SPUC President

The President of the South Philippine Union Conference (SPUC), Pastor Wendell M Serrano conducts a Comprehensive Family Life, Marriage Enrichment & Moral Recovery Seminar at the prestigious GOAT 2 GEDER HOTEL & RESTAURANT, Montalban St. J C Aquino Avenue, Butuan City, Philippines. This seminar is purposely designed to strengthen modern families from the Most Precious Book, “The BIBLE.”

Several people came early at 6 pm. on September 13, 2009 to avail of the Mini- Health Expo using CELEBRATION LIFESTYLE conducted by Northeastern Mindanao Mission (NeMM) Health Director, Pastor Nimrod V. Saramosing. Assisting him are a number of Health Professionals of Butuan City Chapter. They are doing this nightly before the lecture proper starts. The participants were very eager to avail of the imported gadgets used during the Health examination.

At 7:15, the seminar was officially opened. Before the substantial lecture on Happy Family was presented by the renowned speaker, a melodious heavenly music was offered by “The Motivators”, the official singing group of NeMM.

“It is a joy to conduct a seminar on family Life in my own province”, the speaker said. Because he hails from Jabonga, Agusan del Norte. He added that while doing seminars like this in some parts of the country, he feels that his own relatives, friends, and Agusanons need this too… He wants to help them improve their marriage relationship and strengthen the foundation of their homes not only for today but for eternity.

The Topics were very challenging and Pastor Serrano presented each topic interestingly with down- to- earth and true to life illustrations. So Participants were excited to invite another friend to join the seminar the following nights. Every night the number of participants increases that the 250 people capacity of the hotel function hall could no longer accommodate everybody. However with the resourcefulness of NeMM Staff, the excess number of people were given extra seats outside the Function hall. They were provided with a Video Screen for them to hear and see the lecture. What makes it wonderful is that the hotel management opened their sound system at the hotel’s lobby where most of the lodgers can hear or listen.

This seminar is well advertised in churches around the city. In fact prior to this main event of Pastor Serrano, The different Departmental Directors of NeMM conducted 2-weeks satellite meetings in different venues near the city.  The 6 venues are: 1. Butuan City Church- with Sabbath School Director, Pastor Jerson P. Arellano as lecturer. 2. Butuan Central Church-with Health Director, Pastor Nimrod V. Saramosing. 3. De Oro Church- with Youth Director, Pastor MaxDante B. Obbus. 4. Bading church- with Philanthropic Director, Pastor Ruel G. Arrogante. 5. Buenavista Church- with Education Director, Mrs. Nilda E. Caberte. 6. Nasipit Church –with District Pastor Jose Conrado Hermoso.

The seminar is still going on and will soon end on September 26, 2009. We are hoping that the challenges that have been felt by the participants will continue to grow in their hearts , build up their homes strongly to be  little heaven on this earth, and make a full  commitment to love God above all things and surrender their lives to Jesus.

What a GREAT REJOICING it will be!!!

The Health Ministries Department of Northeastern Mindanao Mission ( NeMM) a regional headquarter of the Seventh-day Adventist located at Km.3,Baan ,Butuan City has conducted a Mini- Health Expo in different places in the region. The Health Ministries Director Pastor Nimrod V. Saramosing spearheaded every  activity.  What they are using  is an acronym of  CELEBRATIONS Healthy Lifestyle introduced by Southern Asia Pacific Region of the Seventh –day Adventist Church through Health Director Pastor Abraham T. Carpena. C stands for Choice. , E –is for Exercise, L- is for Liquid, B- is for Belief, R- is for Rest, A- is for Air, T- is for Temperance , I- is for Integrity, O- is for Optimism, N- is for nutrition, S- is for Social Support.  This is a modification of what we used to have known before as NEWSTART.

Just lately in Butuan City at Goat 2 Geder Hotel and Restaurant the Mini-Health Expo was introduced to the Seminarians of the Family Life Seminar of  Pastor Wendell M. Serrano , the President of South Philippine Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist. It started last September 13 and ended on September 26, 2009.  It was done 1 hour before the lecture of the main seminar on family life.  It was a nightly activity with the seminarians to pass through free physical check-up with the use of the newly acquired imported gadgets by NeMM Health Department.

Everyone who submits himself to physical check –up will have to go to the different stations for each letter of the Acronym CELEBRATIONS. He will have to start from letter C until he comes to complete the letters of the Acronym. It is where they will be given health test and counseling session. A group of Health Professional Volunteers in the city were assisting the seminarians in different “CELEBRATIONS” stations who gave counsels on how to improve health. Several seminarians come early to get to the line ahead to be accommodated first. It was the busiest time for the health group to catch up with the time allotted for them. But if the time comes for the family life lecture, they will have to end the session awaiting for the next night schedule. Every night the stations  are crowded with people.

It was such an amazing experience to everyone. Most of the seminarians said. They were very much impressed of the kind of gadgets the Adventist have. That Adventist are more advanced in introducing health information drive to the people.

Seminarians went through series of tests and the most exciting one is the test that determines their body age compared to their actual age. Some were amazed to be  2 or more years younger than their actual age while others have bodies older than their actual age. “ I can’t believe it”, most of them exclaimed. Another exciting test is that they were asked of their lifestyle, their age and body fat index , then the computer determines their health age. This goes to show and explain to the seminarians that one’s lifestyle greatly affect his  health.

Many people today are recognizing the Seventh-day Adventist as one of the reliable Health Promoter not only telling people to have a healthy lifestyle but also giving glory to God through caring the body as God’s temple.

Now Northeastern Mindanao Mission Health Ministries Department is looking forward to be better equipped with more health facilities in order to connect to people within the region and to introduce  the gospel message through health Ministry..