Senior Pastor: Rev. Emmanuel Orendain
Rev. Emmanuel G. Orendain was born in Manila, Philippines. He trained and worked as an agricultural economist in the Philippines, but was called to the ministry while being involved in youth work in his local church. In 1994, after finishing his theological studies at Union Theological Seminary in Cavite, Philippines, Rev. Orendain was called to become a pastor at UCCP Ellinwood Malate Church. He was ordained as and became an Associate Pastor of Ellinwood until 2002 when he joined his family in the United States.
Fondly called “Pastor Eman,” Rev. Orendain is the Senior Pastor of Calvary Presbyterian Church and is married to Maribel Ponce. They are gifted with three lovely girls: Tami, Mae and Dani. He enjoys collecting stamps, photography, chess and competition darts. Pastor Eman also plays basketball, tennis and dabbles in some golf, but says he really needs to learn how to swim.
Other associations:
Past Moderator, National Filipino Presbyterian Council NFPC/ PCUSA)
Past Moderator, National Asian Presbyterian Council (NAPC/ PCUSA)
Moderator, Presbytery of the Pacific
Convenor, Ka-Dugong UCCP
Board Member, Asian Ministries Connection
Music Director and Organist: Karine Bendicion
Karine Cheng Bendicion graduated with honors from Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Illinois, with a Bachelor of Arts in Church Music, Pipe Organ major. She also has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of the Philippines Diliman.
Karine has always enjoyed singing in choirs, directing children’s choirs, and serving as accompanist for her school, churches, outreach/touring choirs, and civic groups.
After graduation from Moody, Karine went on a mission trip to China. Six days before she was going to start her first organist job in Chicago, God detoured her plans through a seemingly chance meeting that stemmed from that mission trip, and eventually led her to Calvary Presbyterian Church in 1994, where in January 2019, she had completed 25 years of faithful music ministry. Soli Deo gloria!
Christian Education Associate: Amy Grace Bautista Lovell
Amy Grace Bautista-Lovell is the product of prayers of Christian parents, family and Christian Education at Calvary Presbyterian Church. In 1999, she declared Jesus Christ to be her Lord and Savior at a Harvest Crusade evangelism event.
After serving in children’s ministry at CPC, Amy Grace felt a calling towards full-time ministry halfway through her Elementary Education undergraduate degree at California State University, Long Beach. After prayer and discernment, she transferred to Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary in Baguio, Philippines to complete a Christian Education degree.
She was graciously offered a position of Christian Education Associate at CPC after coming back home in 2011 and has joyfully served alongside the staff, elders and members since. She is happily enjoying new adventures with her husband, Dustin Lovell.