Please pray this week and next for our Perspective production crew, especially Héctor and Danielle, as they work with our designer and printer to meet the deadline for dropping the mailing in mid-November. This is always a hectic time so we ask for grace and strength for each one as they work together. May all enjoy a sense of accomplishment in the completion of this important and special project.
Please continue to pray for Harley Dekker this week as he works diligently with the auditors to finalize the annual audit of our financial records for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2020. We need to have the information in time for the AGM and the Annual Report so we ask that God would bless each one with grace and speed of deliberation. Once again, we are very thankful for God’s watchful care over us, especially in the second half of the year during the pandemic.
During the U.S. federal elections this week, we pray with our American friends, family, and supporters for a fair and peaceful election at all levels. We pray that those elected to offices across the land will seek justice, mercifully advocate for the oppressed and vulnerable, and strive to bridge the deep polarization that currently divides the U.S. population.
Monday, November 9 - Friday, November 13:
We ask for your continued prayers as we find more ways to communicate with our Christian educators about the Master of Educational Leadership (MA-EL) program. We have adapted the scheduling of the courses so that they are more accessible for working students. Please pray that this will result in a good number of students registering for the courses that we will be offering in the winter term.
On Tuesday, October 10, ICS PhD Candidate and Sessional Lecturer Dean Dettloff will hold the first session of his course, “God of Solidarity: Liberation Theology as Social Movement.” Please pray in thanksgiving for the gift of Dean’s presence in our community and for the many ways in which he contributes to the life of ICS. May all course participants receive in gratitude the fruits of Dean’s dedicated research, which he makes available to his students through engaging, timely, and innovative instruction.
After many months of COVID-19 contingency adjustments, the ICS Undergraduate Workshop planning committee is thrilled to report that the Fourth Undergraduate Workshop, “Evil, Resistance, and Judgment: Creating a World Fit for Human Habitation” will be held on November 13-14. Please pray that this edition of the workshop, in its new synchronous online format, will be an enriching opportunity for all those participating in the event.
Monday, November 16 - Friday, November 20:
Please pray for Edith van der Boom as she does the important work of reviewing all of the courses in the MA-EL program in order to consider how best to adapt them so they are more deeply contextualized and relevant for educators. We ask for wisdom and insight for Edith as she leads this process.
During these pandemic times, ICS has worked tirelessly in improving its different communication platforms so that we can offer timely, comprehensive, and engaging information about the scholarship and programming produced by our Senior and Junior Members. One of our most effective means of communication is the Critical Faith podcast, which features conversations with diverse ICS stakeholders and partners. We pray in thanksgiving for the Critical Faith production team, as well as for all its interviewees and listeners.
We would value your prayers this week as we work with our printer to get this latest very special issue of Perspective out in the mail to our ICS community. Last May, initially because of the restrictions about gathering together, we decided to outsource the preparation of the mailing to our printer. It saved much money and effort, so we decided to continue using this method for all our big mailings. We’re grateful for the expertise of our designer and printer, and pray that the many pieces of this process will come together in a smooth and timely manner.
Monday, November 23 - Friday, November 27:
On Friday, November 27th, the Board of Trustees will meet virtually in two 90 minute sessions, before and after lunch. Please pray for grace and wisdom for our Chair, John Joosse, and all our Board members as they deliberate together on the various matters before them during these unpredictable times. Pray also for ease of use of the virtual meeting technology so that the deliberations go smoothly with little or no disruption.
Our Annual General Meeting will take place virtually on Saturday, November 28th. Please pray for John Joosse as he gives leadership to the meeting and for all those who will participate in the presenting of reports.
In an effort to strengthen the coherence and appeal of our programs, the Educational Policy Committee and Academic Council have undertaken the task of revising the Junior Member handbook. The revised document will aim to present ICS in a way that is both up-to-date and inviting, while preserving what makes our institution and its work unique. Please pray for wisdom and clarity as the EPC and Academic Council bring this monumental task to completion.
Monday, November 30:
As we quickly move into the end of the Fall term, we would ask you to please pray for our Senior Members (and adjunct and sessional faculty) as they teach in the final two weeks of classes, 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 and policy deliberations.
We would also ask you to pray for our recruitment crew as they work with the faculty to promote the upcoming winter term courses. We ask for wisdom and creativity as we experiment with different ways to package some of our course offerings to make them more attractive and accessible to a wider audience.
