CRTS Update and Prayer Request – July 2021

Monday, July 5, 2021

The calendar has already been turned to July. With deep and sincere thankfulness to the Lord, we note that COVID regulations are becoming less restrictive throughout Canada, albeit in different ways and at different rates; nevertheless, the trend is positive. Congregations are once again worshipping together in-person and in larger numbers. This is an enormous blessing for God’s people! In their summer internships CRTS students also enjoy the opportunity to lead worship services with congregations gathering for indoor or outdoor worship services. May our heavenly Father so guide all things that this continues and that our faith, refined by these trials, bears much fruit to the glory of his name.

There are a few matters that I would like to draw to your attention.  Please remember them in your personal and public prayers.

• Our year-end chapel was led by Dr. A.J. De Visser and included an edifying and encouraging message from Deuteronomy 33:26-27, highlighting the “everlasting arms” of our God. Although it was written in the context of a semester that ended with stay-at-home orders and online instruction, it applies to many different circumstances in life.  You can find it by clicking here. Recommended devotional reading!
• This coming September we look forward to receiving the largest incoming class in the history of our seminary: ten Master of Divinity and two Bachelor of Theology students. Almost all of our students plan to be on campus, but due to challenges with obtaining student visas, a small number of international students will participate in the classes via livestream and other online tools. This brings our total student body to 32 full-time students.
• Dr. Van Raalte continues to recover well and has begun re-integrating into his work here at our seminary. We praise and thank the Lord for this!
• Recently our accrediting agency, the Association of Theological Schools, approved our application to offer our program online. Due to COVID, all seminaries received temporary permission to do this for one academic year. To continue with hybrid education (most students on-campus and some online) in future years, we needed to obtain this approval. CRTS remains convinced that the best way to train future pastors is through in-person instruction. However, there are certain situations in which this is not feasible. We work, then, with the principle of on campus as much as possible, online as much as necessary.
• In addition to summer internships for the students and summer research projects for the faculty, everyone at CRTS looks forward to some vacation time as well. May the LORD keep us all safe.

We remain thankful for the loving and generous support we receive from the churches. May the kingdom of our Lord be advanced, under his blessing and unto his glory.

Dr. J. Van Vliet, principal