Ripples

September 2011 Rivers of Living Water Catholic Community Newsletter

The Body Praise Ministry @ 15 years!

! The Body Praise Ministry is 15 years old! ... ! and indeed this special issue for September is in tribute to those 15 years of wonderful worship and service. Congratulations to the Body Praise Ministry! ! ! The ongoing joke that I share with the Body Praise Ministry every year that they celebrate their anniversary is that I always write down Body Praise Ministry as my rst ministry of choice every Recommitment Recollection come January... and that every year the Council always deems me t for some other ministry other than the Body Praise Ministry. And so last Saturday, I did not fail to again tell them that I would do the same thing come Recommitment Day. Sis Yna, in a grand (or joking?) gesture considered me as one of her newbies as the whole ministry gathered in Fellowship and in celebration. ! David danced with full abandon clad only in loincloth in worship to our God; and so I am not at all surprised that the BP ministers give everything of themselves during our Praise & Worship, as if under a spell but which I believe is the Holy Spirits; leading our community in joyful and meaningful prayer... for theirs are not mere dance routines but each step and each tap of their tambourines having a special meaning of its own. ! 15 years is a long time, and the BP Ministry has seen its share of members come and go, but one thing has remained constant: its prayerfulness and its dedication to its service. What I admire most is its constant reminder to itself to always give its best... and there has never been an attitude of mediocrity, a pwede na yan mien but rather an acceptance of mission to fulll, an understanding that its ministry forms part of a community whole, knowing that its role is just as important as the other ministries of Rivers. ! This ministry does not discriminate! For it is this ministry where I have seen acceptance given not on the merit of ones talent of dance or physique... for in the end, it does not matter how much one weighed or if one had two left feet. What matters is that ones heart is willing to work hard and give of everything in service to God; without seeking applause because Gods ovation is the only thing that matters. -Bro Henry Villar

Times of Refreshing
EDITORIAL
Choose to Forgive What we say to each other in anger alone, Can eat away at the heart of our homes The enemy searches for that Which in time will destroy The blessed union Our Lord God has joined. So we must choose, choose to forgive Placing all pride aside And with His love decide, to forgive Choose to forgive Life and blessing will reign When we choose in His name to forgive Choose to forgive O, in moments of misunderstanding and pain When awkward silence keeps us apart If well only open the door His love will restore All the brokenness there in our hearts So we must choose, choose to forgive Placing all pride aside And with His love decide, to forgive Choose to forgive Life and blessing will reign When we choose in His name to forgive Choose to forgive Forgive, forgive! Peace and healing will ow When forgiveness we show So we must choose, choose to forgive Placing all pride aside And with His love decide, to forgive Choose to forgive Life and blessing will reign When we choose in His name to forgive Choose to forgive To forgive, choose to forgive.

! Id always play this song (by Rick & Cathy Riso) every chance that I could but most specially when I would be driving to different places with my very close friends in the community... more on purpose as to point out what I believed was quite essential at the moment. ! Its no secret that the past months have been very difcult ones for the Rivers Community, nding the need for the Council of Founders to take a Sabbatical leave; and the formation of a Council of Servants to take over administering the community affairs while that leave was indenitely in effect. While indeed, there was a semblance of order in our existence in the community, it was not lost on most members that something was amiss. Invisible demarcation lines had been drawn and members either were drawn to one side of that line or the other. Others did not care the least and some others had no clue at all. But many of those whose hearts remember the Rivers that was certainly felt and knew that all was not well. Because the Rivers then was a solid and united community, borne out of its love and charism for worship and service to the Lord; where genuine love for God was the same love freely given to each other, with no pretensions at all.

! Again, Id like to think that when everything works for the good of God, the devil conspires and sets out to do everything in its power to destroy it... the human in us are only too accepting of the candies that it offers us that we sometimes forget that what may be sweet is not all too good for our bodies. Thus, we had slowly deviated from all the good that we started in the community, forgetting that soaking prayers is what bound us tightly together from the start; letting our personal pride get the better of us; forgetting that we had agreed on a Mission and a Vision for the community... each one loosely interpreting and including different biases to be newly founded purposes; even subconsciously diverting sense and purpose on newer members of the community. Maybe it was only too well that the Lord did not allow a bigger quantity of new members during those months in limbo, but rather as only a means for this trial that He purposely laid out on our community to play itself out until nally we will nd ourselves again. ! Being so close to the principal players of this scenario did not exempt me at the least from being so strongly affected. One does not like to choose sides... and if he does, he prays that he chooses the right side. But ours is so much different in that either side of that invisible demarcation line was neither right nor wrong. Rather, it was the pervading inuences that buffeted both sides that strongly etched that line deeper and deeper as time went on. Satan mustve been sneering in delight as the days continued. Thankfully, God does not allow evil to overcome what is good. ! In announcing that they are now back from their self-imposed Sabbatical leave, Sister Pempe related that they, the founders had set aside their personal pride and hurt feelings, have gone back to their roots and the elements that were present when the Rivers community had been founded almost 20 years ago, and have embraced each other with their renewed love for God and the original sense and purpose from which Rivers had been created. ! Last Wednesday was special... not only did Sis Pempe lead us in her last community worship (before she left for a 6-month vacation in the US) but also because she focused her prayers on the one element that was lacking during all those months. In Colossians 1:13-14, "For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." And in Acts 3:19, Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. ! Indeed, now is the time of refreshing... of remembering what was good; of casting away of the bad. If ever the following ovation after Sis Pempes announcement of the return of the Founders to active status were any indication, I believe that to most, if not all, it was an answered prayer. We must thank the Council of Servants for having been there during all these times. But the Moral Responsibility and the Moral Leadership for this Rivers Community will forever be on the shoulders of the Council of Founders alone. We continue to pray for them as they lead this community from what has been and what it always will be, a community whose charism is simply, TO WORSHIP! Only to God be the Glory! -Bro Henry Villar

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Much awaited announcement; genuine love; kapit-bisig signies UNITY; Prayers!

Random Pics

Random Pics
Mga Nakakatandang Body Praise

Clowning around with Itay Early BP Days New white costumes used in early Body Praise Days

BP Mass Service at the TV mass at the bridgeway

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My Body Praise Family

Yes, I am very close to all of them, the Body Praise Ministry, and consider myself a second parent to most of the younger ones and as an older brother to the rest. This is one benefit that was derived from having them hold their regular practices for almost 2 years in my house in New Manila. And even now, I have always considered myself as an extended member of their ministry, though while not dancing with them physically, I have always felt that I were with them during their dances. God has always been gracious to me and I believe that he put me in a very unique situation. While the Body Praise Ministry members may think that I was being of great help to them then, having provided them with the facilities for their practices, I have come to realize that the benefit of that situation have redounded to me as well. Joining them in their mini worships before their practices has practically strengthened my prayer life and they have taught me that there is joy when prayers are shared with people close to your heart; there is strength when one lifts ones problems to the Lord with people you know care for you, and there is genuine happiness when ones blessings is shared with people who are equally as thankful as you. There is a certain kind of bonding that occurs when it blossoms out from prayers, because one cannot help but be open-hearted and truthful when praying. Fears, hurts, sadness, joy, thankfulness, even laughter has always been staple for these prayer sessions with the Body Praise members. I have joined them and felt with them their apprehensions about their service to our Lord, always wanting to be perfect in their dance routines, always wanting to give the best they can in a particular dance, but always knowing that perfect is measured by the kind of heart they put in that dance. There is always that secret smile inside of me every time they finish a dance wonderfully because of my knowing of all the difficulties that they had just gone through the previous day in practice. Trying to be that good person for them whenever they have their personal problems (just like everybody else) has also made me a better person. Their respect for me is one of my biggest treasures and I will not jeopardize it with irresponsible actions or examples. Yes, we in the community watch them dance, resplendent in their costumes, admiring them for their beautiful choreography, even maybe thanking them for making our own worship more meaningful in the eyes of our God. We hear the music coming from the Music Ministry and we watch the dance develop and in its own unique way, feel the essence of the harmony of the song and the steps of the dance merge into one complete union. I believe that in most cases, we all just close our eyes and listen to the words of the worship leader, hear and sing along with the choir, and actually feel (even with our eyes closed) their dance of worship.
(This is a reprint of an article that I shared in the Ripples Newsletter of February 2009 but which I feel is still very relevant to me and how close my roots are with the Body Praise Ministry... I wish only the best of Gods blessings to the BP in their 15th anniversary. Keep dancing, keep worshipping, keep praising! - Bro Daddy Henry)

"A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance." Ecclesiastes 3:4

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An [Extra]Ordinary Life of a BP Minister

I have always thought I had a very ordinary life born in a simple family, had a common name, raised in the province, studied in the nearby city, rents a place since Im away from home, found a job but for some reason keeps looking for better opportunities, fell in love and loving every minute of it, spends a lot of time in the mall, enjoys traveling around the country, taking life one day at a time and enjoying what I have and what I can do. Everything is just so simple and common. If my life would be made into a movie, it would be a op because theres nothing interesting in it. My life story is just the same with other ladies out there. ! ! But sometimes, I feel a little different. Being a member of the Body Praise Ministry changed everything. ! Tuesday night is never an ordinary night anymore since the Divine Choreographer invited me to join His ministry and I decided to accept this very unique opportunity to serve Him. No matter how tired I am from an unpredictable day at work, my feet would always want to take steps towards the Rivers Center. It is easier to go home and watch TV or stay longer in the ofce and work than spend two to three hours or more with the other ministers and practice for the service the following night. The BP ministers believe that the moment we pack our tambourines, shirts, jogging pants and socks, our service has begun. During practice, it gives the BP precious time to bond as we share the stories of how our days went by, our problems, dreams and prayers. Most of the time, we dont really end the practice at 9pm as scheduled and I often reach home around 11pm or 12 midnight. Its exhausting yet I would go to sleep happy and wake up the next day excited and looking forward to the blessings that await me when I attend the prayer meeting. ! Wednesday night is the most challenging night for me. I have to hurry in the middle of the rush hour and try to reach Megamall before 7pm. Riding the MRT or bus with my oversized and heavy bag is denitely not my favorite part of the day. Theres nothing that I can do but to pray that I can make it to Megamall with enough time to put on my costume, x my hair and join the BP for the prayer before the joyful song begins. To save a little time, I have mastered xing my hair inside a moving vehicle with no mirror in front of me. But I can only do this when Im seated. Most of the time, I have no choice but ride the bus or MRT standing along the aisle. Cabs are rarely available during this time and broomsticks dont really y.

! Ironically, Wednesday night is also the most special night for me. God is so generous with His miracles on this night. It can be as simple as a comfortable and free ride and as grand as feeling Gods divine presence and embrace during worship. We may be standing in front of the congregation but we pray that may the congregation would see not our faces but Gods love for them. We may be seen by others as just dancers but in our hearts we are dancing with our Father God as He sings to us, as we worship Him and offer Him every step of our feet, every wave of our hands, every tap and shake of our tambourines, every smile on our faces and every tear from our eyes. ! We spend another few hours on Friday night or Saturday to prepare for the Sunday mass. The feeling is the same every practice. The opportunity of attending BP practice as part of my weekly routine is a blessing that when missed, I would be deeply saddened. ! Sunday is another date with the Lord. Going to the place of worship is a lot easier and comfortable than Wednesday night yet I feel that we are given a heavier responsibility. With the mass being televised not only in the local channel but all over the world through the internet, we are reaching to a bigger congregation to minister. Each time we pray for Gods anointing that may we disappear in the eyes of the people who are watching but may the face of Jesus be seen in us. ! With God as my Heavenly Father, Jesus as my brother, Mary as my mother, my family as my strength and inspiration, Rivers Community as provider of my much needed spiritual nourishment and Body Praise Ministry as my partner in worship, my life is never dull. He has called me by my name to worship him in His special ministry. Not every day that someone is given such an opportunity. Not everyone is called to dance before this amazing and holy God. My life may not be grand or spectacular but it is never an ordinary one. Every waking moment, loving person in my life and the opportunity to worship Him through dancing are gifts from God. I must be SOMEONE in His eyes for I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). I must be SPECIAL in His heart for God plans my life giving me hope and future (Jeremiah 29:11). ! These make my life an extraordinary one to live. And Im going to live it with a zest. Im going to love as much as I can, sing praises as spiritedly as I can and dance in worship as passionately as I can because this extraordinary life is never meant for anything ordinary. It is meant to worship its Divine Maker. -Sis Janice Aldana

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One Dance, One Spirit, One Family

I thought that being sent away on an expatriate position is the best that could ever happen to me. I was wrong. It is not the best because I feel lonely being away from family and friends. Do not get me wrong, this is a great opportunity for my career but when I look at the other aspects, it is not easy. Being an OFW is not easy. I am currently experiencing spiritual drought because of this assignment. Being away from family and community and the thought of not being able to dance makes me feel empty. You see, the Body Praise Ministry has been a second family to me. Through the years, this ministry has helped me go through lifes ups and downs. It has guided me in my faith. It has helped me to remember that God is alive and moves through me in body and soul. When I dance, I feel great joy and peace. It is as if, I am doing what God wants me to do. I consider dancing as one form of prayer. There is this yearning to convey through my body all my spiritual longing and thoughts. Using my body and my talent as an instrument to spread Gods love to others gives me unsurpassed fulfillment. It is not only dancing for the Body Praise ministry members. Prayer binds us also. They said that when a family prays together, they stay together. That is so true for us. We start and end our practices and services with a prayer. If there is one thing I miss most, it is praying with my BP family. A few weeks ago, upon learning that I am having difficulty in settling here in the US, former Body Praise members living in Florida thought of spending their long weekend with me. There was a storm then and a tornado warning. But despite that, they still came and drove for eight hours. I was really touched. We went around and sampled Southern food. We talked about our faith and our life here in the US. On their last night, we prayed and worshipped like the way we usually do before and after practice in the Philippines. Each of us chose our favorite song and prayed around that song. We glorified and praised God with our voices and hearts. We prayed for our struggles and desires. Most of all we prayed for each member of our ministry at home. I know that Body Praise always include members from outside the country in their prayers. But that night, we started praying for them also. That night we felt connected with our family. There were no dry eyes when we ended our mini praise and worship. All of us felt better after that. To top it off, the next day before they left, we logged on in Skype and called all those we can contact. It was very heart warming. There will come a time that one will experience spiritual drought. But what matters is, God uses people and situations to lift us out of that drought. When we pray unceasingly, God hears our cry. When I do not even know what to say in my prayers, I just kneel in front of Him and bawl my eyes out. He heard and he sent me angels to remove the loneliness in my heart. I may not be in the Philippines, but there are no oceans or interstates that can separate the BP family. (Sis Abi Francisco)

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My Lifes Journey: Knowing God

! Ever since, I will honestly say (as most people would agree) that one of the joys in ones life has been the opportunities to travel, may it be eld trips when I was still studying, for pleasure, or to see and experience nature and other tourist spots as well. I have gone through major places all over the Philippines & have been to different Countries too! Different tripsbusiness trips, vacation trips, family trips etchI enjoy experiencing other cultures but one thing for sure these trips has two things in common. It has a purpose and destination. ! Every one of us is in a journey. But not all takes the journey to GOD at the same time. Journey to God supposedly begins at the moment we were baptized and it continues till the day we die. This journey unlike my previous trips has no Earthly destination, we reach this journeys destination after our death. ! I may have taken a different path from my younger years. I am grateful knowing that it is never too late for me to take the right path to this journey. Oh well, Abraham and Moses took their journey with GOD when they were 75 and 80 years old. Better late than never. ! Taking one step at a timeit is not easy. I am Ms. Matanong (as I frequently ask about everything, to help me increase my faith, since before, I thought, I couldnt believe in something I didnt know in full details). As much as I wanted to offer my whole being on my journey - faith, worship, service, surrendering, there comes never ending distractions which attack my weaknesses. Yes, I am struggling broken relationships, professional trials and all the mysteries of attacking my FAITH that is eagerly pulling me from the path Im taking towards my journey I know Im making somebody mad kaya patuloy niya ko binibigyan ng mga bagay na alam nyang makapagpapahina ng loob ko. But the more I shouldnt let go of my GOD. He brought me here and only HE can move me wherever HE wanted too. ! From being Ms. Matanong, with a smile in my heart, I can say that the Rivers of Living Water Catholic Community played the biggest part in my growth and maturing. Now, Im slowly starting to serve thru the Fellowship Ministry and Body Praise Ministry. Never did it occur before in my mind that I would be serving thru these ministries, especially the Body Praise mainly because I have terrible scoliosis which hurt and held me back from moving freely for years. Aside from the fact that I last danced when I was in high school during our intramurals (I know myself, I dont really dance well at ALL!) Im an avid fan of VIDEOKE which made me think I would see myself better suited with Music Ministry. But then, its not my will. ! My immersion and journey with the Body Praise Ministry not just teaches me the routines but learning and doing these routines has been my means of conversing with HIM and hopefully I can eventually inspire and bring people closer to HIM.

! Unexplainable! Seeing myself body praisingwhich always brings me peace and for this, let me then offer my curved spine surrender the pain and praise HIM by dancing. ! I may have been able to serve before by trying to be HIS instrument in sharing blessings to our hopeless elders in Anawim but serving thru the Ministry is another booster in the ripening process or as a fertilizer for my growth in this journey. ! I still ask from our God but never to doubt and hesitate but rather to equip me in this journey that I am taking. He wouldnt just take away all the problems laid upon me BUT He enables me to face and get through it all. ! This journey we make with God has little to do with where we live on this earth or where we physically travel. It has everything to do with who we are it is a journey that involves the body, but it is primarily a journey of the mind and the heart. No matter the condition of our body, no matter what our age is, the journey of the mind and heart continues Because it is a journey, our minds, our hearts and our lives always are changing, always growing, always spiritually developing. Kasama mo sa iyong paglalakbay, Sis. Jen St. Bartholomew Body Praise Ministry !

"Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp." Psalm 149:3

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The Body Praise Ministrys 15th Year Anniversary: Gods Faithfulness Through the Years
15 years have passed since the first Body Praise (BP) Ministry members took their first dance step for the Lord. Clueless then, they embarked on a journey of faith. They did not know where the Lord will lead them. 15 years later, the Ministry continues to be sustained by Gods grace. His generosity with His Spirit has exceeded everyones expectations. 15 years later, numerous lives have been changed by a Ministry called, the Body Praise. Once a Body Praise, always a Body Praise. The Ministry is a family. Members have come and gone. We have members who have moved (some temporarily, others permanently) to other parts of the Philippines, the U.S., Malaysia, Qatar, China, South Africa, Australia, and a few other countries. We have members who have moved on to other ministries, other communities. We have a member who has gone ahead to his heavenly home. We have members who continue to come. We have new members who are beginning their journey with us. Whatever the case maybe, everyone is a blessing. Everyone is forever a member of the Body Praise family. As the Ministry celebrates its 15th year anniversary, we were inspired to give back. September 17, Saturday, BP Ministers joined the Works of Mercy Ministry in an outreach to the Home of Joy in Tayuman, Manila. We spent the morning feeding children who were abandoned by their families. From the moment we entered the room, our hearts were crushed by the sight of beautiful children suffering from various diseases. It reminded us of how much we have. Everyone either fed or played with a child. Each one feeling a deep sense of joy and fulfillment in what we were doing. The morning outreach was followed by a thanksgiving mass officiated by Fr. Domie at the Center. The Celebration of the Holy Eucharist was truly anointed. Everyone felt the loving presence of God. In his homily, Fr. Domie started by saying that the readings for the day were very appropriate for the occasion. Psalm 100, was about joyfully and generously praising the Lord with shouts of praise. The gospel about the Parable of the Sower (Luke 8:14-15) made reference to different types of soil. Fr. Domie explained that all types of soil are present in each of us. We can sometimes be rocky (we hear but hardened by life, we do not keep what we hear), thorny (we hear but we are choked by our daily anxieties), and rich soil (we hear and embrace the Word of God) at different stages in our lives. He emphasized on perseverance in our journey. We may be rich soil now, but can become rocky or thorny at some point. The important thing to do is to persevere and continue with the journey in Christ who never gives up on planting good seeds in us. After the mass, the Ministry with Fr Domie and the representatives of the Council of Founders, Council of Servants and the Admin Group, gathered for a simple meal and fellowship activity. The fellowship started with a video of one of the Ministrys service back in 1999. This was followed by a cardboard sharing of who we have all become as a result of being in Community and in Ministry. The sharing was difficult at first. Members were saying they are lost for words, but in the end, the Spirit moved, and we all had something to say. It was heart-warming. One of our sisters gifted the ministry with a video presentation of the BP through the years. It was an emotional time as we watched the evolution of the Ministry in still photos. To see old faces, friends who have moved on, the different dances that were all an offering of our love for God, all the laughter, and the loving fellowship. We are truly a family. The day ended with a closing worship. We offered our bodies to the Lord as we thanked Him for the 15 years He has blessed us with. We gave Him back all the honor, glory and praise! As we looked back, we saw how the Lord has been faithful and how He has persevered with all of us individually and the Body Praise Ministry as a whole. Everything is a gift from God. His grace has sustained us and will continue to sustain us. May His name be glorified! - Sis Yna C. Quiambao

The Body Praise Ministry members join up with the Works of Mercy Ministry in their outreach at the Home for Joy, their way of giving back for the 15 years that God has blessed their service for the Rivers community and other worshippers.

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Deanna, 2001 BP has affected my whole being! Physically, it has taught us to keep our bodies in "shape" (we have so many) for the service that we do for the Lord. Emotionally, it has made us balanced because we learned to accept that each unique personality makes the whole group. And, spiritually, of course, because in the Body Praise Ministry we have made it a commitment to serve the Lord with all our hearts, minds and souls. Chat, 1997 Through it all, God remains faithful. He sees me through all seasons; season of failure, season of sickness, season of financial crisis, season of spiritual dryness, season of stress, season of difficulties at home, work, ministry and community, season of heartaches/broken relationship with families, relatives, friends and enemies, season of pride and misunderstanding, season of stubbornness and so on. Through all these seasons, God never fails to let me feel the love He has for me and He leads me to see life meaningfully. I thank God for all the seasons that happened in my life and for helping me live to the fullest. He made me a better person and made me glad. Yna, 1996 BP is my second family. I grew up in the Ministry with my 2nd parents and countless brothers and sisters. From being an insecure, fearful and proud idealist, the Lords grace, through the Body Praise Ministry, changed me. I am now secure in Gods love and in the BP family. I am humbled by my nothingness without my God who is the Lord of my dance. I am profoundly grateful to the Lord for bringing me to this community and to the Body Praise. I do not know what wouldve become of me without this Ministry.

Lally, 1997 Of the many blessings in my life, the gift of this Ministry is one of my greatest treasures. I thank God for this gift that I can serve Him through dancing. Lord, may I continue to dance for YOU, forever =). Rose, 2008 Life in the ministry is full of blessings. It helps me deepen my relationship with God. The ministry helped to mold me on how to praise and worship Him through dance. I became more prayerful and committed to serve. I am more patient as well. I have deeper faith in God and I continue to hold on and entrusting everything to Him. Gaye, 2008 "Because of BP I know humility, humor, friendship and faith." basta yun na yon ;) di ko ma explain pero yun yon ;) hehehe Happy 15th anniversary to us! ;) Janice 2008 BP.... - taught me to pray for others... the one thing that i don't often do before i joined the ministry... - made me beautiful, or at least made me think that i am beautiful, as inspired by the song 'praise looks good on you' - made me realize that i don't have to be in perfect health to offer my body in worship because He knows what's in my heart & He will take care of whatever that needs fixing in me...

Jimboy, 2001 I am so honored to receive Gods calling and answer to it through the Body Praise. This Ministry has guided me through thick and thin, ups and downs of my spiritual life, and has made my faith stronger. I am so happy dancing for my Father, my Brother, Jesus R.T.S.T.L - Ready To Serve The Lord.

Liezl, 2003 Basta Pagkainubos nilahehehe 1. It made me realize how Blessed and Passionate we are. Blessed to be in the group and Passionate in pleasing God. 2. I now have an extended family in BPkasi halos bawat isa inaanak ang mga anak nila=P 3. I have someone to talk with in Skypepara maibasan naman ang kalungkutan naming mga wala sa Pinas=) mga prayer warriors namin kayong lahat! Happy anniversary BP sayaw lang ng sayaw kahit magkarayuma pa tyomwah!!!

Cel, 2000 Body Praise Ministry will forever have a place in my heart. Being able to share the gift of dance is an expression of my gratitude and faith to GOD. Body Praise is my family who walks hand-inhand (pa-sway-sway pa) with me in the journey of LIFE, accepts me for who I am and what I have, in good times and especially in my weak times. Salamat! God bless, tsup! tsup!

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W - a Minute
by: Bro Jun Carlos
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. (James 4:8) W as in WORSHIP, so the title above should read: Worship a minute, which is certainly a gazillion times better than merely waiting for a minute. I am 100% sure that all of us have free minutes in between our work, chores, and other activities that we do. Take for example queuing or waiting in line (FX, LRT/ MRT, grocery, theater, ATM, bills payment counter etc.), one survey says that an average person waits at least 1 hour a day or 60 minutes! Imagine 60 minutes doing nothing but just wating, we can do a lot in 60 minutes! Well, waiting has found an ally on digital gadgets like the cellular phones - - in a minute we can text, play games, listen to music, avail of wi service, if any. But why not Worship a minute? Btw, this discussion is not intended to reduce our personal worship into a formula neither shorten it to a minute. Certainly, we do not want to make worship a quick x or something we do in a rush. Still, we all believe that the more we spend time in prayers and worshipping is always the better. What I mean here is when you have a few moments to spare, it is possible to spend 60 seconds in worshipping our Lord. Ready? First, read again the verse above. Drawing near to God in worship is one of the most powerful things we can do. Offering praises takes the focus off of ourselves, our situations, our problems and puts our attention entirely to Him. The second part of the verse is that He will draw near, too. We all know that our Lord is sooo in-love with us, He wants to be near and there is so much more He wants to give us. When we offer our love, gratitude, worship and praise to God - - great things happen! He reveals Himself to us, far more than we can realize! Second, simply recall one denition of what worship is. (Heres a quick review from our past talks & inputs) It is opening our hearts to God. It is inviting the presence of God to dwell with us. Praising Him for who He is in our life (God, Heavenly Father, Creator, Friend, Healer, Provider, Sanctier, Ever Present Help etc ). It is exalting Him as the God of love. Honoring and thanking Him for all He has done, all He will do. Acknowledging God as almighty and all powerful, nothing is impossible to Him. Worship is getting up close, personal. Feeling His nearness and touching Him. Coming in contact with all that God is. Preparing to encounter Him. Allowing Gods presence and holiness to touch us. Offering ourselves to Him (as a living sacrice, Rom 12:1), showing how much we love Him, affirming our loyalty. Lifting our hearts and minds. Worship is letting why we need go, everything, all else embracing only Him! Third, there is a good reason to praise God: From Stormie Omartian, my favorite author, consider the reasons why we need to praise our Lord: We praise God because He is worthy of our praise. We praise God because it brings us into His Presence. We praise God because He hears our prayers. We praise God because it brings pleasure to our soul. We praise God because He does so much for us. We praise God because He guides us in all things. We praise God because He delivers us and sets us free. We praise God because He saves us in every way possible. We praise God because He protects us in times of trouble. We praise God because He heals and gives life.

Fourth, call upon the name of the Lord. The Bible provides many names and identications that tell who He is and His attributes. The more we know about God and declare His name, His ability, the more we put our trust on Him. First name to call is Father, then the second name to remember is Jesus, and the third is the Holy Spirit! Remember, John 14:14, if you ask anything in My name, I will do it. There is power in the name of our Lord! Just to expand the rst step (above). Proclaim who He is and what Has he done in your life. It would help to write them all occasionally and perhaps arrange in alphabetical order. Example: Almighty, Amazing, Awesome, Beautiful, Boundless love, Builder, Caring, Comforter, Compassionate, Counsellor, Defender, Deliver, Dependable, Encourager, Eternal, Exalted, Faithful, Forgiving, Friend, Generous, Gentle, Good, Gracious (suggest to write who God is after your regular reading of bible passages). Fifth, put them all together. Ready? Heavenly Father we come to You at this moment with thanksgiving in our hearts. We worship You today as the almighty God, Creator of heaven and earth, and nothing is impossible for You. We offer our praises to You because You alone is worthy to be praised. We thank You that are the God of love, peace and joy. We thank You for all that You are and for all You have done in our lives. Thank You for _____________ and for _________. Thank You for the guidance, comfort and strength. We praise You Lord for Your love is amazing, for the boundless love, for the comfort, for being dependable, forgiving, gracious and kind. We praise You Lord, for Your goodness, grace and mercy that endures forever. There you go: 60 seconds. Try adding more seconds and minutes.

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Si Sis Pempe Rodrigo ay patuloy na magpapadala ng kangyang mga bilin bagamat siya ay kasalukyang nagbabakasyon at bumibisita sa kanyang mga anak sa Amerika. Isama natin siya sa ating mga panalangin. Salamat po.

Mabisang Dalangin Higit na mabisa and ating dalangin Pag hindi sa bibig lamang nanggaling Bagkus bumubukal sa diwat damdamin Atas ng Relihiyon Tahasang paglabag sa ting konstitusyon Ang ipagpilitan ng puno ng nasyon Na gawin nino man ang ano mang aksyon Na labag sa atas ng kanyang relihiyon Takot Mamatay Waring gumagaan ang bigat ng buhay Pag nababawasan ang takot mamatay Poong Lumikha Hindi pagtataksil sa mahal kong bansa Ang mas mahalin ko ang Poong Lumikha

Kristiyano Nga Ba? Kristiyano umano, sa paniniwala... Ngunit antikristo, sa kilos at gawa

Why Bother to Pray for Others?

Every intercessory prayer you offer adds that much more love and healing energy to the consciousness of the individual you are praying for. In Healing Words, Reinventing Medicine, and other books, Dr. Larry Dossey, who has spent years researching the relationship between prayer and healing, cites numerous scientic studies that strongly support the power of prayer. Indeed, an intercessory prayer, when uttered with loving intention and unbroken attention, may mean the difference between life and death. Yet there are so many factors in playthe recipients karmic debts, sacred contracts, and will to live, to name a fewthat your prayer may not appear to affect the ultimate outcome. So why bother to pray? No matter what the outcome, the loving energy you transmit may ease the recipients pain, comfort their soul, and bolster their strength and resolve. In the end, every prayer you offer up serves the higher good of the person you are praying for. The time may be delayed, the manner may be unexpected, but the answer is sure to come. Not a tear of sorrow, not a breath of holy desire, poured out to God will ever be lost, but in Gods own time and way will be wafted back again in clouds of mercy, and fall in showers of blessings on you, and on those for whom you pray. Saint Therese

People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within. (Elizabeth Kubler-Ross)

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY FR. MARIO SOBREJUANITE! Wishing you all the best of Gods wonderful blessings!
from the Ripples Staff and Multimedia Ministry

September-October Schedule of Activities

Facebook has taken over the social network world and we are taking advantage of it. Most of our dear members now have facebook acocunts all over the world. With this, we have created a new page specic for our site, with the same capabilities for our members (i.e. to be able to post messages, share photos, videos, events, etc). Please visit us at: http://www.facebook.com/ROLWCC (inside facebook, you may easily search for ROLWCC page) All you have to do to join us is to click on the "LIKE" button located at the topmost page next to our page name "RIVERS OF LIVING WAT E R C AT H O L I C COMMUNITY (ROLWCC)".

Sep21 Sep24 Sep28 Sep30 Oct01 Oct05 Oct08 Oct12 Oct14 Oct15-16 Oct19 Oct22 Oct26 Oct29

Prayer Mtg & High Praise 7-9pm Megachapel Formation on Belongingness 1-3pm Rivers Center Prayer Mtg & Worship Input 7-9pm Megachapel Fr. Mario Sobrejuanites Birthday! Property Management Ministry Recollection with Bro Chito Jongco 8am-5pm Rivers Center PostGSS#3 St. Ignatius 1-3pm Rivers Center PostMSS#6 St. Jude Thaddeus 3-5pm Rivers Center 1st Wednesday Healing Mass 7-9 pm Megachapel PostMSS#2 St. Cecilia 3-5pm Rivers Center Prayer Mtg & Worship 7-9 pm Megachapel Ingress/Empowerment Mass 7pm St. Paul Pasig Life in the Spirit Seminar (LSS) for the Class of St. Margaret Mary St. Paul College, Pasig City Prayer Mtg & High Praise 7-9pm Megachapel PostLSS#1 St. Margaret Mary 1-3pm Rivers Center Prayer Mtg & Worship 7-9pm Megachapel Equipping for Ministry Recollection (EMR) Class of St. Jude Thaddeus 8am-5pm Rivers Center

Schedules may be subject to change. Please listen to the regular announcements during the prayer meetings for conrmation.

If you would like to share an article or send in your comments, please e-mail them to henrivillar@gmail.com

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