‘What We are Thankful For’: 2022 Year-End Special Episode (Part 1)

What We Are Thankful For 2022 Year-End Special – Part 1

Brother Michael Guerrero: Hello everyone and welcome to this special episode of INC News World. I’m Brother Michael Guerrero coming to you from the INC Media Studios in San Francisco, California. When we take a look back, it has been another eventful year. We saw the new struggles faced by humanity—war, inflation, and the progression of the pandemic. But as a society, we pressed onward. And as members of the Church Of Christ, we also experienced moments that gave us hope amidst an unstable world. Let’s take a look.

[VIDEO STARTS]

Michael Robinson: 2022. It was a year looked forward to with hope as social distancing and mask mandates of COVID-19 were lessoned making the new normal supposedly a thing of the past.

News Anchor: …of cases now of Omicron. 

Michael Robinson: Inflation, the invasion, social issues, floods, droughts, devastating storms, record-breaking heat waves, and population increase took a face of its own. And now with worsening conditions of hunger, poverty, mental health issues, and economic hardship, it would seem that what was once hoped for has now become a more grim reality than one could ever think of.  And yet it was this year that the Iglesia Ni Cristo, Church Of Christ continued to progress in all of its endeavors. Appointed by God as its leader, Brother Eduardo Manalo, the Executive Minister. The challenges of 2022 wouldn’t stop the Church’s abounding work. Whether in caring, sharing, and erecting symbols of hope throughout the globe.

Brother Glicerio Santos IV (General Auditor, Iglesia Ni Cristo): Through the leadership of our Executive Minister, Brother Eduardo V. Manalo, we have not slowed down but have accelerated when it comes to our services to God. Never came a time that we were stagnant. Instead, all the projects of the Church Of Christ intensified. 

Michael Robinson: Like the ongoing humanitarian efforts of the Church Of Christ through the Felix Y. Manalo Foundation. It was this year, through the mandate of the Executive Minister, to respond to worsening living conditions through more intense, more extensive, and more diversified assistance realized through The Care For Humanity project. In February in the Visayas Region of the Philippines, this intensified effort began to give help to those in need would begin and spread throughout. 

Recipient (Taytay, Palawan): I am very thankful because of the outreach of the Church Of Christ has come to this place. 

Michael Robinson: This intensified effort would also reach the Western Hemisphere. Addressing the economic hardship even faced by first-world countries like Canada and the United States due to the loss of livelihood and high prices for commodities common to residents through care packages and even charitable groups provided monetary donations in continuing services for their communities affected by economic hardships due to the pandemic. 

Mayra Todd (Mijjeres De Hoy Founder, Los Angeles, California): This is the first time for many years that were received our first donation. From the bottom of my heart, thank you to this cause, to this Church. 

Michael Robinson: This humanitarian work even extending its reach to places like in South America. 

Maria (Resident, Bogota, Colombia): It is something very beautiful, because in this way, you not only help us financially, but also that makes God enter the hearts of many people who need it. 

Michael Robinson: In Australia.

Linda Roberts (Lockyer Community Center): To show this outpouring of care through a religious organization, such as Church Of Christ, is so heartwarming.

Michael Robinson: In Europe.

Vittorio Trani, OFM (Catholic Priest, Rome, Italy): When there are these good deeds that are done from the heart, they are always beautiful. Thank you for your participation. Thank you to the representatives of the Iglesia Ni Cristo organization. 

Michael Robinson: And in Africa.

Darlington Nakupeta (Lilongwe City, Malawi): The Church Of Christ people not only take care of their physical needs only but also their spiritual needs. The main focus in the Church Of Christ is to reach out to the poor—those who are in need. 

Michael Robinson: And as Care For humanity served as an avenue for introducing the true faith, it was also the intensive work of propagation. Reaching more and more people throughout the world. Resulting in adding of thousands of newly baptized members from different races, ethnicities, even former preachers inspired by the truth they found.

Mary Christmas (Resident, Elizabeth, New Jersey):  The first couple of times I went in person, and honestly, by the third lesson, I could feel, I could just feel God working in me. And by lesson by lesson by lesson, surely, surely it came about, I could just feel the difference.

Michael Robinson: As a result of the intensified work of propagation especially in the islands in the Visayas region, thousands were added to the Church Of Christ. In the Ecclesiastical District of Cebu City, Cebu alone, over 3,000 were baptized from October to December.

Brother Glicerio P. Santos IV (President, Felix Y. Manalo Foundation): Church Of Christ members are always happy every time there are newly added baptized members. We truly embrace them as brothers and sisters and the whole Church celebrates this because of following the commandments of God to share the gospel. 

Michael Robinson: And because of the ongoing growth of Church Of Christ membership through the adding of congregations, there continues to be a need for suitable places to worship. And one particular work continues to go against the trend of 2022—the ongoing purchasing and building of Church edifices.

Brother Raymond Frank (Architect, Iglesia Ni Cristo United States West Office): Finding new properties, new houses of worship to purchase, renovating projects, renovating houses of worship did not stop. It even continued even during the pandemic because that is always an ongoing work of the Church; to be able to find more houses of worship to accommodate the brethren around the world.

Michael Robinson: And this year for 2022 numerous houses of worship in the Philippines alone were constructed and dedicated to God. And outside the Philippines, numerous dedications took place in California. congregations like Riverside, National City, and Fontana. And groundbreaking in Africa was the first constructed from the ground-up house of worship in Lusaka, Zambia, home to the congregation of Great North. It was dedicated to God during the Thanksgiving worship service officiated by the Executive Minister via video streaming.

Members from Great North, Lusaka, Zambia: Thank you, Brother Eduardo. We love you. 

Michael Robinson: Whether in caring for our fellowmen, more people accepting the true faith, and building of houses of worship, have not gone unnoticed by community leaders and government officials; amazed at the progressive work and unity seen inside the Church Of Christ.

David Canepa (President, Board of Supervisors of San Mateo County): This particular group has really just led in making sure that we leave no one behind. Whether it’s through faith or whether it’s through service and helping people. As a supervisor, I’m just humbled to give you this award. Again, it’s Iglesia Ni Cristo Day here in the County of San Mateo.

Brother Glicerio Santos IV (General Auditor, Iglesia Ni Cristo): The calendar of the Church has so much more activities in store for next year. There will be many more activities for the Christian Family Organizations, many more houses of worship, many more humanitarian outreach, and many more works of propagation. All the successes and victories of the Church Of Christ is only through the mercy and help of our Almighty God. It’s only right that all praise and glory are to be given to Him alone. 

[VIDEO ENDS]

Brother Michael Guerrero: Coming up on this special episode of INC News World: Just as the entire Church experienced success through the grace of God, the same was experienced by individual members. When we return we learn the stories of members who in the middle of trials, triumph with the help of God. All this when we come back, don’t go away.