BAKERSFIELD, California (Eagle News) – In the Central Valley of California, also known as the “Salad Bowl of America” because of its high agricultural yields, Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church of Christ) Executive Minister Brother Eduardo V. Manalo dedicated the house of worship of the Local Congregation of Bakersfield on Saturday, February 20.
During the worship service, the Executive Minister reminded members of the Church to be mindful of true and fake members among them, and to stand firm in their faith amidst the negativity from the expelled members of the Church.
Brother Eduardo also mentioned how the expansion of chapels, since during the time of the construction of the Philippine Arena until now, was further proof of God’s grace and blessing upon the Church of Christ.
Since the groundbreaking of the Philippine Arena on August 17, 2011 up to now, more than a thousand buildings of worship of the INC had been constructed. Every year, the construction of INC chapels had even intensified, with the number of INC chapels and buildings put up increasing yearly.
Brother Eduardo’s sermon was translated into both English and Spanish as there is a high concentration of Spanish-speakers in this southern California region.
Bakersfield chapel, first of five INC chapels to be dedicated in North America
The Bakersfield house of worship was the first of five houses of worship in North America which between February and March of 2016 will be dedicated by the Executive Minister. The 200-capacity edifice became a new home for members of the Church of Christ who, before this, had to rent space in nearby halls to worship twice a week. And even before that, they would travel to other INC congregations in nearby Delano, California and others outside Kern County.
The next stop on the Pastoral Visit of the Executive Minister will be in Lubbock, Texas where he will dedicate the 300-seater house of worship.
INC brethren hold “One with EVM” placards, show support for Church Administration
Immediately after the worship service, the brethren waited excitedly and patiently as Brother Eduardo worked his way through the massive crowd taking the time to greet and speak with INC members. The INC members held up signs in support of the Executive Minister.
The signs read “SoCal [Southern California] is One with EVM”, “We love you po Ka Eduardo!” and “Thank you GOD for Brother Eduardo’s Visit!”
They were very happy and excited, waving white flaglets with the thumbmark symbol that signified unity with the INC Executive Minister.
In support of the special occasion, INC members also posted messages of gratitude on social media.
Brother Patrick Arlega Torres posted “It warms my heart to see all this love…You can’t deny the faith, love and unity within the Church of Christ.”
Some traveled from as far as the state of Nevada to witness the event, like the Bundanlian family of Henderson, Nevada.
“As a family, we would like to thank Brother Eduardo for coming here to dedicate this place of worship to God and for strengthening our faith,” the Henderson family said.
From nearby Fresno, California, Juan and Blanca Quinteros stated “We wanted to be close to our Administration because they’re close to us.”
The brethren also had streamers, and tarpaulins where “We are one with EVM” can be read.
But as the crowds surrounded the Executive Minister to greet him outside the newly dedicated INC Bakersfield chapel, a small chartered plane flew above with a banner trailing behind.
From a distance, the sign carried by the plane was hardly visible.
Some of the INC members, who glanced up, said the plane appeared very small in the distance, and the signage hardly readable. It appeared more like a blurry ribbon as the plane flew past. The naked eye could hardly read what it carried.
And it turned out the chartered plane was hired by expelled INC members to try to distract the INC members who attended the Bakersfield chapel dedication.
A “fly” in the sky
“No one even noticed it. What a waste of their funds. It shows that they don’t have enough people to carry their weak signs so they hired someone to write it in the sky,” stated Liza Peterson of Pasadena, California.
Her son, Adam Peterson also thought “that was a pathetic attempt at attention – showing how desperate they are.”
Some even noted how the small chartered plane, and that because of the distance, it appeared more like the size of a housefly or “langaw” in Tagalog.
Social media announcements made the night before the event by expelled INC members claimed the act would be the “surprise of their lives”, referring to the reaction of the members of the Church of Christ that would be attending the Pastoral Visit.
The INC members proved nothing can distract them from their faith and love for the Church and the one elected to lead them in the Church of Christ – the INC Executive Minister Brother Eduardo V. Manalo.
And on that fateful day, the INC brethren came out as one, solid in their faith in God, united in their love for the Church, and solidly supporting the INC Church Administration