Contrary to the general idea that church membership is declining, Filipino Christian churches are flourishing, at least judging by the number of Filipino Christian congregations in metropolitan Sydney.
The association Filipino Pastors Fellowship of Sydney otherwise known as Pastors Fraternal for many years met each month on a Thursday weekday gathering mostly full time church ministers but not bi-vocational ministers who work in other professions during the 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday-Friday block.
But last Saturday 13 July, the association of Filipino pastors assembled on a weekend allowing many other Filipino bi-vocational ministers to attend the gathering as they were free and not tied up with their regular nine-to-five work schedules.
Convenor of the pastors association, Pastor Jonathan Cruz of the Joy Fellowship of Auburn suddenly has on his hands an increased list of pastors . Many can come for a fellowship with the group on a Saturday.
One of the oldest fellowships the FCF Life Centre The Church On The Highway in Minchinbury which would be celebrating its 25th church anniversary in August hosted the gathering. At least six churches including FCF Life Centre belong to the denomination Foursquare Church of Australia.
Majority of the churches are independent churches, meaning they are not under denominational covering . Also worth nothing is that many are from churches located in Western Sydney areas of Blacktown, Penrith and Seven Hills especially in the suburbs of Rooty Hill, St Marys, Colyton, Doonside, Arndell Park, Propect and Glendenning.
Judging by the availability of pastors to attend on a Saturday rather than a weekday , one can say many of the pastors are bi-vocational or the pastors who work in another profession during weekdays.
A number of the churches have permanent place for weekly meetings mostly commercial and industrial warehouses converted as house of worship. The rest meet either in residences or at school auditorium or community centres leased from the area’s local government.
Members of the Pastor Fellowship of Sydney: Renato Refe, The Word Christian Ministry(St Marys) ; Dong Rodriguez, Gospel Church of Jesus (Mt Druitt) ; Nick Rodriguez, Love of Jesus Ministry (Glendenning); Ding Cantre, Come to Jesus Church (Glendenning) ; Imelda Mesa, Church of the Living God (Arndel Park); Bob Cabrera, Joy of Life Fellowship (Auburn); Rudy Tan, FCF Life Centre The Church On The Highway (Minchinbury); Nick Pangilinan, New Life Centre (Prospect); Nomer Velasco, Faith in Christ Fellowship (Minto); Jerry Ignacio Jesus Is Lord Church (Arndell Park); Rudy Fetalsana, Agape Christian Church (Colyton); Domeng de Vera; Jesus is My Banner (Seven Hills); Jonathan Cruz, Joy of Life Fellowship (Auburn); Ricky Rontales , Jesus is Lord (Campsie); Rolando Aranxamendes ; Tom Chua; Danilo Romero Filipino AOG (Quakers Hills); Oddie Rivera (CTJ) ; Dong Reyes (WSCC) ; Noel Pimpeng (NLC); Jess Malibiran , One in Christ Church (Wetherill Park), Jun Galang, Armando Manlutac , Agape Christian Church (Stanhope), Ray Clemente, Radiance of Jesus (Blacktown), Jonathan Baluyut (GCJ).