Please take note: this is history from my perspective, some of it factual, some ugly and some could be construed as highly opinionated. This is why I only state what happened, not what I think was wrong with this person or that or who was at fault. I've tried to be objective as much as possible so that at least there is a record out there on the web in case somebody tries to paint things differently.
1985 - I get saved...yehey! By this time, WWCF is over 25,000 strong throughout the country.
1987 - Word for the World Hong Kong becomes WWCF's first missions church with Francis Kairuz becoming WWCF's first official missionary outside the country.
1989 - 1992 - WWCF starts establishing churches in the USA through contacts with former members who have migrated tot his country.
1990 - The vision for a WWCF Seattle was born in the heart of Sis. Annie Nepomuceno wife of Ernie Nepomuceno, from Shoreline as she attends a WWCF worship service during a visit to Manila.
1992 - The vision for a WWCF in Seattle is born in the hearts of Rod (Dondi) and Arlene Castillo after they come back from a WWCF retreat in Fresno. Gerald Halloway is there to inspire them that it can be done. Later that year, the Castillos meet the Nepomucenos who are already at work handling an independent bible study in Renton at a cabana managed by Bob/Elsa Waters. Support comes from Ceres Yatco, who was int he same youth batch in WWCF Youth and young adults ministry that Dondi and Arlene were involved with 4 years prior. WWCF Seattle is now a possibility. The group holds its first evangelistic event featuring Gary Valenciano giving a testimony at North Seattle Alliance church and "launching" WWCF Seattle with an altar call from Rev. Edo Miciano (then pastor of the San Francisco WWCF). Rev. Emerito (Babes) Paulate, second in command at WWCF to Bro Gerry starts the legwork to support the group and plan for the eventual sending of a missionary.
1993 - Rev. Chito Cordero, previously the pastor of the WWCF Young Adults, is the chosen one. In the meantime, workers from WWCF-San Francisco are sent monthly to keep the movement alive. A couple of weeks before he sets foot in Seattle, he is diverted towards Los Angeles since that was the place where the need was greater. WWCF-Seattle experiences its first "down" moment and lose half its congregation. In the meantime, two new families are added to the mix: Maxie Acosta moves to Seattle and marries Ceres. Tito and Toni Molina, a couple from Renton also commit to the same vision.
1994 - A new pastor is chosen to come to Seattle. Rev. Dino Miciano, pastor of WWCF in Bicutan, a church of about 300 people, is given the task. His wife Neo and 2 kids, Mikyle and Dominique will migrate as soon as possible. The group in Seattle eagerly await, establishing a fund for support and making arrangements for accommodations.
September 1994 - The Micianos arrive in San Francisco and within a week are in Seattle, welcomed in their new home with a double task - taking care of the Seattle group and watching out for the Vancouver, BC group, which was also in the process of being established.
1996? - A leadership crisis occurs in Manila. More than 2/3 of WWCF's pastors, including Seattle's pastor, leave WWCF and unite under a new organization. They call Bro. Babes who was in the USA at the time, to lead the new organization. Word International Ministries (WIN)is born.
*Disclaimer: Note from 1998 to 2002 are murky for me since I was involved with the north most of this time...the dates may not be exact but the events certainly are accurate.
1998 - 1999* - WIN is experiencing growth under the leadership of Dino Miciano. While many of its attendees live in the north end, a south group is born and starts clamoring for its own base of ministries in that area. Key people that caused the growth were the Waters', Robert and Noreen Graham, Jack and Eileen Suico, Charlie and Candy Coquinco, Art and Lisa Bautista, Rod and Prima Legaspi and others.
1999 - 2000* - Bro. Babes agrees to move to Seattle from Tennessee to become WIN-Seattle's south church pastor.
2001* - WIN South Seattle begins to stand on its own, independent from WIN-Seattle. By this time, WIN Seattle is well established in the China Harbor restaurant with a steady congregation. Under Babes Paulate's leadership, the South church begins to flourish.
2002 - A disagreement over one of the south church's administrative decisions impacting several families leads Bro. Dino Miciano to resign his post as WIN-Seattle pastor and leave the WIN organization (that's a whole 'nother blog). His congregation has no choice but to follow him. NetWork Christian Ministries is born from the same people, location, equipment, resources who were WIN-Seattle. WIN-South Seattle becomes the carrier of the WIN-Seattle name.
Because of the same issue, a few key families who founded WIN South Seattle decide to leave WIN South Seattle and join the NWCM.
2006 - NetWork Christian Ministries extends its reach into the corners of the region - establishing a church in Mountlake Terrace (where the majority of the members ended up), in West Seattle and in Federal Way.
2007 - The church in West Seattle decides to align themselves with the Assemblies of God.
2010 - The church in Federal Way dissolves itself but gives birth to a non-profit organization - Team Evergreen Washington and a new church founded by its youth group (now grown up) called WITH Living.
We all still see each other in the area and we're all interconnected somehow. But it's just awesome to see how God works in the grand scheme of things...we could trace this all the way back to when Gerald Halloway was born - but this is just the portion of history that I encountered.
