Singles strengthen stronghold for Christ

By Natalie M. Malayo

This article, which I wrote right after the Metro Manila Conference 2011 in Dagupan, was published in "CBCP Monitor" and "Ugnayan" July issue.

About 2,000 members of SFC and other ministries of CFC from Metro Manila traveled all the way to Pangasinan Province to be part of the 2011 Metro Manila Conference (MMC).

The annual conference kicked off on July 15 at the CSI Stadia in Dagupan. With “Stronghold” as theme, this year’s MMC aimed at providing SFC members with a better understanding of the grace of God. The events at the conference were anchored on Jesus Christ as “the stronghold of grace.”

During the Holy Eucharist celebration held on July 15, Fr. Vic Embuido of the Diocese of Lingayen raised the importance of recognizing and defending one’s stronghold, which he defined as one’s “base” or “foundation” in life.

To discuss this in a deeper way, four sessions were included in the MMC: “The God of All Grace,” “Battling Against Grace,” “Jesus: Stronghold of Grace,” and “Graced.” These sessions, along with the theme “Stronghold,” were based on 1 Peter 5:10-11: “After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

Aside from the sessions, seven workshops were also held simultaneously in the afternoon of July 16. These were “Wounded Healer,” “Full of Grace,” “The Fight of Your Life,” “Grace Under Pressure,” “Be Graced,” “Grace for the Moment,” and “Falling Out of Grace.”

MMC 2011 was not limited to sessions and workshops alone. In fact, delegates were welcomed with a cultural presentation by the Pangasinan provincial government employees who presented the 15 festivals of Pangasinan through traditional Filipino dance steps.

The “Gloree Choir Competition” also added to the excitement. In this segment, the five sectors of Metro Manila – Big North, Big South, Big Central, Big East and Big West – were assigned a specific song genre. Although all made exciting presentations, Big West earned the main accolade.

The three-day annual conference ended on a high note, with all those present joining in the praise festival. The festive atmosphere in the Stadia during the final event left the singles with greater enthusiasm to follow God’s will, through responding to His grace and through Jesus Christ as “the stronghold of grace.”