Ibaloy Fellowship Center - Phase 2

There are 13 Ibaloy churches located in the rural areas around Baguio City — a major city up in the mountains on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. The vision for the Ibaloy Fellowship Center began out of a desire to provide a place for university students to gather for corporate worship and encouragement, as they frequently drifted away from the church during their university years in the big city due to the lack of believers near them.

With the growth of the Ibaloy church and the need to encourage believers through retreats, seminars and weekly worship services, it became evident that a centralized meeting location was necessary. Through generous donors from the USA and donated time and finances from the Ibaloy church the Ibaloy Fellowship Center was funded and construction began.

In addition to using the Fellowship Center as a location for church functions, it only seemed logical to use this facility to house ministry offices and the training program for those going into full-time ministry among the Ibaloy.

With a portion of the construction completed, church meetings are already taking place in the Fellowship Center. This has brought to our attention the need to expand the dimensions of the original blueprint. With the amount of growth that is happening within the Ibaloy church and wanting to use this space to host largely attended annual conferences and retreats, the space originally planned will not be sufficient. This expansion will allow sufficient space for the Fellowship Center to fulfill its ministry purposes for many years to come.

The second addition to the Ibaloy Fellowship Center is the purchase of a commuter vehicle. The fellowship center is located on a long step drive making it difficult to access without a vehicle. This vehicle will be used to provide transportation for university students and the elderly, enabling them to attend weekly church meetings.

The Ibaloy church has been very involved in the development of Ibaloy Fellowship Center since its inception. Not only have they contributed financially, but a large number of work hours have been donated, significantly lowering the overall building costs. The Ibaloy church is very grateful for the help provided by believers and churches in North America.

How You’ll Be Helping

Your partnership with the Ibaloy Fellowship Center will continue to provide a centrally located training, conference and meeting venue large enough for the 13 Ibaloy churches and a vehicle for transporting believers to church gatherings. There are several ways the Ibaloy church leaders believe the Fellowship Center will enhance the overall effectiveness of their ministry.

1. The believers from the rural churches will be much encouraged to know that their young people going to schools in Baguio City have a safe, centrally located place where they can be cared for and worship together.
2. The Ibaloy training program for those entering full-time ministry among the Ibaloy will take place at the Fellowship Center.
3. The local church (La Trinidad) that is currently meeting in the Fellowship Center will have the space they need for growth and regular church functions.
4. Once a year the 13 Ibaloy churches have an annual conference. The expansion to the Fellowship Center will allow sufficient space for this to be a central and adequate meeting venue for their annual conference.
5. The Fellowship Center will house offices needed for ministry purposes.
6. A vehicle will allow for safe transportation of university students and the elderly, enabling them to participate in weekly church meetings.