Cosmopolitan Church

History

The Cosmopolitan Church's establishment traces back to the 1930s when 60 members of the Central Methodist Church at Kalaw Street, Ermita, Manila seceded from the American Methodist Episcopal Church in March 1933. The secession was led by Rev. Cipriano Navarro, Dr. Melquiades Gamboa, and Rev. Samuel Stagg who were instrumental to the creation of the Philippine Methodist Episcopal Church which in turn led to the establishment of the Cosmopolitan Student Church.

The Cosmopolitan Church building was established in 1936. From 1942-1944 the Church building was used as a base of operations by Church members who were also part of the anti-Japanese guerilla resistance forces during the World War II. The Church building was eventually seized by the Japanese in September 1944. The Church building was rebuilt in 1945 after the building was burnt during the Battle of Manila. In 1948 Cosmopolitan Church, of the then Philippine Methodist Church, became part of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines. In 2012, Cosmopolitan Church disaffiliated from the UCCP.

The UCCP's National Commission on Discipline and Conflict Resolution (NCDCR) had held Pastor of Cosmopolitan Church pastor Phoebe Dacanay in contempt after she held an election in December 2011. This event was precipitated by a power struggle between Former Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Perfecto Yasay was accused of occupying and locking the church, after he had been disqualified from running for a church office according to pastor Phoebe Dacanay. Yasay said that the NCDCR locked the church building. This was to prevent Dacanay and her group from ransacking the office because they allegedly have plans of breaking away and setting up a separate church. Dacanay claimed these events had developed after Yasay and the wife of the disgraced former PCU President Oscar Suarez's Wife had their nominations were rejected. On May 8, 2012, NCDCR ordered the expulsion of Dacanay from the UCCP Roll of Pastors.

Building

The church currently occupies a four-story building called the Rigos Hall. The Rigos Hall was named after by former pastor, Dr. Cirilio A. Rigos on May 15, 1996. Rigos along with Jovito Salonga organized the Paglingap Ministry to Political Detainees in 1975 which interceded for the release of political prisoners and offered financial aid to their families during the administration of then President Ferdinand Marcos under Martial Law. More than 90 detainees were freed through the effort of Rigos and Salonga's organization after five years. The naming was an effect of the ratification of a Special Church Council Resolution.

The Mary Boyd Stagg Memorial Sanctuary inside the Rigos Hall is a worship place where worship services by the Church is conducted. In 1999 in the event of the 66th anniversary of the Cosmopolitan Church, eight panels of stained glass were installed at the memorial sanctuary.

A chapel inaugurated on January 6, 1978, the Angela Valdez Ramos Memorial Chapel is located within church grounds dedicated to Angela Ramos, for her role in the church's Sunday School. A courtyard, the Founder's Garden is also located within church grounds in between the chapel and Memorial Sanctuary.