* Delegation #5 - Attending Churches in Manila

After their visit to Negros Occidental from Monday through Wednesday of last week, the delegates had opportunity to visit most of the churches in which we are working in the Metro Manila area.  The first was a visit on Thursday evening to Provident Christian Church in Marikina.  This is where we hold a Reformed doctrine class each week, with Rev. Kleyn leading a detailed study of the Essentials of Reformed Doctrine.

 

Provident Christian Church on Thursday Night

 

Elder Ron Brands gives greetings from Doon and the FMC

 

Fellowship and Pictures

 

 

More Chatting

 

And then ....... Rev. Kleyn ate his very first Balut!

(For the rest of us, watching it was all that we could handle.) 

On Sunday morning, the delegates attended two different churches.  While Gene & Karen Van Den Top accompanied the Smits to Maranatha PRC in Valenzuela, Ron & Sandy Brands went along with the Kleyns to Provident Christian Church.

 

Greeting each other on Sunday morning

 

The Congregation gathered for Worship

Group Picture of PCC

After the class on the Heidelberg Catechism, followed by the worship service, a delicious lunch was served.  (No Balut, though!)

 

Plenty Food for Everyone

 

A Beautiful Day to eat Outdoors

(Especially compared to the weather the delegates had left behind in the Midwest)

 

Chatting together after Lunch

The plan for Sunday afternoon involved driving to Maranatha PRC to pick up Gene and Karen Van Den Top, and then heading to the Berean PRC for their 2nd worship service (4:00 pm).

 

Outside Maranatha PRC in Valenzuela

Smits, Van Den Tops, Brands, Kleyns, Rev. Leovy & Zeny Trinidad, Elder Alvin Castillo, Deacon Johnny Madiem

 

After a brief visit at Maranatha PRC in Valenzuela, we headed to the Berean PRC in Cubao.

 

Getting ready for Worship in the Berean PRC

 

Elders Rod Bongat, Gene Van Den Top, Sonny Umali, and Bien Montoya (from Provident Christian Church)

 

 Visiting with Elder Eric Mescallado, and Rev. V. Ibe

On Monday morning, the two men attended the 7M pastors' training classes.  These are held twice each month.  This time, the pastors met in the building of the First Reformed Church of Bulacan.  Classes were from 9:30 until noon, and were followed again by a delicious spread of Filipino food.

 

Rev. Kleyn teaching Dogmatics (Eschatology)

 

Rev. Smit teaching Exegesis

 

Food and Fellowship

We appreciated very much the willingness of the men (and their wives) to undertake a lot of travel in order to meet and get to know the many saints among whom we are working.  As the work has expanded over the past few years, the visiting delegations find themselves busier in order to visit all the groups.  We trust the visit by the recent delegates helped give them a good sense of and clearer insight into the work the Lord has given us the privilege to do here in the Philippines.  Thanks, Gene & Karen and Ron & Sandy, for your presence and encouragement to us and the saints here.

 
 

* Delegation #4 - Trip to Bacolod City and Sipalay

January 20 - 22, all the men travelled south to Bacolod City and Sipalay on the island of Negros for classes in those two places.

 

 

Monday night they met with the group in Bacolod City, where  Rev. Kleyn and Rev. Smit each teach a class (Reformed Doctrines and Reformed Church Order).

 

 

 

Fellowship after the class

 

 

On Monday morning they left bright and early for the 4 hour trip south to Sipalay, where they do the classes with several pastors.

 

 A flat tire on the way added a little excitement - and delay!

 

 

The pastors in the class, along with the delegates.

 

 

Elder Brands trying to shrink to Filipino size.  :-)

 

Group picture.

 

After the classes on Tuesday they drove back to Bacolod City.  But first they stopped on the way to see Pastor Donasco's vegetable garden.  It's growing well!!

 

 

 

* Delegation #3 - Sunday, January 19 in First Reformed of Bulacan

 

On their first Sunday here the delegates were able to go with us to the First Reformed Church in Bulacan.  Rev. Kleyn preached for the two services in the morning and the men attended the consistory meeting in the afternoon.

 

Outside the church.

 

 

Preparing for the worship service.

 

 

 

Elder VandenTop and Elder Brands passing on greetings from Doon PRC and the Foreign Mission Committee.

 

 

 

 

Group picture of the whole congregation

 

Our delicious lunch

 

 

First Reformed Consistory with the delegation

 

 

Consistory meeting

 

 

Ladies having fellowship while the consistory meets.

 

 

* Delegation #2 - Friday and Saturday

We've enjoyed our time so far with the delegation and have kept them fairly busy.  Here are some pictures from their first two days, Friday and Saturday last week.

Breakfast at Kleyn's

Walking the streets in Antipolo

On Second Floor, the hill in the neighborhood that overlooks Manila

At Smits for supper and fellowship

The men attended catechism with Rev. Kleyn in Provident Church on Saturday morning.

At the market in Antipolo

Taking a trike home from the market

* Delegation #1 - They've Arrived

The 2014 delegation of the PRCA has arrived!  After close to 30 hours of traveling (from when they left their homes in Edgerton MN and Doon IA), they touched down in the Manila airport at a little after midnight on Thursday night (Friday morning).  The two missionaries met them and brought them to our home in Antipolo City.

Ron Brands, Rev. Smit, Sandy Brands, Eugene VandenTop, Karen VandenTop.

Travel weary, but still smiling!

These visitors, with Elder Eugene VandenTop representing the Doon PRC Council (the calling church for the Philippine mission field) and Elder Ron Brands representing the Foreign Mission Committee of the PRCA, will be here for just under 2 weeks.

Winding down for a little while (at 2:20 a.m., you may notice) before hitting the sack for the night.

We are thankful to have them all here.  We appreciate very much the fact that their wives could also come along.  We're also grateful for the interest in and good supervision of our work that is shown by means of their visit.

We will try to keep you posted on their activities.  Here is a list of our schedule for the next few weeks, so that you can have an idea of the churches they will visit and the work they will observe, the Lord willing.

Saturday - January 18

Catechism class in Provident Christian Church in Marikina.

Sunday, January 19

Rev. Smit preaching in a Reformed fellowship in Bacolod City.

Rev. Kleyn preaching in the First Reformed Church of Bulacan.

Monday, January 20

Lectures in a Reformed fellowship in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental.

Tuesday, January 21

Pastors’ training classes in Sipalay, southern Negros Occidental.

Thursday – January 23

Reformed Doctrine Class in Provident Christian Church in Marikina.

Saturday - January 26

Catechism class in Provident Christian Church in Marikina.  

Sunday, January 26

Rev. Smit preaching in Maranatha PRC in Valenzuela.

Rev. Kleyn preaching in Provident Christian Church in Marikina.

Afterwards, attending the 2nd worship service in the Berean PRC.

Monday – January 27

Pastors’ training classes in Manila – 7M (Metro Manila Monthly Monday Morning Ministers’ Meetings).

 

*New Years Greetings

Greetings to all our family and friends in the New Year 2014!  We are thankful for God's preservation in the past year and pray for His blessing on you all in the year to come.  May His kingdom prosper and His name be glorified.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever."