Building houses of worship amid the pandemic
Compiled by MARK ANDRO T. MILANDate Posted: December 30, 2021
Even during hard times, such as this pandemic, the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) continues the building of houses of worship for it is God’s command (Hag. 1:8). In such edifices, the brethren are able to worship God, which is their primary duty to Him. It is also in the houses of worship where they receive the words of God that is His power that brings salvation (Rom. 1:16-17).
As of this writing, 2,720 houses of worship were built and dedicated to God just from 2009, since Brother Eduardo V. Manalo became the Executive Minister of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ). The following are just some of the newly built and renovated houses of worship in 2021 alone:
On January 22, 2021, Church Of Christ members from the Local Congregation of Nueva Era, Ecclesiastical District of Batac City, Ilocos Norte in the Philippines gave praises and thanks to God for blessing them with a new house of worship.
The elegant 1,200-seater house of worship of the Local Congregation of Hundred Islands, situated in Barangay Magsaysay, was dedicated to God on April 9. Named after the first national park of the Philippines that is just 7.2 kms. away-the Hundred Islands National Park-the local congregation was officially established a month ago, on March 4, under the jurisdiction of the Ecclesiastical District of Alaminos City, Pangasinan.
Also on April 9, the Local Congregation of Calbayog City, Ecclesiastical District of Western Samar offered overflowing praises to God as they attended the dedication worship service of their newly built magnificent house of worship.
The Executive Minister, Brother Eduardo Manalo, led the dedication to God of the newly renovated 1,605-seater house of worship of the Local Congregation of Cauayan City, during a livestream worship service he officiated in the Templo Central in Quezon City on May 15, when he also ordained 16 new ministers, also witnessed by brethren from other congregations that marked their milestone anniversaries.
On June 26, Cagayan East Ecclesiastical District supervising minister, Brother Augusto Galapon, led the Church members from Aparri Local Congregation in the inaugural worship service for their newly renovated house of worship, just nine days after the ecclesiastical district also dedicated to God another newly renovated house of worship-that of the Local Congregation of Sta. Teresita.
Sixty kilometers away from the Iloilo South Ecclesiastical District office stands the newly renovated house of worship of the Local Congregation of San Enrique. On July 3, Church members there attended its rededication worship service.
Church Of Christ officers and members pose in front of the newly renovated 328-seater house of worship in Surrey, BC, for a commemorative group photo, hours before the worship service to be officiated by the Executive Minister, Brother Eduardo Manalo, via livestreaming from Manila, Philippines on July 24 to mark the Church’s 107th anniversary.
On August 28, 2021, during a special worship service Brother Eduardo Manalo officiated from the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) Central Office Complex in Quezon City, Philippines, he led the dedication to God of the newly built house of worship of the Local Congregation of Pasong Intsik, Ecclesiastical District of San Jose City, Nueva Ecija in the Philippines and the newly renovated house of worship each of the local congregations of San Francisco in the Northwest California District and Hinton in Edmonton, Canada District.
On September 18, 2021, the newly built 110-seater house of worship of the Local Congregation of Sindaton, Ecclesiastical District of Davao del Norte in the Philippines was dedicated to God through a worship service led by the district supervising minister, Brother Israel U. Flores.
On September 25, 2021, Brother Eduardo Manalo dedicated to God through a livestreaming worship service the six houses of worship-that of the Local Congregations of Talisay, Dangdangla, Lucanin, Pansol Calauag, Bagacay, and Scarborough, Ontario of the Ecclesiastical Districts of Batangas North, La Union, Bataan, Quezon East, Naga City, Camarines Sur in the Philippines, and Greater Toronto in Canada, respectively. Formerly of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada, the house of worship of the Local Congregation of Scarborough is located at 710 Markham Road.
The newly renovated 290-seater house of worship of the Local Congregation of Masbate City, Ecclesiastical District of Masbate in the Philippines was rededicated to God through a worship service on October 2.
On December 18, 2021, during the Thanksgiving Worship Service led by the Executive Minister, Brother Eduardo Manalo, at the Central Temple, Philippines, 14 newly built and renovated houses of worship were simultaneously dedicated to God while the 15th house of worship, that of the Local Congregation Hayanggabon, Ecclesiastical District of Surigao del Norte, was dedicated a little later as they were not able to virtually connect due to the power outage brought about by super typhoon Odette (international name: Rai).
Seeing God’s wondrous help manifest in not only the Church’s entirety but also the lives of individual members, the Church Of Christ can never be derailed by severe hardships brought by the pandemic and onslaught of calamities-this Church will continue building houses of worship, where God’s love and goodness dwell. – With reports from INC News Section
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