About Our Pastor
Moreno Hills SDA Church had been looking for a pastor to take over since the tragic death of their former pastor, Pastor Florante E. Yulip, who died in March 1997. Pastor Yulip had been the mentor of Pastor Abel Cordero and because of this; Pastor Cordero wanted to continue the mission of Pastor Yulip which was to share God’s love to as many people in Moreno Valley, California a mission in which the church feels the same burden for. When asked what Peter Mark Yulip thought of Pastor Cordero taking over for his dad, he said “he has been like family to me and my family for so long that I was fine with it. Besides except for one member in whom I won’t mention, it was a unanimous vote.”
Some of the experience Pastor Cordero had before accepting the call to Moreno Hills was that he had been a district pastor in the Philippines. After this position he became the Director at South-Central Luzon Mission, Philippines. He had been a district pastor and director in Texico Conference at the time when he learned of the death of his mentor. This is when he sent over a video telling us about him. It made the members laugh when he sang the song “He’s Able” over the video. It was catchy and the members got to see a glimpse of the man who would later become their pastor on September 1997.
Pastor Cordero is a warm, friendly and a very family oriented pastor who has a wife of 18 years in April and two kids, a boy and a girl who are also active in the church. But above all he has this love for God that is contagious to those he meets. If you ask him about what he enjoys doing, he will tell you that he loves preaching the gospel, lecturing, visiting those in need, giving Bible studies, enjoys meeting new people and making friends.
He was born in the Philippines on November 18, 1959 and was baptized into the Seventh-day Adventist Church in August 8, 1971, when he was twelve years old. And was ordained to the Gospel Ministry on January 21, 1991.
How was he educated? He graduated from Philippine Union College (PUC), which is now known as Adventist University of the Philippines (AUP), with his Bachelor of Arts in History and Philosophy of Religion. While studying at PUC he was voted pastor of his graduating class and was also the acting President of Student Association. After graduating from PUC he went on to study at Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, which is now known as Adventist Institute of Advanced Studies, where he received his Master of Arts in Religion and Church Ministries and was voted the equivalent of President of his graduating class.
When asked what some of the members thought of their pastor, one member said, “one of the things that I remember most when I first met Pastor Cordero is that he always has a listening ear and a warm hug for everyone he meets.” This thought was echoed by many who know him. Also, Reynaldo Iglesias III, young adult/deacon said, “He has been a mentor to me in my walk with God and I respect him a lot,” said Asher Reyes, one of the pioneers of the church.