Minutes of the Meeting
Date: August 2, 2026
Meeting: Pastoral and Council Joint Meeting
I. ATTENDANCE
The following members of the Pastoral and Council leadership were present:
- Bro. Bong Valencia
- Sis. Joan Valencia
- Bro. Allan Rius
- Sis. Nena Rius
- Bro. Henry Castro
- Sis. Meann Castro
- Bro. Siegfried Chun
- Sis. Joyce Chun
- Sis. Dem Cabrera
- Bro. Ezra Cabrera
- Bro. Allan Cerro
- Sis. Michele Nanquil
II. OPENING OF THE MEETING
1. Reading of Previous Minutes
The minutes of the previous meeting were read and reviewed by the members present.
The matters and action points from the previous meeting were acknowledged and carried forward for implementation where applicable.
III. MAJOR UPCOMING CHURCH ACTIVITIES
2. Pastors & Leaders Breakfast Fellowship
The church was selected as the host church for the upcoming Pastors & Leaders Breakfast Fellowship.
Date: August 26, 2026
Time: 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Approved Budget: Php 1,000.00
Preparations and Assignments
- The church will prepare to welcome pastors and leaders from the fellowship.
- Parking: Adequate parking spaces should be secured and reserved for guests.
- Music Ministry: The Music Ministry will be responsible for the Praise and Worship portion of the fellowship.
- The church leadership will coordinate the necessary preparations to ensure that the event is orderly, welcoming, and well organized.
3. Mental Health / Break the Cycle Forum
The church was informed about the upcoming Mental Health – Break the Cycle Forum, focusing on issues related to bullying and depression.
Date: August 15, 2026
Time: 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Venue: United Nations, Manila
The activity was noted as an important opportunity for awareness, learning, and support concerning mental health and bullying.
4. Deeper Study – Faith
A special teaching session on Faith was scheduled.
Speaker: Bro. Bong Valencia
Date: August 23, 2026
Schedule: After the Divine Worship Service
Members are encouraged to participate and grow deeper in their understanding and practice of faith.
5. Blessed Kitchen
The Blessed Kitchen ministry project was discussed.
Date: August 23, 2026
Leader: Sis. Nena Rius
Meat Processing Activity
The planned activity will focus on preparing and processing various meat products, including:
- Longanisa
- Tapa
- Tocino
- Embutido
Further details regarding participants, materials, and procedures will be coordinated by the ministry.
IV. FINANCIAL MATTERS
6. Reiteration of the Disbursement and Budget Approval Process
The Council reiterated the importance of following the proper financial process for all ministry-related expenses.
Agreed Financial Procedures
- Approval must be secured before any budget is released.
- No Request, No Approval policy shall be observed.
- Approval must be secured before purchasing any item.
- Ministry funds must be used only for their intended ministry purposes.
- All requests and expenses should be properly documented and accounted for.
Current Ministry Funds
| Ministry | Available Fund |
|---|---|
| Children | Php 298.00 |
| Praise & Worship | Php 1,159.60 |
| Ushering | Php 127.20 |
| Ladies | Php 10,010.00 |
| Men's | Php 1,102.00 |
| Seniors | Php 2,787.15 |
| Youth | Php 561.00 |
The leadership emphasized responsible stewardship and proper accountability of church resources.
V. LEADERSHIP AND PASTORAL MATTERS
7. Future Pastor / Pastoral Leadership
The Council discussed the church's future pastoral leadership needs.
In view of the advancing age of Pastor Mel, the leadership recognized the importance of identifying and preparing someone who can eventually assist in and/or assume greater pastoral responsibilities on behalf of the church.
Initial Qualifications Discussed
The potential pastor should preferably:
- Be 35 years old or older.
- Be single or married.
- Reside within or near Las Piñas.
- Have formal Bible School / theological training.
- Be willing and capable of leading the church and serving the congregation.
- Demonstrate spiritual maturity, good character, leadership ability, and commitment to the church's vision and ministry.
The church leadership will continue to explore and identify qualified candidates.
8. Church Organizational Structure
The proposed organizational structure of the church was discussed to establish clear leadership roles and responsibilities.
Proposed Structure
Head Pastor
↓
Assistant Pastor
↓
Church Council
↓
Ministry Heads
Further discussion may be conducted regarding specific duties, responsibilities, and reporting relationships for each position.
9. Unloading / Delegating Pastor Mel's Ministry Responsibilities
To help lessen the workload of Pastor Mel and encourage greater participation among the pastoral staff, selected responsibilities will be delegated as follows:
Benediction Prayer
To be assigned among the pastoral leadership.
Prayer of Acceptance & Guest Welcoming
To be delegated to other pastoral/church leaders as appropriate.
Last Sunday Communion Prayer
The Communion Prayer will be assigned to the following male pastoral staff:
- Bro. Henry Castro
- Bro. Allan Cerro
- Bro. Allan Rius
- Bro. Siegfried Chun
The objective is to develop and empower other leaders while providing appropriate support to Pastor Mel.
VI. MINISTRY DEVELOPMENT
10. Youth Bible Study
The leadership discussed ways to encourage the youth to become more actively involved in Bible study.
Direction
- Youth members will be encouraged to lead, participate, and share during Bible study.
- The goal is to develop confidence, leadership, and deeper engagement with God's Word.
Teaching Assignment
- Sis. Meann Castro will step back from teaching the Youth Bible Study.
- She will be replaced by:
- Sis. Michele Nanquil
- Sis. Joyce Chun
11. Ladies Bible Study
- The Ladies Bible Study will continue to be held every other week.
- The Bible study teacher will be the same teacher assigned to the Prayer Meeting Bible Study, to maintain continuity of teaching and learning.
12. Prayer Meeting Bible Study
- A Bible study session will be incorporated into every Prayer Meeting.
- This will provide the congregation with regular opportunities for Bible learning and spiritual growth.
13. Prayer Ministry – 24-Hour Prayer Line
The proposed 24-Hour Prayer Line under the Prayer Ministry was discussed.
The ministry will explore the appropriate structure, schedule, and assignment of prayer leaders to ensure continuous prayer coverage and proper coordination.
VII. MINISTRY AND ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
14. Music Ministry – Instrument Request
The Music Ministry raised the need for additional musical instruments:
- Electric Guitar
- Bass Guitar
Discussion
The church currently does not own these instruments.
The electric guitar currently being used is personally owned by Nigs Valencia. Because the instrument is borrowed, its availability depends on his presence and availability. This creates difficulties for rehearsals and ministry preparation when he is unavailable.
The leadership acknowledged the need to consider acquiring church-owned instruments to provide greater stability for the Music Ministry.
Further discussion regarding budget, procurement, and possible funding will be conducted.
15. Kids Ministry – Room Divider
The Kids Ministry requested the purchase of a four-panel divider for use during children's activities.
The leadership agreed to explore more affordable options through online shopping platforms such as Shopee or Lazada, with the objective of finding a practical and cost-effective divider.
16. Laptop and Air-Conditioner
The following equipment-related financial matters were noted:
Laptop
- Installment payments have already started.
Air-Conditioner
- As of the meeting date, no billing statement has yet been received.
The Council will continue to monitor the payment status and billing for these items.
VIII. COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA
17. Church Group Chat Clean-Up
The church's group chat system was discussed.
It was clarified that the “Loving GOD Loving People” group chat is the original Word for the World group chat.
Decision
- The old group chat will be retained but will no longer be actively used.
- The group chat will be cleaned up by removing inactive members.
- The current/active church group chat will be used for official church communication moving forward.
18. Facebook Live – Landscape Format
The importance of maintaining proper landscape orientation for Facebook Live broadcasts was discussed.
The media team is encouraged to ensure that future Facebook Live broadcasts are properly framed and configured for landscape viewing to improve the quality and presentation of online worship services.
19. Preaching Message Submission
Preachers are encouraged to submit their preaching message/title and related information as early as Wednesday before the scheduled Sunday service.
This will allow the media and ministry teams sufficient time to prepare:
- Presentation slides
- Social media materials
- Scripture references
- Other necessary service materials
IX. INDIVIDUAL / PASTORAL SUPPORT MATTER
20. Nicolai's Study Case
The pastoral and council leadership was asked to provide assistance regarding Nicolai's educational situation.
Nicolai, a member of the Music Ministry, is currently unable to continue his studies due to outstanding financial obligations.
Recommendation / Guidance
- He was advised to work temporarily to help address his financial obligations.
- He was also advised to consider transferring to a state school or university as a more affordable option.
The leadership will continue to provide appropriate guidance and support as the situation develops.
X. POSSIBLE FUTURE CHURCH PROJECTS
21. Blessing Table
A possible Blessing Table project was introduced.
Proposed Concept
- Church members may donate items that they no longer need but are still usable.
- These items will be placed on a designated Blessing Table.
- Members may choose up to three (3) items from the available donations.
The project aims to encourage generosity, sharing, and practical blessing within the church community.
Further guidelines and implementation details will be discussed before launching the project.
XI. FOLLOW-UP ITEMS
The following matters require further coordination or follow-up:
- Final preparations for the Pastors & Leaders Breakfast Fellowship – August 26.
- Parking arrangements for visiting pastors and leaders.
- Music Ministry preparation for the fellowship.
- Attendance/participation in the Break the Cycle Mental Health Forum – August 15.
- Implementation of the Deeper Study – Faith – August 23.
- Blessed Kitchen preparation and meat-processing activity.
- Identification of potential future pastoral leaders.
- Development of the church organizational chart.
- Possible acquisition of church-owned electric and bass guitars.
- Purchase of a four-panel divider for the Kids Ministry.
- Implementation of delegated responsibilities from Pastor Mel.
- Development of the 24-Hour Prayer Line.
- Church group chat clean-up.
- Proper submission of preaching materials by Wednesday.
- Further assistance and follow-up regarding Nicolai's studies.
- Development of guidelines for the proposed Blessing Table.
XII. CLOSING
The meeting concluded with an emphasis on unity, shared responsibility, proper stewardship, leadership development, and strengthening the ministries of the church.
The Pastoral and Council leadership agreed to continue working together to ensure that the church's activities, ministries, finances, and leadership transition are handled prayerfully, responsibly, and in accordance with the vision of the church.
Prepared by:
Ezra Cabrera
02 August 2026
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