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| Fortieth Anniversary Celebration: |
Graduation Day 2009 was also the occasion for the public celebration of the fortieth anniversary o f PTS. The decision to start a new Seminary was made on 1 February 1969 at a joint meeting of two Presbyteries – Saharanpur Presbytery of the Reformed Presbyterian Church and the North India Presbytery of the Bible Presbyterian Church.
Some founding and long-term members of the Board, teachers who served at PTS in previous decades, and the first batch of students were remembered and honored at the service. Rev. Gordon R. Taylor and Dr. David Fiol (founding Board Members), Dr. Bruce R. Fiol (Presbytery Member), and Rev. Isaac Kumar (student from first batch and former Faculty Member) shared their memories. They shared that the need for a Bible-believing Seminary to prepare pastors for the Church in North India was the main motivation for the founding of the Seminary. When the Presbyteries met, initially there was no unanimity, they recalled. However, after prayer through the night, the decision to start the Seminary in Roorkee was taken quickly the next day.
Throughout the year the Seminary family has been celebrating the anniversary. On February 1, 2009 a commemorative thanksgiving service was held along with the Covenant RPC, which meets at PTS. The theme of the celebration was “Yahweh – Our Shield and Our Strength.”
Dr. and Mrs. Chacko honored for their 25 years of service at PTS: The services of the Chackos at the Seminary for a quarter of a century were recognized at the graduation service this year. Dr. Chacko became the first Indian Principal of the Seminary in 1987.
Rev. Xavier Ignatious chosen as “distinguished alumnus”: This year’s Distinguished Alumni Award was given to Rev. Xavier Ignatious, who graduated from the Seminary in \'92 with a Bachelor of Divinity degree. During the last 15 years he served as Pastor of the Bible Presbyterian Church in Kanpur, U.P. Though faced with numerous difficulties and discouragements, he persevered and ministered to many. He and his wife, Belsi, have a son, Diatheke.iversary Celebration: |
| Basket ball court inaugurated: |
Dr. David Fiol, President of the Board, inaugurated the new Basket Ball court on campus on 29 Apr il 2009. The construction of this court was made possible through a generous gift from the Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, Northeast India (RPCNEI). A large number of PTS graduates serve this denomination as pastors and church leaders.
The Alumni Retreat brings back earlier graduates of PTS: Dr. Bruce R. Fiol, former Faculty Member at PTS, was the guest speaker at the Alumni Meeting held jut before graduation. Both earlier students and more recent graduates were encouraged by Dr Fiol’s ministry. New officers of the Alumni Association are: Rev. Manpal Singh (President); Rev. Anup Hiwale (Secretary); Mr. K.P. Yohannan (Treasurer);Mr. Chanreiso Lungleng, Rev. Isaac Kumar, and Rev. Roshyama Hrangchal.
M. Div Graduates Transitions to Ministries: Many of you have expirienced the new roads to ministries. Kindly uphold the following graduates of 2009 as they enter into the fields: * Dhruba Adhikari will be working with Aashish Presbyterian Church in Kathmandu, Nepal. His work will involve pastoral ministry, evangelism, preaching and teaching of the Word. * Sumit Kumar Naik will be working with the Good Shepherd Fellowship, a church planting ministry that meets in PTS campus under the Reformed Presbyterian Church of India. * Paulson Nirmal Singh has a desire to teach in a Bible college. He is waiting on the Lord for a specific place of ministry either in north India or Nepal. * Kingchar Namchu will go back to work with the United Church of North India in Darjeeling as an assistant pastor. He will also teach in the Darjeeling Hill Bible School. * L. Singson will be working with the Evangelical Church Association pastoring 7-10 village churches in Manipur. * Miss Nancy will be working among the women by taking Bible classes, self supporting work through tailoring, teach basic homiletics to unskilled preachers, assisting her father who has been a pastor in Punjab. Lawrence L. Ralsun and Sunil Khati will be working as an intern with the Valley Bible Fellowship, a church planting ministry under the Reformed Presbyterian Church under the leadership of Board member Rev. Phil Fiol here in Dehradun. * David Vijay Kumar will be assisting his father who is also a pastor in Andhra Pradesh. He will be involved in door to door evangelism and also teach in a Presbyterian Theological Institute in the state. * L.F. Tusing will go back to his home church in Manipur where he will be involved in youth ministry and social concern of the church. Rody Lalnghakzo will go back to her home church in Assam. She will be working among the women and children, leading the church to be a self supporting church and to support missionaries. * Laldawnsang will go back to Manipur to work with the Reformed Presbyterian Church Northeast India. He will be involved in a pastoral and youth ministry. (The remaining eleven B.Th graduating students will be announced in the next issue. We are grateful to the churches and sponsors for sending their candidates to PTS. Our prayers are with them and their families as they go to their fields of ministries)
Visitors: Dr. Wolter Rose of the Theological University in Kampen, the Netherlands, (TUK) visits PTS. Dr. Wolter Rose, Lecturer in Old Testament and Ancient West Asian languages at TUK, visited PTS to give lectures and to look into various avenues of cooperation between TUK and PTS in the future. In addition to teaching a few classes, he gave a lecture to the faculty of all the theological colleges in Dehra Dun. * Dr. George Omerly, accompanied by his wife, and Dr. Joseph Park from the US visited PTS and taught short courses.
Projects:
A mini bus (tempo traveler):
A mini bus is needed to be used for outreach ministries, class related and for official purposes. The cost is about Rs. 865,000. This is the main fundraising project for the 40th Anniversary of PTS.
Student Support:
There are several student candidates who are in need of support. Sponsor a student for 4 or 3 years by investing Rs. 55,000 or US $ 1,222 (M.Div), Rs. 45,000 or US $ 1000 (B.Th) per year as full support to cover tuition and boarding, or any amount as partial help.
Faculty Apartment Repair:
The floor of one apartment sank in the living room and bedroom when there was earthquake few years ago. The floors need to be re-made with marble chips. The cost of the project is Rs. 60,000/-
Widening of the canal:
The rainwater drainage 77 ft length need to be constructed with brick and cement as the present canal is not able to contain the rain water. As a result, the overflowing water damaged the public road and the neighbor's boundary walls. The cost of the project is Rs. 50,000/-
Computer needed:
Three computers are needed for Faculty members costing Rs. 23,000 ($510) per one desk top computer.
Gifts and donations indicating its purpose can be sent to any of the following:
• Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Saving Bank Acct No. 306802010008768, Union Bank of India, Dehradun. Swift Code No. UBININBBDER, IFSC: UBIN0530689
• MTW, 1600 North Brown Road, Lawrenceville, GA 30043, USA.
• ARMA, 12964 N. Bellwood, Holland, MI 49424, USA |
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