Along With Trails Comes Blessing

Pastor Steve Bragg

Pastor Alagos is a Grandfather.

Along with trails of the burn comes the wonderful blessing of Pastor Alagos’ first grandchild born today. John Louie is the grandson’s name. He was named John because the Apostle John was blessed by our Lord, and Louie means love.

John’s birth into our world was a miracle. The Doctor’s examination and ultrasound just a few days ago indicated that if John was born now he would be premature and need to go to a different hospital for premature care.

John, quite to the doctor’ surprise, was born today on time and healthy. John weighed in at more than 7 pounds.

Pastor Alagos burns are healing at what I would call an accelerated rate. I am so amazed at how much progress is made each day. In my humble opinion his rate of recovery is miraculous, as well.

We serve an Awesome God.

Steve Bragg

Pastor Alagos Home Today

Thank You Lord!

No damage to lungs, but inside mouth throat and nose are burned and will recover. There is a good chance his face and neck will not scare. Arms and hands will have some scaring but not too bad. His fever broke this morning. So he will go home with antibiotics and pain meds.

He is still not out of the woods for infection. Please continue to keep him and his family in prayers!

Thank you Lord Jesus for Your goodness, mercy, and grace! We pray You will allow us to know Your goodness and purpose in this.

Rom 8:28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.

Steve Bragg

Pastor Alagos Badly Burned!

Steve Bragg & Alejo Alagos

My dear friend and partner in the Grace Chapel Ministry was badly burned today. Please pray for him and his family.

This morning at 5:00am Pastor Alejo Alagos was lighting the gas oven at the bakery and it exploded in his face. He has first degree burns covering his face and neck. He also has first and second degree burns covering both arms and hands. He has some damage to his lungs. Infection is now the thing that could make things worse. They estimate his stay in the hospital to be at least one week.

No infection is the prayer most needed now.

God bless us all,

Steve Bragg

PS

As Pastor Alagos sat on his hospital bed severely burned he kept repeated this verse. Rom 8:28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Amen!

Grace Chapel Report 2011

My Dear Grace Chapel Partners,

I pray you all will have the best year in 2012.

Will you help me start a new Church this year?

• You would be a big blessing to Filipinos in need!
• Every Church we start, we arrange for the government to use our church building for an alternative school.
• Many in these remote barangays are too poor to send their kids to school.
• The Philippine government pays for the fulltime alternative school teacher.
• The Barangays are blessed with a fulltime Pastor, a building to worship in, and an alternative school.

$4000 is a small price to provide great blessings!

Here is our latest video:  A Christmas Story Philippines 2011 http://vimeo.com/34824930

Hill of Zion Community Church

Report for 2011

• My family and I moved to the Philippines to minister fulltime to the Pilipinos. We have a home Juliana built about 20 years ago. It is comfortable but in need of many repairs. Lord willing, step by step over the next year or two, we will add some rooms, and accomplish needed repairs.
• Our evangelist, Pastor Alejo Alagos and I have become close friends. He is also my interpreter, so we travel together. The Lord has blessed us as partners in this ministry.
• 10 students were supported by scholarships. These are students that perform well in school. Without the scholarship, they would not be able to go to school.
• Our fourth new church was started. River Rock Church Esparar is located at Barangay Esparar, Barbaza, Antique. Currently, there are 3 bible studies going with about 25 regular attendees. We are negotiating a place to build the church building. They have a full time Pastor, Alex Egloria. Pastor Alex is an experienced church planter and Pastor. He is 67 years old and is moving to Esparar to live among them. By providence, the Barangay was named after his Grandmother’s family name. Pastor Alagos is also a school principal. He has arranged for the government to use the Esparar church building for an alternative school. The government will pay the fulltime teacher. It’s a double blessing for Barangay Esparar.
• With praise to our Lord, we celebrated the 5^th year anniversary of Grace Chapel, the 4^th year of Tabernacle of Praise, and first year of Hill of Zion.
• The youth from Grace Chapel, Tabernacle of Praise and Hill of Zion met together for a Leadership Youth Camp.
• I was the guest speaker for the youth camp and 10 churches. Some of these churches I was invited back to shared more of the Gospel. Each time many came forward to recommit their lives in repentance, and many were saved, thank you Lord!

Hill of Zion Community Church First Anniversary
 December 2011

Projection for 2012, Lord willing!

·       We have many to baptize. We will hire jeepneys and bring them out of their remote locations to the ocean. Thank you Lord for the harvest!

·       We are praying the Lord will provide funds to build 3 churches this year. We have 3 locations that currently have bible studies and ready Pastors. We will launch the church with a two night Concert Crusade. Many pastors and church workers will canvas the Barangays and invite them to the Crusade. They will go back after the Crusade and follow-up with bible studies. After the groups are formed, we will build the church building and provide a salary for the Pastor for one year as he gets the church started. This model has worked successfully in starting Tabernacle of Praise, Hill of Zion, and RRC Esparar. Each church plant is $4000.

·       Provide scholarships for 12 students. The scholarship is $25 per month for the 10 month school year.

·       Establish River Rock Church as a recognized nondenominational church in the Philippines. This will allow our pastors to perform weddings in the remote areas. This is an extremely beneficial ministry. It will also allow us to ordain and certify our Pastors.

·       Establish the framework of a Pastor Training College.

·       In April, Lord willing, Pastor Alagos and I will travel to the USA. Pastor Alagos will be commissioned as an Elder of River Rock Church.

Serving the Lord in the Philippines,

You may donate to Grace Chapel through River Rock Church website http://www.river-rock.org/giving.html

Or you may mail a check to:

Grace Chapel

c/o River Rock Church
2008 SE 8th Avenue
Camas, WA 98607
Phone 360.885.9000

I pray your donation to Grace Chapel would be over and above the support of the church where you worship.

Luke 6:38 "Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure--pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return."

Steve Bragg
Pastor/Elder
River Rock Church
& Grace Chapel Ministries
Serving in Patnongon Antique Philippines

Email: steve.bragg123@gmail.com
Grace Chapel Blog: http://gracechapelministries.blogspot.com/
Grace Chapel Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Grace-Chapel/207519629261717
My Story http://youtu.be/6C2DRT2vtjs
Birth of RRC Esparar: http://vimeo.com/31760794
GET UP! GOD IS NOT FINISHED WITH YOU! http://www.faithwriters.com/article-details.php?id=140361
Documentary: First Four Churches http://vimeo.com/33566496

A Christmas Story Philippines 2011 http://vimeo.com/34824930

Donations: http://www.river-rock.org/giving.html

A Christmas Story Philippines 2011

See the story here:  http://vimeo.com/34824930

This is our first Christmas serving the Lord in the Philippines. God really blessed us. He blessed many Pilipinos.

Enjoy the story!

Steve Bragg

Pastor/Elder

River Rock Church

& Grace Chapel Ministries

Serving in Patnongon Antique Philippines

Email: steve.bragg123@gmail.com

Grace Chapel Blog: http://gracechapelministries.blogspot.com/

Grace Chapel Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Grace-Chapel/207519629261717  

My Story http://youtu.be/6C2DRT2vtjs      

Birth of RRC Esparar: http://vimeo.com/31760794

GET UP! GOD IS NOT FINISHED WITH YOU! http://www.faithwriters.com/article-details.php?id=140361  

Documentary: First Four Churches http://vimeo.com/33566496  

Donations: http://www.river-rock.org/giving.html 

Happy New Year from Patnongon, Antique, Philippines

My dear Grace Chapel Partners,                                                                                 

I want to wish you all Happy New Year!

Pastor Alagos and I were busy the month of December 2011.

Besides our regular services at Grace Chapel and Tabernacle of Praise, we were the guest speakers for 6 churches for Thanks Giving/Christmas Celebrations, a Leadership Youth Camp, and 3 New Year celebrations.

Thank you for your prayers and support. Without you, this ministry would not be possible!

I will post a pictorial report in a few days when I go to a high speed Internet spot.

                                          

This picture is my laptop. This desktop picture serves as my daily reminder. It says, like Peter, I’ve gotten out of the boat. However, I could not do this ministry without my eyes firmly fixed on Jesus! Sometimes I miss this goal, but in spite of my faithfulness, the Lord is always faithful. I’m learning to walk and sometimes swim with the Lord!

2Corintians 8:3-4 I was there and saw it for myself. They gave offerings of whatever they could--far more than they could afford!-- pleading for the privilege of helping out in the relief of poor Christians. NIV

My love and prayers are with you all,

Steve Bragg
Elder/Pastor
River Rock Church
& Grace Chapel Ministries
Serving in Patnongon Antique Philippines

Email: steve.bragg123@gmail.com
Grace Chapel Blog: http://gracechapelministries.blogspot.com/
Grace Chapel Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Grace-Chapel/207519629261717 
My Story http://youtu.be/6C2DRT2vtjs 
Birth of RRC Esparar: http://vimeo.com/31760794
GET UP! GOD IS NOT FINISHED WITH YOU! http://www.faithwriters.com/article-details.php?id=140361 
Documentary: First Four Churches http://vimeo.com/33566496 

Donations: http://www.river-rock.org/giving.html

Merry Christmas Grace Chapel Partners!

Merry Christmas from the Philippines

My internet is too slow to send pictures or create something fancy. I have to travel to San Jose or La Parola to get a higher speed internet.

Many have asked, so I will let you all know that the flooding in the Philippines missed us. It was at an island south of us in Mindanao. Many are dead and displaced so please continue to pray for them.

For Steven and I this is our first Christmas in the Philippines. It feels more like summer. In fact, it is summer here. The Christmas spirit is excellent!

A lot of families are too poor to buy presents. The giving of gifts and Santa Clause seems to be less important.

Steven will only get one small gift this year. We have told him it is because we live in a different culture and explained the difference of his Filipino neighbors and family. Steven understands. Many times this past two weeks he has told me it is okay he only gets one gift. I believe he is genuinely happy to adjust.

The Christmas spirit here is more about Christ, it seems. Here is an example of what I mean. This is a quote from the Department of Education in San Jose. It reads in part, “To developing functionally literate and God loving Filipinos”.  All schools, including public school, celebrate with great activity Christmas.

My Christmas present from our Lord is being the guest speaker at 5 Churches the month of December. They are the San Rafael Christian Community Church, Hill of Zion Community Church, Buena Vista Christian Community Center, Tabernacle of Praise Community Church, and Gateway Church. For the November Thanksgiving Celebrations I spoke at Buena Vista Christian Community Center, Jesus is Lord Church, and Tabernacle of Praise Community Church.

I guess what amazes me most about speaking at these churches is preaching is not my gift. I believe the Lord blesses my passion and He is present with the Holy Spirit at these services. I have had the great honor of witnessing the Holy Spirit moving the hearts of these congregations.

I pray each of you have a Very Merry Christmas!

Thank you for your love and prayers for us,

Steve, Juliana & Steven