Adventist professionals and church leaders across Davao Mission gathered this week for a fellowship that carried a pointed message: faith must move beyond the walls of the church and into the heart of public life.
The Public Affairs and Religious Liberty (PARL) Fellowship, held under the theme “While There’s Still Time,” drew men and women from government, business, and education. Organizers described it as a space where service and spirituality meet, a reminder that faith has a place in everyday decisions and responsibilities.
Bro. Rhoen Shane Peralta Catolico, PARL Director for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Southeastern Philippines, delivered the keynote. “Service is not just about professional excellence,” he told the crowd. “It’s about reflecting Christ in every action, every decision, every responsibility.”
Quoting John 9:4—“We must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work”—Catolico urged Adventist professionals to embrace urgency, seizing every opportunity to share their faith before it slips away.
The event also introduced Discover Your Way with God, an upcoming evangelism series set to mobilize churches across the region. Leaders framed it as a collective effort, one that depends on both clergy and lay professionals to advance the mission.
For Pr. Rudy Esteban, PARL Director of Davao Mission, and Ms. Dee Diel Silva, PARL Davao president, the day was as much about commitment as it was about fellowship. “This is more than just a gathering,” he said. “It’s a pledge—to support the mission of the church and to defend religious freedom while we still have time.”
The fellowship closed with planning sessions and a renewed sense of purpose. Attendees left resolved to carry their faith into their workplaces and communities, determined to be voices of hope and defenders of liberty.
Worldwide, the PARL department of the Seventh-day Adventist Church continues to foster dialogue with governments, promote understanding, and uphold freedom of belief for all. In Davao, that mission has taken on a sharper edge, driven by the conviction that the time to act is now.
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Ylina Marie Catolico
Photo by SePUM Communication
