Greetings!  We are inviting you to join us as we celebrate the month of love.  This event is sponsored by the Ladies Ministry (Women Missionary Unit), which remains the most supportive of all church ministries.  Last year, we raised $8,700 in order to send our Praise Team to attend a music conference in Buffalo, New York.  They came back bringing not only an enhancement in their music skills, but they also became strong leaders.  We also helped in funding Pastor Ding Guevarra’s revival mission to the Philippines.  We also helped in supporting the replacement of our worn-out church furnace, and some of our ongoing church improvement projects.

This year, we have set 2 goals:

1.  To help support our family retreat this coming July.
2. To support our renovation of the nursery, youth room, and kitchen.

There are big projects ahead of us, but with your support and God on our side, we are optimistic that we can attain our goals.

The Valentine banquet is a Hollywood-themed event, and you may don any movie character of your choice.  There will be hors d’oeuvres, a five-course meal buffet, and an ice cream bar.  For entertainment, there will be music, games, and dancing.  Finally, our event will feature an honored speaker.

We hope that you will support us in this wonderful cause.

“Being confident in this very thing he that hath begun a good work, will perform it, until the day of Jesus Christ.” -Philippians 1:6

Sincerely,
Luz Minda Jardinico
SJBCI’s WMU President 

We’re adding a new feature to the website for people to browse through ministries that are looking for servants to help in the task.  

We’ll be updating this as much as possible so please always check back for updates. If you want to add to the list, please email marchesa.ababa@gmail.com or just scroll down and add me your request for people to respond to.  Please also add your email/contact info for people to respond back to.

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• Emmanuelle Grace Fabila Ababa -Graduated Kindergarten & Citizenship Peacemaker Award
• Chelsea Zackey – 8th Grade Graduate, Junior National Honor Society, honor roll, and gifted & talent, HS honors clasees
• Philip Cosico – High School Graduate, Washington Township choir bass member
• Aldrin Alday – Middle School Graduate

Make His Praise Glorious: CMS2011 in Retrospect and Prospect

by the SJBCI PWTeam


I was incredibly impressed by the worship that these artists can exemplify to all that attended the event. You can tell that they are truly blessed, meaning they themselves feel blessed, because people like me were blessed by their act of service to God.

Our Leading Worship session with Paul Baloche amazed me by how much our team simultaneously reacted when shown the difference between the incorrect and correct, almost flawless, way to play. Most of the times, we go into learning an instrument, even vocally, by jumping right in because we have that desire to fast forward to the fun stuff, like playing a Chris Tomlin song that everyone can bop their heads to. Paul Baloche killed that thinking. Many of the musical veterans there killed that thinking. In fact, all the workshops made us do something so basic, it made me realize that rudimentary practice had to include something even more profound, something incredibly simple, yet application-wise, very complicated.

In every exercise, we were to listen.

Paul Baloche taught us that as a band, everyone needs to really hone in and listen to what the other is playing, in order to fill in when a sound is small or absent. This eliminates chaos. Similarly, someone who strives to sing effectively, really needs to listen to the music, to other people singing, and ESPECIALLY adopt the practice to listen to oneself. Listening creates a form of submission, even in singing. We should make it a practice to aurally train ourselves, to spend hours with the basics. It all came down to dedicating ourselves to practicing and desiring to show excellence in this Ministry. We are designated Levites to play, but to play “skillfully.” I do not have to be the best, but I also do not have to be complacent with what I already know.

But it was at the Leadership sessions that I was challenged to be the worshiper that God called me to be. The act of worshiping isn’t strictly singing songs, but everything else can be an act of worship. We are to “Waste our Weekends” in practice, bible study, worshiping, arming our quiver to be equipped for our battle in service. May our lives be “wasted” for God’s glory and honor. Just like the perfume was only released when the alabaster jar was broken (Matt.26:6-13), we too have to be wasted so that we can be used.

“A woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume, and she poured it on His head as He reclined at the table…Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her" Matthew 26:7,13.

Even when Pastor Jerry Gillis preached about “wasting your life” for God and the idea that we cannot impress God, two things that resonated was, one, "you gain life when you lose and pour out your life to God. That death is the pathway of a well wasted life," and two, "you can’t impress God because God is only impressed with His Son. But you can hide in Christ. So the only way to impress God is if Christ lives in You." This experience taught me how to be more passionate in my worship. It reminded me to die to control, die to pride, and ultimately die to self as to live a life “well-wasted for God.”

Worshiping is an act of obedience. The first time the word "worship" was used in the bible was in Genesis 22:1-5.

Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” 
“Here I am,” he replied.

Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.”

Abraham refers to sacrificing his son as an act of worship.

I believe worship was at first designed to be done in moments of brokenness. Although as leaders/ a praise band, we may find ourselves discouraged and at a low during times in which we are expected to worship. In one way or another, we take His greatness for granted and we doubt. We worry. We get scared. We try to find contentment on other things or people, etc. And for some reason, I still haven’t totally believed that He can really save me, because if I have, all I need to do is to let it all go, and just look to Him. But these are the times that we must become obedient. We must not view God through our current circumstances, but by what we have always known of our God to be true. His glory, His greatness, and that everything is possible with Him. I can rely on Him with everything. That really, He is enough; all we need is Him.

Even when it’s hard Lord, I will follow.

I also learned with obedience and patience, comes peace and satisfaction. I yearn for Him for him more and more, and serving the Lord turns into a great abundance of joy. I anticipate what He has in store for my future, and while waiting I will serve Him. “Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.” -Romans 6:13

I’ve come to realize that it is important to let God speak through us. God is the absolute picture of glory, but how can people come to know of his glory?

That’s where we step in. As a Praise Team, we must work together to lift up his name during worship in order to display to the crowd the glory of the Lord as a team; whether it’s instrumentally, through vocals, or even through the technology being used during worship. The Lord has a message for those who have not yet seen the wonders of his glory, so we must let him speak through us.

What I have witnessed and experienced in CMS is difficult for me to articulate because I am still in a daze of the Glory of God. Glorious has become one of my favorite words to be able to say. When so and so happens, it’s going to be Glorious; I think, Wow, this is Glorious. Being at Buffalo was Glorious; I never felt I honored God in such a way. Assuredly, I learned a myriad of things on how to keep the music ministry alive and better sounding for God’s glory. I may not have left as a better musician, sounding better or playing with finesse, but I still proudly left the conference as a worshiper with a changed heart, a blessed spirit to see how God works in people’s lives.

God wanted us to draw near to Him to seek Him, to go beyond our limitations, and respond to His call to come nearer to listen and hear his call. He will draw near, when we let our defenses down and trust Him to lead this ministry. And we must respond to Him long after the song sheets have been folded, the mics turned off, after all this training that we were so blessed with. What will our response be once we go back to Pitman, back in our personal worship at our homes, school, work place? “You Are Glorious.” SJBCI Praise Team, we’ve heard it. We sang it. Now its time to respond and live it.

Abraham started his conversation with God in Genesis 22, by responding, "Here I am.” This is a clear example of how openly obedient we too should be when God comes asking for us.

I thank God for our leaders and supervisors that continue to guide and support us in our walk with getting closer to Christ. Being united with other unfamiliar people under God’s name, singing, praising, and glorifying Him and Him alone is an incredible and uplifting experience. I truly want to thank God for including this event in His plans for this ministry to grow. I am in awe of the great things He continues to do to us and for us. He deserves all the the glory and praise.

“Shout for joy to God, all the earth! Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious.” Psalm 66:1-2

[ note: this article was the compilation of all the separate articles
written and submitted by the individuals in the praise team. ]

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Click to view Slideshow
Click to view Video

Tags: CMS, 2011, praise team

Thank you for all your help, your support, your prayers and encouragement for the praise team. We have so much to share about our weekend at Christian Musician Summit 2011. Praise God for His leading and presence in every workshop session and concert. We claim Psalm 66:1-2 and make His praise GLORIOUS.

"Shout for joy to God, all the earth! 
 Sing the glory of his name; 
   make his praise glorious."

We’ll continue to update you on the Summit experience here on the SJBCI.org newsletter.  Also, this Sunday, we’ll be presenting a slideshow of all our highlights.

God is GLORIOUS!

January 7, 2011

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

Greetings! We are inviting you to a wonderful evening of food, fellowship, and festivities in support of our church ministries. This event is sponsored by the Ladies’ Ministry—who are, perhaps, the most active supporters of the South Jersey Bible Church International. In the past, the Ladies have been involved in numerous projects that serve the church and its missions. Last year, we initiated the installment of our $7,000 sign board. We have also raised $5,000 for the victims of the Ondoy Flood. We have also been responsible for various church beautification projects.

Our next event, the “Valentine Banquet,” has become an annual project that reflects our commitment to fundraising. We have established three goals for this year and with your support for this event, we can meet our objectives with success

1. To support the activities of a proposed Junior Choir (the young members will be sent to music workshops in Pennsylvania this summer);
2. To support Pastor Ding Guevarra with his November revival mission to the Philippines;
3. To continue some of the ongoing church improvement projects.

The Valentine Banquet is an international-themed event and you may don any costume of your choice. There will be hors d’œuvres, a buffet, a four-course meal, and an ice cream bar. For entertainment, there will be music, games, and dancing. Finally, our event will feature an honored guest speaker.

We hope that you will support us in this wonderful cause. And with God on our side, we are optimistic that we can attain our goals.

Sincerely,
LuzMinda V. Jardinico
SJBCI WMU President

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.
–Philippians 1:6

Firstly, all the praise is given to our God, who deserves all glory, for His majesty, His grace, and the love that He has shown through the birth of His son, Jesus. You are King, and we all bow down.

We acknowledge the SJBCI choir, having given up their Sunday and Saturday afternoons for arduous practices. Despite the musical challenges and sometimes overwhelming schedule, they’ve maintained their commitment, put their hearts in their voices, and tonight now stand as vessels of God’s love, excited to pour out all that they’ve been wanting to share for the last four months. Enjoy tonight, choir. Glory in the highest, indeed!!

We want to acknowledge the multiple parts of the church body that took gigantic measures to ensure that this event would be of joyous occasion. From the Choir, to the Sound Techs, Decorations, Food Committee, and the entire SJBCI Family, all were involved, unified to serve for tonight’s celebration. Every event, you offer your labor. God bless you for your continued love and dedication.

We also acknowledge our Speaker, Daughter Churches, Guest Churches, One Hope In Christ Choir, and Visitors. Your participation and presence is an additional blessing, fueling the joy of fellowship. We hope you were blessed, and tonight may add a skip to your step, rejoicing over the birth of Jesus, the Hope of the world.

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"All Bow Down" on Video and Audio

People have asked if a video was taken of the presentation for distribution.  Currently, someone wonderfully volunteered to take footage and edit it into a video.  So sometime in the near future, the night’s cantata will be available for distribution both in video and audio format.  Please keep updated through Facebook or our official website.

SJBCI Newsletter
Fall 2010

Distributed at the 22nd Church Anniversary.  Please click on the thumbnails below to enlarge the image.  If you request The Torch on hard copy, please email marchesa.ababa@gmail.com so we can mail you a copy.

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Long Summary:
I never really got to blog about the True Love Waits Retreat 2010, that was collaborated between SJBCIand OHIC.  The two youth groups were present, with a total of 40 registrants, and about 10 teachers/helpers.

We prayed for this retreat, really asking God to speak to these young people, and He didn’t just speak to them, there was a time at that retreat when you could honestly feel the Holy Spirit convicting everyone in the room, even myself.  I remember going in the middle of the room taking pictures, and while I was listening to a simple song being sung by just two people on one guitar, I felt the need to get on the floor, stop taking pictures, and just sit down, in awe.  I looked up, looked around and realized that I wasn’t the only one.  Tears started coming down for these youth.  Tears started coming down for Marchesa 12 years ago, and the realization of the person God has raised since then.  I honestly struggled within those few minutes, walking to the back so no one would notice.  I finally got the strength to pick up my lens and start shooting pictures again, knowing they would be blessed by what I was witnessing.

I believe with my whole heart that all those youth were being broken.  I went to the front of the room because I was one of the people to pray over them.  As I waited for them to come up one by one, I heard Pstr. Jus give the altar call, and to my surprise, they didn’t come up trickling slowly, but as a herd.  They came up, quickly, without hesitance, most ardently!  I was in amazement and overwhelmed, wishing there were more leaders who could pray over every individual with a personal prayer.  I saw Rogie having to pray for more than one person at a time.  I had to try to give time to each person close to me, people who were bawling, crying, uncontrollably weeping, and I felt almost helpless.  But I was overjoyed with what God was doing in their lives at that moment, knowing it wasn’t a result, but a pivotal point in their purpose.  As I prayed one by one, I felt myself empathizing for them, for each one who had their head bowed down, just weeping.  I heard other people praying, Pstr.Justin speaking, and stifled cries.

I closed the altar call in prayer, and was blessed… After everyone dispersed, I hugged a lot of my youth, and felt like a proud mom. We had the bonfire that night, and so many of them really opened up, even the “shy” ones. 

I’m really thankful for such a blessed retreat.  I could have prayed, planned, and hoped, but God was the only one to bless, convict, change, and deliver.  Thank you Lord.

I also need to say thanks to all the leaders and teachers. Their preparation and dedication to follow through to the end was such an encouragement, knowing that the retreat wasn’t just a convenience, but a priority.  Ken, Sarah, Genny, Rogie, and Pastor Jus, God bless you for your service and passion for these youth.