Once again, the Members Church of God International is set to give thanks to God as an entire congregation come October 5-7, 2018 for everything that has happened these past three months since its last quarterly International Thanksgiving to God in July.
One of which is the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) of Singapore’s conferment of its Gold Award to MCGI.
It is the second time that the Church has received the said recognition in light of its efforts in improving the wellbeing of the Southeast Asian country’s senior citizens.
Attending to the needs of the elderly is one of MCGI’s charitable thrusts. Thus yearly, it consistently renders services like gift-giving and visiting and entertaining elderly communities from Australia to Peru.
The last two months of the present year also saw milestones in the Church’s efforts in broadcasting God’s words and singing praises to Him.
On September 3, the Truth Channel on Digital TV celebrated its first anniversary on air. The channel broadcasts via satellite and requires no subscriptions or fees, and is carried by digital TV service providers.
“The Truth Channel produces and features shows and segments about the Bible, faith, belief and religion,” and also broadcasts its diverse programs 24/7 on its live streaming site.
Earlier in August, MCGI choristers revelled in Thanksgiving as they celebrated 10 years of the Church’s nonstop singing of praises initiative.
It began on August 10, 2008 after a Thanksgiving topic that touched singing praises to God. What ensued was an activity that took cue from what the first nation of God did in 1 Chronicles 9:33, where Israelite choir members sang unto the Lord day and night.
On August 4, the Artist Guild National General Assembly was held with the aim of gathering all the artists in the Church gifted with talents in the visual arts.
More importantly, it was to discuss how they could use their time and skills together in bettering their duties.
In the same month, MCGI donated a much-needed cafeteria for the students of the public elementary school of Calumpang, Bulacan, a province north of Manila.
The barangay or village also received an ambulance from the group who worked together with public service channel UNTV to help bring the two projects into fruition.
For the ability to continue its regular humanitarian works and more, MCGI recognizes that it could never be without the help and mercy of the Lord.
Which is why having the opportunity to do good is one of the common reasons resounding during the Church’s weekly Thanksgivings.
But then, there come special reasons to all the more thank God for.
After many years, MCGI Overall Servant Bro. Eli Soriano and Assistant to the Overall Servant Bro. Daniel Razon held live Mass Indoctrination sessions which started on July 16, 2018 at 7 pm nightly, Philippine Standard Time.
The three-week event resulted to more than 3,000 souls being baptized on the same day, August 3rd. It prompted a one-day Special International Thanksgiving on August 12th, two days after the next set of live Mass Indoctrination sessions were opened.
Bro. Eli remarked during the said Thanksgiving service that the outcome was reminiscent of the first-century Christians’ achievement written in Acts 2:41.
It was the day of the Pentecost when the Apostles were given gifts so they could speak in languages other than their own. Since a multitude of people coming from different nations were gathered in one place at the time, more were able to understand the Gospel, believe, and be baptized.
Before 2018 ends, there will be two more Thanksgiving of the Whole Nation events with the nearest one on November 30 to December 2, coinciding with Bro. Daniel’s 35th year of service to God.
Bro. Daniel recently visited the brethren in North America. The North America Convention was held in Los Angeles from September 8-9 with Bro. Daniel leading the activities, much to the delight and edification of faith of the members in the region.
Apart from weekly Thanksgiving programs, the entire congregation considers International Thanksgivings as special occasions in the Church, adhering to the admonition of St. Paul in Hebrews 10:24-25, which says:
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Written by: Rigor Arellano