UCG Council of Elders member Jim Franks, together with Philippine Senior Pastor David Baker visited the Philippines from January 5-17 to meet with the Philippine leadership and to conduct seminars in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

They attended Sabbath services in Manila on January 8. In the morning Mr. Baker and Mr. Franks gave split-sermons—on faith and intercessory prayer respectively. In the afternoon, Mr. Franks gave a presentation on “The Divinity of Jesus Christ.” The elders from northern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao were also able to join the Manila congregation for Sabbath services. The next day, Sunday, there was a National Council meeting with all the Philippine elders and their wives. Each pastor gave an update on their area and Mr. Baker gave an update on other parts of Asia. In the afternoon, the elders discussed many important issues regarding the church in the Philippines such as the incorporated name of the church and the future location of the National Office. On Monday, January 10, Mr. Baker and Jim Franks conducted a series of lectures for the Luzon church leaders. A Q & A session followed the seminars.

On Wednesday morning, January 12, they flew to Bacolod City to conduct seminars. In the evening, Mr. Franks gave a presentation entitled “The History of the United Church of God and its Governing Documents.” Prior to the seminar, Mr. Norman Julag-ay presented a copy of the Certificate of Incorporation for the church which was approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The incorporated name for the church in the Philippines is United Church of God, AIA Pilipinas, Inc. On Thursday, Mr. Siopan and Mr. Julag-ay accompanied Mr. Franks and Mr. Baker to view the Feast site at Punta Villa in Iloilo. On Thursday evening Mr. Franks gave a presentation entitled “Introduction to Doctrine.”

On Friday morning, January 14, Mr. Baker and Mr. Franks arrived at the Davao International Airport where they were met by Mr. Edmond Macaraeg, pastor of the Mindanao churches.  Mr. Macaraeg gave them a brief tour of the office and the work being done there.  They then had lunch together with the family in the Macaraeg residence.  After lunch, Mr. Macaraeg took Mr. Franks and Mr. Baker to see the Feast site at GSP Camp Alano in Toril.  Mr. Baker and Mr. Franks then invited the Macaraegs and the office staff out for dinner.  After that, they checked in for the night at the Waterfront Insular Hotel.

The following day, they had Sabbath services with the brethren at the Diamond Hall of the Regional Educational Learning Center (RELC-XI) of the Department of Education.  The Davao chorale rendered a special music piece entitled, “Onward Christian Soldiers.”  Mr. Baker and Mr. Franks then each gave split-sermons to a combined audience consisting of brethren from Davao, Kidapawan, Santo Tomas, Pantukan, and other areas.  Mr. Baker talked about the crucial role of living faith in overcoming the three deadly enemies—Satan, society, and self.  He discussed the definition of faith, where it comes from, why we sometimes lack faith, and how we can know if we have it. Mr. Jim Franks spoke about the importance of praying for one another.  He mentioned that the majority of our prayers should be intercessory.  He said we must pray first for ourselves and for our families; second, we must pray for the brethren; third, we must pray especially for the sick; then finally, we must pray for the people in the world.  In the afternoon, Mr. Franks gave a PowerPoint presentation entitled “Introduction to Prophecy.”

The next day Mr. Baker and Mr. Franks delivered a series of four lectures to about 50 Mindanao leaders and their wives at the Waterfront Insular Hotel. But before the two modules in the morning, Mr. Macaraeg gave a 30-minute PowerPoint presentation on the work in Mindanao.  The two morning modules were:
· “Administering the Local Congregation” by David Baker, and
· “The History of the United Church of God and its Governing Documents” by Jim Franks

After lunch, there were two additional modules:
· “Discipling” by David Baker, and
· “Introduction to Doctrine” by Jim Franks

On Monday morning (January 17), they left Davao and proceeded on to Hong Kong via Manila before returning to the United States.

—Reported by Daniel Macaraeg