A Prayer for Leadership

"Cast the vision."

Dear God,

You are the Great maker of leaders 

Who have made ordinary people like Moses and David to be great leaders

Cast that vision into us once again and mold us

Through the presence of the Holy Spirit in conferences and events.

Amen.

 

A Prayer for Our Dreams

"Dreams do come true."

Dear God,

You are the author of our future

Who gave us dreams and goals in our hearts

Keep us inspired to achieve those dreams

Through hard work, perseverance and trust in you.

Amen.

 

August 2021: Optimal Health

I always wonder why John the Baptists eat locusts and wild honey. Mark 1:6 describes to us how John lived in the wilderness wearing camel's hair for his clothing with a leather belt around his waist. We can picture a hermit with a diet that is purely organic. Well, he must have lived a healthy lifestyle... a lifestyle towards Optimal Health. 

People lived an unhealthy lifestyle. As a primary care physician we advocate for people to choose to live healthy to avoid getting ill and get the complications of diabetes or hypertension. I try to enroll my patients in an Optimal Health program. I myself have started this month this 42 day program of living towards Optimal Health with changes in the way we eat, our activity, including sleep, stress reduction, reflections and mental health.

Today is also special. I have prepared some food for my mother's birthday. She have lived an Optimal Life and advocates for Optimal Health. Well it is pasta symbolic for long life and some white meat to go with it...

April 2021: No One Sinned

 Covid reinfection is real. 

The story of the blind man Jesus healed in the Pool of Siloam is a too often narrative of victim blaming. The disciples asked who sinned, the blind man or his parents. Even Jesus was accused of being unlawful when what he did was to heal the sick. The constant narrative in the interventions about Covid infection is lack of discipline (in observing safety protocols of wearing mask, shield and social distancing). With this narrative, the solution is discipline - strict implementation of the law, by law enforcers. To be sure, discipline is necessary. But public health emergencies need public health interventions too. Otherwise, those infected are stigmatized as undisciplined unlawful people. What a pity to the many health workers who sacrificed their own health, safety and their lives yet still gets the blame when they get infected. 

No one has to be blamed for their own illness. Just as getting sick should not mean committing sin. The stigma and discrimination that comes with illness has been too long a narrative even in the Bible. The HIV epidemic has stigmatized and discriminated people living with HIV. Also those with Covid-19 has been labeled as disobeying safety protocols. Yet, Covid infection and reinfection can still happen without fault by anyone. 

March 2021: God's Unexpected Plan

Hope comes from God. Hope means the impossible can happen if it's God's plan. The story of Saul shows us that we might have plans that is different from God. Saul has other plans different from God but it is God's plan that happens. Everything happens according to God's plan. The news of the vaccine coming to the country through the generous donations of other countries wasn't even possible last week. Now, in just a matter of days we were told to implement the national Vaccination Plan. Well, it is always better to have an implementation than a plan remain a plan. The hope of eliminating Covid-19.

God has a plan that we do not expect. The first dose of Covid-19 vaccines were given today and I was one of the first batch to be given the dose. Despite the hesitancy of many people because of the uncertainty on the vaccine, leaders must lead by example. We got the Sinovac and almost all of us did not have any untoward reactions. By God's grace, the vaccination will help us achieve herd immunity to help end the pandemic. 

Prayer of a Doctor who is a Patient

 Dear Lord, 

I cannot breath and I long for the breath of life from you.

My lungs are weak and failing, may you give me some strength too.

My body is sick and aching, come heal me with your hand.

My mind is confused. I'm worried, help me to understand.

I am not afraid because you have promised you will always be with me. 

I am not alone because I know I will feel your presence with me through the healthcare workers who sacrifice themselves to be instruments of healing.

My X-rays, CT scans, the lab results and the vital signs are not looking good. But my hope in you remains. There is nothing else that I can hold on to. For the facts do not count when the Great Physician is at work. 

My spirit is in crisis. But my faith is in you Lord. Thank you for the moon that reminds me that the dawn is coming. Thank you for the morning light that shines so bright. My soul praises you for I was able to experience You again intensely. Thank you for the opportunity to refocus myself back to You. I can now look beyond myself. 

God of grace. Let my experience be mine alone. Keep my loved ones and everyone else safe. Spare the weak. Protect the vulnerable. 

God of love. Thank you for showing your unconditional love to us. Thank you for your Son who showed obedience to Your will.Thank you for His life and His victory over death. We are not afraid because of His triumph. We will overcome this illness. We will overcome this pandemic. We will overcome. 

I am not alone because of family and friends who keeps me company. Thank you for technology that allows videocalls, SMS and chats. We have felt your presence, Oh God, through each others messages.

I am not afraid because you are the God in times of calmness and in times of storm. You are the same God before Covid19, in this time of Covid19 and even after Covid19 is gone. 

My mind has received the peace of God which surpasses all understanding.

My body is now rested with the Balm of Gilead we have been healed. 

My lungs are now stronger with the power and might bestowed upon us all.

I can breath now for the breath of the Almighty gives us life that is full. 

Amen.

Freedom and Social Justice

Today is June 12. We celebrate the Philippine Independence Day. The church plays a crucial role in achieving that ideals of freedom not only from colonizers but freedom from the bondage of the present social sins. The world is broken as injustice, abuse and inequalities has tainted all of us. This brokenness has enslaved our society and the church has tried to resist and free our society from these social ills. The church, led by its pastors and church workers, is still struggling for our freedom from these social ills.

One of the church workers active in the work of the church is Rev. Edgar de Jesus. He is the current President of the NAFAUM. I had a quick chat with Pastor Edgar today. He was inviting me to the upcoming Zoom Webinar on June 22 entitled "Leading the Church in the time of Pandemic." This has been a series of ongoing discussions which is a very timely topic as the world goes through a major change in its daily activities including the church. The way how church activities like mission work, outreach, conferences and the regular worship service is being affected such as the church sacraments of baptism, Holy Communion and even the rituals of wedding and burial have to be drastically change. It has create confusion, chaos, debates and unanswered questions. People can no longer have the Lord's Supper because of the quarantine. People can not gather in worship so will they be allowed to celebrate the Lord's Supper online? If gatherings are not allowed, then how can public declarations of the couple's love be done during their dream wedding. Will it be done online? Even the annual conferences, which is the major and crucial activity in the church have to be postponed. How can deliberations on church concerns be done including the reading of appointments? And this has domino effect on the length of stay of the administrative pastors and the District Superintendents and even the episcopacy. But the crucial concern is how can the church perform now its mission in the society? The forum will focus on how the pandemic affected the programs of the church in promoting social justice. Have we all just paused our work as Christians because of the health concern? Will Jesus have stopped ministering to the poor and oppressed because there was a curfew and quarantine? I am excited about this online event. This webinar will be able to provide insight and guidance to how the church will move forward in its life even as we anticipate major changes in the United Methodist Church. Pastor Edgar will moderate this event.

I met Pastor Edgar when I was in seminary. He was assigned to me as my mentor when I was an intern in Hurdle Mills United Methodist Church in North Carolina. It was one of my best time as a young Pastor. He took time to guide me on the ministry of the Pastor not only as a preacher but as a community leader. He made sure that I understood that the church is not confined in the four corners of the building and thus the work of the Pastor does not end in the worship service but includes community service. He took me to home visits as well as to community events and activities. Although I was more interested with the different Southern food recipes in every event we attended, I was slowly learning that collaborating with other faith groups and participating in the daily life of the community is part of the mission work of the church. Resisting the social ills in the community also means showing love to all people, especially those who are often neglected. Visiting the sick and bringing food to the shut-ins is not less significant to providing work opportunity to the unemployed and assisting migrants get documented. As Christians, we are called to be leaders... leading the church towards freedom.

Join the forum. Register in advance for the NAFAUM Leadership Webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/…/tZEsd--opz8vGdG1LrDf-RvvZoB9v_334…

My Birthday at the time of Corona

First thing in the morning, I did for my birthday was to give thanks to God. I always believe that birthdays are moments that needs to be celebrated. It doesn't have to be a grand celebration but should recognize the milestones it brings. We must be thankful for these milestones in our lives. I invited some of my fellow Methodists to join with me in celebrating the Lord's Supper as part of my Birthday celebration. 

I celebrated my birthday without my immediate family with me. This is not the first time that I celebrated my birthday alone. But this one is different because I am not really geographically far from them. I could choose to travel the distance. But the implimented "lockdown" does not allow any movement of people from one city to the other. Thus, I cannot go home to my family. Thanks to technology, I was able to be with them virtually as they prepared food at home to celebrate my birthday. They prepared my favorite dish spaghetti as part of the celebration. 

Back here in the hospital, I had a simple celebration with my colleagues and friends in the Department of Family and Community Medicine and the frontline responders of Southern Isabela Medical Center.

Faith Response in the Time of Covid19

I work in Southern Isabela Medical Center. I had the privelege of working with several hardworking and dedicated Methodist healthworkers. One of them is the Chief Nurse of our hospital, Ma'am Jennifer Manuel.

Mam Jen is from San Gabriel. She was raised in a United Methodist family. She started working as a nurse in the LGU hospital then moved to work with the DOH retained hospital.

When the Covid19 outbreak began, I was tasked to activate the Incident Command System of the hospital. Mam Jen is one of the key personnel that helped our hospital organize the necessary teams and units that will implement the Covid19 response of our hospital. Even though most of the people were overtaken by fear, she willingly worked. It was evident that he faith was the driving force for her to do her work. On the first week, we had to scramble and work fast to identify the physical resource we had and the complementing human resource to man the Covid19 areas.

Isolation Covid19 rooms had to be convereted from ordinary ward rooms. We also had to pull out our nurses and healthworkers then assign them to each respective isolations rooms. Mam Jen was very patient in planning and organizing the needed restructuring of our hospital services even if we had to work overtime. Her faith is obviously making her calm and composed in this time of crisis. That week, she would come early everyday and did not take any weekend off to make sure the hospital is Covid19 ready. The hospital was able to effeciently use our resources and open our services to help many PUIs and Covid19 patients.

It is very inspiring to see a fellow healthworker work passionately and becoming the hands and feet of Jesus in this world. Healing miracles still do happen. Mam Jen illustrates to us how one's chosen profession can be our ministry as a faithful child of God.

Judge and Health Advocate

I was invited by Judge Benjamin Turgano, the President of the Wesleyan University - Philippines, to give an academic lecture on HIV and AIDS as part of their 74th Anniversary Celebration.

Judge Turgano is a Pastor's Kid. I was introduced to him by my father and had that connection with him as a fellow PK. Since then, I have several opportunities to work with him in the different ministries of the church. One very important event was when he was the Central Conference lay leader and they were organizing a Quadrennial Plan for the Philippine Central conference back in 2012. I asked Judge Turgano if I can be part of that very important event in the life of the church even as an observer. He made sure I was invited as part of the health sector.

During that important planning event, we were able to outline the key health ministries that needs to be the focus of the church. We identified an interagency task force to implement a Central Conference wide health program. They asked me to spearhead that interagency group. As a young and idealistic health minister, I shared with Judge Turgano my thoughts about what the church can do to have effective and efficient in health ministries. I was inspired and challenged by his words that keeps me going even to this day. I can still hear him say to me, "what's keeping you from pursuing your proposed health ministries of the church?" I told him my worries and he said, "you got the support that you need." Indeed, since then, health ministries are always on agenda in the Central Conference matters. Judge Turgano was very supportive of the plan and he adopted and pushed for the scaling-up of the "Local Church as a Health Ministry Oupost" program.

The HIV program was one of the advocacy programs we recognized to be an important local church ministry that should be adopted by churches at that time. Immediately, Judge Turgano coordinated with different church agencies including the BCED and the BOWW to scale-up a national HIV awareness program among churches.

Several years later, Judge Turgano is still one of the church's most supportive leader in promoting church health programs especially in raising HIV awareness in the community.

The Health Minister

This new year's blog series will be about the Methodist people whom I have met every month and who have made great contributions to the church and to the society.

Early this month, I was invited to attend a planning activity of the Mary Johnston Hospital. Dr. Glenn Paraso, CEO of MJH, asked me to join this important activty.

I first met Dr. Glenn during the 2016 Central Conference in Pampanga. He had that very contagious smile and I easily felt comfortable with him. Dr. Glenn is a PK and I always had that special bond with PK because we have a common experience that only PKs understand.

Dr. Glenn is known in the civil society world as a climate health expert. His experience working with big CSOs like UN and WHO tells you the caliber of work of Dr. Glenn. But more than that, Dr. Glenn is really a health minister. His work as CEO of Mary Johnston Hospital leaves his mark as truly minister of healing.

Kadayawan sa Davao

The most fun fiesta in the country is in Davao. The month of August is the harvest season in the city and Dabawenyos give thanks to the divine for a bountiful harvest through the Kadayawan Festival. 

I was back in Davao for the Health Program review of the United Methodist Church. The United Methodist Mission Center along 104 CM Recto Ave. is a perfect place to have meetings. It is accessible and convenient. It also give a good view of the festivities in the city.

Book for meetings and conferences at the United Methodist Mission Center in Davao City. Transient stay is also available. 

Davao Life is Here

Coming home.

Came to attend the PMA National Convention but it was also a homecoming experience. 

There are new places to visit in Davao but a visitor should never miss these three things:

1. The Philippine Eagle Foundation in Malagos and visit "Pag-asa". The PEF is world renowned because of the endangered species that was succesfully conserved by the PEF. Pag-asa was the first Philippine Eagle bred in captivity. I volunteered here when I was student.

2. Torres St. Fruit Stand and get a taste of native Davao Durian. Look for the variety of "Arancillo" being the most famous local variety named after a local farmer. If the Chanee variety is available, try is too.

3. Visit the religious places and give thanks. On a Sunday, there are places of worship you can go to. The San Pedro Cathedral is in downtown Davao and there are also four United Methodist Churches in the city. The Cathedral The United Methodist Church is along CM Recto Ave at the heart of the city. 

I grew up in this church. The church is known for the warm welcome of the members. There are two services in the morning. Starts at 8:30 am and 10:30 am. 

I was surprised that some of my colleagues missed their opportunity to experience the life in Davao.

Universal Health Care

This month is crucial in a paradigm shift on the health care system of the Philippines. We dream to have healthy communities free from preventable diseases. We dream of having an accessible and affordable health care readily available for ALL. We dream of a Universal Health Care anchored on a strong Primary Health Care.

The Health Board

I traveled in the morning. I traveled at night. But the whole day was a fruitful day.

The Davao Episcopal Area was able to organize the Health Board that will over see the direction and implementation of the Health Ministry of the Church. Last September, the board elected its set of officers. We were also able to set the direction of the ministry with the identification of the priority health concerns in the area.

Freedom was remembered on the day of the declaration of the Martial Law. The DEA Health Board gave me an insight on the boundaries of freedom that we exercise. Freedom does not allow us to do what we do but rather guides us on the good that we need to do that others may benefit from.

Kadayawan sa Laity Congress

I traveled to Davao to attend the National Laity Congress. We were going to introduce to the national leaders of the different laity organizations the health ministry of the United Methodist Church - the Hulapalooza.

It was also Kadayawan Festival in Davao and so it adds up to the celebration in the area. I miss traveling to places but what I miss the most is the excitement that the destination will be a fun place for fellowship and not just any "work. " Our Christian journey in life should always like that. We must always look forward to the joy we will all have when we reach our destination. We must not only look at the destination as a place where we must arrive but a venue for celebration. 

Abundant Health. Abundant Life

Abundant Health Forum in Manila

A reflection shared during the 1st Pan-Asia Methodist Abundant Health Forum held in Manila. 

John 10:10 … “ I came that you may  have life and have it abundantly.”

I am happy to share the good news because often, I bring bad news to the patient.

I always say that, because that is true. The hospital is the darkest and the loneliest place on earth. It is a place where you can see sorrow, anxiety, distress and hopelessness. People are sick and in pain while suffering from cancer, malnourished children dying of preventable death like dehydration or dengue fever. You have stroke patients or heart attack patients in the ICU. You have surgical patient with neoplastic masses if not vehicular accidents. These are just patients, these does not include the family members who are equally worried and hopeless with the condition of their patients.

The parents may be stressed out where to get the finances necessary to pay the bills and to buy the medicines. You have relatives and friends who have lost sleep and tired because they volunteered to watch over their patients. You have loved ones who are worried about the job of their patients. Even their own jobs and business that they need to attend to that was disrupted by this illness. You have children who do not know what to do if their parents will be gone. Then you have the health workers in the facility who are so tired of their work. They not only feel tired but feel abused and unappreciated. They feel like they are overworked but underpaid. They have lost hope because they no other recourse and this is the only option left they have. All they can see probably is darkness. Just like the blind man who was standing in front of the temple. But Jesus did something unexpected. On a Sabbath Day, Jesus healed the blind man. But it did not only bring sight to the blind, it also opened the opportunity for the blind man to believe in the Son of Man and become a follower of Jesus. The blind man was offered a new lease of life… not just life but a life of abundance that only comes from Jesus. Wouldn’t that be nice? If all those who are sick, lonely, hopeless, imprisoned, living in the dark will find a life of abundance in Jesus?

I often see families referred to my service for family counseling. How can I help the parents? I see cases where the father and mother are resigned to the fact that their family is a hopeless case. Some  parents have even contemplated to end their lives because their family was going nowhere and they are dragging their kids with them. They have lost all desires to live because all they have encountered are problems, challenges and all the limitations life can throw at them. They have not seen any signs of abundant grace from God. They need a miracle. Are we expecting that the cloud will open in front of them and a bright white light will come down?

The hospital should be a place of hope because hopeless people go to that place. They need hope. Any place of healing and restoration should be a place of hope and life. Jesus is our hope. Jesus can give us life. And Christians should be able to reflect the hope and the life that comes from Christ. When we minister to the sick and the dying are we just able to address their physical ailments without restoring their mental, spiritual health? We provide holistic healing of the mind, body and spirit just like Jesus did. We offer them life, the life Christ offered. For we are instruments of Christ healing. Simple miracles can happen everyday.

I remember when I was a resident physician in Mary Johnston Hospital. Before we bring the patient to the operating room for a surgical procedure. We talk to the family and the patient and explain what will happen. This helps allay their fears and anxiety. We prepare them mentally. Not only that, together with the nurses, we pray with the patient and the family. The prayer calms their soul. They appreciate that a lot. We do that because we recognize that we are mere instruments of God’s healing ministry – the healing of the body, the mind and the soul.

Jesus promised us life and a life in abundance. That life does not only mean adding more years to it, adding more meaning to it or adding more importance to it. That life becomes abundant because Christ offers us hope, peace and joy. In our healing ministries, we open the door that is Christ for people to see the abundant life. As Christians, we are called to bring this good news that is Jesus Christ to every corners of the world. Let us be faithful in our calling, let us bring healing in this broken world. Let us continue to share the life of abundance that we all have found in Jesus Christ.

Jesus is a community medicine practitioner

If Jesus is alive today, he could have been a health worker. He would be a great community medicine practitioner.

The proceedings in the last Annual Convention of the Philippine Academic Society for Community Medicine, it was very inspiring to see snippets of Jesus and His work in the activities of the doctors and students engaging the people and the community. Different schools and universities showcased their partnership with the community in addressing their health problems towards improving the quality of life of the people. One video presentation showed how the team of doctors and interns transformed one community from a slum area into a vibrant baranggay over the years of its partnership. The work of Christ continues with the work of the community health workers. It is not because some of these institutions are Christian universities, it is simple the nature of their work as community health workers.

Helping the poor and sick, feeding the hungry, freedom for the captive and transformation of the world into a better place. Sound like very Biblical but that is precisely what these health workers are doing. I cannot wait for next years convention as they highlight the different best practices of the different institutions engaged in community work.

PASCOM Panel Discussion during the R.Fernando Memorial Lecture.

Love Month

Helping others achieve. There was never a business that talks about success by helping others succeed. It usually dog eats dog world out there. Some things are amazingly unique. Compassionate economics is real. I am only beginning to understand that business as mission is possible. I have experienced it.

This is the greatest accomplishment in the month. I helped my partners and younger sister-in-law succeed in their business. What great joy.

This is also the month that the Health Program grant was officially awarded to us.

I have come to know early that ministries require resources and funding to be sustainable. With great support from the church and the community, effective altruism will also be a reality in church health programs.

Things are going to be great. These are simple manifestations of God's promise when he said in John 10:10, "I came that they might have life and have it abundantly."

Indeed we have a God of abundance.

Jesus is going, who is arriving? By PasDoc Neki Soriano

Text: John 16:12-15

 "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

Theme: Trinity Sunday

Good morning. I am happy to share with you the good news this Sunday morning.

Katatapos lang po ng election and we have a new leader and President. Did you vote for our new president? Do you like our new leader? Aalis na si PNoy? Mas magaling ba ang papalit sa kanya? Maitutuloy ba nya ang mga pagbabago o babalik tayo sa dati at lalong masisira? Katatapos lang ng General Conference ng UMC. We have new leaders in our church as well. In other churches, they have new pastors and deaconess, because we are an itinerant church. There is a reason why we do that. Other leaders will leave and go. People tell me, our strategy is not good. Who will take charge of the position left by our previous leaders? Who will take the lead if the leaders are gone? How will the Church survive? Who will help us in times of trouble? The relationship between the leader and members will be broken. Who will pray for us if we get sick? Who will heal us if we need spiritual healing? Who will correct us? How are we going to be forgiven if we commit mistakes? How are we going to be saved from our sins? You see, the problem becomes that people have become dependent on the person who leads them. The church has become pastor-driven or leader-driven. Kung ano lang yung sinabi ng pastor o ng lay leader, yun na. Worst, they even worship the leader instead of God. Kaya kapag nawala na yung leader, wala na rin silang magawa. I tell them, you have to read the Bible and you have to understand our faith so that you will appreciate why we are an itinerant church. Why are we not scared if we have new leaders or even if people come and go?

Today is Trinity Sunday and I found it very important for us to look into this very important doctrine in our church even as we look into our church leadership concerns. Why do we celebrate Trinity Sunday? We celebrate Trinity Sunday to commemorate the reality that we believe in a Triune God, The Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit. There is only One God, but Three Persons with One essence. That is the mystery of God. It is a mystery that the human mind cannot totally comprehend. Our words will never be enough to describe this mystery about God. Some theologians have tried to explain it like the three phases of water – steam, liquid and ice but they are all water. Some theologians have tried to explain it like a guitar chord where you press different strings but get only one chord. Other theologians have tried to explain it like a soft drink, you drink in a bottle or you drink from a can but all you get is the same Coke soft drink. It will never be enough how we describe the trinity. But we must remember that there are three persons at work here = God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, even though they are three, they are of one essence for there is only one God. They are together since the beginning of time. They are equal yet they can emphasize one over the other. They work in unity. God the Father is working through the Son Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. We see this in verse 14 and 15 when Jesus said, “He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is also of the Son and this he also shares with the Holy Spirit. They are of the same essence as a Triune God.”

This is what we read this morning. Jesus was about to go back to the Father. But Jesus will not be really gone, he said, as the Holy Spirit will be with the disciples. God is still with them.

LISTEN my dear brothers and sisters. Jesus is leaving his disciples. They thought they are going to be alone by themselves. Jesus is moving out. Who will lead them now? Who will help them? Who will continue the work? This is the questions the disciples ask that we continue to ask today. But Jesus already gave his answer. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit will be with us. That is Awesome.

The good news my dear Brothers and Sisters, is that the same Holy Spirit that Jesus promised to the disciples is still here with us in the Church. The same Holy Spirit with the disciples is with us. God is with us. Even if Jesus went back to the Father, God is still with us through the Holy Spirit.

Now, what does it mean that the Holy Spirit is with us? It does not mean that everything will be perfect. It does not mean that there will not be any problems. We will experience difficulty just as the disciples did. Jesus said in verses before that they will do to you what they did to me. So the disciples will be persecuted. They will have conflicts. They will encounter problems, the same things that we may be experiencing today. But the reality that we have a triune God, the Holy Spirit is with us therefore God is still with us.

The disciples looked up to Jesus as their leader. They did only according to the teachings of Jesus. Jesus helped them when they are in trouble; remember the storm in the sea. When they have problems, they go to Jesus for troubleshooting. Remember the 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes. But when Jesus left, the disciples felt that they will not have somebody to help them and guide them. But Jesus even said that it is to their advantage that Jesus will leave because it makes room for the Spirit to fill the space.

When a leader leaves, we allow the Holy Spirit to move and use another one and fill the gathered body. A new leader filled with the Holy Spirit will be able to guide us, while the entire body will also be filled by the Holy Spirit to follow God’s direction. Ang tanong mga kapatid, are we filled by the Holy Spirit? Did you allow the Holy Spirit to guide you or you rejected it dahil natatakot kayo? Bata pa kasi ako, hindi ko kasi alam yan, hindi ko man napag aralan yan, ganito ganyan lang kasi ako. If you are led by the Holy Spirit, you can do it.

I would like to share an experience I had in one Sunday School in QC UMC. The Sunday School Teachers there were big time lay leaders and veteran teachers. But one Sunday, they were not available because all of them attended a church conference. Who will lead the Sunday School? Or cancel na lang muna? Andoon na kami lahat, but there was no Sunday School teacher. Nagtuturuan na sila kung sino ang maglead. And then, out of nowhere, a young adult guy stood up and said he felt he was led by the Holy Spirit to facilitate the Bible Study. So we started in prayer and we read the passage and we had some discussions. It was a very lively and dynamic Bible Study and we felt so blessed after that because we were led by the Holy Spirit.

Filled by the Holy Spirit. I would like to highlight THREE things what it means that the Holy Spirit is working in us.

First, the spirit of Christ is in the church, even if someone leaves, the spirit of Christ remains. This is an important understanding for us United Methodist. God is in the church. God is residing in this church. People do not own the church. Pastors do not own the church. The chairperson does not own the church. Kaya nga, even if people live, God will still be present in the church. God will use someboy else to be the instrument of the Holy Spirit. Somebody can fill up that position and the spirit will ready to fill them up. I saw that here in Spring of Life. Minsan, I was looking at the children because there were so many of them. My kids asked if Kuya Marvin will teach them. But Marvin was not available that day. I do not know if somebody else prepared a lesson for the children, so I just told my kids to go at the back of the church, get the Bible Story and wait for me. And then when I went at the back to teach them, some of the youth are already leading the kids. I think sila Yana  yun at sila Mark. Kahit wala yung assinged makapagturo ng Sunday School, somebody else will take that lead with the leading of the Holy Spirit. That is how powerful the Holy Spirit works in us.

Second, the spirit of truth resides not in a single person; it resides in the gathered body. God is everywhere but God’s presence can be truly felt in the gathering of the people. Kaya, never say that I can worship God in my room or in my car or all by myself because God is in our midst if we gather. So, please gather together as one body. Come to church or it will not be a body. Jesus said, whenever two or three is gathered in my name, I am with them. Dumarating si Hesus if we gather together. So gather as often as you can, in Bible Studies, in Fellowships, even when you are eating. Do not eat all by yourself. Call other people and then pray together. When you read the Bible, gather together. And when you gather, feel the presence of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit in your midst. Be filled by the power of the Holy Spirit. Whenever you gather together, make sure you are all filled with the Holy Spirit. Bakit? This leads us to #3..

Third, the leader of every gathered body is Jesus Christ, not the person per se. The same is true in our church bodies. Our congregation is not led by the lay leaders, the pastor, the church workers or any person per se. Jesus is the leader of the congregation. The leadership position belongs to Jesus. Say “OUR LEADER IS JESUS.” That is the reason why we United Methodist do not get weary or troubled even if we have different pastors in our church. Because we still have the same leader. That is also the reason that even if we do not like the person in the position, we remain in the church because our leader is the same. Our understanding of the Triune God, the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit guides us in how we work as a church. It is very important in our understanding that we see God as our leader and not the person in front of you. That is why, do not criticize the person, that person represents Jesus. Instead, recognize the presence of Jesus in that person. Respect that person just as you would show respect to Jesus, even if you do not like the person or disagree with his/her thoughts. We are but instruments of the Holy Spirit but remember, we will not feel the presence of Holy Spirit if we do not allow the Holy Spirit to be in us.

People come and go, but the church will go on. People taking the leadership role may change but God is still our leader. Jesus left, but the Holy Spirit led the church forward. The gathered church will go on as long as the Holy Spirit is with them. God did not leave. God is still there, still here. The same Holy Spirit that led the disciples will lead the church forward. The same Holy Spirit during the biblical times is here with us today. That is the good news my dear brothers and sisters, that the Holy Spirit is with us today. God the Father is here with us today, Jesus the Son is here with us today, the Holy Spirit is here with us today – the Triune God is here with us today. Are you willing to be filled by the Holy Spirit? Are you willing to be God’s instrument in the church? In the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen.