Bagong Yugto

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God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed.

    From the very break of day, God will protect it.

Psalm 46:5 NLT

What is YUGTO?

Yugto” in English means a stage or a chapter, an act or an instalment.

And so for our anniversary this year, we went with this theme “Bagong Yugto (New Chapter) – There is More”.

Because we’re still in the thick of it. All around the world, everyone is still in the middle of this dreaded pandemic.

But as it has it has been from the very beginning of time, every day is an opportunity to choose goodness. To see the hope in every situation. To know that God is still in control.

This is a reminder for us to look to Jesus, and remember that there is more. There is more to our circumstances than what our eyes can see. There is more in our lives than what we can ask for or imagine. There is more healing, more blessing, more answered prayers than what we have experienced before.

There is more.

And so we look forward to this new chapter, not with timid trepidation, but with energetic excitement. We turn the page of our lives, see that blank space, and fill it with the love of Jesus. Join us as we write the story of our victory.

Sama sama nating ipagdiwang ang tagumpay sa ating Bagong Yugto!

Y is for Yahweh.

We start our journey by acknowledging Who it is that we are celebrating – the creator of all existence, our entire reason for being. We remember the one who is; the same one who is to come. He is the God who is three in One, and the mystery of His presence contains the God of the universe, the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, and Jesus Christ the Saviour who lived amongst us.

Yahweh is at the center of our church, shaping us and guiding us from the very beginning, and bringing us to the purpose that we have in Him.

U can mean so many things. Unlimited. Undefeated. Undeniable. Unparalleled.

Here, we use this letter to represent the Unchanging nature of God in our church. Through the years, many things may have changed, but He has remained the same throughout the seasons. What used to be Care Groups and Units all across Singapore are now Life Groups and Districts located in House Churches all across the globe. We adapt to changes as they come, because we are a living church, and all living things grow.

But our God remains ever faithful, and forever unchanging.

G is for Goodness.

It is an established fact that God loves with no reservation, unabashedly pouring out His blessings even to those who are undeserving. Ans so we have grown in numbers, and we have spread our tents, but we could not have done it without the empowerment of Jesus. Not because we deserve anything, not because we have met some sort of qualifying criteria, but because God, in His wisdom and mercy, and infinite goodness, has chosen to bestow His grace upon us.

T is for Truth.

The Word of God is the firm foundation upon which Hope Church stands. Transcendent over human laws and traditions, customs and religion. We abide by it, obey it with no compromises, and hold it as the absolute truth. It is the lamp that leads us; the road that guides us. Every decision that our church makes is based on the teachings within it’s holy pages. Every direction that our leaders take is guided by the voice of God as spoken through the Word.

O is for overflowing, overcoming, overwhelming–all perfect words to describe our Omnipotent God!

We take this last letter to declare that our God is Alpha and Omega, encompassing everything in between. He is the be all and end all. Everything comes from Him, flows from Him, and goes back to Him. His hand is upon every aspect of our church. Everything that has happened in our church is by His divine purpose. And everything that will happen—our future, our promise, our inheritance—our Bagong Yugto will also be driven by His glory!

Yahweh — Unchanging. Good. True. Omnipotent.

The only way forward is through Jesus.

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