OUR HISTORY
It all started over 13 years ago, on the 3rd Sabbath of July 1996, when Eliezer Marcelo and his family, together with some invited friends, started Sabbath services in their home in Panorama City. Soon after, because the group had grown to a number which could no longer be comfortably accommodated in the Marcelo house, the group decided to rent out the facilities of the Congregational Church of Chatsworth for their Sabbath services. It was the original goal of the group to bring together all Filipino Seventh-day Adventist members in the San Fernando Valley to form a church and ultimately become the arm for bringing the Good News of salvation to people in the San Fernando Valley. The group got affiliated as a group (“daughter church”) under the sponsorship of Glendale Filipino Church of (GFC) Seventh-day Adventists
On February 12, 2008, the Executive Committee of the Southern California Conference (SCC) of Seventh-day Adventists voted to grant “Company Status” to the group and on May 10 of the same year organized the San Fernando Valley Filipino Company (SFVFC). On this date, the Company severed its “mother-daughter” relationship with GFC and getting under the umbrella of SCC.
About 14 years from its inception, the SFVFC membership has grown from a mere less than 10 members to more than 110 members. It now serves the needs of Filipino members and a growing Hispanic division (under the able leadership of Hermano Seth Villarreal). The congregation has not only grown in membership count but it has also matured in all aspects of church life including the stewardship of God’s goods. The members of SFVFC have been faithfully submitting tithe remittances and mission offerings to the SCC.
The church is involved in nurture, discipling and outreach ministries. Two of the most recent ministries organized in the church are the Adventurers and Pathfinders Clubs. The Music Ministry is also alive! Different singing groups are now in place – Men’s Chorus, Ladies’ Chorus, Youth and Children Choirs and a mini-orchestra.
Through the course of SFVFC’s history, four (5) Head Elders had served: Eliezer Marcelo, Jack Moreno, Larry Cudal, Ismael Malit and Noah Asfaw (present); and subsequently, three (3) pastors had already served: Abelardo Laureles, Geronimo Calangan and Reuben Rafanan (present).
To accommodate its growing membership and to be able to move to more ministries for members and the community, SFVFC is earnestly looking for a property to develop into a church. This is a big dream, but we can only accomplish big if we know how to dream big!
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