The Lagro UMC Praiseteam History

The Lagro United Methodist Church Praise Team started in 1995 with a group of four MYAF'rs and an old church organ...

Rev. Danilo Pedracio was the worship leader, Arnel Oroceo was the organist, and Nor Rudi and Orly Veron (before he became a pastor) were the back-up vocalists. The group would meet regularly at Arnel's residence every Tuesday night to practice. They led the church's praise hour with zeal and commitment to the Lord. After sometime, two UMYF'rs reinforced the group- Stephen John Aspiras and Basil Rey Rizo.

In 1996, Rev. Danilo Pedracio initiated the formation of a church praise band comprised mostly of UMYF’rs. Bro. Rizal Del Rosario donated to the church a Mitello drum set. The other instruments the band used like guitars and amplifiers were either personal property of the instrumentalists or borrowed from friends. Armed with sheer talent, strong determination, firm commitment and the Holy Spirit's fire, The LUMC Praise Team first led the church's praise hour as a complete band in May of 1996. The band members were Stephen John Aspiras (worship leader), Arnel Oroceo (organist), Basil Rey Rizo (bass guitar), Japheth Pelone (guitar), Dan Vincent (Teng-Teng) Pedracio (drums) and Lowell Delos Santos (back up vocalist).

Although the initial batch of the youth band members lack in technical skills and experience about formal band music, they had hearts willing to serve the Lord through the church’s praise ministry. They were- Basil Rey Rizo (band president/bass guitar), Stephen John Aspiras (worship leader), Japheth Pelone (rhythm guitar), RR Rivera (drums), Frido Rizo (alternate bass guitarist), Lowell Delos Santos (back-up vocalist) and Arnel Oroceo (Organ, musical "chord" arranger). This group participated in the "The Big F Concert” in November of 1996 together with the praise bands of Kamuning First UMC, Good Samaritan UMC and Deparo UMC sponsored by the Lagro UMC UMYF.

However, after a year, in June of 1997, a second batch of band members comprising mostly of MYAF’rs took over the leadership of the praise band. Rey Abraham Negre became the musical director and lead guitarist of the praise band. Edward John (Oyi) Negre was the bass guitarist and Eugene (Boyet) Palaruan, Jr became the bandleader and rhythm guitarist. They were skilled musicians. This development gave the team a quantum leap in terms of musical quality. The other members who joined were Ghenalee Alivia, Flor Marie (Babes) Palaruan, Geraldine Gomez, Jane Rizo, Rachel Rizo, Angel Oroceo (UMM), Nor and John Rudi (back-up vocalists), RR Rivera (still on drums) Arnel Oroceo (still on keyboards) and Stephen John Aspiras also remained as the worship leader.

The band continued to develop in rapport and repertoire until it was able to come up with two songbooks for the band's use with arrangements collaborated on by Rey Negre and Arnel Oroceo. On December of 1997, Rev. Rolando Martinez formally dedicated the LUMC Praise Team to the Lord as a ministry of music.

The Praise Team had led a praise and worship hour at St. John UMC and at the 1997 UMYAF Christmas Assembly in Antipolo, Rizal. The Praise Team also had its first church concert in 1998 under Rev. Romeo Solabo, which Bro. Bong Flores directed. The other personalities that joined the praise team were Dennis Corsiga (guitar), Ryan de Lara (guitar), Chuck Eribal (guitar), Dario Balgua (guitar, drums), Rommel Solabo (drums), Joy and Gay Regala (back-up vocals). Dan Vincent (Teng-Teng) Pedracio (guitar, bass, drums, keyboards-he's now with ALAB) and Paul Bryan Cabada (worship leader, he is now-in-San-Mateo-UMC).

In 2001, Rev. Danilo Pedracio returned to Lagro UMC. He made a major change in the church liturgy by putting the praise hour at the middle of the worship service. It was a welcome development for the church but was a great challenge the praise team faced with excitement and joy. The Team became more meticulous in forming its line up of songs and since the praise hour was included in the church liturgy, vesper services had praise hours since then as well. At this time, the leadership of the praise team planned to revive the Youth band that is separate from the MYAF praise team to handle the praise hour in vesper services.

In 2003, a new administrative pastor was assigned to Lagro UMC; Rev. Florenio Herradura Sr. Under his administration, the formal organization of the youth band reached its final stages. The UMYF advisers Sally Aguinaldo and Ghenalee Alivia together with Arnel Oroceo conducted a three-month extensive series of bible studies every Friday night and seminars that tackled praise and worship among the young people. They invited praise leaders from the District Band (ALAB) to give lectures and practical tips about instrument playing. Eventually, they formed a new praise band with the effective leadership of Paul Bryan Cabada and Jhun-Jhun Herradura. The Youth band took over the praise hour in vesper services while the MYAF band took the praise hour in the divine services. The members of the new UMYF band were Paul Bryan Cabada (worship leader), Jhun-Jhun Herradura (drums), Jethro Andres (guitar), Monti Carolino (bass), Richard Almazar (guitar), Louie Regala (bass/guitar), and Mark Gregory Aguinaldo (bass guitar). The singers and liturgical dancers were Levi and Micah Alivia, Rose Anne Aguinaldo, Erefei Palaruan, Trixie Lucas and Alyssa Medina. Later on, other personalities joined in as well. They were Eryl John and Erick Victa on guitar/bass. Bro. Arnel Oroceo remained as the keyboardist for the youth band because there was no one yet from the youth who could take over the task.

The LUMC Praise Team has developed two (2) praise bands that join hands in leading the church's praise ministry- The UMYAF Praise Band and the UMYF Praise Band.

The UMYAF Praise Band:

Ghenalee Alivia (worship leader, vocals), Boyet Palaruan (guitar, vocals), Oyi Negre (bass guitar, vocals), Geraldine Negre (vocals), Jane and Chellee Rizo (vocals), Lowell delos Santos (vocals), Sally Aguinaldo (vocals), Arnel Oroceo (keyboards, alternate worship leader, musical “chord” arranger), Stephen John Aspiras (worship leader).

The UMYF Praise Band:

Jhun Herradura Jr. (bandleader, worship leader, drums), Aaron Romero (drums), Rose Anne Aguinaldo (drums, vocals), Mark Gregory Aguinaldo (guitar, bass), Richard Almazar (guitar, bass), Louie Regala (lead guitar, bass), and Dong Jimenez (under study-bass guitar). Levi and Micah Alivia, JC Pabulos, Ten-Ten Flores are the back-up vocalists. Micah Alivia also alternately plays the bass guitar. Anitra Fran Tiburcio has joined the group as well, particularly during vesper services as pianist and back-up vocalist.

On December 23, 2004, Tala UMC invited the LUMC UMYF Praise Band to a night of praise and worship. It was the first engagement the youth praise band had outside the Lagro church.

Since February 22, 2004, the band treasurer started receiving weekly band “merienda” allowance. It had been the agreement of the original band members to save the “merienda” allowance given by the church for the purchase of band equipment and any need that would arise. However, due to financial difficulties, the church had decided to cut down on its expenses. The church had stopped giving food allowances effective April 24, 2005. The band had received a total cash amounting to Php18, 250.00 and spent a total of Php11, 179.25 for its equipment- chromatic guitar tuner, two guitar stands, clear books and songbooks, a guitar amplifier and an acoustic guitar with a built in pick up and a guitar case. With the remaining Php7, 070.75, the praise leader requested for a purchase of a new Lazer drum set to replace the old Mitello because of dilapidation. The church released P3, 500.00 to complete the amount the band needed to purchase a new drum set in October of 2005. After a complete refurbishing, the church donated the old drum set to the Pangarap Mission Church of LUMC. All glory belongs to God!

That same year, the LUMC Praiseteam took on a new stride in its ministry with the formation of an all girls praise band who called themselves-ALL FOR JESUS. On November 27, 2005, the Praiseteam spearheaded a fund-raising concert entitled ACOUSTIC PRAISE EXTREME -aiming to generate additional funds to upgrade their musical equipment. Through the concert ticket sales plus an amount the church gave, the praise team had acquired a Roland Synthesizer. The concert highlighted the music of the original praise band, who called themselves PURE RHYTHM while the all boys UMYF Praise Band called themselves PILLARS OF FIRE. In the said concert, ALL FOR JESUS and PILLARS OF FIRE had their debut presentation.

In 2006, the Rudi family who had migrated to Canada donated an amount for the purchase of a new guitar for the band. The band purchased a new electric guitar and a new amplifier. All glory belongs to God!

On May 13, 2007, the UMYF Praise Bands PILLARS OF FIRE and ALL FOR JESUS had another concert entitled “A Night for Christ: One Heart; One Voice” in preparation for their cluster summer camp.

Since 2005, the MYAF praise team PURE RHYTHM had passed on the torch of the ministry to the young and dynamic UMYF Praiseteam.

The members of the PILLARS OF FIRE have been Greggy Aguinaldo (guitar/ vocals), JC Pabulos (worship leader), Dong Jimenez (bass guitar/lead guitar), Aaron Romero (drums), and Cris Andres (back-up vocals/guitar). Paul John and Mark Jason Luces have also joined the group early in 2008. The ALL FOR JESUS members are Levi Alivia (vocals), Micah Alivia (bass guitar), Roseanne Aguinaldo (drums/vocals), Mitzi Joy Veron (vocals), Micah Tiburcio (vocals/bass guitar) and Jameli Tuazon (guitar/vocals).

The two bands comprised the Lagro UMC Praiseteam. They joined hands in fulfilling the heavenly task of leading the congregation in a special encounter with the Lord through the church’s praise ministry.

In June of 2008, the Lagro UMC had a new deaconess, Mrs. Helen Asuncion. She became the new coordinator and alternate song leader of the Lagro Praiseteam. She opened the Praisteam to new members and invited the previous members of Pure Rhythm to join again. The church organist conducted a seminar on “The Essence Praise as a Ministry and its Biblical Relevance.” From then on, the Praiseteam had become a mix band having UMYF and UMYAF members up to the present.

We are looking forward to a fruitful ministry in the years to come most especially this year (2009) when we will be celebrating the 14th year of our ministry in the Lagro United Methodist Church.

All the glory belongs to the Lord!

A P E R S O N A L P O R T F O L I O W E B S I T E