Farewell to the Tolentinos

For the past ten years or so, we have been richly blessed by Paolo, Hannah,

Emmanuel, and Caleb.

From the very beginning, they immersed themselves wholeheartedly in the

Filipino ministry. Paolo and Hannah served faithfully in the leadership team, and

their musical gifts lifted our worship to new heights—both technically and

spiritually.

In time, they also began attending and serving in our English Services. They

brought a fresh vibrancy and energy to Zimrah. Hannah stepped into leadership

roles with humility, deep spirituality, and genuine pastoral care for the worship

team. She was initially nervous about leading Singaporeans, knowing how

Filipino sisters are sometimes perceived as a serving or subservient class. Yet,

with the grace of the Lord, she embraced her responsibilities with courage and

overcame any prejudice—real or imagined—through steadfast commitment and

faith.

They served without complaint—indeed, with joy—often in both Services on

Sundays. They lived out for us what it means to be fully committed to the

Kingdom cause. It is hard to sum up the personal impact they have had on those

who worked alongside them.

The Tolentinos also built bridges between our Singaporean and Filipino

communities, strengthening friendships and deepening connections. They have

been a great support to Pastor Jocelyn, and today we can truly say our Filipino

brothers and sisters are better integrated into the wider church family.

It has been said that no single culture can fully reflect Christ. To see more of Him,

we must cross cultures—to discover not only more about others, but also more

about ourselves and our faith. In Singapore, Christians often belong to the more

privileged segment of society. We may have cultural blind spots or values that

are less than Christlike, and the only way to unlearn them is through genuine

interaction with believers from other cultures.

So, thank you, Paolo and Hannah. The life of the MPCC family has been enriched

through your ministry and friendship. Our bond in Christ will remain, and only

the Lord knows when and how our paths will cross again.

Paraphrasing St Paul’s words in Philippians 1:3-6,

Tolentinos, we thank our God every time we remember you. In all our prayers

for all of you, we always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel

from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good

work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Amen.

Note: The Tolentinos are returning back to Philippines this week to reside, study and work after spending almost ten years here.