Children Ministry
The Yeshua Family Communities (YFC) Children Ministry envisions the teachers and the children--grown to their teen years, youth, and adult life, manifesting and sharing the Word of God and becoming part of the glorious church of Jesus Christ.
The YFC Children Ministry anchors its mission on Proverbs 22: 6, training the children in the way they should go, by teaching the Bible to build God’s kingdom in the children’s lives such that even they are old they will not depart from the Word of God.
The ministry’s goals are to:
- Teach God’s Word written in the Bible to the children for them to know and receive Jesus as their personal Savior and Lord, live life as they grow up guided by the Word of God and led by the Holy Spirit and share the gospel of Jesus to others.
- Nurture the children’s application of the Word of God as they observe the Sabbath as the Lord’s Day and in their daily lives.
- Help build parent-children relationships based on the Word of God through parent-teacher consultations.
- Conduct activites that contribute to the development of the children-spiritually, mentally, socially.
As Jesus said, "Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these" (Matthew 19:14). As they grow up, the children fulfill the command of Jesus for all to "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation (Mark 16:15 NASB).
Ministry Team
Overseeing the Children’s Ministry, Sis. Janely is among the Elders of the Yeshua Family Communities. Sis Loren Malic heads the ministry and with Sis. Armie Cilot and Sis Daisy Nesbith share the responsibilities of teaching groups of children during the Sabbath day and in the YFC communities in Sucat, Parañaque and in South Daang Hari, Taguig.
The YFC Children Ministry Through the Years
“Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them!
For the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as this.”
(Matthew 19:14)
Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.
(Proverbs 22:6)
The Yeshua Family Communities (YFC) Children Ministry is anchored on the Word of God to bring the children to Jesus as the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them and to train up the children such that when they grow up they will not depart from the ways of God. The Children Ministry began in 1995 at the house of Sis Vicky Bonus located in Dian, Makati City. Along with the fellowship and church service for the Lord’s day, Bro John and Sis Janely Guarnes gathered the children and taught them bible stories.
God prospered the Children Ministry along with the YFC’s growth at the venue of the CitiMotors Building in Makati and as outreach bible studies grew to become YFC communities at Sucat, Parañaque, at South Daang Hari, Taguig, and at Antipolo, Rizal and Pasig, Metro Manila.
YFC -Makati Community is the head church of Yeshua Family Community. God called more Children Ministry teachers and workers, including: Sis. Doris (Panis), Sis. Rowena (Amante), departed Sis. Emie (Mission), Sis. Jeanne (Mombay), Sis. Loren (Malic), Sis. Armie (Cilot), Sis.Daisy (Nesbith), Sis. Jomarie (Formaran). Sis. Jashca (Cilot), Sis. Pauline (Albutra), Sis. Lovely (Pagunsan), Bro Stachys (Guarnes) and Bro. Michael (Nesbith, Jr.).
The YFC Sucat Community Children Ministry began in 1999, led by Bro. Noah and Sis. Doris, with bible studies for children held in their garage area, which is now the place of worship of the Sucat Community. God expanded the ministry with more children and teachers to work together with the Panis’ couple. They are Sis. Loren (2004), departed Sis. Nelia (Panis), Sis. Armie and Sis. Daisy (both in 2010), Bro. Dan (Malic) (2011), Sis. Jomarie (2015), Sis. Maryll (Baniega) (2017) and Bro. Jimuel (Goot) (2019). Former Children Ministry attendees committed to teaching and assisting in the ministry, including: Sis. Normilyn (Paulito), Sis. Mariel Mendoza, Bro. Jasper (Rebarter), Bro. Carlo (Layson), and Bro. Wilson (Rebarter). Other ministry workers are Sis. Elsie (Baniega), Sis. Elena (Dacquil), Sis. Dolly (Hernandez), Bro. Noel (Baniega), Bro. Ronell (Baniega), Bro. Edmar (Formaran).
In 2009, the Children Ministry at YFC South Daang Hari Community blossomed with the leadership of Sis. Emie Mission with the help of Sis. Armie Cilot and Sis. Daisy. Over the years, God called many more to be teachers, namely: Sis. Corrie (Paras), Sis. Martha (Yauna), Sis. Aida (Reyes), Sis. Daniela (Cilot), Sis. Andrea (Galang), Sis. Joy (Reyes), Sis. Clarize (Cilot), Sis. Mary Jane (Nesbith), Sis. Chellary (Ernacio), Sis. Anjanette (Esmerez), Sis. Lovely, Sis. Jashca, Sis. Joan (Reyes), Sis. Nean (Mendoza), Sis. C-jay (Palaguitto), Sis. Ally (Bornas), Sis. Michaella (Nesbith), Bro. Michael, Bro. Cedric (Seda), Bro. Mark John (Nesbith), Bro. Julian (Cilot), Bro. Mckyntire (Nesbith), Bro. Norberto (Esmerez), Bro. Jade (Ernacio), Bro. Mcgwire (Nesbith), Bro. Meinard (Nesbith), Bro. Carlo (Bornas), and Bro. Justine (Almenario).
The Antipolo-Pasig community’s Children Ministry began in 2017 as the Youth Ministry needed collaboration for the activity entitled “Wordless Book Miming”. God called teachers to minister in the community and response came from Sis. Armie, Sis. Christine (Henson), Sis. Mulan (Martinez), Sis. Jasmin (Manaloto), Sis. Joyce (Cilot), Bro. Gabriel (Martinez), Bro. Jolo (Manaloto), Bro. Jomar (Cilot), Bro. Sean (Sarmiento), Bro. Jason (Rose), Bro. Nico (Manaloto). Others came forward to assist, namely: Sis. Lydia (Sarmiento), Bro. Alpha and Sis. Joan (Martinez) with their sons, Bro. AJ and Bro. RJ, and niece Sis. Angela (Sarmiento) and nephew Bro. Jiro (Sarmiento), and Sis. Charmaine (Henson) and other workers in the community.
For some time in 2012, Bro. Ramil (Cabisada) initiated the gathering of children from the neighborhood to hear the Word of God and participate in the Friday Shabbat service at his house. Sis. Ruth (Sandrino) and Sis. Jane (Teruel) assisted Bro Ramil along with other youth attendees.
Even during the Covid-19 pandemic, the committed teachers and workers learned to adapt new ways and approaches to continue the ministry to the children. Knowing that God always desires that He be glorified and His Word not be in vain, the ministry continued to teach the Word and evangelize with faith that Jesus will one day return.
As before, during, and upon return to new normal after the Covid-19 pandemic, the teachers’ creativity and innovation proved indispensable in Children Ministry. Prayerfully, the teachers and advisors consistently initiated age-appropriate tasks for the children.
Accomplishments have been manifested in their activities and citations as:
- Worker for a day – children are given tasks for involvement in the ministry
- Teacher of the day – assigned child will tell bible story to their co-students.
- Assistant of the day – a child will provide support to their teacher.
- Specific task to be allocated to a child, like Opening prayer, Prayer for the food, Closing prayer and other duty during Sunday or Saturday School.
In all the communities, the children rendered their sharing of the Word of God in their presentations during the celebration of the appointed Feasts of the Lord as written in Scriptures, such as during the Purim, Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles and Hanukkah, and other special occasions like Mother’s and Father’s Day.
God has continuously increased the number of children and enlarged the territory of the YFC Children Ministry, manifesting His word as said in Matthew 24:14 ”…the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it “. God allowed the children in the YFC communities to hear His Word, His gospel of salvation to be preached, and the hearts of children to be touched, to come to Him, and accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior.