Gearing up

Gearing up firstly for the Pacific Theological College's 50th Anniversary - 1965-2015. I must say it's an added bonus that being a mission partner here coincides with all the excitement of this. There's a huge, special day of celebration planned for 6th March - watch this space - and in anticipation of that, there are briefings and instructions pretty much every day. The resident community (male) found themselves repainting the Chapel today (Saturday), God Bless em. Others of the community (women) including myself prepared meals. Discuss. I couldn't resist borrowing a paintbrush for a few seconds though. Mine's the bit about half way down the drainpipe. Artistic excellence. Here's Fr Sam Koi and friends sloshing it around with Fr Robert Santa raising a hand in blessing! 

(We checked the tins hadn't been tampered with and watered down of course. Wouldn't do to have the Clergy reprimanded, 'Repaint and do not thin again').  

Gearing up too in the residential community for classes and assignments and dissertations and all that. The library's been a buzz of activity this week as these snaps show.

Here, Nalini, who's in charge, introduces new arrivals to our online catalogue and resources. We have close to 27,000 printed volumes and collection areas include General, Theses, Periodicals, Reserve, Reference and Pacific research materials. Some topic areas could really do with strengthening and that's a work in progress. It's an admirable resource though and organised using the familiar Dewey Decimal Classification system and the Sears list of Subject headings with an on-line public access catalogue available both in the library and from outside. Dip into it here if you're interested. Interlibrary loan, photocopying and scanning services are also available.

Suliana and Anna are full of helpful advice, especially for those for whom computer and online worlds are fairly new. People differ considerably in competencies, depending on their previous context and experience. For Extension Studies students, as I've said before, it's very unusual to receive a word processed script or an assignment by e-mail. For residential students, being at PTC is a great opportunity to upskill. 

The library is named after the Revd George A. F. Knight, a missionary and Old Testament scholar who died aged 93 in Dunedin, New Zealand in 2002. He was the first College Principal here in 1965, retiring in 1973. The International Bulletin of Missionary Research records that he was born in Scotland, ordained by the Church of Scotland and directed the Scottish Mission in Budapest, Hungary from 1935-40. From 1947 to 1965 he taught Old Testament and Hebrew at Knox College and the University of Otago, Dunedin; St. Andrews University, Scotland; and McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago. He was a prolific author and his major work, A Christian Theology of the Old Testament (1959), was reprinted in paperback in 1999. Under the splendid title What Next? Knight's autobiography was published in 1980. I've yet to read this, but the sentiment couldn't be more apt for the Pacific Theological College in this its 50th year.

During library briefing and orientation, students are given the usual warnings about penalties incurred for misuse of resources, overdue books, plagiarism etc. And then the notice board offers some cheerful additions...

And especially for those of our European readers whose energies are currently being sapped by the six nations rugby, here's the 1968 PTC squad picture, also proudly displayed in the library. Unlikely there'll be one of the 2015 team though. Standards have slipped...

If you're able and willing, please pray...

For the Pacific Theological College in its 50th year

For our celebration preparations, that we can look forward 

constructively as well as giving thanks retrospectively

For staff who serve here so faithfully, some with many years of service 

behind them, and for those who are newer and learning

For those we call 'students' who bring so much experience

of leadership from across the Pacific region; that their time here 

will build and bless them, their churches and communities

Amen

How beautiful are the feet of those who bring 

good news! Romans 10.15

Outside the College Chapel during worship