
Art Samson helped us organized the Joyful Singers, a group of young people, that can be called upon to provide special music during some services’ It was composed of Hesther & Hilda Alvarez. Lota and Linda Bulaclac, Erle Gonzaga and whoever that can join when their was Special occasions. This group also provide a tape recorded songs for “Hour of Discovery” radio program.
Reflecting on this today, May 18, 2017, Nap De Asis said: “Thanks for sharing the memories Pastor Bernal… I was a High Schooler then, when you served our home church…Maao Central Evangelical Church where we grew as Christians and proud that Papang was one of the founding members…Precious memories.
“We remember our Cantatas, with my brod Elmer and, Art as our directors…daigons, concerts, campings…are all stored in my memories and will be cherished always…damu gid kami nga batch during our young people’s days. We made the church our second home… “simbahan lang permi”…as I recalled my Mamang say, everytime we are out of his sight for the chores at home…the best I can say …Thanks you Maao Central Evangelical Church…you are part of our growing up to become good Christians…growing up…or ‘laking simbahan’ makes a difference…”
We moved out a bit farther, trying to push Maao Central Evangelical Church’s music ministry reached a wider overage. We strengthened relationship among young people, with activities that try to build them up, -meetings, studies. swimmings, camping, cantatas, musical concerts. We camp anytime we have chances-, in the church, in beaches with church members. We have camping…swimming in small rivers surrounded with sugarcane plantations. The young people always sung, wherever there were chance to sing.
We also dreamed of holding musical concerts not only in Maao Central but visiting other churches in Negros and holding musical concerts. Not all our plans were realized. But we made one big efforts, that reached most of Bago City residents and reached the churches and communities in Bago City.
It was our partnership with Dr. Gilopez Kabayao & Mrs. Corazon Kabayao, pianist, to hold the Gilopez Kabayao Violin Concert in Bago Auditorium, Bago City with Maao Central Evangelical Church choir singing gospel songs, during the two intermissions on the Gilopez Kabayao Violin Concert.
While the Kabayao Violin Concert gaves beautiful music –classical, kundimans, Filipino songs on violin – with audience that include the Mayor, Vice Mayor and some City Councilors - entertaining several thousands of residents of the city and villages, Maao Central Evangelical Church choir sung gospel and spiritual songs that touched the hearts and souls of the people of Bago City in big City auditorium. The Kabayao Violin Concert and MCEC gospel music was one of the great affairs in the city that year.
The Concert was known all over Negros thru “Hour of Discovery” our Radio program announcements and news report made by the DYHB morning, noon and evenng News report, informing listeners the coming Violin Concert sponsored by Maao Central Evangelical Church.
I also tried to learn the works of Maao Sugar Central Labor Union among the workers of sugar company. The labor union of Maao Central was considered a yellow union, the President of the union, being the brother of the Manager of the Sugar Central. But the leaders of the union, many of them members of our church, tried hard to get the best workers conditions in the CBA they signed with the sugar central company.
As Pastor to MCEC, I Rev. Floripe Herradura of Maao Evangelical Church organized new churches in Maao area, In our time, MEC was able to build 3 congregations around Maao, Bago City.
It was also in the villages of Maao, with Rev. Herradura, that we met NPA cadres, both men and women, still very young, some of them from Manila, working to build the revolutionary movement in Central Negros, to fight for freedom, justice and the liberation of the people from slavery in the sugarcane industry.
There were times, when we go the same way, traversing the hills. They were going their distinations in the far flung village. I am going to a village church, where I have preached before. I was invited by a woman lay pastor, to baptized some members that afternoon.
I shared with the young revolutionaries our dreams together. They shared with me something of their lives and dreams. We know we were travelling the same road. The road, a pathway, that Jesus Christ also travelled the rocky paths of Galilee sharing his faith and dreams with young men and women of his time, under Herod’s martial law regime.
I shaked the hands of the young revolutionaries. Silently, I breath words of prayer for them. We parted. We don’t know if we will ever met again. But we knew we were doing God’s and the people’s well together. They moved on, with their task of educating people for equality and justice. I go that afternoon and baptized 14 young men and women, who followed Jesus way, for equality and justice. We will help build a community with equality and justice. We will help in the liberation struggle, exposing the evils and oppressions in the sugarcane industry.
It was during the last months of my ministry in Maao Central Evangelical Church that big workers strike at La Carlota Sugar Central, assisted by the National Federation of Sugar Workers (NFSW) in Bacolod City. I joined with other church pastors and leaders –Aglipayans, Catholics, Baptists and other groups giving assistance and prayer supports to the workers in the Picket Lines of La Carlota Sugar Central and in the sugarcane field areas.
We joined in their struggles. We prayed for God’s protection of the workers on the Picket Lines. We joined the sugarcane workers congregating in different areas, some distance from the sugar central, ready to assist the picketers when it will be needed. We stood with them and prayed with them. We prayed for the leaders NFSW as they led the strikers.
We helped strengthen there struggles. We prayed for God’s guidance and protection. It was a hard struggle, fighting to give families opportunities to live a better lives and better futures with the success of the workers’ strike in La Carlota Sugar Central.
This was our journey of faith. A journey for a wholistic ministry.
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