Launching out – Jacob & Josephine Li
Photo credit: Deborah Quek
Jacob and Josephine (Josie) Li arrived in Singapore from Vancouver in 2015 to join EAST as Faculty members. Together with their young children in tow, Josiah and Jesse (5 and 1 year old respectively), they began their lives in sunny Singapore. Both of them graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary, Jacob with his Master of Theology (ThM) and Josephine with her Master of Arts in Biblical Studies (MABS). Prior to entering seminary, Jacob was involved in real estate development while Josie was into interior design. Due to their desire to honour and serve their aging parents, they have decided to return to Vancouver to be with them at the end of June 2023 after serving in EAST for the past 8 years. While being back in Vancouver, they will still be very much involved in the ministries they are in since EAST. As well, for Jacob, he will continue to serve on the leadership team of Asia Theological Association while Josephine will run her Sisters in Ministry (SIM) Toolbox that offers online workshops for sisters from different nations.
No Perfect Time to Serve God But Now!
L-R: Toe, Mag, Annie with Noa (11 months), Siyi with Eli (2yrs 8mths), Gus
EAST News caught up with one of EAST’s longest serving Resident Faculty Toe and Magdalene (Mag) Set who have served in EAST since 2006 and joined Cru since 1986. They have just received their 35 years long service award from Cru Singapore. Toe and Mag have two adult children Gus and Annie, a daughter-in-law Siyi and two grandchildren: Eli (boy) and Noa (girl).
Below is an account by Mag of how the Lord led both of them to serve in Myanmar and began serving in the Cru ministry there in the early 1990s. They were there for six years and began the Campus ministry and new Staff Training Centre in the mid 1990s. They also started local staff training in campuses over three different cities during that time. Also, in 2014, they were back in their beloved Myanmar for sabbatical, teaching in Myanmar Institute of Christian Theology. In 2002-2006, Toe went to Dallas Theological Seminary to obtain his Masters of Theology and soon returned to join EAST afterwards as resident faculty. However, his ministry to the staff in Myanmar continues to this day via digital means. Do continue to pray for their family and ministry.
Welcome EAST’s newest Faculty: Roy Tan
L-R: Roy, Gloria (daughter), Eunice (daughter-in-law), Bee Lay (wife), Ryan (son)
EAST News welcomes Roy Tan (EdD Studies in Child & Family Development) as our newest Resident Faculty Member, although Roy is neither new to EAST nor Christian Ministry. He has joined EAST since September 2019 and served in Navigators for 22 years as staff, was a pastor in a local church (Neighbourhood Church) for 8 years, and even worked as a Clerk of Works in the army all prior to joining EAST. Since joining EAST, he has co-taught the Shepherd Care class with Dr Casey Lok for three cycles and given personal counselling sessions to dozens of students as part of the course assignment to enable students to work through life issues and understand their own temperaments and giftings better.
Faculty Matthew Winslow & the Manchurian Revival
Matthew Winslow & Family (wife Sijie, children – Hudson, Amber, Alethea & dog Caspian)
Mr Matthew Winslow joined EAST as an adjunct faculty in 2010 and served as a resident faculty two years later. From 2014-2016, he was our Dean of Students and mentored the Student Council. He and his family (wife Sijie, and three children Hudson, Amber and Alethea) then left for the US to pursue his PhD in Church History at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He is almost at the tail-end of his research and completion of his dissertation. Lord willing, Matthew should be returning with his family to EAST by next July in 2022. Below is an interview to find out more about his dissertation, church ministry and family.
Newest Faculty: Derek Atkins
L to R: Derek Atkins, Caleb (14), Lai Kein
At the previous East Chapel, Mr Derek Atkins shared a message from Psalms 121 and reminded us to turn to God and fix our eyes on Jesus Christ in times of trouble and uncertainties. He and his wife Lai Kein did just that when the Covid-19 pandemic started. Back then, they had returned from the mission field to visit Lai Kein’s family for Chinese New Year. That short visit has since ballooned into an entire re-evaluation of God’s plans in their lives. Now, Derek teaches at EAST, and Lai Kein serves in a local Methodist Church. Meanwhile, their teenage son Caleb is transitioning to a home-schooling lifestyle in Singapore, while attending a ministry for third culture kids. Read more
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