A total of 465 individuals were baptized during the Central Visayan Conference’s First Quarter Care Group Harvest Celebration, which concluded Saturday at the Adventist Academy Cebu Gymnasium. This number includes 179 candidates from Metro Cebu who participated in a mass baptism that afternoon at the academy’s baptistry.
The First Quarter Care Group Harvest Celebration is part of the church’s trimestral mission initiatives, conducted during the first semester of the year. It highlights the results of outreach and care group ministries.
The event, themed “Mission Reach 2026: Sharing Christ, Reaching Souls,” also marked the conclusion of simultaneous evangelistic series across the conference, including Metro Cebu’s major crusade conducted by Jay Salcedo at the Banilad Multipurpose Gymnasium from March 8 to 13. The series concluded on March 14 at the AAC Gymnasium in support of the First Quarter Care Group Harvest Celebration.
Salcedo, a Filipino international evangelist, sponsors and participates in annual simultaneous evangelistic meetings, including his recent gospel seminar hosted by the Central Cebu Association of Churches in Banilad, Mandaue City.
His evangelistic series, themed “Shadows of His Love,” was streamed live by the Canduman Seventh-day Church under the leadership of Ranel G. Hijapon, CCDAC president. The broadcast attracted significant online engagement, including many comments and shares.
On the Sabbath, hundreds of church leaders and members from across Metro Cebu, including those from mountain barangays, attended the celebration. Most churches did not hold their usual Sabbath services; instead, they joined together for worship and fellowship at AAC and later witnessed the mass baptism in the afternoon at the academy’s baptistry.
Pastor Berdandino Maniego, CVC president, and other ordained ministers officiated the baptism of 179 individuals. Pastor Eliezer “Joer” Barlizo, the first president of the East Central Philippine Union Conference, facilitated the event along with ECPUC and CVC directors.
Speaking during the Sabbath School Services, Pastor Heshbon Buscato, youth director for the Southern Asia-Pacific Division (SSD), introduced OneVoice27, a global harvest initiative launched by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The initiative aims to unite the church’s 24 million members in a coordinated effort to share the gospel, culminating in a worldwide event in September 2027.
Buscato explained that the name and date are symbolic: AD 27 is traditionally recognized by the church as the year Jesus was baptized and began his public ministry. Thus, 2027 marks the 2,000-year anniversary of that event.
The initiative is based on the idea of “one voice,” moving from fragmented local efforts to a unified global message.
“What would be our methods to implement this initiative?” Buscato asked, offering practical suggestions to the congregation. “All forms of social media, our personal social media accounts (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube), and smartphones are effective ‘digital pulpits’ for reaching billions of people.”
During the Hour of Worship, Salcedo delivered an inspiring message, encouraging the congregation to allow God to work powerfully in their lives. Emphasizing the transformative power of faith, he shared, “Once you allow a miracle to enter your heart, it will bring wonders into your life.”
Salcedo also reminded the congregation that faith should not remain private but must be lived out daily. “We are also called to represent Jesus in our lives,” he added, urging members to reflect Christ in their words, actions, and service to others.
The celebration highlighted the church’s ongoing commitment to sharing the gospel and reaching more people through care groups and community ministry. Members expressed gratitude for God’s guidance and for strengthening the church’s outreach efforts across Metro Cebu.
One attendee reflected, “This event reaffirmed the commitment of members to keep sharing Christ and reaching souls, ensuring that the message of hope continues to touch more lives in the years ahead.”
Jhai Bobbyeth Barrientos ⎸ Hope Channel Central Philippines Volunteer