CFC Singles for Christ (SFC) is one of the family ministries of Couples for Christ (CFC). It was founded to cater to the needs of single men and women from 21 to 40 years of age. “Single” refers to anyone within that age group who is free from any legal impediments to marriage. The pastoral care offered by the ministry, though, is not limited to those who are called for marriage, but includes as well those who may be considering either single blessedness or religious vocation as a state of life.
CFC-SFC was established in April 1993, when a group of about 40 single men and women, mostly from the Visayas Islands in the Philippines, met for a 3-day workshop in Kalibo, Aklan to talk about forming a ministry for single men and women under the leadership of CFC.
It initially aimed to provide a Christian support environment for single men and women who want to follow Christ. However, SFC has taken a more pro-active stance with regard to providing that environment, by making sure that it brings Christ to wherever the singles are -- the corporate setting, campuses, government institutions, even in prison and developing communities. This is in alignment with CFC`s thrust of rapid, massive and global evangelization.
Source: www.sfcglobal.org
Read the Couples For Christ History
Couples for Christ Vision and Mission
Vision: Families in the Holy Spirit Renewing the Face of the Earth
Mission: Bringing Glad Tiding to the poor
These statements of Vision and Mission are made clearer through the CFC Postures, CFC Focus of Work and CFC Pillars.
Postures (every CFC community member should have these in their heart in everything that they do). They should be:
– Pro-God
– Pro-Family
– Pro-Poor
– Pro-Life
– Pro-Environment
Focus of Work with the many things that we are called to do, it must be said that that everything we do is about evangelizaiton and mission, founded on strong families, and now having a threefold thrust:
– Work for Life
– Work with the Poor
– Work for Justice
Pillars (these are what keeps the community up, focused and moving forward. Without any one of these, the community would not be complete):
– Evangelization and Mission
– Pastoral Support
– Family Ministries
– Social Ministries
– Gawad Kalinga
– Pro-Life
– Special Ministries
Singles for Christ Vision
"EVERY SINGLE MEN AND WOMEN ALL OVER THE WORLD EXPERIENCING CHRIST"
A Generation of Leaders and Martyrs
In line with this, SFC also adapted the 7 Pillars of CFC to make it relevant to SFC and it`s vision of making a generation of leaders and martyrs. It is SFC`s goal to form SFC to become a generation of:
a. Bravehearts – Relating to the CFC Pillar of Evangelization and Mission. Wherein we want every SFC to be brave in proclaiming Christ to the world.
b. The Faithful – Family Ministries. Wherein we want to make sure that CFC truly becomes a womb to tomb ministry, with no fall outs along the way to Heaven.
c. The Holy – Pastoral Support. Wherein we want every SFC to become pastorally mature and get supported in whatever state of life they are in.
d. Patriots – Social Ministries. Wherein we want SFC to be involved in the life of the country they are in – to work for justice and total human liberation from sin.
e.Heroes – Gawad Kalinga. Wherein we want SFC to see the blessing of Gawad Kalinga to CFC. How GK is helping the poorest of the poor. And how this blessing is changing the lives of the people who benefit from it, and the people who actively participate in it.
f. Witnesses – Pro-life. Wherein we want SFC to live lives that are good examples to others – whether in community of not. And wherein SFC can speak out against what is crippling people today.
g. The Chosen – Special Ministries. Wherein we help SFC find their true calling – marriage, single blessedness or religious vocation – and help them in their path to claim that calling.
Source: www.sfcglobal.org
Philosophy
a. Body as a temple of the Holy Spirit
b. Proper stewardship of God-given talents
c. Indisollubility of marriage
d. Participation in the Life and Mission of the Church
e. Productive Lives as citizens of the country
f. Deep personal relationship with Christ using the charismatic dimension of worship
Covenant
a. I shall live as a follower of Christ:
b. I will work towards the evangelization and transformation of my work place, my family and my community:
c. I will be a committed and active member of the CFC SINGLES FOR CHRIST:
d. I will make myself available to the Lord for service
e. I will study and seek to grow as a Christian person:
With all this input, it may be overwhelming for the “man on the street” to hear. So SFC came up with an easier way to remember all the above information. SFC is...
A Generation of Single Men and Women Experiencing the Fullness of Life and Restoring the World for Christ
Source: www.sfcglobal.org
A. Christian Life Program (CLP)
A single person can only be acknowledged as a full-fledged SFC member after he / she has gone through the 13-week Christian Life Program (CLP). Mixed CLPs (meaning CLPs with CFC, HOLD, SOLD and SFC participants) and Fast Track CLPs (meaning CLPs with compressed talks or over a weekend) are only used for starting areas. Once an area has SFC already, the 13 week CLP format should be used.
B. Pastoral Formation Track
SFC members must go through a series of pastoral formation for nourishment and sustenance. This is very crucial to their growth as individuals and empowerment as servants in the ministry.
C. Households / 1 to 1s
Household meetings are the best venue for an SFC member to receive basic pastoral nourishment and guidance especially after going through the CLP. There should be at least 2 household meetings per month.
In addition, household heads also have the important responsibility to conduct 1 to 1s with their members regularly. 1 to 1s are very important in discussing intimate matters with the members, especially issues which members are not yet open to discuss within a group.
Note: Household meeting discussions should be separate (men with men; women with women) for most times, but there could be joint meetings on occasion.
D. Prayer Assemblies
There should be monthly prayer assemblies and monthly teaching assemblies for General Membership. It should be Chapter based. Any prayer assemblies above the Chapter level are not encouraged. There may be assemblies in other levels (Cluster, Sector) but they should be few and far between.
E. Leadership Trainings / Chapter Teachings and General Assemblies
SFC can come up with these specialized assemblies that cater to specific topics and issues. Normally, these are conducted as follow-up to the basic formation track. Please refer to the Pastoral Formation Track later on in the Manual.
F. Programs
As a way to enhance the ministry, SFC came up with programs for specific functions, such as:
Corporate Evangelization
Campus Evangelization
Community Evangelization
Government Evangelization
Gawad Kalinga
Social Ministries
In addition, SFC also has support functions focusing on certain skills and tasks such as:
Pastoral Formation
Transition
Communications
Vocation
There is a special focus given to 3 aspects of the work of evangelization (3 Pronged Approach):
1. Christian Life Program – the normal 13 week program to enter SFC
2. Bayani Brigade / GK1MB (GK Isang Milyong Bayani) – the volunteer program for GK, can be used as a stepping stone to the CLP
3. Staff Development / Values Formation – offered to corporations and other institutions. Conducting values formation courses in line with their corporate / institution values. Also can be used as a stepping stone to the CLP.
G. Special Events
Special Events are also great avenues for a single person to expand his / her perspective of the greater work of SFC.
International Events (organized by the SFC International Council)
SFC International Leaders Conference (annually – every February)
SFC Great Adventure Tour (annually)
SFC Global One (every other year)
SFC Global Leaders Forum (every other year)
There may be Regional, National and Area Conferences as well.
Source: www.sfcglobal.org
