Prayer Request - Dec 2021

Friday, December 10, 2021

Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,

The celebration of our Saviour’s birth and the beginning of a New Year are fast approaching. Here at CRTS we have much to be thankful for, confessing as King David did, that our “times are in your hand,” O Lord, and therefore we trust fully in care and guidance of our heavenly Father (Ps 31:14-15). Allow me to share a few highlights with you, asking that you also include these matters in your public and private prayers:

• Our 31 students are doing well. For almost the entire semester we have studied God’s Word and related subjects together in-person and on campus, except for one student from South Africa who is studying with us online until he is able to obtain his study visa. It has been such a joy to see each other in the same room, have coffee together, and chat after class in the halls. We always knew that face-to-face education is the best, and our experience this semester has only confirmed that. We praise the Lord for this reinvigorating time we have enjoyed!
• You may well have caught that word “almost” in the previous paragraph. Right at the very end of the semester we had some COVID cases in our seminary community, so some students had to write some of their exams online. Thankfully, everyone is doing well, though, and those who became ill are on the road to recovery.
• Speaking of recovery, we are delighted to have Dr. Ted Van Raalte back in class, after his serious crash and brain injury earlier this year. Considering the severity of that injury it is truly remarkable that he can take up his teaching tasks again. All praise to the Lord for that! The Board of Governors is taking care that his workload is gradually increased. May the Great Physician restore full strength and stamina to our brother.
• We appreciate the ongoing labours of our retired professors. Recently, one of our emeriti, Dr. C. Van Dam, along with a contribution from Dr. A.J. De Visser, published a new book, Worship Matters. Since the weekly worship services are, in many ways, the heartbeat of the church, you will certainly find this book both relevant and readable. https://press.reformedperspective.ca/product/worship-matters/
• As you may have heard, we have renovation plans on the go at CRTS. With the growing size of our student body and the increasing age of our building, it is time to do more than apply a fresh coat of paint. In short, we hope to knock down some walls and put in some supporting beams to create a larger classroom and an open-concept area for our student lounge. In addition, the heating, cooling, and electrical systems will be updated to modern standards. Many of you have already contributed generously to the Partnership in the Gospel campaign. Thank you so much for your generosity! More details can be found here: canadianreformedseminary.ca/partnership.html.

We remain sincerely grateful of your dedication to, and support of, our seminary. May the Lord also bless you and your loved ones at this festive time of the year.