Dec 22, 2016
Rev. Nicholas J. Kersten
Director of Education and History
The Council on Ministry is happy to announce a new scholarship has been started by Sister Jasmine Lynch of the West Palm Beach, FL, SDB Church in honor of her husband, Pastor Alcott Lynch, aimed towards aiding pastors receive leadership and pastoral training!
In her establishment of the scholarship, Sister Lynch explained her husband’s legacy and the purpose for it:
“Pastor Alcott Lynch, charter member of the Miami and West Palm Beach Seventh Day Baptist Churches died on November 20, 2015, and was buried on December 7, 2015. Throughout his ministry, he had a heart for recruiting and training of Pastoral students. He saw that the “harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” Therefore, I think it is only fitting to establish the Alcott Lynch Scholarship in his memory for the training and education of students who would like to be Seventh Day Baptist pastors…”
The scholarship, which can be for up to $1,000 yearly, was officially established earlier this year. Preference for the scholarship is shown to minority students, as a means of ensuring educational opportunities for our increasingly multiethnic Conference.
Omari Rhoden, of the First SDB Church of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Omari Rhoden, of the First SDB Church of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is the first recipient of the scholarship. We are proud to honor Pastor Alcott’s memory with this new scholarship, which will aid in supporting Omari’s education in the 2016-17 academic year.
We are grateful for Pastor Lynch’s legacy and for Sister Lynch’s generosity in establishing this new scholarship. We look forward to honoring students with it for years to come as an ongoing tribute to Pastor Lynch’s service to the Kingdom of God.
Registration for Summer Institute on Sabbath Theology Is Open!
The School of Ministry will once again be holding Summer Institute classes in 2017. The class material this year will cover Sabbath Theology. The class consists of an online portion which runs from February to May, and an in-person intensive scheduled for June 4-9, 2017, at the SDB Center in Janesville, WI. These classes are for SDB pastors and leaders and are required for credentialing by the General Conference.
Tuition for the class for those not in a School of Ministry training program (Seminary Education or some SDBU classes) is $300, not including travel costs. Tuition assistance may be available.
Those wishing to participate can register online (https://goo.gl/forms/FcCwWXsLDqvFfcj13), download a paper form at the General Conference website: (http://seventhdaybaptist.org/summer-institute-2017-registration-open/), or contact Nick Kersten to be mailed a copy of the registration form. Registration forms are due January 25, 2017. Please contact Nick (nkersten@seventhdaybaptist.org; or call (608) 752-5055 ext. 1006) with questions or for more information.
