Despite the Pandemic
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An Executive News Presentation
Reporter 1: A patient’s arrival…
Reporter 2: Australia has become the latest continent to confirm a case…
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In association with Christian Era Broadcasting Service International, Inc.
Reporter 3: Tens of thousands were infected… death tolls still rising
Reporter 4: Another 30,000 people have lost their jobs tonight.
Reporter 5: The closures are hitting nearly every aspect of life..
Reporter 5: Thousands laid-off, stores shut down and all of this is having an impact on our global economy.
Reporter 6: ..and there’s the underlying stress providing a living wage for long-time staff.
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Bro. David Foldi
Melbourne, Australia
Brother David Foldi: The galvanizing crisis left me no time to prepare for any financial situation. In fact, we lost sales, we had sales canceled. Which made [the] income that I thought I had coming in, had actually stopped.
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Sis. Marda Debnam
North Carolina, USA
Sister Marda Debname: I did have to take a cut and pay and my hours were cut due to the quarantine and the lockdown.
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Sis. Natalie Flitzpatrick
British Columbia, Canada
Sister Natalie Flitzpatrick: I remember my boss called me one morning saying “Hey, don’t come-in to the office today”
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Sis. Samantha Demillo
Sydney, Australia
Sister Samantha Demilio: I received a text from my practice manager that they couldn’t provide me with work anymore.
Sister Natalie: The first thing that I thought was “What are we going to do? Am I going to still have a job at the end of the day? Am I going to be able to afford to pay for my rent? Will I have a place to live?”
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Sis. Geraldine Doe
Athens, Greece
Sister Geraldine Doe: There is no income but lots of bills to pay. It’s saddening but we need to stay positive.
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Despite the Pandemic
Brother David: Prior to the current quarantine/lockdown, I’ve run several businesses. I was a plumber, a hotel manager. Then, I ran several businesses for myself as well as the people, and did some property development.
Sister Natalie: I live in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada and I work as a graphic designer.
Sister Geraldine: I work in my own business, a [beauty] parlor Shop.
Sister Samantha: I’m in my final year of university, and I also work as a dental assistant and a receptionist at a dental clinic.
Sister Marda: I was working from 9 am to 6 pm and it was in an office with about 20 people. Anything that needs to be moved, any type of freight, that’s what I do—I’m in logistics.
Sister Geraldine: When the COVID-19 pandemic began, a lockdown was implemented. All shops were required to close down.
Brother David: The first thing that crossed my mind when the current quarantine/lockdown was enforced was extreme sadness for those who were sick and for those who would die. And secondly, “How was I going to get my family through this?”. And I just hope that for the last ten years, I have prepared enough that we would get through these hard times.
Sister Geraldine: Of course for myself, I was sad. Because, before the lockdown, our income was stable—paying bills like rent, (house rent, rent for the shop), electricity weren’t a problem.
Sister Samantha: I had a feeling that our clinic would close down especially with the amount of patients [who] started to cancel their appointments because they were scared that they might contract the virus.
Sister Natalie: Once of the things my boss asked me the first day that I came in after finding out that it had reached British Columbia was “Are you afraid?”
If I was meant to keep my job, God [would make] that His will and He allowed me to keep my job. If I had lost my job, also God’s will—whatever His plan may be. I don’t have full control over the things of this world or anything that may affect me. So, I think the best mindset to keep is a positive one.
Sister Marda: I just got to pray because I know that if I pray—whatever situation I’m in—God is going to help calm me and He is going to give me the answers that I need.
Sister Geraldine: My membership inside the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) is a huge help to me and is very important for me—especially, now that we are in the middle of a pandemic.
Sister Marda: I’ve been in the situation where I’ve been laid-off from work but then, God has provided for me all these years. As long as I do what He expects for me to do—He’s going to make a way.
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In line with the community quarantine guidelines implemented around the world, Church Of Christ members continue to hold worship services in their respective homes.
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May 10, 2020
Worship Service
Through videoconferencing
Brother Eduardo V. Manalo: We are God’s people. We are His chosen ones and belong to Him. The Bible says that God’s true chosen ones obey only Him. We should obey God’s will that we receive.
Brethren, what does God seek from us? God wants to see us holy and without blame. Have you noticed our campaign in the Church—to uphold the intensive renewal of life? We didn’t invent that. That is God’s teaching that we should obey. God really expects His true chosen ones to be holy and without blame in His sight.
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Sister Marda: I joined the church when I was a college student. And when I went to the first Bible exposition, I was completely blown away—I just loved the way the ministers answer from the Bible. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that this church is true and I wanted to be a member.
My relationship with God has been important to me from the day I was baptized or even started listening to the Bible study lessons. And how I safeguard that or how I try to nurture my relationship with God, it’s like the video streaming that we just had yesterday where Brother Eduardo V. Manalo is saying that we should live to please God.
And you know like everyone else, I’m not perfect but that is my goal in life. That is my motto. Being 57 years old, you could imagine—I’ve had a lot of experiences. And a lot of them have not been pleasant but God has always been there. There is a little saying “I know where my help comes from.” My help comes from God. So, why would I want to mess that up? God—He’s my provider. So, I don’t want to mess up that relationship.
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Brother Eduardo V. Manalo: The apostles said that God has chosen us to tell people how great He is. We need to make all people know: How they can be saved.
What Church is recorded in the Bible as the one that was redeemed by Christ? The Church Of Christ. So, people should realize the significance of the Church Of Christ. People who are in the Church Of Christ are the ones whom Christ redeemed. They are the ones who are certain of salvation.
Brethren, may our works of propagation keep on going so many more people will be called into the true religion and come to know the truth that will lead them to salvation. Remember: That is our duty as Church Of Christ members for us to prove to God that we truly are the ones whom He has chosen and called to be included in His true nation.
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During this time, many Church Of Christ members have also been using videoconferencing technology to continue in sharing their faith.
Sister Marda: I’d invite my family and friends, sent the links when we get them on Bible studies, On-Air, Online evangelical missions. I want them to be saved.
Sister Natalie: We’re all very grateful for this opportunity to share our faith with our friends and family who might now more than ever be seeking for answers—looking for God—when they might not have been before.
Sister Marda: I love being a member of the Church. I mean, I love performing my duties. That works what helps keep me grounded and it keeps me busy.
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Brother Eduardo V. Manalo: We should hold on to all the teachings of God that His Messenger taught us because those are truths. We should have the determination to obey them. We should never separate from God’s teachings that the Messenger taught us.
Although the one who administers the Church may be succeeded by another, God’s teachings taught by the Messenger remain. We never separate from them. That’s why the Bible tells us that we must stand firm in God’s truths that we received.
Brethren, when do we receive the truth or God’s words in which we should stand firm with determination, and firmly hold on to? During our worship services, that’s why we do not stop holding our worship services. Even if there’s a lockdown, what do we do? We have this mode of meeting together for worship. Why? Because it’s very important that we receive God’s words that are taught to us in the worship service.
Brethren, whatever happens, let us not stop worshiping God. I thank God because that’s what we are able to fulfill.
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Bro. Rodel Palma
Heathrow, UK
Brother Rodel Palma: When it broke the news that all of England will be on a lockdown, my family was affected. I told my children that their time is difficult and challenging. There is no one that they can pray to aside from God, the Father who is in heaven. So that’s what we’re doing. We continually worship God even in our own house, asking for God’s help and mercy so that we’ll be able to overcome what’s happening here on earth.
Sister Geraldine: I attend the worship services that we conduct in our households where we listen to God’s words. As a member of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ), this is what keeps me going.
Sister Marda: People who know me, know my routine. They know the day of my worship service, they know the time of my worship service. But I think it is shocking in a pleasant way how much we value our worship services. We dedicate ourselves to our worship services because this is our duty. So, I’m very thankful because I could not imagine not having a worship service.
I have no idea what this world is going to be like with this pandemic or COVID-19. The world as we know it will never be the same.
Brother David: At the moment we are surrounded by uncertainty—and which causes massive anxiety for some people—being able to focus on worship and Bible study and gives us absolute certainty about the future.
Sister Natalie: You know, no matter what happens in this world, I know for sure the one thing, the only thing that I hope to keep is my membership inside the Church Of Christ.
Sister Marda: I don’t wake up every morning scared to death of what’s gonna happen. I try to protect myself from this pandemic and I pray to God about it. And, whatever happens is going to happen.
And you know, if I lose my life to this pandemic or whatever the case may be, I know that Judgement day is going to come and as long as I continue to do what I have to do, I’m hopeful that on Judgement day I’ll be saved.
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Brother Eduardo V. Manalo: We should consider as a great blessing not only that we’re Church Of Christ members but also we are able to worship God. For when we are heavily burdened, when tribulations come to our lives, when we feel disheartened, when we are hard-pressed, when we are beset with heavy problems, during our worship services, God uplifts us. During our worship services, we experience His help. During our worship services, we feel God’s power.
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© Executive News 2020
