Hundreds more receive baptism in Southern Africa

By ERIKA OIRA and RONNIE H. MUTYA

Date Posted: August 24, 2021

As the 107th anniversary of the Church Of Christ approached, the prospective members from the Ecclesiastical District of Southern Africa eagerly prepared for a significant turning point in their lives: their much-awaited day of baptism.

The district conducted three consecutive days of baptism towards the end of July.

On their scheduled dates, the baptismal candidates gathered at their respective local congregations’ places of worship to receive biblical teachings to further prepare them for the baptismal proper.

From the house of worship of the Ladybrand Congregation, which served as the host site, Brother Sheridohn Santos, district supervising minister, led the study of God’s words through videoconferencing. Citing the Bible, he taught about the indispensability of the Church Of Christ for salvation. Thus as God’s servants, they must possess the qualities worthy of this great blessing.

On July 28, the local congregations of Nelspruit and Qwaqwa simultaneously conducted a holy baptism. The next day, on July 29, a baptism was held at the house of worship of the Local Congregation of Mafeteng. And on July 30, another baptism was held simultaneously in the local congregations of Ladybrand, Thaba Nchu, King William’s Town, Cape Town, and Tembisa Group Worship Service (GWS).

Brother Rizalino Placido, resident minister of the Local Congregation of Mafeteng, expressed his gratitude to the Almighty God for allowing more people to be added in their district. “This proves that He continues to bless the Church Of Christ even in the midst of pandemic. He also continues to help us grow in different parts of the world,” he said.

“Today is a very special day for me because I am now baptized inside the Church Of Christ,” said Celina Makhetha, a newly baptized member enlisted in Thaba Nchu Congregation.

Now that she is also a member of the Church, Palesa Moloi enlisted in the Qwaqwa Congregation, promised, “I will obey God’s commands and forever worship Him.”

Brother Zyrous Embang, Thaba Nchu Congregation’s resident minister, attested, “All baptismal venues strictly followed safety protocols to ensure the health and welfare of the attendees, from wearing face mask to observing social distancing.”

On behalf of the brethren in the district, Brother Jeisi Cabe, district Light of Salvation (LOS) overseer, expressed, “To our dearest Executive Minister, Brother Eduardo V. Manalo, we thank you for your continued guidance and for always teaching us the words of God that truly makes us spiritually strong.” — With reports from INC News Section

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Hundreds receive baptism in Southern Africa

By ERIKA OIRA and RONNIE H. MUTYA

Date Posted: July 15, 2021

Members of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) in the Ecclesiastical District of Southern Africa still proved that the crisis brought about by the pandemic is not a hindrance to fulfill God’s will. With His help, their joint efforts in helping out in the Church’s intensified work of propagation bore fruit as hundreds of new members received baptism last month.

On June 19, before leading the baptism proper, the district supervising minister, Brother Sheridohn Santos, led the worship service at the host site, the house of worship of the Local Congregation of Cape Town, South Africa. The Local Congregation of Lusaka, Zambia and Nelspruit, South Africa Group Worship Service (GWS) connected via videoconference, as they also held baptisms, officiated by assigned ministers, on that same day.

A week later, on June 27, Brother Jackson Liwanag, a minister of the gospel, led another baptism on the following day, at the house of worship of the Local Congregation of King William’s Town, South Africa.

The day before this, as part of preparing the candidates, congregations in Manyatseng, Petrusburg, and Qwa Qwa, all in the Free State Area, connected to the host site, the house of worship of the Ladybrand Local Congregation for the worship service Brother Vilson Vidallon, a minister of the gospel, officiated. He taught from the Bible the importance of membership in the Church Of Christ in attaining the promised salvation.

The newly baptized members expressed joy and gratefulness for the great spiritual blessing they received from the Lord. One of them, Nkepe Anna Mbongo, from the Qwa Qwa Congregation, said, “I feel so blessed to be baptized inside the Church Of Christ. I thank God for calling me and having the right to worship Him and be saved on Judgment Day.”

“To our dearest Executive Minister, Brother Eduardo V. Manalo, we thank our Almighty God for placing you inside the Church Of Christ and continues to teach and guide each one of us, especially during these times of pandemic,” said Brother Jeisi Cabe, district Light of Salvation (LOS) overseer. — With reports from INC News Section