Dear Pastor and my fellow brethren in Gethsemane,

On the occasion of your 21st Anniversary, the Gethsemane Bible-Presbyterian Mission Church here in Cebu City, the Philippines, sends its greetings.

We rejoice with you on this joyous occasion, praising God for His faithfulness and His sustaining grace that has kept and preserved the church, even prospered its labours not only at the home front but also in regions beyond through the Gospel outreaches and around the world through the Bible Witness Web Radio (BWWR).

As with the previous anniversaries, we rejoice and praise God for another blessed and fruitful year in the ministry – not that everything was smooth and without difficulties, but that the Lord is faithful to bless the church and its ministries.

Praise God for the untiring and selfless labours of our Pastor, the united Church Session, committed co-labourers in the ministry, and a supportive and submissive church membership.

Moving ahead, let me encourage you in the words of the LORD through the prophet Isaiah: “Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes” (Isaiah 54:2). In two words: EXTEND and EXPEND!

By God’s grace, we have been blessed by flourishing church ministries and fellowship groups, even a special ministry to ex-drug abusers and offenders; we have the literature ministry and the Bible Witness Web Radio. May we remain single-minded in all our undertakings and be zealous to extend the Lord’s work.

With an ever growing ministry and many opportunities opened unto us, may we also be willing to be used of and to burn out for the work of the Lord. In other words, expend. Like the Apostle Paul when he said: “And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you” (2 Cor. 12:15). Let us aptly respond by giving ourselves and our possessions, be it our time, effort and resources in the extension of the work of the Lord. Spare not! Don’t hold back! Serve the Lord with gladness!

Blessed be the name of the LORD!

Yours in Christ,

Reggor B. Galarpe
Gethsemane Bible-Presbyterian Mission Church
Cebu City, the Philippines