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Celebrating the Pentecost!

"It will come to pass in the last days, God says, that I will pour out a portion of my Spirit upon all flesh. Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams." Acts 2:17

Pentecost is a Greek word for "50th". It was observed in the Old Testament for the celebration of the Feast of Weeks, a celebration of the first fruits of the wheat harvest". In the Christian calendar it comes 50 days after Easter and is the day commemorated for the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the gathered disciples of Jesus. The liturgical color is red to depict the blood shed by the martyrs of the Christian church and the symbol of fire which appeared on the first Pentecost. On this occasion the church celebrates the anniversary of its birth.

ACTIVITIES IN EASTER TIDE

1) The confirmation of the new Silliman Church By Laws has been completed, by overwhelming mandate. Report of results is given by Prof. Cobbie Palm, chair of the Electoral committee, in this week's (Apr 26) Parish News.

2) Nomination forms will be sent out beginning this Sunday, April 26 for vacant positions in the different boards. Elections of new Board members will be held May 17, 2009.

3) Budget hearings: We have sent out letters to the heads of the different committees of the different boards to look at the budget performance as of this date for EY 08-09. On this basis, we could start to have an evaluation of our program work during the year. And then we could go on to propose new programs and budgets for next year.
 
The Boards of Elders, Christian Education, Deacons, are waiting for the committee proposals which they will integrate in the Board budget. The Boards and Council will then hold a retreat to finalize program and budget for EY 09-10.

4) SU is now constructing the new toilets of the church and repairing the CE building 2nd floor.

5) Rev. Bernadette Morales is arriving for a visit on April 28, to see the house where she and her family will stay (house of Rev. Edel Navarro) and to attend the NDC conference in Bayawan April 28-May 1. Our Pastors will also be attending the NDC conference. Dr. Daisy Dumalag chair of personnel committee is mobilizing CWA to prepare the house for habitation.

6) Vacation Church School will have its culminating activity tomorrow April 26, during the 9 am service at Silliman church.

7) May 10, 2009 – the Association of Christian Schools, Colleges and Universities (ACSCU) will worship with us at the 9 am service. The Manila Concert Choir has volunteered to sing the Introit, Anthem and offertory. The 4 pm afternoon worship will also be led by the Manila Concert Choir, in a worship through music service.

8) May 17, 2009 – This is Ascension Sunday. 

9) May 24, 2009 – The United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) will celebrate its 61st Founding Anniversary.

10) May 31, 2009 – Pentecost Sunday

Christian Witness Report

April 21, 2009
(University Leadership Council)

We would like to thank the University Leadership Council (ULC) as a council and as individual members, for their leadership and support of the Christian Witness of this university.

We are all participants in the holistic education of Silliman students as well as in the development of faith and values consistent with the mission history of this university and its understanding of the imperatives of faith in Jesus Christ, “the way, the truth and the life.”

There are two bodies responsible for the development of Christian faith on campus:

1) URLC: The URLC is responsible for organizing University Christian Life Emphasis Week every semester, or twice a year, in which the whole university community comprising students, faculty, staff and church participate in common worship services, Religious Convocations, Bible Studies, Galilean fellowship and other meaningful fellowship activities which demonstrate the faith of the community and encourage its members to live out their faith in the world.

This year this was done in July 13-19, 2008 on the theme “In Christ, We Can” based on Phil. 4:13 and on Feb. 1-7, 2009 on the theme “Seeking Opportunities in the Midst of Crisis” based on Eph 5:15-20 and Romans 8:22.

Apart from this, the URLC constituent groups (Divinity School, Religious Studies Program, Silliman church, Office of Student Affairs, NSTP, etc.) also conduct specific and coordinated programs for the promotion of faith, e.g., Religion classes, PEP classes, value formation classes, dormitory devotionals, college and unit devotionals and Bible studies.)

In order to address the needs of students and personnel of other faiths, a committee has been established by the URLC to initiate programs for “Dialogue of Faiths.” This committee is headed by Dr. Muriel Montenegro.

2) Silliman University Church: The church is the locus of the worship and fellowship life of the university. There are seven worshipping congregations in this university: 6:30 am SU Heights congregation; 8 am Udarbe Memory Chapel (UMC) congregation; 10 am SUC church main congregation; 4 pm SUC church afternoon congregation; 5:30 pm Youth worshippers at UMC; Chapel of the Evangel Fellowship and the Mountaintop congregation. While worshipping at different hours and locations, the congregations occasionally worship together especially during Christmas and Holy Week.

The church has a full range of programs – Christian Education, Christian Witness, Evangelism, Outreach, Stewardship, Membership, Visitation conducted by various Boards and Ministry Groups. There is an open and free (non compulsory) invitation to all members of the community to be active members of the Silliman church, to serve in various capacities, for in the church there is to be found the fellowship and nurture of Christian faith which all need.

In this regard, the University Church has just recently confirmed its By Laws. This recognizes the church’s partnership with the university in a Covenant of Shared Ministry, which considers the entire community its parish, which synchronizes membership, organization and procedures in compliance with the United Church of Christ in the Philippines. As a transient community, the church makes way for various types of participation to be made possible, while keeping its integrity as an ecclesiastical body.

Finally, the church would like to thank the university through Dr. Ben S. Malayang III, for improving the buildings and facilities of the church.

Rev. Noel C. Villalba
University Chaplain and Pastor

More

Reaching Out!
YAF 20s initiates Project Blessing

The Silliman University Church Young Adults Fellowship 20s is embarking on a project called “Project Blessing,” a fundraising campaign for the “least of our brethren.” This campaign adopts the “least coin” concept where each member drops their loose coins into their coin bank as often as they can within a month. The collected coins will be remitted every last Tuesday of the month to the organization’s treasurer for safekeeping.

To launch Project Blessing, some YAF 20’s members plan to start a feeding program for street children dubbed “Pospas Alang Sa Kabataan ug Katilingban” to be held at the space in front of the Silliman Bookstore and SU Coop every Sunday at 9:00 a.m.. This project is open to all.

YAF 20’s meets every Tuesday for Bible Study and Fellowship, 7:30 p.m. at the Catacombs.

For more details, please contact Ellen Dejaresco-Calunsag (09189087881) or Oyen Alcantara (09177060729 or 09287647001).

SU Church Youth Ministry Weekly Activities

www.youthworship (welcome, word, witness and worship)-a contemporary worship aimed at welcoming youth and students to worship God, share the word through songs, testimonies, and meditation, and to witness through prayer and loving one another in Jesus Christ. Every Sunday, 5:30 p.m., Udarbe Memory Chapel or Church Lawn.

Project Blessing-is a mission and outreach program of the youth ministry. Project Blessings envisions to provide “food for the hungry; care for the needy; and empowering the community.” It also aims to sow, equip and send. An on-going project is the feeding program coined as “Pospas Alang sa Kabataan.”  Every Sunday, 9:00 a.m., Basket Court, Brgy. Looc.

Midweek Worship Service-a worship service held every Wednesday, where students and the rest of the community of faith are invited to worship God through songs, music, testimonies and the preaching of the word. Every Wednesday, 7:00 p.m., SU Church

EAGLE HABITS-is an avenue for equipping, nurturing and inspiration for HABITS 203 facilitators and youth leaders. Every Friday, 7:00-8:00 p.m., Catacombs

Catacombs Special-is a weekly evening event of inspirational songs, music, reflections through poems or poetry reading and expression of faith experience through talents. Every Friday, 8:00-9:30 p.m., Catacombs

Youth Leadership and Coordinating Team Meeting, Every 4th Sunday of the Month

*On going activities..

Dorm-to-Dorm Campaign/Joint Devotion-is an activity aimed at reaching out and interacting with dormitory residents and campus organizations for the purpose of faith-sharing and fellowship. June 24-July 30.

HABITS 203-is a small Bible study group (between 3-7 members) aimed at developing the following habits: H-Hang out with God in Prayer; A-Accountability with each other, B-Bible study, I-Involvement with the church; T-Treasure or tithe giving; S-Service to others, specially the “needy.”

This small group shall commit to meet at least one hour every week from Mondays to Saturdays. H.A.B.I.T.S meetings during Midweek services and Sundays are discouraged.

Why 203? It is a reminder of what Jesus had promised—“for where two or three are   gathered in my Name, there I am in the midst of them (Matthew 18:20).

Primary Movers:

YAF 20’s, CYF, Jr. CYF, CYF District Conference, Pilgrim Choir, Pastor’s Kids, Eagle HABITS (HABITS 203 facilitators), Youth Leadership and Coordinating Team, Project Blessing Volunteers.

Pictorial Highlights

PROJECT BLESSING Launching: Kuya Oyen Alcantara, youth coordinator; the church youth and the young at heart.

The Negros District Conference Christian Women’s Association (NDC-CWA) will be sponsoring this activity at UCCP, Dumaguete City on September 20, 2008. The NDC-CWA and some local churches will be financing this seminar so that the registration and meals will be free and ensure that many can attend. The only requirement is that the delegates attend the whole session, 8 A.M. to 5 P.M.

For more information please contact your CWA or contact this number, 09063556110.

The Office of Alumni Affairs is requesting all Silliman alumni to please update their records. Please inform also any visiting guest alumni to do the same so that they can be kept informed of the activities of this University and other alumni affairs. The office is located at the Alumni Hall.