Recommended Service Providers List

The new 2020 Recommended Service Providers list is available upon request. Please call Helga at the church office if you would like one. You can leave your name on the answering machine, should nobody be at the office when you call.

Beautiful Footnotes

Philippine Mission Report

Richard Emerado

A new report from our missionaries in the Philippines, the Emperados, is shared here in part to help us understand some of the things they are coping with there during this pandemic. Continue to pray for the Emperados and the church and people of the Philippines. For the elders, Ken D

We would have to find a new purpose in this topsy-turvy world, and it did not take long! The majority of Filipinos live hand to mouth, the money they make working that day, buys their food for the day. People on lockdown, having to stay in their homes, have no way to go to work, have no money to buy foods. The government tried in the beginning to help by giving out some funds, some small amounts of rice, canned goods, & packs of ramen noodles. The average adult male here eats 1 kilo or 2.2 pounds of rice or corn grits a day. Government help did not last very long. Thankfully brethren in the mountains have a little rice or corn grits stored up & grow some vegetables, but they have no access to meat. They need money to buy meat, which they didn’t have. We had pigs we were growing for church plantings, classes, & special events. I was able to talk to the Barangay officials in Dumaguete and get a special minister’s pass to be able to travel to different towns in our province, Negros Oriental, to visit church members, carry pigs to be butchered and distributed free pork meat to our church members, and those in need. New ministry work created…help feeding our hungry church members & others.

In April, we spent a week butchering 9 big pigs in different locations in the mountains where there was great need among church members, and down near our place by the sea in Ayungon. We lost count of all the kilos given away, but nothing was wasted, except the squeal! We helped several 100 families. I was thankful we had extra funds to hire brethren to help butcher & distribute the pork meat, and cover the cost of the pigs, so we can replace them for future needs. It felt so good to be able to go out, visit church members, check up on folks, help feed & encourage people. The brethren, widows, & orphans & others we helped were so happy! We have butchered more pigs in May and helped more brethren as well. Thanks, Richard Emperado