The Lagro UMC Children’s Choir

Last Sunday, we have celebrated in church Christian Education Sunday. Our children’s choir has rendered a beautiful song during the divine worship under the direction of Mrs Becky Almazar (choir director of the Lagro UMC Chancel Choir).

The children were so cute to see… I remember Dad loves kids... I invite you to watch the video footage below…

Grandparents Day: Special Day for the Elderly

Last September 11, the nation celebrated the Grandparents Day. It is a day intended to honor the elderly for their important contribution in shaping society by their hard work and sacrifices in bring up their children and children’s children. It is a special day for all of us to think about how they have influenced our lives.

Marian McQuade is the founder of Grandparents Day as recognized by the US. She has lived from January 18, 1917 to September 26, 2008. She served on the West Virginia Commission on Aging and the Nursing Home Licensing Board.

McQuade’s efforts centers on cultivating in the youth the value of the elderly regarding their contributions to life and society. The resolution about the proclamation of Grandparents Day has been initiated in the US Senate in 1973 but the resolution has only been signed by President Carter in September 1978, which designates the first Sunday after Labor Day as Grandparents Day beginning 1979. After tenn years, The US Postal Service has come up with a commemorative envelope in celebration of Grandparents Day with the image of Marian McQuade in her honor.

Grandparents Day Graphics

In church, we have celebrated Grandparents Day too. We have called all grandparents in front of the sanctuary and have given them small tokens of love and appreciation for the wonderful time they have given to us, their children and children’s children. Then, the celebration have culminated with a special prayer by our pastor over them.

This is another special occasion that brings special memories of my Dad…

Ablaze: Holy Spirit Conference

The Puno United Methodist Church invites all Jesus lovers to attend the Ablaze Conference 2011...

“I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live again and return home to your land. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken, and have done what I said. Yes, the Lord has spoken.” (Ezekiel 37:14) 

ABLAZE CONFERENCE 2011

A Call for all JESUS LOVERS!!
Experience deliverance and LIVE AGAIN!
Experience healing and LIVE AGAIN!
Experience empowerment and LIVE AGAIN!
Experience transformation and LIVE AGAIN!
Experience for the third straight year a two-day soaking in the river of LIFE … of WORSHIP, of PRAYER and PRAISE!!

When: October 28 & 29, 2011
Where: Word of Hope Family Church EDSA, Quezon City ( across SM North)
What time: Friday: Registration starts at 7 AM – 9 PM

Saturday: 8 AM – 6 PM
Registration and Admission: FREE

Come face to face with seasoned messengers of God’s Word:

• Pastor Eli Javier
• Pastor Allan Asuncion 
• Pastor Paul Kim
• Pastor Hiram Pangilinan 
• Bishop Jonel Milan
• Pastor Allen Gallegos
• Pastor Dave Sablan, Jr.

Learn and experience topics such as:

• Warming of the Heart 
• Heart of Worship 
• Prayer 
• Commitment to Service 
• Healing 
• Family and Relationship Deliverance Inner Healing

COME WITH YOUR FAMILY, FRIENDS, SCHOOLMATES AND OFFICEMATES!
PREPARE FOR AN INTIMATE ENCOUNTER WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT!
YOU WILL NEVER BE THE SAME, THAT’S GOD’S PROMISE!

At a Funeral Service in Honor of the Life and Faith of Vic Crisologo

I have attended the funeral service for daddy Vic Crisologo, an elder member of our church and has been an able chairperson of the Church Council several years ago.

Daddy Vic with his wife Mommy Areta

The funeral service has been very solemn and melancholic. It brings back memories of my dad when he is the one lying before the altar inside a casket. I just couldn’t stop my tears from escaping my eyes.

I remember having conversations with Daddy Vic Crisologo before. He would always express his appreciation for me as a church organist especially since he has been the one who has donated the organ I have been using then to the church. He loves hearing the sound of the organ inside the church.

Recently, after staying for a long time abroad, he and his family has returned home. One Sunday, he has approached me to ask about my Dad because he’s not seeing him around. He knows that it’s my Dad who takes me to church. He knows we have been inseparable. It’s been only then that he has found out about Dad’s passing.

Now, perhaps they are together. I just wonder if they would recognize each other up there in heaven?  

A Loyalist Stance

My Dad is such a loyalist. Before, I had considered him a Marcos Loyalist as he had been indignant about EDSA I, which had brought Cory Aquino to power. I thought maybe because he had most of his career advancement during the Marcos regime as a decorated military serviceman, a Marine.

In fact, during the 70’s, close to the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus, the government has sent him to the United States Marine Education Center in Virginia for special training. When the plan had leaked out to media, news went out that Marcos had sent a strike force against the political opposition in the US to train. I think he had kept a copy of the newspaper. It was totally unfounded and purely malicious. I could not blame him when he used to say that he could not trust everything that media report.

Then in EDSA II, he showed the same indignation. He resented Gloria Arroyo’s rise to the presidency. Well, true enough, the Arroyo administration had been ridden with accusations of graft and corruption.

However, I realized that he was not a loyalist to a particular politician. He was against toppling down a duly constituted government by force. He considered it a power grab for whatever reason. I think his view is reasonable. We need to utilize all appropriate legal processes otherwise we will all live in a chaotic society.

Aquilino Pimentel III: the New Senator-elect

As expected, after Senator Migs Zuburi has resigned from his position as Senator, the Senate Electoral Tribunal has declared that now-Senator Koko Pimentel III has won the 12^th seat in the 2007 mid-term elections by 200,000 votes.

Zubiri’s action I guess has paid off. His humility has earned respect from his political colleagues and even from his political rival Senator Pimentel. Although, we can say that it could have been a typical “damage control” strategy so to speak.

Now the challenge to the politicians is how they can contribute to the vision of change. It may not be an easy drive toward the “right way” but we all need to start somewhere.

I just can’t recall if Dad voted for Pimentel in the 2007 election. As far as I recall, he does not like Pimentel either. 

Image:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koko_Pimentel

Senator Zubiri Resigns in Exchange for Honor

The elections of 2004 and 2007 have been tainted with accusations of electoral fraud. Dad is still alive then and he has been convinced during those times that indeed the ruling political leaders at that time have not been fair and honest. He could not believe that Fernando Poe Jr. would lose the presidency in Visayas and Mindanao.

One of the most controversial electoral cases in the 2007 mid-term senatorial election is the twelfth position, which then candidates Juan Miguel Zubiri and Koko Pimentel III have disputed. Pimentel asserts that there has been electoral fraud in favor of Zubiri particularly in the province of Maguindanao. Zubiri denies the assertion and the argument has reached the Senate Electoral Tribunal.

Recent developments have raised the question of electoral fraud particularly from the admissions of former ARMM governor Zaldy Ampatuan and Comelec official Lintang Bidol of their participation in the electoral manipulation in favor of Zubiri.

If Dad is only alive today, he would have reacted adamantly pointing out that his suspicion is true all the while.

Last August 3, 2011, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, in a privilege speech in the Senate of the Republic of the Philippines, has announced his resignation from his position as a Senator. He says that he could no longer bear the false accusations that he has committed electoral fraud to obtain his position as Senator and to save his family from further emotional trauma, he has decided to relinquish his position and has withdrawn his counter protest, which would facilitate the SET (Senate Electoral Tribunal) proceedings in favor of Koko Pimentel III.

Many have acclaimed his act. They say that he has set an example for government officials to follow: honor and dignity is far more important than political power.

I myself agree that Senator Zubiri’s action is commendable. However, does this mean that he is morally convinced that electoral fraud has indeed happened? Well, his action might mean that he is now cutting his political connection with the former dispensation.