More than 40 Seventh-day Adventist churches from across Biliran Province sent delegates to a three-day “Church Leadership Seminar,” held Feb. 19–21 at the Naval Seventh-day Adventist Church in Naval, Biliran.
The event, organized by the East Visayan Conference (EVC), drew representatives from three Naval districts to discuss church administration, spiritual leadership, and evangelism.
One pastor, when asked about the event’s significance, answered, “This seminar aimed to renew the local church leadership’s passion for servant leadership and strengthen their commitment to advance God’s mission with unity, accountability, and Christlike humility.”
Pastor Gaudencio Buque Jr., ministerial association secretary, family ministries, chaplaincy, and Adventist Mission director for the East Central Philippine Union Conference, served as a keynote speaker. Buque’s presentations focused on the qualifications of servant leadership and the “Created for Mission” initiative, urging local leaders to prioritize humility and community outreach
The seminar utilized an integrative approach to ministry, featuring a wide range of instructional sessions led by departmental directors from the East Visayan Conference.
Pastor Nicolas Palarao Jr., EVC ministerial and chaplaincy director, opened with a detailed exploration of the biblical responsibilities and spiritual influence of elders, deacons, and deaconesses within the local congregation.
Shifting to administrative health, Pastor Moses Corro, EVC legal, PARL/PGTS director, conducted sessions on church organization, stewardship, and financial management, specifically highlighting the necessity of transparency and accountability in leadership.
PARL stands for Public Affairs and Religious Liberty, while PGTS means Planned Giving and Trust Services.
Additionally, Mae Den Romanillos, EVC education, women, and children director, and Adventist Possibility Ministries and Ministerial Spouses Association (MSA) coordinator, addressed the church’s future, advocating for a collaborative effort between parents and Sabbath School teachers to prioritize the spiritual formation and intentional training of children.
District Pastors Jerome Tapaya, Nelos Narciso, and Jacob Suarez anchored the event with daily devotional messages focused on spiritual consecration. These sessions were complemented by musical performances from local youth and adult ensembles, which provided a backdrop of worship throughout the morning and evening programs.
The weekend concluded with a Sabbath worship service that included an ordination ceremony for dozens of newly appointed elders, deacons, and deaconesses.
The ECPUC leaders had recognized that the seminar was made possible by the hard work of the Naval Church Board, led by Chairman Vince Pelesco. Organized by Pastor Palarao and local district pastors, the weekend served as a major step forward for church leaders in the province.
The event ended with a strong sense of unity, demonstrating Biliran’s churches’ commitment to working together and growing in their faith.
Pastor Gaudencio Buque Jr. | ECPUC Ministerial Association Department