“Take on the Mantle of a Missionary — GIVE MORE!” was the theme of the 2010 Community Conference held on February 21 at the Camp Aguinaldo Theater. This theme was a powerful follow through on the exhortation by Jean Barbara during his visit to Ligaya in November of last year.
In his opening remarks, Kuya Tony Panajon first affirmed the members by saying, “I never doubted the generosity of this community.” But, just like Jean Barbara, he encouraged everyone to give more. Harping on a similar message that Kuya Tony gave during the 2009 Feast of the Covenant when he urged everyone to engage in the mission, Kuya Tony further said this time around: “The Lord is apparently asking us to invest more … in evangelization, in our youth, and as citizens of this country.” He cited three reasons why we should give more: “Giving set us free, while hoarding entraps us. Giving can change the lives of others. Giving brings blessings back to us.” He drew inspiration from scripture, wishing that this verse (below) spoke to the membership collectively as well as individually and personally:
“As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God’s varied grace.”
(1 Pet 4:10)
Melmarx Marcojos, Central Sector Coordinator, followed by bringing the community into a moment of reflection, quoting Jean Barbara: “Give more of your time, your money, your people, your talents. Give more today than you ever gave before.”
Kuya Tony and Melmarx urging the members to embrace their mission
Melmarx shared his reflection on this statement, feeling a sense of urgency in the message (“today”), and a sense of generosity. “We give more because we are missionaries,” he said. “That’s who we are. As a member of LnP, you are a missionary. And as a missionary, God’s call for us at such a time as this is to give more. Because it helps us understand who we are: our call, to be a community of disciples on mission, and to discover God working miracles in each one of us.” He led the community to reflect on the following questions:
(1) Have you heard God calling you personally to give more today? If not, do I believe that God is asking me to give more today?
(2) How have I given more today? (not just money but of our time, resources, talents, etc.)
(3) What opportunities do I have in serving the Lord beyond my own community?
The remainder of the conference was a series of presentations from one individual after another sharing the joy and the fruit of their various mission work, including representatives from the Compassion Ministry, the Evangelization Ministry, the Youth Ministry.
Some of the speakers sharing the joy and the fruit of their mission work.
Photos by: John Rich Villas
See related links regarding the call to mission, and to give more:
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