Thursday, December 1: Pray for the necessary enrolments in the Art in Orvieto courses and workshops in summer 2017, as the deadline draws near. This is an exciting reprise of this event two years ago, but cannot operate without the income to support it. Pray especially for the information event at Toronto School of Theology this evening.
Friday, December 2: We give thanks for Wednesday night’s Mystical Landscapes event at the Art Gallery of Ontario, particularly the sold-out lecture by Charles Taylor (enabled by Senior Member Rebekah Smick’s invitation).
Monday, December 5: We praise God for Chris Cuthill’s PhD defence last month. May our Lord continue to prosper him in his vocation as Chair of the Art faculty at Redeemer University College. [See News on our website, www.icscanada.edu, for more detail.]
Tuesday, December 6: Senior Member Gideon Strauss will be speaking on vocational wayfinding at Smithville Christian High for their Career Day tomorrow. This arises from interest stirred by teachers attending Gideon’s Edifide (Ontario Christian Teachers’ Association) workshop. He will present the keynote ("Love God and Do What You Want") and twice lead a workshop ("Your Next Five Years"). Please uphold Gideon and those participating in your prayers.
Wednesday, December 7: The Educational Policy Committee meets this afternoon. It is the “first stop” on the way to approval of courses and general curricular matters, making recommendations to the Academic Council, from whence they are presented to the Senate. We ask our Lord to gift them with wisdom in their deliberations.
Thursday, December 8: We are currently negotiating a merger with The King’s University [see News]. Please pray for all involved in this very welcome but complex process. To repeat the prayer of John Valk, Board Chair: “May much light, wisdom and insight guide and direct us all as we seek to further the mission and vision of ICS as it has been entrusted to us, and in a new way so that its endeavours may continue to flourish.”
Friday, December 9: Please pray for Senior Member Ron Kuipers, as he plays his part in planning the Building Our Whole Society conference in May next year. [See News.]
Monday, December 12: We ask for your prayers for students hoping to join us at ICS in September 2017. Pray for them as they prepare and arrange their application materials to meet the February deadline, that they will have clarity of purpose and the Holy Spirit’s confidence in their direction for this stage of their lives.
Tuesday, December 13: With a view to both the impending sale of 229 College Street and the need to reduce our rental costs, we continue to investigate potential sites in the vicinity of the University of Toronto. There are promising signs indeed, and we implore our Sovereign God for direction.
Wednesday, December 14: Academic Council is scheduled to meet this afternoon, whether in person or virtually. Please pray for God’s guidance as they map out responsibilities for the coming semester, including preparing materials for the Senate meeting in May.
Thursday, December 15: Today is the final day of classes for the fall semester. As is our custom, we meet this evening to share a fellowship meal and convivial conversation at our Christmas Party, a time to celebrate the gift each is to one another in the Body of Christ. Praise Jesus for this precious gift of relationships he bestows!
Friday, December 16: A few PhD candidates are applying for teaching positions at this time. We come before the Throne of Grace to ask for fulfilled opportunities as they take another step in their vocation as Christian scholars.
Monday, December 19: With the start of the Christmas break, many Junior Members will be busy writing papers for their courses. We pray for them in this very demanding time, that they will be able to focus on their work, but also have the space to enjoy quality time with family and friends.
Tuesday, December 20: As the day of celebration of Christmas in the giving and receiving of gifts approaches, we thank God for our committed and faithful friends for their gifts of prayer and financial support. We pray each one of you will receive the amazing gifts of love, joy and peace, this Christmas season.
Wednesday, December 21: We praise God for the acceptance for publication of Allyson Carr’s book, Changing the Story: Reading Tradition for Transformation in the Work of Christine de Pizan and Luce Irigaray. This is based on her PhD dissertation.
Thursday, December 22: We give thanks to our Lord for our Board members who retired after the November meetings: Ansley Tucker (Chair), James van Manen (Secretary), Peter Brouwer and Philip Preville. We pray also for those who have or soon will be nominated to serve.
Friday, December 23: On Christmas Day, we celebrate Jesus, the Messiah Christ, who came to dwell with us -- “Emmanuel”! He gives us life; He renews our life. He is our Creator, Redeemer, Comforter. May we know God’s presence, not just on Christmas Day, but this day, for he is the King of All Days. Hallelujah!
Monday, December 26: Please pray for CPRSE Director Ron Kuipers and Research Assistant, Junior Member Hector Acero Ferrer in their engagement with the Faith and Settlement project [see News].
Tuesday, December 27: We continue in prayer for the sale of 229 College Street, which we have long anticipated. This is very important for our financial plans, which include reserving the bulk of our revenue from this for an endowed position.
Wednesday, December 28: We ask for your ongoing support for staff and faculty as they continue to deal with the aftermath of the difficult financial and employment decisions implemented in July. And we give thanks for their faithfulness in adjusting to these sad and costly circumstances, in straitened times.
Thursday, December 29: The family and friends of Staff, Faculty and Junior Members are spread far and wide, as are our alumnae and alumni. We know, wherever we are, we are united in the bonds of our relationships, and in many, many cases, in the bonds of Christ. We ask our Lord to comfort our loved ones in our absence and to comfort we who are apart from them. The Christmas season can be a particularly trying time to be separated from those we hold dear.
Friday, December 30: The new year is upon us, but in calendar terms only, as our Church year already began with Advent and Christmastide. We look back with thankfulness for what God has graced us with. And we look forward in fast-held and fast-founded hope, where the love, comfort and advocacy of the Holy Spirit is shed abroad.
