Theological Education

Record enrolment for PTC 2011

Jesus told his disciples to “Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest field” and ever since the church has repeated that prayer. The start of each year at PTC is evidence that God hears that prayer as people commit to theological study aiming to be part of the Lord’s work.

This year PTC has welcomed more than 50 new students. In first semester there will be more than 150 students enrolled in first semester. These include 55 full-time students, the largest ever enrolment. By the end of the year PTC expects to have enrolled a record of well over 200 students.
On January 31 many of the new students came to Orientation Day. Ian Smith, the principal, welcomed them to PTC and challenged them to be part of what God is doing, rather than think about what they will do.

Murray Smith, the academic Dean, and other staff members took students through the details of PTC life, from parking and lockers through chapel and
pastoral care groups to assignments and due dates.The room was full of animated conversations as students met, found connections with each other and anticipated a year of study ahead.
Some of those students are candidates for the Presbyterian Church or are planning to apply to be candidates.

Mike Bosshard from Gosford and Dawrin Aghari from Indonesian Presbyterian Church Randwick are candidates and five others are planning to apply to be candidates. One new student is hoping to become a candidate for the Fellowship of Congregational Churches.

Many students are starting part-time studies to enrich their present ministries in home, work and church.

Some are ministers who are starting some further study, others are “testing the water” and thinking about vocational ministry.

John Murray is enrolled in the one year Graduate Diploma of Divinity before he and his family go to Ecuador with SIM and Mission Partners.

Two of the new fulltime students, Sylvia Sui and Millie Mak are wives of current students. Both of them will have the fun of doing Christian Worldview in the same class as their husbands!

As in every year, the PTC student body is a rich mix of backgrounds. Several new students are also enrolled with the Chinese Theological College of Australia (CTCA) with which PTC has a joint venture.    Along with these students from Chinese backgrounds, new students from PTC come from Japanese, Korean, Kenyan, Egyptian, and Indonesian cultural backgrounds.

About 15 students are doing Ministry Training for Women and more than 25 students are enrolled in the Diploma of Theology with PY and Anglican Youth works.

WHAT TO PRAY FOR PTC:

• Pray that new students will settle into routines of study and benefit from their studies.
• Ask the Lord to provide for students who have left work in order to study full-time.
• Pray that all students will grow in the knowledge and love of God and be well- prepared for godly living and effective service.
• Pray that lecturers will be faithful to the Lord and his word as they study and spend time with students.
• Pray for energy and diligence for the support staff at PTC: Susan Finlay (Administrator); Laurie Bradey (Library); Allister Lum Mow (Registrar); Caron Balzer (Bursar); Ian Brunton (Caretaker).