Dear siblings,
Recently, I went kayaking with a few pastor friends. These strong amazing women accept me wholeheartedly and we have been supporting one another in our ministries over the past year. Now I know what it’s like to have a bunch of like-minded friends outside FCC who love God and want to love people better, fellow pastors who recognize the harm of patriarchy and are striving to help make the Church more just and egalitarian for women and minorities. If you told me a few years ago that I would become friends with some female pastors in Singapore who are open-minded and progressive, I would have found it very hard to imagine. That’s why all the more, I am aware and appreciative of how they are truly a gift from God — a very unexpected but much needed gift. And I am very grateful for their friendship and partnership in the gospel.
Another gift I am very grateful for and would like to share with you is that I have been awarded the Presidential Scholarship by Claremont School of Theology which will cover 100 percent of my tuition fees. Many of you know that I am planning to study for my Master in Divinity with CST in Fall 2021 and they invited me to their Scholars Gathering where the top applicants would compete for the Presidential Scholarship. The Scholars Gathering took place two weeks ago and there were mock classes, panel discussions with faculty and students, as well as two interviews with the deans and admission team. I received news last Saturday that out of the 10 students, they are choosing to award me the Presidential Scholarship. It took some time for the news to sink in and I am humbled, thankful and overjoyed at God’s goodness in my life.
I wanted to say a big thank you to all of you for your prayers and well wishes! I am very blessed to be a part of this beloved community and your love and support mean the world to me. Do continue to pray for me, Miak and the leadership of our church as we figure out how to juggle my time and energies between work and studies.
This Sunday, we continue on our series, Our Story of God and Us — LGBTQ+ Inclusion. If you want to know why we believe our God is about inclusion of all, come join us and we look forward to seeing you!
Love,
Pauline