MDN Special Issue December 18, 2016

Volume VI, No. 165

Website: www.mindanaodailynews.com

Sunday

December 18, 2016

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MINDANAO DAILY T H E P U RV E YO R O F T R U T H , J U S T I C E , A N D D E V E LO P M E N T

Celebrating a Century of God’s Faithfulness:

Cagayan de Oro UCCP marks 1st Centennial with Faith Journey of one hundred years U

By Mike Baños

CCP Cagayan de Oro City Church celebrates the Centennial of its first formal Sunday Worship on Sunday, 18 December 2016 at the original Mission Compound where it was founded in 1916.

From the 18 young v o l u nt e e r s w h o w e re baptized in Macabalan on September 1916 to the 64 charter members who joined the then pioneering

Cagayan Evangelical Church on 20 January 1917, the church today has grown to a vibrant and diverse community with over 5,600 regular members served by

13 ministers. In addition, it has another 1,100 members in nine outreach churches and Bible Study (BS) centers all over the city.

The year-long celebration of the church started a year ago during the 99th Anniversar y (Theme: Embracing Diversity) with Prof. Carlton “Cobbie” Palm tracing the church’s origins in his Homily With These Stones We Will Build (Joshua 4:1-9 & Galatians 3:28).

Prof. Palm is the director of the new International Center for Mission Studies in Asia, a cooperative project shared by United Evangelical Mission, UCCP, and Silliman University.

A m ong t he s a l i e nt activities for the year were a Lecture Series dealing with the Church’s History, Stewardship of the God’s C re at i on ; an ongoi ng Worship Through Music through the Music Ministry

rendered by its various choirs (Praise & Worship Team, Dance Ministry, UCCP Male Chorus, CWA Choir, Children’s Choir, Young Adults Choir, Youth Choir, Family Choir & Chancel Choir); Advent Dawn Worship (ever y 5AM from Dec. 19-24), and a series of Homilies served by some of the best and brightest pastors of the UCCP: Bishop Reuel Norman O. Mariza, UCCP

General Secretary (Worship Service & Rededication of the Expanded Church Building, Choir Room, Parsonage 2, Labis Room, Mezzanine, Upright Grand Piano & Additional Sound System); Rev. Jonathan R. Pagalan (Centennial Midweek Service); Bishop Hilario M. Gomez, Jr. (UCCP Bishop Emeritus); Rev. Jonathan R. Pia (BalikSimbayan Preacher).

See centennial, page A10

The Coming of the American Missionaries

By Dr. Victor Aguilan, D.T.

It cannot be denied that American colonialism hastened the coming of the Protestant missionaries to the Philippines. As the Augustinian Friar Urdaneta a r r i v e d w it h Sp a n i s h canon and muskets, the Presbyterian missionary James Rodgers arrived under the protection of American artillery and Springfield rif les. The result was that a number of Protestant missions arrived within a short time: Presbyterians-1899; Methodists-1900; Northern Baptists-1900; United Brethren-1901; Disciples of Christ-1901; Protestant Episcopal-1901; Congregationalists-1902; C hristian Missionar y Alliance-1902; SeventhDay Adventist-1905.

Rev Dr. Frank & Mrs Effa Laubach (1916-1919)

About three years after the victory of the American Naval fleet, eight missionary s o c i e t i e s e nt e re d t h e country. This gave rise to one of the classic comity agreements in the history

of missions. This resulted in the organization of the Evangelical Union in the Philippine Islands.

The early missionaries met in Manila in April 1901 to choose a common name

for Protestant Churches.

Another significant accomplishment of the Evangelical Union was the definition of territories assigned to the various mission groups to evangelize in the comity agreement.

The territorial divisions mutually agreed upon were as follows: • The City of Manila was considered a common territory, open to all the mission groups.

• M e t h o d i s t — Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Pangasinan, Bataan, Zambales, and Ilocos Sur (south of Vigan); • P r e s b y t e r i a n — Morong (old name of Rizal), Laguna, Batangas, Cavite, Tayabas (now Quezon), North and South Camarines, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate, See missionaries, page A10

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Sunday, December 18, 2016

With These Stones We Will Build Joshua 4:1-9 and Galatians 3:28

Theme: Embracing Diversity

(Delivered during the 99th anniversary of UCCP Cagayan de Oro City Church)

By Prof. Carlton ‘Cobbie’ Palm

Prof. Carlton Cobbie Palm

I have been waiting with excitement and anticipation to be here today!

I had heard the choir here is beautiful, I remember sitting with the late Atty.

Noel Tan at Silliman Church and I would say this choir is beautiful, and he would quickly reply, “wala yan, you should come to Cagayan de Oro UCCP”.

Indeed, you are more than beautiful you are magnificent. I had heard this was the church of golden friendships and I have felt that from the time I arrived, with Pastor Kiking and Mang Osting driving all the way to Layo-Guindingan and then waiting 5 hours for the delayed flight. But when I stepped out they were smiling as if they had waited only 5 minutes. Then I was taken to the most delicious meal hosted by Rev. Yul Yañez. Then received with all smiles at the CE Five Star Guest House. The church of golden friendships.

I am excited to be here.

This is the celebration of the one and only! A symbol of Christian values in the City of Cagayan de Oro; a legacy of outreach and evangelism to neighboring communities, establishing more than 20 churches in the Region; a place of golden friendship to every visitor.

The place of the courageous, the wise, the faithful and the beautiful!

This is Cagayan de Oro UCCP at 99!

D r. L u c i l e To r r e s Romblon, Chair of the Church Council; Rev. Jun Plaza, Chairperson of the Centennial Commission; Rev. Ricardo Yul Yanez, Jr. Senior Minister and the All Star Pastoral Team; and Every Precious Heart that has labored to make this day meaningful.

My heartfelt gratitude for this invitation! I am truly honored!

And I come bringing you Greetings from Silliman University where President

Dr. Ben S. Malayang III, called me aside specially to say. Take with you the greetings of Silliman Un i v e r s i t y a n d m o s t especially our personal greetings to this very special occasion. I also bring you greetings from Rev. Betty and Guillermo Bergado and Rev. Elmer Saa, who are all praying for us on this special day. You are special, you are contagious, you are awesome! You are the one and only Cagayan de Oro UCCP! Happy 99th Anniversary!

LET US PRAY! The Bible story today tells us that Moses who had been leading the way had died and the leadership of the journey to the Promised Land was now given to the next generation, Joshua.

They were just one river away from the Promised Land. The project had started but was not done.

And when Joshua and the people arrived at that great River Jordan there was confusion and maybe even conflict about how to get across. It was large. It was deep. It was dangerous.

Joshua was a good leader and led the planning. The plan he announced was to go into the forest to bring back wood. This wood would be used to build arks with their own hands. These arks would be used to cross the River to the other side. It was the only way possible.

They began to work day and night to build arks for their journey across. With all the people it seemed impossible. The difficulty was great. One ark was particularly important and that was the Ark of the Covenant. It represented their love and trust in God. Today we could call the Ark of the Covenant, a church, a sacred place.

God was watching as these volunteers worked together. God was seeing their dedication and hard work. God was seeing

t h e i r c om m it m e nt t o move forward. God was seeing their faith in the Ark of the Covenant. Then the story says that while they were still preparing and struggling and surely worried. The story says suddenly! Suddenly the amazing goodness, the kindness of the Lord split the river Jordan. The river opened and there was dry land. So they could cross over on dry land. God had made a way!

After 40 years of journey, facing trials and difficulties of all kinds. God had not forgotten them because G o d saw the y were a dedicated people. God had not forgotten them because God saw they were a sharing people. God had not forgotten them because God saw they were a faithful people. God saw these qualities and reached out and turned the impossible into the possible!

And after all had crossed over to the other side, Joshua said to the people: “ I want the REPRESENTATIVES of our people to pick up stones and we will make a monument and memorial to remember always what God has done!”

“With these stones we will build a monument so that succeeding generations would know that there was a God that chose a covenant people and who followed them across the red sea and through the wilderness and even before they could enter the Promised Land there was the pushing back of the waters of the Jordan so that the people could enter the Promised Land on dry ground.”

“This is why we will gather these stones. This is what these stones shall mean!”

That God can make a way out of no way! And so Stones were gathered and they built a Holy monument so that as Joshua said: “All future generations would

know what these stones mean”.

I chose this story today because, when one comes to the Cagayan de Oro UCCP, when one sees this magnificent building and the stones that have been laid here many years ago and asks, what does it mean? These stones, this monument, this church?

What will we say? When the children ask us: “what do these stones mean? “ What are we going to say?

An Anniversary Sunday is a Sunday in which we can rehearse with one another what we are going to say when the children ask us: “What is the meaning of these stones? Joshua is right, in years to come we need to be clear about what all this means and what we will tell the children who ask us. So let us look back and recall. Just for a moment, I want to go back to the cloud of faithful witnesses who pioneered in this part of Mindanao. Let us remember their story as we move toward our story.

The time was difficult, 1915 was a difficult time.

The Catholic Romanistas were on a strict religious campaign to take back! To take back the Churches and Institutions that had left them and gone to join the Iglesia Filipina Independiente of Aglipay.

The region of Northern Mindanao was well known as a rebellious and problematic region for Roman Catholic Church and the Roman Catholic Church was in the midst of a take back campaign to recover and prevent any non-Catholic Groups in the Region.

At this time Northern Mindanao was a very simple place, there were no malls, no airport, no aircon buses.

There were no Universities and Colleges in the region.

The highest academic degree available was a High School degree and to get a High

School degree one had to go to Cagayan de Misamis, the name of this city until 1950 when it was changed to Cagayan de Oro. Families would send their young people to Cagayan de Misamis to enroll, to study and to get the only High School education available.

Cagayan de Misamis had become a student center, a place of young people, who came to study.

It was at this time that Presbyterian and Congregational Mission Churches from the United States had arrived in the Ph i l ippi ne s and we re starting to explore sharing the work of salvation with the Roman Catholics in the Philippines. The challenge to the Mission Board Office of the Presbyterian and Congregational Church was how to enter Northern Mindanao and establish a Mission Post that was strategically located.

The American Board for Foreign Mission sent a courageous couple in the name of Frank and Effa Laubach to move quietly around Northern Mindanao to determine a possible location for opening a Mission Post.

After surveying the region of Northern Mindanao the Laubach’s reported: Cagayan de Misamis was the most suitable place.

The town is the largest population center in the region. It serves as the transient point by sea to the Visayas and Luzon. It is where the Government hospitals and schools have been established. There is need for a location in the town where the mission can focus on the many students and the growing community.

But any mission in the town would be vulnerable to the strong resentment and possible harm from the influential community of the Roman Catholic Church. (notes from Presbyterian

Archives).

Laubach was aware there was potential, but there was great challenge. The Laubachs settled in Cagayan de Misamis to establish a Mission Post.

Planning out the early mission priority was influenced by the large student population. An early mission strateg y would be providing a safe Christian home for students and a place for study and ultimately Evangelism. This was to be done through a d or m itor y m i n ist r y and plans for the Pilgrim dormitory for boys and Carruth Memorial Hall for girls began.

Wit h t h is you ng population at the heart of the Cagayan de Misamis mission, Laubach requested the American Mission Board for a young leader to be sent to assist him. The American Mission Board responded by sending a fresh high school graduate from Cebu High School in the name of Proculo Rodriguez.

Together Laubach and Rodriguez identified a third person, a person gifted in what the youth so love, music, this was Logino Daamo.

It was the youthful energy of the young Rodriguez, the musical creativity of Daamo, and the tutoring of Laubach that worked among the students inviting and convincing them to join in bible studies that led to the first baptism of 18 persons in September 1916.

But all along Rodriguez later recounts: “the work was made difficult by the strong opposition from the Catholics. We were not given permission to public places, to keep us out. They shouted and called use terrible names when we were teaching. They told bad stories about us!

See with these stones, page A5

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Sunday, December 18, 2016

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The UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST IN THE PHILIPPINES

T

he United Church of Christ in the Philippines, the largest and most widespread Protestant church in the country, came into being in 1948.

It unites in one church the United Evangelical Church in the Philippines (a 1929 union of Presbyterian, Congregational and United Brethren churches with the small United Church of Manila), the Philippine Methodist Church and the Evangelical Church in the Philippines (a 1944 union of various Evangelical churches).

The UCCP considers itself as an integral part of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of our Lord Jesus Christ, called to be a witness to the gospel of the kingdom of God as proclaimed in the life and ministry of our Lord as revealed in the scriptures, and empowered to participate in the ushering in of God's shalom throughout the whole creation.

The vision of the UCCP is to be a responsible, empowered, self-reliant and caring community of Christian believers committed to the pursuit of a transformed church and society, and an abundant and meaningful life for all.

In light of this vision, the UCCP commits itself to the mission of establishing and uniting the community of faith

for the proclamation of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, towards the transformation of both church and society.

The UCCP sees itself as journeying towards its next jubilee year carrying on a ministry and witness of proclaiming, articulating and activating the gospel of hope and promise to both its church members and the larger community, as expressed in the following mission statement: "We, the members of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines, affirming our common faith heritage and mandate, centered and founded in the living Christ, cognizant of our diverse historical traditions and experiences, but sensitive to the problems and challenges of the contemporary society where we are located, do commit ourselves to the pursuit of the following life purpose: to be a community living out Jesus' example as a servant-prophet to the people; to transform our life and work towards becoming a more effective witness to the church's vision; to be a faithful proclaimer of the gospel of shalom to and with the people; to work in solidarity with all other sectors and groups in society, and with other faith communities who share the UCCP's vision of society; to continue to work for unity and reconciliation among our own people.

We intend to live out these life purposes drawing strength from the resources of our faith heritage, from the edifying traditions and lessons of our history as a church, from the stories of faith, hope and struggle of the Filipino people including the martyrs, and from the empowerment that can only come from the Holy Spirit."

Within the first five to ten years of its jubilee, the UCCP will translate its mission in three areas: strengthening the faith community; enriching the life-work of communities where local churches are located; deepening the impact of its collective response

to societal issues and concerns.

The UCCP is trinitarian and believes in the deity, humanity, and atonement of Jesus.

It believes that the Bible, in both the Old and New Testaments, is the inspired Word of God and that salvation is by grace through faith, repentance and following after Christ. \ The UCCP views the Christian life as one of personal faith and of serious dedication to living according to the highest Christian precepts.

Each person is thus to be born again, converted into a new life, and gathered into the church community.

For them, the church is essentially the result of conversion and of grace, a gathered community of committed believers.

It is not the mother of

Christian experience or the source (rather than the effect) of grace, as in the Roman Catholic tradition. The church is, therefore, holy only because the faith and life of its people are holy.

The UCCP traces its roots in the Protestant Reformation, when Martin Luther, John Calvin and others led the movement to reform the Christianity.

This is often expressed in the Five Solas : • God's grace alone as the only way to be reconciled to God. • Faith alone as the only means of receiving God's grace.

• Christ alone as the ground of God's saving grace.

• Scripture alone as the only infallible authority for belief, and • God's glory alone as the ultimate purpose

for the lives of men and women.

The following distinguish the UCCP from other communions: • Their concern for freedom of speech and conscience and for freedom from interference by any civil or ecclesiastical authority.

• The primacy they give to Scripture in matters of faith, doctrine, and morals.

• The authority they give to the congregation in church affairs.

• Their concern for establishing social justice in political, social and economic life and, • Their active involvement and commitment to interdenominational activity as a protest against denominational exclusiveness -INDNJC-

Cagayan Mission Hospital circa 1922 at the corner of Cruz Taal & Capistrano streets also housed the Mission Church’s first chapel.

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Sunday, December 18, 2016

The Mindanao Daily is pubished by MINDANAO DAILY NEWS PUBLISHING CORPORATION. It is Registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) with Reg. No. CS201531735. With Business Plate No. BP-28984, Under Business License Certificate No. 2015-15224, BIR-TIN No. 464682-324-000. Main Business address at Tanleh Building, Abellanosa St., Brgy. Consolacion, Cagayan de Oro City. Tel. Nos: (088) 856-3344, 857-8447, 0917-7121424, 0947-8935776 E-mails: Advertising:mindanaodaily.ads@gmail.com, Editorial: mindanaodailynews@gmail.com DANTE M. SUDARIA Publisher and President TERESA ZAFRA PELONE Comptroller melanie rivera SAIRA E. GUMISING Advertising WEMALYN GARCIA Marketing Rolando sudaria Production

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UCCP CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY CHURCH

Milestones on a Faith Journey of 100 years (1916-2016)

1916. The first 18 members are baptized in Macabalan Sept.

1916. First formal Sunday Worship at Cine Biyay on 17 December 1916. Dr. Frank Laubach sows the seeds of Protestantism in Cagayan de Oro. Sunday Schools in Macabalan and Lapasan were established; Christian Endeavor Society organized.

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1917. The Cagayan Evangelical Church (Congregational) was organized on January 20, 1917 with 66 charter members.

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1918. The Cagayan Sunday School System is established.

Dr. & Mrs. Frank Woodward assume missionary work.

Mrs. Woodward organizes the Dorcas Society.

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1920. First chapel constructed inside the Cagayan Mission Hospital along Real St. (Gen.N.Capistrano) with help from 300 communicant members.

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1976. The Cagayan de Oro City church plays host to the National Biennial Convention of the United Church Men and the Christian Women’s Association.

1977. The church congregation held its worship service at the new church building shortly before the Holy Week. Dedication of the New Church building held on December 11,1977.

1978. Youth Choir organized 1985. The church starts construction of the Center for Christian Education.

1924. The church achieves independence from mission support. Opol, Molugan and Alubijud congregations are organized.

1990. UCCP Park of Life Project started

1926. Mission hospital moves to its new location at the Mission Post in Licoan until the Japanese Occupation in 1942 1928. Iponan Church established 1937. Cagayan Mission Hospital with first chapel razed to the ground

ATTY. MARIO T. JUNI

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1974. The construction of the new church building began on November 24, 1974 with funding from Global Ministries negotiated by Sr. Minister Rev. Prudencio Plaza, Jr.

1922. Rev. Proculo Rodriguez returns as ordained minister.

Rev. Rodriguez was the church’s first evangelist from 1916-1917.

PAT SAMONTE CHRIS PANGANIBAN 1946. First permanent Parsonage built (where?); Gusa and Regional Editor Caraga Regional Editor-Davao El Salvador congregations are organized.

Rene Michael BaÑos uRIEL C. QUILINGUING 1948. The congregation formerly under the mission of the United Evangelical Church, part of the American Regional Editor Northmin Contributing Editor Church Missions groups, joins the United Church of Christ of the Philippines

AL JACINTO JOE FELICILDA Regional Editor-WestMin Editorial Consultant 1950. Chinese Congregation formed and attains independent stature NOTARY PUBLIC- JUNI LAW OFFICE CELL NO: 09352379999/ (088) 8573595 CRUZ TAAL ST., CAG. DE ORO CITY Legal Counsel ---------------------------------------------------------------

(now the United Church Board for World Ministries) for $11,000.00; The Family Choir organized

1955. Christian Center for Kindergarten Class started by Mrs. Julieta A. Orteza 1958. Congregations of Lapasan, Gusa and Opol attain independence 1960. Chancel Choir organized 1962. Camp Evangelista congregation organized and later becomes independent; The church council approves a plan to construct a new and bigger church building 1966. Golden Jubilee Celebration brought members from here and abroad and the church plays host to the Central Mindanao Annual Conference.

1988. The Free Clinic of the Health Ministry established

1991. Center for Christian Education Center (CCE) building Phase 1 was completed; CDO UCCP celebrates its Diamond Jubilee 1995. The Young Adults (YA) fellowship organized 2000. Praise and Worship Team organized 2003. Evangelism Explosion starts 2004. The Kids Band organized 2006. The Youth Band organized 2007. Launching of the Purpose Driven Church/ Spiritual Parenting and Reproduction 2008. First Service of the Hanging of the Greens 2009. The congregation had its first Seder Meal; the Legal Ministry and Music Coordinating Council organized 2011. Tropical Storm Washi, locally known as Tropical Storm Sendong, ravages riverside barangays of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan. The church becomes an evacuation center for the victims, members and non-members alike.

Relief operations organized with the help of church volunteers and members of NGOs and government agencies.

2014. Construction of the Church Expansion Project commences.

1972. The church acquired its present site from the American Board of Commissioners for the Foreign Board Mission

2016. Mezzanine expansion done within 6 months. WORSHIP SERVICE AND RE-DEDICATION OF THE EXPANDED CHURCH BUILDING, CHOIR ROOM, PARSONAGE 2, LABIS ROOM, MEZZANINE, UPRIGHT & GRAND PIANO AND ADDITIONAL SOUND SYSTEM held on December 18, 2016

Participants to the 10 Dec 2016 UCCP CDO Historical Tour pause for posterity at the former site of Rev & Mrs Frank Laubach’s residence now occupied by the City Legislative Bldg.

Participants to the 10 Dec 2016 Historical Tour pause before the former site of Cine Biyay, where the first formal Sunday worship service was held on 17 December 1916.

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With these stones... from page A2

and difficulties there was courage and perseverance in the hearts of the new believers.

Throughout that year of 1916 Sunday Worship was still all informal in the dormitories. The focus was Bible Study Evangelism.

Until, with Christmas fast approaching, L aubach approached Mr. Clementino Chaves to rent a space in a theater! A theater? In such a public space? What about the risk, the danger, the Catholics? I am sure there was some conflict in this decision.

Oh they had courage and the Cine Biyay was converted into a Chapel and there on December 17, 1916 - the moment we celebrate today - we held our first formal Sunday Worship Service!

I was not there, but I can imagine, Laubach prepared his best sermon, and Rodriguez moved the people with his dynamic translation, and Daamo created the most divine and beautiful music! I can imagine that beautiful first Sunday Worship. A beautiful worship just like today!

Now we had our Chapel, and we called ourselves the Cagayan Evangelical Church, and we had our dormitory ministry, and with the growing group who were on fire with their faith we could not just sit

and watch the world go by.

In the next year the Mission Board sent two more young promising leaders, Silvestre Bontuyan and Cirilo del Carmen to help the new and growing Cagayan Mission.

These young leaders trained a core of volunteer Sunday School teachers, wonderful young people that included: Paulina Avencena, Emiliano Chacon, Estaban Enduave, Matea Mercado, Agapito Raagas, Pedro Acero, Vicente Baz, H. Capillo, Leoncio Madronal, Laureana Rabe, Crispin Ramos, M. Serina, Juan Roa, Mamerto Siapit, Francisco Tabian, Pedro Mabulay, Laoncio Valmores, Julian Torres, Jessie Dagapioso and Juan Uriarte. All courageous volunteers.

And with this fired up team of volunteers the church created what became known as the Cagayan Sunday School System. The Cagayan Sunday School System was a program to teach and tutor students, but also to evangelize.

According to reports from Laubach by 1918 attendance would range from 400 to 1000 on a Sunday.

B u t u n f o r t u n at e l y, tragedy struck in 1919, one of Laubach’s sons fell very ill and had to be taken to the US Army Hospital in Baguio. The child died some months later and the Laubach’s were transferred

Sunday, December 18, 2016 to other Mission work in the Philippines. Was it difficult. Yes. But God had a plan. God had been working. God had prepared Joshua’s Because by 1919, Cagayan Evangelical Church had already trained 30 volunteers to continue Cagayan Sunday School System. And despite the absence of their teacher Laubach, these volunteers would not rest, they were ready to cross the River!

They courageously journeyed in the rain or shine to carr y out the Extension Sunday School Program that had grown to 15 different barrios on both sides of the Cagayan River including Macabalan, Lapasan, Gusa, Macasandig, Telegrapo, Barra, Bonbon, and Kauswagan.

Cagayan Evangelical Church was doing so well that by 1927, our Pastor, the Rev. Angel Sotto had one of the very first cars in the City of Cagayan de Oro and it was a Ford murag Expedition! A Ford Model T. On Sunday afternoons he would take as many volunteer Sunday School teachers as he could fit into his car and drop them off along the coastal road in the barrios of Lapasan, Gusa, Gugman and Agusan.

Our historical notes tell the story that on one Sunday the group was met by fierce Catholic opposition in Tagoloan. The group was being forced out of the

town in a confrontation.

Rev. Sotto saw danger and turned the car around and left Tagoloan. Did they give up and go home? No! With the car turned around leaving Tagoloan, Rev. Sotto reversed the direction of the evangelical thrust and concentrated on the barrios of Carmen, Macasandig, Macabalan, Molugan, and Iponan.

Go! These were the conditions of that time!

And these were the people of that time!

Courageous Volunteers building up the church and God was watching!

All was good, all was great, until the news Japan had invaded. The war years slowed the church, and many leaders had to go into HIDING for being associated with the Americans. The Japanese knowing that Cagayan Evangelical Church had close ties with the American missions became subject to harsh treatment, investigation and even destruction and vandalism of our property. This was a time to lie low and be cautious. Was it difficult?

Yes. But the end of the war came in 1945. And we were still here!

Immediately under the leadership of Rev. Gahuman and faithful lay leaders, the outreach programs were fired up again! This was a time for reconstruction and rebuilding and Cagayan

Evangelical Church got to work. The Christian Mens Club, now UCM, organized a credit union to help with loans. The Women’s Guild, now CWA, formed sewing and cooking clubs.

All volunteers working to raise funds for reconstruction. And God was watching!

Then the Grandma’s Club. Once they were the Dorcas Society for Women, but now the women of Cagayan Evangelical Church organized themselves into the “Grandma’s Club” of prayer warriors, benefactors and advisors. These women met on Friday mornings at 5:30am to study God’s word and pray for the church.

For many years they were ably led by Mrs. Chavez Avancena, Mrs. Roa, Mrs. Frias, Mrs. Canoy, Mrs. Lancero, Mrs. Ramiro, Mrs. Corrales, Leonila Neri, to mention a few.

All volunteers with generous hearts!

The Grandma’s Club f unc t ione d as sp e ci a l problem solvers! Where there was need, they always somehow found a solution!

With their generous time and resources, where there was no way, they could find a way. These committed and generous volunteers were amazing!

With them and by them the life of the church was restored after the war! and God was watching!

Then came the clamor.

There was clamor for a

A5

larger space for worship in the late 1950’s. Our Church since 1937 at the Pilgrim Compound was feeling too small for our growing membership and Rev. Juan Uriarte (19591962) responded by initiating a building fund for a planned new Cagayan de Oro Church.

The coming of Rev. Guillermo Bergado (196265) successfully negotiated with the Board of Foreign Missions to offer the Mission Compound on Abellanosa Street as the site for the new Church and with Architect Macarena this beautiful structure was designed.

The design theme reflected our belief and our identity PRAYER! The design theme was the Praying Hands.

But how could we afford such a large beautiful structure as this? Was it difficult? Yes. God had been watching, God saw the work of this church and made a way out of no way, when Rev. Prudencio Jun Plaza (197078) was led to the General Board of Global Ministries in New York where a loan was granted and construction could move forward. Then on December 11, 1977, we celebrated the dedication and the transfer of our congregation from Pilgrim to this almost complete almost fully paid structure.

But tragedy hit in the 1980’s with collapse of the See with these stones, page A6

WARMEST FELICITATIONS TO CAGAYAN DE ORO UCCP ON ITS CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION! Greetings from:

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Pioneer Church Organizations

Sunday, December 18, 2016

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Members of the Chinese Congregation which was organized in 1950 by Rev. Walter de Velder of the Reformed Church of America with Rev. Prudencio Plaza, Jr. The Sunday School Teachers who staffed the church’s Sunday School System were a primary reason for its rapid expansion in membership.

Dorcas Society in 1971 with Mrs. Connie Schmidt. Organized by Mrs. Woodward, it originated from the Pagdait Class organized by Mrs. Effa Laubach.

Christian Women’s Association Sunday circa 1973

United Church Men from the church’s 1966 Golden Anniversary Year.

The Ladies Guild UCCP Cagayan de Oro 1965-1966

With these stones... from page A5

P h i l i p p i n e E c o n o m y.

With a loan still to be paid in dollars to New Yor k , t h e Pe s o i n t h e Philippines was spiraling down in value. The meaning of this was we needed to find more Pesos to pay the Dollar.

The meaning of this was, we were faced with crisis!

It seemed impossible as if there was no way out.

But this church found a way. The whole amount from among ourselves, to lend to the church to pay New York. Was it difficult? Yes. But listen to the way this stor y ends. Many, many of those members who lent their savings to the church and saw the lo an was p aid to Ne w York, later said this to the church – Please, you do not need to pay us back.

Amazing, we can sit here today because there was amazing generosity.

We can sit here to day because there was amazing faith. We can sit here today because there was amazing volunteerism. We can sit here today because there was amazing courage.

We can sit here today because there have been people just like you, who have loved this church, who have cared for this church, who have

sacrificed for this church!

Oh, now i know, when t he chi ldren ask w hat these stones means, these stones that have built this beautiful church: We can say, Volunteers! Men and women, young and old, who volunteered.

Who volunteered to speak about what they believed. A faith opening the Bible to all believers to read and study. A faith opening Prayer to each member and directly to God. A faith opening our church welcoming ever y neighbor, even if neighbor is of a different faith, color, language, or class.

And we still believe as they did, because once w e k n e w a c hu rc h on campaign, to keep us out!

We still believe as they did, b e caus e we k now our BIBLE, etched in our hearts: There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 3:28 We s t i l l b e l i e v e a s they did Because when we opened up our church to all people and we embraced diversity, our volunteers grew, creativity grew, generosity grew.

And God made a way out of no way!

Oh when the children

ask w hat t hes e stones mean? We can say: These stones are here and this church is here because volunteers woke up in the morning and asked: “What can i do for the church?”

But one of the disappointments I have today, one of the hard realizations of today is that, we have lost something. Let us be honest. Most of the time we are asking now: “What can the church do for me?”

Why? What has happened? Is it because speaking our faith is really impossible today?

Is it because volu nt e e r i ng i s re a l ly impossible today? Or is it because, we have the world and not Christ in our hearts?

I remember meeting a Christian in Manila, it was getting near C hr istmas and dur ing this season the ways of o u r Po l i c e m e n b e g i n change. I was driving the church van of the UCCP on a road I have traveled e ver yday for almost 2 years. But on this day, to my surprise as I made a familiar left turn I had made hundreds of times before, a Policeman came out and f lagged me to the side. My immediate tactic to get out of the problem was to talk in English until the Police is tired and gives up.

I immediately began as he came to my window : Officer, what violation have committe d here?

He said, your biyolasyon berry serious, you made left turn in no left turn zone. But officer, I said, there is no sign indicating no left turn here. He said, you know Pilipines is ber y poor we cannot afford to put sign in every corner. I replied, But officer, how would I know not to left turn? He said, you know in Pilipines we have intelligent drivers.

Now let me tell you this biyolasyon is serious and w i l l c o st you P 5 0 0 . 0 0 only and Pilipines is bery convenient, you can pay me and I deliver to the LTO. I tried to argue, Oh no Officer, this cannot be, I have turning at this corner for 2 years and never has there been any problem. He said, aha, two years, that is accumulated violations, now I must increase to P2000.00. But officers this cannot be. He said a..a..a..show me the re g i s t r at i on a n d y ou r license. As he looked at the registration he said… ummm this is a church vehicle? Yes officer. Are you a missionar y? Yes officer. Ummm you know I am b or n ag ai n a ls o.

I said, Praise the Lord of f i c e r. T h e n f i n a l l y he said to me, ummm you know since we both

u n d e r s t a n d t h e L o rd , you just pay me P50.00 nalang.

Lord patawad, Lord oh oh oh this is why we need the church. We need the church as much today as yesterday because we need a place that guides us and corrects us, that offers us the values of honesty, dignity.

We c a n n o t l e t t h e wor l d t h at te a ch e s u s so much wrong have the last word! We need to Proclaim and Witness to God as much today as yesterday! We need to create the new person!

Who walks and talks with the values and principles of Jesus Christ!

When t he Chi ldren ask what do these stones mean? We can say: The times were difficult but t h e y w e r e n o t s i l e nt !

T h e re w a s r i s k , t h e re was sacrifice, there was courage. There was kindness and generosity.

There was volunteerism and there was faith!

And thank God this morning there is a God! A God who helped Moses cross the Red Sea. A God who helped Joshua cross the Jordan River. A God who helped the pioneers of this church establish in Cagayan de Misamis and reach out! Arrive at this lot and set these stones here! Build up this church, this ministry for us here!

And when the children

ask what do these stones mean? We can say : It began with us 99 years ago! It will continue with us! It will succeed with us ! B e c aus e we k now, t h e G o d t h at d i v i d e d the Red Sea for Moses!

The God that divided the Jordan River for Joshua!

Is the same God that is watching over us! And when God see’s we are a d e d i c at e d p e op l e , a sharing people, a faithful people, God will make a way. I tell you, when we do our part! God will do God’s part! That is the way it has been and that is the way it will always be.

We a r e 9 9 y e a r s old. I want there to be celebration 99 years from now! I may not be here, and you may not be here. But when their children ask, what does this church mean?

They will have something to say about us in this church today!

This is our time to make a difference, this is our time!

God Bless You Cagayan d e O ro U C CP. Ke e p the faith and hope alive Happy Anniversar y.

(Prof. Carlton Cobbie Palm is the Director of t h e n e w Inte r n at i on al Center for Mission Studies in Asia , a coope rative project shared by United Evang elical Mi ssion , U C C P, a n d S i l l i m a n University.)

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Historic Buildings in UCCP Cagayan de Oro City Church History

Carruth Memorial Hall was a girl’s dormitory & Women’s Bible School from 1932-1945 at the present site of the Pilgrim Christian College Campus

Third Cagayan Mission church at the corner of Akut and Capistrano streets before WWII.

A gift of love from the Clementino Chavez family, the first parsonage was built in 1945.

The fourth Cagayan church rebuilt after WWII served as the first UCCP Cagayan de Oro church starting 1948 till 1977.

The second parsonage in 1965 was made possible by the Grandmas who raised the funds and supervised the construction with the church Board of Trustees.

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Sunday, December 18, 2016

Proposed amendment to MORESCO-1 coop By-Laws

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See publication, page A9

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Publication... from page A8

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Sunday, December 18, 2016

A9

A10

Pioneer Pastors of the Cagayan de Oro UCCP

Sunday, December 18, 2016

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Rev Proculo C Rodriguez (1922-1924)

Rev Juan Uriarte & Family (1959-1962)

Rev Angel Taglucop & Family (1935-1939)

Rev Angel & Mrs Sotto (1920-1921, 1927-1929)

Rev Robert Gahuman & Family (1942-1953)

Rev Benjamin & Mrs Orteza (1955-1958)

Centennial... from page A1

The celebration will have its high point on Centennial Sund ay, 18 D e cemb er 2016 with the Unveiling of the Centennial Marker and Church Centennial Celebration with Rev. Jose “Joe” A. Malayang, the very same pastor who celebrated Cagayan de Oro UCCP’s Golden Anniversary way back in 1966 as its Senior Minister in the former UCCP Church at AkutCapistrano streets.

This will be followed by a Centennial Kumbira at the Church grounds, COCS, Guest House Grounds and the Centennial Vesper Service with Rev. Reuben “Bong” D. Cediño, who previously also ser ved the church as its Senior Minister.

Later in the evening, an Outdoor Fellowship and Mini-Concert by the Family Choir will be held in the church grounds.

Cagayan de Oro UCCP is a fellowship of men and women who believe that Jesus Christ is Lord, Redeemer, God, Savior of the sins of the world.

Regardless of race, color and economic status, all those who believe in Jesus Christ are brothers and sisters, because the blood of the Savior has made them sons and daughters of God. The Vision of the Cagayan de Oro UCCP is “A faith community of spiritually

mature, socially responsible Christian stewards and living witnesses committed to a meaningful and abundant life in Jesus Christ.”

It has strived to translate this vision into programs of the Church clustered around three thrusts – Christian Education and Nurture, Christian Witness and Service, and Evangelism and Church Development.

Its Mission is “To disciple members in their faith journey and to develop and enhance church ministries to proactively transform the church, community and society.”

Along with the more traditional tasks, Cagayan de Oro UCCP has continued to be involved in the work to be responsible stewards of God’s creations by planting t re es in its 7-he c t are reforestation project at Macapaya of this city, helping improve the living conditions of indigenous cultural communities, and serving the urban poor through its medical outreach and Good Samaritan programs. For the last 20 years, it has maintained a lay person’s training institute at its Center for Christian Education designed to train lay leaders of the Church.

We guide our members in their journey of Christian faith and witness. We equip them to lead a healthy congregational life and to engage in active ministry with their local community.

We work for human rights,

justice, peace, and the integrity of creation. We are a church that gladly welcomes change.

-INDNJC-

Missionaries... from page A1

Cebu, Leyte, Bohol, Negros Oriental and Samar; • United Brethren— La Union and the Mountain Provinces; [4] • Disciples of Christ— Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur (north of Vigan), Abra, Northern Mindoro, and designated places in and around Manila in agreement wit h t he Presbyter ian Mission; • American Baptist— Panay, Southern Mindoro, Romblon, and Negros Occidental; • Congregationalist— Mindanao, except t he western end; • C h r i s t i a n Missionar y Alliance— Southern Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago.

American Board of Foreign Mission The choice of Mindanao as the Congregationalists’ mission area was determined by force of circumstances than f ree choice. The other mission boards had already chosen the islands of Luzon and the Visayas among themselves. Thus when the Congregationalists asked the American Board of Mission regarding their area of mission activity, the Evangelical Union, through its secretar y Dr. James

Rodgers recommended the island of Mindanao.

In 1902, the American Board of Mission assigned the Rev. Robert Franklin Black as their first missionar y to the Philippines. At that time there were four provinces in Mindanao – Misamis, Surigao, Davao, and the “Moro Province.” Rev. Black sailed to Mindanao on a U.S. Army transport arriving in Zamboanga.

He began searching for the place to put up the mission center for the American Board. He suggested to the Board to establish four mission stations in Mindanao. Eventually Rev. Black decided to establish the first Mission station in Davao.

The second mission station in Mindanao was established in Cagayan, being the natural port of entry to Mindanao from the north. The American Board would send toward the end of 1915 the Rev. Dr. Frank C. Laubach (1884-1987), and his wife, nee Ella Seely.

Early Evangelical Success in Cagayan The Cagayan Evangelical Church The Cagayan Evangelical Church (Congregational) was organized on January 20, 1917. The charter members of the church who signed the covenant numbered 66, which included two matrons, ten young ladies, and 54 men, mostly students. Dr. Sitoy quoting

from a report deposited in the Archives at Harvard University of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions lists the charter members of Cagayan Evangelical Church as follows: Alberto Raagas, Alipio Abrogar, Anastacia Neri, Anastacio Bacalares, Angel Chavez, Aurora Chavez, C. Tamparong, Carmen Chaves, Cecilio Valdahuesa, Cirilo del Carmen, Clemente Hipe, David Chavez, Dolores Chaves, Eligio Pacana, E n c ar n a ci on C h ave z , Ernesto Fernandez, Esteban Eduave, Felisa Fuentes, Fernando Labitad, Francisco Tabian, Jose Recoleto, Joseph Arcache, Juan Guernila, Julian Torres, Julio Bautista, Leocadio Orsolino, Lino Ne r i - Ve l e z , L o n g i n o Daamo, Manuel Gutierrez, Mariano Galondo, Martin Loyola, Melchora Yacapin, Mr. and Mrs. Clementino Chavez, Mr. and Mrs. Porfirio Chaves, N. Frias, Natividad Neri, Nicanor Velez, Nicolas Caballero, Numeriano F. Neri, P.B. Santos, Paulino Avancena, Pedro Acero, Pedro Acut, Pe d r o Pa c a n a , P i l a r Gaerlan, Placido Bollozos, Proculo Rodriguez, Rafael Roa, Ramon Gaerlan, Ramon Galindo, Ricardo Gaerlan, Roman Llagis, Rosendo Neri, Saturnino Neri, Sixto Torres, Teodulfo Bacarrisas, Tomas Gabor, Tomas Obsines, Trinidad Chaves, V. Abrio, Vicente

Baz, Vicente L. Neri.

Realizing that the work was too great for only one missionary couple, Laubach requested the Presbyterian Mission to send Cebuano evangelists to Northern Mindanao. Among the first ones sent for this purpose were Proculo A. Rodriguez, a fresh graduate from Cebu High School, who was to become Laubach’s assistant in 1916, and the Rev. Felipe Bontuyan, who began work in Oroquieta in 1917. As soon as some kind of regular evangelistic program was established in Cagayan, Laubach and Rodriguez extended their work to the nearby seaside barrios of Macabalan and Lapasan.

Before the end of 1916, a C h r ist i an E nd e avor Society was organized, with Rodriguez quickly emerging as the natural leader of the young people.

This work among youth proved to be the backbone of Congregationalist work in Cagayan; for it gathered a core of zealous high school students who were to become the future pillars of the Evangelical Church of Cagayan. Among them, Longino Daamo stood out in particulars distinguishing himself as a good teacher and a dynamic song leader. As more preaching places were established in outlying barrios, the work in Macabalan and Lapasan was entrusted to Rodriguez and Daamo.

See missionaries, page A11

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Missionaries... from page A10

By 1921 the Cagayan Evangelical Church had more than 300 communicant members, who, through their own efforts, raised part of the sum required to build a chapel inside the Cagayan Mission Hospital compound on Calle Real. The church members included leading citizens of the town, a good number of whom were former Ag1ipayans. Some elder citizens, who were the founding fathers of the local Iglesia Filipina Independiente, such as Cipriano Vamenta, Sr., Manuel Corrales, Apolinario Veles, Sr., Ramon B. Neri, and Cayetano Pacana, Sr., did not themselves join the evangelical fellowship, because of their position in the Aglipayan Church. But they did not hesitate to lend a helping hand to the Cagayan Evangelical Church nor did they object when nearly all of their children became Protestants.

As was recalled in 1966, the Cagayan Evangelical Church included in its membership - - aside from those previously named — the entire families of Clementino Chavez, Victor Avanceña, the Ronquillos, the Loyolas, as well as Patricia Mercado Matea’s sister, Melchora and Rosario Yacapin, Juanita and Rosario Roa, the Bacarrisas sisters [Emilia, Apolinaria and Maria], Paterno and Pura Velez, the Fuenteses [Feliza, Gertrudes and Vicente], Pedro and Eligio Pacana , Saturnino Neri, Manolo Fernandez, Pantaleon Villegas , Facunda Bacarrisas , Apolinar Ramiro, and Ramon Galindo, to name a few.

Rapid Evangelical Growth The re as on for t he early promising growth of Protestantism in Cagayan was due to a number of converging factors. Foremost was that this capital town was a strong center of Aglipayanism, and the officials and civic leaders were almost all Aglipayans.

Second, Laubach established good rapport with them, and impressed them with his intelligence, leadership, and oratory, that some openly wondered why he was a missionary and not a representative in the U.S. Congress.

Undoubtedly also, the fact that Cagayan was the sole educational center for all of northern Mindanao, and Laubach gave special attention to high school youth, was largely responsible for the overwhelming number of young people in the Cagayan Evangelical Church, Moreover, the dormitory work of the Fox sisters — Anna Isabel, a Bible teacher ; Florence, a trained nurse; and Evelyn, who arrived at various times between 1918 and 1923, was also responsible for bringing into the church a good number of young women students in the high school.

Support for Seminary Training Laubach was not convinced of the arguments, but for the sake of unity and peace withdrew his idea of to start a Cagayan seminary. But he believed in order for the church to grow it should have well

trained pastors and evangelists.

For this purpose, Laubach and his colleagues turned to the Presbyterians, with an alternative proposal which they thought the Presbyterians in the Visayas would also find convincing.

Of the arguments put forth

by Laubach, the most convincing and urgent, as subsequently implicitly admitted by Rodgers, were the distance of the Visayas and Mindanao from Manila; the extra cost of living that Visayas- Mindanao students would have to spend in Manila; and the need to train Cebuanospeaking evangelists within their own linguistic area.

The Presbyterian Mission initially feared that a regional cooperative effort between the Presbyterians in the Visayas and the Congregationalists in Mindanao might jeopardize the long-range plans for a nationwide church union. Instead, they suggested that Silliman Institute revise and rearrange its Bible courses, and offer a two-year pre-theological training prior to study in Union Theological Seminary in Manila. Under this program, two students, namely, Proculo A. Rodriguez, Laubach’s assistant in Cagayan, and one Eusebio Bemales.

Later, the Congregational Mission would propose to their Presbyterian colleagues a Bible school to be located in the Presbyterians’ Silliman Institute to give more adequate preparation to its evangelists in Mindanao prompted the Presbyterians to immediately warm up to the idea.

One final issue still had to be resolved. The Congregational missionaries in Cagayan were still not agreed as to where to locate the Bible School. The Fox sisters - Bible teacher Anna Isabel, nurse Florence, and evangelist Evelyn - insisted that it be located in Cagayan, while Dr. Laubach was strongly convinced it should be in Dumaguete. In the end, the group struck a compromise, and decided that two schools should be established. The school for evangelists would be a union enterprise with the Presbyterians, to be located at Dumaguete. But that for deaconesses, to be called the Girls’ Bible School, would be located in Cagayan solely run under Congregationalist auspices and placed under the charge of the Fox sisters.

By mid-1920, all practical obstacles to the joint school in Dumaguete had been resolved.

Thus was established in 1921 the Silliman Bible School, which offered a regular 2-year diploma course. In 1933 the Bible School for Girls at Cagayan eventually decided to merge with the Silliman Bible School. Miss Mary Alice Towne with her students moved to Dumaguete from Cagayan. This led to the offering of a three-year Deaconess Training Course and made Silliman Bible School a co-educational institution.

Interlude-The United Church of Christ in the Philippines The Quest for Unity The early American missionaries, such as Rev. & Mrs. James Rogers, Dr. Frank C. Laubach, and many others were zealous in leading the way for church unity. There

Sunday, December 18, 2016 were two types of movements toward Church unity: 1. I n t e r c h u r c h cooperation, in which each church, denomination or communion retains its own identity, but cooperates with other churches on specific aspects of their common ministry.

2. Organic union, in which separate churches or denominations come and merge, thus, becoming one or a single denomination.

Interchurch Cooperation The Evangelical Union was organized in April, 1901. It was not an organic Union but rather an interchurch cooperation.

The Union was composed of the Presbyterian, Methodist, United Brethren, Young Men’s Christian Association, the British and Foreign Bible Society, and American Bible Society. Christian Missionary, the Seventh Day Adventist, the Episcopalians did not join the Evangelical Union.

Seminary Training. The Union Theological Seminary was created in 1907 when the Ellinwood Bible School of the Presbyterians joined with the Nicholson Seminary for the Methodists. In 1921 the Silliman Bible School would be established, a joint venture of the Presbyterian and Congregational churches which later would become the College of Theology of Silliman University in 1935.

Social Concerns. The Protestant missionaries in the Philippines had from the very beginning a manifest concern for the poor. Most of them initiated charitable works more as a form of service to the people, who were mostly non-Protestants such as health care (hospitals: Mary Johnston Hospital, Iloilo Mission Hospital Dispensary, Cagayan Mission Hospital), agricultural development, education and other types of social services.

Organic Union Un i t e d E v a n g e l i c a l Church (UEC). On 15 March 1929, the Presbyterians, the Congregationalists, the United Brethren, and the independent United Church of Manila formally adopted the Basis of Union and the United Evangelical Church came into existence.

The merger of these denominations and the birth of the United Evangelical Church was a significant historical development in the quest for Protestant church unity, for it was one of the three groups that joined to form the UCCP. During the Second World War a larger United Church called the Evangelical Church was organized. It brought together the UEC of 1929, the Church of Christ (Disciples), Iglesia Unida de Cristo, a segment of the IEMELIF and the Philippine Methodist Church.

Rev. Dr. Enrique Sobrepeña of the United Evangelical Church of the Philippines (UECP) was elected Presiding Bishop. However, Rev. Leonardo G. Dia, who had been elected General Moderator of the UECP in 1941 and was based in the Visayas, decided not to join the Japanese-sponsored union.

After the war the Japanesesponsored Evangelical Church

in the Philippines began to break up since it was Japaneseinspired. A majority of the churches that joined earlier withdrew their membership.

Only the Ilocano Disciples, the Philippine Methodist Church, and the Ilocano and some Tagalog segments of the UECP remained, and tried to preserve what they could of the Evangelical Church in the Philippines under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Sobrepeña. In the meantime, those who followed Rev. Dia continued to call themselves the United Evangelical Church of the Philippines.

Providentially, time healed the wounds inflicted by the war.

The Lord used the peaceable spirit and persuasiveness of Bishop Proculo Rodriguez to reconcile the two estranged church leaders, Dia and Sobrepeña. This development paved the way toward resumption of the talks about an organic union involving the two church groups under the two leaders. It eventually led to the union on 1948, and the birth of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines.

The Establishment of the United Church of Christ of the Philippines On 25-27 May 1948,167 delegates from three church bodies met at the Ellinwood Malate Church. In that uniting assembly, the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) was born.

Officially, there were three uniting churches that approved the Basis of Union which served as a provisional constitution of the UCCP: the United Evangelical Church in the Philippines (1929), represented

by General Moderator Leonardo G. Dia which included eleven congregations of the IEMELIF led by Bishop Matias Cuadra and some local congregation of the UNIDA; the Philippine Methodist Church (1933), represented by Bishop Roberto Songco; and the Evangelical Church of the Philippines (1943), represented by Bishop Cecilio Lorenzana. These three churches came from five different denominational traditions. These were the Presbyterian, the Methodist Church, the Congregational, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and the United Brethren Thre e ot her g roups which were part of the Joint Commission on Church Union participated in the drafting of the Basis of Union but were not yet ready then to join. These were the Iglesia Evangelica Unida de Filipinos (UNIDA), The Christian Church - Disciples (Tagalog Conference), and the Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches. It was only in 1962 that the Tagalog Conference of the Disciples Church joined the UCCP. Cagayan de Oro UCCP (After the War-1950s) From the beginning, the two largest and strongest local churches in Central Mindanao had been those of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan, ministered to in 1955 by the Rev. Manuel J. Kintanar and the Rev. Pastor W. Rivera, respectively.

During the 1930’s, Cagayan Evangelical Church was fortunate to have dynamic pastors, such as the Rev. Pedro

Royola (1929-1935), the Rev. Angel B. Taglucop (1935-1939), and the Rev. Zozimo Anao (1939-1941) — were Bachelor of Theology graduates of Silliman, the former being the first ever to be granted in 1932 a theological degree by the Silliman College of Theology.

During the war years and in the immediate postwar period, the Cagayan pastors were Rev. Robert Gahuman (1942-1953), Rev. Manuel Kintanar (19531955) and Rev. Benjamin M. Orteza (1955-1958).

The Christian Education program of Cagayan de Oro UCCP received a boost through the labors of Mrs. Julieta A. Orteza, who was also the founder of the kindergarten program of the Jurisdiction’s C h r ist i an C e nte r. T he Kindergarten at the Christian Center likewise was further strengthened with the coming in May, 1956 of Miss Gloria R. Guzman.

Cagayan had always been an evangelistic-minded church.

As far back as 1924-1927, its pastor, the Rev. Donato E. Galia, and a group of laymen led by Mr. Longino Daamo, Sr., had carried on evangelistic outreach as far as Opol, Molugan and Alubijid to the west.

During the second pastorate of the Rev. Angel C. Sotto in 1927-1929 (his first pastorate was in 1920-1921), he would squeeze several volunteers into his new Model T Ford and drive along the coastal road as far as Tagoloan, dropping a couple of lady Sunday School volunteers in each of the barrios of Lapasan, Gusa, Cugman, and Agusan. When fierce Catholic opposition in Tagoloan arrested their progress, Sotto reversed the direction of evangelistic thrust and concentrated on barrios closer to Cagayan, such as Carmen, Macasandig, Macabalan, Molugan and Iponan.

In the immediate postwar period, the Rev. Gahuman and faithful lay leaders of the church continued this same program, leading to the organization of United Evangelical congregations in Gusa and El Salvador by 1946.

Around Cagayan de Oro City, a number of local church outreach projects in the 1950’s soon led to the establishment of more satellite churches. While the pastors of the city church also actively took part in these outreach projects, credit should be given to a handful of lay evangelists.

Thus, of the many volunteers, one might specially mention Atty. Paulino Avanceña, Mr. Longino Daamo, Sr., and a young man named Jesse Dagapioso. It was they who carried on the preaching, Sunday School, and visitation in several outreach areas, which eventually led to the organization of Lapasan UCCP, Gusa UCCP, Opol UCCP, and the Post Evangelical Church in Camp Evangelista, the first three in 1958 and the fourth in 1962.

Four or five others within the city limits would subsequently be organized also, prompting the mother church to be called “City Church UCCP.” Elements Unique to Cagayan de Oro UCCP Cagayan de Oro UCCP also had a few unique points to its

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credit, and these were due to the special, caring concern of some of its lay members. One man, who specially stood out, was Mr. Clementino Chavez, fondly called “Ñor Mentoy.” He was a charter member when Cagayan Evangelical Church was organized in 1920, and to his death had remained a zealous and faithful disciple.

He took it upon himself, for example, to look after the material needs of the church.

When anything was needed, he quietly drew the necessary sum from his own pocket to provide the need. It was his custom to look over the church building to check if anything needed fixing or repair. If some pew needed fixing, or some rafter or board needed replacement, Ñor Mentoy, who knew that the church budget was already strained, would go to the pastor to report the matter that needed attention, himself giving at the same time the amount necessary to fix or replace it.

Martial Law Era (A Church Rejected One-Man Rule) Bishop Abainza raised three important national issues which the Church must address, namely: The Mindanao Conflict.

Bishop Abainza said: “The solutions to the problem in Mindanao have not yet been quantified. We believe, however, there are solutions. There must be. We must continue to pray for and seek the solutions to the conflict. We believe the use of military hardware is not a good solution. Military solution is not an ultimately effective answer.

It will only deepen the hatred of the people for each other.”

The Human Rights Issue.

The General Secretary made mention that “human right is a global issue.” And that the Philippines has been cited “as one of the violators of human rights. If this is true the UCCP must call this to the attention of the Philippine government authorities.” Furthermore, the General Assembly “must wrestle with this issue and make a stand because as a church of Jesus Christ we have to make a responsible stand.”

The Continuance or Lifting of Martial Law. On the third issue, Bishop Abainza said that “As a Church the UCCP is called upon to speak her mind on many issues including martial law, not only for her own peace of mind but also because of her prophetic role in the life of the country and of the Filipinos.”

From those working groups came three statements of the General Assembly that would redefine the manner in which the UCCP would relate with the Marcos government. These were adopted by the 1978 General Assembly: 1. The Statement on the Mindanao Situation.

2. The Statement on Human Rights.

3. The Statement on Restoration of Civil and Political Liberties and the Dismantling of Martial Law. -INDJNC (Lecture delivered by Dr. Victor R. Aguilan, D.T., on 27 February 2016 Lecture Series 1 Church History: UCCP CDO Forward through the Ages at the UCCP CDO Church Sanctuary)

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Sunday, December 18, 2016

WARMEST FELICITATIONS TO CAGAYAN DE ORO UCCP ON ITS CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION!

Greetings from:

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