Ministry Weekend 2021: Drawn to see God’s Heart
Health screening for migrant workers who live along Joo Chiat Road. Partnership between EAST, SG Cares and Charis Methodist Church,
Below is a reflection of the MG (Mentoring Group) Ministry Weekend by Dr Jeannette Shubert, EAST Associate Academic Dean, as she recounts the experiences and learning by students and faculty.
Teamwork. Faith-stretching. Cross-cultural. Partnership. Learning. The size of these words expanded as EAST students and faculty contributed to an online Word Cloud during a recent Chapel service. The Word Cloud highlighted repeated responses to the question, “What three words would you use to describe MG (Mentoring Group) Ministry Weekend?”
Each September, East Asia School of Theology (EAST) suspends classes as MGs, comprised of faculty and students, partner with churches and ministries in Singapore and nearby countries for Ministry Weekend.
Hong Kong Alumnus visits EAST Mission Hub: David Sun
Back row: Boon Aitee, Esther Tan, Ee-Yuing Wong (EAST Staff) Front Row: Veronica & David Sun (EAST Alumnus)
EAST Alumnus David Sun and his wife Veronica recently made their first visit to EAST Mission Hub since the school moved there last year. While he was pursuing his Master of Divinity in Intercultural Studies at EAST (he graduated in 2019), David was also the President of the Student Council. Some would have remembered his youngest son Samuel who would come along to help with vacuuming the premises after various events. They were a good father and son team. David and his wife flew into town from Hong Kong where they reside to visit Samuel who has recently been enlisted into Singapore’s National Service.
Prayer Pointers – 23 September 2021
“With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love.” Ephesian 4:2, ESV.
The current pandemic has reminded us that we are called to live responsibly and to love and care for one another. Bestowed with God’s unconditional and bountiful love, we are blessed to bless.
How do we love?
1 Peter 3:8 “Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.”
Last week, 1 John told us why we should love. Not for personal gain, or out of obligation, but because that is God’s command to us, to love others as Jesus loved us.
Today’s verse deals with what that love should look like. Agreeability with each other, sympathy and understanding, compassion and humility. Key traits in the love that we Christians should exhibit to everyone around us, no exceptions.
In the context of the verse, Peter says that this love should be shown to those who oppose us and are evil, and to repay evil with blessings. 1 Peter 3:17 “For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.”
This is the kind of love and understanding we are to show to everyone, for it falls upon us to be blessings during times of evil.
Appreciating Cultures, Practising Contextualisation
EAST is a seminary with faculty, staff and students hailing from several nations. We learn to appreciate and recognise the uniqueness of different cultures around the world. The picture above shows us having a session of intercultural appreciation and prayer for different nations.
As part of being an intercultural community, we also learn how to communicate with each other with patience, sensitivity and adaptability in different cross-cultural situations.
The message of the Gospel needs to go out far and wide throughout the world. Having an awareness of how to be effectively cross-cultural in spiritual conversations helps in bringing this message of God to the ends of the earth.
#EASTCommunity #EASTCrossCultural #GreatCommission
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