The Edsa-Pasay Church of Christ has Begun in Manila
For a number of years brother and sister Rody Gumpad have discussed the need to establish a congregation in the Greater Manila area at a strategic location easy to reach. Metro Manila is populated by 12 million people while Greater Manila is almost 25 million strong, and both are constantly growing. This includes a great multitude of Christians from the provinces looking for work who are scattered all over the region. It is hard for many of them to find and reach the congregations scattered in the Greater Manila area. Rody has no desire to compete with any established faithful church but only to gather precious brethren who can hardly reach those congregations as a nucleus for a new work. In fact, he is already working in cooperation with brethren who live and preach in the Greater Manila area.
After studying the Greater Manila area and considering available transportation routes, Rody rented a function room in a place which is very accessible in Metro Manila. Here are the first announcement and reports:
EDSA-Rotonda-Pasay
CHURCH OF CHRIST
3rd Floor, 282 CYA Building,
Corner Edsa-Celle Street, EDSA EXT.-Pasay City!
It is only about 200 meters away from the bridge Stations of MRT & LRT, and about 250 meters away from the Heritage Hotel, going to the Mall of Asia (MOA)!
Lord willing, we start on January 13, 2013
8:30-9:30 A.M.- Bible Study
9:30-11:00 A.M.- Worship
PREACHER: Rody C. Gumpad
CP NO. 0916-468-3589
CYA Bldg Tel. No. 799-8365
== == == == == ==
RODY’S JAN. 13, 2013 REPORT:
Tessie and I are very happy to inform you that Our first worship service this morning here at Edsa-Pasay Church is very successful! We first expected only about 8 to 10 that will come but we have 22 attendance including a baby! Five of them are not Christians and we are so happy to see their spiritual interest! they promised to come back again on Sunday and hope we can baptize some of them! We also have a collection amounting P2,690.00! The brethren were so edified with my lesson in our Bible Study (The Old Testament) and my sermon (The New Testament). Some of them even shade of tears at the end of the Sermon because we realized how important to serve God who first loved us and will take us home in heaven someday! So, we could say that it is a very good start, very hard but challenging and we trust God that He will continue to help us look for His people in this Lost mega city!
== == == == == ==
RODY’S JAN. 20, 2013 REPORT:
Brethren, we are so very happy to inform about the new work we are starting here in Edsa-Pasay, Manila! Yesterday (January 20) was our second Sunday-worship and we thank God because we have a total 0f 37 attendance (5 of them are babies)! We also have a total collection amounting P2,922.00! Last Sunday attendance was 22 and Collection was P2,690.00. In our Bible study and in my Preaching I discussed about Matt. 7:21-23; “Why Many will not be saved?”. We have several non Christian visitors. During the Bible study, serious questions were raised and it is always good to answer those who are honestly seeking the Truth! As a result, while singing the invitation song, two of the young ladies came forward and confessed their faith in Christ! We are very happy because of their obedience but then we do not know where to baptize them? However, one of the members told us about a condominium swimming pool near to where they live! So, transaction/communication started and after confirmed we went and baptized them into Christ. Both of them (Princess and Jessica) were so very happy that they are now Christians! Both of them are in College and kindly include them in your prayers so that they will become strong Christians and good example also to others, please! Brethren, kindly continue also to include us and the work we are doing here in your prayers, please! Thank you very much!
== == == == == ==
RODY’S FEB. 7, 2013 REPORT:
Regarding the Manila work, Tessie and I were inspired and challenged to come start one at this strategic area because of the necessity! Since the work started here in the Philippines, there was no faithful Congregation that was existed in this area except one at Menlo Street in Pasay but known as Pro-Divorce, Pro-eating of Blood, and other “Pros” or unsound practices (where Jim Puterbaugh is worshiping)! To make the story short, we know that it is hard especially financially but because we are praying for a faithful congregation to be started in this area so that also those Christians from Provinces may have a place to worship, so, we came and started last month-January 13th. So far, the effort is doing well! Hope our number will continue to grow until the Congregation can afford to pay our rental each month! At present, we are lacking of $300 to $400 each month because I did not expect that the Church that supporting my radio before reduced my support from them of $200.00 because their number continue to decline and they are not getting anymore good size of their contribution they wanted! I mean we are okay of our rental until the month of May or June because I already requested my supports and used or funded the checks I issued for this purpose!
== == == == == ==
This new church is identified as the Edsa-Pasay Church of Christ. Not only is the location accessible to many Philippine brethren but also it is easily accessible to Americans visiting Manila. As his reports show, the work is off to much better start than Rody and Tessie had imagined. Visitors already are coming and are showing an interest in the gospel.
In order to visit this new congregation, or to help them in some way as they are getting started, contact Rody via email at
rodygumpad2002@yahoo.com or via cell phone 0916-468-3589 (from the U.S. dial 011-63-916-468-3589).
American preachers who have already visited and preached at the new work during February include Harry Osborne from Oklahoma City, OK and Andy Alexander from Bowling Green, KY. God willing, I will speak there ASAP.
Let us pray for this new work in a very strategic location in a nation which is experiencing a great harvest season as the gospel of Christ is proclaimed to lost souls.
In Christian love,
Ron Halbrook
To see good Bible study material, go to: