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| Most Rev.Walter Howard Grundorf, D.D. of APA and Most Rev. Frederick Luis M. Belmonte of ACP |
MABUHAY!
Newly installed Archbishop for the Province of the Anglican Church in the Philippines(Traditional) Inc.
Pray for the Philippines
Republic of the Philippines
See Prayer Information
Geography
Area: 300,000 sq km80 provinces; 7,250 islands, of which over 700 are inhabited, 11 of which contain the vast bulk of the population. The largest are Luzon (116,000 sq km) in the north and Mindanao (102,000 sq km) in the south. Over 75% mountains; prone to devastating typhoons.
Population: 93,616,853 Annual Growth: 1.83%
Capital: Manila
Urbanites: 66.4%
HDI Rank: 105 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)
Peoples
Peoples: 186 (11% unreached) All peoplesUnreached Peoples Prayer Card
Official language: Filipino (based on Tagalog), English Languages: 181 All languages
Religion
Largest Religion: Christian| Religion | Pop % | Ann Gr | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christians | 86,361,547 | 92.25 | 1.7 |
| Evangelicals | 11,558,344 | 12.3 | 3.1 |
Answer to Prayer
The continued growth of nearly all evangelical denominations, most marked among the indigenous Pentecostal denominations, but almost all evangelical denominations are growing significantly faster than the national growth rates. Church planting rates have slowed since the surge of the 1980s, but many large and megachurches have sprung up, and the sophistication and diversity of ministry within evangelical churches have come along significantly.Challenge for Prayer
Philippines’ great economic and political potential is not yet realized despite a wealth of natural resources, deeply democratic sentiment and a well-educated population. Failures by successive governments to deal with serious economic and social issues hold back development, accelerate unsustainable urbanization and keep half the population in poverty. Pray specifically for:a) A government that actively pursues justice and righteousness. Increasingly, committed Christians take major posts of leadership; pray that they may decisively influence the nation for good. Pray for the Fellowship of Christians in Government, which promotes biblical standards in state structures and among Christian public servants.
b) The end of corruption and graft, which has robbed the country of $48 billion in the last 20 years. A flawed political system helps maintain endemic greed and cronyism and keeps the country’s elite in power and wealth. The fact that the Philippines is Asia’s most Christianized nation – yet is the fourth most corrupt – is scandalous.
c) Recovery from the tropical storms of 2009. A series of storms battered the country, displacing millions of people, killing over 1,000 and causing hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. The aftermath revealed the need for change in a number of areas: government that mishandles disaster relief and assigned relief funds, deforestation that leads to flooding and landslides, and poverty that leads to illegal shantytowns forming in high-risk areas. There are no easy solutions, but many pressing problems.
d) Much needed reform to land ownership issues. Most farmers are landless. Changes would hugely improve the lot of the tens of millions of poor. Reform laws passed in 1988 are not implemented; continued injustices produce frustration and violence and perpetuate poverty for millions of farmers. Long-term investment into health, education and other basic infrastructures is also greatly needed, but requires commitment, huge sums and long-term vision by the government.
e) Peace in Mindanao among the marginalized, resentful Muslim (Moro) population, the government and the local “Christian” majority. Islamist factions, such as the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, will not compromise. They claim four provinces, two with Muslim minorities, for an Islamic state. Pray for a fair, workable solution that ends the cycle of military presence, violence, kidnappings and suffering. Pray also that centuries of perceived “Christian” oppression might end with freedom and respect for the gospel.
More Information
The Operation World book, CD-ROM, and DVD-ROM provide far more information and fuel for prayer for the people of Philippines.
Interesting facts about the Philippines
Geography: 300,000.00 sq. km. 80 provinces, 7,250 islands, 75% mountains.
Peoples: Malayo-Indonesian Filipinos 98,1%, Chinese 1.7%, Other 0.2%, literacy 92.6%
Economy: Agricultural and industrial economy, massive gaps between rich and poor.
Politics: Spanish Colony 1565-1898, USA Protectorate 1898- independence in 1946.
Religion: Freedom of Religion. Christian 92.25%, Muslim 5.65%, Other 2.1%
Missionaries from the Philippines: Estimated 4,500 long-term.
Answers to Prayer
The continued growth of nearly all evangelical denominations.
Increased spiritual unity.
Emergence as missionary-sending force.
Challenges for Prayer
Pray for:
The government to address issues of justice and righteousness.
The end of corruption and graft.
Full recovery from the storms of 2009.
Reform to land ownership issues.
Peace in Mindanao.
For relations with the Roman Catholic Church.
Church Growth.
Spiritual vitality to equal biblical truth.
Discipleship and solid biblical teaching.
A healthy attitude for churches with regard to addressing poverty.
Church leadership development.
Growth in Missionary Zeal.
For the less reached peoples and areas in Mindano, the Sulu islands, Palawan, north-central Luzon, and the most needy region, Visayas.
The ethnic minorities - Chinese and South Asians (Sikhs, Muslims and Hindus)
Operation World: The Definitive Prayer Guide to every Nation, by Jason Mandryk, completely revised-7th Edition, Biblica Publishing, Colorado Springs, CO, 2010, 682-688
Christmas Greetings
Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon! (in Filipino)
from ACP
Response from the Clergy conference
Thank you for your prayers offered for the success of ACP 2nd Clergy conference. We were blessed to hear positive responses from the participants. Special Thanks to Dr. Chris and Rachelle Ruhm.
Happy Thanksgiving!
As we reflect and celebrate the goodness of God this year and the years
past, there are many things that we can thank and praise Him.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (1 Thessalonian 5:18) You are blessed!
The Collect
O MOST merciful Father, who hast blessed the labours of the husbandman in the returns of the fruits of the earth; We give thee humble and hearty thanks for this thy bounty; beseeching thee to continue thy loving-kindness to us, that our land may still yield her increase, to thy glory and our comfort; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
past, there are many things that we can thank and praise Him.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (1 Thessalonian 5:18) You are blessed!
The Collect
O MOST merciful Father, who hast blessed the labours of the husbandman in the returns of the fruits of the earth; We give thee humble and hearty thanks for this thy bounty; beseeching thee to continue thy loving-kindness to us, that our land may still yield her increase, to thy glory and our comfort; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Archbishop of Canterbury moves to flush out Anglicans plotting to defect to Rome
The Archbishop of Canterbury moved last night to counter secret plotting among disaffected Anglicans who are planning to defect to Rome.
By Tim Ross, Religious Affairs Editor Published: 7:30AM BST 21 Oct 2010
Dr Williams's suggestion came in his first public remarks since a parish in Kent and a London bishop announced their intention to accept the Pope's offer to convert to Roman Catholicism
Photo: REUTERS
In a surprise announcement, Dr Rowan Williams said he wanted to establish a new joint group of Roman Catholic and Church of England figures to oversee the conversion process.
The proposed group would be designed to enable smooth and less painful transition for those who want to leave the Church of England to become Roman Catholics in protest at the ordination of women bishops.
It would also bring into the open the negotiations between disaffected Anglicans and the Vatican which have been taking place in secret for months.
Dr Williams’s suggestion came in his first public remarks since a parish in Kent and a London bishop announced their intention to accept the Pope’s offer to convert to Roman Catholicism.
Last Friday, St Peter’s church in Folkestone and the Bishop of Fulham, the Rt Rev John Broadhurst, disclosed their plans to join the so-called English Ordinariate, a new body proposed by the Vatican as a home for disaffected Anglicans.
At least two more bishops are widely rumoured to be planning to join the Ordinariate when it is established next year, but their negotiations with Rome are taking place behind closed doors.
Neither Lambeth Palace nor the Roman Catholic authorities in England and Wales know the extent of the numbers of Anglicans who are likely to switch allegiance.
Under Pope Benedict XVI’s plan, Anglicans would be able to move into full communion with Rome while at the same time preserving some of their traditions and heritage.
In an interview with The Hindu newspaper, while on a trip to India, Dr Williams spoke of his frustration at the Pope’s decision to announce the Ordinariate to the public with little prior warning a year ago.
“I was very taken aback that this large step was put before us without any real consultation. And it did seem to me that some bits of the Vatican didn't communicate with other bits,” he said.
“It caused some ripples because I think there was a widespread feeling that it would have been better to consult.
“As this is now being implemented, we are trying to make sure that there is a joint group which will keep an eye on how it's going to happen. In England, the relations between the Church of England and Roman Catholic Bishops are very warm and very close. I think we are able to work together on this and not find it a difficulty.”
It is understood that neither the Church of England nor the Roman Catholic authorities in England and Wales have yet agreed to Dr Williams’s proposal for a joint group to oversee the Ordinariate.
In the interview, Dr Williams acknowledged that the ordination of homosexuals and women as bishops threatened to create “deeper divisions” within the world-wide Anglican Communion.
"I feel that we may yet have to face the possibility of deeper divisions," he said.
"I don't at all like, or want to encourage, the idea of a multi-tier organisation. But that would, in my mind, be preferable to complete chaos and fragmentation. It's about agreeing what we could do together."
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