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It was in the year 1982 when the majority of the
Almosara family migrated to the United States,
particularly Hawaii. Having been founded on the
fullness of the Gospel truth and his whole family
involved and active in church activities while in
the Philippines, Santiago Almosara, Sr., the father
and the oldest of the Almosaras tried to safeguard
the seed of faith and the Word of God sown in the
hearts of his wife and children. Immediately they
looked for a church where they could attend and
worship together. Throughout those years however, it
was his heart's desire to maintain and uphold the
way of worship in accordance to the beliefs and
doctrines of the faith and working of the Holy
Spirit as they had adhered to while in the
Philippines.
Santiago Almosara, Sr. died on April 2, 1990 at the
age of 86. It was during this time of mourning for
their lost father that the Almosara clan felt the
need to re-unite themselves under one faith and God.
On April 14, 1990, Pastor Rodrigo Almosara, the
eldest son came to Hawaii from the Philippines to
officiate his father's funeral. With majority of the
children present in Hawaii, they prayed together and
agreed to formally and legally organize the Brethren
of Christ in Hawaii (BCH) on July 12, 1990. The
first board of directors were Santiago O. Almosara,
Jr., Benjamin C. Tiburcio, Sara A. Tiburcio, and
Judith A. Kidd. It was formally registered with the
Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs as a
legal organization on August 23, 1990. Members of
the Almosara family and friends constituted the
first members of the group with services held at the
Tiburcio residence at Ewa Beach, Hawaii.
In November of 1991, Pastor Rod and his wife
Victoria visited again Hawaii. It was during this
visit that services were started at Campbell High
School Drama room every Sunday afternoon. Until
March of 1992, before the couple went back to the
Philippines, the BCH was registered with the
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as a tax-exempt
religious organization and on the same month and
year the petition for a pastor and his family for
the said church was approved.
On May 10, 1993, Pastor Rod, his wife and four of
his children arrived in Hawaii to minister to the
Spiritual needs of the Brethren especially the
Filipino community. The fellowship was formally
opened and conducted at the Ewa Beach Community Park
building on July 4, 1993, and was known
as the Brethren of Christ in Hawaii (BCH), with 8
adults and 4 children in attendance plus the pastor.
After few months as each one eagerly invited
friends and family, attendance remarkably increased.
The Brethren of Christ in Hawaii had its first
outreach to the Mainland on March 19, 1995. The
Brethren of Christ Church at Victorville, California
was consecrated and inaugurated for the glory of God
with Santiago O. Almosara, Jr. and his wife Dolor as
the assigned pastor. To cater to the needs of the
emerging outreaches and branches not only in Hawaii
but as well as in the Mainland, the name Brethren of
Christ in Hawaii was amended last March 31, 1995 and
was changed to Brethren of Christ International.
The Brethren of Christ International launched its
first Radio Ministry at 1270 KNDI Radio in Honolulu,
Hawaii on April 8, 1995. The program was
aired every Saturday from 3:30 to 4:00 in the
afternoon, which was in Filipino and was entitled "Halina't
Magpuri" (Come and Worship). The program featured
Christian singers, testimonies of answered prayers,
as prayer requests from listeners were prayed for
during the program and preaching of the Word of God.
In January of 1996, the Women's group launched the
Ministry on Missions and Social Concerns with
Victoria L. Almosara as its director. And in the
same year the Food Pantry was started. Various
services of the missions cater to the needs of the
newly arrived immigrants, veterans and the elderly
population.
From this ministry was birthed the Springs of Living
Water founded by Sis. Vicky Almosara as an off shoot
of Brethren of Christ International. The
foundation maintains the Faith Hope and Love Child
Care and Learning Center, a Job Enhancement Program,
Computer training, English Literacy
classes for the community. For more information
regarding the childcare and other community
trainings like computer, ESL, Citizenship, etc., you
may call (808) 676-4673 or email vlalmosara@aol.com.
In January of 1999, the BCI Misawa, Japan was
started by Bro. Joel Almosara and wife Suzy.
In September of 1999, the headquarters church in
Hawaii was re-located to a new permanent place at
94-133 Pahu St., Waipahu, HI. Also in the
same month, Pastor Gerardo Tomas and family left for
Denver, Colorado to pioneer a church as
missionaries. BCI Colorado was registered with the
State of Colorado on November 12, 1999
On October 4, 2003, the Brethren of Christ
International in Bremerton, Washington was
registered and inaugurated with Pastor Gerardo and
Lorenza Love Tomas as pastors.
Every year missionaries from Hawaii visit the
Philippines and as of this date Brethren of Christ
International has 15 daughter and affiliate
churches.
From the humble beginnings of this ministry in the
Philippines and its expansion abroad, it only proves
one thing, that this church and its ministries is
not of any man's doing. This church is God-ordained.
We are now in the end times. God is calling men and
women to answer God's call for His service. The
harvest is now ready and plenteous but the workers
are few. The invitation is still open for us. God is
no respecter of person. He is calling clean and
willing vessels to be used for His Kingdom. You may
be young or old, rich or poor, man or woman,
Filipino or American or
whatever ethnicity and nationality you may come
from.
The time to answer His call is now. |
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Copyright 2007 Brethren of Christ International -- All Rights Reserved
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