Thursday, November 1 - Friday, November 2:
Pray for ICS, and especially Harley Dekker, this week and next as he works with the auditors to finalize the annual audit of our financial records for the fiscal year ended June 30. We have had some positive financial developments in the past year for which we are very thankful.
The Centre for Philosphy, Religion and Social Ethics (CPRSE) is an active member of the Canadian Interfaith Conversation, Canada’s largest inter-religious dialogue network. Through this partnership, CPRSE’s Associate Director will have the opportunity to participate in two panel discussions in the context of “The Parliament of the World Religions,” happening in Toronto between November 1st and 7th. Please pray that the interfaith and intercultural dialogue initiatives supported by CPRSE help in decisive ways to encourage social transformation and peace building.
Monday, November 5 - Friday, November 9:
Please pray for our faculty (including adjunct faculty) as they teach in the final weeks of this term and as they prepare for their teaching in the quickly approaching Winter term. Pray too for our Academic Dean, Gideon Strauss, as he leads the faculty in their academic programming deliberations.
ICS Junior Member Mark Standish has been selected CPRSE’s Research Assistant for the 2018-2019 Academic Year. Mark is looking forward to serving the ICS community through his new role, particularly as he will be an integral part of the podcast team. We pray in thanksgiving for Mark’s presence in our community and for his willingness to serve ICS as a Research Assistant.
Monday, November 12 - Friday, November 16:
Please pray for the Academic Council of the ICS during the course of this year, as they imaginatively consider the big picture and future strategy with regard to ICS's three main streams of education: our MA-PhD program, our MA (Phil) in Leadership program, and our MWS (Masters in Worldview Studies) and continuing education efforts.
Hoping to develop new collaborations with academic institutions and community organizations, CPRSE will be submitting a Partnership Development Grant to the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSRHC) later this month. Please pray for the success of this grant application as well as for other partnership initiatives of our research centre.
Monday, November 19 - Friday, November 23:
Please pray for those of our MA and PhD students who are working diligently to complete their degrees in the course of the current academic year. We ask God for creative minds and a steadfast heart as they pursue their educational goals for this year.
Please pray for the students in the pioneer cohort of ICS's new MA (Phil) in Educational Leadership. This pioneer cohort will be as much co-developers as beneficiaries of the program, as they will help ICS and our partners at the Christian Teachers Academy and Edvance (the Ontario Christian Schools association) understand what is really needed by education innovators and what is really possible in the busy lives of school teachers.
This month, the team of ICS/CPRSE’s podcast “Critical Faith” will begin another year of activities. Under a more dynamic format, the new season of “Critical Faith” aims to generate meaningful conversation between scholars, practitioners, faith leaders, and ICS Senior and Junior Members. Please pray that our podcast becomes a space for fruitful exchange of ideas and an opportunity to carry out ICS’s mission beyond the borders of the classroom.
Monday, November 26 - Friday, November 30:
We give thanks for the generosity and support of our amazing ICS community in the past four months during our New Home campaign. We ask for your prayers as we prepare now for our Advent Appeal.
Please pray this week as we prepare for our special New Home celebrations on Saturday, December 1st. Our Annual General Meeting will also take place on Saturday at 3:30, followed by an Open House from 5:00 to 7:00 pm and our Advent Concert at 7:30 pm.
The Board of Trustees at ICS gather on Friday in Toronto, with many able to be present in person (and some joining electronically). Pray for them as they continue to safeguard our vision and mission in Christian higher education. It is an often onerous task, with many weighty matters to consider, yet they serve with joyfulness and unremitting dedication. We praise God for calling them to serve ICS in this way.
