“What an Affirming Christian Church should be”

Binhi sang Pagtuo

July 26, 2010

Dear Centralians and Friends,

Greetings from the campus!

Yesterday, the University Church of Central Philippine University celebrated its 97th Foundation year. The theme that was expounded by the speaker, Rev. Joniel Howard H. Gico was “Knowing, Growing, Loving, and Serving.”*

We also praise God for the just concluded Christ Emphasis Week Celebration. The numbers of those who made decisions to accept Jesus Christ are the following: College 983, Elementary 117, High School 400+.

For our reflection this week, let me share with you a poem written (Dec. 20, 2004) by Dr. Henry Florida Funtecha entitled “What an Affirming Christian Church should be.” This poem appeared in the UC Newsletter “Church Alive” last July 25, 2010.

“We want a church that welcomes people

Whatever their beliefs are, even if they belong to other religious persuasions.

We desire a church that makes one feel at home

Whatever his/her socio-economic status in life is.

We admire a church that welcomes people wherever they may be in their faith journey

Believer or agnostic, conventional Christian or questioning skeptic.

We prefer a church that is open to the ideas and experiences

that people attending its services can bring.

We love a church that reflects God’s own love for humanity.

We believe that, as a church, the way members treat one another

is more important than the doctrines they hold.

We think that it is vital to take seriously the intellectual problems

which many people have with Christianity,

and encourage ways of understanding religion which feeds the mind as well as the soul.

We submit that a church must be concerned with injustice and suffering,

and see itself as a community helping to build a better world,

bring hope to those whom Jesus called the least of His brothers and sisters.

We recognize that some of the people’s ignorance far outweighs their understanding,

and that the church should give as much value to their asking questions as in finding answers.

We affirm that, as members of a Christian church, faith entails costly discipleship

and conscientious resistance to all sorts of evil.

We trust that God in His infinite love and wisdom will always give a helping hand

to an affirming church, and in the end, His kingdom will reign supreme in this world.”

May God bless us!

Sincerely,

Pastor Francis Neil G. Jalando-on

Assistant Chaplain

*The UC pastors are: Rev. Dr. Nathaniel Fabula (Senior Pastor), Rev. Roger Quimpo (Outreach Pastor), Rev. Cris Amorsolo Sian (Youth Pastor), and Pastor Ruth Lunasco (Christian Education Director).