Annual Thanksgiving LTS 2013

Somehow a whole week has slipped away and I have found not time to mention last Saturday's event in Finchley. It was an excellent time with good chairmanship from South Africa based Irving Steggles, chairman of the board and a streamlined service that is still on the long side but is done very well. The Principal's report From Robert Strivens is kept short, with names of visiting lectures now on a hand out. The sheet with all the students pictures and names is a good innovation, although I seem to have lost mine somewhere. David Green interviews each man in turn. The men leaving this term were as diverse a bunch as ever.

We were particularly interested in Karl Gilliham who with his wife Rebekah, who is Korean, will be off to Korea this next week. Exactly what lies ahead is not clear. Karl and Rebekah (whose father is a famous sculptor in Korea) were placed with us for the two years and we have enjoyed getting to know them. Karl and I would not see eye to eye on several points but a more gracious Christian I have yet to meet. Similarly, Andrew Lolley from Leeds with his wife Jill have been with us over these two years. We have got even closer to them as they live in our church buildings and have actually become members of the church. Andrew is working with me for the next couple of months and may be more as the future begins to shape up.

We also got to know a little young Emediong Samuel from Port Harcourt in Nigeria, on placement with us earlier in the year, and another London based Nigerian Kehinde Omotoye from Hackney who we know, I guess, from the Aberystwyth Conference.

The other men were all interesting too (Canadian, British, Korean, etc). We also had an excellent sermon from Rupert Bentley-Taylor from Bath from 2 Timothy 4. Taking the second part was a pleasant and refreshing change. Tea on the lawn in the sunshine and chatting with old friends is always a joy, of course. LTS is a real blessing.
I should have added that time was also found to make presentations to retiring lecturers Robert Oliver and Basil Howlett. Basil has lectured on pastoralia for several years and Robert on church history for even longer.