Excellent musical play.

Thank you is not enough. We want to show our appreciation to our neighbours.

Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) or Church of Christ, one of the fastest growing international Christian organisations, will thank residents of Sydney’s western suburbs on Saturday, Sept. 3 for their continuous support and hospitality throughout the growth of its local establishments, at an inaugural Neighbourhood Appreciation Day hosted at 27 Eskdale St. in Minchinbury from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Hundreds of community members are expected to receive FREE services for everyday living sponsored by the Iglesia ni Cristo, including health screenings, consultations and wellness education from licensed medical professionals; children’s center with games and crafts; food and live musical entertainment; and guided tours to welcome residents to the chapel in Minchinbury.

The very first of ongoing initiatives to reach communities across the country, the day of service is a global effort of the INC Giving Project, the organisation’s newly launched philanthropic program to help families and communities during challenging economic times, leveraging the skills and expertise of Church members to implement positive solutions and offer services for the basic needs of their neighbours.

“The services we’re offering our community partners are strategically aligned with the needs of the region to ensure we’re providing children and families everyday resources not often supplied free of cost.” said Iglesia ni Cristo District Minister of Australia-Oceania Emmanuel Era.

“More nonprofits are unfortunately closing their doors with the downturn of the economy, but even after nearly 100 years, the INC is still growing internationally. It’s our way of saying thank you to our neighbours and opening our doors to those who’ve welcomed us on their streets every week for the last 24 years.”

The first congregation of the Iglesia ni Cristo in Australia was formed in Sydney, now known as the establishment in Carlingford. The Minchinbury chapel located along the Great Western Highway, completed in 1996, is just one of nine congregations in the Metro Sydney area alone, and part of 57 congregations and regional extensions in the Australia-Oceania District that spans throughout Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Solomon Islands and Tonga.

Nonprofits and faith-based organisations have long helped fill the gap between those in need and what the government provides in benefits and social services, but the increased cut of programs and the impact of the recession is widening the gap. Studies are showing that cuts to social service programs mean charitable groups and faith-based organisations are expected to service more people with even greater needs.

“We don’t want to just say thank you to our neighbours, we want to show them our appreciation,” said Era.

“Our members are taking a multi-service approach to addressing the issues facing residents of the area while setting the tone for future initiatives that support family and neighbourhood development.”

The mission of the INC Giving Project is to extend the presence of the Iglesia ni Cristo members to its community partners by supporting their efforts to provide solutions to help families succeed and achieve. The Neighbourhood Appreciation Day in Western Sydney is part of a global initiative to share faith through acts of kindness by meeting people’s everyday needs, engaging thousands of members in supporting local neighbourhoods and strengthening the bond with their communities.

For more information on the Neighbourhood Appreciation Day or upcoming INC Giving projects in the region, call 0434 283 656 (Glenn David) or email info [at] incaustralia [dot] com. The Western Sydney local congregation house of worship is located at 27 Eskdale St. in Minchinbury.

In my original article, I suggested ways to creating an email address using your favorite domain name or in fact, your own domain name, which you would like to be your permanent email address.

The suggested technique simply involved setting up a virtual (now called, forwarding) email account which you could fashion more aesthetically than the server-restricted, 6-character, and imagination-stretching username email address. Emails sent to a virtual email account were forwarded to a real email account like an email address issued by an Internet Service Provider (ISP) with a mailbox which held your incoming emails until these were downloaded to your local drive.

It was actually a very simple technique which utilized the forwarding capabilities of mail servers, with your “permanent email address” being no different from a postal office box. With prior arrangements with the postal office, your mails would follow you wherever you go or the postal office would hold your mails until you pick them up.

Today, this technique is still very much in use.

We use the technique, and have in fact extended its application to servicing special-purpose function or event. For example, our websites group has created an email address which identifies the department to which the message is addressed. The contact form in this site for example uses an email address which redirects the messages sent through it to my real email account. If the technique is used for a special-purpose event or function, the email address can be deleted once the event or function is completed. The email address can also be deleted without any hesitation if it is receiving a lot of spams.

A virtual or forwarding email address has so much flexibility that you can customize it to your personal preferences for a more aesthetically fashioned looking email address. Or it can be customized to cater to a specific business need.

And if you’re using it as a permanent email address, you have the flexibility to change ISP. No need to tell your contacts that you changed your email address because you changed ISP.

The facility to set up a virtual or forwarding email address has been around for as long as I remember. We wonder at times why we still see email accounts of website owners and managers being displayed on their web pages. Or, why we also see even writers (and bloggers, too!) of popular and large news sites displaying their email addresses on their posts.

Have they ever wondered why they are receiving a lot of spams in their mailbox.

I am thinking of writing another similar article like: Why you should not use a webmail?

What do you think? Share us your thoughts.

Reprinted from A Matter of Sharing

But unknown to many, there were two other occasions in the Philippines when the power of the Philippine President to declare martial law was invoked.

… Continue to full article at Philippine Studies…

International observers in last Philippine national elections. L-R: Romy Cayabyab (Australia), Victor Barrios (United States), Jun Aguilar (Philippines) and Ted Aquino (United States)

The GFN statement added: “The TRO strikes a blow to the implementation of RA 10153, the law synchronizing the ARMM and 2013 elections. There will be no OICs for the region.”

The GFN statement was issued in light of the SC’s order issued Tuesday September 13 which blocked Malacañang from appointing officers-in-charge of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The ARMM election as mandated by RA 9054 was scheduled last month but was cancelled by RA 10153 in order for the ARMM elections to be synchronised with the 2013 polls.

RA 10153 also provides for the appointment of officers in charge for the regional governor, vice governor, and members of the regional legislative assembly.

According to reports, the TRO was issued by the high court en banc on a 8-4 vote. The order was effective as from date of issue and would be enforced “until lifted”.

Given the SC order, the ARMM incumbents whose office expires on September 30 will remain in their position until their successors are duly elected or are qualified by the Supreme Court as provided for by RA 9054, ARMM’s organic law.

The temporary restraining order was issued as the Supreme Court has yet to decide with finality on the petitions questioning the constitutionality of RA 10153.

Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal and ex-senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr. were among the parties that questioned the constitutionality of RA 10153.

… where parents have undivided time for their children…

… it is also where children have fun….

… and, so do adults….

… it is a melting pot for multicultural dishes…

… and a rendevouz for meeting friends…

… a platform to show off talents…

and, a place to make a statement….

We love community festivals! They’re fun, wholesome entertainment… and educational too.

INC District Minister for Australia-Oceania Emmanuel Era officially opening Appreciation Day to welcome residents of Minchinbury and other suburbs // Photo: TFA

What better way to start Spring than to demonstrate the spirit of GIVING!

Last weekend, September 3, the members of Iglesia Ni Cristo’s Minchinbury congregation celebrated the warm day by throwing away a Neighbourhood Appreciation Day.

Present were INC District Minister Emmanuel Era, who did the ribbon-cutting ceremony signalling the start of the open day festivities, and church officers and members who welcomed residents in Minchinbury and neighbouring suburbs.

The fast-growing Christian organisation thanked the local residents for their continuous support and hospitality by providing amazing FREE treats including Kids games, rides and crafts centre while the adults availed FREE services including health screenings and Wellness Education from licensed medical professionals, photo souvenir from the busy Photo Booth, and surprise gifts from Dad’s Corner.

We also couldn’t resist indulging in the Beauty & Nail Bar, Hair Bar, Massage Bar plus the FREE food, drinks and live entertainment.

As I know very little about the church, what I enjoyed the most was the chapel tour where we learned that this growing organisation that was started in 1914 by Brother Felix Y. Manalo in the Philippines is now present in over 90 countries and territories.

The church group has also been in Western Sydney for the last 24 years with over 700 active members promoting equality and brotherhood. Initially, the members used rented community halls for their worship services until August 1996 when they moved to the Minchinbury church building.

Apparently, last Saturday’s Neighbourhood Appreciation Day is the very first INC event of its kind staged in Australia.
It is part of the INC philanthropic program, launched in the United States last April, to help families and communities during challenging economic times by leveraging on the skills and expertise of Church members in implementing positive solutions and offering services focused on the basic needs of their neighbours.

Other Neighbourhood Appreciation Days are being planned in other congregations in Metro Sydney and in other Australian capital cities.

To the organizers – we thank you for a very enjoyable day where we felt part of the family. A true brotherhood at work indeed!

*** Bless Salonga is a freelance writer whose passion includes business management & coaching, choreography and music. She is also the co-founder and the Media & Community Coordinator for The MOB radio.

Photos: The Filipino Australian

L-R: Mayor Paul Lake, Rizal Park Movement Founding President Lourdes Kaiser, Consul General Anne Jalando-on Louis, and Rizal Park Movement PRO and Founding Member Max Lopez during their recent site inspection visit.

Mayor of Campbelltown, Cr Paul Lake, said the redevelopment of Rizal Park in Campbelltown’s Anthony Drive, Rosemeadow is continuing and has now entered the next stage, the Campbelltown City Council reported in its website recently.

The city council also reported that the construction of electric barbecue facilities and landscaping had now been completed together with a new picnic shelter area, more than 500 plants and trees, and a new entrance sign with the words ‘Rizal Park’.

‘The latest works further reflect the passion and commitment of members of the Campbelltown and Region Filipino Community Council and the Rizal Park Movement of Campbelltown, who have worked tirelessly to bring this transformation to fruition, and I commend their efforts,’ Mayor Lake was quoted.

Rizal Park is a 2.6 hectare reserve off Anthony Drive, Rosemeadow within the Campbelltown district.

It was in 1987 when the park was named after the Philippine national hero, Dr Jose Rizal, after lobbying by the Philippine-Australian Friendship Association.

In 2009, the master plan to redevelop the park was finalised by the city council. The key features of the plan included a playground facility, a bust / statue of Philippine national hero Jose Rizal, shade structures, BBQ facilities, toilet facilities, an informal kickabout area, landscaped areas, and carpark with entry structure.

The plan also envisaged pathways and cycleways to connect the various elements of the park and “to reflect the structure of the original Rizal Park in Manila”.

Following the completion of the master plan, the first major redevelopment work delivered was a children’s playground.

In another reporting, The Filipino Australian learned that through the efforts of Rizal Park Movement and the Philippine Consulate General’s Office in Sydney, the Department of Foreign of Foreign Affairs through the initiative of Philippine Ambassador to Australia Belen Anota and DFA Assistant Secretary for Asia Pacific Affairs Maria Theresa Lazaro, was able to secure a donation of a statue from renowned Filipino Sculptor Eduardo Castrillo for installation in Rizal Park Campbelltown.

The statue will be about five metres tall, made of hollow bronze, and weigh about 500 kilograms.

Once completed, the statue will be donated by the artist to the Philippine Government for turn over to the City of Campbelltown.

The statue is scheduled for installation in June 2012 in time for the conclusion of the national hero’s sesquicentennial birth anniversary.

Consul General Anne Jalando-on Louis, Rizal Park Movement Founding President Lourdes Kaiser and PRO and Founding Member Max Lopez, along with the other founding members of RPM, are the Filipino community’s liaison with the Campbelltown City Council on the park enhancement program.

INC evangelist Emmanuel Era discusses biblical passages on marriage and family relationships

Nearly 1,000 INC members from western suburbs and their friends filled Blacktown Civic Centre’s Bowman Hall last Sunday August 28 to celebrate the 24th anniversary of Iglesia Ni Cristo’s Minchinbury congregation.

Highlights of the celebration included a presentation of biblical bases of marriage and family relationships.

This was followed by a fellowship hour with light dinner and video presentations of recent INC events in Metro Sydney.

Established in August 1987, the Minchinbury congregation is one of INC’s first two congregations in Metro Sydney. It draws membership from residents in other western suburbs including Colyton, Erskine Park, St Marys, Rooty Hill, Eastern Creek, Mt Druitt, Plumpton, Glendenning, Oakhurst, Woodcroft, Doonside, Blacktown, Seven Hills, Wenthworthville and Fairfield.

The Minchinbury congregation is based at 27 Eskdale Street, Minchinbury.

Sent by: Roseann Paraan