Thursday 2 October 2014

Prayer Letter: October 2014

Wednesday, October 1: The Professional Status Committee meets today to consider a sabbatical proposal and adjunct appointments, among other items. Faculty will also meet for lunch and a time of fellowship. We pray for God’s blessings on these meetings.
As the second month of the fall semester begins, we ask God's guidance and wisdom for all our Junior Members who are working hard in their courses and for a sense of balance as they deal with families and jobs as well. We pray too that student jobs will be found where they are needed.

Thursday, October 2: Senior Member Shannon Hoff will be in Vancouver for the annual congress of the Canadian Society for Continental Philosophy. We pray for safe travel and blessings for all who are attending.

Friday, October 3: Today, President Doug Blomberg will be undergoing minor surgery, which will require a week’s convalescence. Please pray that the Lord will bring healing through the surgeon’s hands and that Doug’s recovery will be comfortable and complete.

Monday, October 6: The Leadership Team meets today. We pray for God's wisdom to guide their discussions and decisions.
The Educational Policy Committee meets to review course proposals for the 2015-16 academic year, and other matters. Courses are obviously key to ICS’s mission, and we pray for discernment in this process.

Tuesday, October 7: Senior Member Bob Sweetman will represent ICS at Classis Toronto in Alliston, Ontario. We ask for fruitful interaction with those gathered.

Wednesday, October 8: The Friends of ICS Board meets today by conference call. FICS is the advancement arm of ICS in the United States. Please pray also for Matt Heynen and (ICS alum) Drew Van’t Land who are contracted as consultants to FICS.

Thursday, October 9: 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.

Friday, October 10: Today we ask for God's help for those who are struggling with cancer and other illnesses. We pray for strength, patience and for good results from treatment.

Monday, October 13: Today is Thanksgiving Day in Canada. As we celebrate and give thanks for the bounty of the harvest, may we reflect on the grace of God and the rewards of our labour. We are grateful that ICS is sustained by both God's grace and the dedicated work of its support community, administrative staff, and Senior and Junior Members.

Tuesday, October 14: As the Thanksgiving weekend ends, we offer prayers of gratitude for the many people who have given ICS gifts of prayers, money, concern and appreciation. It is truly a blessing to have the interest and support of so many people.
The Board meets this evening.

Wednesday, October 15: The Academic Council meets today. We pray for God’s wisdom to guide this meeting.

Thursday, October 16: ICS President Doug Blomberg will be meeting with the President and other senior officers of Nyack College in New York to explore avenues of collaboration.

Friday, October 17: Dr. Richard Middleton, ICS alumnus and Professor of Biblical Worldview and Exegesis at Northeastern Seminary at Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester, will this morning lead the first of our Scripture, Faith and Scholarship Seminars for 2014-2015.
Presidents and senior academic officers of the Association for Reformed Colleges and Universities will meet today and tomorrow at Providence Christian College, Pasadena CA. On Saturday afternoon, they will participate in the inauguration of Dr. James Belcher as the third President of PCC.

Saturday, October 18: Today ICS's Centre for Philosophy, Religion and Social Ethics, along with Wycliffe College, will co-host this year's Fall conference of the Canadian Evangelical Theological Association (CETA). We pray for blessings on all who are attending.
ICS President Doug Blomberg hopes to meet with ICS supporters in California today and tomorrow. We pray for blessings and safe travel.

Monday, October 20: Reading Week begins today! Please pray that our Senior and Junior Members will be able to use this break from classes to catch up, get ahead, or use the week for whatever they may need to help them in their studies.

Tuesday, October 21: Many of our Junior Members are working on their their Masters and PhD thesis projects. We pray for our Junior Members and ask that they will have time, focus and wisdom.

Wednesday, October 22: As Reading Week continues, please pray that it will be a fruitful week for the academic body at ICS as many Senior and Junior Members have projects they are working on beyond normal class work. Whether these are publications, papers for conferences, or other scholarly activities, pray that this week will afford extra time to make progress in these areas.

Thursday, October 23: Today we pray for the work of Senior Members. Bless their ongoing tasks, both administrative and academic. Give them the relief they need when things pile up.

Friday, October 24: We ask for God's blessing on those who are planning the Annual General Meeting to be held in early December. We pray for energy and enthusiasm for all who are involved. Also, 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, October 27: Please pray for the Institute and the continued mission of ICS. To be even more specific, we ask that you pray with us that we have good responses to our donor appeals in the remaining months of 2014.

Tuesday, October 28: We pray for blessings for the Friends of ICS Board and all those who are doing advancement work in the US.

Wednesday, October 29: We are now fully into our new academic year! Give thanks for the insightful, talented, and hard working ICS faculty and staff, and pray for energy and enthusiasm to sustain with their workloads.

Thursday, October 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.

Friday, October 31: Doug Blomberg flies to Kuala Lumpur today to attend the IAPCHE for the next three days. We pray for safe travel and fruitful sessions.