Community service events were held across Canada by the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC or Church Of Christ) as the Church celebrated its 110th anniversary.

The INC was registered in the Philippines on July 27, 1914. After 110 years, the Church now has congregations in 166 countries and territories, and a membership consisting of 152 racial and ethnic backgrounds.

In Canada, INC members celebrated this milestone anniversary through special worship gatherings, musical presentations, and most notably, a series of community service events from coast to coast.

Kevin Lamoureux, Member of Parliament, who attended the INC event in Winnipeg, commended the Iglesia Ni Cristo for its 110th anniversary celebration.

“I think it sends a very powerful message when you have a Church that when it recognizes milestones and wants to celebrate, it wants to share in that celebration by reaching into communities … providing food, supporting communities, making our communities a better place to live,” he said.

Lamoureux witnessed kindness in action during the INC’s Neighborhood Appreciation Day held at The Forks in Winnipeg where individuals and families in Manitoba received over 700 care packages from the INC. The care packages included vitamins, canned meat, oatmeal, and hygiene items.

In British Columbia, Neighborhood Appreciation Days were also held in Burnaby, Surrey, and on Vancouver Island. To reach out to the community, INC members treated residents and passersby to free coffee, bottled water, and donuts. Following this activity, a coastal cleanup was carried out along the Fraser River at Burnaby Fraser Foreshore Park.

Clean-up drives and Neighborhood Appreciation Days were also carried out in the cities of Calgary, Edmonton, and Red Deer. The spirit of kindness and community also made its way to central Canada through the Neighborhood Appreciation Day held in Winnipeg that benefited individuals and families in Manitoba who received care packages.

On the east coast, Church Of Christ members in Quebec, New Brunswick, and the Rideau region of Ontario donated hundreds of pounds of foodstuff and hygiene items to local food banks. 

Jean-Sébastien Patrice, Executive Director of the MultiCaf in Montreal, Quebec, stated: “I have no name for that kind of help. Not only for the boxes that have been given … la chaleur humaine, l’amitié et le respect communautaire [the warmth, friendship, and respect for community] … That’s worth a lot for us.”

Through Neighborhood Appreciation Days, residents in the Greater Montreal Area benefited from free health services, haircuts, entertainment, and refreshments; so too did communities in Burlington, Hamilton, London, Mississauga, Niagara Falls, Oakville, Scarborough, St. Thomas, downtown Toronto, and Scarborough, Ontario.

The Philippine Consulate in Vancouver recognized the INC’s milestone anniversary, noting the “spiritual guidance and charitable endeavors” of the Church through the years.

“The Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver joins me in conveying my warmest greetings and congratulations on the occasion of the 110th anniversary of Iglesia Ni Cristo,” said Consul General Arlene T. Magno. 

“For over a century, Iglesia Ni Cristo’s spiritual guidance and charitable endeavors have touched countless lives. Wherever in the world that it has congregations, Iglesia Ni Cristo has played a significant role in the Filipino communities abroad, through its ministry, volunteerism, and service,” she said.

The official also extended her “heartfelt greetings” to INC Executive Minister Brother Eduardo V. Manalo citing his “visionary leadership” that “continues to inspire INC congregations around the globe.”

“Under his stewardship, Iglesia Ni Cristo has prospered and remained a strong pillar of faith and resilience,” she said.

Consul General Magno also congratulated all INC members as the Church marked its 110th anniversary.

“May your Church continue to grow and serve as a vital force for good, spreading God’s message of love, peace, and unity. Have a blessed and fruitful year ahead,” she added.

Through the INC Giving project and other socio-civic activities, the INC continues to organize various initiatives to spread kindness, provide assistance, and spread positivity in the communities in which they serve.

For more about the Church and its activities, please visit www.iglesianicristo.net