President’s February Newsletter
Dear Friends,
Ordination services reenact what the Holy Spirit has determined. God has called a person to ministry, and the church publicly confirms that work by laying hands on the candidate. The gesture originated in the wilderness when Aaron and his sons were ordained in Exodus 29:15. The new priest placed his hands on a sacrificial bull, and the people literally “filled the hand” or ordained the priest with the blood of a ram.
Most pastors carry that feeling into the pulpit and throughout the community. Their hands are usually overflowing with responsibilities and opportunities. Ordination symbolically fills their hands to proclaim the gospel, send the church on mission, and connect them to a community for the journey ahead.
This February at Northern, we’ve seen God continue to move in the hearts of our students and friends. We’ve met many people whose hands are filled with the daily tasks of ministry. They’re now discovering that Northern Seminary can train them to manage the responsibilities, deepen their faith, and sustain them for the adventure of church. Our hands are full and overflow with the important mission of training pastoral leaders for the church.
ATS APPROVES NORTHERN LIVE FOR MASTER OF DIVINITY AND MASTER OF ARTS IN CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES
NORTHERN SEMINARY ALUMNUS JOSEPH VO COMMISSIONED TO VIETNAM
Amy and the Rev. Joseph Van Vo of Garden Grove, California, have been endorsed to serve with International Ministries (IM) as development workers in Vietnam. They will work with IM partner the Baptist Convention of Vietnam (BCV) in Discipleship, Education and Economic Development. Their home church is the Vietnamese Grace Baptist Church in Fountain Valley, California.
JOIN US FOR A NORTHERN SEMINARY TRIP TO ISRAEL
HOSTED BY SCOT MCKNIGHT AND BILL SHIELL
Deadline for deposit to secure your spot is March 15
REGISTER NOW FOR A WEBINAR ON MULTIETHNIC CHURCH LEADERSHIP
WITH DERWIN GRAY AND MARK DEYMAZ
NEW PODCASTS AVAILABLE FROM SCOT MCKNIGHT AND DAVID FITCH
NORTHERN RECEIVES $75,000 CHALLENGE GRANT FOR THE GREATER CINCINNATI CENTER
Your friend,
William D. Shiell
President, Northern Seminary