There are so many changes taking place at EBS this fall! Our staff looks a little different, (you can check it out on our EBS blog) our student body looks a little different, and our schedule looks a LOT different!
Student orientation and retreat September 2nd and 3rd included sixteen new students and dozens of returning men and women, full of testimonies from summers of ministry and excitement for the upcoming school year. Hours of prayer, praise and devotion were peppered with a talent show, soccer matches, special meals, campus and classroom instruction, and time to catch up.
On Saturday, the entire staff, administration and faculty of Emmaus spent the day at a hotel in town, eating together, praying together, swimming, and discussing the upcoming year and the role we have in it as His servants. This day was also just plain hilarious, as we learned that swimming brings out a side of our Haitian brothers and sisters that we had never seen :) Very fun...
Emmaus has officially gone from a 2-week intensive course schedule to a hybrid schedule, interlacing two week periods of intensive courses (to allow for visiting professors) with semesters of residential courses (taught by our resident professors.) This has significantly changed what registration looks like, allowing students to pick and choose which courses they want and need to take. Everyone has been excited about this change, and the transition has gone surprisingly smooth these first days, thanks to a lot of hard work in advance by Dir. Bryan, Matt, Lucner and Paul!
Classes started on Monday, September 6th, and EBS is glad to be joined by Pastor Jerry Poff, Pastor Doug, and Pastor Bob Petruccio as visiting professors. We are also celebrating having five women in the student body this year, a large increase over previous years (whoo-hoo)!
I have 20 students in my English 1 class (and finally had to set down the rule that there would be no more taking photos of the teacher with cell phones after the first day...I'm the first foreign woman many of these students have ever worked with, and Lily and I both have been quite interesting, apparently :) and 10 students in my English 2 class. Matt is teaching Psalms to fourth year, and while another new change for this year leaves the students in collared shirts with NO TIES, the staff is still looking good (and hot :) in their ties and dress shirts.
Another "new" for this year will take place this afternoon in the form of an Academic Convocation and Installation of the President. We are excited to be consecrating the year in this way, and have invited various churches, organizations and communities to join us in the chapel. Large services commemorating special events are a really big deal in Haitian culture, and everyone has been very excited about this. Rev. Harold Brown and his wife, Mary, have joined us as well for this service, which will include several singing groups, a focus on Emmaus' calling and identity, an introduction of new staff and students, and this year will also include the installation of Dr. Bryan Easley as our director.
We hope to share photos of these past days and the service this afternoon with you soon! Thank you for praying for the community of Emmaus Biblical Seminary as we strive to start the year in a way that brings Him glory and honor! Please continue to pray for staff and students as they learn, teach and minister to the Haitian people.
Prayers are with you all as you begin this very exciting new school year at EBS.
ReplyDeleteI am excited everything has started with amazing enthusiasm and blessing!
ReplyDeleteNow, when you said the staff looked "hot" in their ties I am assuming you meant temperature or at least was narrowing the field down to Matt! :)
Happy Wednesday!
In His Love,
Charlie