Jubilee Evangelical Church was founded in 1963 and was named in commemoration of the 25th Anniversary of the United Evangelical Church of the Philippines (UECP).

The UECP Evangelistic Band responded to God’s call to plant churches. The Evangelistic Band was a group of believers, primarily women, who met weekly for devotion and prayer. Elder Phoebe Guat Hua Kho Chua, served as the Chairperson of the Evangelistic Band for thirty (30) years, from 1936 to 1966. During her chairmanship, the ministry Evangelistic Band expanded exponentially.

It undertook the daunting task of planting daughter churches. At this time, the Evangelistic Band initiated the creation of nine (9) daughter churches all over the Philippines – in Naga, Laguna, Bacolod, Lucena, Vigan, Legaspi, Daet, Pasay, and in Manila, where they established Jubilee Evangelical Church.

Planting daughter churches was not easy, especially for a group led by a woman, and was composed of mostly women. Lest we forget; the Jubilee Evangelical Church stands on the shoulders of its foremothers, who fought and sacrificed to plant each daughter church. Without them, the Church would not be here today.

The faithful & committed UECP Evangelistic Band

During the summer of May 1952, the Evangelistic Band offered fun summer evangelistic activities for the children in the neighborhood. Having no place of their own, they rented the auditorium and playground of Tiong Se School, Quiapo. Through God’s grace, many children were saved. The success of the project was in part due to the support of the Tiong Se School Board members as well as the dedication and hard work of the members of the Evangelistic Band.

Quiapo Gospel Center was founded on July 20, 1952. just two months after the successful children’s summer evangelistic activities. Through the success of the activities, the Evangelistic Band realized that there was an opportunity to expand its evangelism base and share the gospel with other members of the Chinese community in the Quiapo area. The Evangelistic Band likewise followed up on the children who attended the summer evangelistic activities, so that they may learn and understand the Word of God.

God sent His faithful workers to serve and support the burgeoning Quiapo Gospel Center. Notable leaders include Rev. Tio Kun Ying, who conducted four nights of evangelistic meetings on July 20-23, 1953, Rev. Raymond Frame, who preached for three years, and Pastor Hong Hun, who undertook various works in the Church; all of whom carried out the Lord’s work with passion.

The early administrators of Quiapo Gospel Center were Rev. Ramon Cenit, Pastor Hong Hun Chu, Pastor Ju-Kung Chuang, Rev. Joseph Esther, Rev. Raymond Frame, Dr. Tina Holkeboer, Elder Po Sian Huang, Rev. Moses Keng, Principal Christina Ong, Rev. Jai-Un Pan, Rev. Ying Ka To, Rev. Tio Kun-Ying, Rev. Joseph Young, Pastor Bun-Hian Yu.

Although it had a home, Quiapo Gospel Center still lacked an important component – it did not have a pastor. The church asked, and God listened. He sent his servant, Rev. Ramon Cenit, one of the founders of Febias College of Bible, to minister to the needs of the church, which was thirty to forty members strong. Rev. John C. E. Pan and Rev. Joseph Young also came to assist in the ministry.

Indeed, this manifests God’s wondrous works, a special gift on the 25th jubilee of the Evangelistic Band. The new location was inaugurated as the “Silver Anniversary Memorial Hall”. The Quiapo Gospel Center moved into its new home in J.P. Laurel Street, San Miguel. Its first morning-worship service was held on December 2, 1961.

The Spanish-style house rented by Quiapo Gospel Center in Jose Laurel St., City of Manila (1961-1963)

In January 1962, Quiapo Gospel Center installed its first set of Trustees, who fostered the growth of the church to nearly a hundred members. They are Alejandro Beltran, Cheng Hun (Sy Ling Buan), David Co Chua Eoan, Go Hoc, Qua Yu Chun Bun, Sy Yu Bi Kiat, Uy Khoo Nam Phing, and Yu Lim Guat Ching.

The first trustees of Quiapo Gospel Center

A decade after Quiapo Gospel Center was founded, the church was ready to follow in the footsteps of its fellow UECP daughter churches and establish itself as an independent Church. The Deacons proposed this initiative to the UECP Church Board. Peculiarly, the independence initiative was met with resistance. The Board believed independent Churches shall only be established outside the Manila area.

God did not waste the persistent pleading of the Deacons and the women of the Evangelistic Band. In a board meeting held on November 30, 1962, the UECP Church Board approved the establishment of Quiapo Gospel Center as an independent entity.

The church was inaugurated under its new name, Jubilee Evangelical Church.

Shortly after its inauguration, on January 20, 1963, the members of Jubilee Evangelical Church (Jubilee) elected its eight Trustees as Deacons.

As a now-independent church, Jubilee no longer enjoyed the support of UECP. Maintaining Jubilee was no easy feat. Ministers and Christian workers expanded Jubilee’s congregation. Still lacking a pastor, the Deacons sought the aid of Rev. Ramon Cenit, who continued to minister in the church periodically.

In July 1963, Jubilee sought out Rev. Moses Keng, a young pastor who had just graduated from a Seminary in the United States. Showing their passion and love for Jubilee, the representatives sent to pursue Rev. Moses Keng managed to convince him to join the Church. Understanding it to be the will of God, Rev. Moses Keng agreed to join Jubilee as its first Senior Pastor. He served the Church for over seventeen years.

Ordination of Rev. Moses Keng as first pastor of JEC on August 7, 1963

The budding Jubilee struggled financially. To supplement his income, Rev. Moses Keng taught part-time for a year at Hope Christian High School. Under his leadership, the Wednesday prayer meetings were well-attended, more members volunteered and the financial resources of the Church slowly grew.

After only two years, the owner of the J.P. Laurel St., San Miguel property informed Jubilee that he was terminating the lease. Once again, Jubilee was in a precarious situation.

As it was God’s will to find a suitable place, the church happened upon a parcel of land in Matienza, San Miguel, City of Manila, owned by the Hongkong Shanghai Banking Corporation, near the Malacañang Palace and along the Pasig River. 

The lot was initially too big for the church. Hearing His people, God allowed a development firm to acquire the whole property. The firm subdivided the lot and leased a portion 1,097 square meters in size, adjacent to the Pasig River to Jubilee.

The Matienza property, which once featured an old house, was renovated under the supervision of Elder Alejandro Beltran, Sr. A chapel, capable of accommodating more than a hundred people, was erected thereon.

First batch of members baptized with the UECP Evagelistic Band in 1964

In the mid-1960s, Co Gan Giok Eng, the mother of Nicasio Co, Sr., a Bible woman, sought to expand the ministry of Jubilee. Jubilee then has been offering two kindergarten classes as an extension of Hope Christian High School authorized by its then principal, Christina Wang. This is considered a forerunner of Jubilee Christian Elementary School. But Mrs. Co Gan Giok Eng pushed for the establishment of Jubilee’s Christian school. For two to three years, Co Gan Giok Eng ran a preschool under the umbrella of Jubilee. This preschool became the nucleus of Jubilee Christian Elementary School (JCES), which was formally established in 1967.

Co Gan Giok Eng’s efforts extended not only to running the preschool but also to every place where there was a need. She raised capital to fund the newly-established JCES, persistently soliciting not only funds but the help and expertise of gifted persons. She even supervised the construction of the school building. Undoubtedly, she was the most vital force that pushed for the establishment of the school and its subsequent rapid growth.

During the first semester of its operation, in 1966-1967, Jubilee Christian Elementary School offered classes in Grades 1 to 4 to one-hundred nine students. Its first principal was Jesus S. F. Gonzaga, a veteran educator, who served for ten (10) years.

1965 JCES graduated its first batch of kindergarten students

(as an extension of Hope Christian High School)

Jubilee Christian Elementary School was the realization of the vision to integrate secular education of English, Filipino and Chinese in a Christian context. In 1967, The Christian Gospel Truth Foundation Inc. (CGTFI) was created– a non-profit corporation headed by Mr. Alejandro G. Beltran as Chairman. CGFTI then established Jubilee Christian Elementary School where Mr. Nicasio G. Co, Sr. was the Chairman. Since its founding, JCES has prepared its students for excellence in various fields of our society. It had 109 students initially.

In order to nurture the next generation and draw new enrollees, Jubilee’s Board of Elders and Deacons decided to apply for full recognition to operate a school although its qualifications were not quite up to par.

Elder Gideon Hsu (Father of Victoria Hsu Leung) was among the pioneers of Jubilee Christian Elementary School. He was one of the educators, a graduate of Philosophy. He had been a professor at the University of the Philippines and Hope Christian High school for many years. He was very good in both English & Mandarin. He laboriously coordinated, facilitated, and secured the full recognition of the Kindergarten Department under the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sports (MECS) in 1968, notwithstanding the very small population of students. This recognition allowed JCES to offer Nursery and Kindergarten classes.

School Photo Day, May 15-20, 1967

In 1968, the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sports (MECS) granted full recognition to the JCES Kindergarten Department. In 1973, the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sports recognized Jubilee Christian Elementary School as a complete six-year elementary program.

1968 Jubilee Christian Elementary School (JCES)

Second batch of Kindergarten Graduates

JCES First Batch of Elementary School Graduates

Reflecting the sentiment of its founders and the members of the church, the school song of Jubilee Christian Elementary School was named “Beloved Jubilee”. The lyrics of the song were authored by Gideon Hsu, an esteemed professor. Huang Chen Mou (father of Angel Huang), a gifted composer and an accomplished conductor for many renowned choirs, reaped successes not only in the Philippines but also in China, Taiwan, Korea, and Indonesia. Singapore, Chile, the US, and Canada. composed the music of the song. He was a regular member of JEC. Georgia G. Beltran provided the school song’s English translation while Joshibiah de Juan arranged it.

The board of elders, deacons, and pastors, with the choir posing for a photo on the 7th Anniversary of JCES

September 21, 1972, marked the beginning of the Marcos dictatorship. Because Jubilee was proximate to the Malacañang Palace, the seat of the President, movement around the Church was severely restricted.

It became evident that God was leading Jubilee to expand even further. Discovering that the New Manila area in Quezon City had no Christian church yet, Rev. Moses Keng proposed to the Board to consider moving to that area. The proposal was not readily approved by the Board members, because they were under the impression that martial law would soon cease. But as the state of martial law persisted, (Martial law was lifted after 9 years on January 17, 1981, the Board eventually agreed to Rev. Moses Keng’s proposal.

It took several years until JEC found a promising property in New Manila, Quezon City. According to Elder Nicasio Co, Sr., the property was substantial in size at 4,878 square meters and was used for film location shoots as it had big swimming pools and many mango trees. This property was flanked by three streets; 3rd, Doña Hemady, and 4th Streets. As promising as it was, it was tied to several complicated legal issues. But the Lord intended Jubilee to build its home here.

From the challenge of reaching out to the owner through a disinterested lawyer, then finally a broker who represented the owner’s interest accurately, to Rev. Moses and Mary Keng are risking their personal savings to loan the owner an amount; which the owner later returned, for her impending trip to Hong Kong, to UECP member Daniel Chiong’s intervention; the property was finally secured by the Christian Gospel Truth Foundation Inc. (CGTFI).

The Jubilee Christian Academy school building was constructed first on the Hemady lot. While the project was ongoing, Rev. Moses Keng, Elder Uy Po Sian (from UECP), Elder Lim Guat Cheng, and Khoo Nam Phing solicited donations to fund the construction project twice a week. Once again proving his faithfulness, God opened the hearts of members, who funded the school building. The school building was built in three months, and John Gohoc oversaw the project. After construction, classes were held in the Hemady school building, which ushered in a larger student population in the succeeding school year.

Jubilee Christian Academy’s new school building at Doña Hemady Street in New Manila, Quezon City

During the early 1970s, Rev. Moses Keng was an adjunct professor in BSOP (then called BIOP; Bible Institute of the Philippines) teaching General Epistles where Vicente Sia, from Legaspi, and Helen Kho, from Cagayan de Oro, were his students.

Their paths crossed again sometime in 1978 when then Vicente and Helen Sia decided to take their Masteral Studies in BSOP. By then, Ptr. Vicente Sia had four years’ experience pastoring UECP provincial churches in San Fernando, La Union; Vigan, Ilocos Sur, and Daet, Camarines Norte, while Helen Sia served her home church Cagayan Gospel Church.

JEC then was in dire need of a youth pastor and Rev. Moses Keng invited Ptr and Mrs. Vicente Sia to help and serve part-time in JEC. Ptr Vicente and Helen Sia accepted the invitation and eventually also got involved in serving at JCA. With the engagement of Rev. Vicente Sia, he became the first local seminary graduate to serve as a pastor in a church in Metro Manila. It was the practice then for Manila churches to invite pastors from overseas Biblical seminaries like Hong Kong and Taiwan. Following Jubilee’s lead, other local churches followed suit. Rev. Moses Keng trained Rev. Vicente Sia for two years, before his return to the United States, where he was fulfilling a new calling.

In 1980, the construction of Jubilee Church Sanctuary. Having completed the construction of the school building, the church building was next. Elder Alejandro Beltran was assigned by the church Board to oversee the matters relating to the proposed church building.

Architect Erlinda Tan rose to the challenge to design the new church building. She drew a plan and presented it to the Board of Elders and Deacons, who unanimously approved it. Generous contributions from all over, including from church members, brothers and sisters in Christ from other churches, the Chiong family, as well as Boysen funded the project.

Pasig Jubilee Gospel Center (now known as Ascend Evangelical Church), Jubilee’s first daughter church, was inaugurated on the 25th anniversary of Jubilee Evangelical Church, on February 14, 1988.

It started under the leadership of Rev. John Ong and Wilson Chingcuanco when they conducted Saturday gospel school at Pasig Chinese Community School. It throve under the leadership of Rev. John Ong and the nurturance and support of Jubilee. The Saturday Gospel School later moved from Pasig Chinese Community School to a property it acquired in Caniogan, which was later named Pasig Jubilee Gospel Center.

Marikina Jubilee Gospel Center is the second daughter church of Jubilee Evangelical Church, started as a Sunday Bible study in Efren Angeles’s house in Parkland Estate in Malanday, Marikina City on July 21, 1991. Attendance in the Sunday meetings grew. In particular, many Christian youths came to fellowship with each other.

After some time, in 1996, with the support of Jubilee, the church was able to move to a bigger place. There, the Marikina Gospel Center was established as a small community church under the supervision of Jubilee Evangelical Church.

Many pastors ministered to the church, namely – Rev. Vicente Sia, Elder Ambrosio Sy, Jean Chan, Violeta So, Pastor Bernard Joseph Lee, Suzanne Li, Pastor Janie Go, Pastor Greg Beni Dy, Dominic Uy, Don Juan, and Jerry Jallores.

When Pastor Nehemia Sia, son of Rev. Vicente Sia and Pastor Helen Sia, took over the ministry in Marikina Gospel Center, it was renamed Marikina Jubilee Community Church. He served from 2001 to 2007. Its mission is to build up others in their spheres of influence for Jesus Christ, and its vision is to become a God-loving community that cares for others. Pastor Eduardo Yu served the church from 2007 to 2019. The Marikina Jubilee Gospel Center is now ministered to by Rev. Johnson Lo since 2019.

JEC’s third daughter church started as a Bible study group of five, meeting at 760B East St., Addition Hills in Mandaluyong on June 6, 1991. The group had as many as 25 members attending, with pastor Bernard Li leading Scripture studies. Its mission was to invite JCA alumni from this area to join and consider worshipping in JEC.

The group reached a consensus to become a gospel point. In 1994 it started a children’s ministry called the Greenhills Bible Club. The mother church renamed the gospel point the Mandaluyong Jubilee Gospel Center in 1997 when it began weekly worship services in a rented room at the Green Valley Country Club.

In 2001, Pastor Amos Lim became the Gospel Center’s pastor. He helped bring the church to embrace the Reformed faith and changed how it conducted worship and ministry. The library was set up to encourage members to read and study church history, systematic theology, and Christian biographies, with the admonition that “leaders should be readers”. Pastor Amos resigned in 2004.

In 2005, the church officers invited Pastor Gilbert McAdam, a teacher at the Cubao Reformed Baptist Church’s Ministerial Academy to become the Gospel Center’s pastor and at the same time, prayed to become an independent (associate) church. After seeking consent from the JEC Board of Elders and Deacons, the Gospel Center began preparations to hold its first service as Calvary Reformed Evangelical Church 加略山歸正福音教會 and installed Pastor McAdam 麥基博牧師, its first resident pastor, with the inaugural service held at Wack Wack Golf & Country Club. Pastor Gilbert and his family returned to the UK to serve the Wick Harbor Mission in 2016. In 2019, by God’s great provision, the church inaugurated the new church sanctuary in Brgy Kapitolyo, Pasig City.

Malabon Jubilee Gospel Center (presently known as Jubilee In Christ Christian Church), became Jubilee’s fourth daughter church on February 9, 1997. In April 1992, Rudy Yap and Jane Yap opened their home located in Araneta Village, running a backyard Vacation Bible School with the aid of Rev. Christopher Young and Deacon Elena Chen. Their goal was to reach the Chinese-Filipino community in the Araneta Village area, to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with them.