Vol. 54, No. 2 - Fall 2013
learning together published by Taylor College and Seminary
From Prof to Pastor Tyler Williams Reflects on the Shift from Classroom to Pulpit, pg. 3
Taylor Audio Archives Recordings of Taylor Events now Online, pg. 7
Alumni Profile Andrew Eising (’08) serving in Asia, pg. 10-11
Upcoming Events Wahl Lectures, onWORD, and more, pg. 11 COVER: Pastor Tyler Williams speaks following his official installation as senior pastor at Greenfield Baptist Church.
A Note from the President This fall has been a very eventful semester at Taylor. We sponsored three powerful Wahl Centre events, the Taylor Board continued to make strategic decisions as to our preferred future, and we successfully completed our ATS reaccreditation site visit. There is so much to be thankful for as we move forward into the future to which God is calling us. We are pleased with the ATS reaccreditation team's recommendations to the Commission on Accreditation. This November visit culminated 2 years of research and analysis by Taylor of the overall institution and our seminary programs. We are very pleased that the team's recommendations echoed our conclusions indicating that they essentially concurred with our selfassessment. The Commission on Accreditation will take up the visiting team's recommendation in their February 2014 meetings. One of the privileges of being president at Taylor is the opportunity to interact with our students. I am always taken with not only the quality of people who choose to study at Taylor, but also with their commitment to and deep passion for serving God and making a difference in the world. This is true of the attendees at our Wahl Centre events such as the Living Generously conference, the onWORD Bible Conference, our #JusticeYEG event as well as our seminarians. There is so much hope, so much excitement, so much anticipation of the reality that God is making a difference in the world and that they have been called to join in that work. The energy and enthusiasm is contagious!
This semester has been additionally rich for me because I have been able to return to the classroom to teach our Christian Ethics course. Taylor students are deeply committed to the ministry of the local church. Many of them are already in vocational ministry even as they study at Taylor. They love being able to make connections between what happens in the classroom and what happens in the lives of the people whom they are called to serve and to journey with. In my class we had both lay people and clergy; we had those working in cross cultural ministry, prison ministry, educational ministry, and pastoral ministry. Such diverse back-grounds and callings provided for rich conversations about what God is doing in a variety of contexts. I look forward with great anticipation to see what God does in the near future in the lives and ministries of these students. Taylor has a rich heritage of students and alumni who are leaders who make a difference in the world. We are privileged to be part of their development. We are excited to see what God is doing in and through them. We hope that you will be encouraged by the stories, articles, and updates you read in this edition of The Bridge. Shalom!
David Williams, Ph.D. President, Taylor College and Seminary Director, E P Wahl Centre
On one hand, it feels like we just started the school year; on the other hand, we have already had one of our “Graduand Chapels”, featuring a graduate from the Class of 2014 – and that makes me feel like the end of the school year is already approaching! The chapel speaker was Laura Russell, a missionary to Argentina who first enrolled at Taylor 8 years ago. In the course of her work, she has taken courses online and has been able to spend the occasional semester with us. Through grateful tears, Laura recounted how her studies have informed and shaped her ministry, and how the mentoring of the Taylor faculty have enriched her. Humbling, isn’t it, to think that with your help and prayerful support, Taylor is able to shape a new generation of leaders in places that we may never visit? God bless Laura, and God bless Argentina. And may God bless you this Christmas season, and into a new year of opportunity. Tim Willson Communications and Marketing Director Editor, The Bridge P.S. A surprising number of artists can be found among the Taylor community. If you are such an artist, would you consider letting us share your work on the back cover? Email me directly at tim.willson@taylor-edu.ca
Vol. 54, No. 2, Fall 2013 Published by Taylor College and Seminary to communicate with students, alumni, friends and supporters.
Editor: Tim Willson TheBridge@Taylor-Edu.ca Taylor College and Seminary 11525 - 23 Avenue NW Edmonton, AB T6J 4T3 Cover Photo by Tim Willson
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From Prof to Pastor
Tyler Williams (’88), alumni and former Taylor prof, accepts a new role by Tim Willson
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here are some similarities between the role of a professor and a pastor, in terms of teaching and mentoring, but there are also a number of differences. No one knows that better than Tyler Williams, the Old Testament professor (NABC/Taylor University College) who is now serving as the lead pastor at Greenfield Baptist Church in Edmonton. Tyler stepped into the new role this fall after spending 16 years in the classroom at Taylor and (for the past few years) at the King's University College.
For Tyler, one of the things that means is that Greenfield is very supportive of his volunteer work as a football and hockey coach in the community. He says it is so important to be involved with our neighbours and work associates. “The church has to continue to look outward, to be God's people scattered among the people where we live. The purpose of gathering is to equip us and to energize us (if I can use that term) so that we can be scattered to be that witness.”
“The transition has been great,” Tyler says, and it's As much as he is loving his new role, Tyler says the obvious that he is enjoying his new role. “I've been rhythm of church life has been an adjustment – pleasantly surprised at how well it's gone, because I especially the relentless nature of sermon prep. He thought there might be a few bumps in the road. says he has a whole new respect for pastors. But the people at Greenfield “As an academic who taught biblical have been wonderful and the studies and interpretation, I have to “ The church has to continue staff and leadership here are admit that one of the biggest truly amazing.” to look outward, to be God's challenges of church life in the past MISSIONAL LIVING people scattered among the (before being a pastor – and maybe still) are the sermons,” he says. “I've Founded in 1968, Greenfield is a people where we live.” really had to deal with being too church of roughly 250, with a critical of sermons, where maybe staff of 7. Tyler says it's a very -Pastor Tyler Williams there is something historically healthy environment, and the inaccurate, or the interpretation vision of the church resonated didn't do justice to the text. with his own theological convictions about the importance of missional living, of being a witness in “So you're listening to these sermons and it's very word and in deed. When he dreams about the hard to turn off my academic side, the part that future of Greenfield, Tyler says the current direction wants to assign of the church is something to build on. a grade at the end of it. Now “Our vision for the future is still taking shape, but I that I'm on the would like us not just to play church, but to be other side of church,” he says. “The church is the people, but so the often we get so focused on our own lives, on the pulpit—preach 'holy huddle' with other Christians that we forget ing week-in what we are really supposed to be doing: loving our and weekneighbours, getting involved in the community. out—that's a Rather than putting on all these programs and trying lot tougher to attract people to a service that is held once a than people week – let's equip people and train them, prepare realize.” them, release them, so they can go into their neighbourhoods and get to know their neighbours, Tyler says that and have block parties, mow their lawns and shovel most senior Pastor Tyler Williams (’88) of Greenfield their walks, get involved in their lives. Let those pastors Baptist Church, Edmonton AB. Tyler was good works shine before our neighbours so that our probably an Old Testament prof at NABC/Taylor neighbours can see those good deeds and praise preach about from 1997-2009. God who is in heaven.” three-quarters Photo Credit: Greg Campbell, © 2013 Come and learn with us! 1.780.431.5200 | www.Taylor-Edu.ca
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surprise, excitement and curiosity over his move into pastoral ministry, and some have attended Greenfield to see him in his new role. But Tyler says it has been a great blessing to now have former students as colleagues. “I've been teaching for quite a while, and some of those first students that I had, some of them went into ministry and have been at it for quite some time and have far more pastoral experience than I have,” he says. “It has been great to meet with people who were my students, but now I'm learning from them. I'm picking their brains and saying, 'What do you do about this issue?', trying to learn from their experience.” ABOVE: Old Testament professor Dr. Jerry Shepherd, who preached at the installation service, is thanked by Tyler Williams. Tyler and Jerry Old Testament colleagues for a number of years – Jerry at Taylor Seminary and Tyler at Taylor University College. The next transition for Greenfield is a merger with Renaissance Community Church this winter.
of the time, or roughly about 40 weeks per year. He says there is some strain involved in that, and the weekly rhythm is relentless. “I love it,” he says “I really enjoy preaching. But you say 'Amen' to close one sermon, and your mind is already working on the next, or maybe two ahead.” Another surprising transition has been the adjustment to a different work schedule, one where the needs and demands can come at all hours of the day. While the expectations at Greenfield have not been onerous, he still feels a traditional and cultural expectation that pastors should always be available. “As a professor, there is always a lecture to prepare, endless grading, committee meetings, and more,” he says. “But one of the biggest life skills you need as a pastor is the ability to set boundaries. I'm still learning that. I can understand why pastors burn out, why their families can suffer, because there are endless needs.” Just like a good OT prof, Tyler points to the example of Moses, whose father-in-law cautioned him about trying to do all of the work himself, and says he is learning the value of setting up other people to shepherd others and to deal with issues. Many of the students at Taylor/NABC took classes from Tyler during his time at the school, and Tyler continues to enjoy good relationships with many of them, including through email and social media. He says some of his former students have expressed
Asked to reflect on the task of Christian education, Tyler says there continues to be a bit of tension between the academy and the church. “As a professor, I always tried to help bridge that gap from the side of the academy. Now that I'm in the church, I can try to help bridge that gap from this side.” Tyler says that it isn't best to train people who are interested in vocational ministry by taking them out of their context in the church and placing them in classrooms. On the other hand, he recognizes that a lot of churches don't have the resources and the people equipped and trained to do the teaching that people need. He thinks there are things that churches and schools can learn from each other, and he likes a training/discipleship model that feels a bit like apprenticeship. “There is a sense where the seminary and the college perhaps focus too much on (to borrow a cliché) ‘head-knowledge.’ Some of that is definitely needed – the theological and historical background, the ability to think as a Christian, but I think it can be done somehow in concert with practical ministry, with people in the church living it and doing it, and that will only strengthen both. Is that through distance education and modular courses? Those are some of the things Taylor Seminary is already doing – those are the things that need to be looked at.” Tyler will continue to be active as an academic. “I’ve accepted a three-year appointment as adjunct professor of theology at the King's University College in Edmonton, teaching a few courses every couple of years,” he says, “so I’ll still be in the classroom. I'm very grateful that Greenfield sees the value in that; it's nice to keep a couple fingers in that pie – it's part of who I am, and it will make my ministry and my preaching and teaching all the stronger.”
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Tyler’s eyes light up as he talks about one of the changes between his roles as a professor and a pastor – the issue of intergenerational ministry. “I love spending time with students. They are at a critical age where they are figuring out their identity, what they want to do: it's a very formative age. But I’m now in a church setting, and I'm dealing with an intergenerational group. It's different, but it has its own excitement. You have the youth, but you also have young adults, middle-aged, seniors – all together in a congregation. That's something I have a new appreciation for: the intergenerational character of ministry AND the importance of intergenerational ministry for discipleship. “In our society we sequester people into age groups – young people, homebuilders, 55+. But there is something about the Body of Christ, the church, that is multi-generational, intergenerational. And discipleship, I think, can happen when you have the younger and older together – the give and take that happens when you have the older and younger together in a worship service where you are trying to express praise and adoration of God through all of the various tastes and 'heart languages' of those present.
Tragic Loss for Dewey Family by Tim Willson
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t was a weekend of family celebration for the Dewey family in June – a family wedding which, in a large family, is also a kind of family reunion. What's more, the outdoor wedding of her greatgranddaughter was taking place on Betty Dewey's 89th birthday. The weekend ended tragically, though, as Betty was killed in a car accident the next day while returning home to Ellinwood, Kansas. The car was driven by Betty's son, former Taylor president Dr. Marvin Dewey. The accident took place in rural Kansas when the vehicle left the highway and rolled in the ditch. Betty Dewey had close ties to Taylor through two of her children: Glenn (’74) and Marvin (’76) were both alumni, and Marvin was president of Taylor University College and Seminary from 1997-2007.
Betty Dewey, June 8, 1924 - June 9, 2013
Dr. Dewey's daughter Rachel, age 21, was flown to hospital in Denver. She suffered internal injuries requiring surgery, and suffered a ruptured eardrum and broken eye socket. Rachel has since made a remarkable recovery, able to begin her teaching career in August – and able to keep up with twenty-eight Grade 3 students. “The first year of teaching is always a challenge,” Marvin says, “but Rachel is enjoying her career and has been able to handle everything so far.” Lingering double vision continues to affect Rachel, but Marvin is hopeful that further treatment will help. Betty Dewey generally made annual visits to Edmonton while the Dewey’s lived here. “She developed some good friendships in Edmonton,” Marvin recalls. “She would always want to have tea with Verda Schalm and Tabby Walters and Trudy Schatz.”
“Our whole society de-values the elderly,” Tyler continues. “It's the youth that drive everything – media, entertainment, the economy. But in the church, we should be a group that values the elderly, sees their wisdom, what they have gone through in their faith story which stretches over decades and decades. There's something rich about that.”
“You’d like to be able to go back and erase the day,” he says, “but that’s not how these life works. It’s difficult... a father seeing a daughter hurt, a mother dying because of her injuries. But we are just grateful that Rachel was not injured worse than she was.”
Tyler says all ages have one thing in common: we are all still trying to figure out what it means to follow Christ.
He pauses. “Every day is a wonderful gift. We have a lot to be grateful for. Our mom was 89; we miss her hugs and prayers, but we are grateful for the legacy she left.”
“I don't think anyone would say they have it all figured out, so discipleship and what that means at all these different ages is a common quest that we all have.” TB
Marvin deeply appreciated the prayers and support of the Taylor family over the summer, saying he clearly felt that.
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Marvin’s injuries from the accident were relatively minor, and he continues his work as an Associate Vice President with Sterling College, a Christian 4-year college in Sterling, Kansas.
“Our thoughts and prayers for the well-being of Taylor continue,” he adds. “Rachel still calls Edmonton ‘home’, and we are so grateful that our lives intersected with Taylor when and for as long as they did.” TB
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Indonesian Sabbatical: Joost Pikkert
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oost Pikkert loves teaching, adventure and missions (not necessarily in that order). So when he was invited by the Indonesian government to develop an educational strategic plan for one of their provinces – just as he was due for a sabbatical – Joost and his family eagerly accepted. As it turned out, the sabbatical and the complex research project it included went even better than expected. “By the time our six month sabbatical was over God had orchestrated some astounding changes,” Joost says. “The government changed its longstanding ‘Indonesian only’ language policy to support multilingualism for poor, isolated illiterate communities, and I was invited to sit on the province’s educational advisory team.” What’s more, the Pikkerts were invited back to Indonesia by SIL (a Christian NGO) and the Indonesian government to carry the work forward.
ABOVE: Charlotte, Joost, Cheryl and Quinn Pikkert. Dr. Joost Pikkert recently returned to Canada with his family after a 6-month sabbatical in Indonesia. Joost is an Associate Professor of Intercultural Studies at Taylor Seminary.
Multilingual education needs to be developed for more than 100 language groups, and Joost says this literacy work will meet both physical and spiritual needs. Literacy opens many opportunities for the poor, and will allow people to read the Bible in their mother tongue. TB
Syd and Faith Page in Cameroon Professor Emeritus Syd Page is keeping busy in retirement. Dr. Page, who left his full-time position as Professor of New Testament at Taylor Seminary in 2012, continues to teach part-time, and this summer he and his wife Faith traveled to Cameroon to support the Cameroon Baptist Theological Seminary in Ndu. This was the second time the couple have spent time at CBTS.
daily African life. That included lively local church services. On July 10th, the couple’s blog contained the following:
The Pages spent two months in Africa. Syd taught a class on Romans – four hours a day for two weeks.
“We’ve been here six Sundays ABOVE: Students at Cameroon Baptist and have been Theological School in a class on Romans taught by Dr. Syd Page, June 2013. to five 3-hour long services! The fourth Sunday we gave into the allure of ‘bedside Baptist’ and stayed at home on an unusually cold, monstrously wet day. We felt rather humbled when one of the outside workers told us he had trekked that day for an hour in the rain to get to his church.
“I haven’t worked this hard for some time, but it has been very enjoyable” he wrote on the last day of classes. “I have had a class of 39 students, who were engaged and eager to learn. It was especially gratifying to have in my class one of the instructors from the Mambilla Seminary in Nigeria.” Assignments continued to arrive long after the teaching ended, and Syd was able to finish marking assignments after returning to Edmonton. Following his course, Syd moved into an administrative support role. He helped prepare an application on behalf of the seminary for Affiliate status with the African accrediting association. He also put together a syllabi file, prepared a thesis writing guide, wrote up a report on the accreditation process, and put together some material to orient visiting professors for the academic dean. While in Cameroon, Syd and Faith were immersed in
“There is always so much joy (and movement!) in the singing. Even when you can’t understand the words, the message is infectious. We also usually all go forward to give the offering, and there is plenty of dancing and shuffling involved. “It is also common to have an auction during the service. People will sometimes bring produce instead of cash for their offering, and the produce is then auctioned off. It really is a wonderful way in which people who have little cash can be generous givers.” TB
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Successful Events, Recordings Available
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After a busy fall, the Wahl Centre puts a treasure trove of resources online by Tim Willson
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astor, author and professor Mark Buchanan was the featured speaker at the 2013 onWORD Conference. This fourth annual event saw attendance rise for the third straight year, and it marked the first time that Taylor co-presented the conference with a local church. Steele Heights Baptist Church, under the leadership of Pastor Darren Platt (’04), helped organize and run the conference, and contributed significantly to its success. This collaboration, which has increasingly become a model for Taylor, will be repeated next year: Greenfield Community Church is copresenting the 2014 onWORD Conference, featuring biblical scholar Dr. Peter Enns. The theme will be ‘From Creation to New Creation.’ Taylor also worked cooperatively to stage two other conferences this fall. Living Generously was an exploration of biblical stewardship, presented by five cooperating institutions: Terwillegar Community Church, The NAB Foundation, the Alberta Baptist Association, TPB Strategic Counsel and the Wahl Centre. Featured speaker Dr. Scott Rodin offered rich insights into the implications of a biblical view of faithful management of our gifts. A third event this fall has been in the works for over two years. #JusticeYEG brought together people concerned with living out God’s mission of justice -a theme that runs powerfully through scripture. Rick Tobias of Yonge Street Mission in Toronto offered a series of messages that were both challenging and hope-filled. #JusticeYEG grew out of a pastor’s advisory group meeting held by the Wahl Centre in mid-2011. It has been taking shape since then, and was made better by the participation of Urban Bridge Church, the Edmonton Do Likewise Society with the Wahl
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Centre. The Bleeding Heart Art Space and First Baptist Church also contributed significantly. These events, including many of the workshops, were recorded and are now being made available online. President Dr. David Williams says that Taylor’s library of recordings represent a rich resource, and offering them online is a great way for Visitors to the Taylor website can now hear some of the educational Taylor to share the resources that we have enjoyed rich theological education that takes over the years. A selection of messages is now available at place through our www.Taylor-Edu.ca/AudioArchives. faculty and various guest speakers. “There have been dozens, maybe hundreds, of important and interesting messages delivered at Taylor events over the years,” says Dr. Williams. “Quite a few of them have been recorded, and it is a joy to make them publicly available through our website. We believe that these teachings have the potential to encourage and train new audiences around the world.” Visitors to the Taylor website will find dozens of recordings of messages and events that range from student reflections to preaching and lectures – even some formal events like graduation services, and more recordings will be added in the months ahead. The audio archives will feature the conferences described earlier (onWORD, Living Generously and #JusticeYEG). The complete recordings of the most recent E.P. Wahl Lectures are also being added to this archive, including such presenters as Dr. Os Guinness and Dr. John Stackhouse. You will also find recordings from some who are very familiar to the Taylor community: Dr. Benno Przybylski, Dr. Willy Muller, Dr. Randal Rauser, and others. To access these resources, simply visit www.TaylorEdu.ca/AudioArchives; no password is needed. “The history of Taylor and those who have built and supported this institution over 69 years is one of generosity, as well as a commitment to the task of theological education,” says Dr. Williams. “We are excited to see how the investment in past events can be put to fresh use, serving new audiences in new places around the world.” TB
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in pictures | Summer and Fall 2013 1.
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ABOVE: 1. Pastor, author and professor Mark Buchanan, speaking at the 2013 onWORD Conference in Edmonton, AB. He spoke about three indispensable elements of what it means to follow Jesus: Holy, Dangerous, One. His messages are available for you to hear online see pg. 7 for details on the new Taylor Audio Archives. | 2. Jon Bauer (’98) and his band, leading worship at the 2013 onWORD Conference. Jon also presented a workshop titled ‘The Heart of a Worshipper.’ BELOW: 3. Volunteer Alfred Krinke marks a bed in preparation for shipping to Cameroon -- see the wall of hospital beds behind him, all headed for Africa. The shipment was on behalf of White Cross Canada, a humanitarian ministry that operates as part of the Wahl Centre.| 4. Taylor faculty meet with the visiting team of the ATS as part of the seminary’s reaccreditation process. (You can read more about this process on pg. 2.) | 5. Dr. Scott Rodin, speaking at the 2013 Living Generously conference (see pg. 7). | 6. While loading medical supplies for Cameroon, White Cross Canada Director Dr. Keir Hammer spotted an inflated globe and chats with volunteers about where the shipping container is headed in Cameroon. | 7. Rick Tobias of Yonge Street Mission in Toronto was the featured speaker at the 2013 #JusticeYEG conference. | 8. Seminary student Laura Russell, speaking at a chapel service in November 2013. Laura is the first of the Class of 2014 to speak during a series of “Graduand Chapels”, in which graduating students reflect on their ministry preparation experience at the school. A missionary to Argentina, Laura has been studying part-time with us for eight years (including a number of courses online). She says Taylor has been a very important and meaningful part of her ministry journey and says leaving Taylor will be hard. (You can listen to Laura’s chapel message online at www.Taylor-Edu.ca/AudioArchives.)
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News and Notes In Sympathy Ruby Schindler passed away on September 11, 2013. Dean of Women from 1951-1957, Ruby left CTI at age 41 to become a psychiatric nurse and served in that field for 24 years. When the school moved to our present location, the women’s dorm was named Schindler Hall in her honor. In an article for the 1951 CTI Promoter (accompanied by the photo below), Ruby wrote: “We delight in our fine ‘God-given’ school...” She described working in the kitchen and dispensing heating pads, aspirin, hot chocolate—and attention: “We try to encourage the downhearted, give advice to the perplexed, help to the needy, besides admonishing and correcting where it is necessary for the student welfare, the good of the school, and the Glory of God.” Edna Elsie Leischner (nee Brust) died of congestive heart failure, just shy of her 84th birthday. Born in AB, Edna grew up in Swan River, MB and attended CTI for two years ('46 and '48). She and Henry Leischner were married for 58 years, ministering in 11 communities in four provinces during that time. Evelyn Rapske of Calgary passed away on May 9, 2013 at the age of 85 years. Evelyn was predeceased by her husband, Arnold ('48), who was one of the longest-serving employees of the school in our history: 35 years in total at CTI/NABC (17 years teaching and 18 in library management). Heather Peterson, wife of Art Peterson ('07), passed away in October. Heather often took part in the activities at the seminary while Art was studying here, and became friends with many of the students and faculty. Before her death, Art wrote a deeply personal account of their journey through illness which you can read at www.thrive.ca (search for "Peterson" to find the article "Broken Rocks and Bare Feet"). Art has been serving as a Salvation Army chaplain in Edmonton for the past few years. Neil White (’99) of Winfield, AB was tragically killed in a motor vehicle accident on November 5, 2013. Following his studies at Taylor Seminary, Neil built a retreat on a farm near Rimbey, AB, and spear-
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headed the Burden Bearer’s office in Drayton Valley. Melinda Elgot (’97), a former student and colleague, and her husband Victor suffered the loss of their 8 year old daughter, Naomi, who had been battling cancer. Melinda described their journey online, at http://naomiourlight.blogspot.ca. Daily reality was “peppered with joy and sorrow,” she wrote. “Deep breath, silent prayer, dig deep into the faith that has been tested and tried, and another step forward.” Melinda is now blogging at melgot.wordpress.com Norman Kern of Millet, AB, whose sons Greg (’73), Graham (’84) and Jeff (’82) were alumni of the school, passed away in September. Edith Prier (nee Nitschke) of Leduc, AB passed away in at age 89. Edith was a CTI alum, and the mother of four NABC alumni: Lyle, Sharon Onciul, Beverly Mathis, and Clifford. Grace Hall (nee Faszer, ’80) of St. Catharines, ON passed away on July 22, 2013. Her husband David Hall ('80) says "Grace never complained about having cancer... She was firm in her faith and an example of a life well lived trusting God every day. She was aptly named Grace. I was blessed to have her as my wife, friend and lover. She is deeply missed by her daughters, Megan and Chelsey.
Alumni News Congratulations to Sheralyn McNalley (nee Grenier, ‘05) and her husband Ty, who are celebrating the birth of their son Zachary, born Sept. 18th.
Faculty and Staff News Congratulations to Dr. Randal Rauser on the publication of another book. What on Earth Do We Know About Heaven was published in October by Baker. Blogger and actor George Sarris calls it “fascinating” and “intriguing.” The blogosphere has two new writers you may want to discover. OT prof Dr. Jerry Shepherd is blogging at http://www.therecapitulator.com. And former theology prof Dr. David Priestly is blogging at http://davidtpriestley.wordpress.com/.
Alumni Updates Share your news with us: marriages, moves, careers... we want to note these important events! alumni@Taylor-Edu.ca | Telephone: 780-431-5200
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Alumni Profile Andrew Eising Student: Taylor University College, ‘08 (BA, Psych.) Current Hometown: (traveling in Asia) Email: Andrew.Eising@gbaships.org Website: http://andrewgoeslogos.weebly.com “Life is so full of opportunities...” ABOVE: Andrew Eising (’08) in Japan, with Mount Fuji standing in the background. RIGHT: Andrew heads up the crew gangway behind a colleague during a stop in Thailand as below them stand locals lining up to visit the shipboard bookfair.
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ndrew Eising has spent 2013 with Operation Mobilization's Logos Hope, one of the ships used by OM “to bring knowledge, help and hope” to the port cities of the world. For seven months, he traveled through Asia, spending weeks at a time in countries like Cambodia, Thailand and Malaysia. This fall, he stepped into a new role as part of the advance team that travels ahead of the ship, securing a port berth and other legal permissions, advertising and planning events (both on-board and ashore). He was recently in Bahrain, and at this writing he is in Sri Lanka preparing for two visits of the Logos Hope. ABOVE: Logos Hope berthed in Mina
Salman Port, Oct 29, 2013; Manama, “This new Bahrain. Andrew Eising (’08) traveled role really ahead of the ship to make preparations for excites me,” the visit. Photo Credit: www.omships.org Andrew says. “It is a multifaceted role that gives the team an opportunity to really get to know a community, to meet with the people, to learn of their needs and vision for their country/city and to try and see how the ship, its personnel (~400 people from ~50 different nations) and physical features (2 conference rooms, book shop) can meet these needs and vision.”
This is two-year volunteer assignment with OM, and it has already yielded a lifetime of memorable experiences. For example, during just one week in port in Puerto Princesa (Philippines), the crew welcomed 47,000 local visitors to the ship (including the ship's 3-millionth visitor). The 12,519 tonne ship often visits communities where resources are scarce, so the lineups to tour the ship
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and visit the massive onboard bookstore are invariably long. Since 2009, local visitors at 74 ports of call have purchased a total of 4,033,692 books and 431,364 have attended the on-board programs. “I have had the pleasure of coordinating a variety of on-board programs, from youth events to pastors' conferences to Cultural Cafés – evenings of cultural performances, coffee, and fellowship between visitors and the crew,” Andrew says. “Cultural Cafés are my favourite programmes, and each one has impacted me in a different way. They are designed to encourage visitors to think about why 400 people from around the world would come to their city. Traveling is nice, but why would these crazy foreigners give up jobs and salaries to serve as volunteers for up to 2 years at a time? “At one of these Cultural Cafés, 120 tourism students from a local (Filipino) university came and interacted with various crew members. Friendships were formed, prayers were shared and people dedicated and re-dedicated their lives to Christ.” Andrew says that his education at Taylor left a big impact on him. “For starters,” he says, “coming from a Calvinistic background, I really appreciated studying through Armenian thought. Studying alongside fellow brothers- and sisters-in-Christ from various denominational backgrounds, and visiting different churches with them as well. I also really enjoyed studying about the various religions of the world and visiting their places of worship in Edmonton with classmates who were willing to do so respectfully. These experiences have been a great preparation for me working with a multinational crew from many different denominations. They have helped me to sit back and reflect, asking myself: Why do I do, what I do? Do I do these things because my parents taught me? Or my church, or school, or friends, etc. Or do I do what I do because Come and learn with us! 1.780.431.5200 | www.Taylor-Edu.ca | www.TaylorSeminary.ca
I believe it truly is the right way to do it? Of course, sometimes there is no true, right way. Living on the ship with 50+ other nationalities, sharing a room with 3 other nationalities, I see things done differently than I would do them daily, but that doesn't mean that the other person is wrong. Of course the variety of psychology and sociology classes that I took at Taylor have helped me to reflect on personal choices and the decisions we make and how they are effected by various situations, be it physical, social, spiritual, as well. As I learned at Taylor as well as on the Logos Hope, I'm not observing others to judge them, but to learn from them. Lord-willing I'll be somewhat wiser for it, and Lord-willing others will be too.” Andrew is a blogger, staying in touch with friends and supporters. His writing reflects his musings on faith and cross-cultural ministry, and in this update he was reflective about his education: “We all play a role in many other people's lives. Sometimes we don't find out until much later... I know that I still remember and reflect on how previous teachers taught the classes I was in and related to the variety of students they had. They have left a lasting impression in my life and for the majority of them, I haven't told them (yet).” “Life is so full of opportunities, good ones, better ones, and some bad ones too... how do we choose... Do we have a vision for our lives? A purpose to follow? I know for me, my general purpose is to glorify God, more specifically at the moment it is to share the love God has shown me with all the people I meet, to have a teachable spirit and to learn from all these people (from different backgrounds and perspectives), to respect them, love them and to continually mature in my understanding and awareness of this world we live in. To do this I need to stay connected to the source of my purpose, to God, and chapter 15 from the book of John (Bible) has been a great reminder of that for me. Also, to do this I need to stay connected in community. Humans are relational beings, we long to be loved and to love, to be valued and appreciated, to perceive a reason in valuing and appreciating others, too. As Ecclesiastes 4:12 says, 'Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.' I know this verse is often used to reflect on the marital relationship, but it is applicable to community in general. We can strengthen and encourage one another, as we cry with those who cry and laugh with those who laugh.” TB
Come and learn with us! 1.780.431.5200 | www.Taylor-Edu.ca
11 LEFT: Andrew Eising (’08) speaks at a church event in Thailand in connection with a visit of the Logos Hope to that country in February 2013. Andrew says: “I thought I wouldn't need to take too many dress clothes, as we would be serving in 'poorer' areas... I wasn't really thinking... People dress more formally for church here in Asia. I've borrowed ties and dress shoes 4 times already, lol. Although I bought a pair of dress shoes for $15 in a street market this week.” Andrew was co-valedictorian of the Class of 2008 at Taylor University College, along with Sarah Holmström (’08).
Upcoming Events E.P. Wahl Lectures featuring Dr. James K.A. Smith March 14, 2014 | @ Taylor Taylor’s annual Wahl Lectureship will feature scholar and author Dr. James K.A. Smith of Calvin College. Dr. Smith is the author of Desiring the Kingdom, Imagining the Kingdom, and Thinking in Tongues.
Healthy Pastors: Sabbatical Preparation Workshop featuring Dr. Ray Seutter and Pastor Sam Nikkel May 9, 2014 | @ Taylor This event for pastors and spouses is designed to make the best use of a planned ministry sabbatical.
CAPS (Church Administrative Professionals Symposium) October 22, 2014 | @ Taylor Administrative staff from churches and non-profits will gather for another day of workshops and training sessions designed to equip, inspire and refresh.
onWORD 2014 October 24-25, 2014 | @ Greenfield Church Dr. Peter Enns will be joined by a number of other speakers who will help us experience, learn and enjoy the Scriptures. Theme: Creation/New Creation.
For details, visit www.Taylor-Edu.ca/Events
Untitled (2013), Anne Bellamy) Quilted Fabric Banner, 58” x 37”
ABOUT THIS BANNER Anne Bellamy, a former member of the Taylor Board of Trustees and a resident of Edmonton, was commissioned by the graduating Class of 2013 to create this banner, which commemorates the gift of the Holy Spirit. As it turned out, Anne chose to donate her time (she called it “a labour of love”), and the funds set aside by the students were able to be put towards another project. The banner was a team project, as Anne described in an email: “My niece Carolyn Cook did the redesign of the bird and the drawing for quilting his face. My sister Judy Cook provided consultation at numerous stages. I did all the sewing.” The banner now hangs in the Taylor Commons, forming a backdrop for weekly chapel services. The artwork is based on a design posted on Pinterest by Jan Thompson, and it is labeled on the back with this blessing from Romans 15:13: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Taylor alumni are invited to submit photographs, paintings and other visual art projects for publication or display on campus. Learn more at www.Taylor-Edu.ca/creative
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