Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) Continues String of Chapel Dedications and Neighborhood Appreciation Days
AUG 10, 2018 (OXNARD, Calif.) – A rising 23 percent of people skip regular religious services because they haven’t found a house of worship they like or one in their area, according to a recent Pew Research Study. While chapels are closing and church-going audiences are shifting in America, there is a constant thread found amongst the growing membership in the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) all over the world – faith in the same Bible-based teachings taught in the Church.
Its steady membership growth is a primary reason that on Sunday, Aug 12 at 11AM, the INC will dedicate a recently renovated 250-seater worship building on 1277 East Collins during a special worship service led by the Church’s Executive Minister, Brother Eduardo V. Manalo.
The renovated property is home to a congregation that started Nov. 2, 1972 and has since grown to servicing dozens of families across Ventura County. The Oxnard chapel dedication comes just two weeks after the INC dedicated a newly built worship building on a 3-acre property in Ewa Beach, Hawaii. Renovations on the Oxnard worship building began in April of 2017 to accommodate the growing congregation of residents from across the county and to match the beauty of the surrounding city.
A majority of the renovations were done by volunteer members of the Church from Oxnard and from the surrounding INC congregations in Southwest California. Voluntary contributions from members all over the world allow for the building and renovation of INC edifices like this one in Oxnard, that has elements unique to the local culture while also sharing design elements seen in INC chapels globally.
In 2018 alone, the INC dedicated 99 houses of worship and properties worldwide, with an average of three worship buildings a week being built. Additional chapels are currently under construction or renovation to meet the needs of it fast-growing membership worldwide.
“The congregation has been established for 45 years now, but we know there is still so much more that this worship building can provide for families in the neighborhood,” said Eduardo G. Javier, District Minister of the 31 congregations in Southwest California.
“To strengthen the bonds between the Church, the community and God is one of our greatest responsibilities as followers of Christ, which is why we invite everyone to also return on August 25 for the Neighborhood Appreciation Day,” he continued. On that day, the Church will be providing FREE health services and medical screenings, new and gently-used clothing, school supplies and care packages with basic necessities.
Around the world, the leadership of the INC Executive Minister Brother Eduardo V. Manalo has inspired ongoing Neighborhood Appreciation Days to welcome members of the neighboring communities to the services of the Church Of Christ. Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC or Church Of Christ) No. 1 Central Avenue, Quezon City, Philippines PIO@iglesianicristo.net
Spearheaded by the INC Giving Project, the socio-civic arm of the Church Of Christ, and part of the INC’s 50th Anniversary of its establishment in the West, the community event will be open for its neighbors who’ve witnessed the transformation of the building.
WHEN: Sunday, August 12
EVENT: 11AM – Chapel Dedication Worship Service
WHERE: 1277 East Collins St., Oxnard, California
WHEN: Saturday, August 25
EVENT: 11AM – 3PM – Neighborhood Appreciation Day
WHERE: 1277 East Collins St., Oxnard, California
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About the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) or Church Of Christ
The Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) or Church Of Christ is a global Christian Church that upholds Bible-based Christian teachings. It maintains 7,000 local congregations and missions in 143 countries and territories and its membership consists of 133 ethnic groups and nationalities.
The INC continues to fulfill its pledge of sharing the gospel and extending help, to the best of its ability, to strengthen the bond between the congregations of the Church Of Christ and the communities in which they serve – through aid and services, promoting education, socio-economic well-being, environmental awareness and health improvement. This is done with the help of local governments and community establishments, through the Aid For Humanity Program of the Felix Y. Manalo (FYM) Foundation and also the worldwide volunteer force of the INC Giving Project.
Photos Courtesy of Iglesia Ni Cristo Public Information Office Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC or Church Of Christ) No. 1 Central Avenue, Quezon City, Philippines PIO@iglesianicristo.net
