IOACJCI - LA CARLOTA CITY CHURCH HISTORY
By: Pastor Ken Ramoran
September 25, 2022
IOACJCI – La Carlota is a church born out of prayers. The realization of having a church in this city all started from my dream and vision of expanding the work of God in the northern areas of Hinigaran church, where I grew and was previously churching since birth. Based on what I was seeing before, the work in the
southern part of the province particularly in Hinigaran, Binalbagan, Himamaylan, Kabankalan, Ilog and even Dumaguete were alive and well, same as from Bago City up to Cadiz City in the north. It seems that there was a gap in terms of evangelistic work (under the banner of IOACJCI) that was needed to be filled in the towns and cities between Hinigaran and Bago (though there are active Home Bible studies in San Enrique and Valladolid, I was thinking of the towns of La Castellana and Moises Padilla too). Since there's already a family which have been converted in the truth in the city of La Carlota (The Celestino Family), and seeing the potential of the place in terms of location, economic stability and diverse population, I desired to base my evangelistic work in La Carlota. Reynaldo Vecino and our Bishop, Rev. Edgardo Camalon about my aspirations for the work of God. Just for the record, that was February of 2020. Gladly, they approved my desire to begin my evangelism drive. However, during that time, the desire of being a pastor was not yet in my mind. I just wanted to work for the Lord. I then began my Jail Ministry at the La Carlota City District Jail and Campus Ministry at La Carlota City College and several Home Bible studies. I wasn’t able to visit the city for three (3 )months. Came July of 2020, when I and my wife, Sister Coleen asked the blessings of our Bishop to officiate our wedding. After asking few details about our wedding plans, he shifted his questions about the ongoing work in La Carlota. I told him of my plans of conducting once a month Sunday service in the household of the Celestino Family in Brgy. Bishop told us that this plan will never work out. He advised me to find a place to rent in this city, where a church would be established. I was caught off guard. I was about to plan for my marriage but now I also need to plan about building a church. It was a roller coaster of emotions. Planning for a wedding and pioneering a church at the same time is something I never imagined to experience in my entire life. But I never complained or even thought of giving up despite of all the discouragements and negative criticisms I faced because I know I am doing the will of the Lord. I am forever grateful to my family and church elders who have been my support system during this time. By God’s grace, It was unexplainable to think how our wedding and pioneering work pushed through. La Carlota church had its first official worship service last July 12, 2020 at Casa De Mae Events Place. Sister Leah Jimenez, one of the pioneer members received the Holy Ghost during our maiden worship service! On December 2020, for the first time, I initiated the baptism rites of our Sisters Engilyn, Gwen and Bro. Vince Portante, our first converts in the ministry. Our first service in our present church happened last July 19 just after a week after our opening service at Casa De Mae, with only around 15 people present. It was a spirit-filled worship, but we need to stop our afternoon service because we were already flooded by heavy rains. Our church building needed repairs, especially the roofing. We soon established our work in Hda. Dos Marias, Brgy. Araal where Bro Eduard Portante, a convert from Kabankalan church, through the campus ministry of Pastor Expedito lives. Then, we landed in La Castellana, where Sister Virginia Sarmiento, the mother of Brother Enrique Sarmiento lives together with his family. After series of weekly Bible studies, Sister Virgie together with her daughters came to church and that one visit, led them to regular visits. Soon, her family were baptized in Jesus’ name. We also launched our evangelistic work in Brgy. Baliwagan, San Enrique, the nearest Brgy. Of San Enrique to La Carlota city. There, the families Nochepo and Estorya together with their relatives and neighbors were reached by the Gospel. Our Saturday School outreach program has been a way of converting numerous souls in that place. Sister Marianel Navarro of Hda. Paz Perez in Pontevedra town was also reached out, through the help of Pastor Expedito Catamco Jr. We opened a Bible study to her household and the entire community later on. To some it up, from 15 souls, La Carlota Church has expanded to almost 60 souls in total for the first two years of its ministry. We are looking forward to harvesting more souls in the future. What we have achieved is not something we can boast for ourselves. I just want to praise God that an ordinary man like me, with nothing to prove in life is now being used by God even in little ways to expand His Kingdom borders. To God be all the glory!
