Chapter 7
3rd Year Ministry at MCEC – Conscientization & Social Awareness Building
On the third year of our ministry at MCEC, we tried to widen our ministry starting the 4rd Quarter of 1975. We tried to learn new technics and skills on management, leardership building and mobilizations, at the same time exposed our church members to these management skills and leadership.
We invited Rev. Conrad Brown, an American missionary with the Convention Baptist for a 2-day seminar on conscientization and socio-political awareness building. We involved most of the church leaders and members.
To upgrade me on church works, I sat often with Rev. Esfe Tandog whenever he came home to Maao Central. He was the Provincial Minister of Negros Kasapulanan of Baptist Churches. I always visit, when he came. We have lunch together with his family. Mrs. Nelly Tandog. I tried, to get some of his ideas and thoughts on the ministry. I also visited Rev. and Mrs. Floripe Herradura, Pastor of Maao Evangelical Church, in Barrio Maao. I tried to get his experiences on evangelization ministry. During his time, Rev. Heradura and his wife, also a minister, helped build 4 daughter church congregations in the sitios of Barrio Maao.
We invited Rev. Conrad Brown, Director of the Center for Education & Research (CER), a project of the CPBC. He has skills on organizing, conscientizations and people mobilizations. I have joined him in some seminars and workshops in Iloilo and saw the need to involve the church in this ministry. Rev. Brown accepted our invitations. He came for a 2-day workshop, that starts at 9:00 AM on Saturday and ends at 10:00 PM on Sunday,
We request Con Brown to pay for their transportations and expenses on the way. He was joined by Rev. Larry Leysa, a parttime staff of CER and Promotional Secretary of Iloilo Kasapulanan of Baptist Churches. Mrs. Nelly Tandog and her younger sister, Gloria, attended the seminar. Also attending were Atty. Wally and Linda Hidalgo. A month ago, I baptized Gloria and Atty. Wally Hidalgo. They were part of our continuing evangelization ministry.
The 2 –day affairs, started Saturday at 10:00 AM until 10:00 PM. Then on Sunday, we started at 8:30 -11:45 AM. We continued the Process Education at 1:30 PM until 5:00 PM. We have our supper at 6:00 PM. And continued until 10:00 PM.
It was a very helpful education process. The young people were there. The Baptist Women and Baptist Men were there. 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 had time to attend, from 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM the next two days. It was great to be together to learn.
We started at 8:00 AM., Sunday. 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 on the pulpit. We were not facing the altar. The message was preached on the church floors at the back, near the entrance. We were on a circle, facing each other.
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 on the story. He encouraged all to speak, including the Junior highs. Everyone spoke. We all shared our messages. A three minutes reflections. Or a two minutes reflection, 2 minutes, 4 minutes, 7 minutes. A ten minutes reflections. We were encouraged to speak, all of us. All church members, preached 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. The summary of what all have shared.
Dr. Conrad Brown taught the whole church, a 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 floor. He was on the same level with the people.
That afternoon, and evening we continued with the process. And at 7:00 PM, we came for the last session. It was sharing again of all we learned during the two days affair.
We were also called to share and wrote on a one half size of bond paper, what we hoped to do and accomplished in the worked of the Lord the 5 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 mobilization works. In our church there were no listeneers. All were part of the living ministry. All have work to do. And all were expected to do the works to the best of their abilities. We discovered a new methods for change process among the leaders and members of the church. It was an experience, most of us learned and used in our work and ministry.
As I reflect on what I hoped to happen the next 5 years, as Dr. Brown challenced us to think and consider. Lots of potentials came to my mind. May 1976, were very important days. It was election of officials – President, Vice President and 7 members of the Board of Trustees of CPBC. It will be followed in June or July with the election of the General Secretary.
That night, with all participants gone home and Rev. Brown sleeping, Rev. Larry Leysa and me, talked about the future leadership of the Convention. We need the new leadership-- the President, Vice President, the 7 members of the Board of Trustees and the next General Secretary be part of our lives and ministry. We will worked hard so that the new leaders will be our partners in the national ministry of the Convention. Our group must be strong and united. We will have a voice in the management, directions and policies of the Baptist Convention.
Together we prayed for the future. And we tried to identify possible people to be on the Convention leadership. We decided to visit some leaders in Negros and Panay. And planned with them on the future leadership of CPBC. These was part of the challenge to us by Dr. Brown. What we hope to accomplish in the Lord’s work the next 5 years.
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 Church Choir and the “The Joyful Singers.” Last May, our choir was invited to sing at the assembly of the Negros Kasapulanan of Baptist Churches.
We were invited together with 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.
Every Christmas, our choir visited homes of members and friends and sung Christmas songs. We have beautiful Christmas songs prepared by Elmer de Asis and Art Samson.
I tried to recall our choir members in 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 The members were 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, 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 her 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 make 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, campings, cantatas, daigons, 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 learned to love deeply our musics and songs.
Part of the series The Ministry Years (chapter 7 of 48)
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