Dear Friends,
Greetings from the New Theological Seminary of the West!
As we emerge from the COVID pandemic (I understand the hope in that statement!), and start a new academic year, I wanted to reach out and give you an update on the work of NTSW.
The shutdown over the 16 months accelerated our work in online education. We’re learning from what other institutions are doing, and even more importantly, we’re developing our own skills and technologies that will allow us to provide the unique qualities of our seminary to eager students. All of it is designed to serve the wider church.
We have broadened our focus in this past year beyond traditional degrees. Don’t worry! Our degree programs are alive and well and prepared to serve students who are training for service to congregations. We offer creative MA, M.Div., and D.Min. degrees that prepare and enrich church leaders across the country. But we’ve also had a healthy season of self-reflection, and that has led us to some new questions and areas of service. How can we best serve the Kingdom with the skills and experiences that are represented in the NTSW family? We are well on our way toward offering an exciting new slate of educational and training opportunities.
The jewel in this new project is our existing Certificate in Spirituality and Aging program, which is now available fully online. We are also offering our Certificate in Christian Ministry to lay leaders, Presbyterian Commissioned Elders, and others who are looking for foundational preparation for ministry. The NTSW of the future will include training for specific skills and roles that serve Christ in the workplace, on military bases, in first responder centers, and yes, even in churches.
This is an exciting time in our history, and I’m inviting you to be a part of it. These new directions require some additional investment on our part, and your generous support will help us accomplish these goals with excellence. As we begin a new academic year, would you consider a gift to help us do the work God is directing us to do? You can give to the general work of the seminary, or to a specific project or program. We are so grateful for your partnership in this work, and we look forward to reporting on these new efforts in the years to come.
If you have questions, you can email me directly at president@ntswest.org. I’ll answer your questions if I can, and direct you to the right person if necessary.
Thank you in advance for your gift to NTSW!
Blessings,
John A. D’Elia
President and Professor of Christian History and Culture
