THE HISTORY OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNION OF THE CHARISMATIC EPISCOPAL CHURCH (ICCEC)

TERRITORY OF ASIA

The ICCEC was established on September 16, 1994 when its first bishop, Loren Thomas Hines, was consecrated by the Patriarch of the ICCEC, Abp. Austin Randolph Adler (USA). Thence, the Holy See and the congregation of Bishop Hines in Manila was christened the “Cathedral of the King”. However, the Cathedral’s origins trace back fifteen years prior to this day, to 1979 when Christian Life Fellowship International (CLF) was established. It was CLF that grew from a small seed and spread its branches all over the Philippines and the world. Thus, in the Territory of Asia, CLF was the beginning of the ICCEC.

Loren Thomas Hines, his wife, Sarah Jane, and his two boys, Greg and Sean, stepped off the plane and onto Philippine soil in 1977. A full-blooded American, Tom would grow to love this country and consider it his home. He and Janie were missionaries and Tom was asked then if he would like to pastor the Makati Christian Center (MCC). In Janie’s mind, the Holy Spirit kept repeating these verses, “I have set before you an open door that nobody can shut.” The verse comes from Rev 3:8, “I know your works (behold, I have left an open door before you, which no one can close). You have limited strength, and yet you have kept My word and have not denied My name.”

Indeed, in many situations their strength seemed quite limited, but with such limitations they overwhelmingly conquered. God’s strength became their strength, and they saw His miracles unfolding before their eyes as the church they nurtured grew to unforeseen proportions. The Makati Christian Center became Christian Life Fellowship International in 1979 as the first expansion from a local to an international vision. And the vision bore fruit.

The first provincial outreach of CLF was established in Sorsogon in 1981, followed by another outreach in San Pablo City. The expansion reached the Visayas as a CLF mission was organized in Kalibo, Aklan in 1982, then in Mindanao through the Oroquieta outreach formed during the same year.