TOMINOBO BAPTIST CHURCH

Iligan City

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassion never
fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23

God’s grace and mercy allowed for the building and constituting of the
Tominobo Baptist Church. Being separated from the mother church, Iligan City
Baptist Church is like a child who needs to be independent in order to grow.

Economic crisis for most of the members pushed for the creation of a church
where members can walk to the fellowship and worship hall. There were 3 large
families who are members of ICBC who lived in the Tominobo area, Cañete’s,
Belotindos and Dumaguing. Each of these have their own groups with whom they
conduct Bible studies, but jeep fares more often prevented them from going to ICBC
with all their brood. Thus began TBC, to make the church accessible to those who
are in the area.

With the encouragement and assistance of the Southern Baptist missionaries,

Reverends Sam Waldron and Joe Senter, we started our first formal service on the
last Sunday of January 1984 in the Cañete apartment with about 30 in attendance.
Preaching and prayer meeting bible studies were led by a volunteer member of
ICBC.

The fellowship was warm as each one contributed whatever they can give,
ang ilang caldero, money ug kamot. The late Manang Auring saw to it that the
church was arranged and cleaned for the service and her husband Manong Calixto
had the chairs made. Manang Inday Dumaguing was tireless in bringing us together
even if she encountered opposition from the non believing member of her family.
The building up of the facilities was done by volunteer work for the most part.

We were blessed by warm fellowship and the love for each other, both young
and old.

The church by the foot hill of Tominobo, which started out practicing tithing for
missions, as encouraged by Rev. Senter, was generously blessed as promised in
Luke 6:38 – “Give and it will be given to you. A good measure pressed down,
shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the
measure you use it will be measured to you,” for us to acquire a church lot in Palm
Court by the end of 1985. Lolit Valencia and Manang Inday worked out the transfers
to Palm Court. And eventually, to the current site by 1987.

Mission points were also started at Kawit, Kauswagan which is now a part of
the church in Kauswagan and in Malindawag, the work of which is now led by

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brothers and sisters from SBCI. The church also assisted Freddie Mosende, one of
the young people to go to PBTS – Davao. He is now pastoring a church in southern
Mindanao.

Bro. Laddie Solas was the first lay pastor while TBC then Pastor Jun Alvarez
became the first full time pastor in 1986. His work with the young people brought in
the Paradelas and the Buruun group through the Bible study which he led in IIT.
Sister Florence Hambre was called as Christian Education worker in late 1985.

Pastor Art Salagoste came in 1992 then Pastor Rolly Peñafiel in 2002. When
Pastor Peñafiel left we started praying for a new pastor, looking forward to God’s
great provision to provide us a shepherd who will be after His own heart. And true
enough, we found him whom God has chosen. By God’s leading and with much
praying we realized, God’s pastor for TBC is among us. Bro. Jack Belotindos is not
a stranger to TBC. In fact he has been a pillar since the beginning. He understood
what it means to go through the challenges that continually beset this church. He
knows the aspirations and desires of those who were left behind. Under the new
leadership, we have seen God’s hand moving. Pastor Cadano also became our
evangelism pastor. When he retired, Sisters Othella Regalado and Jara Salvador
became our Bible women in November 2008 and they did many follow ups. And in
May 30, 2010 Pastor Tim Gatuteo came to join TBC as our evangelism pastor.

Last December 2012 we sent-off one of our bible women, Sister Othelia
Regalado, who decided to leave TBC and go home due to sickness but went to be
with the Lord last March 18, 2013. Also, just recently, we had a farewell party for our
Evangelism Pastor, Pastor Tim Gatuteo and his wife, sister MJ, who are scheduled
to leave TBC tomorrow after God’s revelation of a new ministry for Pastor Tim in his
hometown. Parting with brethren we have come to love and used to be with for
years has always been a difficult part for the life of TBC; but we believe that God’s
plan is perfect and He is sovereign.

Indeed, the church as a congregation is not without a problem. We have our

own shares of the tests and challenges. However, God’s grace and mercy have
seen us through. We continue to pray that we will be part of the harvest and new
members will be added to serve the Lord with us.

As we come to realize that we who used to be the young ones in this church
now become the old ones, with our very own children now leading the youth and
some church activities; we believe that the Lord will raise up faithful and obedient
leaders in this church, as we hope to witness transformed lives continue to emerge
from the very own families of TBC.

Our history is a story of God’s compassion without which we will not be

around. This is a new year for TBC as each year is really a new time to continue
trusting the Lord.

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 Today, we celebrate TBC’s 30th year with thanksgiving in our hearts as the
remnants of the trials persevere. Let us keep praising the Lord’s Faithfulness.

““Praise be to you, Lord,

the God of our father Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.”

“Now, our God, we give you thanks,

and praise your glorious name.”

1 Chronicles 29:10, 13

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