November 2024

ENTERING GOD’S PRESENCE WITH GRATITUDE.”

 

Psalm 100:4 is part of a hymn of praise attributed to David, reflecting his deep gratitude and joyful worship of God. David’s life was filled with both triumphs and trials, and through it all, he consistently

turned to God with thankfulness.

This verse captures the essence of David’s approach to worship: entering God’s presence with a heart full of gratitude and praise, acknowledging His steadfast love and faithfulness. It’s a call to celebrate God’s

goodness and recognize His sovereignty, echoing David’s own experiences and unwavering devotion. It invites us to adopt a similar attitude of joy and thankfulness in our own worship.

And reminds us to approach every day with a heart full of thankfulness, celebrating the abundant blessings and enduring love of God.”

In one of our workshop Session from the conference facing the future 2023 that I attended, one of the lecturers shared about Gratitude Squares; He said we are wired with negatives. By speaking positive thoughts in a conscious state, we communicate positivity. Our subconscious which does not think for itself, but rather, takes directives from the conscious. If we Read more…



October 2024

How Filipinos Celebrate All Saints’ Day

All Saints’ Day is a Christian festival in honor of all known and unknown Christian saints. Celebrated every November 1st, the festival celebrates the life, faith and death of martyrs and saints, especially those who have no designated feast day in the Roman Catholic calendar. It is an important liturgical celebration, next to Christmas and Holy Week. Devotees pray for the intercession of saints and ask guidance in their everyday struggle.

In the Philippines, the holiday is celebrated with much gusto. More than a holy obligation, All Saints’ Day, Todos Los Santos or Undas in the Philippines is a day to remember the dearly departed through prayers, vigils, flowers, food and merriment. Like the Day of the Dead Festival in Mexico, Todos Los Santos is hardly a solemn event. Families come together to flock the cemeteries and memorial parks where they celebrate life, share stories and memories, and pray for the souls for the loved ones who had passed.

A few days before the actual celebration of All Saints’ Day, someone from the family comes to clean up and prepare the grave of their dearly departed. They weed out stray plants, clean the area and repaint the tombstone. Filipinos decorate the graves of their dearly departed with flowers and candles on All Saints’ Day. Graves of Read more…



Greetings

     I praise the Lord our God for letting me serve in what I refer to as “God answered prayer” not just one but two answers prayer: Westfield United Methodist Church and Mayville United Methodist Church. I never thought that when God sent me to be the guest preacher at First United Methodist Church of Ontario, Canada on their 10th founding anniversary, it was God’s way to open for me the opportunity to meet Rev. Manny Valdez who introduced me to Ds Carlos Rosa-Laguer. I believe God works in His miraculous way to make our path crossed so we can be partners in building God’s Kingdom! Here is a brief account of my personal, educational and pastorate information.

We were born in San Isidro, Isabela Philippines on June 28,1972. We are the first born child- with my twin sister, Evelyn, among the 3 siblings. Because we were twins, I grew up in the care of my grandmother who was a devoted Christian. From an early age I was close to church, so I grew up with a great devotion to God. Because of my grandma’s strong faith I believe it shaped me to become a devoted Pastor for 16 years.( though I didn’t dream to be a Pastor)I do believe both of us with my twin were called and are now actively serving the Lord in the United Methodist Church. I attended seminary at Wesley Divinity School, Wesleyan University Philippines, Which gave me the training to be an effective pastor and religious educator. I studied further at Northeastern College as an Educator, and was blessed to be a Professional License Teacher. I worked as a public teacher in Senior High School for two years. Salinungan Stand Alone Senior High School and Raniag High School. I was ordained Elder in 2017.

My first appointment was at Jones United Methodist Church that was in 1991, I was the associate pastor then. While I was there, I got married to my loving husband Emerson. In my second church appointment at Masaya Centro United Methodist Church, I got pregnant and gave birth to our first child, Christian Emerson. On my third church assignment at Pangal Norte United Methodist Church we added our second daughter (Evalyn Rocel) to the family while serving there for 3 years. It took 7 years when God blessed us (out of plan) our youngest daughter (Lovelyn Joy) truly she is lovely gift to us and God gave us such 3 wonderful gifts our beautiful granddaughters: Shihara Jirah, Christa Carine, and Eiliyah Alcmene who completed our family with so much joy.

 

 I share the sentiment of the Apostle Paul when he said, “I am the least of the Apostle’s, unfit to be called an Apostle (1 Corinthians 15:9) but I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me because He judged me faithful and appointed me to His service. I know and I admit that I am not worthy but God called me and made me qualified to this awesome and wonderful ministry. I am blessed, I am honored, I am highly favored! to be part of building up God’s Kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven. Finally, I cordially invite you to Westfield  United Methodist Church. Come, see and taste the amazing GRACE and LOVE of our Almighty God!

In Christ service,

Pastor Evangeline Estuesta Castillo

 



General Conference Recap 2024

Following the adjournment of General Conference, Bishop Héctor A. Burgos Núñez shared this video with United Methodists of Upper New York. Watch as he shared five key areas addressed during this time of holy conferencing and what it means for Upper New York. 


Easter 2024

                   “’Why are you crying?’”

(John 20:15)

 

In his book The Moment of Truth author Samuel Wells observes, “Easter’s drenched in tears.” This is hardly newsworthy. We have spent a lifetime hearing the Easter story unfold from John’s gospel. We already know what is follow the words, “Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance” (John 20:1). We anticipate our heartbeat quicken with every stride, as Mary alerts Simon Peter and the unnamed disciple. Mary struggles to catch her breath gasping for air in between a run of words, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him” (v.3)!

          John describes what Simon Peter and the unnamed disciples see when they investigate Mary’s report and the mostly empty tomb (only the wrappings remain). For a culture that is fascinated and appalled by death, many abandon the Easter story by the time we finish reading John’s editorial comment, “They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead” (v.9). The two disciples exit the scene as “Mary stood outside the tomb crying” (v.11).

          The waterworks flow. Of course, Mary weeps. We’ve leaned into the casket to kiss a loved one on the forehead. Dressed in black, we have shed tears as body is lowered into the Read more…



Christmas 2023

“… there was no room for them in the inn.”

-Luke 2:7b

 

As I write, the temperatures are dropping and the snow accumulating. My Bible is plopped open to the wondrous story of Jesus’ birth in the gospel of Luke. I have always found a home among the shepherds “living in the fields nearby, keeping their watch over their flocks at night” (Luke 2:8). Usually, a beautiful medley of carols ushers me through to the end of the Christmas story. Typically, I am in awe of the angelic pronouncement to the shepherds, “Today in the town of David is a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord” (2:11), and I am drawn to the shepherds’ worshipful response of finding “Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger” (2:16). I suspect, by Christmas, these words from the gospel and the carols will enchant my heart once again.

 

On that holiest of nights, Luke reports on the unfolding scene in Bethlehem, “The time came for the baby to be born, and [Mary] gave birth to her firstborn, a son” (2:6-7a). We are informed the new mother “wrapped him in clothes and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn” (2:7b). Honestly, I haven’t given much air-time to the innkeeper in years. The innkeeper holds no speaking parts in Christmas pageants, yet alone the gospel. On Read more…



Easter Letter 2023

 
(artwork by Adalyn Reese age 10)

 

Mary Magdalene seems traumatized and distracted by grief. Days prior she witnessed the brutality of the cross. Mary was close enough to hear the final breath escape Jesus’ beaten lungs, and to watch the moment his head slumps in death. In the wee hours of that first Easter, Mary makes her now famous discovery that the stone that sealed Jesus’ body in the tomb, “had been removed from the entrance” (John 20:1). As the waves of grief wash over her, and the sense of loss accumulates, utterly shocked Mary presumes Jesus’ corpse is missing.

The gospel locates Mary, “weeping outside the tomb.” (20:11). Theologian David Ford writes, “She repeats her agonized cry of loss again and again—to the disciples, to the angels, to Jesus.” Perhaps, this is the entry point that allows the Easter story to speak “wonderful words of life.” Deep in our souls, we can identify with Mary’s loss. We too know, what it is like to lose someone or something precious to us; the death of a partner or a family member; the loss of a classmate or colleague; the demise of physical ability or financial security. Loss even confronts us in joyous times of new homes, changing jobs, or graduating high school. There are numerous moments when we stand as, Mary “weeping outside the tomb” (20:11).

Read more…



Christmas Letter

Greetings,

Theologian Reinhold Niebuhr once observed, “Only poets can do justice to the Christmas and Easter stories…” Perhaps this is why the songs that proclaim the incarnation and the resurrection of Jesus Christ are among our most beloved hymns. The poetic nature of these hymns reaches into the recesses of the human spirit and enlightens our minds with the rich theology of our Faith. The poets with their ability to use language well, Read more…



Easter Letter 2022

Greetings,

In the weeks leading to Easter we have traveled the dusty and winding roads with Jesus. Along the way we gave pause to ask serious questions about our understanding of God, ourselves, and our relationship with God. In addition, a few of us participated in Adam Hamilton’s study on the life of Simon Peter, reflecting upon this “flawed but faithful disciple.” We have done well to prepare for Jesus’ death upon the cross and his resurrection on Easter morning. 

We approach our final destination marked with hopeful and celebratory shouts of “Hosanna” to the silent tears Read more…



Easter 2021 Letter

Greetings,

In the Baptismal Covenant the pastor asks, “Do you believe in God the Father?” The congregation answers with the first two lines of The Apostles’ Creed, “I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.” The pastor asks two additional questions, “Do you believe in Jesus Christ?” and “Do you believe in the Holy Spirit?” Each time the congregation responds with the appropriate and succeeding lines from The Apostles’ Creed.

According to folklore, The Apostles’ Creed was piecemealed together by Jesus’ apostles. Historically, The Apostles’ Creed was used in the early church to summarize the important doctrines of the Christian Faith. The Apostles’ Creed functioned as a kind of catechesis (a fancy word for teaching) that prepared believers for the waters of Holy Baptism.

I am drawn to the ancient words of The Apostles’ Creed; they are time-tested having stood through various pandemics, revolutions, cultural shifts, technological advances, economic depressions, the fall and rise of nations, famine, and massive storms. The seventeen (17) lines of The Apostles’ Creed continue to stand as a powerful and sturdy witness to the Faith, especially in uncertain times. Read more…