JUMP FOR JESUS

The Kerygma Feast of Valnzuela has been constantly growing in multitudes since its humble beginnings a few years back. People are starting to be enlightened of the many blessings and benefits a Christian could harvest in God's mighty kingdom.

In the spirit of the Christmas season, the builders of this community put up a Worship concert entitled "Jump for Jesus" that will be held on December 18 at SM Valenzuela Cinema 1 at 2:00 in the afternoon. Be prepared to be the "energizer bunny" on that day for it will be whole afternoon of music and worship  dedicated for the Lord!

MSC will be supporting the said event and will be singing during the Mass part preluding the concert proper. See you there!

The Lord is my strength and my shield;

My heart trusts in Him and He helps me.

My heart JUMPS FOR JOY

and I will praise him with my song.

PSALM 28:7

THE MAROON 5 EXPERIENCE

On May the 23th, I and a bunch of cousins and friends from Parañaque met at the SMX Convention Center at the SM Mall of Asia to partake on a once in a lifetime experience! It was at The Maroon 5 Live in Manila Concert!

You would probably wonder how the heck we ended up experiencing this...

Adam Levine, Carlo Santiago and James Valentine

It stared off as a simple friendship between James Valentine, lead guitarist of Maroon 5 and my US-based nephew, Carlo. It was in a Music Summer Camp when James Valentine fell in love with a bright and talented little boy who dreamt of becoming a great musician someday...

Afflicted with a rare type of cancer, Carlo was not able to truly devote himself too much on his guitar lessons. But James found great determination from this young fellow and was deeply moved. James would visit him in the hospital and Carlo would almost immediately forget all the pain due to his disease and medications. They became real buddies! When Carlo had no scheduled treatments and is out of the hospital, he'd get to come by James' house too for more lessons...

Carlo eventually reunited with God at age nine. It was a few months before Maroon 5's Asian tour. The  strong bonds between the band and Carlo's family lived on. My cousin Toni, Carlo's mother, now based in Hongkong managed to get 16 gold tickets courtesy of James! What a friendship! We got to meet them face to face too!

  

The SMX was packed!!! According to some reviews, the band was spectacular!!! and I must say that it was indeed a KNOCKOUT!

It wasn't just a concert. It was an EXPERIENCE OF EPIC PROPORTIONS if you ask me.

Some performers rely on stage lights and special effects. But this one... it's PURE TALENT! They had their special way of making the crowd feel that they are part of the act. They make sure the crowd participates. Adam (band frontman) even complemented us, Filipinos as melodic by nature. 

We were just a few steps from the stage and we could easily squeeze ourselves in nearer if we wanted to, but we chose to be a little more behaved that night. We even wore themed shirts so that the band would recognize us as Carlo's family and friends!

If it wasn't for lack of time and the undeniable distance between Parañaque and Valenzuela, we would have had an after-concert party in honor of Carlo whom we all owe this very memorable opportunity...

LET'S ROCK CONCERT

Yeah, I know this is a bit late already but after weeks and weeks of rehearsals under the watchful eye (or ears!) of Tito Danny Añonuevo, the Feast Valenzuela Chapter finally had its second major praise and worship concert at the Maysan Barangay Hall on January 8, 2011.   

"Let's R.O.C.K." or Rejoice Over Christ's Kingdom was organized once again by the Light Of Jesus community of our parish. It aims to raise funds for future activities and to donate some money to our parish as well.

Some of MSC's members including me were part of the music ministry just like last year. Too bad, Karesse (SOPRANO) was not able to attend practices due to her new job thus giving up her place for now in the concert.  

This event was priorly concieved as a Christmas concert. But due to problems with reservations for the venue and other stuff the higher ups of the Kerygma Family decided to move it at a later date. Positive reviews from the attendees poured down on us right after inspite of the many glitches we experienced minutes before the concert. Makes me feel God's presence all the more during times of adversities and that He will always make things turn around positively.

 To God be all the Glory!!! 

THE UGLY DUCKLING

I got wind that there is a new act in town. The famous fable " The Ugly Duckling" is being brewed for theater very soon. And MSC is proud that one of our members, Karesse Marzan (SOPRANO) is part of it! I am not informed about her role but it feels great for MSC that she was able to get through the grueling auditions to win the part.

Just recently, the cast members went to perform and promote their musical play at "Umagang Kay Ganda". Karesse was there next and at par with her fellows who are already familiar faces in our local entertainment industry. 

WAY TO GO, KARESSE!!!

MSC is very proud of you!

And as the theater people say...

"BREAK A LEG!"  

THE FEAST-VALENZUELA CHRISTMAS WORSHIP-CONCERT

For the first time, The Kerygma Feast-Valenzuela held a Christmas Worship-Concert at the Maysan Barangay Hall Covered Court on the 29th of December, 2009.

Many came out to attend and be blessed and what a relief seeing that even our families were there to support the event and the performers as well.

Our Music Ministry, comprises mostly of MSC members namely:

Bernard Que (Bass) on drums

Arnel Antonio (Bass) on guitar

VOCALS:

Karesse Marzan (Soprano)

Cocoy Amorin (Alto)

Jeybi Cruz (Bass)

Gilbert San Antonio (Tenor)

Jeff Bangay (Tenor)

Ivan Antonio (Tenor)

and US based honorary members, the mother-daughter team of Josie and Angeli Ferrer.

Some of our members come from the different choirs serving our local Parish. All united and willing to serve the Lord through music!

Special thanks to Tito Danny Añonuevo, our Music Ministry Leader and the rest of the Light of Jesus Community for making this endeavor possible and successful!

CONCERT AND BEYOND 2

As we were finishing up our fancy drinks and winding up our chitchats at Starbucks, NLEX, Marilao, we encountered a familiar face entering the Coffee Shop. It was Fr. Mar Arenas, one of the members of the Levites Band. He went there for an after-concert coffee before heading home to his parish at the Divine Mercy Shrine also in Marilao, Bulacan. It was about past 1:00 AM then.

It was my chance to get an autograph from him so I made Cocoy rummage through her things to find one of our used tickets where I would want Fr. Mar to sign on. It was also an opportunity indeed to personally meet him.

CONCERT AND BEYOND

Well, the Levites concert was a success especially to the people who have heard them for the first time. In our case, I and my trusted choirmates opted to go some place else after seeing our very own Tito Boyet and his bandmates perform away on stage as front act for the Levites Band.

The long walk from the venue to the parking lot was swift! All three of us were eager to board the car and go! Destination? Starbucks!!!

Sorry for those members petitioning for another Starbucks night. You didn't show up at the concert anyway. Hehe!!!

LEVITES CONCERT IN MAYSAN VALENZUELA

The Levites in the bible, is a Hebrew tribe led by their patriarch Levi, one of the 12 sons of Jacob. They are a clan of priests.

In the Diocese of Malolos, Bulacan, there is a band of singing priests who named themselves after the said tribe. They aim to evangelise the faithful through the songs that they sing. Their songs may not sound church(ish) at all, but they sure know how to put in points from the bible into them. Their song selections are of those of the positive side of thing which bring hope and cheer for the people who need it. They have done a lot of concerts in our parish and other neighboring parishes before and have done concerts even abroad!

Last October 5, the Levites went back to OLHRP to do a concert held at the Maysan Barangay Hall. This is part of OLHRP's fund raising program for the old Maysan Chapel's much needed rehab and renovation.  A couple of us were there to support. Recent events brought about by the devastation of typhoon Ketsana (Ondoy) in numerous parts of the country led the concert organizers to give part of the proceeds to the people who were affected by the typhoon as well. Which I think was truly a noble gesture.

Tatay Boyet (Bass) was one of the front acts. Along with Mike Carag (honorary MSC member), Danny Anonuevo (our musical director at the Kerygma Feast) and Barangay Captain and MSC alumnus Hon. Eric Urrutia, who called themselves "Cap and Company". Their group and their songs were well received by the audience as well especially the fact that the Barangay Captain himself was personally serenading his constituents!

Many people came out to support the Levites concert, displaying their utmost enthusiasm to support these priests. The whole barangay function hall was packed! I would say that this was a successful concert. Especially since the proceeds would go to the ones who are in dire need of it.

AMERICAN IDOLS INVADE MANILA!

American Idol Season 7 for me was the best season in the history of this famous Reality TV show! I never missed an episode of it. And I even watched the reruns and marathons! Imagine that!

On May 16, I and MSC alums Che and my sister Pam, got the chance to watch the back-to-back concert of American Idol winner David Cook and runner-up David Archuleta at the SM Mall of Asia open grounds! They sounded so much better than when they were still competing for the coveted title. It was like watching two concerts of different genres rolled into one. It was at the end of David Cook's set when both Davids got to sing together on stage thus ending the entire concert with a bang!

Sorry guys but I just really had to put this here! hehe!

FLASHBACK: HANDOG HIMIG KAY MARIA

During the time when the OLRP church was still undergoing major construction, the parishioners thought of a lot of fund raisers in order to help out with the church's expenses amidst the unrelenting crises in our country. There were raffles and even BINGO nights.

HANDOG HIMIG KAY MARIA was MSC's unique way to help raise more funds for OLRP. Actually, MSC did two choral concerts in two consecutive years held at the site where the church is being constructed. Led by our Sir Roni Verga, the group succeeded in its call for the people to shell out some money to buy tickets and place ads on the souvenir program which all earnings were donated entirely to OLRP.

MSC performed with the best of its abilities and impressed the whole congregation. It even inspired the other choirs of the parish to put up their own concerts for the church's benefit.