Michelle Peredo: The Church Of Christ can be found all across the ecclesiastical district of Northeast California. But before this rapid growth, the Church was established 50 years ago in Sacramento, California. Let’s learn how members gathered for a special event to commemorate this milestone anniversary. Our reporter Olivia Su gives us the details.
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Olivia Su: Today’s the day, a big day. All of us here in the local congregation of Sacramento have been waiting for a special worship service commemorating the 50th anniversary of the local congregation of Sacramento. I’m so excited to see everyone here today, especially the pioneer members. Those who have been here from the very beginning, the humble beginnings of the Church Of Christ here in Sacramento, California, are fresh in the memories of early pioneers in this local congregation. For Carolyn, it has been one of the greatest blessings to witness the growth of the Church in her hometown of Sacramento.
Carolyn Shanks (Pioneer Member, Sacramento, Northeast California): The very beginning, when it first was established, I was four years old and I remember it was held in the garage of a member. So if the weather was cold, the garage was cold, and if it was hot, the garage was also hot. The milestones that I’ve held throughout my years growing up is being able to join the choir at seven years old and being one of the first choir members in the CWS as well as continuing until now. 50 years later, I am still here strong.
Olivia Su: Established on October 26, 1973. The Church in Sacramento began with just a few members, but an increase in membership steadily grew throughout the decades, with other local congregations also sprouting in the surrounding areas. In 2010, the Church Of Christ acquired a new worship building formerly owned by the Gloria Day Church and was later renovated and dedicated to God the following year. Led in a special worship service by the Executive Minister, Brother Eduardo V. Manolo. And it was a year after this chapel dedication where my family and I were invited to an event on these same grounds. That invitation changed our lives forever. It’s been over a decade since we’ve become part of this Church family. And while our spiritual roots are decades apart from the pioneering brotherhood, tonight, we’re all experiencing our historical moment that will be part of our core memories. Tonight, Sister Carolyn and I were blessed to perform in the choir for a special worship service. Members from across the ecclesiastical district of Northeast California gather to witness this sacred event officiated by Minister the Gospel Brother Edwil Zabala that was sent from the Philippines by the Executive Minister of the Church Of Christ. Brother Eduardo V. Manalo.
Brother Edwill Zabala: First of all, beloved brethren, I would like to extend to you the greetings of our Executive Minister, Brother Eduardo V. Manalo, as you commemorate the golden anniversary of your local congregation. Brethren, there are truly many reasons for us to rejoice not just tonight, but as we continue in our membership in the Church Of Christ. For the past 50 years, the members of this congregation, you have firmly believed that God’s words truly are in the Bible. You have continued to worship and offer praise to the one true Creator, our Almighty Father in Heaven and you, despite the problems, the trials and tests that you have gone through, you have continued to uphold your faith in what the Lord God can do for all of us.
Carolyn Shanks (Pioneer Member, Sacramento, Northeast California): Today I’m feeling very blessed, very happy, very ecstatic today.
Esmeralda Speakman (Pioneer Member, Sacramento, Northeast California): And we feel blessed. I feel blessed being here and I feel the Holy Spirit during the service.
Lita Castellano (Pioneer Member, Sacramento, Northeast California): It’s really very special, especially for me and my husband. It touches us so much because we waited for this day. It’s wonderful. It makes me stronger.
Dan Paul Membrere (Head Deacon, Sacramento, Northeast California): 50 years in a local congregation doesn’t happen all the time. It only happens once in a lifetime. It’s really a great blessing, something that we will remember for the rest of our lives, something that we will impart to our children to tell them how great the love is and the Church Administration to all of us.
Brother Pedro De La Cruz Jr. (Supervising MInister, Ecclesiastical District of Northeast California): It’s also very important to be remembered by the Church Administration and this kind of gathering for us to be reminded of things that we need to do as members of the Iglesia Ni Cristo as we have our journey in this world we will continue till the end. And those reminders help us a lot because we all know that there are so many things that may hinder one’s journey but with the reminders we received today, it makes us realize how important it is for us to remain strong.
Olivia Su: As you can see, the Brethren are so excited to be visited by one of the helpers of the Church Administration and to feel the love Hi can I ask you a question? How does it feel to be visited during our 50th anniversary?
Nina Apostol (Choir Member, Sacramento, Northeast California): I feel very blessed to have experienced this and even though I sat all the way in the back, it was nice to still feel the Holy Spirit all the way there.
Olivia Su: Hi Mom.
Melody Su (Deaconess, Sacramento, Northeast California): How are you sister Olivia?
Olivia Su: I’m good. How does it feel to be visited during our 50th anniversary?
Melody Su (Deaconess, Sacramento, Northeast California): It feels super fantastic. Overjoyed I couldn’t describe the joy. The Holy Spirit is in the house of worship service. This is a dream come true.
Imari Reynoso (INC Member, Stockton, Northeast California): I feel very blessed, very humbled, and grateful to be here. The key takeaway was to be spiritually mature and always striving for spiritual perfection.
Brother Edwil Zabala (Minister of The Gospel): We live in a world where the culture, even though some people say they believe in God, most of the things they’re doing, if not all of the things they’re doing, is leading people away from God and away from the grace of salvation. But the Church members, we have to always be prepared to meet the Lord Jesus Christ. And in order to be fully prepared, we have to be spiritually mature. So whatever happens around us, we have to be focused on what is most important, which is to be prepared, because we don’t know when He’s going to return.
Olivia Su: Throughout the lesson, Brother Edwil addressed the youth a lot, and I felt like it really resonated with me. I felt like he was really speaking to me as well as the other youth here, because the youth are going through a lot of temptations and we were making a lot of decisions in our lives. Through this special occasion members in Sacramento look towards the future with hope by reflecting on the many decades filled with blessings that God outpoured to His Church.
Dan Paul Membrere (Head Deacon, Sacramento, Northeast California): It’s our hope that through this, not only our faith will be strengthened, but it will also strengthen the love of the brotherhood for each one of us. It will also strengthen our hope and our desire to be one with the Church administration always and we do make this promise through the Church Administration and to God that as a local, we will do our best to be one with him all the time.
Carolyn Shanks (Pioneer Member, Sacramento, Northeast California): I’ve witnessed the growth and I’ve seen that our Almighty God does miracles and to have this occasion 50 years later, with many brethren helping us to celebrate, it’s a sight to see.
Olivia Su: Olivia Su for the Iglesia Ni Cristo News Network, Sacramento, California.
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Michelle Peredo: Well, that does it for us on INC News World. Tune in every Sunday for new episodes on INCTV and INCmedia.org, our YouTube channel and on streaming platforms. I’m Michelle Peredo. Thank you for joining us. Stay safe and we’ll see you next time. God bless.
