Magandang Gabi po, mga brothers and sisters.

Bago po ang lahat, nais po naming ipakilala, lalung-lalo na sa mga nag-graduate simula nuong Abril 2007, ang ating Board of Trustees. Ito po ay sila:  Demet Rose Araniego, Pris Vicky Contreras (Treasurer), Tom Marian Co, Ljay Emma Garcia (Asst. Secretary), Rene Cherry Manuel (Secretary), Oggie Thelma Mercado (Vice-President), Stan Bimbo Santos, Lawrence Weng Tabilog, at ang inyo pong lingkod, Sam Lulou Asia (President). Nahalal po ang ating kasalukuyang Board of Trustees nuong Marso 2007 at manunungkulan sila hanggang 2010.

Mula po nuong Pebrero 2007 hanggang Enero ng taong kasalukuyan, nagkaroon tayo ng walong (8) Marriage Encounter Weekends at ito ay nagbunga ng isang daan at labing-siyam (119) na mag-asawahan. Alam po natin na ang mga weekends ay naganap sa pangunguna at pagsisikap ng mga sponsoring classes na ginabayan naman ng ating Marriage Life Apostolate (MLA). Maliban sa mga ME Weekends, ang MLA ay nagsagawa ng Shepherding Seminar, mga Shepherds and Coordinators Fora at Kasalang Bayan o Mass Wedding para sa mga kasapi natin na hindi kasal sa simbahan.

Our other apostolates and ministries also conducted and/or accomplished programs and activities which were entrusted to them. But our report will focus on the changes in our organizational structure, the new policies and procedures approved by the Board, and what we intend to achieve in 2008.

Last year, we reported that we were in the process of crafting a new vision statement and a new mission statement. Statements which would be easier to understand and put to heart—madaling unawain at isa-puso. We are pleased to formally report to our general membership that we have new vision and mission statements which are more concise. These statements, however, capture the essence of what we want to be and how we are going to do it. Our new vision statement is:

A community witnessing to Christ’s gospel of reconciliation in individual, conjugal, family and community life.

And, our new mission statement is:

To build a Christ-centered community whose members are loving, caring and responsible couples and families for others through programs that will –

• Enrich, deepen & strengthen marriage and family relationships
• Nuture spiritual growth
• Render outreach services

With these two statements as our guide, we reconfigured our organizational structure into seven (7) regular apostolates and ministries and six (6) ministries performing staff functions. The seven (7) regular apostolates and ministries are: (1) Marriage Life Apostolate; (2) Worship Ministry; (3) Spiritual Growth Apostolate; (4) Family Life Apostolate; (5) Outreach Apostolate; (6) Music Ministry; and (7) Research Training & Development Ministry.  Mapapansin po ninyo na ang ating Music Ministry ay nakahiwalay na sa ating Worship Ministry. Ang dahilan po niyan ay ang pagkilala natin sa kahalagayan ng papel na ginagampanan ng ating Music Ministry sa ating Community.  The six (6) ministries performing staff functions are the: (1) Budget and Finance; (2) Central Secretariat; (3) General Services; (4) Information and Publications; (5) Temporalities; and (6) Traditional and Special Events. Ministries performing staff functions were created to address the problem of loss of momentum in the performance of functions which is brought about by frequent changes in the leadership as well as workers in apostolates and ministries. Admittedly, we are still feeling our way through the new organizational structure. We hope we can polish the rough edges in our structure this year.

Kanina po, binanggit ko kung ilan ang ating mga nag-graduate mula nuong huli kaming nagbigay ng ulat sa inyo. Ito pong bilang na ito—isang daan at labing siyam (119)—ay kakaunti kaysa bilang ng mga nag-graduate nuong February 2006 hanggang January 2007 na kulang-kulang na dalawang daang mga couples. Marami pong kadahilanan kung bakit pabago-bago ang bilang ng mga graduates ng ME Weekend. Ang ating Board of Trustees ay laging nag-iisip ng mga pamamaraan kung paano mapaparami ang mga nag-aatend ng ME Weekends. Sana, kayo rin ay mag-isip at gumawa ng mga paraan para dumami ang maka-attend ng ME Weekend. Hindi po natapos ang ating mission na mag-akay ng mga couples palapit sa ating Panginoon nuong tayo ay nag-sponsor ng ME Weekend. Ang atin pong misyon ay patuloy at dapat pa nating pag-ibayuhin.

Mahalaga na tayo ay makapag-recruit ng mga couples para sa ating MEWeekends. Mahalaga din na ang ating mga na-recruit ay patuloy na dumalo sa ating mga gawain--dahil nais din natin na lumalim, lumawig, at umigting ang kanilang pakikipag-ugnayan sa ating Panginoon. Mahalaga na tayo ay manatili sa ating Community sapagkat dito tayo lalago sa ating buhay espiritual. Dahil dito, ang ating Board of Trustees ay nagkasundo na mag-sagawa ng mga programa na tutukoy sa problemang pagkawala o pagkalagas ng ating mga kawan.

Inuna po natin ang pag-buo ng isang komite na ang tanging pakay ay mag-bigay sa Board ng mga panukala kung paano magtutuloy-tuloy sa pagdalo sa prayer gathering at iba pang mga gawain ang ating mga kasapi . Ito ay tinawag nating “Keep the Fires Burning” Committee. We also agreed that it would be better if we schedule our Bible Study sessions with Fr. Domie during a Friday, instead of every third Thursdays of the month, so that more members would benefit from the lectures of Fr. Domie. Also, we have a short Catechism every Friday wherein matters pertaining to our faith are explained. We have instructed our Worship Ministry to incorporate in our third Friday prayer gatherings the sharing by our members of their answered prayers. The lecture series of Bro. Domeng Rodillas on Discipleship was transferred to the second Friday slot so that more members could also hear the lecture. And, we approved a monthly Intercessory Prayer Workshop which is conducted by Fr. Domie Guzman so that our members could be guided on how to properly intercede for others. This workshop is held every second Thursdays. Sana po ay madagdagan ang mga dumadalo sa workshop na ito. Prayers are all-powerful and we should pray unceasingly. We should pray as an individual, as couples, as families and as a community. On Mondays, our intercessory group will gather at our community office to lift up to God our prayer intentions--they would intercede for our members. You can write your prayer intentions (healing, thanksgiving, birthday/anniversary blessings, other special intentions) and drop them at the drop boxes located at the back of the chapel. Welcome po tayong lahat na sumama sa pagdarasal para sa ating mga kahilingan at pasasalamat.

Bilang pangwakas, nais ko pong ipa-alam sa inyo na ang ating community ay naghahanap ng programmer para gumawa ng database ng ating mga members. Kung sino man po sa inyo ang marunong mag-program o meron kayong kilala na makakatulong sa atin ay ipa-alam ninyo sa akin o kanino mang miyembro ng board.

Marami po tayong mga gawain para sa ikalalago ng ating buhay espiritual. Meron po tayo ngayon na fund-raising project para matugunan ang pinansyal na pangangailangan ng ating community. Sana po ay suportahan natin ito. Lahat tayo ay magtinda ng raffle tickets.