STCC@Candon City : Venue of Summer Block Course on Christian Doctrine

A 3-unit masteral credit at Aparri Bible Seminary shall be offerred from April 12 to 17, 2010 with Sto. Tomas Church of Christ at Candon City as the learning venue. This will be taught by a SUNBEAMer Dr. Samson B. Lubag of Oahu Christian Church, Honolulu, Hawaii.

In his promo-letter, Pastor Jun Segudo wrote, Aparri Bible Seminary has started its Master's degree program in a bid of reaching seminary alumni who need advanced degree, and are living in the STCC-Candon vicinity including preachers from Ilocos and Abra.

ABS agrees that Candon City is a strategic place and Sto. Tomas Church of Christ is willing to host and house the prospective students, but they must be responsible for their meals (P25/meal) or pay for rice equivalent. There is a non-refundable P50 registration fee, and the class is scheduled at 8:00 a.m to 5:00 p.m. on April 12-17, 2010.

This program will accommodate twelve (12) students only, with no sit-ins, to ensure quality time for the students. The deadline for registration is April 9, 2010.

Interested students may please fill-up the form. Please contact Pastor Jun or Jainee Mangma- Castillo at (0918) 331-4642.

Meanwhile, its professor Dr. Lubag sent SUNBEAM its course syllabus as follows:

CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE, By Prof. Samson Lubag, 3 units, Apr. 12-17, 2010

I. Aims of the Course:

1. This course seeks to present the major concepts, institutions, and standards of Jesus and the early church as recorded in the New Testament, especially in the light of exegetical and other recent scholarships.

2. The emphasis is not primarily on what the mass of biblical theologians have written about these, (though we shall study some of them also), but on what the New Testament (and the Old Testament roots) says about these realities.

3. This is, therefore, an analytical and descriptive course, not an experimental, speculative, or dogmatic one.

II. Classroom Procedures of the Course:

1. Class lectures will be the prime method of approach to the content of the New Testament theology.

2. Question-and-answer, and discussion of both will be used frequently, on the part of both teacher and students.

III. Assignments for the Course:

1. Each student will submit one book critique taken from the pre-listed bibliography - 20%
2. Take home Examination at the end of a unit course - 20%
3. Daily Notes to submit on final examination day - 20%
4. Class Participation which includes introductory questions - 20%
5. 10-page article on any Christian doctrine issue approve by the teacher - 20%

IV. Course Schedule:

Apr.12 a.m. , M - Introduction and Assignments
Apr. 12 p.m. M - The Doctrine of the Bible

Apr. 13 a.m., T - The Doctrine of God
Apr. 13 p.m. T - The Doctrine of Man

Apr. 14 a.m. W - The Doctrine of Sin
Apr. 14 p.m. W - The Doctrine of Christ

Apr. 15 a.m., Th - The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit
Apr. 15 p.m. Th - The Doctrine of Salvation

Apr. 16 a.m F - The Doctrine of the Kingdom of God
Apr. 16 p.m. F - The Doctrine of the Church

Apr. 17 a.m. S - Doctrine of the Last Things

Professor Lubag may teach again next year on different course. (30)

Dr. J. Falla Chairs Evaluation Committee on Search for Best Paper

This blogger (Dr. Josue S. Falla) chairs the Philippine Rice Research Institute's (PhilRice) evaluation committee on 2010 Search for Best Paper (Technology Promotion and Increasing Yield category). The Search is in line with the 23rd National Rice R & D Conference which will be held at IRRI, Los Banos, Laguna on March 3 - 5, 2010. Other members of this Committee are Dr. Sol Mina-Roguel (Dean of CLSU Graduate School), Dr. Claire Aganon (CLSU Professor), fresh from Australian study Dr. Karen Barroga (PhilRice Techno-Promo officer), and Dir. Ruben Miranda (PhilRice Deputy Director for Development).

Four papers were initially evaluated dealing with SMS (aka Text messaging) and Web-Conferencing as agri-knowledge sharing tools; use of GIS for visualizing rice technology diffusion, and an exploratory study on Digital World among rice farmers. Elimination was done last Jan. 26, 2010 at PhilRice main headquarters in Maligaya, Munoz Science City, Nueva Ecija, while the finalist-papers shall be presented at the plenary session of the Conference proper on March 3-5 in IRRI, Laguna.

As posted in the past, this blogger (Dr. Falla) is due to retire from the government service come March 31, 2010 under Executive Order 366 (Rationalization Program). This kind of special (short-term) assignment is what this blogger is looking forward to as one of his main post-retirement activities for him to be of continuous service to the industry. (30)

Kyle Chosen as MVP - Meycauayan Taekwondo Team

Kyle Falla-Taruc, Grade 1 pupil of Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) gradeschool was recently chosen as the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of Meycauayan Taekwondo Team, for having won the most number of gold medals throughout 2009 tournaments.

Above are some pictures of Kyle taken last Thursday (January 21) in one of his usual days in the campus. (Photos by Lola Rose)

CCNE : A Newly SEC-Registered Body of Christ in Central Luzon

It's CRN-Company Reg. No. is CN200919604, with Company TIN 007-539-721 as indicated in the Certificate of Incorporation signed on 18th December 2009 by Director Benito A. Cataran of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Department of Company Registration and Monitoring.

Name of Organization : Church of Christ in Nueva Ecija, Incorporated (CCNE, Inc.)

Nature : Umbrella organization of 32 local Churches of Christ in Nueva Ecija rooted from Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement, including provincial sectoral para-Church groups namely, CLEAN (Church Leaders' Association of Nueva Ecija, an aggrupation of male Church leaders), the SPKKNE-Kababaihan (Christian Women's group in the province), and the SPKKNE-Kabataan (Samahan ng Kabataang Kristiano sa Nueva Ecija).

Reasons for Being : Better coordination, meeting the legal requirements including licencing of pastors to officiate wedding and similar civil and cultural institutions, and building-up the Body of Christ in general. It also aimed at preserving New Testament Christianity and the Church established on the day of Pentecost in 33 AD (Acts 2).

Current Officers and Incorporators : Bro. Arnold Juliano of Maligaya Church of Christ, and the current CLEAN officers and Board members.

Governance : Local autonomy of the 32 local Churches; Decentralized.

Office Address: Munoz Church of Christ Pastoral, J. Damian St., Science City of Munoz 3119 Nueva Ecija, Philippines

Introducing the PHMech

Only God can change the direction! Thus said BPRE Deputy Director Dr. Rosendo Rapusas, of the organizational transformation currently going on in this Postharvest bureau, during the closing ceremonies of BPRE Operational Planning Workshop held in Veniz Hotel, Baguio City on January 19-22, 2010. The change is the result of Executive Order 366 otherwise known as Rationalization Program.

NEW NAME : From Bureau of Postharvest Research and Extension (BPRE) to Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHMech)

NEW STRUCTURE : From top/middle-heavy (ala equilateral triangle) to flat (isosceles) structure. Six Departments were abolished, retaining 11 Divisions (from the original over 20). Over 30 posts were declared redundant, thereby saving millions of pesos for MOE annually.

OTHER SIGNIFICANT CHANGES : Center Director and Asst. Director directly supervise 11 divisions which are clustered into R&D, Extension, and Administration, each overseered by 3 Director I (who are co-terminus in status). These 3 Director I are lodged at the Office of the Director.

PLACEMENT STATUS: The 11 Division Chiefs/posts (4 support units, 7 technical units) are filled (through matching and promotion)by all (but 3) doctoral degree holders (wow, something PHMech can be proud of). The Asst. Director post which is a political appointee shall be filled (on acting capacity) by one of the 3 remaining Director I.

TIMELINE: Full implementation of the new rationalized organization is March 31, 2010. Rationalized officers and employees may still report to PHMech even after March 31 until they fully received all their incentives and separation benefits.(30)

Christian Youth Fellowship @ STCC Selects Officers

The Christian Youth Fellowship (CYF) of the Sto. Tomas Church of Christ (with Sunday Celebration at CLSU Interfaith Chapel) formally organized their group in a bid to give more glory to God, and to strengthen their role in developing moral and spiritual beings of the youth.

In a fellowship on January 10, 2010 at the pastoral of STCC in Sto. Tomas, over 20 youth convened and elected their officers as follows: President - Bryan Salazar; Vice-President - Roselle Baluran; Secretary - Anna Patricia Baluran; Treasurer - Haylie Marie Dumayag; Auditor - Edward Flores; PRO -Monica Ruba; Business Manager - Gladys Ruba; Sgt.-at-Arms - Janine Roque; Muse & Escort - Monica Ruba & Sherwin Agustin; Advisers (appointed tentatively until the CYF select for themselves their advisers) - Bros. Migs Nad, Mario Salazar and Rod Nonog.

STCC-CYF hold their weekly fellowship at Sto. Tomas pastoral every Sunday, 4 PM through the guidance of Bro. Migs Nad, Jr. (Minister) and Sis. Rose Falla (Deaconess). (30)

Philippine Postharvest Agency Metamorphoses Anew

From an Institute through a Bureau, and now a Center. . .

In its 32 years of existence, now is the 2nd time that the country's postharvest government agency change name.

Since its birth in 1978 under Marcos regime up to 1986, it was called NAPHIRE, the National Post Harvest Institute for Research and Extension, then as a subsidiary of NFA (National Food Authority), with corporate status.

In 1986 when Cory Aquino rose to power, NAPHIRE became an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture through Administrative Order 116. Eventually, it was transformed into a bureau through Executive Order 494 wearing the name Bureau of Postharvest Research and Extension (BPRE).

This year 2010 still under President Arroyo, BPRE becomes Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization with acronym PHMech (pronounced as PHMek). It was not a mere change in nomenclature, but a new scope-function is added - the mechanization.

Briefly, this is how this organization metamorphosed which some 30 posts (of officers and employees) were abolished. They will bid farewell sometime in the first half of 2010. And in preparation for this change, a planning-workshop shall be conducted anew on January 19-22 in Baguio City. (JSF Blogs)

STCC Officers for 2010

Sto. Tomas Church of Christ

Pastoral Address: 54 Sto. Tomas, San Jose City 3121 Nueva Ecija

Sunday Celebration, 8 AM @ Central Luzon State University (CLSU)

CLSU Campus, Munoz Science City 3120, Nueva Ecija

Church Leaders for 2010

Elders: Bro. Rodrigo Nonog (also Treasurer) and Bro. Josue S. Falla, Ph.D

Deacons: Bros. Rudy Torres, Ramon Caibio, Rico Sagun and Mario Salazar

Deaconesses: Siss. Rose Falla, Sonia Nonog, Rosie Torres, Andrea Caibio,

Norma Sagun and Imelda Salazar

Praise & Worship Team Leader : Sis. Gigi Caibio

Youth Leaders: Bros. Bryan Salazar and Edward Flores

Minister: Bro. Miguel Nad, Jr.

These leaders volunteer themselves to lead the flocks in this local congregation at least for the year 2010. They were dedicated to the service on January 10, and presented to the body thereafter. (30)

STCC Celebrates 9th Founding Anniversary

3 January 2010 @ Central Luzon State University Interfaith Chapel, Munoz Science City (Nueva Ecija) -

They start the New Year right by celebrating the 9th founding anniversary of the local Church of Christ in this area. Yes, the CoC at Sto. Tomas is now 9 years; it was founded as one of the 100 churches planted 9 years back in observance of the centennial of the Churches of Christ/Christian Churches in the Philippines rooted from the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement. This year's celebration is made-up in 2-fold : special Sunday worship service, and merienda fellowship as captured in the photos above. In his anniversary message, Bro. Migs Nad, Jr. underscored what US president Lincoln (? am not certain if it was he who said that ;-)) said as applied to the Church, "ask not what the Church can do for you, but what you can do for the Church".

Meanwhile, the merienda was prepared by deaconess Sis. Norma Sagun with food donation from Bro. Mario and Sis. Imelda Salazar, with over 50 adults and children enjoying the famous Philippine noodles called pancit.

During this anniversary, some important prayer items were identified like more blessings for 2010, re-dedication of Church officers for 2010, construction of chapel in the neighboring village of Caanawan, and couples fellowship in Valentines month, among many others. Inter-fellowships with other locales were likewise considered in 2010 plans and programs. (Elder JSF blogs)

New Year's Eve @ Sto. Tomas (SJC, Nueva Ecija)

It used to be a day-long New Year's celebration for our family here in Nueva Ecija with all the funfares. But this time, it's a simple dining with family members, as many of the rest of the clan are staying abroad. Two brothers are in Canada together with their families and many others are either in America or somewhere else.

It's good that during lunch time, sister Eva with husband Conrad, Moppet and boyfriend Patrick, and the 3 grandsons of the Arellanos joined us in celebrating the New Year. They came from the neighboring town of Talavera.

This new year eve's observance has to contend with many absentees. Another reason for the simplicity of the eve was the fact that ours have no enough children as before. They were all grown-ups. The lone child in the night was Josh Benjamin Falla (right photo) who monopolized the gift-giving which was used to be the highlight of the celebration.

Regardless, it was still another year of blessings and we ought to thank the good Lord for everything. As ever, praying that God may continue His love upon everybody, while glorifying Him for what He is. Happy New Year, folks! (JSF Blogs)