Anniversary Month Round-Up

It was a whirlwind week for SMO, but it was also a great way to celebrate 30 amazing years of God’s faithfulness! Praise be the Lord for the following…

It’s the first time we celebrated our anniversary with OUR MISSIONARIES from different parts of the country gracing the events. Missionaries from as far north in the Mountain Province (who traveled by land and sea for almost 16 hours) and from as far south in Gen. Santos City, South Cotabato and another missionary coming from the far east of Busuangga Island in Palawan. It’s great to be of service to them and to know first-hand what they have been doing lately in their mission fields. The missionaries were given a simple yet memorable tribute during the Alumni Night last August 23.

Talking about the ALUMNI NIGHT, there were thunderstorms everywhere but God spared that particular spot at SMO that night for 170 SMO’ers to have a fun night dinner and fellowship. There were serious and not-so-serious awards given to the alumni and former workers present (the likes of Bro. Cecil Caceres and Pastor Fred Jagorin). It was also nice to see young and old generation of SMO’ers mingle together with our missionaries. Pastor Carlos Novisteros (who has been our frequent speaker flying all the way from Manila) nailed the message right to all of us as he challenged the alumni to “keep the fire burning”. Pastor Carlos has a unique way of delivering his straightforward message without making anyone uneasy because he speaks from experience and from the heart. Pastor Carlos is like a “father” to us. Another interesting highlight that night was the video greetings sent to us by SMO’ers abroad. Thanks to the internet broadband, we were able to view the greetings sent by Ligaya Flores, Grace Alcansare, the families of Lemuelle Adraneda and Julius Lambatin (all in Dubai), and Pastor John Todor and Mythl Grace delos Reyes-Todor’s greetings from Arizona (complete with the Grand Canyon as background)! We do hope next time we will be receiving more greetings from Korea, US, Canada, France and other parts of the globe for the wordlwide greetings! It’s just fascinating!

The real “meat” of the celebration was the three-day “LET MY PEOPLE THINK: EQUIPPING SEMINAR” held at Trinity Christian Church on August 20-22 and attended by almost 150 people (inlcuding SMO’ers). Our speakers from Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (Asia-Pacific), Executive Director LT Jeyachandran and Associate Director of Training I’Ching Thomas, were gracious enough to have our schedule fit with their busy ones so they could equip local Christians here. Wow! We have several participants coming from Antique and Iloilo as well as Kabankalan. The seminar focused mainly on “Christian Apologetics”; it was a tough three days but very, very, worthwhile. (Hmmm…maybe, next time, we will get Tylenol to sponsor this kind of event). Good news! The team left some of their books and CD’s at SMO for those interested to purchase (call 034-4336923 or text 0927-6766-361). By the way, the lecture series will soon be out and available on DVD! We’ll keep you posted. We know LT has been talking so many things very important and we don’t want to miss anything from it.

I’Ching Thomas did some rounds in different schools here like Maranatha Christian College, Trinity Christian School and West Negros College. A big youth gathering was held at Lord’s Lampstand Christian Ministries on August 21. The place was full-packed. I’Ching talked about “Sex: What’s Love Got to Do with It?”

The ANNIVERSARY DAY itself was held last August 25 at the Bacolod Alliance Church. It was really a fun day. The youth kicked-off the afternoon with a lively medley of action songs, followed by worship time with Roy Vistar and Ephraim Sabordo. Then, Pastor Carlos Novisteros delivered the message. We had a song numbers from students of TUP and BSANHS and a pantomime from BTI students. Gametime followed and finally another set of praise songs from the SMO Praise Team. We sang the “Happy Birthday” song for SMO while our Mission Director, Pastor Aboy del Mundo and his wife, Neneng blew the candles in our three-layered cake. 120 people were served with native delicacies afterwards.

Next Anniversary wouldn’t be this big but it will surely be as memorable as the 30th or maybe more.

Thank you, pastors, alumni, missionaries, youth leaders, students, sponsors, friends, teachers, parents…. Thank you amazing God! Thank you for the amazing years!

Happy Birthday, SMO-TUP!

The SMO Bible Study Group at TUP (Technological University of the Philippines-Visayas) is home to “serious” students of the Word. They are a group who feast on the Word by diving into the Word and living the Word even beyond their university years. It’s not because engineers are rational and objective in their thinking, it’s more because they are products of a generation of serious thinkers of the Word. Several graduates from TUP have continued to preach and live their faith in their workplace and that is very encouraging. Moreso, it doesn’t end there. They too are generous when it comes to supporting the needs of the ministry.

Thank you to all the student missionaries and alumni who have been part of their growth. Thank you to their advisers, the all-time HDL triumvirate – Hermosura, Dingcong and Lumauag.

Congratulations to “Ang Panong” (The Flock) on your 16th year! Praise be the Lord!

The Kick-Off Anniversary Celebration

“Great is Thy faithfulness, oh God, my Father…” were the very first words that were sung by the Afterglow during the Kick-Off Anniversary Celebration held last August 3. Mrs. Lourdes “Lolly” Robles-Burgess chronicled the early years since the ministry began in 1977 in Metro Manila. Ma’am Lolly, all dressed in red, was visibly excited throughout the night as she became witness to what SMO has become after three decades. She was after the all, one of the founders of the ministry and its first National Director. She is one of the leaders who saw how the ministry struggled from its humble beginnings.

Even before the celebration started at 7:05 pm, Cosmopolitan Evangelical Church was already packed with people numbering no less than 200. It has been raining the whole day save during the late afternoon till the rest of the evening. Though the whole program ended at 10, it’s encouraging to note that the crowd in general stayed until the last few songs were sung – “Awesome Wonder, Awesome God” and this year’s originally written theme song “Amazing God! Amazing Years!”

There were significant highlights that night. For one, our main speaker Rev. Dr. Quek Swee Hwa, after asking the question – “What makes people do amazing things for God?”, showed a ten-minute video of a Christian minister, who is an amputee in both hands and very short-legged, who does what a normal minister would do, and more. The people were so attentive during this time, for sure, the video left a lasting impression in their hearts and minds.

In the first part of the program, the Afterglow singers invited the people to stand up, hold hands and sing together with (interactively) the song Zan-Mei Yesu (Praise Lord Jesus). Surprisingly, the people were very cooperative it brought the house down.

Then came the trademark SMO handmime (using blacklight) this time interpreting Steven Curtis Chapman’s enduring song “My Redeemer is Faithful and True” which silenced the crowd and as if in cue, applauded when the cross was lifted up.

Finally, one of the touching moments of the celebration is when past and present SMO’ers stood in front and sang the theme song led by Sis. Neneng del Mundo.

There were several shining moments that night, not to mention the talented youth violinists of Cecil Music School who joined the celebration by playing their instrumental pieces.

SMO’ers capped the night with a simple diner with our guests at the new Chicken House.

30th Anniversary Theme Song Lyrics

Neneng and Theonikko, wife and son of our National Director, Pastor Aboy del Mundo has written and composed respectively SMO’s 30th Anniversary Theme titled Amazing God! Amazing Years! Here’s the lyrics:

Looking back as we recall the time,
When we were groping in the dark;
You showed us the way, You taught us the truth,
You led us to life.

You gave us the wisdom and strength,
The courage and hope to keep on;
You blessed the works of our hands
And you multiplied our joy.

Bridge:
Amazing God… Amazing Grace… Amazing Years…
Oh God, You are so great!

Chorus:
Amazing God, you’ve been Faithful and true,
You have proven yourself, and we bow down to you
Amazing Grace, oh how rich and so pure
We have seen, we have felt, and you carried us through
Amazing years so victoriously won
Through the pain and the grief
Through the tears and the cheers
Through it all

Looking forward to the coming years
We have nothing to worry or to fear
Though the future maybe bleak, uncertain it would seem
Yet to you and to your promises we lean.

Repeat Bridge & Chorus

Turning a New Leaf

August is a busy and refreshing time for the ministry especially this year when SMO turns three decades in Christian youth ministry in the Philippines. “Amazing God! Amazing Years!” is a fitting theme we chose this year all because of the amazing things the Lord has done through the years. As we turn a new leaf, we have prepared month-long activities to celebrate God’s faithfulness, each of these are geared to a different kind of group. So, just in case you’re around town (in Bacolod!) do drop by our place and join us in the celebration!

SMO National Prayer Day (8/3, whole day, SMO Youth Center)

“Amazing God! Amazing Years!” Anniversary Concert (8/5, 7 pm, Cosmopolitan Evangelical Church, Malaspina Ave.), Featuring the Afterglow Singers and with special guests Rev. Dr. Quek Swee Hwa, Senior Pastor and Foreign Missions Committee Head, Mrs. Lolly Robles-Burgess, SMO Founder and first National Director.

SMO Technological University of the Philippines-Visayas’ 16th Anniversary (8/9, 5:30 pm, TUP-V Canteen). Speaker: Engr. Xerwin Ceballos, Topic: Rediscovering the Majesty of God.

“Let my People Think!” Equipping Seminar for pastors, Christian leaders, laypeople, students (8/20-22, 1:30-4:30 pm on 8/20; 9:00-11:30 am and 1:30-4:00 pm on 8/21-22, Trinity Christian School, Lacson-San Sebastian Sts., Registration is 100 pesos for three days). Topic: Christian Apologetics, Speaker: Lawrence Theodore Jeyachandran, Executive Director for Asia-Pacific, Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

“Conversations that Matter” Youth Gathering (8/21, 6:00 pm, Lord’s Lampstand Christian Ministries, Araneta St., in front of Rizal Elementary School). Topic: Sex:Over-Rated, Speaker: I’Ching Thomas, Associate Director for Training, Ravi Zacharias International Ministries, Asia-Pacific.

“Conversations that Matter” Campus Tour (8/20, 8:30 am, West Negros College, Topic: God & Science; 8/20, 6:00 pm, Technological University of the Philippines-Visayas, Topic: God and Science; 8/21, 8:30 am, Maranatha Christian College, Topic: Sanctification of the Mind; 8/22, 7:30 am, Trinity Christian School, Topic: Sanctification of the Mind). Speaker: I’Ching Thomas, Associate Director for Training, Ravi Zacharias International Ministries, Asia-Pacific.

“In Search of Excellence…and Beyond” Dinner Fellowship with Christian Businessmen (8/21, 6:00 pm, Hall A, Business Inn, Dinner Ticket: P250). Speaker: LT Jeyachandran. In partnership with Fellowship of Christians in Government (FOCIG).

Missionary’s Day (8/23, whole day, SMO Youth Center). Speakers: Rev. Edwin Ormeo, SMO Founder; Pastor Carlos Novisteros, pastor of UP Diliman Campus Fellowship Youth Center).

Alumni Fellowship Night (8/23, 6:00 pm, SMO Youth Center). Speakers: Rev. Edwin Ormeo, SMO Founder; Pastor Carlos Novisteros, pastor of UP Diliman Campus Fellowship.

“Amazing God! Amazing Years!” Anniversary Celebration (8/25, 1:30 pm, Bacolod Alliance Church, San Juan St., at the back of Sylvia Manor). Speakers: Rev. Edwin Ormeo, SMO Founder; Pastor Carlos Novisteros, pastor of UP Diliman Campus Fellowship.

7th SMO Bible Training Institute’s Foundation Day (8/30, whole day, SMO Youth Center).

“Don’t Waste your Life” Evangelistic Campaign (8/15, 1:30 pm, Bata National High School; 8/31, 8:30 am, West Negros College)