ANG LINGKOD NG PANGINOON

Organization and Structure

ANG LINGKOD NG PANGINOON: VISION, MISSION, HISTORY & IDENTITY

I. HISTORY

A. Pentecost: The Birth of the Church

Acts 2:1-21

B. The Birth of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal

 Pope John XXIII: Vatican 2 – “O Holy Spirit, renew your wonders in these our days
as by a new Pentecost.”
 Pope Paul VI: “The first need of the Church is to always live Pentecost.”
 We have here leaders of the Church re-affirming the need for the action of the Holy
Spirit in the Church; need for renewal, sanctification, which only the Holy Spirit can
provide
 In 1967, students in Duquesne University (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) realized that
there was a social and religious crisis going on in their country and in the world as a
whole. They also realized that there was no human solution to the problems.

They decided to spend a weekend praying and fasting. They wanted to ask the Lord
for grace and wisdom.

Who were these students: those already involved in movements concerning liturgy,
ecumenism, human rights, world peace. They felt that there was something lacking
in their Christian lives – emptiness, lack of dynamism. They felt that they were living
the Christian life out of their own will.

During that weekend, the Holy Spirit allowed them to experience Pentecost.
Spiritual transformation took place. They experienced an awareness of God’s love,
a desire to pray and to glorify God, an insatiable taste for Scriptures, and a power to
witness to the Risen Christ.

II. THE BIRTH OF LINGKOD

By the mid-70’s, renewal communities had been established in many places in the world. One
such group was established in the Philippines in 1975 through the help of the The Word of God
Community which was based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The first few years of Ligaya’s existence were
spent laying the foundations for its community life. Its main apostolic work was in the form of public
prayer meetings coupled with ongoing seminars to help people come to a new life in Christ and renewal
in the Holy Spirit.

In an effort to bring the Gospel message to other sectors of society and out of a desire to share
its community spirituality with more and more people, Ligaya established several renewal communities
and evangelistic movements. One such movement was Christ’s Youth in Action which was established in
1980. CYA is an evangelistic movement aimed at youth in university environments.

In 1983, the first batch of students who graduated from Christ's Youth in Action (CYA) got
together and decided to meet regularly to sustain their relationships and get support from one
another. By September of 1984, they were meeting once a month. At that time, they called
themselves CYA Alumni. In 1985, they began conducting Christian Life Programs in their respective
workplaces. By then, their name had changed to CYA Young Professionals.

After some time, the group saw the need for a new name to establish their own identity.
They sought the Lord and received a word that their name be "Ang Lingkod ng Panginoon" (or
The Servant of the Lord) -- a title of Jesus from the book of Isaiah. Today, the group is commonly
known as Lingkod.

Since that fateful time, Lingkod has grown into a movement of single professionals and
working people dedicated to winning other singles to a full commitment to Jesus Christ and to
committed personal relationships with other Christians. Along with this mission, the members also
strive to live a lifestyle reflective of Christian values, particularly in the workplace.

Lingkod’s vision is for singles to live a full Christian life and it hopes to achieve this by
focusing on four areas: (1) having a personal relationship with the Lord; (2) living as a community
through committed relationships as brothers and sisters; (3) living in the power of the Holy Spirit; and
(4) being able to evangelize. Lingkod also seeks to address two primary concerns of single people:
career and state of life. Members are given guidance in these areas to help them make good
decisions as they submit to the will of God. The help and guidance given is founded on Lingkod’s
spirituality of being Christ-centered, Catholic and charismatic.

Lingkod’s slogan, “Christifying the Workplace”, expresses the desire of the members to make
a difference in their environments, particularly in their respective workplaces. “Christify” is a coined
term, to mean “intensifying” the presence of Christ by living out our Christian call where God places
us.

Lingkod has its main group in Greenhills, San Juan, Metro Manila, with branches and
affiliates in major cities and provinces all over the Philippines. Regular activities for all the branches
include weekly prayer meetings and action group meetings. Aside from its many other activities,
every year, Lingkod conducts a National Leaders Training Conference (NLTC) wherein its branches,
affiliates and assisted groups come together for a time of prayer, training and fellowship.

God has been faithful to Lingkod throughout its existence. He has provided the group and its
members with loving guidance and direction all these years. As Lingkod grows and expands, it will
continue to strive to remain faithful to God’s call to be a witness to His life and work.

III. STATEMENT OF IDENTITY

Ang Lingkod ng Panginoon is a movement of single professionals and working people

dedicated to winning other singles to a full commitment to Jesus Christ and to committed personal
relationships with other Christians. Along with this mission, the members also strive to live a lifestyle
reflective of Christian values, particularly in the workplace.

Elements:

a. Composition: single professionals and working people

b. Full commitment to Jesus Christ: Jesus is the center of Lingkod, the reason for our
existence. We strive to live lives fully committed to Him. Operative words: full and
commitment.
c. Community life: committed personal relationships
d. Way of life: a distinct culture, we want to be a people set apart (a holy people)

IV. STATEMENT OF BELIEF

  Re-statement of fundamental Christian beliefs
 Based on Scriptures; the references are included
 Embodies our call as Christians to a particular way of life

1. salvation through and in Jesus alone; power of the Holy Spirit

2. call to commitment; community life
3. call to holiness; a way of life – areas of family life, courtship and marriage,
career and work, state of life, resources
4. stewardship of resources; service
5. importance of work
6. call to prepare for Christ’s second coming: building His kingdom here on earth

V. VISION AND MISSION

A. Vision Statement

We are single men and women who seek fullness of life in Jesus Christ and, in living this life,
work to bring many others to Himself.

 Aim: fullness of life in Christ, experiencing this and living it out

 We want to share this life to others: element of community, we desire to be God’s
people; building the kingdom

B. Mission Statement

Our five-fold mission is:

 CONVERSION: To joyfully give our lives to Jesus Christ and continually come to a
deeper personal relationship with Him.

 conversion: newness
 joyful, not grudging
 lives: whole lives
 continuous
 object: to grow in our personal relationships with Jesus Christ

 COMMUNITY: To live in committed personal relationships with other Christians.

 community life
 loving others

 CULTURE: To faithfully live the commandments of God and His church as well as the
common way of life He has given us.

 commandments; Shema, loving our neighbors

 way of life: honor and respect, gracious speech, spirituality, financial
stewardship, etc.

 CHARACTER: To strive to grow in personal holiness and in the character of God.

 characteristics of God
 fruit of the Holy Spirit
  COMMISSION: To boldly proclaim the Good News of God's Kingdom and work for its
spread in our families, workplaces, nation and all other environments we

 evangelization
 part of discipleship

 Teaching and Formation Program

Lingkod offers various teaching courses for the formation of its members. There are two
classifications of courses:

¨ The required teaching courses are for committed members and are given over a two-
year period. These include, in order, the following:

1. Christian Life Program

2. Christian Growth Series
3. Christian Service Series
4. Christian Sexuality Course for Single Men and Women
5. Christian in the Workplace

¨ The training courses are intended to train some Lingkod members for specific areas
of service. They include the following:

1. Evangelization Training Course

2. CLP Training Course
3. Action Group Leaders Training Course
4. Spiritual Gifts Course

In addition, Lingkod conducts an annual National Leaders Training Conference (NLTC) for
the various leaders from the provincial branches. The NLTC offers a wide variety of teaching and
training modules to equip the leaders with the requisite skills for their service as well as the vision
and spiritual understanding for their service.

All the Lingkod leaders (Action Group Leaders, Unit Leaders and members of the Service
Councils) have monthly service meetings where they are given ongoing teachings for their service
responsibilities in the body.

 Activities and Events

¨ Regular Activities

LINGKOD has weekly prayer meetings (which are open and evangelistic) and weekly
Action Group Meetings. A Unit, which is a group of action groups under a Unit Leader,
meets once a month.

¨ Events and Celebrations

There are also annual Lingkod-wide events and celebrations. They include:

¨ Lenten Retreat
¨ Summer Outing
¨ Anniversary Celebration
¨ Unity Games
 ¨ Christmas Party

 Services

Members of Lingkod are encouraged to be actively involved and participate in the various
ministries and services of the group. These include both services for the internal life of Lingkod as
well as those that have to do with benefiting others:

Members help in the following services:

¨ Facilities and set-up

¨ Music ministry
¨ Sounds ministry
¨ Works of mercy
¨ Intercessory prayer team
¨ Job placement bureau
¨ Food committee
¨ Records and documentation
¨ Greeters Team
¨ Newsletter
¨ Evangelization team
Finance Committee
 Leadership and Organizational Structure

LINGKOD is headed by a National Director who provides overall pastoral, governmental and
administrative direction to all areas of LINGKOD life and activity. He is assisted by the National
Women's Moderator and a Staff in organizational and development work as well as in overseeing the
operations of the group's branch network and providing provincial leaders with the pastoral care they
need. LINGKOD's administrative concerns are handled by a National Administrator.

The basic geographic grouping of a LINGKOD body in a particular locality is known as a

Branch. It is headed by a Branch Leader, the principal local male leader of the branch. Each branch
has at least five Action Groups of men and five Action Groups of women. An Action Group is the
smallest and most basic pastoral unit in LINGKOD and is comprised of five (5) to ten (10) committed
LINGKOD members. It is headed by an Action Group Leader. Five or more Action Groups compose
a Unit, a service grouping headed by a Unit Leader who is charged with providing the Action Group
Leaders with input and guidance.

The day-to-day affairs and concerns of each branch (e.g., events, schedules, ministries,
apostolates) are handled by a Service Council, a group of appointed brothers and sisters. The
council is headed by a Service Council Presiding Officer.

LINGKOD, through its branches, provides pastoral and organizational support to various
groups. These groups are known as Affiliates and Assisted Groups.