MCOC UPDATE 2008

Dear Brethren,
I think it has been 2 hectic months since my last email to you. You may be wondering what happened in those 2 months, especially after my announcement to the congregation that I will be working as a part-time minister.

Coping Up
Well, nothing really changed in my service to the church after that announcement. My working hours and attention to the church is still like I was working full-time. To cope up with my schedules, I would wake up at 4:00 AM, have a personal devotion time and prayer then I sit down and plan for the day and week. I end my day at around 10:00 PM after I visit prospects and people I’m disicpling making sure that I spend quality time with them. Sometimes, if I cannot reach the person in the evening then I visit them before they leave for work in the morning.

Gradual Change in the Church
Although there has been no change in my working time and attention to the church, you would be happy to know that there are gradual changes in the church in general. The leaders are more supportive now and are very much willing to help carry the load in the church. Its not that they are not supportive before or they are not willing to carry the load before…but they have been more committed than ever. Praise God for that!!!

Another good thing that arises from this situation is that members now are willing to give their participation in the church. I feel that we are much closer as a church now than before. You can see that they are now feeling the burden of the church. I know this will still take more time and it is a gradual process before members will be able to make necessary sacrifices for the church BUT I know we are on our way.

The Singles Ministry is another encouraging news. We have just conducted a one-day Ministry Team Building session with them and it was a success! They have signed a covenant that they will help the church by leading the junior youth. In fact, they have been helping in the Youth Ministry for about 3 months now. They have committed that they will help in reaching out to the youth in order that the young people in the church will be more guided and be more godly.

Goals to Reach
We had a meeting with the leaders just recently and we have come up with the following goal which we will evaluate again on September 1. These are the goals that the leaders have required from me in 4 months starting May:

Non-member Discipled (all adults) - 10
Adult attendance during English Worship - 50
Monthly offering - Php 30,000.00 (approx $ 714)

Our Finances
Our finance is still unstable but I feel that the whole church is doing their best to help cope up with our deficit. In fact, the youth are now raising funds for all their activities by selling some snacks to the church every Sunday. Before the school ended, they sold ice-candies worth a thousand and they used that money for our Church Camp and their trip to Leyte where they encouraged the church there by singing to them.

Personal Business
Since I resigned as full-time minister, I have given enough attention also to my personal business in order for me to cope up with my personal needs. I’m still trying to cope up with my personal finances…trying to cope up with the salary I gave up about 2 months ago. I’m still gaining momentum with my business and trying my best that this business will not hinder me in my service to the church and time for my family. I still haven’t closed enough deal to support my family but I’m still hopeful that God will provide for his servant.

Interns from Cebu Bible College
By the way, before I forget, we now have 2 interns from Cebu Bible College who will be doing evangelistic campaign here for the whole summer. They are doing very well and I supervise their work everyday and I visit their prospects every Saturday so we can invite them for Sunday worship. They now have scheduled about 5 Bible Studies in different homes and we are hoping that this will help add more souls to the church. Praise God!!
We still need you prayers. Pray that a great thing will result from our efforts here. Again thank you for your usual support and we also pray that everything is okay with you and the brethren there.

God bless you!!

Mayon Trip

Hello!

I have just arrived from Albay. Salvador and I drove all the way from Cebu to Legaspi to deliver relief goods to the victims of the typhoon there.

My experience was really great thinking that you are doing this for those people in that place. I have never felt tired driving...infact I enjoyed the sceneries...the mountains...the farms...all of natures beauty...also we walked through San Juanico Bridge and enjoyed the sunset...we met strangers and laughed with them.

The best experience was when we arrived Legaspi. I saw how nature can be gentle and strong at the same time. I saw that our status in life is not a guarantee that we can escape such tragedy...that everything in this world is just a mirage...the only real thing is God, life and death, and eternity.

By then, I understood the power of God and the things that I have been preaching all these years...GOD IS SUPREME AND AWESOME!

Thanks for your prayers.

Aldous

PS: I hope you will take the MAYON CHALLENGE. Be there...feel it...experience it...

Cancer Awareness Forum

Many of you might already know that cancer ranks third among the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in the Philippines. Infectious and cardiovascular diseases are the top two. Filipinos has constantly disregarded Cancer prevention, and a researcher has lamented that if this continues, "it is estimated that for every 1,800 Filipinos, one will develop cancer annually."

Seventy-five percent (75%) of all cancers in our country occur after age 50 years. Most Filipino cancer patients wait until the last hour before consulting and at this point, the cancer is most often at an advanced stage.

In cooperation with CAN (Cancer Assistance Network) with God, I Can Serve of Rotary Club of Cebu Fuente, Pharmanex and Mactan Church of Christ, we would like to invite you and your colleagues to join a Free Cancer Awareness Forum on November 30, 2006 at Majestic Restaurant (Opon branch) from 9:00AM – 12:00PM.

Below is a summary of the program:

Overview
Presentation of Medical Facts
Testimonies from Cancer survivors and how they survived
Question & Answer
Medical check-up for Breast Cancer early detection
Counseling

We only have limited seats of up to 100 people so please let us know if you are interested to join this half-day forum.

You can make your FREE reservations by sending me an SMS at 0922-4217559 or by calling me at 341-1423. I will be very happy to hear from you.

Breast cancer is easy to beat if you catch it early. Help us in our advocacy to fight cancer by sending representatives to this forum. I am also willing to visit you personally in your office so I can discuss details with you.


Yours truly,

Aldous Echegoyen
Project Organizer