God’s Bespoken Blessing to EAST
Blessed Charity Ong joined EAST as an intern in 2019 to complete her Communication Master’s degree and then stayed on as a volunteer. She designed many of our EAST’s collaterals and equipped the Advancement Team with media design and communication skills. She is the design genius who helped to initiate the EAST’s rebranding project and came up with a new brand kit and logo. This happened as we relocated from 110 Middle Rd to our new permanent campus at 118 Joo Chiat Rd. Read about Blessed’s journey in her own words and her motivation to bless EAST for His glory.
Blessed’s Journey in Design & Communications
It is actually a story of creating and developing something out of nothing. My first ministry was being part of the Music Team. But as our church grows and expands its vision to becoming a church that adopts the digital trend, there came a need to fill in that gap. And as a young person at that time, with zero knowledge on all the media tools and softwares, I prayed and asked for my parents’ support to switch from my current college program to Multimedia Arts, to hone my skills and to help further the advancement of our church ministry. So I believe what I have in my hand at that moment is only a desire to serve and with that hope, that I want to be part of something great.
Remembering the Nations in a Worldwide Day of Prayer
Prayer is God’s invitation to come alongside with Him for the matters He cares about. Corporate prayer unites our hearts, minds and wills to God’s heartbeat as we seek His face and purposes together. We gather as a global organization (Cru/CCC International) with a common prayer theme every April and October.
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
Adjunct Faculty: Why Sisters In Ministry Toolbox?
Mrs Josephine Li conducting an online workshop
Mrs Josephine Li, an EAST Partners in Ministry Adjunct Faculty, has been instrumental in conducting online workshops for ladies in ministry. She is the wife of Resident Faculty Rev Jacob Li and mother to Josiah (11) and Jesse (7). Through her “Sisters in Ministry Toolbox” workshops, over 200 participants across Asia have been impacted. These workshops seek to creatively and holistically integrate the biblical/theological perspectives in the context of present day reality of living, working, and ministering in the world. Below is an interview where Josephine shares her vision and passion for this ministry.
What prompted you to start the Sisters in Ministry Toolbox workshops?
Through this pandemic, I saw God create many new opportunities in theological education. This is such an EXCITING time for us. To be able to reach out to the world with a press of a button and at the comfort of our home! In many ways, I feel burdened with the resources that we have and how am I going to share with others. What can I do to reach out to the world with the gifts, experiences and education that He has given me in light of our current situation?
Alumnus Matthew’s Calling to Mongolia
Alumnus Matthew Ong in Mongolian Countryside during winter.
EAST Alumnus Matthew Ong graduated from EAST with a Bachelor of Arts in Christian Ministry in 2018. He received God’s calling to Mongolia through a pastor’s light-hearted response to a baby’s cry in his congregation, “Is there a Mongolian baby crying in our midst?”
That question was God’s prompt in his heart back in 2014, which led to a friendship with the first Mongolian family (Luya and Tuul) attending his home church, Glory Presbyterian Church. Between then and now, Matthew has made four to five trips to Mongolia itself, getting to know the country and the people better.
EAST Library Catalogue
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The Digital Theological Library
