Between posadas (Mexican Christmas parties...), services, homework, planning & preparation, the time has flown by and we're almost into the New Year - it's hard to believe! Three weeks and counting (down) until our first day of classes for CEC 2022 begins (my fingers accidentally typed "2021...."). I owe you all a bit of an update as it has been a while since the last one. I was hoping to be able to do this in person (for those of you in Manitoba) but it didn't work out - in hindsight, it would have been difficult even if I had been able to get out there.
Last time I had written, we were anticipating a reduced session of Consiervos, the missionary training course that was to take place during November. Unfortunately, for various circumstances we weren't able to move forward with it this year, but in its place we were able to spend a couple of weeks together with some of the leadership spending extended time in prayer, planning, and refining the program's vision for the future. Our hopes and prayers is that it will be able to run this coming year in May, following CEC's training program.
This, however, has allowed me to focus on my online studies through Briercrest. I was able to take in three courses this past year and just finished up a final paper on Romans 12:1-2 on the importance of the mind in the process of transformation. If I could boil it down to one sentence it would be the following: Knowing who God is, and who we are in Christ is the key to living in a new way. While we often focus on what we should do, we forget that the power of living in a new way comes from what God has done and continues to do in us. Having grown up in a Christian setting, these are things I know - sometimes the challenge is to deeply rest in and live out of these truths, these "new realities" for us as believers.
With only 19 days to go till classes start we are confirming students, putting the final touches on the teaching schedule, and looking forward to another season of CEC. Thankfully, the atmosphere in Mexico, while taking precautions, still allows for flexibility to continue with another session of classes - we are very grateful that classes have not been interrupted since they were first cancelled in 2019. We have four applications in, another several on the way, and others who will likely wait until the last minute (keeping us on our toes in anticipation!). I met with a pastor a couple of weeks ago who had heard about CEC from one of our alumni from last year. He was someone who "found" himself pastoring; by "found" himself, I mean that he responded to God's call on his life beginning a small church plant. Not having had any training, he heard about CEC and came to see what it was all about. As he talked about what he was looking for, biblical training, tools for ministry, growth in his relationship with God, it was as though he was already describing the program. He left excited to come, whether this year or the next. As it turns out, he will likely be sending one of the leaders of his church with the hopes that he will be able to come the following year.
We are also looking forward to offering the 2nd year program, with a strong interest on the part of a number of our past students. In all honesty, as I'm putting together our schedule, I'm already feeling the weight of it, not just the extra organization that it will entail, but also in light of how we are missing two staff members from last year, both Jose Luis (who passed away last March) and his wife Chayo (who has decided not to return on as staff). They have been an integral part of the CEC leadership, not only as teachers but as mentors, coworkers - as members of the CEC family for a number of years now. The one thing I'm realizing, though, as every year has demonstrated, change is the only constant! It's not a matter of if there will be big changes, it's just a matter of what they will look like. And usually they are of a kind and magnitude never expected. It seems that change is the norm! (By the way, I don't like change!). Yet, every year, whatever the unforeseen circumstances have been, they have worked out for good and helped us to remember to place our confidence always in God.
Thanks, again, for your continued prayers and support. As another year approaches it is easy to get overwhelmed by all that still needs to happen, how many students there will be, etc., etc. But at the same time the excitement to experience another season together with a new family of CEC students, watching them grow while also being challenged in the process, (etc., etc.!) is always worth it. I wish I could have seen many of you in person this year, but I look forward, Lord willing, to the opportunity to do so in the coming year. God bless each one of you this Christmas and New Years seasons! ¡Dios les bendiga!
