Pilgrim’s 2025 Valedictory Service

Pilgrim’s Valedictory Service was held on Thursday, 6 November. This year, 11 students were recognised for concluding their studies. All of them were completing postgraduate qualifications. Two had concluded Graduate Certificates in Divinity (Peter Harris and Rebecca McBurney) and three had Graduate Diplomas (Sue Beeton, Isabe Chan, and Chang Dae Yoo). Five of them were completing Masters degrees (Cat McKay, Ennis Macleod, Em Seinemeier, Stacey Wilson, and Michael Butler), and one has just submitted his doctoral thesis (Tim Payze).

Rev Salesi Faupula, the Moderator, handed a gift and a candle to each of the valedictorians and offered a prayer for them. We congratulate all the students and wish them well. They will use their new knowledge and understanding for the benefit of the Christian community in diverse ways.

The preacher for Valedictory Service was Rev David Dong Won Kim, the Co-ordinator of Multicultural Ministries. He referred to a story of the daughter of Jephthah the Gilead in Judges and to examples of missionaries to Korea who had given their lives for the sake of mission, and to Jesus’ teaching about his sacrifice. He encouraged us to follow Jesus whatever the cost.