A Welcome Message To My Christian Brother, TONY ALAGAO! ~ Dory and I have been inviting our long time Christian brother, Tony Alagao, to visit our church, International Bible Baptist Church of Riverside (IBBC-Riverside). And last Sunday he came to our afternoon Worship Service.
Unfortunately I was not there, for a nasty old bug - coughing, runny nose, and achy breaky body feeling - forced me to stay home. Some things we do not want to share with our brethren at church. But I did watch the service live on Facebook and was very happy when I saw Tony sitting with Dory.
About 20 years ago, Tony and his late wife, Myra, arrived at the Fil-Am Church of Corona (now CICF) about the same time as Dory and me. The church fellowship was beginning to grow and Pastor Ed Dacio asked Tony, Ferdy Cancino, and me to be the first Elder Board. As Elders we also taught Sunday School classes, and as I recall we started with the book of Acts, which is a great place for a new, growing fellowship to begin.
At the time we arrived at the Fil-Am Church of Corona, there was no Bible study. So I suggested Dory and I start one in our home - and with the help of Tony's wife, Myra, and Pastor Ed's wife, Cory, we started a Bible study. After a while it outgrew our home - so we moved it to Tony and Myra's home in Corona. And in a few years, we had outgrown their home and divided into four separate Bible study groups.
It makes my heart sing when I can once again worship and study God's Word with old and dear Christian friends. It is never my intention to steal believers from other churches. But if anyone is feeling homesick for a Filipino-flavored Christian fellowship - regardless of your nationality - I want to tell you about IBBC-Riverside.
Recently Tony and Linda Andaya, also long time brethren, joined our IBBC-Riverside family - and last Sunday seeing Tony Alagao there was another blessing to me. As a Christian believer, all believers worldwide are my brothers and sisters in Christ. But we also have a close local Christian fellowship family. I was saved at the Filipino-American Church of Irvine (FACI) in 1987 and have always been very comfortable in a Pinoy flavored church fellowship.
I suppose I am very comfortable in a Filipino fellowship because the Filipino culture is so similar to that of my Southern heritage. In our Southern culture, family is very important - the same is true of the Filipino culture. In our Southern culture, you WILL be offered food and a warm welcome when visiting a home - the same is true of a Filipino home.
Years ago I adapted the following wording written byPastor Vicente "Vince" Arnaldo of the Filipino-American Church of Irvine and used it in church flyers for several different Fil-Am churches:
So, regardless of your national heritage, in a Filipino-American Christian fellowship - "It will be like coming home!"
One thing I have long believed and stressed is: We do not grow our church fellowship at the expense of other Christian fellowships. I will invite all people to visit our church - but I will not invite you to leave your home church to join ours.
On the other hand, if you do not currently have a church home - or if you are feeling a bit homesick, we would love to have you visit our local Christian family. Maybe you are feeling a wee bit homesick for that "Bayanihan" feeling of home. You are welcomed to sample the hospitality in our home.
Let me invite you to visit us in worship any Sunday. You will find us at:
If you are in the area on any Sunday, come join us for fellowship and worship. The invitation is open and perpetually standing.
And in closing, once again: WELCOME TONY ALAGAO! I pray you will continue to worship with us.
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
Unfortunately I was not there, for a nasty old bug - coughing, runny nose, and achy breaky body feeling - forced me to stay home. Some things we do not want to share with our brethren at church. But I did watch the service live on Facebook and was very happy when I saw Tony sitting with Dory.
About 20 years ago, Tony and his late wife, Myra, arrived at the Fil-Am Church of Corona (now CICF) about the same time as Dory and me. The church fellowship was beginning to grow and Pastor Ed Dacio asked Tony, Ferdy Cancino, and me to be the first Elder Board. As Elders we also taught Sunday School classes, and as I recall we started with the book of Acts, which is a great place for a new, growing fellowship to begin.
At the time we arrived at the Fil-Am Church of Corona, there was no Bible study. So I suggested Dory and I start one in our home - and with the help of Tony's wife, Myra, and Pastor Ed's wife, Cory, we started a Bible study. After a while it outgrew our home - so we moved it to Tony and Myra's home in Corona. And in a few years, we had outgrown their home and divided into four separate Bible study groups.
It makes my heart sing when I can once again worship and study God's Word with old and dear Christian friends. It is never my intention to steal believers from other churches. But if anyone is feeling homesick for a Filipino-flavored Christian fellowship - regardless of your nationality - I want to tell you about IBBC-Riverside.
Recently Tony and Linda Andaya, also long time brethren, joined our IBBC-Riverside family - and last Sunday seeing Tony Alagao there was another blessing to me. As a Christian believer, all believers worldwide are my brothers and sisters in Christ. But we also have a close local Christian fellowship family. I was saved at the Filipino-American Church of Irvine (FACI) in 1987 and have always been very comfortable in a Pinoy flavored church fellowship.
I suppose I am very comfortable in a Filipino fellowship because the Filipino culture is so similar to that of my Southern heritage. In our Southern culture, family is very important - the same is true of the Filipino culture. In our Southern culture, you WILL be offered food and a warm welcome when visiting a home - the same is true of a Filipino home.
Years ago I adapted the following wording written byPastor Vicente "Vince" Arnaldo of the Filipino-American Church of Irvine and used it in church flyers for several different Fil-Am churches:
Our church is: A truly Christ-centered, Bible teaching church offering Biblical Christian values and morals within a traditional atmosphere of community or "Bayanihan."
Where the family . . . ● grows in the Word of God ● grows in fellowship with other Christians ● grows in faith ● grows in their God-given abilities ● grows in their love for the Lord.
Where the individual grows in his/her walk with the Lord through fellowship and encouragement from other members, in a truly Bayanihan spirit. It is like coming home.
So, regardless of your national heritage, in a Filipino-American Christian fellowship - "It will be like coming home!"
One thing I have long believed and stressed is: We do not grow our church fellowship at the expense of other Christian fellowships. I will invite all people to visit our church - but I will not invite you to leave your home church to join ours.
On the other hand, if you do not currently have a church home - or if you are feeling a bit homesick, we would love to have you visit our local Christian family. Maybe you are feeling a wee bit homesick for that "Bayanihan" feeling of home. You are welcomed to sample the hospitality in our home.
Let me invite you to visit us in worship any Sunday. You will find us at:
International Bible Baptist Church
5932 Challen Avenue, Riverside, California 92503.
(Off Cypress Avenue between Tyler and Van Buren Avenues)
We would love to have you, your family, and your friends join us for Christian fellowship and worship.
Our Morning Service is at 10:30 AM
And our Main Worship Service is:
* Sunday School - 1:30 PM ~ Join us in the sanctuary, for I know you will enjoy our study of God's Word.
* Worship Service - 2:30 PM ~ Come worship the Lord with us.
If you are in the area on any Sunday, come join us for fellowship and worship. The invitation is open and perpetually standing.
And in closing, once again: WELCOME TONY ALAGAO! I pray you will continue to worship with us.
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
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