CFC Calgary Holds Its 1st Cluster Assembly of the Year
with Top Leaders from Manila
By: Bro. Robert Ganaden
On March 6, 2012 Couples For Christ Calgary held their Cluster Assembly at Crossroads Community Centre and was graced by the visit of three of our brothers and sisters who came all the way from Manila. Bro. Roquel Ponte (wife, Nina), member of the CFC International Council and our newly-appointed CFC Country Coordinator bro. Eric and wife Carina delos Reyes.
Calgary was one of the Canadian cities they visited and we were honored once again to have listened to God’s word through our top leaders from the Philippines.
The opening worship was led by bro. Eric Viray, CFC-Youth Cluster Coordinator. With a packed hall of people worshipping the Lord, the night was embraced with chants of praise and hands raised glorifying the One who truly deserve our praises.
Immediately after the worship our Cluster Head Bro. Rosco gave a brief introduction of the speakers.
The topic for the evening was “The Gift of Healing”. This talk came so timely in this season of Lent where the Lord spoke and gave us the grace to be purified.
Bro. Roquel lead a Lectio Divina. Latin for divine reading, Lectio Divina is a traditional Catholic practice of scriptural reading, meditation and prayer intended to promote communion with God and to increase the knowledge of God's Word.
The verses from Mark 10:46-52 were what we were led on with bro. Roquel.
Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Sight
46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging.
47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”
So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.”
50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.
51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.
The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”
52 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
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Bro. Roquel also gave a teaching on healing and expanded on how healing through Jesus’ grace can transform our lives. He ends with a quote from St. Teresa of Avila, “It is not a matter of thinking much, but of loving much. So do whatever most kindles love in you.”
Bro. Eric delos Reyes then gave a very inspiring message as he was introduced to his new mission as CFC Country Coordinator. Serving in CFC for almost 30 years, he says that Christians are not for the faint-hearted. And as he quotes it, he says “It is not for wimps. Be passionate in serving God be on fire!”.
He ended with a message saying “Remove the negatives, grow in the Spirit, be passionate for Christ”.
In the end, Bro. Rey Tadifa led the closing worship on a high note with songs that kept us leaping for joy and turning into dancing. That song was “This Is How We Overcome”. Indeed that night was a night to remember as we proclaimed the greatness of the Lord.
