by Rev. Dr. Mariano C. Apilado
Located at the heart of downtown Davao City at the corner of Pelayo and Bonifacio Streets is a powerful and inspiring testament of faith.
Apo View Hotel on the right front of it represents one of the distinct characteristics of Davao City which provides a venue for meetings like conventions and conferences on trade, business and professional interests.
Further along Camus street is the popular Peoples’ Park, favorite of those who desire to walk and jog early in the morning, making Davao a place for those who do exercises to keep themselves physically fit.
Grand Gaisano Shopping Mall on the left front, on the other hand, represents one other distinct characteristic of the city – that Davao is a shoppers’ paradise.
The United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UUCP) worship center which is slowly but steadily nearing completion provides a powerful testament of faith on the spiritual foundation and character of the city.
Walking towards the church from Camus Street, one will notice the two pillars that frame the church, one along Pelayo street and the other along Bonifacio.
The pillars represent the invitation and openness of the church that welcomes everyone to its sanctuary regardless of religious or spiritual tradition and cultural or language background.
The Malayan-inspired façade is a statement that all who enter the church will find refuge, comfort and strength, reminiscent of Jesus’ comforting words, “Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden and you will find rest for your souls.”
About to be installed is a steeple with a cross that rises up to the sky, a structure that proclaims that the mission to welcome and accommodate those seeking refuge and sanctuary is actually a prayer for God’s care, peace and power to be made available for all who come in and worship.
Some people have made a comment, not exactly a complimentary one, that the church architecture looks like a shopping mall, with its shape and height.
The comment could be a prophetic statement of expectation that when people go to church, they should feel welcome, they should find succor and comfort and they should be provided space and time to offer themselves in prayer to God.
Truly, when people go to church, they expect also to find fellowship among friends and seekers of spiritual guidance, find answers to the spiritual doubts, find nurture for their spiritual nourishment, find guidance as they seek answers to their spiritual doubts and confusion and most of all, find a bridge connecting them in their earthly anxieties and hopelessness to the eternal assurance and hope.
The UCCP Temple of God rising up at the corner of Bonifacio and Pelayo Streets, in front of Apo View and at the back of Gaisano Grand, in other words, is a testament of faith – that the city of Davao is a city of friendly and hospitable people, that the city of Davao provides succor and refuge for those seeking peace and that the city of Davao finds its strength in its spiritual foundation upon the Almighty God.
The UCCP Temple of God is a church of God because it is founded upon faith in God and, at the same time, a church of the people because people from all sectors of life and all sectors of the religious, commercial and political world have been giving their generous support for its completion.
The UCCP Temple of God provides the powerful re-assuring answer to the expectation, “Always be ready to give an answer to the hope that is in you. And always do this with respect and gentleness.” (I Peter 3: 15).
