CPU supports Philippine Librarians Association’s “Bibliotherapy” program

By Cyrus A. Natividad

“Bibliotheraphy” aims to promote Christian values among Centralians. Photo Credit: Prof. Ana Mae Cantel.

The Philippine Librarians Associations, Inc. (PLAI) and the Western Visayas Regional Librarians Council (WVRLC) promotes “Bibliotherapy,” an initiative which recognizes the inherent quality of literature not only as a source of enjoyment and entertainment, but as materials that promote well-being.

Book-reading has been found to offer therapeutic benefits which can result to developing self-confidence, increasing intellectual capacity, as well as building healthier interpersonal relations. Mr. Christian George Acevedo, PLAI-WVRLC President, further explains that reading “books and other literature can facilitate structure interactions between and among individuals.”

According to Prof. Ana Mae Cantel, the event facilitator, CPU’s Henry Luce III Library is one of the recognized centers of the program as the library holds one of the biggest collections of reading materials in the whole of Western Visayas.

CBMA holds 77th Annual Assembly

Prof. Adele Grace G. Fegarido shares her insights about the struggles of being a pastor and how to overcome them with faith and persitence.

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching. – Hebrews 10:25

More than 700 pastors from all over the country gathered at Camp Higher Ground, Barotac Viejo, Iloilo as the Convention Baptist Ministers’ Association Inc. (CBMA) held its 77th Annual Assembly on January 18-20, 2018.

With the theme, “Reinventing Servant-Leadership, Responding to the Call of Times,” the assembly aimed to equip and empower pastors as servant leaders in their ministries. According to Pastor Jec Dan Borlado, CPBC Director for Pastoral Placement, Theological Education, and Ministerial Concerns, “This event is a visual expression and a concrete expression of our unity and our fellowship that we belong to one community of faith. It helps renew relationships and revive old friendships as the minsters and church leaders share their testimony to encourage one another.”

Rev. Rosan Valencia-Tabaodaja encourages the participants to hold on to the promises of God.
The ordained ministers of the CPBC during the CBMA General Assembly.

There were lectures aimed at encouraging church leaders to believe in themselves and in their calling and to enhance their knowledge in leading their churches to become an integral ministry of serving the community where they are located. Prof. Adele Grace G. Fegar talked about “Servant-Leaders Ministering Self and Family,” Rev. Dr. Steve Smith lectured on “Servant Leadership Ministering to Institutions and Organizations,” and together with Rev. Dr. Smith, Dr. Emo Yango, Rev. Jasher M. Gastaya and Pastor Russell M. Ban shared their insights on “Servant-Leaders Ministering to other Faiths, Races and Ideologies.”

The annual CBMA General Assembly aims to unite and to encourage church leaders of the convention all over the country.

CBMA is the national organization of pastors serving the churches of the Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches.

The CBMA officers are: Pastor Elizer G. Geromiano, President; Rev. Oliver E. Lambatin, Vice President; Pastor Danna Beatrize R. Yee, Secretary; Pastor Nilo Bacas, Treasurer; and Rev. Mark A. Vergara, Auditor.