Filipino forum. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1928-196?, 1950-07-01

who was formerly a Metn0dlS
Most of us old-timers in Seattle
know that this group was nrst
housed at the First Methodist
Church, at Fifth Ave. and Marion
ST If tribute of sincere and deep
appreciation is in order at TINS
time las it always isl, let me say
in personal, humble way that
the First Church people were SO
gracious, so enthusiastic with
Christian love and spirit OF service,
with the help of some Interested
friends and members of the FIRST
church from time to time. The
Fellowship meetings every Sunday
afternoon during the fall, winter,
and spring, consisting of Bible
study and discussion periods, Wor-
ship service, and refreshments
were the usual routine OF those
happy and enjoyable never-to-oe-
forgotten times.
Ideal Place
The Fellowship group was an
IDEAL place for us, newcomers from
the Philippines as well as those
who had been here longer, to make
ourselves feel at home, meeting
and making new friends. The llo-
canos. the Tagalogs, the Visayans,
the Pangasinanes, the Bicols, the
Pampangos, etc, met in the Eel
lowship for the first time IN their
lives here, if they had not known
each other before coming to Amer
lea. This was a group of friendly,
congenial, loving young men, shar-
ing their inconsistencies, their JOY
with one another, making them
selves one in fellowship, one in
love. one in desires and aspiration
for future goodness, and one in
Christian worship of the same God
and Father of blessings and mer-
cies, thus living and practising the
Christian faith in new environ
ment. The one great word, "fel-
lowship," surely served the name
and its objective purposes as Wis
ualized and planned by the Amer
lean Christian people of the church
for the welfare of the Filipinos.
Church UNCONVENTIONAL interests
were not stressed at all through
out the existence of the Fellowship
organization. This method and ap-
proach was a wise and practical
basic factor.
Besides the Fellowship organiza-
ton meeting in the downtown area
of this city, there were two other
groups in the University district.
These two groups were serving the
University and high school stu
dents in the district; one was held
at the University Christian Church,
and the other at the Bible House
on Brooklyn and E. 38th st. These
g two places were popular and ideal
ly attended by the students just
as much as the one in the down
town area.
During Wartime
The group under Rev. Bundy
kept holding services at the First
Church till the war broke out. Be-
sides having the regular Sunday
afternoon services, the members
also had recreational fellowship at
an old separate building located at
HOY E. Terrace. During the war
when the Japanese people were
sent to the relocation centers, the
Filipino Fellowship group moved
from the First Church into the
japanese Methodist Church build
ing, at Washington ST., between
18th and 14th AYES. So. Most Of
the members were drafted into the
armed forces of Uncle Sam, ano
there was only a small number
left. However, this small number
Kept up their morale and courage
for holding the regular services
such as worship and Sunday school
They were not defeated in spirit
but kept on faithfully. When the
japanese peope returned from the
relocation centers, the small Fill