27 RIVER ROCK CHURCH PHILIPPINES CHURCHES

We Serve an Amazing God!

PANAY ISLAND

Churches with Building and Parsonage

1. Grace Chapel RRCP - Dacutan, Patnongon, Antique - Pastor Gaudencio Valdez Jr. (JoJo) and wife Conception (JiJi)

2. Hill of Zion RRCP - Macarina, Patnongon, Antique - Pastor Norberto Ruela (JayR)

3. Jabez House of Prayer RRCP - Esparar, Barbaza, Antique - Pastor Gaudencio Valdez Jr. (JoJo) and Conception (JiJi)

4. Mount Horeb River Rock Church Philippines - Magarang, Patnongon, Antique - Elder Alejandro D. Dongon

5. Victory Christian Church Sugnod RRCP - Sugnod, Malinoa, Aklan - Pastor Willer Jun and wife Diane Manares.

6. River Rock Church Philippines Anini-y - Magdalena, Anini-y, Antique - Pastor Antonio Lachica Jr. and wife Teodora

7. RRCP Victory Christian Church Durog Barangbang – Pastor Antonio Lachica Jr. and wife Teodora

8. Victory Christian Church San Rimigio - Iguirindon, San Rimigio, Antique - Pastor Samuel Jacob

House Churches

9. Calapadan House Church – Calapadan, Barbaza - Pastor Gaudencio Valdez Jr. (JoJo) Barangay

10. Padang House Church – Padang, Patnongon, Antique – Pastor Gaudencio Valdez Jr. (JoJo)

11. Salaguian House Church – Salaguian, Patnongon - Pastor Norberto Ruela (JayR)

PALAWAN ISLAND

Churches with Building and Parsonage

12. River Rock Church Philippines Santa Lourdes - Santa Lourdes, Puerto Princesa, Palawan - Pastor Stephen V. and wife Sarah Mahusay

13. Christ's Church Transformation Center RRCP - Tagumpay, Roxas, Palawan - Pastor Larry Laureano and wife Judy

14. RRCP Tribal Church at Sitio Dahondahon, Brgy. Buenavista, Puerto Princesa, Palawan Tribes of Agutaynon, Batac, and Tagbanua. Pastor Oab of the Sabang Tribe.

15. Maranat House Church, Maranat, Bacongan, Puerto Princesa – Pastor Stephen V. and wife Sarah Mahusay

House Churches

16. Candelaria House Church - Candelaria, Tagumpay, Roxas, Palawan - Pastor Larry Laureano

17. Villa Mercedes House Church, Puerto Princesa, Palawan - Pastor Stephen V. and wife Sarah Mahusay

18. Little Caramay House Church – Roxas, Palawan – Pastor Larry Laureano and wife Judy

19. Upper Santa Lourdes House Church – Santa Lourdes, Puerto Princesa, Palawan – Brother Mark supervised by Pastor Stephen Mahusay

20. Salvation House Church - Santa Fe, Puerto Princesa, Palawan - Pastors Prodencial Alagos & Pastor Tony

21. Pagbinit House Church – Pagbinit, Puerto Princesa, Palawan - Pastor Oab of the Sabang Tribe

Tribal House Churches

22. Madahon House Church, Puerto Princesa – Tribes of Agutaynon, Batac, and Tagbanua – Pastor Pordencio

23. Maryogon House Church - Maryogon, Puerto Princesa, Palawan – Cuyonin Tribe - Pastor Pordencio Alagos

24. Bahili House church - Bahili, Puerto Princesa – Agutaynin Tribe - Pastor Purdencio Alagos

25. Manalo House Puerto Princesa - Pastor Stephen V. and wife Sarah Mahusay Church, Manalo

Year-End Report 2015

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR

Greetings to all who follow and support River Rock Church Philippines and our ministry to Filipinos.

Thank you so very much for your prayers and financial support this year. Our Lord has blessed our partnership for this mission and ministry to Filipinos.

We also pray you will consider supporting and continue to support us in 2016. Together with our Lord Jesus blessing, we will start many churches, multitudes will be saved, and families and lives will be restored and blessed, we pray.

This has been a productive year! Thank you, Lord!

• We now have a total of 24 RRCP churches. We are fourteen churches with church buildings and ten house churches. These churches have grown to a weekly combined attendance of 1,200 plus. Thank you, Lord!

• We built three new church buildings for River Rock Church Anin-y, Maranat Christian Center and Hill of Zion. The donors were Shepherds of the Savior, FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH of PHOENIX FOUNDATION and donors from River Rock Church USA.

• Two more church buildings for Barangbang and Maryogon are fully funded waiting for the completion of land registration. The donors for these two churches are RRC donors and Shepherds for the Savior.

• RRCP Fourth Annual National Convention was a success. Pastor Tony Williamson was our guest speaker. Tony is loved by all!

• Thirteen weekly feeding programs for malnourished children.

• Our CCC (Children’s Care Center) to tutor and feed 68 elementary schoolchildren most in need is a success. These children are classified as “severely malnourished” who are behind in school. The elementary teachers have noted a remarked improvement in health, academics and behavior with the children.

• Our ten churches on the island of Palawan have become a region. Pastor Stephen Mahusay is promoted to manage the Palawan Churches.

• Our fourteen churches on the island Panay are also a region with Pastor Gaudencio Valdez Jr. (JoJo) managing.

• As I visit our churches, I’m hearing barangay captains claim the overall blessings have increased for their communities, sicknesses are less, crops are greater, families are healed, and our Lord Jesus is providing many miraculous physical healings. OUR LORD IS INDEED FAITHFUL!

• Fruit of our Labor in the Lord 70 baptisms.

Personal Note

Juliana, Steven and I are well. We are happy and blessed. I gained too much weight while in the USA. I’m dieting now with some success. We hosted Pastor Tony Williams during our Fourth Annual Convention the first two weeks of November. Also the Hounshell family visited us the first two weeks of December. We were all blessings to each other!

We are hoping more people will visit and see what our Lord is doing here in 2016.

Thank You to Our Sponsors and Donors

• River Rock Church – Camas, WA.

• Individual donors from River Rock Church

• Grace Chapel - RRCP Partners

• Imbler Christian Church - Imbler, OR.

• Christ Church of the Valley - Phoenix, AZ.

• Filipino-American Faith Baptist Church – Houston, TX.

• FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH of PHOENIX FOUNDATION

• Shepherds for the Savior

• Nancy Elizabeth Landahl Memorial Fund

• International Disaster Emergency Service, Inc. I.D.E.S.

• Ted-Dee Bear Septic

This ministry is a partnership of you all who support us with prayers and donations and those of us here who are the hands and feet of your blessings. Thank you, Lord, we know that those who give and those who work can do nothing without the blessing from You Lord to all of us to make it all possible. Amen!

How to Support RRCP

ONLINE DONATIONS: http://www.river-rock.org/giving.html 

Create an account if you have not already.

Use the Operation Philippines drop down and proceed.

BY MAIL:

River Rock Church 3520 NE 3rd Ave, Camas, WA 98607.

Make the check to River Rock Church Philippines.

“The King will answer and say to them,

‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’ (Matthew 25:45).

My Dear RRCP Partners,

We have received a tremendous blessing from River Rock Church America. They are now financially supporting the ministry here. Always many RRC individuals have supported us and still do - thank you all! This new support from RRC itself is specifically to help with pastor allowances and hire new pastors. It is also for new church buildings. What a great blessing!

In praise of our pastors, they work hard with very little pay. Each pastor’s family understands the sacrifice and cost. If they can feed and clothe their children and send them to school they are quite happy. Often times, regular fasting is a way of life. Most of our pastors, when available, work other jobs, plant gardens and raise chickens or pigs to support their families. Work is not easy to find here. Four walls made of bamboo and no leaks in the roof is another blessings. They truly understand the need to save their people through the spreading of the Gospel. They are willing to pay the price and their families are willing also. They work tirelessly with no complaint and only continuous praise to our Lord. They are excited and eager to serve the Lord. The new Incentive Pay Program provided by RRC will help them support their families and stabilized them for the future of RRCP.

More Blessings

• We just completed the construction of church and parsonage in Barangay Anini-y. The church started as a house church one year ago. Already their youth meetings are 18-20 students. The average Sunday worship is about 50 including all ages. This church is busy starting two more house churches. Pastor Lachica lets no grass grow under his feet. Three of our 24 churches are fruits of his and wife Teodora’s labor. The money for the Anini-y church is from Shepherds of the Savior Foundation.

We finished the construction of the Buenavista Tribal Church on the island of Palawan. This church building was funded by First Baptist Church of Phoenix Foundation.

• We are nearly complete with construction the Hill of Zion church. They recently started a new house church in Salaguiwan. The Hill of Zion church building is the result of the RRC donations.

• When Hill of Zion is complete we start the construction of Barangbang. We are completing the land donation papers now. They currently worship in a bamboo church that is no longer adequate. This is also from the RRC donations.

• This last week we started the construction of the Maranat church building. This one was also a house church for one year that has grown to a large congregation. The land was donated by the host family of the house church. It’s placed along a beautiful river where we recently baptized 7 from this congregation. We also baptized 12 here last year. We are considering to call it the Riverside Church RRCP. This church is the result of a donation from the First Baptist Church of Phoenix Foundation.

• We just started two more house churches here near Grace Chapel. Both have had three meetings. They are Minoro and Padang. Padang is held in a rented venue twice a month at Villa Alma. There were 68 in attendance for Padang this last service! We are not ready to add them to the count of RRCP, but they are very promising.

• There have been four deaths in the past month of people outside the church. We held services for each and the Lord is blessings our efforts to proclaim His Gospel.

• We have a new experienced pastor being mentored by pastors Lachica and JoJo. We certainly have room for him and more like him.

• As a result of RRC new donations, we just promoted Pastor JoJo to Regional Pastor with oversight of the island of Panay. We are 14 churches here and growing. One of his responsibilities is the oversight of new church construction on Panay. Because of Pastor JoJo’s oversight, the Hill of Zion church is coming in under budget.

• Pastor Stephen is the new Regional Pastor of the island of Palawan which is currently 10 churches. Already the construction of the Maranat church is ahead of schedule. Praise God and thank you RR.

• Our application is submitted at Shepherds for the Savior to construct a church in the tribal community of Maryogon. There is land available, at an extremely discounted price, if we are approved. We are praying for an approval this month.

Year End Report 2014

Greetings to all who follow and support River Rock Church Philippines and our ministry to Filipinos.

Thank you so very much for your prayers and financial support this year. Our Lord has blessed our partnership for this mission and ministry to Filipinos.

We are praying you will consider us in your end of year giving. We also pray you will consider supporting and continue to support us in 2015. Together we will start many churches, multitudes will be saved and families and lives will be restored and blessed, we pray.

This has been a productive year! Thank you Lord!

• Added four more churches for a total of 23 RRCP churches. We are now twelve churches with buildings and eleven house churches. Thank you Lord!

• Completed the distribution of Typhoon Yolanda Aid. The many blessings from the donations are available at the end of this report.

• We completed all the repairs on our home from Typhoon Yolanda damage.

• Completed construction of Victory Christian Church Sugnod. Thank you Lord!

• VCC Sugnod has a new pastor, Willer Jun Manares, wife Diane and their two boys.

• Three awesome Youth retreats.

• Almost finished constructing two new churches in Buenavista tribal area, Palawan and Barangay Magdalena, Anini-y.

• RRCP Third Annual National Convention was a success.

• Two Christian radio programs continue.

• Our churches have grown to a combined attendance of 1,200 plus.

• Started our new pilot program CCC (Children’s Care Center) to tutor and feed 68 elementary school children most in need. These children are clarified as “severely malnourished” who are behind in school. If this program is successful, we will be able to offer it nationwide with the help government funding. The elementary teachers have noted a remarked improvement in health, academics and behavior with the children.

• RRCP became a certified Philippines NGO (Non-Government Organization).

• New RRCP website: http://www.riverrockchurchphilippines.com/

• Our nine churches on the island of Palawan have become their own region. We are now two regions of Palawan and Panay. We pray to add the Luzon or Mindoro Region in 2015, Lord willing!

• Fruit of our Labor in the Lord 70 baptisms

Personal note

Our family is well. I’m almost adjusted to the climate. The climate has been a big and slow adjustment for me. I’m happy to say I’m about 80% adjusted. Thank you Lord! Steven is enjoying 7th grade. High School begins at grade seven. Juliana is well. She is in her element here. She manages our home, farm, and has taken a leadership role with Grace Chapel. I’m happy to say her gift is administration.

We finished repairing and remolding our home that is old. Typhoon Yolanda took part of our roof and now we have a new roof. It is beautiful home! Thank you Lord and everyone who helped.

A Year of Writing

I completed my book GET UP! GOD IS NOT FINISHED WITH YOU! It was three years in the making. We pray it will be available before Easter 2015 published by Xulon Press and available through Amazon.com, Barns & Noble (www.bn.com), iBook’s and 71,000 outlets. Thank you Lord!

Pastor Alagos and I started a co-authored book The Enemy is Roaring ~ The Lord is Blessing. Both books and articles are about our lives and ministries in the Philippines.

Published four articles.

• The Enemy is Roaring, and the Lord is Blessing! http://articles.faithwriters.com/reprint-article-details.php?article=30385 

• The Worst of Sinners ~ The Best of Grace and Mercy http://articles.faithwriters.com/reprint-article-details.php?article=30385 - Also will be published in the 2015 book Trails and Triumphs II by Xulon Pres

• Trust In the Lord http://www.faithwriters.com/article-details.php?id=171471 

• Experiencing Poverty http://www.faithwriters.com/article-details.php?id=170592

Our Sponsors and Donors

• River Rock Church – Camas, WA.

• Grace Chapel - RRCP Partners

• Imbler Christian Church - Imbler, OR.

• Christ Church of the Valley - Phoenix, AZ.

• Filipino-American Faith Baptist Church – Houston, TX.

• FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH of PHOENIX FOUNDATION

• Shepherds for the Savior

• Nancy Elizabeth Landahl Memorial Fund

• International Disaster Emergency Service, Inc. I.D.E.S.

• Ted-Dee Bear Septic

Typhoon Yolanda Aid Report

In the first week of November 2013 Typhoon Haiyan or commonly known as Yolanda hit the Philippines. It was a Category 5 Super Typhoon. This was the most power storm in modern history. Power was not restored for much of the Philippines until March through May 2014.

Our 18 church are, for the most part, in rural areas that the government cannot reach. These areas report that they have never been reached for help from any disaster. Our churches supplied the first help they have ever had.

The blessings were distributed through our 18 churches. Food is distributed from each church and pastors facilitate the buying and delivering of material to the homes needing repair. The only requirement for Aid was need not church membership.

We have completed the blessing for years 2013 and 2014.

• Fed 900 families or approximately 6000 people 35,000 pounds of rice and other foods

• Repaired or rebuilt 250 homes.

• Repaired 4 churches.

• Repaired 3 pastor’s homes.

• Medical aid for many families.

• All 18 churches distributed clothing, household items, blankets and toys.

Aid Impact

• The number one response is "no one has ever helped us before."

• We are providing the resources and the church and community are working together to help each other.

• Many are amazed that a church would help people outside of their congregation.

• Our churches have more than doubled in attendance.

• People are coming to hear the Gospel that never heard before.

• Both the unchurched and dechurched are coming to church and listening.

• This impact will be long lasting. It has changed the relationship of the church and community forever.

• Strongholds are disappearing and doors are opening.

• It has set an example for other churches and many responded.

• 60 Baptisms.

This ministry is a partnership of you all who support us with prayers and donations, and those of us here who are the hands and feet of your blessings. Thank you Lord, we know that those who give and those who work can do nothing without the blessing from You Lord to all of us to make it all possible. Amen!

How to Support RRCP

ONLINE DONATIONS: http://www.river-rock.org/giving.html

Create an account if you have not already.

Use the Operation Philippines drop down and proceed.

This August 22-26 2014 Pastor Alagos and I will be on the island of Palawan, Philippines. We will celebrate the 3rd anniversary of RRCP Santa Lourdes church, break ground for the new church building at Barangay Buenavista in the tribal area, visit all of our 9 churches including house churches, and 22 baptisms are scheduled. PRAISE THE LORD!

RRCP - PALAWAN UPDATE    

From Pastor Alagos       

When I look back the ministry 3 years ago, When US Embassy denied my entry to USA so instead of going to US my wife and me and Joshua went to Palawan for a mission journey for 15 days and there we started a 2 night’s crusade at Santa Lourdes, Puerto Princesa City. During those time God has showered his mercy for the people and in that 2 nights many have experience healing and we had started many bible studies.

Three Years Later

RRCP Santa Lourdes (with a church building) have 72 people last Sunday with Ptr Stephen and Sarah.

• They have also 3 house Churches located at Sitio Maranat Bacongan with 23 people, Barangay Bahili with 4 families or 15 people and Barangay Manalo with 10 people attended last Sunday.

• Praise the Lord they have also many strong men and elders that handles these house churches. Pastor Steve and I will be there on this 24th for their anniversary.

• They have 15 people to be baptized when we arrived.

RRCP - Christ Transformation Center (with a church building) at Tagumpay Roxas Palawan with Pastor Larry and Judy have increased attendance of 40 including children and Young people,

• They have 7 people for baptism on 22nd of this month when we arrived there.

• They have 5 Life groups surrounding the nearby Barangay and Sitios.

• They have one house church at Sitio Candelaria 9 miles going to the mountain with the attendance of more or less 35. This is the place having many malnourished children.

RRCP Buenavista (church building under construction) with 4 tribes namely Coyunin, Tagbanua, Batac and Agutaynon with Pastor Oab our Agutaynon Pastor have also improved their attendance.

• Last Sunday 46 people attended the service.

• He have two house Churches namely Sitio Dahondahon having 16 people and the other one at Sta. Fe very far from his place with 3 families.

• We are about to start the church building there.

• Pastor Oab have also raised 2 leaders working with him. We will be there on the 22nd.

Pastor Purdencio Alagos our Palawan Evangelist

• Improved the attendance at RRCP Mariogon House Church with 18 people attending the service.

• He is also about to start another house church in another mountainous barangay.

AMEN, AMEN! EVERYBODY ARE WORKING VERY HARD FOR THE HARVEST OF SOULS. Please pray for us, Pastor Steve and I will go to Palawan on August 22-25 for our 4th Mission Visit, We will be doing again Baptisms in the river hope that crocodile will not be there.

THANK YOU LORD. This happened all because you pray, AMEN! To God be the glory!

Your partner in ministry to Filipinos,

Pastor Steve Bragg

2013 YEAR END REPORT  

So many lives are being saved and changed, not only for eternity, but in the hope for today. Your generous donations and prayers 

 have improved the hope of these communities. The comment we most hear is “no one has ever helped us before.” In many of these remote communities, when we first go in, is the look of despair on their faces and in their eyes. I’ve learned to spot malnourishment in the eyes of children. As the church materializes and we begin our programs of care the community transforms. Someone, in the name of our Lord, cares for them. Hope stirs in their hearts. We  preach the Gospel pure and simple. Many are saved, and many consider. Lives are improved, and our Lord is faithful and hears their prayers. As they learn to depend on our faithful Lord Jesus, their lives improve. In time, smiles come to their faces and hope in their eyes, thank you LORD! Thank you all who our Lord moves to help.

Greetings to all who follow and support River Rock Church Philippines and our ministry to Filipinos.

On a personal note, the Braggs are well and happy. The Lord spared us from harm of Typhoon Yolanda, thank you Lord. We have some minor damage to structures and we are in the process of rebuilding. Our God is good.

Juliana is busy getting our farm productive. She has repaired our structures and added 6 pigs, 4 ducks, and a number of chickens. Our cocoa orchard is limping along, but we are not giving up!

We have discovered our son Steven has drama talent. Steven has won first place in three competitions with his declamation. Next week he will complete in the school regional level.

I have some bouts with homesickness. However, the blessings this year have outweighed any discomfort with homesickness. This April, we will go home again and I gorge myself with all the comfort foods I'm missing, Lord willing.

The year of 2013 was our most productive year yet. Our Lord blessed our efforts tremendously. This year we built two more church buildings, added four house churches, and two churches joined us. All our churches more than doubled in attendance through the year. WOW thank you Lord!

Our 18 churches were instrumental as Typhoon Yolanda aid distribution centers. I prayed during the storm that our Lord would spare our churches. No one in any of our communities lost their life. My second prayer was Lord please show your great strength in love for the Filipino families. The Lord sent many to help us with prayers, money, and household goods. To date we have distributed more than 35,000 pounds of rice to 850 families and repaired 251 homes. Even more help is on the way, thank you Lord!

Our churches are, for the most part, in rural areas that the government cannot reach. These areas report that they have never been reached for help from any disaster. Our churches are supplying the first help these communities have ever received.

Those who can help their selves are rebuilding. However, what is left is a great number of people who are unable to help themselves. These are the ones we are reaching. We are helping the bamboo homes that can't be rebuilt without our help and feeding the growing number of malnourished children.

Typhoon Yolanda Aid Report

• Fed 850 families 35,000 pounds of rice.

• Many group community dinners with rice, meat, and vegetables.

• Repaired or rebuilt 251 homes.

• Repaired 5 churches.

• Repaired 2 pastors’ homes.

• Medical aid to numerous families.

Aid Impact

• The number one tearful response is "no one has ever helped us before."

• We are providing building resources. As a result, the church and community are working together to help each other to rebuild.

• Many are amazed that a church would help people outside of their congregation.

• Our churches have more than doubled in attendance.

• People are coming to hear the Gospel that never heard before.

• Both the unchurched and dechurched are coming to church and listening. They have seen and felt whom we are, and now they want to hear who we are and they come to church. Each week folks are responding to commit or recommit their lives to Jesus Christ.

• This impact will be long lasting. It has changed the relationship of the church and community forever.

• Strongholds are disappearing, and doors are opening.

• It has set an example for other churches, and they are responding.

• 28 baptisms.

Church Growth for 2013

River Rock Church Philippines is now 19 churches; 13 churches with buildings, and 6 house churches. THANK YOU LORD!

Each church is now responsible to reach out to neighboring communities and start house churches. Some of these house churches will become a traditional church with building parsonage and pastor.

• 2 church buildings were built in Barangay Igbarawan, Tabernacle of Praise, and Barangay Magarang, Mt. Horeb Christian Center.

• Property is being donated, and funds are available to build a church in Barangay Magdalena.

• 2 Churches joined our fellowship of River Rock Church Philippines.

o Victory Christian Church Belison - Belison, Antique - Pastor Danny Gruzo

o Victory Christian Church San Rimigio - Iguirindon, San Rimigio, Antique - Pastor Samuel

• 5 House Churches were started at Barangays Candelaria, Mariogon, Buena Vista, Maranat, and Tamayoc.

o Our new Evangelist in Palawan, Pastor Purdencio Alagos started three of the four house churches in Palawan.

• 60 Baptisms for the year, Thank you LORD!

• 23 students are received scholarships for school.

• 7 pastors are receiving support.

• Numerous families have been helped with medical emergencies and food.

Expanding Our Boarders

• Pastor Alagos and I are on Christian radio a total 5 hours per week preaching the Gospel and encouraging the church.

• Pastor Alagos has been invited to Singapore to encourage Filipinos. Lord willing, he will be able to start our first house church in Singapore!

This ministry is a partnership of you all who support us with prayers and donations, and those here who are the hands and feet of your blessings. Thank you Lord, we know that those who give and those who work can do nothing without the blessing from you Lord to us all to make it all possible. Amen!

Please Remember Us In Your Prayers. Please Remember Us In You Giving.

We Pray You All A Prosperous, Healthy, And Blessed New Year.

Donations: http://www.river-rock.org/giving.html

Your partner in this ministry to Filipinos,

Pastor Steve Bragg

River Rock Church Philippines

“The King will answer and say to them,

‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’ (Matthew 25:45).