After a good, full night of rest on Saturday, brother Rody Gumpad picked me up this morning at 8:30am and we proceeded to their meeting place. It is always a true joy to be with the brethren who comprise the Metro Tuguegarao congregation. I first met with them in 2002 and joined Rody for the first Preacher Training Program there in 2003. Many of the brethren were missing from the assembly today as they have been gone over the past week on vacation during this holiday week in the Philippines. Still, there were about 100 adults in attendance plus many children which made the auditorium seem fairly full.
The elders asked me to take the class period in continuing their study in the Gospel of Luke. We started with the beginning of chapter 6 and covered through verse 16 and ran out of time at that point.
In the assembly, we had a very reverent and edifying period of singing, prayer, partaking the Lord’s Supper and contribution. I was asked to preach and brought a lesson on “God’s Plan for Congregational Unity” from 1 Corinthians 1:10-13. (That sermon was also telecast live as well.) When Rody extended the invitation of the Lord at the end of the service, three ladies responded to be baptized into Christ.
At the end of my sermon, I lost my voice and finished in little more than a whisper. So, I returned to the hotel after lunch where I have worked much of the day on the materials for the classes starting tomorrow, the Lord willing. Please keep this effort in your prayers.
