Alumnus Terrence Thomas: “Do not put God in a box.”
Terrence Thomas, an EAST alumus who graduated seven years ago with a Bachelor of Arts in Christian Ministry, recently made a trip back to Singapore with his wife Tamara (a Vice President in Human Resource at an MNC) from the US. EAST News took the opportunity to catch up with this beautiful African American couple to find out what God is doing in and through their lives and ministry.
Below is a short interview with them.
Q: What have you been up to since your graduation from EAST in 2016?
A: My hometown is Connecticut but Tamara and I went back to Cincinnati in Ohio to settle down back in 2016 and I was on staff with Citygate Church from 2018-2020 before being ordained as a care pastor in 2021. During Covid, ministry went virtual but we were doing food pantry and also delivering food to needy people. Our church was providing groceries and even toilet paper (remember the toilet paper shortages?) to people around us. The smaller churches were also able to use facilities and resources from Citygate church. Our church has over 3,000 members and 21 care pastors led by Pastors Eric & Kim Petree. It is a non-denominational church which has a vision of being “a church that looks like heaven”. Tamara and I counsel new couples, or couples in distress by journeying with them, and I (Terrence) conduct both weddings, officiate funerals as well besides doing care visits and a lot of behind the scenes work in the church.
Clare’s EASTperience
A day before my flight to Singapore, I questioned myself again “Is this what God wants me to do? Did I make the right decision to go to Singapore for my theological education?” Just as always, God spoke to me through His word and I am assured that this is His next step and direction for me.
EAST Homecoming Reunion 2022
Over 120 alumni, faculty, staff and children attended the Homecoming Reunion in celebration of EAST’s 30th anniversary on 18 Nov 2022.
I graduated in 2002 with a Master of Divinity when EAST was at Dorset Road. I remembered fondly my time there: together with school friends, we either had meals at Cambridge market (‘Hokkien mee’ or seafood soup) or at KK Hospital. Upon graduation, I lost contact with EAST and most of my school mates. It was only in 2017, when I joined EAST Alumni Relations Office, I was back in the loop with some alumni. I managed to compile the database of every EAST alumni. But many of the alumni that I have been writing prayer emails to were just names to me. During the pandemic, I got to see some of them during the Alumni Zoom meetings. A week before the Homecoming Reunion, I managed to meet up with some alumni who visited EAST. I was able to meet up with Sufen (Taiwan) after 20 years. I met Baataraa (Mongolia) and Timothy Saw (Myanmar) when they came to visit EAST during the last chapel.
EAST 30th Anniversary Reflections
I graduated from EAST in 2018 with a Master in Divinity where fond memories remain of the campus in 1 Dorset Road. I came to EAST expecting to arm myself with theological training but God had more in mind for me – EAST equipped me to grow in head, heart and hands.
At EAST, learning is imbued in every facet of the student life not only in the class but outside the walls of the classroom. There is emphasis on the application of head knowledge distilled through the heart. I am grateful to the teachers who made every effort to teach with passion and conviction that caused learning to take place. I am blessed to have thoroughly enjoyed every subject in my course. Indeed, EAST plays a significant role in equipping their students to become holistic practitioners in the field.
Last Chapel of 2022
Rev Jacob Li & Mrs Josephine Li emceeing the final chapel as partners in ministry.
The last chapel service of the semester was held on 2 November 2022, concluding the series of chapels on the theme of “Committed to Growing in Christlikeness”. Mrs Josephine Li together with her husband Rev Jacob Li co-emceed the service. They warmly welcomed a few of our alumni who joined us for chapel that day including Bataaraa, a church planter from Mongolia, Ps Timothy Saw from Myanmar, and Mr Chan Kok Meng who is currently serving at Yio Chu Kang Chapel as a church staff. There were also some visitors who could be potential new students at EAST as well. Josie and Jacob started off with an ice-breaker by asking the audience to search for a piece of paper beneath their chairs. Four of them had to share a personal thanksgiving and the most memorable thanksgiving came from Kok Meng, who shared, “I thank God that I could be be married be Diana in 2018!” Everyone cheered as they are both EAST alumni and met while studying at EAST. The four who shared a thanksgiving walked away with an NTUC voucher each! There was much to be thankful for indeed.
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