Tuesday 28 July 2015

Full video of the play Just Faith? now available

The play that was such an important part of the Justice and Faith Research Project's community forums is now available for everyone to view online. The play was performed on May 28 at Redeemer Christian High School in Ottawa by the MT Space Theatre Company of Kitchener, Ontario. Videography was provided by Adam Langlois, Extremeline Productions, Ottawa. Funding for the performance and video came from an SSHRC Connection Grant that the CPRSE successfully applied for.

Along with the script of the play and community dialogue guidelines, this video will be part of the congregational toolkit for communities interested in hosting their own forums. The video and other resources related to the Justice and Faith Research Project are available on the project website at www.icscanada.edu/cprse/justice-and-faith

Monday 27 July 2015

Prayer Letter: August 2015

Monday, August 3: Today is our Civic Holiday in Canada. We pray that it will be an enjoyable time for rest and relaxation with friends and family.

Tuesday, August 4: The Finance Committee meets tonight. Please join us in thanking our Lord for the dedicated members of this committee and asking for God's wisdom to guide their discussions.

Wednesday, August 5: Senior Members often spend much of the summer developing course curriculum and giving attention to research projects. We are extremely grateful for the work of our Senior Members and ask for God's blessing on them.

Thursday, August 6: Summer is here and many people are planning vacations. Many members of the ICS community will be traveling in the summer months to spend time with family and friends. We pray for safe journeys and that the time spent with loved ones will be rich and refreshing.

Friday, August 7: We offer prayers of thanks for our most valued partners—our supporters. Our ICS mission is sustained by your prayers and generosity, personal notes and emails of appreciation and encouragement throughout these quiet summer months. We are truly blessed to have your partnership of continued faith and commitment to our work.

Monday, August 10: ICS Alumnus Andrew Van’t Land is moving to Kentucky and starting studies there. We pray for a smooth transition for Drew and his family.

Tuesday, August 11: We pray for blessings for the Friends of ICS Board and all those who are doing advancement work in the US.

Wednesday, August 12: Today we think of our Junior Members who are trying hard to find the right balance between their calling as students of philosophy or theology, their joy and responsibility their feel as parents. May they have the energy and the resilience to maintain such a delicate balance successfully.

Thursday, August 13: 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, August 14: We pray for stamina and wisdom for Senior Member Doug Blomberg as he continues in his role as ICS President.

Monday, August 17: ICS is exploring partnering relationships with a number of institutions in Canada. This is one of our strategic priorities. Please pray that the conversations already commenced will continue fruitfully and that other contacts we have initiated will lead to further such discussions.

Tuesday, August 18: The summer months are often a time when Junior Members can give sustained attention to their thesis projects. We pray for energy and wisdom for our Junior Members and ask for God's blessing and guidance on their research and writing.

Wednesday, August 19: We pray for Director of Advancement Pat Webb and her work with ICS and its needs.

Thursday, August 20: We celebrate the addition of nine new Junior Members to the ICS community this fall, and we remember them in our prayers as they make the necessary preparations and transitions over the summer in order to begin their studies here in September.

Friday, August 21: For all the Senior Members who are busy with the final preparation for their fall classes, we pray for energy and guidance.

Monday, August 24: We pray for safe travel for all new and returning Junior Members who are coming to study at ICS this fall.

Tuesday, August 25: The FICS Board meets today. We ask God to guide this meeting.

Wednesday, August 26: We ask God to bless and guide Senior Member Ron Kuipers and Allyson Carr as they continue their work with our Centre for Philosophy, Religion and Social Ethics.

Thursday, August 27: We ask for energy as we prepare for the nine new Junior Members who will be joining us in September.

Friday, August 28: Today we ask for God's help for those who are struggling with illnesses. We pray to God for strength, patience and for good results from treatment.

Monday, August 31: We pray for guidance and energy for all those participating in the preparations for Registration and Orientation Week and the annual ICS community fall retreat next week.

Wednesday 15 July 2015

A Graduate's Story

A little while ago we asked ICS MWS graduate Dr. Clinton Stockwell to tell us the story of his studies at ICS. Clinton is Executive Director Emeritus, Chicago Semester, as well as one of our distance education instructors. Of his time as a student at ICS Clinton had this to say:

I now regard the Master of Worldview Studies program at the Institute of Christian Studies as the "crowning" achievement of my academic career as a student.

Clinton's full story is a little long for this space. If you are interested please read it online at www.icscanada.edu/support/story-clinton-stockwell

Thursday 2 July 2015

Richard Middleton Wins "Word" Award

Richard Middleton, ICS/VU PhD graduate and Adjunct for Theology at Roberts Wesleyan College, has been given the 2014 Word Guild Word award in the biblical studies category for his book A New Heaven and a New Earth: Reclaiming Biblical Eschatology (Baker Academic).

Richard has been a frequent contributor to ICS events. Most recently he led the first of our Scripture, Faith and Scholarship Seminars for 2014-2015.