Barely a month from now, the festivals in God’s great plan for man’s redemption that God’s people celebrate year by year will start.
The first to come is the Passover observance commemorating the death of our Savior Jesus Christ, which will be observed on the evening before April 2. The rest of the seven annual festivals will follow in stages at their appointed times.

The brethren in the Visayas area will keep the Passover service in two different locations. Baptized members of the Church in the province of Leyte will gather in Tubod, Isabel for a combined Passover service. In Negros Occidental, the service will be held in Benjamin Hall at Lacson corner 4th Street in Bacolod City. And for the first time, the brethren in Sabah, Malaysia will have the opportunity to observe the Passover service with an elder coming from the Philippines. For the scattered brethren who can’t participate in the Passover service will receive the wine to be sent to them and the instruction article for them to keep the Passover.

Leyte and Cebu

In the Visayas, the activities for the last two months are a continuation of what has been done in previous months. Every Sabbath, the brethren meet in their respective venues to worship and sing praises to God for His kindness and the opportunity to listen to the spiritual food expounded from the word of God and to fellowship with people of like mind. Each local congregation is served by elders and local leaders in the Church, strengthening the brethren in their resolve and commitment as Christians.

A number of new faces began to be seen in some congregations during Sabbath services and Bible studies. People who are curious to know more about the doctrines of the Church and the members’ way of life, have attended for the first time, being invited by those who have been attending for a number of times already.

In the town of McArthur in Leyte, people began to notice the presence of the United Church of God as the Bible study progresses every Sabbath in the Senior Citizen’s office as approved by the town mayor.

In Cebu, the Bible seminar held once a month from September to December 2006 was changed to twice a month, that is every second and fourth Sundays, from January to February 2007. A suggestion from one of those who consistently attend the seminar is to hold Sabbath services in Cebu. The average number of people attending the seminar is 19 to 24, which is quite enough to hold Sabbath services. We are thinking along that suggestion and if the leadership of the Church will approve we will proceed with that opportunity. The truth is it has been our prayer that God will open the door in Cebu for His Work and call more people to His Church.

Last February 23, my wife and I traveled to Tagbilaran, Bohol for the first time to meet a man who had been so desirous to have a part in spreading the gospel in the area through the distribution of the Church’s magazines and brochures. God willing, we will have another door for the Work to enter in and also have one mre Bible study area in the near future.

—Reported by Florante Siopan, Visayas Area Pastor

© 2007 United Church of God, AIA - Pilipinas