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San Fernando Christian Community, also popularly known as the Champions Center, is currently undergoing an expansion of its grounds.  This is  to make room for the increasing number of attendees who come during the various services scattered throughout the week.  Aside from the services, another well-attended activity is the fellowship with one another. This is usually held at the courtyard. 

After the services, members and guests get to know more about one another and simply talk. This is  the time where people share with each other how God has been victoriously moving in their lives.  The center is considered as everyone’s second home.  Everyone is well-accommodated, accepted, and loved. It is a comfortable atmosphere that is safe, positive, and encouraging.  It truly is a body where Christ is the head. 

It takes 40 of these to fill a square meter.

Roseann Gallardo donated one square meter and has this to say:  “This is my home. I’m so blessed to see what  God  has done for me through SFCC.  God moved me to donate.  He wants me  to be a part of the fulfillment of His purpose. I just willingly obeyed. Imagine how happy the church would be if the courtyard expansion is finished. I can’t wait to see kids running. I can’t wait to see people having fellowship everywhere. They would come early and stay late because they feel safe and comfortable. There is no other place like SFCC.  This is a family.  We invest now for the generations to come.” 

Kristine Balcita quickly set aside a part of her allowance for a square meter of bricks.  She shares: “Ang nag-inspire sa akin to give is love. I love the house! I love SFCC!  SFCC is my family, SFCC is where I live. Joining sa “team of givers” gives me another great privilege and an awesome experience of God’s love and blessing. I love the joy na naramdaman  sa pagbibigay. I’m so excited seeing the expansion ng courtyard, na makikita ko ang people enjoying the fellowship hours using the expansion ng courtyard, and seeing them get blessed and feel loved.   “

Step by step, bit by bit, stone by stone, brick by brick.

Looking good. Let’s help build it!

Saturday, 02 November 2013
Soaking Night 

Every first Saturday of every month is Soaking Night—a night we dedicate to praising and communing with the Father.  It is a night packed with singing worship songs and just focusing on God’s goodness and majesty.  When we worship, we become aware of God’s presence.  All focus on our problems, on our excess baggage, and on ourselves just melt away.  It was a meaningful and eventful night.  So many first-timers responded to the altar call and readily accepted Christ in their hearts.  Luke 15:7 states that  “there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”

Truly, it was a night of great rejoicing. 

Sun., Oct. 27, 2013
4 p.m. 

It was a momentous occasion.  Excitement was in the air.  Everyone was in their Sunday best.  The participants of the Pre-encounter, Encounter, and Post-encounter were about to be given recognition for successfully finishing their respective sessions.  It was an authentic celebration, with the Post-encounter graduates wearing togas and diplomas being awarded to the graduates.  Certificates for excellence were also awarded to those who finished the course with flying colors.  But  the awards, the frills, and the fanfare—those were not as important as the outcome that was achieved through the PEPSOL sessions.  What was really celebrated was the breakthroughs, the brokenness, the changed lives.  John Mark Gallano and Emiric Lubian, both abandoned by their fathers, stood up and boldly shared their testimonies about how they were able to release forgiveness to their fathers.  The shackles have been broken.  Now they are free to bring their relationship with Jesus to newer heights.  

Congratulations, graduates!  On to the next level! 

Fri. & Sat., October 25-26, 2013

The Encounter Retreat is a weekend set aside with an intentional purpose to encounter Jesus. At this retreat, we learn how to deal with the things that are hindering us from growing in our spiritual faith. Unresolved issues, unforgiveness, unreleased pain and anger—all of these were surrendered at the cross.  Now, the chains of bondage have been broken.  Lives are radically changed.  There is new-found freedom to worship and to enjoy a deeper, more intimate relationship with the Father.  Lives will now be lived to the fullest.  God’s benefits will now be fully enjoyed. There is now greater revelation of God’s purpose for each life.  His grace and all His blessings will now be freely accessed.  

Armie Rose Casison, a college student at DMMMSU-MLUC has this to say—“I am now free like an eagle! No hurt feelings. I have been saved by the love of God.  I am forgiven!”

Anelia Apilado, a working mom, adds, “I love the encounter! The experience was so amazing! God really broke my hardened heart.  On to the Post-encounter!”  

Praise & Worship His greatness. He is worthy to be exalted. 

Armed and dangerous—the Encounter participants display their Bibles, notebooks, and pens

Tim and Bambi Warden discuss about raising a “Happy Family”, where all needs are met. 

 Releasing inner hurts, unforgiveness,  and unresolved issues

 Breakout sessions

 Participants do  their daily S.O.A.P. (Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer)— their personal time with God. 

 Tim Warden speaks about “A Father’s Love” —how limitless and boundless it is. The limitation is actually on us.  The question is: How much love can you receive from Him?

The Encounter God Retreat participants, volunteers, facilitators, speakers, and workers. TO GOD BE THE GLORY! 

Who says that learning is confined within the four walls of a classroom? As long as we are still living, the process of learning does not stop.  Every believer is a leader. But gaining a position in the hierarchy does not make one ‘self-made’.  The question is: Now that you are a leader, how will you  obtain what you are required to pass along? The Latin expression, “Nemo dat quod non habet,” which simply means, “We cannot give what we do not have” rings true. Being a leader is not just relying on what you already know. A leader needs to be one step ahead of his members in any area.  A leader must constantly equip and arm himself and not just gear up when the battle is already at hand.  
We are happy to announce that our budding leaders have successfully completed the Pre-encounter and Post-encounter Sessions last Sunday, 20 October 2013.  The Post-encounter students underwent a final exam.  All of them stepped up to the challenge.  This weekend, the 27th of October at 4pm, the willing and teachable learners will be given recognition in a graduation ceremony.  Celebrate every victory as we move from one level of glory to the next.  Good job, Champions! Thank God for He sustains us! 

God is bringing the church to a new level and preparations are being made—not just in the spiritual but in the physical as well.  The building of the McDonald’s playground has resumed and the layout of the grounds is being tweaked and altered.  Your help is always welcome. Should you happen to pass by or if you think of dropping by, let us know.  Remember, teamwork makes the dream work! 

Another power-packed weekend filled with exciting, life-changing activities and sermon spices that drove home the teaching points of last weekend’s teaching, “Almost Too Good to Be True: A New Nature”. Like Lazarus, we were dead because of our sins, but God made us alive with Christ.  We shred our grave clothes and Jesus put on us new clothes.  We have a new nature. Focus on and live it out! 

Watch the video: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10202136588354383

05 October 2013 (Saturday) 

Soaking Night happens every first Saturday of every month at 6 to 8 p.m.  It is a night of pure praise and worship.  

 Worship turns our hearts away from ourselves toward Him.  When we behold only Him, our perspective changes. It is a night where we focus only on God and His absolute Majesty.  Something in us changes. We are cleansed and refreshed  as we  focus our eyes on Him.   
Jessica Bautista, a 1st time attender, was greatly moved by the presence of God during worship.  “Gumaan yung pakiramdam ko. Napasigaw at napakanta na rin ako.”  In the morning, she attended the Extreme Saturday Jam Youth Service.  She narrated that her siblings noticed a very distinct change in her when she got home.  Even she was surprised that there was a radical change in her.  She is convinced that she has found something precious, something that she will treasure forever.  Janeil Quiloy, another first time attender, says, “Tumibay yung faith ko.” She is grateful to be invited and to be a part of such a joyous and life-changing event.  Indeed, when we worship God, we express our love for Him and acknowledge and submit to His authority.  It is what breaks down the walls of doubt and confuses the enemy.  It is proclaiming victory which has already been won by Christ on the cross. That is more than enough reason to celebrate! 

“42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2: 42-47)

The cell group is modeled after the Biblical pattern of small groups found in Acts 2:42-47.

Just as the biological cell is the building block of life, spiritual cell groups is the main vehicle to build relationships in a church.  Believers lift each other up and increase the harvest by sharing their testimonies with unbelievers.  As the cell leaders take care of and train their flock, new leaders are produced who will in turn go out and  head their own cell group.  This way, the number grows and expands, reaching out to those who badly need to hear that they are loved.  

The need to gather in small care groups is to add a more personal touch.  In cell/care groups, there is support, encouragement, and hands-on training for ministry.  Relationships are built and provide a homey, comfortable place for new believers who are feeling their way through this new life with Jesus.  It gives them more freedom to be themselves, ask questions, tell their personal stories, share accountability, and ask for personal prayers. It provides a stable, intimate family environment.  

Gem Sibayan-Lee, a mother of three, dropped  by a certain beauty parlor where a cell group was ongoing.  She got curious and inquired about it while she was waiting for a pedicure.  She was having an intense domestic problem at that time.    It is without question that she got invited to join the cell group by divine appointment.  Prior to being in a care group, she was mainly focused on her problem.  She was relying on the advise of her friends without filtering which advice would really be helpful.  As she regularly attended her cell group, she learned to open up and share about her situation.  She stopped feeling alone and now relied on Godly-advice and the prayers of her leader and co-members.  “Akala ko noong una, ang cell group, about praying lang at baka nakakahiyang magsabi ng problema.  Yun pala, through the cell group, gumagaan yung feeling ko lalo na pag nakakapag-share ako about what’s deep inside me”, shares Gem.  “Now, I really know how to overcome problems. I just run to my leaders and ask for advice and prayers. More importantly, I run to God.  Naging alert ako pag may ‘mind monsters’. Di na din ako nagwo-worry dahil I know na nandiyan si God.”   
As she continued to keep her focus on God, God moved in her life.  The kinks in her family life have gradually been ironed out.  Now a cell group leader herself, Gem stresses the importance of having a care group.  “Dito mo mae-experience na mas magiging deeper and relationship mo kay God. At mapapalibutan ka pa ng Godly leaders and co-members na magiging friends mo na rin.   Walang mahirap basta you are trusting and obeying God.” 

A portrait of a happy family.  Aside from prioritizing her first ministry which is her family, Gem continues to serve God by leading her  own care group.