FECPI Workers Christmas Party

presenting... the singles of FECPI

A Christmas Party in November

Can you feel the cool breeze at night? It only tells us that Christmas is fast approaching and for FECPI workers, Christmas starts in November.

It started in 2007 when FECPI workers--local senior pastors, pastoral staff, ECC church planters and FBC faculty and staff gather for a time of celebration and fellowship in November. It used to be First Monday of December now it was moved to last Friday of November. The reason? December is a very busy month so why not gather and celebrate before everybody gets busy arranging different parties, retreats and other events.

The program started with a movie about Christmas followed by the opening number of ECC church planters singing It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year. See pictures below.

What is a party without games? With the pictures you can tell how the pastors enjoy the games...

the Big Foot Race

guessing game--the Americans guess the word on their forehead being described in English by a Filipino... the Winner? Pastor Brent and Pastor Richard!

another game is the game of survival! Singles are paired and went through challenges... the winner? Grace and Bong!

after the games, the workers enjoyed the food and the fellowship. But the program did not end there...

The committee surprised the pastors with special awards... the pastor of the year award voted by the workers themselves goes to Pastor Mar Ocampo--for the outstanding servant leadership he has shown in the ministry!

pastor of the year: Mar Ocampo and wife

The night ended with a surprise tribute to FECPI President Brent Burdick and his closing speech and prayer encouraging everyone to keep on serving the Lord no matter what the cost!

I-FOCUS Life & Ministry Training in Baguio City

As every event would end, there is always a group picture taking. This comprises the whole training done in five days... of learning together, fun and activities, inspiration and challenges to obey God in life and in ministry.It's everybody's prayer to be protected fromt he schemes of the enemy and to remain faithful in obeying God's command in everyday life and in every ministry He has called each one to be involved with, especially in church planting. Until the next training, we hope and pray for every delegates to be able to apply everything they have learned but most of all to be strong in the Lord always despite persecutions and challenges that they may encounter along the way.

God bless everyone! To God alone be the glory!

The Final Session of the Training

Revival Nights

FBC Challenges a Thousand

On the last night of the training, FBC President, Miss Ermalee Hidalgo together with FBC Chaplain, Pastor Aven Rivera and an adjunct Faculty Professor Tom Sparrow went up to Baguio to connect with the graduates of FBC and lay leaders and give the challenge to become a part of "A Thousand for FBC" - a thousand who will pray for FBC, a thousand who will support financially and a thousand who will respond to God's call to study full time in the Bible College.

I-FOCUS Kids

Kids could sometimes hinder the parents to attend the training... Not with I-FOCUS Life and Ministry Training. Parents are encouraged to bring their children. There are teachers assigned to handle the kids so that at a very young age, they too, will not only have exposure to the ministry of the Lord but also be trained as future leaders.

Matthew 19:14 - Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

Prayer Walk and Exercise

I-FOCUS Life and Ministry Training gives emphasis to prayer and one of the things taught is about prayer walk... So here the team goes... walk and pray. Before the basic class shared the gospel in the community some of the delegates together with the pastors went out on Tuesday morning and walked to pray. Reports have it that they faced rejections. So the following morning, the team went out again to pray for the same community, hoping to see transformation.

The team stop at a basketball court to pray and after that Nona led the team do some stretching to release the stress and regain energy. For those who joined the morning activity, it wasn't only about learning how to "prayer walk" but it was also fun and refreshing.

SPECKA Group and Accountability Time

Every morning before the sessions begin all the delegates meet with their group to study the Bible using SPECKA. SPECKA is a method used to study and discuss the Word of God. Each letter stands for something to look for in the passage. S - Sin to avoid or confess, P - Promises of God, prayers or praises, E - Example to follow, C - Command to obey, K - Knowledge to learn and A - Application.

Another thing that is emphasized during the training is Accountability. Each one is encouraged to partner with someone he or she could be accountable with, not just during the training but also when they go back to their homes and ministry.

Highlights of I-FOCUS Training: Sharing the Gospel

the Basic Class went out one afternoon to share the gospel using the JOhn 3:16 method as an application of what they have learned during the training. This is what CPM is all about: putting into practice what you have learned...

Declaration of Faith through Water Baptism

Water baptism is not for a change of religion. It is simply declaring to the world, "I am a follower of Jesus Christ." It is one also of showing our obedience to the Word of God. Many people delayed obedience for many reasons like being persecuted by the family but most of the time, people are not just ready to obey the Lord. May it be our goal to always say, "Yes Lord, Yes Lord!"

Witness how two people responded to God in obedience through water baptism... But you may be wondering where is the pool? Baguio is a very cool place and you have to go down La Union to find resorts and beaches for water baptism and these people didin't want to delay their obedience anymore... so they decided to be baptized in water and made use of the available resources to make this possible.

October 2008 CPM/IFOCUS Pics

October 2008 CPM/IFOCUS Training

The FECP-ECC family had a wonderful and blessed experience during the CPM and IFOCUS training at Pine Breeze Cottages in Baguio City on October 22-26, 2008. Nothing beats the cool atmosphere and the beautiful scenery of mountain pines and flowering plants of the Philippines' summer capital. Truly, nature's beauty speaks of our God's power, majesty and splendor. Strategy coordinators and delegates from different regions enjoyed one week of information-gathering, hearing of the Word, workshops and revival nights. Activities ranged from praise and worship, devotions, open house church celebration with SPECKA, prayer walk, seminars on doctrines and CPM background,training on IFOCUS Life, Ministry and the daily journal/devotional, and many more. Everyone witnessed the powerful moving of the Holy Spirit as participants shared inspiring testimonies of how their lives were transformed and continue to change as they hunger for God's Word and allow themselves to be trained in occasions such as this, so that in effect, they too, will be able to lead others and train them to live in Christ's likeness. God is so good, and His love endures forever! To Him be the glory forever and ever! Stand by for more CPM stories and pictures!

God Moves in the Hearts of Youth in Benguet State University!

IFOCUS trainers and other news...

Meet the IFOCUS Life and Ministry Trainers...

From Left to Right: P.Jerry dela Paz, P.Robert Navarro, Sheila Sengia,

Abby Galzote, Let Malaluan, P.Jerry Cruz, P.Nathan Cariaso and P.Noel Penaranda)

I think we are missing one trainer in that picture... check this next picture.

Yes, Joy Rombaoa is the IFOCUS Accounting Trainer and she will be sharing more about accounting and management on the next IFOCUS Training. Watch out for that!

You may be asking who is the other guy in the picture?!

Well, let me introduce Tim dela Paz, the YWIF pioneer. YWIF stands for Youth with I-FOCUS. He started to gather youths in his campus in Angeles University to spearhead this ministry that will soon be a pattern for the other Youth ministries in church planting. Tim is also a member of IFOCUS band who will be helping the church planting ministries to conduct mini concerts and crusades in different communities as a tool for evangelism. The band is just starting so we have to pray for the instruments they need for the said ministry. If you want to invite them in your community, contact pastor Jerry dela Paz or your regional coordinator to arrange the discussion.

As the ministry is growing, the need for new trainers is also growing...

We encourage you to be praying for this ministry because you could be one of these trainers... God bless you and your ministry!

IFOCUS Training in Baguio, May 2008