UCCP-UAE DUBAI FELLOWSHIP IS ONE YEAR OLD

The United Church of Christ in the Philippines in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UCCP-UAE DUBAI FELLOWSHIP) celebrated its first year founding anniversary on January 20, 2017 at Zaa’beel Park in Dubai, United Arab Emirates with the theme: “I Believe” based on John 14:6. It was attended by 130 members and guests, children included. During the worship and fellowship in the park, the Reverend Adonis Mantos Bomes, Resident Minister, delivered God’s message focusing on the sermon entitled “Connectedness,” with emphasis on 1 Corinthians 3:16 and Ephesians 2:21 and 2:22.

The UCCP in Dubai initially started when Rev. Bomes came as resource speaker and facilitator in Church Music upon invitation by the Mozo Family on October 2015. With a couple of weeks left, Pastor Jong as he is fondly called since his seminary days in Silliman Divinity School maximized his time and sent a call through social media to UCCPians in Dubai and the UAE (as the UAE is comprised of 7 emirates and Dubai is one of them) to gather on the 23^rd  of October to discuss matters specifically the possibility of coming together as a start-up congregation for the UCCP in Dubai and test the waters so to speak.

More than 30 persons responded to the call and met at the Mozo’s Residence at Al Rashidiya in Dubai. The Pastor introduced himself to the group and the meeting turned out to be cordial and everyone was excited as he facilitated the meeting until the final consensus was to meet regularly starting on a monthly basis since most of the persons present were involved with other Christian churches in Dubai Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Fujairah . The Pastor as well informed the group the he will be going back to his Pastoral Assignment at UCCP Tawagan Norte to finish the remainder of his term.

The Pastor asked for volunteers as key persons to stand as Core Group for the purpose of correspondence and to act as an interim body for the fledgling outreach point of the UCCP in the UAE. The Core Group agreed to meet and organize a Thanksgiving Worship/Fellowship in November.

The second meeting for UCCPians in Dubai met for a Thanksgiving worship service/fellowship at Popeye’s Restaurant in Deira Dubai on November 27, 2015 with an overwhelming attendance of 40 plus people including children.

The Rev. Bomes meanwhile engaged in talks with the General Secretary of the UCCP, Bishop Reuel Norman O. Marigza, Bishop Melzar Labuntog, Jurisdictional Bishop of Northwest Mindanao and Conference Officers of what transpired during his short visit to the UAE.

Finally, on January 15, 2016 the first ever Worship Service of the UCCP-Dubai was held at Al Khaleej Palace Hotel, Maktoum Road, Deira, Dubai UAE. The attendance was steady at 40 persons then climbed to an average of 60 or more in the coming months. Pastor Remnant Nuena was given pulpit preaching chores for the first four months and finally on May 4, 2016 the Reverend Adonis Mantos Bomes arrived and took over as Resident Minister of the UCCP-UAE DUBAI FELLOWSHIP.

By the grace of God, UCCP-UAE DUBAI FELLOWSHIP’s (UCCP-UDF) membership has grown and with the first church council planning/retreat in August seeks to fulfill the UCCP’s VMG in the UAE and the Middle East.

The church, with OFW’s originating from all over the Philippines is currently under the care of the North Western Mindanao Jurisdiction through the Western Mindanao Conference.

For more information, please click on the link: UCCP UAE