Peace to everyone through our Lord JESUS CHRIST!

Today is the first day of June… wow, time really flies!  I am so thankful and grateful that His grace has been sustaining and guiding aLife all along the way!  We have seen how GOD has been restoring His people and bringing new people as well.  We also see how GOD has been opening new doors of opportunities especially in partnering with missions and evangelism — locally and globally!

I’m glad that we had our mid-year planning retreat.  For the leaders, thank you so much again for participating, stepping up, and engaging yourselves to help move forward aLife to its new vision:  “Christ-transformed lives.”

I.  aLife anniversary

Since aLife is turning six years old this coming June 27 (last Sunday of the month), after much prayers, I would like to propose this theme for our anniversary:

aLife:  Committing to TransforMissional lives!

It is based on our new vision and new mission put together:

aLife commitment  =  the Great Commandment (transform)  +  the Great Commission (Mission)

Entering and experiencing the Great Commandment (Transformation) goes together with expressing and engaging the Great Commission (Mission).  You can’t have one without the other.  And aLife would like to make both as its Great Commitment … thus,  “Committing to TransforMissional lives!”   (Don’t worry, I actually found a book that even mentioned the word “transformissional”.)

According to some articles that I’ve read recently, they are convinced that we are now living in the post-modern culture which has been fueled by significant changes in technology, from modern science to computers to the internet and beyond.  That these technological changes have led to even bigger changes of globalism, which has led to the pluralism of cultures and faith.  Yet within our own culture the change has also been driven by materialism and consumerism, leaving a lot of people stressed and unfulfilled.  In addition, our current culture is also facing so many breakdowns in the family values and leaving many people lonely.  This, in turn, has led many to redefine their cultural values and reshaping worldview, while leaving them more unsure and confused.

If I may say, “Committing to TransforMissional lives” is just going back to the basics of the GOSPEL of our LORD Jesus Christ!  Simply to emphasize the development of an authentic Christian living.

TransforMissional means that we see aLife not as the Kingdom of GOD by itself, but GOD’s agent in the world.  It’s a paradigm shift, from taking people from the world and put them in the church, into engaging the church in the world to represent the Kingdom of GOD and His desire to reconcile the world to Himself.  In short, a TransforMissional approach to evangelism encourages people to belong to a community of faith before they believe and then to come to faith as they experience GOD through authentic relationships in the lives of that community of believers.  Actually, this is what we’ve been doing and we see the wonderful results!

II. Eldership and Deacon/Deaconess

As part of our planning retreat, we also agreed to put forward elders and deaconess in the leadership.  We would like some elders to be part of the Governing Board.  As a reminder, all positions will be interim as we transition to election towards the end of this year in implementing the new By Laws of CMA.   As of this date, I would like to thank some you for submitting some names that we can put as elders and deacon/deaconess.  This we will confirm this coming Board Meeting, June 4, Friday.  We understand that everyone is working in progress and we rely on GOD’s grace and Holy Spirit.

III. Pledge Drive

As a reminder to all our M heads, we need to submit and finalize our respective budget for the next six months.  Joemar will need all our inputs so he can strategize again our “pledge drive.”  By seeing our plans and goals will help inspire our people to support it sacrificially.  (Meantime, I’m not sure when the best time to present it— maybe during our anniversary is?)

IV. New Building

The latest is that we have submitted everything to the City and Fire Dept about two weeks ago already.  I heard that even the owner is helping to expedite the release of the permit.  Please continue to pray for it. To be safe, we may need to extend again another month in Sandra J. Gallardo elementary school.  Also, the new chairs have been delivered and are now being kept in the new building.

V. Trip to South Korea

As most of you know, I have requested the Board to allow me to take a trip to South Korea to spend a time of prayer and fasting this June.  Rest assured that all your names  and aLife will be lifted up in this new-generation “Mt. Sinai.”

By His grace, we have already planned our own “speakers” while I am away to continue the preaching on our “Peacemaking Series”.  I am so excited that the good LORD has been developing our own preaching team.

I am now just waiting for the final ticket.  My plan is to fly sometime next week and will return on the week prior our anniversary.

VI.  Communicate Communicate Communicate

Let this be also a start of our communication process.  To avoid misunderstanding and conflict, I would like to encourage everyone to keep on communicating with one another, to touch base with one another, and to check on with one another.

VII.  Relationship Relationship Relationship

FYI, I am so glad that the good LORD has been breaking down the “barriers” so that we can restore again our relationships within us and with others.  I pray that you will continue to join me in reaching out and building relationships with everyone!  Mind you, this is part of being TtransforMissional!”

Thanks you so much again for everyone’s love, support and dedication to GOD and to aLife!  I cannot thank you enough for all the encouragements and inspirations you are ALL to me and to my family!

Take care and GOD bless

-p.a.

In less than ten days, 2009 is over! It’s the end of the year. The first decade of 21st century is coming to an end. There is this verse in the Scriptures that says: “The end of a matter is better than its beginning…” –Ecclesiastes 7:8

Sometimes you wonder, how an end becomes better than its beginning!? Well, many that I can think of. If coming from a very long trip, you know that at the end of a trip is much better than the beginning. It always feels so good to come back home and know that all the travelling hours are behind us. Imagine a ship with all its cargo coming from a far, the captain knew just what storms they weathered in the trip. Sometimes I hear stories from seamen where they were in the middle of nowhere spending nights without ever seeing the stars and even days without the sun. After being away for a long period of time, for them the end of the voyage is clearly better than the beginning.
Or, we can think of a soldier, going off to war. Is not the end of a duty better than the beginning for him? How he longs to complete his tour and be safely home!

One thing is for sure; the year 2009 is becoming part of history. Another life year is quickly passing by which means we have one year less to live! This year, perhaps you are mindful of opportunities that you have missed, mistakes that you have made, or even regrets that are hunting you. How you wish to go back in time! But it is not
wise to wish to go back in time. Be like that ship’s captain for a moment. Would you really like to relive the storms of 2009? Maybe you have undergone some physical storms, while others emotional storms, would you really like to relive the pains. For some, maybe the struggles were spiritual. Think of the arrows that the enemy has slung
at your faith this year are gone! They can never be used against you. To be sure, he will sling more, but you have outlasted them. Would you really like to go back and struggle with those temptations again? 2009 is going to an end and as a result you are older and maybe wiser for having lived through it. The book of James says it better, “My
brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” –James 1:2-3

Think of Jesus. Throughout His human life He was rejected and abused and finally killed, yet now He is glorified in Heaven. The same thing waits for us. The apostle Paul reasons with the Romans and says, “Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him.” Endure tough times – hang on to your faith, because we will also be glorified in the end.The end is better than the beginning because now you can choose to end those crippling hang-ups, bad habits and wrong attitude in your life. Let me share you a story I heard of the little bird. He had his wing
over his eye and he was crying. The owl said to the bird, “You are crying.” “Yes,” said the little bird, and he pulled his wing away from his eye. “Oh, I see,” said the owl. “You’re crying because the big bird hurt your eye.” And the little bird said, “No, I’m not crying because the big bird pecked my eye. I’m crying because I let him.” We can choose to end a life of being a victim… both from our own doing and from the negative influence of others.

For me, GOD has used this year’s many events, opportunities, experiences and even my own failures to help me grow. I hope the same is true for many. It is not what happens that determines the major part of our future. Whatever happens… happens to us all. It is what you do about what happens that counts. Here’s the truth: we are freed from our past! And the best part, the end is better than its beginning because we truly can start all over again! A new beginning is coming very soon to give us a fresh start again. The key is not to bring the pains, faults and failures from the past… but to bring the new lessons learned, the new wisdom acquired, and the new hope built into the coming new year!Lastly, here’s another thought — you cannot end what you have never begin! Maybe there are wonderful plans and dreams that you have put off for a long time now. You cannot end what you do not begin. As we face the beginning of a new year, why not make a new beginning in your life…

Merry CHRISTmas and a Happy New Year!

Get aLife,
-p.a. <><

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