12 Dec 2024, 11:46Southampton, Southampton, England, United Kingdom
Bayanihan! Southampton Youth and Filipino Ministries Church Building Fundraising Show and Concert
On the Sabbath afternoon of 30 November, Southampton International Filipino Ministries hosted a concert featuring Euphony of Praise, a singing group of seven ladies, to raise money for the Southampton Church Building Fund. We had a full house with members and many guests as Euphony of Praise raised the roof with moving anthems such as “There’s a Bridge to Cross the Great Divide” and “Hope for All Nations.” The concert was interspersed with musical renditions from the children, a teen trio, and instrumental pieces on the saxophone and piano.
Sister Joewela Belican shared the history of Southampton International Filipino Ministries, which formed when the first batch of nurses arrived from the Philippines to work in Southampton hospitals in 2000. Finding a warm, welcoming church family made the transition to a new country easier, and the church became a refuge for many. Once settled, they served in all aspects of church life in Southampton and even beyond, assisting with evangelism in other cities in the South. The ladies of Euphony of Praise also shared their testimonies and messages of encouragement for the attendees.
The following Sabbath evening, on 7 December 2024, the Southampton Youth and Teens hosted a Cultural Talent Show to also raise money for our Church Building Fund. This featured skits, songs, and talks showcasing aspects of the many nationalities and cultures represented in our congregation. Highlights included an active scene of Romanian village life, musical renditions in several languages, and a skit showing the Filipino tradition of bayanihan, where the men of the village come together to move a bamboo house from one place to another. The evening closed with the youth singing a moving rendition of “We Speak to Nations.”
As Southampton Church works to expand the gospel and reach the nations in this area of historical significance to Adventism in the UK, we pray that we will continue to have a spirit of bayanihan—joining hands together in service to God.
On the Sabbath afternoon of 30 November, Southampton International Filipino Ministries hosted a concert featuring Euphony of Praise, a singing group of seven ladies, to raise money for the Southampton Church Building Fund. We had a full house with members and many guests as Euphony of Praise raised the roof with moving anthems such as “There’s a Bridge to Cross the Great Divide” and “Hope for All Nations.” The concert was interspersed with musical renditions from the children, a teen trio, and instrumental pieces on the saxophone and piano.
Sister Joewela Belican shared the history of Southampton International Filipino Ministries, which formed when the first batch of nurses arrived from the Philippines to work in Southampton hospitals in 2000. Finding a warm, welcoming church family made the transition to a new country easier, and the church became a refuge for many. Once settled, they served in all aspects of church life in Southampton and even beyond, assisting with evangelism in other cities in the South. The ladies of Euphony of Praise also shared their testimonies and messages of encouragement for the attendees.
The following Sabbath evening, on 7 December 2024, the Southampton Youth and Teens hosted a Cultural Talent Show to also raise money for our Church Building Fund. This featured skits, songs, and talks showcasing aspects of the many nationalities and cultures represented in our congregation. Highlights included an active scene of Romanian village life, musical renditions in several languages, and a skit showing the Filipino tradition of bayanihan, where the men of the village come together to move a bamboo house from one place to another. The evening closed with the youth singing a moving rendition of “We Speak to Nations.”
As Southampton Church works to expand the gospel and reach the nations in this area of historical significance to Adventism in the UK, we pray that we will continue to have a spirit of bayanihan—joining hands together in service to God.
