PRESIDENT'S CORNER
SEMINARY OFFERING SUNDAY: JANUARY 30, 2011
Greetings!
I trust you are finding this season of Advent to be full of the presence, peace and joy of our King!
A Word About the Seminary Offering
Since 1945, the last Sunday of January has been officially designated by the Church of the Nazarene as Seminary Offering Sunday. Unlike the undergraduate Nazarene colleges and universities, the Seminary does not receive support from regional educational budgets. Thus the Annual Seminary Offering serves as the primary means of presenting Nazarenes with the opportunity to support the work of NTS as it prepares men and women for lives of service and ministry in the Church.
The Seminary Offering Assists Students
Many NTS students preparing for ministry already have a substantial indebtedness from their college/university education. All too often, those entering the ministry have so much indebtedness that it becomes a very heavy burden—even inhibiting their ability to pastor effectively or to consider certain ministry assignments. At NTS, we are committed to doing all we can to assist students in keeping any additional educational debt to a minimum. One of the ways the Seminary Offering helps us is by providing the financial resources necessary to keep the rate of tuition for Nazarene students at $50 per unit ($150 per class) less than the published tuition rate.
Seminary Offering Sunday—An Opportunity to Focus on Educating Pastors
I want to encourage you (those of you who are pastoring, as well as those of you who are in support ministries) to take the opportunity on Seminary Sunday* to talk about the importance of the pastoral ministry and to pray that God would continue to call men and women to a lifetime of service in the Church. It may be a time in which you focus on those who have been called and sent out from your local congregation. You may also want to mention the importance of preparation for ministry through Nazarene Theological Seminary, as well as our colleges/universities and bible college.
THANK YOU!
Your prayers and support of Nazarene Theological Seminary are needed and very much appreciated. We are thankful for the privilege of serving the Church in the preparation of men and women for a lifetime of service in the Kingdom.
Grace and peace,
Ron Benefiel