Meet the Team: 10 Things About… Doreen Tang
Doreen has joined the ministry team at St John’s Hoxton as Kids & Youth Minister. She’ll be responsible for all our mission and ministry work with kids, youth and families - and will lead the team of volunteers who deliver our programmes. We caught up with her to get to know a little about her...
1) What is your favourite food?
My favourite food would have to be steak and chips! I love my steak especially when its medium rare.
2) What is your dream holiday?
One of those holiday houses on stilts by the sea in Maldives. It will have its own private pool or a slide straight to the sea.
3) Tell us about your favourite book?
I do not read anymore because I discovered Audiobooks and they are best! I love how I can multitask whilst “reading” a book! My favourite audiobook would be “The Last Supper on the Moon” by Levi Lusko. Levi includes historical audio footage from and about the US space program. In that book, he encourages how you can learn that life is not about “finding yourself” but discovering who Jesus is. He also encourages you to stop living in the mundane of the everyday life and start dreaming again.
4) What difference has Jesus made in your life?
Every difference, in every way! And every time something happens to me, whether it is bad or good, I always seek and go to Jesus. I thank Him for all the good things and blessings and when things are bad, I asks Him to equip me with the right tools to handle the challenges.
5) Marmite: love it or hate it?
LOVE IT!!! Especially on hot toasty crumpets smothered with butter too!
6) Tell us something you think is unusual, funny or surprising about you – maybe a story or a weird habit.
I pick surprising! I am from Brunei and it is a tiny kingdom in the Borneo Island. People can never guess where I am from! They will say all the exotic countries like Thailand, Bali, Philippines but never Brunei! So, I have been called Filipinos, Indonesians, Thai but never Bruneian Chinese.
7) What makes you thankful?
The blessings from God makes me thankful. From waking up in the morning, to be able to breathe fresh air, to be able to worship and pray freely are things that makes me very thankful to God.
8) Who or what is precious to you?
Obligated to say my husband first! (hahahaha) My family which are Raymond (my husband), my 3 incredible children (Benjamin, Ryan and Amber-Lyna). Not forgetting my little dog, Buttons – so precious! Very, very precious!
In all seriousness, the future of the Church is very important to me. The young children, the youths and families. We need to build firm foundations in Christ to equip young children, teenagers, and parents to celebrate their faith in God especially in this time that we live in right now.
9) What is your favourite song/band/album/genre of music?
Ever since I stepped into Ministry, I have only been listening to Contemporary Christian music so my favourite groups are Hillsong Worship, Hillsong Young & Free, Maverick City, Phil Wickham and Brooke Ligertwood. At the moment, my favourite songs that I have been listening to on repeat are Highlands (Song of Ascend), Let Go, Desert Song and Psalm 23.
10) Tell us your favourite passage of Scripture and why it’s important to you.
I have a few favourite passages but there is one in particular which is Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know my plans for you”, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”. As a family, we went through a few rough seasons in the past few years ago and I held on to that Bible verse very close to my heart. I had to keep reminding myself that the plans are God’s plans and not mine. He is a good, good father so God does not casually say it BUT He declares it and His plans is not to harm me but plans to give me, us hope and a future.