Menu
Menu
Vancouver Island in Canada’s West Coast is home to two local congregations and a group worship service (GWS) in the Ecclesiastical District of British Columbia. From the east coast of Central Vancouver Island is the Campbell River GWS and the Local Congregation of Nanaimo, while the Local Congregation of Victoria is located at the southern tip of the island. On April 6th and then on the 27th, 2025, the brethren gathered at Spectrum Community School along Burnside Rd W in Saanich, BC for the INC Unity Games.
Brethren from the Campbell River GWS, 260 kilometers distant from the venue, still took part in the event. Among them was Diane Ganancial, who shared, “We were so excited when this activity came around because it gave everyone a chance to visit and see each other on the island.”
The areas within the Victoria Congregation each formed their own teams, represented by designated colors: Area 1 in green, Area 2 in red, Area 3 in orange, Area 4 in purple, and Area 5 in yellow. Brethren from the Campbell River Group Worship Service and the Nanaimo Congregation combined to form a separate team, wearing blue. Meanwhile, congregation leadership officers formed another team, distinguished by the color white.
The event began with a parade of athletes, followed by the oath of sportsmanship led by Mark Sarmiento, Victoria Congregation head deacon.
Afterwards, Victoria resident minister Brother Linito De Aro reminded the brethren of the purpose of the activity. In an interview, he explained, “This kind of activity is important to us members of the Church Of Christ—not only to improve our physical health and strength, which we use in our services to our Lord God—but also to promote camaraderie and brotherhood within the Church. It helps foster unity, teamwork, and the love of the brotherhood.”
The athletes competed in basketball, volleyball, badminton, and chess. Yzra Maxine Sera, a choir member from the Victoria Congregation who participated in volleyball, shared her experience: “Uniting with other members of the Church and playing my favorite sport with them was such a great feeling. It truly reflected teamwork—something that also strengthens us as we fulfill our duties in the Church.”
On the final day, the championship games took place, followed by the announcement of winners. Trophies and medals were awarded to the following:
Basketball
Men (Buklod) – Area 2
Women (Buklod) – Area 1
KADIWA – Area 5
Binhi – Area 1
Volleyball
Men – Area 1
Women – Area 5
Badminton
Doubles – Rose Ann and Joe Marc Gamboa (Green)
Women’s Singles – Alyssa Cabbab (Yellow)
Binhi Singles – Zaire Zamora (Yellow)
Chess
Raymond Manguerra (Yellow)
