Final year in Seminary – MDiv

Joseph San Jose is in his final year in seminary, taking Master of Divinity at Union Theological Seminary (UTS), Dasmarinas, Cavite Philippines, the oldest mainline protestant and progressive seminary in the country. This year of 2017, UTS is celebrating a century and a decade of prophetic and theological formation and education.

In his final year, Joseph is required a remaining 83,500Pesos or 1700USD to fully complete his Masters of Divinity and to be able to graduate by April of 2018.

Due also to the fees, charges and conversions of the website and paypal, we need to consider them on top of the actual money being raised. An additional 200$ is placed on top of the 1700$. Making it at 1900$

Unlike in the United States or in other western countries, there is no viable funding in the Philippines for theological education and formation. There are no viable student loans to be accessed in the country. Full time theological formation and education relies heavily from donations and sponsorship. As such Joseph is making this fund raising appeal through friends and those who believe in the greater ministry and work of equality in Philippines.

The paypal connected to this fund raising is now working and you may donate through that option. It is much preferred because the credit/debit card option charges 12% of the donated amount which is a very huge deduction. Please make a donation THROUGH THE PAYPAL option if you are able. Thank You so much!

Or you may also opt to send your contribution/donation to our local Church bank account. Please message Jack Quimpo at [email protected] for the bank account of the Church.

Joseph is currently the Lay Administrative Pastor of Open Table Metropolitan Community Church, a progressive, ecumenical and LGTBQI affirming Church in the Philippines.

He has been a member of the MCC Church since March of 2010 and has had various roles in the Church since then. After careful and prayerful discernment with the guidance of then Pastor Kakay Pamaran, Joseph entered UTS to begin his theological formation and education. With only his savings as seed money, he entered seminary with much faith and trust to the One who called him to this vocation.

Last June of 2017, by the endorsement of his seminary, Joseph went to the United Kingdom in the 6 weeks face-to-face programme of the Council for World Mission (CWM) on the issue of migration and human trafficking. He represented his seminary and the MCC church as well. In the summer of 2015, with his classmates, he went to Mindanao Island for the immersion program of the Field Education Office of the seminary. With 4 other seminarians, he immersed with the Indigenous community of the Manobo Tribe in (North) Cotabato. He has completed his Clinical Pastoral Care Education (CPE) last May of 2016 also through the generosity of friends and MCC members.

Prior to entering seminary, Pastor Joseph worked for Thomson Reuters for 3 years as a financial client support for global financial markets, with a focus on the US market. Prior to Thomson Reuters he had a short stint as a licensed stock broker for Etrade Financial. He graduated Bachelor of Arts in Communication at the University of Santo Thomas (UST) in 2003.

Currently Joseph is leading and organizing the local Church of Open Table MCC while finishing his final year in seminary. Upon the initial assessment of the seminary Registrar, Joseph is running for Magna Cum Laude when he graduates in 2018. With fellow leaders and members of the Church, Open Table MCC is reorganizing and reprogramming itself to be the Church that God calls it to be in the Philippines. Open Table MCC is setting-up its HIV/AIDS program with a primary focus Chaplaincy in the hospitals and also the much needed work of Community Based Screening (CBS). Open Table MCC has an ongoing friendly yet unofficial relationship and project-based relationship with the National Council of Churches in the Philippines relating to social and ecclesial issues of sexuality and HIV/AIDS. Open Table MCC is also working with the local government of Quezon City in partnership with 3 local councilors to do grass roots work for SSOGIE education and awareness. Joseph envisions Open Table MCC as a progressive Church that changes people's lives while changing the larger society; participating in God's work of justice for the world.

Out of trust and faith in the work, vocation and integrity of Joseph, local and international friends have generously sustained him in his seminary formation and education. He was also awarded two single semester scholarships from generous donors of the UTS seminary in the past. He extends his appreciation and many thanks to everyone who have shared in his struggle and his joy of seminary education and formation.

In his final year, Joseph requires 83,500Pesos or 1700USD to fully complete his Masters of Divinity and to be able to graduate by March of 20118. He would need to raise funds half of the said amount by first week of November of this year in order to enroll for the second and final semester, which starts in November 2017. Due also to the fees, charges and conversions of the website and paypal, we need to consider them on top of the actual money being raised. An additional 200$ is placed on top of the 1700$. Making it at 1900$

As such Joseph, trusting ever more the grace of God through the love, faithfulness and generosity of friends, allies and colleagues in Ministry, he is seeking assistance and help with this regard.

For any clarifications and questions regarding this fund raising you may contact him directly at [email protected]

Or you may also contact the Church Administrator of Open Table MCC, Jack Nicklaus Quimpo at

[email protected]

May the One who calls all of us to the work of justice and love bless you and be with you all now and unto the coming of the open table of Jesus Christ. AMEN.