NEST Newsletter for September 2011
Read the newest newsletter from the Near East School of Theology
To All the Great Friends of the Near East School of Theology
“How great is your goodness stored up for those who fear you,…Blessed be the Lord, whose unfailing love for me was wonderful”
Dear Friends,
Greetings to each and every one of you from me personally and from the whole community at NEST. All of us here believe that our greatest wealth is in you, our friends – Our most successful ministry depends on you – Your prayers uphold us, and your support helps us continue, and having you as partners in the service of Christ gives us hope for a bright future. Thank you for your prayer, support and partnership! May God Almighty continue to bless and guide you. May God be present to you in all your ways. Indeed the high point of my service the last seventeen long years has been in communicating with you, visiting with you and sharing our concerns with you. Indeed getting to know you and listening to your guidance and advices have all become part of who I am. Thank you for being you! I praise God who has been so faithful to this nest of theological education. For over 150 years a caravan of ministers, in so many countries who were trained at NEST witnessed to God’s grace and help. NEST has always been a wonderful institution and is a real place for the many who seek theological education and commit themselves to the service of Christ.
Our Friends, I know it has been long since I have sent you news about our ministry and I owe you the full story of how God sailed us safely through this academic year, 2010-2011. Living and serving in the Middle East, particularly this year has been of deep concern for all institutions. The term “the Arab Spring” has been all seasons – stormy winter was an experience in almost all of the countries that have been witnessing the political unrest. Indeed liberation is of high cost, and surely needs visions of high maturity. Unfortunately so far chaos superseded programs and strategies. Therefore, many of us fear a dark future. Violence, that have been attached to extreme religious slogans worry us as Christians. The question about effective Christian presence is on every one’s mind. Ambiguity raises the level of our anxiety and the uncertainty of the motives of certain groups keep us on tiptoes. Please pray for peace and social justice for all in this part of the world, most specially for Syria. The situation there has been the most puzzling. Fortunately, Lebanon in the last few months seems to be the most stable, as the outrage of our politicians remained with words of accusations and counter accusations. May we all be spared the break of violence. May we here and around the world have peace and political stability and social justice.
Dr. Mary Mikhael
President