Additional corps of officers during the Executive Minister’s 15th year of dynamic leadership
Compiled by JEROME ADONIS P. COMAOAY and ANTONIO G. CAÑAVERAL JR.
Date Posted: December 28, 2024
Through God’s help and mercy, the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) continues reaping success in the work of edification of its ever-growing membership due to its equally triumphant work of evangelism. This year that is about to end, 2024, which saw the commemoration of the Church’s 110th anniversary and Brother Eduardo V. Manalo’s 15th year as the Executive Minister, the Church witnessed a great increase of local congregation officers to help in caring for and strengthening the faith of the brethren.
This was seen as result of the Church Administration’s decision to install in every ecclesiastical district a minister to oversee exclusively the officers in all congregations in their respective jurisdiction. In turn, they are supervised by the overall Church Officers Overseer in the person of Brother Romer D. Galang who was appointed by the Executive Minister as such in March 2023. Such measures aimed to place enough number of capable leaders and officers in every congregation as well as to guide and edify these officers themselves.
In 2024, tens of thousands of Church members all over the world were sworn in as addition to the corps of officers. Some of the oath-taking ceremonies conducted by ecclesiastical districts were as follows:
Glad and grateful to the Lord for the ever-increasing number of Church members yet full of concern for their spiritual welfare amid the difficult challenges in the world, the Executive Minister affirmed: “That is why it is good that many are being appointed as ministers and ministerial workers.”
Brother Eduardo V. Manalo said this during the 40th commencement exercises of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) School For Ministers (SFM) held at the Central Temple, Philippines on September 13, 2024.
Indeed, the interrelated intensified works led by the Church Administration include the effective and efficient selection and training program of would-be ministers serve as its helpers in propagating the true Church and leading its members toward salvation. On that sacred and momentous occasion, which highlighted the commemoration of the SFM’s 50th anniversary, 1,422 took their oath as regular ministerial workers and 33 were ordained as ministers.
This brought to a total of 153 the number of new ministers ordained this year during the following worship services:
Out of the guidance and mercy of the Almighty God, ecclesiastical districts, local congregations, and various departments of the Church reached another year of existence, with others even reaching milestones. For His lovingkindness to His people in these last days, Church members never forget to praise and thank Him through special gatherings held, such as the following:
In line with the great concern the Executive Minister has for the entire Church, ministers, ministerial workers, and Church officers are all the more inspired to perform their respective duties.
As they begin to face another year full of challenges, those who constitute the Church’s edification workforce have the solid promise that whatever they may face, they will continue to do their part in helping the Church Administration in edifying the faith of their fellow Church members, so that all will be able to steadfastly uphold their divine election, and will be able to do all things which please the Almighty God. — With reports from INC News Section
