Church dedicates 69 new houses of worship

me:in a year only 52 weeks, 69 - mahigit pa per week, it only shows
ang gawain ng iglesia sa tulong ng Diyos

Published in Pasugo, Jan 2006

THERE’S NO STOPPING the Lord’s work.
Despite the country’s reeling economy and tougher times lurking ahead for most of the world, the Iglesia ni Cristo presses on with its multifaceted endeavors with even more fervor and blessings of success in the year that was.

The year 2005 saw the birth of 16 new local congregations (roughly equivalent to Catholic parishes) and 24 extensions and group worship services with the baptism of several thousands of people of different races and cultures in the various ecclesiastical districts all over the world. Alongside this steady growth of membership is the rise of new ministers who would help the Church Administration in carrying on with the Lord’s work of propagation – 70 new ministers were ordained on May 5 this year, anteceded by the graduation of 331 ministerial students from the College of Evangelical Ministry on April 8.

The triumphs of the Church in these fields are even more indubitably expressed by the rise of resplendent houses of worship that serve as veritable landmarks in practically all places where the Church has set foot and established a local congregation.

Last year, the Church constructed and dedicated to God a total of 69 new houses of worship, of which one of the biggest is that of the local congregation of Syquia in Metro Manila South. It was dedicated to God in a special worship service at which the Deputy Executive Minister, Brother Eduardo V. Manalo, officiated on December 2. One of the oldest local congregations of the Chuch, Syquia is happy to have its new house of prayer, which can seat 800 worshipers.

The following ecclesiastical districts also dedicated new houses of worship: Abra (Lagangilang, July 27); Albay (Bacacay, October 15); Aurora (Maria Aurora, May 27);

Bataan (Camacho, March 26; Sabang, June 24); Batangas (Puting Bato,September 24; Nasugbu, October 8); Bukidnon (Lantapan, March 22); Bulacan (Libtong, November 25);

Cagayan West (Namuac, July 9); Camarines Souteast (Nabua, March 26); Camarines Soutwest (Upper Sta. Cruz, April 9); Capiz(Dulangan, October 14); Cavite (Binakayan, May 14); Cebu North (Tuburan, May 27); Cotabato South (Malapatan, April 15).

Davao del Norte (Pantukan, April 8); Davao del Sur (New Argao, September 9); Davao West (Ecoland, May 15).
Ilocos Norte (Bulangon, February 26); Ilocos Sur (Ambucao, September 24); Iloilo North (San Rafael, February 8); Iloilo South (Mansaya, July 22); Isabela South (Salinungan East, October 15; Laoag, December 23); Isabela West (Lanting, August 6);

Laguna(Sto. Tomas, June 17); Leyte East (Alang Alang, October 14); La Union (Inabaan, November 26).

Maguindanao (Parang, August 20); Marinduque (Caganhao, March 26); Metro Manila North (Tangos, June 25); Mindoro Occidental (Toong, July 9); Mindoro Oriental (Roxas, May 27); Misamis Occidental (Maular, May 31); Misamis Oriental (Tagoloan, May 27);

Negros del Norte (Old Escalante, September 17); Negros Occidental (Valladolid, March 26); Negros Oriental (Valencia, September 30); Nueva Ecija East (Macapsing, October 29); Nueva Ecija North (Talugtog, February 5; Ilog Baliwag, November 26); Nueva Ecija South (Isla, February 12; Aduas, June 25).

Pampanga (Sta. Barbara, Lubao, Novemer 5; Cutud, November 12); Pangasinan East (Sison, June 24); Pangasinan West (Agno, October 29).

Quezon East (Tagkawayan, September 10; Camohaguin, December 16); Quezon North (Tignoan, December 9); Quezon South (Tinuk-an, August 26); Quezon West (Dolores, November 19); Quirino (Gabriela, May 28).

Sorsogon (Juban, March 19); Surigao Central (Aras-asan, December 6); Surigao del Norte (Del Rosario, July 15); Surigao del Sur (Barobo, April 8);

Tarlac (Mapaco, July 20; Dapdap Bamban, December 16); Zambales North (Pagatpat, July 9); Zambales South (Panan, June 18); and Zamboanga Central (Siay, March 18).

The local congregation of South San Diego in the ecclesiastical district of Southern California likewise dedicated to God its new house of worship on November 19, 2005. The local congregations of Phoenix in Arizona (February 26), Virginia Beach (April 12) in Virginia and St. Petersburg (September 10) in Florida, as well as Urdaneta in Pangasinan, Philippines (December 10) underwent a complete makeover of their houses of worship.

Also in 2005, the Church completed two housing projects for its ministers, evangelical workers, and Central Office volunteer workers on F. Manalo, San Juan, Metro Mania (in May) and in New Era, Quezon City (in November), respectively.