A B O U T T H E C O V E R
“ B l o o d ” p a i n t s t h e w a y t o t h e
P i n n a c l e o f t h e R o c k o f A g e s ,
s y m b o l i z i n g t h a t o n l y b y t h e
s a c r i f i c e o f t h e S o n c a n m a n
r e a c h a n d s u r v i v e t h e H o l i n e s s
o f G o d .
Staff ARLENE EVANGELISTA ANLEN CONDAT PAOLO GUICHO GO
Contributors
ANDREA PHOEBE FELARCA CHARLENE BASSIG HANCEELY VILLA HENRY VILLA LULU LOPEZ MAFIA ESCASINAS NEOMI RUTH RIZO
CHRONICLES 2012 is available online. Please visit www.shekinah.com.ph for details.
PAGE 3
FaithfulGod
FaithfulServants
FROM THE PASTOR’S HEART
BY REV. MELCHOR C. GOTwenty-eight years and counting! And yes, growing
still! One wonders as to what makes Shekinah tick?
What has kept us going all these years, and with the
fervor for service sustained and brightly burning
for all to see? Why are we still at it? That is, with
our “hands to the plough” and apparently never
looking back in the task of “cultivating the soil”
and “sowing the seed” of God’s Word everywhere?
Over the years, we have never ceased to harp on
the Divine element of Shekinah’s achievements and
rightly so because it is only fitting that we primarily
acknowledge God’s role in our all our endeavors.
His bountiful grace, no doubt, has sustained us
all along. He is our refuge and strength, a present
help in times of need. In fact, we are all witnesses
to His amazing work and that He isn’t the ‘Rock
of Ages’ for nothing! He is the Source of all, the
Fountain of our life and existence!
But the other equally important element in the
equation is the dedication of His faithful servants
who have tirelessly labored in His vineyard. They
are the men and women who have braved the
perilous and oftentimes unforgiving elements of
nature, surviving loneliness and extreme wants
if only to carry out the task of fulfilling the
Great Commission. Without regard to monetary
gain or worldly accolades, these humble servants
have unselfishly devoted themselves in reckless
abandon to the Lord and His work. Most of them
have been contented to work inconspicuously in
the background, away from the glares of light and
completely satisfied that they have secretly pleased
their Master!
It would therefore be the height of insensitivity if
we fail to acknowledge their priceless contribution.
For we could never have reached this point in our
spiritual journey had it not been for His faithful
servants who traveled with us the extra mile and
made themselves of service in more ways than
one. In the same way as we are to the Lord, we are
all equally indebted to them as they made a good
account of themselves in faithful service to the
Master and His children.
Therefore, it is only fitting that we personally
recognize our dear pastors, missionaries, church
planters, teachers, evangelists, workers and leaders
for their faithful service to our community and
the world. They have definitely touched our lives
for the better. And while this may make them
uncomfortable as they may argue that they are
CHRONICLES 2012
NEWS
SCMI Youth convened its first Youth ConferenceBY CHARLENE BASSIG
Last October 22, 2011, the SCMI Youth held its
very first conference at the Chi Alpha Student
Center in Sampaloc, Manila. The said event’s
theme was ‘Obedience of a Christian Youth” and
the principal verse was Luke 9:23 - Then he said to
them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must
deny themselves and take up their cross daily and
follow me.”
The conference was divided into two sessions, the
morning and the afternoon sessions. The morning
session started by dividing the youth into different
groups. The purpose was for the participants
to be familiarized with the young people from
other churches. Praise and Worship was led by the
SCC – UB Youth, Talita Koum. Afterwards, Ptr.
Sunil Stephens took over and spoke on the topic
“Obedience versus Sacrifice.”
In the afternoon session, everyone had fun with
(Continued from page 3) “simply doing
their duty” to the Lord, such a gesture
would affirm their worth and efforts.
It will certainly encourage them all the
more to greater heights of service. This is
one way of telling them that their labor
is not in vain!
The Bible commands us to credit with
“double honor” those who serve well
among us for in so doing not only do we
bless those who come to us in the name of
the Lord, but we also succeed in blessing
ourselves in return. Then we perpetuate
the endless cycle of reciprocity! No
wonder Shekinah has been enjoying His
blessings all these 28 years!
Let us all thank God for blessing us
with the steady presence of His faithful
servants! ▲
Rev. Melchor Go is the Senior Pastor of Shekinah Christian Church at the University Belt. He has been serving at Shekinah since its conception in 1984.
PAGE 5
Music, Dinner & MeBY PAOLO GUICHO GO
As though it has been ingrained in us, we find our
souls full of glee while listening to good music. We
also find a similar joy in sharing a meal with friends
and loved ones. Hence, it is not surprising that both
of these have been wed countless of times to make
truly lasting memories. The marriage between
music and meal happened again last November
18th, 2011 on a truly memorable evening: an
evening of music and food shared among friends—
and for a good cause too.
The event “Music, Dinner and Me” was organized
by the University Belt’s Fund Raising Committee,
and was spearheaded by Chito Guevara to benefit
the Church Lot and Building Project. For almost
three years now, the church has been involved in
realizing its dream of building a new base for its
ministries. Many fund raisers have been made to
serve this purpose, and this year, the committee
opted to go back to basics.
Held at Tramway Buffet Plaza, Mandaluyong
City, “Music, Dinner and Me” combined delectable
dishes with nostalgic music performed by no less
than Shekinah’s homegrown talents. Young and
old alike were serenaded by a group performance of
Arlene Evangelista, Anlen Condat and Neomi Ruth
Rizo who sang their own rendition of contemporary
Christian songs. Nostalgia sank in when pastors
Tony Hernandez and Lily Banis took on the stage,
while the soulful sax performances of Daddy Ceto
Portento captured the right tone for the mood of
the evening.
While the members of the committee went
around during the performances to promote the
project, Senior Pastor Melchor Go gave a talk about
investing not just in the Church Lot & Building
Project, but in the holy work of God. It is true that
God uses many ways to further His kingdom on
earth. One of these is through the support and
generosity of His people. The pastor made the
observation that investing in the work of God has
eternal implications. The church lot and building
may one day be gone, as these things are temporary,
but the work of God shall remain steadfast.
In any small way that we participate in it, we
receive the tremendous honor of letting God use us
to further His plans. Since we know for a fact that
God’s plan shall never fail, we have the assurance
of receiving the fruits of our investment by seeing
the Gospel preached, individuals nurtured by the
Word of God, and lives transformed by the grace
of God.
games facilitated by Charlene Bassig and Mafia
Escasinas. To continue with the main message, our
very own Ptr. Melchor Go took the floor with the
topic “Obedience as a Command.”
Before the event ended, each group was asked
to create a poster on what they have learned from
both speakers, and then was asked to explain their
work afterwards. It was a wonderful event filled
with fun and a great message. The SCMI Youth
conference was a great success. ▲
PAGE 6
CHRONICLES 2012
(Continued from page 5) The event ended with a
marked success and members of the committee
were overwhelmed by the amount of support they
received from their home church, as well as friends
from other churches and organizations.
In gratitude, the committee decided to give
some of its earnings to the youth of the University
Belt, in support to their upcoming Youth Camp in
April of 2012, as well as to the pastors of Shekinah
Christian Ministries International.
The committee looks forward to many fund
raisers that will not only build stone walls and
foundations, but also rally the people of God
together for His glory. ▲
Previously in October, the church at the University
Belt held its annual Missions Month, hosted by
the Evangelism Team. The event itself could be
qualified as a traditional practice in the church, but
the one held that year introduced a twist of sorts.
Usually, when one presents missions to the
church, one presents it through the eyes of either
the missionary or the unreached people. Last year,
however, members of the Evangelism Team opted
to include another perspective—the church’s.
This innovation, so to speak, stems from the
reality that everyone is called to assist in the work
of evangelism and mission—no exceptions. When
Jesus of Nazareth commanded, “Go therefore and
make disciples of all nations,” He said it so to all
his followers. That includes you, me, and the rest
of His body.
Which One Are You?BY PAOLO GUICHO GO
Surely, not everyone is called to become a
missionary, but still, the mission of the church
remains the responsibility of all its members—
from the first to the last. Everyone has a role to do
in this collective work: some are to go, while others
are to send. This dynamic was at the heart of the
month-long event, further echoed by the month’s
catch phrase, “get involved.”
Primarily, pulpit preaching was used to
address these issues. On weeks one and two, the
sermons focused on the work of the “goer” or the
missionary, including the call to cross cultures,
the challenge and the price of answering that call.
To highlight this, the film, “End of the Spear,” was
shown. It tells the story of Jim Elliot’s team and
their families as they ministered to the Waodani
tribe of Ecuador. Their joys and hardships were
recounted, culminating towards the team’s death
at the hands of the very tribe they ministered to.
However, the evangelistic work was continued by
the team’s families and eventually, the tribe was
won to Christ.
Continuing on to week three, the preaching
emphasized the contribution of the church, or the
“sender”, in missions. Week four saw the challenge
of the goer and sender working together towards
a singular goal which was addressed on the last
Sunday of the month, also marked by the first
PAGE 7
ever Mass Tracts Distribution event. The event
which was participated by a significant number of
members served as an eye-opener for most that the
work of evangelism is truly, the work of the whole
church. ▲
Shekinah’s Got TalentBY ANDREA PHOEBE FELARCA
Shekinah UB’s 2011 Christmas party was not the
usual celebration since the year’s themed White
Christmas Party featured the nine talented
Shekinahns in the contest “Shekinah’s God Talent.”
This talent search was hosted by Anlen Condat and
her fellow MOB hosts Miko Go and Abi Gabriel. The
contestants of different ages came to center stage
to showcase their talents with hopes to win the
votes of the three talented judges—Pastor Melchor
Go, Ms. Emee Fortuno and Mr. Tony Lopez—and
the Shekinah MOB.
The music ministry team opened the curtain of
the SGT center stage with their rendition of the
broadway medley featuring the songs from the
famous Broadway musicals like “Phantom of the
Opera,” “Rent” and “Tarzan” to name a few. Nine
Shekinahns shared the center stage afterwards
with a given 5-minute time limit to show off their
talents to the judges and the MOB. Dang Salcedo
started the tone of the competition as she did a
dramatic acting interpretation of the song “Sino
ang Tunay na Baliw”. Samara Asiddao shared a
short song with her mom. Mcoy Umadhay sang
“Tomorrow” as accompanied by his father Mike.
The Balic Balic Dance group of four beautiful ladies
set the mood for dancing as they did their own
version of the LA walk. Dindi Morales came in as
a cute little angel serenading the judges with her
version of some Christmas songs. Naldy Garcia
did a unique whistle song presentation. Ashleigh
Mabalot did a solo pop dance to the medley of the
famous pop songs of 2011. Pastora Mel Olmedo
shared her Biblical declamation piece with full
conviction. The Evangelista Kids—Paolo, Akira
and Pauline—serenaded the judges with their
song number. The Supah Beast Group of the SCC-
UB Youth kept the momentum of the contest high
towards the end of the contest when they did a
group dance performace to the tune of a medley of
pop songs.
Aside from the contest proper, one of the judges,
Emee Fortuno, rendered a song number with the
water bottle drum accompaniment of her brother
Lito Bernardo. Dance guru and judge Tony Lopez
together with Pastor Emman Olmedo, Gloria Go
and Pastora Mel Olmedo also did a dance number
as scores of the contestants were being tallied.
After much deliberation from the judges, Naldy
Garcia and Dang Salcedo came in together as their
scores tied for the third place, the Evangelista kids
got the second place and the Supah Beast bagged
the first place. ▲
PAGE 8
CHRONICLES 2012
PHOTOS BY MAFIA ESCASINAS
NEWSBotolanMedical
MissionOn February 18th, 2012, Shekinah Christian
Ministries International initiated a church
planting effort in Botolan, Zambales by
conducting a medical mission, in cooperation
with medical experts from Great Redeemer
Christian Fellowship. ▲
PAGE 9
PAGE 10
CHRONICLES 2012
MINISTRY UPDATES
“How then will they call on him in whom they
have not believed? And how are they to believe
in him of whom they have never heard? And how
are they to hear without someone preaching?
And how are they to preach unless they are sent?
As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of
those who preach the good news!’” Romans 10:14-
15
Over the past year, evangelism has been the
main thrust of Shekinah UB. If we look back to
our church’s history, we see that Shekinah started
and grew because God used young people, both
students and yuppies, who were passionate about
sharing the gospel. Now our prayer is to have that
same passion back.
Two of Shekinah’s goals for evangelism are for
all the members to see the beauty of the gospel,
and for witnessing to be deeply ingrained in every
Shekinahn’s spiritual DNA, so that it will become
more of a lifestyle than a duty. This is continuously
being realized as the gospel is preached in the
pulpit, and the continuous effort to educate our
members through our regular Sunday school Study
in the Word.
At the onset of the second quarter last year, the
Evangelism Department spearheaded a seminar
training conducted on biblical evangelism by Living
Waters-Asia. This event was attended by over 80
Shekinahns, not just from the Belt but also from
neighboring SCMI churches.
Evangelism UpdateBY ARLENE EVANGELISTA
PREFATORY After celebrating Shekinah’s 25th
anniversary in 2009, an ambitious yet realistic
project was launched. It aims to raise funds for
the construction of a more expanded and better-
equipped church building in order to serve the
church’s growing evangelical and ministry needs.
Church Lot & Building ProjectBY HENRY VILLA
In October of last year, over 50 UB members
participated in the first ever mass tracts distribution
in Rizal Park. Shekinahns from different ministries
and different age groups gave away tracts, did one
on one evangelism, and even prayed for the people
they spoke with. It was indeed a momentous event.
A number of plans which include seminars and
forums, medical missions and feeding programs
to reach the Belt community have been set, and
we are looking forward to a busy evangelistic year
ahead of us. Let us pray as one for the Lord to bless
those plans. We recognize that the result of our
evangelistic work does not depend on human effort
but on God’s sovereign will alone.
So Shekinahns, let us all go out there and
proclaim the good news with a fervent desire to
win souls for the glory of God, and then let Him
take care of the rest. ▲
PAGE 11
The goal of the project is to raise Php 50 million
by year 2015. Specifically, it intends to purchase
a 650 square-meter lot located along Espaňa, a
main street at the heart of the University Belt,
and accordingly construct a five-storey building on
the said lot. Among others, the proposed building
will house the church’s worship hall, Chi Alpha
Student Center, education facilities, department
offices, halfway homes & dormitories, and other
evangelical and ministry related facilities.
In order to ensure the success of this project, the
church has decided to create a special committee
that will spearhead its fund raising requirements.
This committee is commonly known as the Church
& Lot Building Project Committee [CLBPC] and is
presently headed by Bro. Chito Guevara.
As of this writing, the CLBPC has already raised
the sum of Php 813,303. It has also collected USD
10,605 [approximately Php 450,712]. Admittedly,
it may have had a slow start but with church-wide
prayer and support, the CLBPC is confident that a
leap in progress is ahead as its time line approaches.
THE BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES From Paul’s letters we
see that “fund raising” is not only legitimate for the
church, but it’s also a corporate undertaking. Paul
says, “let everyone” contribute. Once a true need
arises, it is part of every believer’s responsibility
to help. Poverty does not exempt a believer from
giving. As revealed by the poor widow who gave
her two “insignificant” coins, it’s the heart that
God is concerned about, not the amount [see Mark
12:40-44].
God doesn’t need anything from us. However,
He helps us grow in spiritual maturity by inviting
us to play a part in His plans and purposes through
our giving. Indeed, giving involves planning and
sacrifice; personal wants must be put aside. We
give to God what is valuable, not what’s left after
we have fulfilled our own wants and desires.
Furthermore, Paul adds that when money is
involved, it is the congregation’s responsibility to
“approve” of trustworthy men to be in charge of
overseeing the funds. Acts 6:2-3 also highlights the
importance of designating Godly men to oversee
money collection in the church.
A CALL FOR SUPPORT In light of the foregoing,
we seek to partner with you and every kindred
believer to invest in this noble venture. Presently,
we are focusing our main efforts on fund raising.
We recognize that your generosity, along with
those kindred individuals, is one step to making
this shared dream a reality.
Together let us pray and keep this vision to its
fruition as we allowed our Lord to move and use
us, His servants, all for His glory.
With your help and everyone whom God called
for this purpose, may the dream of Shekinah
become reality, for the increase of our Lord’s fame.
You may help us in any of the following:
1. One time donation [any amount]
2. Monthly donation [any amount]
3. Sponsor of One Square Meter [equivalent
to Php 36,000]
4. Kulit ‘en Kolek [for kids and children]
5. Participation in our prayer chains
6. Others
For more information about our project, you
may approach any member of the CLBPC.
Together, let us build Shekinah’s dream. Indeed,
it needs steadfast, resolved, wholehearted support,
and shared cooperation to be able to realize our
dream of constructing our own church building—a
place we could proudly claim our own! ▲
PAGE 12
CHRONICLES 2012
LITERARY
The CrossBY NEOMI RUTH RIZO
Thank You for the life You gave
Thank You for the price you paid
You died on the cross for my shame
Thank You for choosing me,
and taking away my blame.
Before I sleep at night I remember Your mercy
And when I wake up in the morning,
Your grace is set before me
I always ask, “Lord, why?”
But as I fully understand Your great love for me,
I really can’t help but cry.
I’m always amazed at how You saved me,
What you did on the cross
for someone unworthy like me.
Salvation, I never chose it!
But I am saved by grace
through the work of Your Spirit.
I am always humbled and amazed at what You did,
On the cross where You always lead.
Father, indeed it’s not about me!
I am satisfied in You, so be glorified in me! ▲
Let Me Confide
In YouBY MAFIA ESCASINAS
Let me confide in You, oh my God
For You are and will always be my refuge
Let me hope in You all of my days
For You are the light in my darken way
Let me seek Your face—
with feverish wanting—needing
For You know my heart's desire
Let me take refuge in
the warmth of Your embrace
For You could only soothe my restlessness
Let me fall on my knees,
my empty soul crying out
For—it is only you—
You, who have breathed life on me
That could fill it whole
My Lord God, How beautiful Your love is for me
Be unto me a never ending grace
Continuously amaze my fragile soul
For You are everything
Your cross, I will take
Now and forever ▲
PAGE 13
O Panginoong Hesus, tunay na kay buti-buti Mo
Biyaya Mo nga’y sapat, ito’y lagi ng bago
Silangan man at kanluran,
lahat ay nagpupuri sa Iyo
Wala na ngang sa Yo’y papantay,
magunaw man itong mundo
O kay buti ngang umawit
ng mga papuri sa ating Diyos
Pagkat ito sa pandinig Niya,
ay ganap na naka lulugod
Kung paanong tayo
ay patuloy Niyang kinukupkop
Ihayag natin araw-araw
kadakilaan Niyang lubos
Sabi ng Panginoon,
“Anak, Ako sana ay pakinggan
Sundin ang payo Ko
na mapaayos ang pamumuhay
Laging maging matalino
at laging turo Ko ay dinggin mo
Ng buhay ay sumagana
at huwag lalauan ang mga ito.”
“Ang makasumpong sa Akin
ay nakasumpong nga ng buhay
At kalooban nga ng Diyos
ang kanyang laging kakamtan
Kay Buti-Buti MoBY LULU LOPEZ
Ang taong di Ako masumpungan
sarili’y kanyang sinasaktan
At ang napopoot sa Akin ang hanap ay
kamatayan.”
Sa tuwi ngang minamalas
mga gawa ng ‘Yong kamay
Tunay na namamangha
sa ‘Yong angking kadakilaan
Kung paanog inilagay sa ayos
mga likha Mong kagandahan
Maging mga ibon at bulaklak
na may iba’t ibang kulay.
Kaya nga si Yahweh ay papurihan sa araw-araw
Mga salita Niya’y isagawa at sa tuwina’y ipamuhay
Lumakad na may pagsunod,
sundin ang Kanyang kalooban
Pagpapala Niya’y lubos siksik, liglig, umaapaw.
Panginoon, ang Iglesyang ito’y
patuloy na magpapuri sa Iyo
Kami ay lagi ng aawi at sasamba sa ngalan Mo
Puspusin Mo nawa kami
ng ‘Yong Santong Espiritu
Hanggang sa Iyong pagbabalik
at mamasdan ang mukha Mo. ▲
PAGE 14
CHRONICLES 2012
FaithfulBY HANCEELY VILLA
Timmy grew up in the countryside. He lived a happy and simple life with his father. Time came when he needed to go to
the city to finish his studies. Although in the verge of tears, his father asked him to do well in school and to not forget
about him. Timmy nodded and grinned at his father before boarding the train.
The city turned out to be really beautiful. Its skylines were always bordered with lights at night. His eyes were full
of curiosity as he made his way to his uncle’s home.
His cousin, Bryan, was more than happy to have him live with them. The two of them were like brothers. Bryan
introduced him to lots of things Timmy never saw in the countryside. And they never failed to amuse him.
Bryan and Timmy slept in one room. Every night, as Bryan went to his father’s room, Timmy would call his father.
He’d tell him all of the adventures and mishaps he’d gone though. When Bryan returned, Timmy would always bid
farewell to his dad.
“How is it in the countryside?” Bryan asked him.
“Hmm… it’s different. But I like it here better.” Timmy grinned at him.
“It must be very happy there. I wish I could go there.” Bryan said mostly to himself.
The following night was different. Bryan came back with his eyes red. Timmy sprang up from his bed and went to
his cousin.
“What happened?”
“Do you know why I’ve always wanted to go the countryside?”
“No. You never told me.”
“Dad hates me. Every night he would beat me. He says I’m worthless.”
PAGE 15
“Bryan, that’s impossible. How can you think that? He’s always giving you everything!” Timmy practically shouted.
“He gives me these because he wanted everyone to see. But he never loved me. It’s different. Living here is like that.
It only felt good at the start. I never felt contented. You’ll come to a time when you realize how wrong things were.”
Timmy couldn’t believe his words.
“That’s why I’ve always been jealous of you. I always hear you talking to your dad. He must really love you a lot.”
“Of course! A father would always love his son.”
“Do you think we could go to the countryside?”
“Right now? I guess so. But you should tell your father first.”
“He wouldn’t allow me. He said I should just stay here. How about we just go there secretly? I really want to meet
your father. My dad never talked about his family.” Timmy was still hesitant but agreed when he saw how Bryan
wanted to go to his home.
The two of them packed their bags before leaving the room. They were as quiet as mice. As they were about to step
out the door, they heard Bryan’s father.
“What do you think you’re do-
ing?!” Bryan’s father almost growled
at them. Timmy stepped back. He’s
too afraid as this is the first time
he’s seen his uncle like that.
“RUN!” Bryan pulled him. They
rode the train back to the country-
side together.
Timmy’s father was surprised
when he saw them. “My son!” He
hugged his son tight. “Is he your
cousin?” He asked while looking
at Bryan. Timmy nodded. “Come
here!” He also hugged Bryan. The
new boy couldn’t help but smile.
Before going to sleep, Timmy was called by his father. “Thank you, son, for not forgetting about me.”
“Dad, I realized one thing. Nothing is better than being with you. Material things won’t make me happy for long.
I’ve seen lots of things in the city. Honestly, I’ve almost wanted to stay there forever. They were cool but they never left
my heart in peace.”
“Of course. That’s how I love my son. Your father will be faithful to you… just like how God is faithful to us.” ▲
“We exist to share God’s love to all people & make disciples of Jesus Christ in the context of a Christian community.”
~ Since 1984 ~
SCMI WORKER’S CONVENTION 2012
April 9th to 11th
Tagaytay Retreat & Training Center, Tagaytay City
Registration Fee is 2,300 php (inclusive of accommodations, meals
and use of the function hall.)
SCMI YOUTH CAMP 2012
“Cross Encounter”
April 22nd to 24th
Rizal Re-creation Center, Laguna
Registration Fee is 1,500 php
2ND FLOOR RBJ BUILDING 880 R. PAPA EXTENSION, SAMPALOC, MANILA 1008
735-5783, 493-4762, [email protected], www.shekinah.com.ph