Thursday 28 August 2014

Prayer Letter: September 2014

Monday, September 1:  We pray for guidance and energy for all those participating in the Registration and Orientation Week and the annual ICS community fall retreat later this week. We thank God for all of our Junior Members and ask God to bless them as they begin another year of studies at ICS.

Tuesday, September 2:  This is Registration Day for our returning Junior Members. We pray for safe travel for all new and returning Junior Members who are coming to study at ICS this fall. As the students arrive, we ask God to help with energy and flexibility for their back-to-school transition.

Wednesday, September 3: Today is ICS's Community Fall Retreat. This event has traditionally served as a wonderful start to another year of our life together at ICS and we pray that this year will be no exception.

Thursday, September 4:  Today is Registration Day for our seven new Junior Members. We offer prayers of thanks for the addition of these new Junior Members to the ICS community this fall. Please continue to remember them in your prayers as they make the final preparations and transitions this summer in order to begin their program studies here next week.

Friday, September 5:  Today we offer prayers of thanks. Harry Knibbe, father of Junior Member Stefan Knibbe recently had surgery and has made a great recovery.

Monday, September 8:  The first week of classes begins today! The first course of the new academic year starts today: "Biblical Foundations" with Senior Member Nik Ansell. We ask for God's blessing on all the course participants.

Tuesday, September 9:  Today is the first class of the new course “Nature, Supernature and Miracle in the Thought of Thomas Aquinas” with Senior Member Bob Sweetman, and “Theories of Truth” with Senior Member Lambert Zuidervaart. We offer prayers for God's blessing on all the course participants.

Wednesday, September 10:  Today is the first day of the new course “Religion, Life and Society: Reformational Philosophy” with Senior Member Lambert Zuidervaart. We pray for God's blessing on all the course participants.
Today the new Junior Members will be visiting the Toronto School of Theology and the University of Toronto Library. We pray for an informative experience for all the participants.

Thursday, September 11:  Today are the first classes of the new courses “God/Sex/Word/Flesh: Gender Theology and the Body” with Senior Member Nik Ansell and “Religion, Critical Theory and Habermas” with Senior Member Ron Kuipers. We offer prayers for God's blessing on all the course participants.

Friday, September 12:  Please pray for the ICS Board recruitment process, that committed and able candidates for Board vacancies will be offered to the ICS membership for approval this fall.

Monday, September 15:  Two distance education courses begin this week: “Christianity and the Ecological Crisis” with Chris Allers and “Ways of Learning” with Elaine Brouwer. We pray to God to bless all the course participants.

Tuesday, September 16:  As this academic year begins, we thank God for Christian education in our world, and thank God for the ICS's unique position in that sphere.

Wednesday, September 17:  Today is the first Academic Council meeting of the 2014-2015 academic year, and there is a Board meeting this evening. We pray for God's wisdom to guide the discussions and decisions at these meetings.

Thursday, September 18:  We offer prayers of thanks for the many people who have presented ICS with gifts of prayer, money, and expressions of appreciation, especially throughout these quiet summer months. We truly value our relationship with you, as we are constantly blessed with your interest and support.

Friday, September 19:  We pray for blessings for the Friends of ICS Board and all those who are doing advancement work in the US.

Monday, September 22:   Today we offer prayers for wisdom and stamina for those who are currently planning the annual meeting of the Canadian Society for Continental Philosophy which will take place in October. Senior Member Shannon Hoff and Junior Member Daniel Rudisill are both involved in planning for this event.

Tuesday, September 23:  We ask God's help and guidance for all those who are doing advancement work for ICS. Please pray that support for the vision and mission of ICS continues to grow.

Wednesday, September 24:  Today is the first Faculty meeting of the 2014-2015 academic year. We pray for God's wisdom to guide this meeting.

Thursday, September 25:  Today we pray for God's help for those who are struggling with illnesses. We ask God for strength, patience and for good results from treatment.

Friday, September 26:  We pray for energy and enthusiasm for those who are involved in planning the upcoming issue of Perspective.

Monday, September 29:  We offer prayers of praise for the talent of Junior Member Joe Kirby who will be presenting a paper at Simon Fraser University next weekend.

Tuesday, September 30:  Today we pray for the general well-being of the ICS. We ask for blessings and energy for ICS faculty and staff as they work together to manage their many responsibilities.