Deaconess Mary Joyce Villanueva from the Bulacan Philippines Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church has been elected to serve as the executive secretary of the Philippines Central Conference Board of Christian Education and Discipleship for the quadrennium 2025-2028, beginning on January 1, 2025.
“I am confident that Mary Joyce will lead the BCED to greater heights of service,” Crismo said. “A very positive and hardworking person, she comes prepared with a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to our mission and ministry of Christian education, communications, and discipleship.” Mary Joyce is currently appointed as program assistant at BCED, a post she has held since 2017, which has prepared her well for her new role.
As program assistant at BCED, Mary Joyce has served as curriculum writer for Sunday School and Vacation Church; translator for Kasama ni Jesus, the Tagalog edition of The Upper Room Daily Devotional Guide; and has written feature articles for The Filipino Methodist Magazine where she also served as production assistant. Mary Joyce has helped organize and served as facilitator-resource person in countless training events across the Philippines Central Conference, and served as the technical staff in charge of all online BCED training events and meetings in the last five years. All these, in addition to the regular routine of office work!
Before joining the BCED, Mary Joyce was appointed deaconess to several local churches in Bulacan, serving as kindergarten teacher and Christian Education director, most notably at Polo United Methodist Church in Valenzuela. She also taught kindergarten at Binuangan Ecumenical School, The United Methodist Church, where she would take the boat at 5:00 in the morning, teach two pre-school classes, and then rush to the BCED office at the UMC Headquarters in Manila where she served as a volunteer three afternoons a week.
Mary Joyce is the conference secretary of Bulacan Philippines Annual Conference, and is also appointed as Director of Communications. She is married to Ariel, and they have three children: John Raelli Villanueva, first year student of Veterinary Medicine at De LaSalle Araneta University; and John Gabriel and Josiah Marielle, both in senior high at Polo National High School.
“On behalf of the officers and members of the BCED Board of Directors, I extend a warm welcome to Mary Joyce as our new Executive Secretary,” said Bishop Rodel M. Acdal, president of the College of Bishops and Bishop in charge of BCED. “We are confident that with your leadership, we can achieve great things for our beloved church. We look forward to working with you.”
