CLAG Women’s Fellowship 2016 and The Wonderful Memories it Gave

A photo opp with the delegates during the CLAG Women’s Fellowship with its theme: “Revive your Heart and your ministry” “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1) After months of planning and preparing, the CLAG (Central Luzon Association of Grace Churches) Women’s Fellowship has finally concluded and it was one successful fellowship! This one day fellowship is composed of 73 registered delegates, excluding children, teens/youth, pastors and husbands who also came to worship with us. It was such a blessed and joyful day! GWW or Grace Women Warriors is a of group married and matured single women in Metro Manila and Central Luzon, who have the heart to teach, guide and help our church’s younger generation. GWW has helped our bible school, IGBI (International Grace Bible Institute) for years already with its major projects, needs and assistance in hosting camps like the Kid’s Camp which happens annually. What’s a woman’s/wife’s mother’s priority? Here’s what the delegates have to say I have so many things to be thankful for during this fellowship but I’m not going to talk about that here or name each person who helped in making this fellowship successful, God knows who these people are and I believe God will reward their labors and sacrifices put up for this. In this post, I’d like to talk about the wonderful memories that I will hold in my heart forever. During the fellowship, we were 1. Refreshed (joy and laughter) This fellowship was composed of (mostly) busy mothers who either work full time or stay at home (full time) to help their family. These women are pre-occupied at home and at work, some are busy with their own business. These women try their very best to manage everything in their household. November 1st should’ve been a time for them to relax and rest at the comfort of their own homes, but they made an effort to attend the fellowship – they woke up early, left their kids at home (some even asked a family member to take care of the kids for them) and others who have smaller kids took their kids with them just to be able to fellowship with their co-believers. All for God’s glory! One of the groups during the memory verse presentation And because of that sacrifice, God has rewarded us with inner joy: a joy that we got for seeing our co-believers from other churches again, the joy of being able to play simple and silly games & sing songs with other moms who carry  the same passion, the joy of serving the Lord together with the people we call a “family”. Behind each lovely smile is a tired but joyful and revived woman.

2. Rekindled (by the word of God)
Praise God for the life of our speaker, Ma’am Vholet Nabus, for preparing a wonderful lecture that was perfectly fit for us. We talked about the different signs that we no longer love the Lord. You see, most sins don’t happen overnight, most of it’s gradual, it most often start with a “little compromise” that continues on and before we know it, we already fall into the enemy’s traps! So during this fellowship, we were reminded to be alert. We needed to be watchful to the signs that we no longer love the Lord. Our lecturer said that, we no longer love the Lord when we start to become:

-Unloving toward God. Our relationship with God should be filled with joy and should not feel like an obligation. We were asked simple but thought provoking questions like: “When was the last time you whispered to your God that you love Him?” It is when we loose of joy in serving that we start to become unloving toward God. 

-Unloving toward the gospel. Mrs. Nabus reminded us through the word of God that Our LOVE for the gospel should always be there. Our passion for the lost souls and desire to win them for the Lord should be there, always. 

-Unloving toward the unlovely. Sometimes we choose who we love. Jesus didn’t. He died for all, he loved everyone, even those who are unlovely. We were reminded that we should have a a deep compassion for others, just like the Lord Jesus Christ.  

The delegates at the start of the program

– PRESCRIPTIONS 
  When we start to become unloving toward God, we need healing, and this was what’s advised to us: 
– Concentrate on other’s need instead of your own. This will keep your heart from growing cold. 
– Do something for other in a daily basis. This will be great exercise for your heart.
– Stay close to the Lord. This keeps our heart beating correctly. 
– Read God’s word daily – maintenance for the heart. 

3. Reminded (of the organization’s goals and plans)
One of the purposes of this fellowship is to make the organization involved of the activities and that need of a guidance from a “mother”. During the business meeting, we talked about our plans for the next fellowship as well as our participation for the upcoming Kid’s Camp this coming December.

When we are not completely aware and informed, that’s when we don’t know how we can help. Through this fellowship, we’re able to make clear to the members how they can help the ministry that the GWW is involved with. That erases confusions from the members and in return make each members want to do their part in the ministry.

Another exciting thing to look forward to is of course, the next fellowship which will be in November next year! Yaaay! I heard it might be a retreat, although the host and the officers are still going to plan for it but that’s the partial idea of what to expect for the next fellowship.

L-R: Melisa  Sanchez (VP), Ethel Macalisang (Secretary), Ma’am Vholet Nabus (Speaker), Ghen Sande (PIO), Elma Tiro (President), yours truly (treasurer) PLUS Precious Sande (who made it to the photo opp, haha)

God was with us during this fellowship, the bible is clear on that. “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20). Praise God for the wonderful fellowship that we had.

Thanks to everyone who joined, to our speaker, our advisers and church pastors who made it to the fellowship. Thank you! And ’til the next GWW fellowship! ♥

More photos, ‘coz 5 isn’t enough! 🙂