EVM CONDUCTS HISTORIC WORSHIP SERVICE-ORDINATION TO MARK JERUSALEM LOCALE’S 20TH YEAR
MARCH 31, 2016. Thursday. It’s
9 in the morning inside the Zion Hall of the Inbal Jerusalem Hotel (Formerly La
Romme Jerusalem Hotel). The congregation is solemnly singing hymns of praises
led by the Choir, already moved by the presence of the Holy Spirit while
eagerly awaiting the entrance of our beloved Executive Minister, Bro. Eduardo
V. Manalo. I also know that this is also the situation at all the remote sites
in different parts of the world witnessing this historic occasion. Then that
moment came. And everyone felt the undeniable outpouring of the spiritual
blessings of our Almighty God.
This occasion marks the 20th
anniversary of the triumphant prophesied return of the Church of Christ to its
original city of establishment when Brother Eraño G. Manalo officiated the
inaugural worship service on March 31, 1996. I could still vividly remember the
events that transpired before and during that historic occasion. Many brethren
feared for the safety of our Executive Minister (Ka Erdy) back then because 1996
was a period full of perils and uncertainties. The Jewish State is still
reeling from the assassination of their Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin which took
place on November 4, 1995. It was also the height of skirmishes between the
Israeli Defense Force and Hezbollah (a lebenese para-military and political
organization labeled as terrorists). The deadly suicide bombings perpetrated by
islamist militants and retaliation of the Israeli Army was the norm. To say
that tensions were high was an understatement. Yet such dangers and threats did
not deter the stern resolve of Brother Eraño to proceed to Jerusalem in 1996.
He believes that his pastoral visit to the Holy Land is his personal mission
mandated by God. With this belief is the conviction possessed by the early
servants of God, most notable is of our Lord Jesus Christ, who did not fear the
impending death that he will suffer upon his entrance to Jerusalem.
In this very same venue also
on the last day of March, 20 years ago, after 2,000 years of absence of the
true Church of Christ in its original home, Brother Eraño proclaimed to the
congregation gathered here back then: that God’s prophecy about the return of
His people in this land is being fulfilled right before their eyes. This
prophecy was pronounced in the Book of Isaiah 52:7-8 which Brother Eraño asked
me to read during his homily. “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of
those who bring the happy news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of
Israel reigns. The watchmen shout and sing with joy, for right before their
eyes they see the Lord God bring his people home again.”(The Living Bible) He
explained that the watchmen mentioned in that prophecy pertains to the
ministers of the Gospel whose duty is to bring or preach the message of salvation.
“How beautiful upon the mountains are the
feet of those who bring the happy news of peace and salvation, the news that
the God of Israel reigns. The watchmen shout and sing with joy, for right
before their eyes they see the Lord God bring his people home again.” [Isaiah
52:7-8, LB]
Twenty years later, as the
present Executive Minister of the Church of Christ, it is Brother Eduardo V.
Manalo’s duty to edify the brethren by nurturing and nourishing their spiritual
yearning for God’s words. He has to travel thousands of miles around the world
to pastor the Christians and strengthen them in their faith especially in times
of difficulties. If the bombings in 1996 did not deter him and his father,
Brother Eraño to go to Jerusalem, the present-day scourge of terror however
more intense and even deadlier cannot in anyway prevent Brother Eduardo from
officiating the scheduled worship service in that much loved and contended
City.
On October 31, 2015, ISIS
claimed responsibility for the downing of a Metrojet plane with a homemade bomb
in Egypt killing 224 passengers. Two weeks later on November 13 last year, ISIS
slaughtered more than a hundred civilians in Paris, France in simultaneous
suicide bombings and random shooting rampage. Early this year, Boko Haram
burned to death almost 200 civilians including women and children in northern
Nigeria. While ISIS orchestrated the bombing of tourist spots in Istanbul,
Turkey which killed at least ten people including nine German tourists.
On the morning of March 23,
2016 just four days after the arrest of the prime suspect in the November 13
Paris massacre, ISIS elements bombed the Brussels International Airport and a
Metro station in the Belgian capital. The morning bomb attacks massacred at
least 35 people, all civilians of various nationalities.
These horrible events have
sowed fear in the hearts of most people. But not in Brother Eduardo V. Manalo.
He is also as dauntless and courageous as his father. Acting with firm faith in
God’s almighty hand, he decided to go to Jerusalem just as his father did two
decades ago. He will never be hindered in fulfilling his divinely appointed
duty to proclaim the words of our Almighty God to His servants wherever they
may be. He will also be making history as he will officiate the first
ordination of new ministers of the true Church of Christ in Jerusalem after
more than two millennia.
The official entourage of
Brother Eduardo to Jerusalem included Brother Glicerio Santos Jr. (General
Auditor), this writer (Adviser of Buklod Organization and verse-reader of the
Executive Minister), completing the 3 ministers who were also with Brother
Eraño G, Manalo in the inaugural worship service in Jerusalem in 1996. Included
now are Brothers Pepito Acuesta (Europe Main Office Coordinator), Joel Narciso
(Southern Europe District Minister), Romeo Marquez (Northern Europe District
Minister). Brothers Felmar Serreno (United Kingdom District Minister), Alex
Batulan (Africa District Minister), Jonathan Jamias (Southwest California
District Minister), Ferdinand De Dios (Pacific Northwest District Minister),
William Dominguez (Europe Main Office Auditor), Darwin Blanco (Southern Europe
District Auditor), and Alain Castro (Resident Minister of Jerusalem Locale)
completed the bevy of 12 ministers accompanying the Presiding Elder.
The Jerusalem Worship Service
and Ordination proceeded without any glitch as God fulfilled His promise to
uphold His Church. The congregation assembled at the venue as early as six in
the morning although the worship service was actually scheduled at ten in that
last Thursday of March 2016. As the brethren had already filled the hotel lobby
by seven a.m., it was decided by the hotel management to allow them entrance
into the worship hall at least three hours ahead of the schedule.
The Executive Minister himself
arrived at the Zion Hall almost 45 minutes before the scheduled start of the
worship service. The congregational hymn-singing began earnestly after all the
ministers entered and took their respective seat assignments. After several
spiritual hymns have been sung by the choir, Brother Joel Narciso of the host
Southern Europe Ecclesiastical District led the opening prayer. He led the more
than 900 gathered faithfuls in thanking Almighty God for the safe arrival of
Executive Minister and his companions.
The powerful homily of Brother
Eduardo commenced with him emphasizing that the fulfillment of biblical
prophecies were the real reasons why the Church of Christ was able to return to
the city of its birth in 1996. Quoting a recent rendition of the Scriptures
known as The Last Days Bible, the Presiding Elder proved to the congregation
even the precise time when the Church will be reestablished in the Far East at
the time “ends of the earth” and its ultimate return to Jerusalem after having
been organized also in the City of Rome in 1994.
But the Executive Minister
stressed to the brethren that it is not enough to just remain as members of the
Church of Christ to receive God’s blessings and His promises. More importantly,
Christians must become holy, full of enthusiasm, and disciplined in their
worship of the true God. He enjoined the congregation to remain steadfast in
their faith and dedicated to their respective duties and offices in the Church.
Brother Eduardo also called on
the brethren to be strong and persevering in the face of trials and
persecutions and to consider these things not as hindrances but as added
opportunities to become more righteous in the sight of God. By this time the
congregation could no longer hold back the tears form their eyes brought about
by the intense power of the Holy Spirit and touched by the noble desire of the
Executive Minister that every member of the Church of Christ be saved on
Judgement Day.
How kind and wonderful God is
to His nation in these last days! Though the first century Church of Christ
that was established here in Jerusalem, Israel, during the time of Christ and
the Apostles, was not recognized by the established government back then and
even suffered harsh and terrible persecutions from the State; But now, the
Church of Christ in these last days was not only recognized and registered in
the government of Israel but they also greeted and welcomed our beloved
Executive Minister, Bro. Eduardo V. Manalo on his return here as he officiated
a very powerful and spiritually blessed worship service and a historic
ordination of 10 new ministers as a part of the 20th founding anniversary of
the congregation of Jerusalem, Israel.God has fulfilled and continues to
fulfill all His promises to the Iglesia Ni Cristo that this is His nation which
He will never forsake. The parade of victories the Church now enjoys prove that
this Church indeed belongs to Him and He divinely and expertly guides our
current and beloved Executive Minister, Bro. Eduardo V. Manalo. Glory be to our
Great God!
Please watch
this video
----- Photo Gallery
-----
Source:
No comments:
Post a Comment
Know why more and more people worldwide convert to Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ). Learn more about this Church and find out what makes it unique.