Malabag Unida

Message This Sunday - Worshiping God in His Sanctuary

2017-09-03T21:17:00.000+08:00

We know that worshiping God in His sanctuary is not just part of tradition, it is an essential pillar of the expression of our faith. We worship God because we love Him. But this gathering to worship the Lord can be unclear to some.The purpose may not come naturally to everyone. And we don't always understand how to do it in such as a way that God intended. This Sunday's message points to the bible verses that speaks about this topic. How do we worship God in His sanctuary in Hebrews chapter 10 verses 19 to 25.

If you were not able to take notes during the sermon, the outline below can serve as your reference.

1. Draw near to Him

Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

2. Hold unswervingly with Hope

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

3. Spur one another

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

4. Don't give up

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Malabag Unida Church 111th Anniversary - "All for One" (June 12, 2016)

2016-06-06T21:15:00.000+08:00

One hundred and eleven years is a long time!

From its earliest beginnings until today, the Malabag Unida Church have never failed to celebrate the steady progress that has been made possible with the grace of God.

And so today, as we prepare to commemorate yet another year of challenges and successes, we pray that all of you will be one with us both spiritually and physically.

When you come on June 12, you can expect the following to happen:

Motorcade - 6:00 AM
Ribbon Cutting - 8:30 AM
Worship Service - 9:00 AM
Lunch - 12:00 PM
Fellowship - 1:00 PM

The work of the Lord never stops and our continuing commitment to work together to serve Him can only mean more wins in the future.

We can claim without hesitation that we are:

Chosen to Bless
Strengthened to Transform
Discipled to Make Disciples
All for One

We are a winning team with God in our midst!

Come and be blessed! Happy Anniversary!

Couples’ Night 2016 - A Celebration of Love and Marriage (Feb 14 - 6 PM at MUC Worship Hall)

2016-02-11T11:32:00.000+08:00

Being in love with another person is one of God’s greatest gifts.

The scripture says among faith, hope and love, LOVE is the greatest. (1 Cor. 13:13) People who have experienced true love will agree wholeheartedly.

But as couples would attest from their lives together, loving someone is not always easy.

It’s not all happiness and excitement. It may be those things at the very start. But in your journey together, there will be many challenges that needs to be overcome.

And these challenges can sometimes zap the couples’ energies. It can also cause the withering away of what was a very good start.

If they let it, couples’ challenges turn into problems. Later on, problems can lead to differences. And eventually, differences become irreconcilable.

Surely, that is not what God has intended. God would not want couples to give up on each other.

Instead, God wants couples to stay together and remain strong in the face of problems. God wants relationships to grow and mature. God wants couples to be able to build their love on a strong foundation.

But in order to achieve this, couples cannot just sit idly by and let things happen on their own. They should be deliberate in their efforts to achieve a successful relationship.

To this end, here are 12 practical tips that couples can use to strengthen their relationship.

Start the day with a kiss. Beginning the day with a gesture of love can go a long way in a happy relationship. It’s a kind of appreciation you express that words can sometimes fail to deliver.
Establish a regular weekly or monthly date. Dedicating time together helps couples appreciate what they have in each other. With all the other stuff going on, it’s easy to lose sight of the relationship and just focus your attention to whichever urgently needs fixing. Setting dates refocuses the couple and helps them avoid neglecting their relationship.
Accept differences. No two people are exactly the same. Even couples have differences. It would help the relationship if couples accept that some things about their partners just cannot be changed.
Be gentle. Harsh words can hurt people and your spouse is no exception. Being gentle even in emotionally charged situations can help to prevent misunderstandings.
Give gifts. Do this not for the value of the object given. It is the thought of thankfulness and appreciation that counts.
Smile often. Smiling communicates openness to the other person. It helps to signal to each other that it’s okay to approach and engage.
Laugh together. Laughter is the best medicine. And sharing it with someone you love is invaluable in experiencing joy together.
Talk about your goals. Couples should be aligned as to each other’s aspirations. They are a team in achieving the goals they set for their relationship and family. They should not neglect talking about goals on a regular basis.
Look your best. Most people do not care as much about their looks after marriage. But they do want their spouses to look good. So looking your best always is not only good for you but will surely make your partner happier.
Apologize when at fault. Conflicts that are bound to come up fail to get resolved when both parties cannot apologize. Recognizing that each of you have contributed for the situation to worsen is enough reason to take responsibility and apologize to your partner.
Pray for your spouse daily. Praying for someone is a very selfless act of love. Do it regularly for your spouse. Because if he or she is blessed by God, it will rub off on you.
Attend the Malabag Unida Couples’ Night. (You are welcome to attend on February 14, 2016 at 6 PM to be held at Malabag Unida Church Worship Hall) Occasions that rekindle relationships such as this is a golden opportunity. There will be free dinner, games, singing, inspirational talk and more! If you are a couple who cares deeply for your long-term relationship, attend and be blessed!

You may add to the list through the comments below. See details of the event on the photo invitation above.

God bless you!

What Can We Learn from the Life of Jesus?

2016-02-09T20:57:00.000+08:00

Photo Credit: Thomas Hawk (Creative Commons)

Our lives are fleeting. Which means to say that it is very, very short. It is short compared to the age of the universe (13.8 billion years). It is short compared to the age of the earth (4.5 billion years). It miniscule compared to eternity.

Our lives are so short that we should not live it wrongly. We should instead want to live the right way if we knew how. We cannot waste such a short time that we were given.

But most often, we just don’t know if we are doing things right or not. Are we pursuing the right dream or is our job the one God intended? Are our priorities correct? Do we care about the right stuff? Do we spend our time on what is really important?

Of course, we seek guidance and pray as much as we can. But still, the answers may not be clear cut.

One very good model that we can follow is the life of Jesus. By just seeing how he lived his life, we can steer our lives better.

Evidently, the times when he lived was different from our’s. And the setting of his community can be different from what we have now.

But the essential thing to compare is how he spent his time here on earth. And based on that, we can check how we spend our own time to know if we can improve.

How Jesus Spent His Time

He helped and served people - We often hear how Jesus healed the sick with a miracle and oftentimes are just in awe of the miracle itself. We fail to see that what we really can learn from all that was how Jesus cared about the poor and the needy. He spent his time helping them. He may preach to them but foremost to his mind and heart was to help them.
He imparted his wisdom - Whenever possible, Jesus imparted wisdom. He preached to crowds and to his disciples. He was a teacher who walked the talk. We may not be as wise as He was but there’s nothing that hinders us from sharing what we believe to other people especially on matters of faith.
He prayed for people - He cared for people so much that he asked that they be forgiven for their sins. He was tolerant and did not judge others harshly.
He made the ultimate sacrifice - He was killed for standing by his beliefs and principles. He paid the fatal price which he was willing to give to save mankind from eternal damnation.

What Jesus Did Not Do

He did not focus on making money - Many of our decisions today about living our lives amounts to an economic consideration. That is to say that we care about money a lot. Jesus did not care much about wealth. As a matter of fact, he advocated that we leave it and follow Him instead. He even cautioned that the wealthy will have a difficult time getting into heaven.
He did not want to be served - Jesus was not selfish. He did not think of himself too much. He thought of ways to help others and did not expect people to serve him. This is a lesson on leadership. To be a leader is NOT to lift yourself up but to lift those around you because that will collectively bring the whole to a higher level.

For the church, Jesus was a prime example of where the focus ought to be. Loving God by loving our neighbors as we love ourselves. This is manifested by how we spend each moment of our lives because our time is precious and limited.

Kasaysayan ng Iglesia Unida sa Malabag

2016-01-29T11:59:00.000+08:00

Noong taong 1905 ay kumilos ang Espiritu ng Diyos sa paraang sadyang inilaan sa taga Malabag. Katatapos pa lamang ng digmaang Pilipino-Amerikano kung kaya't marami ang namumuhay na mga tinipon sa bayan ng Amadeo. Doon sa loob ng piitan ay may mga mangangaral na misyonero at ilan sa mga nakapiit ang nakarinig at nakahikayat sa Mabuting Balita, kabilang na dito ang mag-asawang Simplicio Cortez at Gregoria Miranda na taga Malabag.

Nang makalaya ang mga detenido at magsibalik sa kani-kanilang bayan at mapayapang pamumuhay ay muling dumalaw ang mag-asawang misyonerong Presbiteriana na sina Rev. at Gng. James B. Rodgers. Sa pamamagitan ng unang mag-asawang nahikayat sila'y nangaral sa mga bahay bahay. Makalipas ang ilang buwan ng matiyagang pangangaral ng Salita ng Dios, nakahikayat ng ilan pang mga sambahayan.

Ang unang mga sambahayang nahikayat ay ang mga sumusunod: Valerio Toledo, Fructuoso Toledo, Marciano Toledo, Jorge Toledo, Elias Toledo, Francisco Toledo, Andres Toledo, Maximo Toledo, Teodoro Toledo at Justo Hintog. Ang pamilyang ito ay tinipon at tinuruang mag-aral ng Banal na Kasulatan sa pananambahan at pangunguna sa Iglesia. Sa mga nagsipagsanay, ay mayroong naging predikador, katulad nina Elias Toledo at Andres Toledo. Nagsimula ito upang ang mga mag-aaral sa Ellinwood ay dumating at magturo ng mga awitin.

Sapagkat ang Iglesia at matatag na sa pananampalataya, ipinasya ng kapulungan na sila ay magkaroon ng halalan ng pamunuan bagamat ang mga gawain ay sa bahay pa lamang ginaganap. Ilang taon din ang nalagas sa tangkay ng panahon nang ang Iglesia at makabili ng ilang piraso ng yero. Ito ay ginamit nila sa unang bahay sambahan na yari sa kawayan. Ang unang kapilya at natayo sa tabi ng tahanan at lupang pag-aari ni Elias Toledo. Dahil sa kasipagan at pagkakaisa ng mga kaanib, maraming mga kaluluwa ang napadagdag sa kanila taon-taon.

Subalit katulad ng panahon, ang Iglesia ay dumanas ng unang unos ng buhay. Taong 1919, ang Iglesia ay nahati sa dalwang pangkat. Ang iba ay naging tapat sa misyong Prebiteriana at ang iba ay umanib sa Cristianus Filipinos sa pangunguna ni Rev. Mateo Victorino. Bagamat sila ay nagkahiwalay, ang dahilan ay hindi alitan kundi sa udyok ng nasyonalismo. Ang Iglesiang umanib sa Cristianus Filipinos ay sa tahanan ng mag-asawang Simplicio Cortez nagdaraos ng pananambahan. Ito ang naging kaanib ng Iglesia Evangelica Unida de Cristo taong 1937. Ang Iglesia ay nagpatuloy sa kaniyang pamumuhay at pamamahayag ng Salita ng Dios at mga balakin para sa hinaharap nyang buhay.

Noong 1949, sa pangunguna ni Rev. Melencio Tolentino at pangangasiwa ni G. Marcelo Caranay ay itinayo ang isang maliit na bahay-sambahan na yari sa tabla at yero sa lupang kaloob ng mag-asawang Antonio Caranay at Petronila Bautista. Ang kapatiran ay patuloy sa paglago kaya't ito ay dinagdagan noong 1951. Makalipas ang ilang taon ay nakita ang patuloy na pagkilos ng Espiritu Santo at ang maliit na kapilya ay hindi na kayang ukupahin ang mga kapatid, kaya't sa pangunguna ni Kap. Casimiro Perea at pangangasiwa ni Rev. Patricio Javier ay inilunsad ang pagpapatayo ng bagong gusali.

Mayo 1968 ay inilagay ang batong panulok at kasunod nito ang puspusang kampanya para sa bagong bahay-sambahan. Dahilan sa kakapusan ng salaping gugugulin, ang pagawain ay nahinto subalit sa paino-inot na pagpapatuloy ng pangingilak nito, ito'y natapos bagamat hindi kumpleto noong 1970, sa kabuuang gastos na P22,000.

Sa pangunguna pa rin ni Kap. Casimiro Perea at pangangasiwa ni Rev. Arnedo Bicomong ay naitayo ang gusali ng Edukasyong Kristiyana noong 1975. Nagkaroon pa rin ng mga gawain at proyektong naisakatuparan tulad ng pagpapailaw noong 1977 at ang paglalagay ng bakod sa harapan taong 1979. Sa pangangasiwa ni Rev. Rolando Reyes, naipatayo naman ang bahay-pastoral at kaalinsabay ang pagpipintura ng gusali noong 1980.

Sa patnubay ng Dakilang Lumikha ay malayo layo na rin ang narating ng Iglesiang ito. Buhat sa Kanya, isang lalaki ang tumugon sa tawag ng Panginoon, si Rev. Patricio Javier, dalawang predikador, Euvencio Herrera at Emilio Sanchez, isa ang naging pangulo ng kabataang pangkalahatan, Kap. Guillermo Toledo at isang Diakonesa Kap. Josefina Javier.

Sa kasalukuyan (1982) ay may 62 sambahayan ang sama-samang naglilingkod sa Panginoon. Ang Iglesia ay may pangitain na sa darating pang mga araw sa patuloy na patnubay ng Dios, ito'y hahayo at hahayo pa upang patuloy na magbunga sa sama-samang paggawa ng mga Kababaihan, Kalalakihan, Kabataan, Paaralang Lingguhan, Koro at ng damayan upang maging daluyan ng pagliligtas at katarungan ng Panginoon.

Mga naging manggagawa ng Iglesiang ito:

Rev. Mateo Victorino
Rev. Valeriano Del Mundo
Rev. Arcadio Destura
Rev. Moises Buzon
Rev. Julio Teodoro
Rev. Pedro Bautista
Rev. Eugenio Filio
Rev. Tomas Filio
Rev. Damiano Narvaez
Rev. Bernabe Toledo
Rev. Alberto Bunda
Rev. Pedro Bayot
Rev. Gerardo Camet
Rev. Ezekiel Camet
Rev. Melencio Tolentino
Rev. Paticio Javier
Rev. Arnedo Bicomong
Rev. Leonardo Morada
Rev. Rolando Reyes
Rev. Emmanuel Enfante
Rev. Camilo Santiago
Rev. Augusto Redondo
Rev. Chito Jarcia
Rev. Ogie Bautista
Rev. Dakila Quizon
Rev. Guillermo Estores
Rev. Gideon Pongasi
Rev. Antonio Banarez at
Rev. Conrad Malabag - Kasalukuyan.

Three Couples of Malabag Unida Give Thanks to the Lord

2016-01-27T18:28:00.000+08:00

A tradition of thanking the Lord for the blessings He freely gives to everyone is one that we should not forget to cultivate. Instead, we should continue it and do it as often as possible.

It is especially heartwarming to know how our brothers and sisters are blessed by God. It lifts our spirit to the proof of God's grace to each one of us.

Testimonies (as many would call it) or thanksgiving is not meant to boast to produce envy. It is designed to attest to God's wonderful works in our lives that we should be proud of.

We are, therefore, blessed to witness three of Malabag Unida Church's couples who have significant blessings to thank the Lord for.

They are:

Noemy and Marvin - for their new baby boy.

On December 03, 2015, Noemy gave birth to a healthy baby boy and she and her husband named him Vincemar Nathan. It is their second child.

For parents like them, a new baby is the greatest blessing of all.
Fred and Madel - for their new business venture Marcopolo Garden.

Although a venture like this is indeed a blessing, it's always a challenge to put up a business. Most people would suspect that capital is the only problem. But that is just one part of it. As owners, all the efforts and results are their responsibility.

So this couple, like all businessmen, worked really hard for this dream to succeed and they could not have done it without God's blessings raining upon them.
Carlos and Giselle - for their upcoming wedding.

Entering a new phase of their lives, this couple decided to level up their relationship by taking the next logical step. That is, tying the knot.

Even if marriage is not an easy life for anyone, their decision to get married is in itself showing their love for each other, their determination to live together and the awesome hand of God that will make all these possible.

Congratulations!

We would love to share more of your stories to every member of the church. Through this, we can express our deepest gratitude to our Maker and encourage our brothers and sisters as well.

If you have something to share please head to our Contact Us page above and send us your story so that we can publish it on the next one.

God bless you!

Ang Kwento ng Manghahasik

2016-01-26T11:39:00.000+08:00

Mababasa natin sa Lucas 8:5-8 ang talinhaga ng manghahasik:

Ang manghahasik ay yumaon upang maghasik ng kaniyang binhi: at sa kaniyang paghahasik ang ilan ay nangahulog sa tabi ng daan; at napagyapakan, at ito'y kinain ng mga ibon sa langit.

At ang iba'y nahulog sa batuhan; at pagsibol, ay natuyo, sapagka't walang halumigmig.

At ang iba'y nahulog sa mga dawagan; at tumubong kasama ang mga dawag, at yao'y ininis.

At ang iba'y nahulog sa mabuting lupa, at tumubo at nagbunga ng tigiisang daan. Pagkasabi niya ng mga bagay na ito, siya ay sumigaw, Ang may mga pakinig na ipakikinig, ay makinig.

Ano ang Kahulugan Nito?

Kung nais mong i-bahagi ang iyong karanasan na may kaugnayan sa kwentong ito, upang makatulong na maunawaan ng makakabasa na kapatiran ay maari mo itong sabihin sa comment sa ibaba.

Maraming salamat at pagpalain ka ng Dios!

The Sermon on the Mount

2016-01-25T13:31:00.003+08:00

Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.

The Beatitudes

And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons[a] of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

*Photo Credit: jojo nicdao (Creative Commons)

Halina at Makibahagi!

2016-01-24T17:37:00.001+08:00

Ang iglesia ay ang mga tao. Kung walang tao, walang iglesia. Hindi ito ang gusali o mga kagamitan. Maaring may mga gamit at gusali, ngunit kung walang tao, walang samahan, walang komunidad at higit sa lahat walang iglesia.

At sa mga gawaing binubuo ng karamihan, mahalagang huwag kalimutan ang pagtutulungan. Sa lahat ng aspeto, ito ang susi upang magtagumpay sa balakin.

Binuo ang website na ito hindi para pag-arian at patakbuhin ng isang tao lang. Ang pagiging makabuluhan nito ay nakasalalay sa mga kapatid na may malasakit at pagkukusa.

Kung ikaw ay may gustong ipahatid na:

kwento
pahayag
aral na gustong ibahagi
litrato o video
mga puna at kumento
mga suhestyon para sa ikagaganda at ikaayos ng iglesia
at iba pa...

Iniimbitahan ka na ibahagi ito upang mailagay natin dito sa website ng iglesia.

Makakatulong ito ng malaki upang:

maipalamam sa karamihan ang impormasyon
makibahagi sa mga solusyon
makabuo ng magandang proyekto
magpalakasan ispiritwal
magtagumpay sa mga layunin

Kapatid, pagpalain ka ng Panginoon at gawin natin sa abot ng ating makakaya ang "the best" para sa Kanya!

New Year New Website for Malabag Unida Church!

2016-01-24T12:20:00.001+08:00

It's 2016 and we figured that with this new and exciting year we'll have to be more tech savvy. As a church and community of like-minded and caring people, we will move forward with the goals set for this year for our church.

It is the hope of this site to help by disseminating information specific to the activities and programs starting this year.

Let's not forget what Matthew 28:18-20 says of our "Great Commission"

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Key takeaways from this verse:

We have a mission
The mission is commanded for all of us to do
God is always with us no matter what

So without further ado, let's get started!