The DCBC Women's Fellowship headed by brand-new coordinator Belen Ortega held its first meeting in more than two years on April 8, 2006. The turnout of eighteen members—a record number—seemed to indicate that over the long pause a need had made itself felt to reactivate the fellowship. The meeting took place at the home of Ate Aida Mojica that hot midmorning (a Saturday) and ended with arguably the most delicious item on the agenda… lunch.

Since this was a meeting and potluck luncheon of the women of DCBC, there was of course food overflowing (the prudent participant would have gone without breakfast). Gracious hostess Ate Aida set the tone and her table with sotanghon soup, menudo, and lumpiang togue. She also served a refreshing fruit punch, very welcome in the wilting summer heat (though few things can actually wilt a DCBC 'women's fellow'). Other participants brought pansit palabok, puto't cuchinta, lechon manok, macaroni salad, hot shrimp salad, turon, carrot cake, buko pandan, cookies, watermelon, and soft drinks.

Membership in the DCBC Women's Fellowship tends toward all-embracing, not at all exclusive or formal-one simply shows her face at a meeting and is happily welcomed as a 'women's fellow'… or 'woman fellow'… or 'fellow woman'… In fact, one is by default considered a member by simply showing her face at worship service on a regular basis. (One does not even have to have been already officially inducted into DCBC.)

The eighteen at the April 8 meeting were, of course, Belen and Ate Aida, Ate Aida's daughter Bim Mercado, Grace Rocha, Corinne Simon, Belle Villanueva (coordinator for the potluck lunch), Janet Espina, Rexie Amantillo, Anj Backstrom, Mommy Espie Ibanez, Frances Ibanez, Nam Ugaddan, Nina Danao, Ada Quiwa, Maquette Alforque, Shiilah Arcilla, Sharon Fangonon, and Ate Lety (one 't', please) Magalit.

The meeting began with an icebreaker (though the term did not fit the weather, the game itself was just the right thing at this point, and lots and lots of fun). Anj prepared and handled the icebreaker, producing a bingo-type card of interesting clues sourced from and pointing to the different women present. (One's own clues were sure points, of course. One was allowed to go around confirming guesses with the others. Belen provided the prizes in the form of Christian books from OMF Literature, and grand prize winner Bim showed that one did not have to be the most long-term woman member to win hands down-just systematically question the others and use the process of elimination. Which mother of two small children, on a dare, jumped off a ten-foot cliff into water? Which sweet grandmother yearns to try bungee-jumping? Only eighteen people know the answers to all the intriguing questions, and will never, ever tell…)

After this exhilarating start, the meeting came to order with Ate Lety's womanly pep talk (intended to help underscore the importance of the Women's Fellowship). Ate Lety based her discussion on Titus 2:3-5, focusing on the need for older women and younger to lead proper Christian lives in witness. ('Teach the older women… to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women… so that no one will malign the word of God.') There was a bit of lively banter before it was agreed that 'older' would apply to a woman forty years of age and above (ouch).

Grace gave a history cum status report of the DCBC Women's Fellowship under former coordinator Marlu Vencio (now based in the United States). Many present at the April 8 meeting could recall most of the events recited… There was the planning meeting, for instance, in January of 2003 during which the Mission and Vision Statement was reworded 'To help each other grow and develop into mature Christian women who actively exercise their gifts within their family, church, place of work or study, and community for God's glory'.

The earliest meetings of the original Women's Fellowship have been lost to memory, along with the minutes. But among more recent past activities were Christian-book reports; cooking and baking lessons and sessions; a lecture by a young Fil-American woman missionary; fundraising events such as rummage sales, a Valentine concert, and an Asian food festival... The major activities were easily identified: a) the every-other-Saturday Helpers' Bible Study well maintained through the years, with Grace as faithful coordinator; b) the annual visit and delivery of school supplies and scholarship funds to the Philippine Children's Mission in Bulacan, in the steadfast care of Belen; c) the helpers' outing with love-courtship-marriage (LCM) seminar; d) the fellowship dinner with the college students; e) the Women's Fellowship outing and spiritual retreat…

The next important step before the all-important lunch at the April 8 meeting was to decide the future, immediate and long-term. Certain goals, some more definite than others, were set…

a) The Helpers' Bible Study would continue on its steady course; another outing for the helpers would be scheduled soon, care of Grace.
b) The Women's Fellowship would continue to support the Philippine Children's Mission in Bulacan, care of Belen, raising funds to help with the schooling of the children of leprous parents; as an initial fundraiser, a rummage sale in Krus na Ligas was scheduled for the Saturday of May 20, care of Belle.
c) More members of the Women's Fellowship would volunteer as tutors in the Adult Literacy program set up by DCBC to benefit the Tagalog service congregation; Ate Lety, Ate Aida, Mommy Espie, Belle, and Nam, with other ladies not present April 8 are already deeply involved in this ministry; Anj volunteered to liaise during Mommy Espie's sojourn abroad.
d) The fellowship dinner with the students would be scheduled at an opportune time (probably in the first semester when most of the college boys and girls would be present), care of Grace and Belen, coordinating with Sunset Service point man Deacon Butch Pang.
e) The Women's Fellowship retreat likewise would be scheduled, care of Grace and Adel…

One hindrance to sustaining the Women's Fellowship is that the DCBC women are already busy almost to the point of vertigo (a situation that has given rise to some unfortunate puns not repeated here). They are busy with home and with church. Many are busy as well with careers. Most women were unable to attend the April 8 meeting because they have work Saturday morning or other conflict of schedule such as a family obligation. All of the women present at the April 8 meeting-as well as many who were not-are very active in ministry, always volunteering for various church projects and events, forever serving others in their drive and desire to do for God's glory. Busy, busy, busy, indeed…

However, since the women have such full calendars because they seem to know how to manage their time—and because they call on God who is Sovereign over time—no one may safely put it past them to be able to set aside time for the Women's Fellowship. If one woman can do so much, imagine what eighteen—or eighty—women could do together. (Of course, since not everybody is available on any given day, the gatherings of the fellowship might tend to show interesting variations in the roll call.)

And after all the items on the April 8 agenda were check-marked with dispatch (and the clock ticked, and the thermometer rose)… finally… deliciously… lunch. Of course, this was when the real fellowship could begin, and the women could chat and relax. By this time it was high noon and the heat even in Ate Aida's tree-shaded patio had become uncomfortable. But by dessert stomachs and hearts were full, spirits refreshed. (An electric fan and watermelon helped a lot.)

Things ended surprisingly early, and even with all the relaxing and lingering, the last of the participants left Ate Aida's hospitable patio long before 2PM. Somebody—perhaps more than one participant—must have said, "Let's do this again, soon!" Since there was actually some unfinished business—notably a) the choosing of a name for the fellowship, b) the formal designation of a treasurer and secretary—there is a real need for another meeting of the DCBC Women's Fellowship to be called, soon. (So, what else is on the agenda, Belen? Oh, and Belle what's on the menu?)