Dear Friends,
This is always one of the most exciting times of the year for the College. It’s also fair to say it’s one of the more nerve-wracking times of the year for both staff and students! We’re just over 2 weeks until classes begin and it’s a mix of energy and excitement alongside apprehension and anticipation! We’ve got returning students, some of whom are going into their final year with the apprehension of a dissertation lying ahead, but the excited anticipation of achieving their BD Hons! We’ve got new students coming from all over Scotland and further afield, excited to get started having joined up over the summer but filled with uncertainty about what lies ahead (we know they’ll be made welcome and settle in so quickly…but we understand their nerves!) And there’s staff, busily running around getting the last details sorted to make sure classes are ready and students are registered (a big shout out to our Academic Registrar, Ellie Bell, for her hard work particularly at this time of year!) After a summer of conversations and interviews anticipating the beginning of term, we’re nervous too! We want to make sure those who have been called to study and called to serve God get the best experience and formation they can at the College.
In preparation for all of that, this week we had our final preparation with the full teaching team going over class lists and assessments plans and all the details that need to be put in place before the start of term. It’s not long till we meet the new students on September 9th when we kick off a few days of Orientation. And there’s still time to join us…just! We aim to get applications in by next week so prospective students can join in with Orientation week. So this is the last call for a September start – every year there’s a handful of people who get the call to apply in early September so please do keep spreading the word around. You can read more about all of our classes in September here and if you’d like more information or a conversation about studying then email our Academic Director, Graham Meiklejohn (graham.meiklejohn@uws.ac.uk)
In and amongst the busyness of the start of term, we look forward to Al Cuthbert officially starting with us from September 1st and almost immediately thereafter, the core teaching team will travel to Manchester to join with fellow Baptist Colleges from around the UK for the annual Staffs Conference. This year the Baptist College gathering will be more sobering as we consider the implications of the loss of Spurgeon’s College. The English, Welsh, and Scottish Baptist Colleges issued a joint statement earlier in August and this will be one of the first opportunities since then for staff teams to think and pray together.
We always appreciate your prayers and support and we ask you to remember the College over these next few weeks and in particular we ask you to pray for our new students as they get ready to join the College. There are those who are moving quite a distance to be at the College; some are returning to study after a long time; yet others are moving into HE for the first time with some trepidation. We hope that you will join us in praying for them, that they may sense God’s presence and peace as they take this step into training for service in the Kingdom.
Ian Birch and the SBC Team
Prayer Points:
Please continue to remember us in prayer.
+ Pray for new students beginning studies – may they know God’s presence with them.
+ Give thanks for all our students, new and returning, as the College looks to equip for God’s Kingdom.
+ Pray for the staff team as they do their best to minister to students and teach in a way that reveals the love of God.
+ Give thanks for another academic year – we never take it for granted!
Thank you for your continued support and prayers as we continue to equip people to serve God’s Kingdom.
If you would like to receive the monthly prayer and news updates straight to your inbox, please sign up here