This was taken when the concert was about to start. Sister Libby Hokamura, our head Deaconness of the church starts to read II Chronicles 7:14-16
If my people, which are called by my name shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will heal their land.Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attend unto the prayer that is made in this place. For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name maybe there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
We sang the theme song of the church,
"HOW GREAT THOU ART."
And after the prayer, the Pastor introduce the
emcee direct from Honolulu, Hawaii.
She is a very vibrant speaker, a radio announcer, a toast master, and a host of many radio program was non other than Sister Mary Rivera.
She greeted everyone, "ALOHA!!!" and the whole crowd responded, and everyone was in a jubilant mood.
Sister Mary just carry on introducing herself
and talking about the very reason why she was given the privilege of being an EMCEE of a church concert crusade in California, was because she loves to do God's business, giving her talent without talent fees, as she gives it to the Lord for free.
Brian Cabildo is the Musical Director and he is the one behind coordinating all the band together
inviting them to participate in the concert. He was the person who teaches the HPC worship team to play musical instruments.
The banner was not properly arrange but it still does its purpose.
Brian was leading the worship team to sing
the opening song of worship.
From the left to right:
The Holy Place worship team,
Nikka, Chona, and Charisse.
This was their first time they sang in a concert, facing a big crowd, and they were able to muster themselves singing and worshipping.
The Pastor was conducting the opening prayer dedicating the whole place to the Lord God.
He was asking God for His mighty angels to come and guard the whole duration of the concert crusade that there will be no disturbances.
He was asking the Lord God Almighty to come to
shake the place by HIS presence, and that when
HE come, HE come to visit HIS people to lift them up and revive them in the fear of God.
Sister Mary took over and she carried on
bringing excitement to the whole event by
giving word of exultation, before proceeding
to do her usual introduction to every part of the program.
She was born and raised in ILO-ILO, in the province of Panay. She was also a radio announcer in Binalbagan, Negros Occidental.
She was able to used her talent in Hawaii and continue doing Radio Program.
Sister Vicky, the wife of the Pastor was the one who brought out the history of the Holy Place, how it started, and where it started.
She talks about the beginning, because she was the one who came first to California, living in Duarte and going to many parts of Los Angeles
geting busy to put up a place of worship, before the pastor will fly on weekend to preach and see the progress of the work.
With the help of some friends and relative of the pastor, the church has been planted and it was decided that the year 2000 would be the time to transfer. Y2K had been witness by the whole world and gone, and was forgotten, for it was a false alarm.
Sister Mary started to call on the attention of some pastors that were present in the concert
to give them the privilege to introduce themselves.
She came in front of Pastor Pliny Fondevilla, and welcome to introduce for gracing the occassion.
He is the Senior Pastor of the Seventh Day Adventist Church Inter-Valley community church in Monrovia, Los Angeles County.
Pastor Pliny is a close friend to the pastor of HPC
and the HPC pastor comes to visit his church on occassion on their Saturday Sabbath worship.
They ussually come for fellowship after conducting their regular Monrovia convalescent services and sometimes join their singing in their afternoon activites.
Pastor Nel Maulit of the Jesus the way up ministry in Monrovia. He was present to see
and enjoy the concert, for some of his members
were involved in the band.
Soy is the youth pastor of the Jesus the way up ministry. He also plays the base guitar in their worship team in the church.
Sister Mary was already preparing to call on the first group to sing, the Holy Place Worship Team.
The leader of the team is Brian, the key board is another Brian, at the drums is MM's, and the Bulfa's sisters.
She began to interview Brother Brian on how he was able to come about to form the worship team of the Holy Place.
Brother Brian has the talent to play many musical instruments, and he was able to train
the young teens, the Bulfa's sisters to learn how to play key-board, guitar, and the base. He is willing to teach one of the girls, the youngest to play drums.
In this concert, the set up was that another Brian came in to help to play the keyboard, and MM's who came in to play the drums, and still another came in to add in his saxophone.
Sister Nikka was being interviewed by sister Mary, how she felt being in a concert in a larger crowd.
She was shy to give her true feelings, but she was really honored to play musical instrument
for our Lord Jesus Christ. She love music and she learn how to play the key board and guitar
through the help of Brother Brian.
The opening song that they sang was "EVERYTHING THAT HAS BREATHE."
Sister Chona handles the base guitar, she just started to learn how to play a year ago, and now she can do the whole song with the band without mistake.
The Saxophonist was also good in his music, rolling tunes and adlib makes the simple worship more beautiful.
The second song they sang was "HOLY IS THE LORD."
The third song they sang was "ALL MY SONG" is for you. Sister Charisse is one of their vocalist.
Brian helps also joining the worship song, and his voice is so wonderful, very powerful in worship.
The fourth song they sang was "SEND YOUR RAIN O LORD."
As they have been worshipping the Lord, God's mighty presence came down and fall on all the worshipper, and this set the mood to truly worship God in that place called "The Warehouse"
Brother George was introduce to give him his life testimony.
Brother George was incarcerated for 35 years in prison. And he was just 46 years old on this very moment that he was speaking.
He was testifying that he comes and go our of prison at the age of 11 years old. He was into robbery, extortion, drugs, etch.
He was fighting his case for 150years that the courts are trying to decide, and he was considered as a hardcase criminal and that Califronian want to put him away for good.
But he was changed inside the prison cell by the power of prayer that his mother always uplifting him to God.
