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Pioneer Pastors of the Cagayan de Oro UCCP
Sunday, December 18, 2016
FOR ADS PLACEMENT CALL OR TEXT: 0917-712-1424 • 0947-893-5776 E-Mail: mindanaodailynews@gmail.com
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