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on Weekly Sabbaths and other Holy Days:
as of February 2005
1:00-5:00 p.m.
Philippine Trade Training Center
Gil Puyat Ave. cor. Roxas Blvd.
Manila |
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1st Sabbath
TRADITIONAL
• Prayer
• Songs and Praises Worship
• Sermonette
• Comments/Announcements
• Offering Music
• Sermon
• Kiddush, Bread and Wine Ceremony
“So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.” –Luke 4.16
“For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you; that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me. In the same manner He also took that cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This, do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.” –I Corinthians 11.23 |
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2nd Sabbath
SONG SERVICE
• Prayer
• Offering Music
• Selections of Hymns sung and accompanied by musical instruments played by congregation like violins, flutes, tambourines, glockenspiel, clarinet, etc......
• Interspersed with Bible Readings, by the young and old, men and women assigned in advance by Elder assigned for that Sabbath.
“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 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. Praise the LORD!” –Psalm 150 |
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3rd Sabbath
INTERACTIVE BIBLE STUDY
• Prayer
• Songs and Praises Worship
• Comments/ Announcements
• Offering Music
• Questions about the Bible, the Gospel, Spiritual Matters, Christian Life, prepared by elders in advance, are answered by everyone in the congregation, young and old, according to what they picked during the drawing of lots one week before. Anyone may add to an answer, and the presiding elder refers to Scripture, any correction or reinforcement.
But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down. And after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, ‘Men and brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say on." Acts 13.15
“These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.” Acts 17.11
“And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks.” Acts 18.4
Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil.” Ecclesiastes 5.1 |
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4th Sabbath
SPLIT SERMON
• Prayer
• Songs and Praises Worship
• One elder gives first Sabbath message
• Comments/ Announcements
• Offering Music
• Another elder gives second Sabbath message
So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. Acts 13.42 |
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| Every Sabbath, those who are willing and able come early to help set the hall for services. have been prepared during the week. Flowers picked from one’s yard, or found in flower markets, and ornamental plants are grouped in arrangements to nurture appreciation of God’s creation. Colorful posters with short messages and illustrations to provoke thought, are tacked onto to the walls every week. Up front is a large board with a map of the Philippines, and The World, to aid those who give comments and announcements. Atop this board, is a banner in large letters “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.”
Special music is offered every Sabbath. A schedule is drawn up a year in advance, after everyone draws lots to set their assigned date. Six months are over before anyone can repeat.
A Fellowship Lunch is held every Sabbath (and Holy Days). Everyone brings a portion of fruits from their own gardens, or from town markets, like atis, mangoes, avocados, kamias. Dishes, baked to be shared by brethren and guests. wash-your-own-plate, so it is not a burden for a few. Everyone helps in cleaning up. After which a Share Portion is participated in by all, wherein they share their experiences of the past week, revelations, healings, fruits of meditations, lessons learned, wonders that God performs in their life. |
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After services, most of the fellowship proceed to the home of a family who has made space available to those who desire to fellowship, study, and pray on a Sabbath afternoon. This is also the time we have Children’s Bible Studies, Teen’s Bible Studies, Bible History Studies and Bible documentary films. Snacks are made available. Choirs and music ensembles play music or practice a choral piece. Counselling, Fellowshipping, Roundtable Discussions, Elders meeting. |
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Our Father pours out His innumerable blessings on the Sabbath, and the children are among the brightest. Arielle bursts into the door, “Hi!!!! …ss…Crdona” full of things to say, hungry for language. Charisse and Jeremy run into the hall with smiles on their faces, bright eyes and eager “Mayroon bang Bible Study mamaya?” Ezra Arianne, pretty and proper, greets everyone with “Happy Sabbath” (when she is there) and helps carry things. Andrew Joseph runs around teasing adults with a smile. Always full of energy and life. Of course they had those early crying phases during services, but soon they grew out of it. They are always prayed for and healed when they are ill. Now we are also excited looking forward to (remember the fellowship’s first wedding?) the first child of Gilbert and Ann Deboma! (As of February 2005, they now have two sons) |
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Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work on it; it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings. Leviticus 23.3
If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath,
From doing your pleasure on My holy day, And call the Sabbath a delight, The holy day of the LORD honorable, And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, Nor finding your own pleasure, Nor speaking your own words, Then you shall delight yourself in the LORD; And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth…
—Isaiah 58.13-14a
“And he said to them, ‘the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.”
—Mark 2.27-28
“For where two or three are gathered together in My Name,
I am there in the midst of them.”
—Matthew 18.20
“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some,
exhorting one another, and so much more as you see the Day approaching.”
—Hebrews 10.25 |
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