I Enjoyed My Century Bangus Fillet at Church with Modern Day Heroes

It was an ordinary Sunday for me and many of our volunteers at church. I woke up early to pray and make my final preparations for my sermon. I would describe our Sunday as busy, a great contrast to how most people would describe theirs, because for many, it’s the day to sleep in, the day to relax.

Preaching a sermon in our 10:30 AM church service

I preach two sermons in three church services at our church in Guadalupe, Makati every Sunday. It is the church my family and I started in May 2003.

I packed the Spanish Style Century Gourmet Bangus Fillet in my things for church

Today, however, was busier than usual. After our first service at 10:30 AM we had a general lunch meeting with our church’s volunteer workers whom I regard as modern day heroes. We had to schedule it on a Sunday because that’s when most of them are available and we served free lunch because that’s the least we can do to show our appreciation for them for the work they put in week after week.

Posing for a group photo before enjoying lunch served with Century Gourmet Bangus Fillet

I am thankful for our volunteers, our partners in the ministry

Eating lunch after appreciating the volunteers and saying grace

A lot of the volunteers, mostly students in college, some still in high school, young professionals, and parents stay until 8 PM every Sunday until the end of our 6 PM service and arrive as early as 9:30 AM to prepare for singing or playing a musical instrument for our worship services, teach children in Sunday School classes, greet attendees and/ or facilitate small groups (we have a mother’s small group and youth small groups that meet every Sunday afternoon).

Spanish Style Century Gourmet Bangus Fillet and with Tausi: part of our lunch meeting agenda

One of our church greeters and usherettes is an elderly woman who is a cancer survivor - she serves God cheerfully and shares how God worked a miracle in her life

Our team of volunteers are composed of professional teachers, parents, young people and young professionals

Enjoying Century Bangus Fillet with the volunteers in our church

Providing our church volunteers free lunch and serving Century Gourmet Bangus Fillet is the least we can do to express our appreciation for their sacrifice and commitment every Sunday. FYI, our church is 98% dependent on volunteers – there are only two of us in the church who regularly receive a monthly financial support. Our church wouldn’t run without the sacrifices of our workers who willingly give of their time, talents and even treasure to support and help expand God’s work.

Volunteer singers and musicians serve in our music ministry


A volunteer Sunday school teacher preparing for his class

It was in our general meeting where I said my thanks to our volunteers for their hard work and where I rallied them with God’s word which says, “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

The Century Bangus Fillet is a simple reward and token of appreciation for committed volunteers

Back to business after lunch

Looking back at the day that has passed, I would say that our church is blessed with people who are not only committed to the church, but to the Lord first. Having lunch together was really a special time of fellowship and bonding. If the early church “devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer,” I would say that we devoted ourselves to the same things. But we’re not breaking bread but instead, sharing Century Bangus Fillet with each other - it was great to see that we can enjoy not just a can of Century Bangus Fillet in church. We not only enjoyed sharing this but our lives as well - our time, talents and treasures. Praise God for these modern day heroes.