New Covenant Presbytery meeting participants greeted both requests to charter new congregations with applause and approval in February.

The Rev. Sam Fabila, Organizing Pastor of Biyaya (Grace) New Church Development spoke to the presbytery with evident joy about the eight years of prayer and effort during which Biyaya has ministered to the Filipino community in Houston. Worship at Biyaya is upbeat and conducted in English because of the youth and multicultural members of the congregation.

“We have a large family — 14 Bible studies and prayer meetings now meeting,” Fabila said. “We have much evangelism to do, for there are 60,000 in the Filipino community in the Houston area.”

He thanked Southminster Presbyterian Church in Missouri City for the use of its facility that gave Biyaya a place of its own to worship and other churches that have helped Biyaya. 

The Rev. Jim Gill, Organizing Pastor of Peace Presbyterian New Church Development, described how five years ago, Peace NCD began evening services of prayer and praise in Pearland. In 2005, they moved to its present storefront location, a 3000 sq. ft. storefront facility on the northwest side of Pearland. The facility includes a sanctuary, office space and small kitchen.

Peace Presbyterian now has two worship services, choir, drama group, committees and ministry teams, Gill said. What started in a living room with a handful of folks has grown to 91 adults, 4 youth and 27 children — a wonderful family of faith called Peace.

In addition to teaching the basic elements of Christian discipleship, church history, beliefs and government , members of Peace Presbyterian have been pursuing an active evangelism program and participating in many mission activities, Gill said.

Editor's Note: Consider sending these new congregations e-mail with prayers and congratulations.

Biyaya Community Church PC(USA), Missouri City, TX – www.biyaya.org

Peace Presbyterian Church, Pearland, TX – www.peacepres.net

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