Updates on Peniel House of Prayer (Mt. Peniel Prayer Mountain and Camp Site

Yesterday, we took a trip to Capas, Tarlac and visited Peniel House of Prayer which used to be called Mt. Peniel Prayer Mountain and Camp Site. We used an Isuzu van to get there and were glad that its coolant pump was working properly so we got to the camp site without any problems.

To get to Peniel House of Prayer and Camp Site we drove north on NLEX and exited at SCTEX and continued north and took Concepcion exit. From Concepcion, Tarlac, we drove to Capas and took the road towards Camp O’Donnel. This is the same road that goes towards the Capas National Shrine and the Spa Town and the place where you rent 4x4 vehicles which will lead you to the trek to Mt. Pinatubo.

This year, we will be holding another four-day, three-night summer youth camp at the camp site in Tarlac and the theme this year is “Real Steel: Unchangeable, Unshakable, Unstoppable”. The camp dates are April 17-20, 2012 and we are targeting 1,200 participants from Antipolo City, Pasig City, Quezon City, Makati City and other provinces in Luzon.

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Church Events at SBC Makati

April and May are probably the busiest two months of the year in our church. We have had major events - the annual summer youth camp which usually happens every April, the anniversary of our church in Makati every May and this year was different because for the first time, we held a Daily Vacation Bible School at our church, and our community outreach, parenting seminars, which are held at our partner high school, Gen. Pio Del Pilar National High School.








I just would like to share my Facebook albums of the said events (click the links above) and ask that you continue to pray for our church as we are in our ninth year. Please pray that God would continue to establish our church, more people would be reached and become followers of Christ, and that they would grow and be committed to helping our church fulfill the great commission of Jesus. Your prayers are like handicap pool lifts for us as God's strength is made perfect in our weaknesses.

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The Level Up Camp 2010 Shirt

The Level Up camp shirts are now available for PHP 150. It is the official shirt of the Level Up Summer Youth Camp 2010 and only 300 pieces will be sold.

The Official Level Up Summer Youth Camp 2010 shirt

Unlike the other promotional products we sold in the previous summer youth camps, this year there will be no price adjustment for the camp shirt.

So, I encourage our camp participants to get their shirts right away so they can choose from the available sizes of XS, S, M, L , XL and XXL.

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The Level Up Summer Youth Camp Cost

Our summer youth camp is just a few weeks away and I am feeling the sting of it. I have been busy this past few days with contacting committee heads for their finalized budgets as requisition will be made next week.

The Level Up Summer Youth Camp 2010 is an expensive event. As I looked at the rough computations I saw that it would take at least P1.2 million (PHP) to make the event possible which will have a maximum of 1,000 participants.

We are now in the process of finalizing every detail in the camp from the registration procedures to facilities like exit signs and team building equipment. We hope and pray that we would be able to reach our goal of 900 and see young people profess faith in Christ and surrender to full-time ministry.

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I'm Directing "Level Up" Summer Youth Camp on April 2010

On April 6-9, 2010, Camp Kabataan, a fellowship of youth organizations and youth ministries, in partnership with Breaking Point Foundation Philippines, will be holding its annual summer youth camp in Mt. Peniel Camp Site, Capas, Tarlac. I have been tasked to direct this year’s summer youth camp and am excited as we set a goal of gathering 900-1000 high school, college students and young professionals.




I will need to sharpen my youthology skills as I will be dealing with many young people. The objective of the summer camps is to train young people in the area of leadership, character building, and excellence using a holistic approach and the word of God as the main source of teaching.

This year’s summer camp is entitled “Level Up” and the theme passage is Titus 3:8, “…Those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.” We hope to challenge the youth who attend to raise the bar of integrity, morality, sexual purity, commitment to serve and goodness. Please help us start praying for the success of this event.

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One Day to Go Before Leaving for Camp

After tonight, it’s one more day to go and I am off to Mt. Peniel Camp Site, Capas, Tarlac for the summer youth camp we organized. I must make sure that I pack my things before anything else, making sure that I bring everything I’ll need (toiletries, comfortable clothes and not breeches, my MSI EX400, Bible and some pocket money).

This is the eighth year I have been involved in organizing summer youth camps with participants of about 600-1,200 per week. Yes, there are summers when we hold 2-week camps (1 batch per week), but this year, we settled to just one week and set 800 as our goal. Right now, we have exceeded our goal and hope to just keep it at 900 participants.

Early Monday morning, I will be traveling with an advance team of 54 people composed of different committees that will make the necessary on-site preparations for the youth camp that is entitled “Call of Duty: World at War” (Ephesians 6:1-20) and will be held from April 21-24, 2009. This summer youth camp was organized by churches from different areas of Metro Manila and Rizal known as Camp Kabataan, in cooperation with Breaking Point Foundation Philippines.

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Promoting "Call of Duty: World at War" Summer Youth Camp 2009

This past week, I have been really busy going around Makati City, to the different high schools. This was due to our promotion for “Call of Duty: World at War” (Ephesians 6:1-20), the upcoming summer youth camp which will be held on April 21-24, 2009 at Mt. Peniel camp site in Capas, Tarlac. This is organized by Camp Kabataan and Breaking Point Foundation (abusepreventionteam.org) and we are expecting about 800 participants from Rizal, Makati City, Pasig City, Quezon City and Manila.

The camp fee was originally P1,550 per person but thanks to our local and international partners, we were able to offer it at P400 per camper. The fee includes air-conditioned bus to and from the camp site, accommodations and food from April 21 (dinner) to April 24 (brunch).

The travel to different schools could have been made easier if I had MBT shoes because I decided to take public transportation rather than bring my own car to save on gas. I and some of our youth in the church were able to distribute letters of invitation to the nine Supreme Student Government (SSG) advisers of Makati City. We hope that this week, we would be able to get confirmation on the number of delegates (incoming SSG officers) they will be sending from their school.

If this materializes, then I estimate that we will be sending about 120 campers (two buses) as Makati delegates. We hope that this would also allow us to develop a good relationship with the public high schools of Makati City.

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"Lost But Found": A Fund Raising Concert for our Summer Youth Camp

Tomorrow night, I'll be at one of Camp Kabataan's fund raising concert entitled "Lost But Found"and this will be held at the SBC Main Auditorium at Masinag, Antipolo City. Three amateur bands will be playing - Master's Pedestal, Shekinah and our group, JIVE band.

The primary thrust of "Lost But Found" is for the musicians to share about how those who are lost and haven't found meaning in their life can be found through Christ, all through the message of the songs that will be played.

The secondary thrust is to raise funds for the summer youth camp on April 21 to 24, 2009 which will be held at Mt. Peniel, Capas, Tarlac. The camp, with the theme of "Call of Duty: World at War" (Eph. 6:1-20) will be participated by 600-800 young professionals, college and high school students from Makati, Marikina, Pasig, Quezon City and Rizal.


Our band (JIVE) will be doing a cover of three songs: Torniquet by Evanescence, our own rendition of Bagong Likha which is a popular Papuri song during the early 90's and So Bright (Stand Up) by Superchick. I am excited to play with our group even though I was not really part of the original line up of musicians. I was supposed to just stay in the sidelines and cheer for them but due to the unavailability of our guitarist and the difficulty of one of the songs, I will have to be one of the guitarists for the first two songs and the drummer for the third one. Honestly, I have really missed playing drums but I was really hoping to let the youth in our church play while I just be the one to teach them, but adjustments have to be made.

For those interested, here are directions to the venue: From Cubao, take Aurora Boulevard east bound then take Marcos Hiway all the way to Masinag intersection. Turn left to Sumulong Hiway (to Marikina) and then you'll see an Allied Bank on the right about 200-300 meters from the intersection. Turn left to the alley in front of Allied Bank and then you'll see SBC Ministry Center on the right after about 100 meters.

Ticket price for the fund raiser is P100. Proceeds will be used to subsidize camp participant's fee to cut down the original price of P1,550 to P400 and that is inclusive of airconditioned bus transport to and from the campsite, food and accommodation from Tuesday to Friday, training materials and travel insurance (April 21-24). We hope to see you at the "Lost But Found" concert and the "Call of Duty: World at War" (Eph. 6:1-20) summer youth camp.

Feel free to click on the PayPal button to this post. You will help send to camp under privileged youth from the church that I pastor, SBC-Makati.

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Camp Kresge

With the major event of summer camp coming up real soon, the team has been joining heads since late last year cooking up theme and programs for this year’s youth camp. We are probably going to stick with the camp site that we have been last year. The facilities and accommodation that they have are just right for the size of campers that we have.

Incidentally, Camp Kresge, the Wilkes-Barre Family YMCA’s camping facility and retreat/conference center is also having a NY Summer Camp. You might want to check out their site. The camp site is a huge 1,100 acre property located in Pennsylvania’s scenic Pocono mountains. A perfect place for a retreat, to say the least. This site is able to accommodate large number of groups with their 12 cabins that are able to house 10 people each.

It is interesting that such camp has been in the same location since 1953 and still properly managed and maintained. Keeping its tradition of camping with staff that’s beyond reproach. You see most of them have been with the place and are practically family. This camp site is a place you wouldn’t have second thoughts of sending your child to in summer.

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Back From First Week of Camp

I got back yesterday afternoon from directing a summer youth camp entitled, "Heroes: Ordinary People with an Extraordinary Calling". I slept from 8:00pm and woke up around 7am. I guess that's how tired I was after overseeing 574 camp participants. This Monday, another batch of maybe about 600 college and high school students will be going to the 2nd week of camp and we hope to create a positive and life changing impact on many of them. Below are shots of a morning and an evening session at Mt.Peniel camp site, Capas, Tarlac during the Heroes camp last week.

Pastor Lance Gotcher delivering a message during the Thursday night session.

Alex Litonjua leading the camp participants in some songs during a morning session.

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