For five years, Cathy Lee Gondra served as a full-time deaconess at the Taytay United Methodist Church and San Mateo Methodist Church in Rizal, Philippines. She entered in the ministry full time after she finished her BA in Christian Education degree from Harris Memorial College in 2012.
In 2017, Cathy decided to go for further studies to help her in her ministry. She had three options to study at that time—Music, Counseling or Curriculum. She applied in a university in Rizal to study counseling but was declined so she had to choose between Music and Curriculum.
At that time, one of her friends from the church was applying to enroll in APNTS. When she found out that APNTS offers MA in Religious Education with concentration in Curriculum and Instruction she also applied.
While studying Cathy was also doing part-time jobs. She was teaching Grades 1 and 12 classes in Taytay United Methodist Christian School and was the choir conductor of the school as well. She was also helping out a church in Taytay as a Sunday School Teacher. At the same time, Cathy was also proofreading a Tagalog version of the Bible.
It was difficult for her to balance all these things especially during the time when she was writing her thesis. But throughout her experience she was able to find God’s grace to be sufficient. “What I have learned in APNTS is to look for God’s grace in everything.”
Since her graduation, Cathy now serves in a United Methodist Church in Marikina where she focuses on music. She also continues to write for the Board of Christian Education and Discipleship of UMC. In addition with these, she is also involved in conducting seminars and workshops that will help young people in doing research.
