Moravian Seminary Dean Report

From www.alaskamoravian.org

Alaska Provincial News
Moravian Seminary Dean Report - April/May 2007
By The Rev. Tom Conrad
Apr 29, 2007, 10:05

Moravian Seminary & Theological Institute

There were additional 20 students who were awarded certificates of accomplishment with anywhere from 2 credits to 20 credits earned. This included both day school students, three who started this past January and our Evening School students. Our oldest graduate was "Papa John" at 70+ years and our youngest student was Arvin Charlie who just finished his Junior year in high school. Arvin earned 6 credit hours by attending the Evening School classes on Monday nights both semesters. He is now planning to attend ACC as a result.

We had the delight to lead a young lady to saving faith in the 2nd to last Monday night class. She attended with her aunt Katie Rohl and asked for someone to lead her to accept Jesus as her Savior. What an exciting night that was.

The Thursday night class called "Boot Camp for Cell Groups" wants to continue meeting every Thursday night during the summer months at the seminary.We will have about 12 students who want to continue learning, without earning credit, during the summer months. It was an awesome year of transformation in all our lives. Praise God for His Holy Spirit and promises in His Word. I have never taught such a thirsty group of people for God's Word. Truly amazing!!!

The other good note is all tuition and book fees are paid up in full for both the day school and evening school students. All accounts have been paid either through the students themselves or scholarships granted that I have raised throughout the year from individuals and churches, mostly from the lower 48. One Evening School student paid up all fees for the other students who could not pay their tuition and book fees. God is good!!!

I am now looking forward to the summer months to work on next fall's classes, securing instructors, fund-raising and working with all the work crews coming up from the lower 48 this summer. At this time it looks like we will have three different groups. All of them are through the Moravian Board of World Mission. There is a fourth group through the Presbyterian Church that may still come up as well. One of the evening school students attends the church back at his home in Grand Rapids, MI. His name is Jon Baker. Jon is currently the Director of the Lab at the Bethel hospital.

This past semester we had five visiting instructors who paid their own way to come. We were very blessed to have Dr. Frank Fenby from Tampa, FL come in January to teach a two week course on Hermeneutics. Brother Joe Harris came up from the Watertown, WI Moravian Church to teach a two week course on the book of Revelation. Brother Joe Albright, one of our own pastors and district pastor, came in late March and early April to teach two of the three week course on the book of Romans. Brother Frank Boerman from the Bethel Evangelical Covenant Church taught for 2 days on Romans and Dr. Frank Fenby flew back up to teach 3 days on Missions and to work on developing our Correspondence Classes. What a blessing these men were to the students and myself.

I taught a total of 8 weeks myself throughout the Spring semester. My desire in the future is to bring in more block instructors so that I can be more involved in fund-raising and administrative needs of the seminary. It still would be a gift to have a part-time secretary for 10-15 hours per week. Perhaps with more fundraising that can become a reality for the next academic year.

Along with administrative duties and teaching I continued to respond to fundraising offers. It looks like our own students have been the largest donors so far this year. They really see the vision of God's leading and believe in the program. I continue to contact churches to build the 100 church goal in the next five years to support this school through prayer, finances and donation of time from teaching to applying for our grants to working on our Correspondence Classes and hopefully develop the TEE (Theological Education by Extension) program to be launch in the future.

I was also elected to serve as an Executive Member of the Board of World Mission of the North American Church. I flew down to Winston-Salem, NC the week of April 1st. What a blessed trip that was. God is at work with missions and the first new missionaries are going out with Wycliffe Bible Translators this month. They are the Moree's from the Dillingham Moravian Church. So the Alaska province is the first province to send out missionaries with the BWM since the new organization. The Moree's will live in Southern France and assist in 10 translations. They will also help run a missionary retreat house for hosting missionaries in need of some rest and relaxation.

Sam Gray asked me to consider going over to Tanzania this summer to represent a Moravian Seminary and teach compassion for those with AIDS. The BWM is currently working with the United Nations and a large grant foundation to be one of the first Faith-Based Ministry to help with the treatment and prevention of AIDS. If the door opens, I will be gone two weeks in July to Tanzania. I also plan to take along one of the seminary students to give a cross cultural view and a missions heart.

While in Winston-Salem, I was asked to stay over and visit a few churches who are supporting the seminary since last year. What a surprise I received to hear what is taken place for the future support of the seminary. I will wait and give the good news later in today's meeting.

This has been a year and still is of transition for us. We feel like we now can have some more time to settle in. We still have to put much into storage and unpack all my books in my office. We are grateful to Jesus for His calling and ministry to us during a year of changes, challenges and difficulties. He is worth all of our lives and we continue to serve for His glory alone.

Blessings,

Dean Tom Conrad

Note by Pastor Nicholson: During a trustees meeting for the Seminary on April 24, 2007, several significant actions were approved unanimously by the Trustees Board made up of the following officials - Peter Green (APB President), Arthur Sharp (APB Treasurer), Jacob Nelson (Bishop), Sarah Owens (Pastor), Moses Owens (Lay Member), William Nicholson (Chair). Absent were Brian Henry (Student Representative) and Hugh Forbes (Covenant Representative). Among the actions approved:

1. Passed a motion to adopt Interim Bylaws for Moravian Seminary & Theological Institute

2. Approved go ahead for the Seminary Dean to plan for additional housing for married students, instructors and pilots

3. Approved go ahead for planning for Theological Education by Extension & Correspondence School

4. New Tuition & Room and Board fees approved for Semester beginning September 2007.

5. Approved for Dean to continue communication and seek credentials from teacher in Tanzanian Province to see about possibilities of securing a live in instructor for up to three years

6. Approved Dean's request to look at accreditation for Moravian Seminary within five years.

7. Approved Dean's summer trip to Tanzania to teach on AIDs if requested by BWM

8. Approved Dean Interim Pastor support to the Bethel Moravian Church - May through October 2007.

9. Approved Dean's interest in doing seminary training support for BWM Outreach to Chukotak

10. Approved plan to deal with Seminary Deficit from years 2005-2006.

Next Moravian Seminary & Theological Institute Board of Trustees meeting is scheduled for August 20, 2007 with a secondary date - August 27, 2007.

If anyone is interested in obtain information about Moravian Seminary located in Bethel, Alaska or want to attend Seminary next Semester - September 2007, contact Dean Tom Conrad, anytime at (907) 543-4382.