ICS’ Month-long Anniversary Celebration Revisited

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January 29, 2008

By Jennifer Legaspi and Michael Chad Visca

From the first to the fourth Sundays of 2008, the various ministries of ICS were each given opportunity to lead worship. The first Sunday had the Deaf Church, the Young Adults and CROSSLinC (Youth) ministries leading worship. They were followed by the Women’s and Children’s ministries on the second Sunday. The Men’s ministry took charge on the third Sunday and the ICS Pastors led the worship on the final Sunday.

Read on and re-experience the goodness and the glory of the Lord in ICS!

1st Sunday – “HAPPY NEW YEAR!”

Ecclesiastes says it all. “There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven”.

And truly, it was time for ICS to celebrate together the opening Sunday of the New Year. As one church, we lifted our voices with songs declaring the beautiful love and magnificence of God.

The service that started at 9:00 am was made sweeter for it was also the first Sunday to rejoice over God’s faithfulness to ICS for the last 31 years. The youth, young adults and deaf ministries led the first Sunday of the month-long anniversary celebration. The dances, the songs, the prayers, the offerings were all meant to glorify God for His greatness.

Our senior pastor. Rev. Jeremiah Balbuena shared a the most appropriate opening message, distilled from the third chapter of Ecclesiastes. Indeed, many may be uncertain of what 2008 would bring, but Pastor Jerry’s message reminded us that we could be assured of happiness because we know that our God is working in every moment of our lives. In fact, God makes everything beautiful in His time.

2nd Sunday – “KEEPING THE CHURCH HEALTHY”

For the second Sunday of the month-long anniversary, the Women’s Ministry, empowered by the Holy Spirit, zealously led the whole congregation in praising and worshipping God. The children’s ministries, in turn, rendered a wonderful acapella song.

Ptr. Jerry Balbuena’s son, Josiah Rei, uttered a heartfelt prayer for the opportunity to once again give back to God our tithes and offerings. A special guest and a long-time friend of some ICS members, Sis. Ruth Angeles of New Hope in Christ international Center, CA, rendered a beautiful song about how God knows His plans for us.

Rev. William “Willie” Abbott, ICS’ former youth pastor, was the featured Guest Speaker for that day. His message, “Keeping The Church Healthy”, was fitting for a church that faces another year of obeying God’s mandate to minister to a hurting world. He reminded everyone of the importance of keeping the church healthy by preserving the quality of our ministry for one another. Prayer, he said, is the all-encompassing ingredient that must be combined with various types of “therapy”: comfort, restoration, fellowship and power.

ICS, as a body, lifted Rev. Abbott and his family up in prayer, for his continued physical recovery and for his whole family as they steadfastly serve the Lord.

3rd Sunday – “BUILDING A CHURCH OF INFLUENCE”

By the third Sunday it was the Men’s turn, with their very own Bro. Ariel Rodriguez, ICS’ Board Treasurer, as their emcee.

Singing with gusto, the men of ICS took to the stage and led the congregation in jubilant worship during ICS’ third Anniversary Sunday service for 2008, in celebration of its 32nd anniversary.

The ICS Men’s Fellowship also rendered two special numbers, “God’s Man” and “Let the Flame Burn Brighter”, which expressed their desire to be what God intends for men to be and to shine for Jesus in places of darkness, respectively.

It was a proud moment for the mothers, wives, siblings and children of these men as they passionately declared their commitment to their Savior in song.

That Sunday also featured a very special guest speaker in the person of ICS’ former Senior Pastor, Rev. Abraham Visca, who is now a PGC-AG missionary to Papua New Guinea. He spoke on “Building a Church of Influence”, a message based on Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians. That Sunday’s congregation learned that God desires “not a steeple but a people”; that we must be a working church, a receptive church and an evangelistic church.

Truly a power-packed Sunday!

4th Sunday – LEADING ON IN 2008: EVERYBODY TOWARDS MISSIONS

“To God be the glory!”

This was the final song that resonated within the walls of ICS during our last Sunday of anniversary celebration. And indeed, everything that has been done for the whole month of January is all for Him Who, alone, is worthy of praises.

It was so uplifting to behold the pastoral staff of ICS on stage, leading one portion of the Sunday service after another. We all joined the songs declaring God’s greatness and faithfulness forever. In unison, we shouted out our joy for God’s having saved, healed and transformed us.

After weeks of perseverance and commitment to practices, the ICS Choir rendered wonderful song numbers led by Sis. Anne Grey. In a capella, declared who Jesus is in our lives: Lord, Saviour and Master. This was followed by a medley of songs that was a complete encouragement as it spoke about how God makes all things beautiful in His time and how we can face the future because He lives.

Sis. Sheng Felias, one of ICS family’s many talented singer-friends, came to sing two powerful song numbers. Pastor Rodel followed suit with a lively and charming little ditty of a song extolling the virtues of a heart that is willing to sing songs of praises to God, talent or no talent. Then, Ptr. Jesse sang a heart’s cry to worship God even when the feeling of worthiness simply isn’t there.

The special numbers were moving and enjoyable but an important reminder emerged - we must continue praising God even though we don’t feel like it or we think we are not talented enough. We glorify God because He is worthy.

The praise and worship songs, the special numbers, every aspect of the service culminated in the message of God, through the preaching of Pastor Jerry Balbuena. The forceful message that remained in everyone’s heart was to return back to our first love – GOD - by remembering, repenting and retracing the things we used to do for Him.

The morning ended with a fellowship lunch, compliments of the church. As a further expression of our celebration, families in ICS Mayflower, the home church, gave away grocery-filled bags to members of our area churches It was a fitting ending to a day filled with blessings and anointing!

That last Sunday was meant to be the grand finale of the month-long anniversary celebration. But in reality, it served as an admonition to all of us: to go back to the very beginning. To once again be totally in love with our God and in turn, love each other. Otherwise, we would not be able to move on.

Therefore, let us continue to have expectant hearts as we seek God’s guidance for our church. Indeed, it is time to celebrate a wonderful beginning for our time has come to shine for His glory!

Happy 32nd Anniversary ICS!

Please click on thumbnails to view photos of the event.