HISTORY OF THE FILIPINO UNITED COMMUNITY CHURCH
UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST 2008

Today we are celebrating our 22nd Church Anniversary, Happy 22nd anniversary brothers, sisters & friends in Christ. Each year is a year of praise & worship to Him who deserved all Glory & Honor, a reason for this memorable celebration.

I have witnessed God’s faithfulness through spiritual, numerical, and financial growth of our church; in spite of trials, problems, conflicts, and criticisms that we have gone through.  I thank God for all of you, members and officers, who stood up and remained faithful that we came this far. And let us always remember how it all began.

The formation of the Filipino United Community church could be ascribed as a group of men and women who were members of different church denominations in the Philippines. While we attended different churches here in Winnipeg, we felt that we should form a church of our own.

In 1982, The First Filipino Christian Church was organized with the support of the United Board for Homeland Ministries, United Church of Christ through the North Dakota Conference, now the Northern Plains Conference, North Dakota, U.S.A. We met at Salem Congregation Church, but years later due to different denominational background, almost half of the members of the First Filipino Christian Church decided to form our own congregation. We held our worship services at homes and different churches.  Through consistent prayers and strong faith, the Lord answered our prayers.  God sent Pastor Erasto Arenas from San Bruno California.  On June 8, 1986 at Crescent Park, in St Vital, Winnipeg, Manitoba, the first fellowship was held.  And the Filipino United Community Church was formally organized.  During the period of organizing, Rev. Marwood Retig, “Conference Minister of North Dakota” came to meet with the group.  He challenged everyone to continue on praying, be united and trust that the Lord is on our side.  With the first offering of $146.00, the group prayed and in hopes that we will have a place we could call our own. Because of its growing membership, the group decided to rent a room at the Union Center on Portage Avenue Winnipeg, Manitoba to hold its worship services.  Then the Lord answered our prayers, to have a permanent home.  The remaining members of the FFCC decided to leave the Salem Church Building due to financial reason. The Filipino United Community church decided to move back to Salem Reformed Church. On September 1986, the North Dakota Conference offered us to purchase the Salem Church Building at 235 Andrews St. The Building was bought for $55,000.00 US, with the help of Homeland Ministry. With God’s grace “The Buong Makakaya Campaign” was organized through the support of many families, the church was paid off in only a few years.

Years have past; God blessed the church with many pastors and workers to lead the congregation to a stronger faith in the Lord.  Our interim pastors namely:  Pastor Rolando Lazaro, Rev. Pastor Jose Ormeo, The late Rev. Pastor David Alvarez, and Rev. Pastor Abel Amago.  Also our sponsored pastors namely: Rev. Pastor Socrates Herrera, Rev. Pastor Cipriano Pasoquen, and our present pastor Rev. Pastor Eduardo Capillar, who came on July 17, 1999, with his family.

The Church continued to grow.  We saw the need for a bigger place of worship and to hold Sunday Schools, DVBS, and other fellowships.  After having the building as our church and home for 10 years and 6 months, again we came together in prayer for God to provide us with a bigger building.  We sold the church at 235 at Andrews St. for $84,000.00 and purchase 1039 Pritchard Ave. church building for $179,000.00 on July 1997.  “Project Temple Campaign” was launched to finance the mortgage. Through church funds, some major renovations and improvements of the church building were made. 

On June 2001, the 38th Annual Meeting of the Northern Plains Conference was hosted for the first time by our Church.  Thanks to God for the “Kapit Kamay in Faith” theme was a success. Our church has blessed many for our unity, hospitality, and friendliness.

And really God is so good to us, as of May 28, 2005 our $120,000.00 remaining balance mortgage was paid off. Let’s thank Him for His never ending faithfulness that we reach this far. But we will not stop here; it’s just a start of a more challenging mission that God is showing us. Let us continue to move forward with vision and wider mission with the help of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, for without Him we can do nothing. And with God all things are possible.

We also want to remember those brothers and sisters who helped us through during the times that we have no pastor namely: Bro Ato Gonzales, pulpit supply licensed by the Northern Plains Conference, Elders Mariano Soriano and Manuel Ramos, Bro. Resty Atanacio and Sis. Arceli Sarte.  We would like to recognize the help provided by Rev. Dr. Noriel Capulong(praise God for his life that he surpassed the bypass operation) with his wife Rebecca. 

We recognized the services of the following church workers who served as Moderators of the Church namely:  Agripina Garcia(one of our deaconesses), Renato Gonzales(with other church), Josefina David(Pastoral Committee and Evangelism & Mission Chairman), Editha Camandandag(now stationed in BC), Carmen Laurel(General Fund Treasurer and member of deacon), Marina Atanaci(C.E. Chairman), Adriana Genido(Bldg Fund treasurer, Vice chairman of E &M and CE officer) & Arceli Sarte(now in the Philippines for a call to mission), at present with our License Ministers Joe Pelayo and Glen Saria, Our Authorized Lay Worship Leaders namely: Brothers Resty Atanacio & Elmo Rivero. Our group bands and worship teams are truly a blessing to us, namely Zimri, Mizpah, Alpha, New band, Jacobs Well, juniors, Teens and youth.
I would like to congratulate current and past officers of various organizations for their contributions to various church activities.

We also want to recognize Emie Lasala who served as  Choir Director for a period of one year. Khel De Castro as our first youth worker 2004-2006, Jean Cuanan as our volunteer choir director for 8 months who led our Easter Cantata last April 14, 2006. Jean Padrinao our present choir director came to help our music ministry since September 2006. I also want to remember our outreach mission in Selkirk, Manitoba for two months year 2005.

We have also witnessed growing numbers of members from the Provincial Nominees from the Philippines who are now part of the different ministries, namely Music ministry, Sunday School teachers and became parts of the C.E. organizations: Partners for Christ, Seniors, YAYM, etc. etc.

I would like to thank those visitors or tourists from the Philippines who are always with us with our Sunday worship.

We are truly blessed with many dedicated workers who became members of our council & organizations together with our conference minister Rev. Dr. Wade Schemmel who is always there to encourage, share his faith, and talents to meet our needs towards our goals and to carry our God’s work in the ministry that made us growing in numbers and in faith. 

We want to appreciate Rev. Pastor Capillar’s service to God and to this Church. Thanks be to God with the able support from former ALWL JP and GS, now  licensed ministers who had just graduated, where they received their certificates  from North Plains Conference congratulations, until such time our new Pastor Angelito Rodriguez  will be in service by 01 July 2008. With our support, I believe we will still grow in numbers. Council and Organizations, thanks also for the support (the tithes and offerings we are giving to our Church).

Today, let us join hearts in celebrating our 22nd Church Anniversary. Let us give God our praise and worship for HIS faithfulness, never ending love, and continuous blessings to us.  For being with us yesterday, today and the years to come.  Let us all continue to work together in faith for the glory of HIS name.

Let us meet this afternoon for a get together at the Little Mountain Park, we will celebrate with our Sports fest, wear our t-shirts with the assigned colors.