Treasured Friends in the Leadership Institute,
I write to you in anticipation of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Our hearts are filled with sorrow in the indescribable suffering of our Lord, but overflowing with joy in the victory of our Savior’s resurrection. With these mixed emotions, we express praise and gratitude to our Living God. We also give thanks for one another in our cherished Institute family and our opportunity to grow in our knowledge and to strengthen our leadership gifts.
In our Institute class on April 4, Derek Brown will lead our class on the subject of “Friends Classics” – major classical writings of Friends through the centuries. In the history of Christian devotional literature, many Friends writings are considered classics and have been published and re-published many times. Derek Brown, who is studying the Quaker classics as part of his Ph.D. studies, is eager to share with us diamonds of spiritual counsel from our prominent Friends, who lived at different periods in Friends history.
Derek is Chaplain and Chair of the Pastoral Ministry Department at Barclay College. As Professor, he teaches undergraduate courses in Bible, Theology, and Pastoral Ministry. He is also a Professor in the Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministry studies. Derek was my student (an excellent student) in the Teachings of Friends class that I taught. He earned the B.A. degree from Barclay College and the M.A.R (Master of Arts in Religion) from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary. He is a candidate for the Ph.D. degree at Johnson University. Derek’s doctoral studies are in Friends beliefs and church practices, particularly in the Evangelical Friends Church. His dissertation will be a significant resource for 21st-century Friends. Derek is married to Jessica Huffman, who was also an excellent student in my Teachings of Friends class. She is the great-niece of Max Huffman. Many Friends remember Max Huffman as past Director of Indiana Yearly Meeting’s Missions Ministries. Max came to me as a college student with the words, “I think God is calling you into the Friends pastoral ministry.” These words penetrated my soul and were a major stimulus for my life’s vocation in Friends Pastoral Ministry. Can you imagine the joy I have in God’s gift of being able to minister more than fifty years later with Max Huffman’s great-niece and her husband, Derek? God has blessed Jessica and Derek with precious twin daughters, and God will bless us with Derek’s clear and informed teaching.
Our hope is to make Derek’s class available to Friends wherever you are, so we will offer this class, as we do each class, at the following places: Bangor Liberty Friends Church, North Newton (at the home of Merl and Eunice Kinser), Lighthouse Fellowship Church (at the home of Jerry and Mary Louthan), Fowler Friends Church, Arkansas City Friends Church (at the home of Bud Lawrence), Friends Ministry Center (Wichita), Neighborhood Friends Church (at the home of Tom and Bonnie Bousman), Friends Bible Training School at the home of David Miller, Noatak, Alaska (Robert Sheldon, Superintendent), Faith Friends Church, Friends Community Church (Angleton), and Barclay College (Jackson Hall). YouTube videos of the Institute sessions in the past were viewed at Pratt Friends Church and Vancouver Friends Church. Other sites where the Institute has been held, and where the technology for viewing is available, include: Miami Friends Church, Booker Friends Church, Chandler Friends Church, Hesper Friends Church, Sudanese Community Church (Omaha), and Iglesia Amigos (San Antonio). You can view the class on YouTube here.
Friends have logged in and viewed classes from as far away as Africa and Asia.
It has been suggested that the Leadership Institute monthly classes provide wonderful opportunities to build community among Friends in our various churches. Perhaps one person each month could share for ten minutes a testimony or something about himself/herself. Let’s try it. I will be ready at 6:50 p.m. central time if you want to log in then. The presentation will start at 7:00 p.m. as usual. I hope you will share in fellowship with Derek Brown and others in our Institute family on Monday, April 4, 2016, when we will be glorifying God for the risen Christ.
– Dave Kingrey, Director of Leadership Institute
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