Church of God Fellowship Manila

For years, we had been used to the piano as the only instrument to accompany all forms of music for worship. In the fellowship, there were seven who knew how to play the piano. A few who played the guitar. And several singers. An elder observed how unexplored yet essential praise and prayer were, and that this is where we must pour out emotion and expression. And there must have been a purpose why God put several musicians together in one fellowship.

It all started with a bamboo flute:
“In our desire to explore more ways to add to the joyful noise all creation offers to the Almighty, we are starting with bamboo flute lessons. Try it! You won’t want to look back 10 years from now, and say ‘I should have tried it.’” –Daybreak, December 1998

This is all we had. Bamboo flutes and a pair of recorders. Never in our dreams did most of us believe that anything could be added to that. One of the elders asked “What if, one day, God would provide the instruments for an orchestra, are you willing to learn? Do you believe God will provide?” Well, some did believe, and others did not, and what happened two years afterwards was truly a wonder:

October 23, 2000, after the Feast of Tabernacles: YAMAHA annual sale is over. But there’s still one silver flute left. The FIRST flute!

10.24.00 Off to look over a violin. Emerge with 1 trumpet, 2 violins, chimes, lyre, tambourine, drum, shakers, music stands

11.9.00 Blessed with a clarinet!

11.15.00 Search on the Web for fingering charts for winds and instructions on the care of different musical instruments. Also, instruments are prayed for and dedicated for use to worship the Almighty God

12.30.00 Michael Flores plays special music on the clarinet

1.06.01 Mia Perona offers As The Deer on the violin! Michael Verango, a friend of Honeyleen Pioquinto, offers to teach wind instruments. What a long journey ahead!

2.24.01 Honeyleen Pioquinto offers special music on the bandurria

5.24.01 A blessing! Two more Hofner violins, and percussion instruments

6.01.01 Mr. Jess Cardona finds small-sized guitars for the young men to learn

Feast of Tabernacles 2001 Music Ensemble

10.17.01 attended evening concert of Musica Alta Ripa, a Baroque chamber music ensemble from Germany. Got to speak with the musicians backstage, after which they brought us onstage to show us their ancient chittarone, 1700 violin, harpsichord

11.01. Got to know Meann Policarpio, of the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra, who will give us violin lessons after

4.07.02 After about 12 sessions, the violin students are presented in a recital.

Feast of Tabernacles 2002

1.25.03 The Youth Ensemble offers special music. These are younger brothers and sisters of those who play in the Adult Ensemble. A second generation!

5.10.03 Raul and Vivian Hipe offered I Will Bless The Lord on the Sabbath, the first time ever in the fellowship that the couple sang together for special music.

May 2003. For the past few weeks we have been generously provided with more advanced lessons in violin playing by Rogelio Daval-Santos, a resident musician in several philharmonic and symphony orchestras. A friend of Abigail Magat, he extended this kindness to the rest of the violin students in the fellowship. What an unexpected blessing!

May 31 2003. What a delight it must have been for the Almighty Father to listen to Arnold Miguel play the guitar and sing with his son Abram Seve. The piece, He’s There All The While, was Arnold’s original composition, both words and music!

June 7 2003. On Sabbath afternoon, a few of us pulled up some chairs and gathered round just singing hymns, in a chamber music setting. A couple of violins, and a viola for accompaniment. In between selections, we thought how wonderful if we could record hymns, just like this. And we remembered that Mr. Cardona had asked us months ago, to record hymns and we haven’t done that, even if there was already a need. We should start working on that too. Honeyleen added that would be really good, even for Michael, in Saudi Arabia.

“Learning how to play the clarinet has helped me understand the hymns we sing at services better.”–Michael Flores, 19

“When I learned how to play the violin, I felt that God was happy. We had been inquiring about violin lessons for some years, but then there was no violin to play! I found out now that I can’t just play the notes. The instrument reflects whatever attitude I have inside.” –Mia Perona

“Before learning the violin, I used to look at difficult things and say, ‘I can’t do it,’ or “I can’t play that. Three flats.’ Then I saw that nothing comes from saying ‘it’s difficult.’ I should go and learn it, instead.’ –Abigail Magat

“Because of my brother’s teasing, I used to think I was useless because I didn’t learn enough to be able to offer special music. So when I did learn and finally play violin, it was because I wanted to show God that I was thankful for everything He has blessed me. Now I always look forward to the chance to offer music!” –Paola Flores

“It’s my dream to conduct something like an orchestra in the kingdom of God.” –Gina Constantino

“I used to be terribly shy. Whenever I saw someone who knew how to play, I would think ‘Good for them, they know how’. Now that I’ve learned the glocken, I can also share.” –Tanya Argallon

“Learning how to play musical instruments will help children grow up more disciplined.” –Dodie Argallon

“We should not excel ‘to perform’ ‘to feel good’ or just so that others can say ‘you’re good.’ Let’s excel to bring glory and praise to the Exalted One. “I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart… Everything else—joy in playing, skillfulness, dexterity, enthusiasm for life, brain activity, spark of creativity ‘shall be added.’” –Anna Cardona

Hymnal
In early 1999, we began putting together hymns and spiritual songs to offer in worship within the fellowship. Before that, we stuck to permanent bound hymnals. Then we were moved by “Sing a new song to the Lord!” If only we could make up a song on the spot, like David, or Miriam, or Moses, or the early church. But we still had so much to learn. So we compiled pieces that are true and faithful, uttering the praises and majesty of the Eternal God. This was slow, as we found that except for a few, most recent hymns are shallow repetitive. So we had to search further back, COG Hymnals, English, Scottish hymn books, Mark Graham’s music downloaded from Music for the Churches of God. Added original compositions of one of the elders. We transcribed all lyrics and music on the PC using Encore, v.2. YAMAHA keyboard, and nine months. Researching into the lives of the various composers and lyricists led us to discover the stories and faith behind each hymn. We always emerged with greater appreciation for each song of praise. Now each family keeps the sheet music filed in a portable case, unbound for new sets of hymns that are added yearly. It remains looseleaf now, though everyone in the fellowship found different ways to maintain it.

Click here to listen to hymns in MIDI format...

Arnold Miguel, a young father recently baptized, also a guitar balladeer, was inspired to compose the hymn Creation, which he and his wife first offered as special music.

We started recording hymns in 2001, especially after elder Jess Cardona practically galvanized us to start recording hymns for those God will choose to call. We had even obtained an 8-track recorder at a sale. But somehow the effort fizzled, and here we are, practically empty-handed when several needs arose, and so, we have to start all over again, this time, with our whole heart. On Sabbath afternoon June 21 after fellowship, we turned on a microphone while the brethren sang hymns, accompanied by Nora Pioquinto on the keyboard. We were able to record seven pieces.

We then added more hymns in instrumental form and on July 1, finally filled one 90-min tape with 28 selections! We then made copies to send out to brethren who needed hymn music to sing with.

Some days later, we received messages, which we’d like to share, simply because they cause us to rejoice:

“We’ve been listening to the music tape the whole week. I found it is best to listen when I'm alone and everything is quiet. I was forced to memorize the hymns because I want to sing along with the instruments, like I do when I listen to the radio. How all those instrument sounds were put together is so amazing!” – from Manila

“The music just swept me off as if to a higher plane, especially the arrangement for Think on These Things.” – from Quezon City

“The hymns are so beautiful! Really. Thank you for our copy.” – from Zambales

“Thank you for the hymn package. I finally received it. I went home immediately and started learning the hymns. Some of them I already know. But to hear them played with different instruments is so new, when before it was only the piano. The music is so uplifting and inspiring.” – from Cebu

Then recently, Jon Cardona told us he had existing software that could record in a format that could burn onto a CD. This is such a promotion! We’ll keep you posted on that.

Click here to listen to MIDI sequences and recordings of instrumental and choral music

Serve the LORD with gladness;
Come before His presence with singing.
Psalm 100.2
But You are holy,
Enthroned in the praises of Israel.
Psalm 22.3
Now when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushes
against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir,
who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.
2 Chronicles 20.22
Now these are the men whom David appointed over the service of song in the house of the LORD, after the ark came to rest. They were ministering with music before the dwelling place of the tabernacle of meeting...
I Chronicles 6. 31-32a
Oh, sing to the LORD a new song!
Sing to the LORD, all the earth.
Sing to the LORD, bless His name;
Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.
Declare His glory among the nations,
His wonders among the peoples.
Psalm 96.1-3
...But be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord...
Ephesians 5.18b-19
Praise the LORD!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty firmament!
Praise Him for His mighty acts;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!
Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet;
Praise Him with the lute and the harp!
Praise Him with the timbrel and the dance;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!
Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with clashing cymbals!
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Psalm 150. 3-5