Near East School of Theology (NEST) - July 2021 Update

Graduates of the 88th commencement

Beirut, Lebanon

After a difficult year, N.E.S.T. joyfully held a Commencement Service on June 12. The last hymn sung, “Here I am, Lord,” is a hymn that became very popular at the seminary, especially after they acquired the Presbyterian hymnal for their Chapel services in the early 1990s. The words are based on Isaiah 6 where the prophet receives his call. The Lord asks, “Whom shall I send; who will go for us?”, and Isaiah responds, “Here I am Lord, send me.” The four M. Div. graduates asked that this hymn be sung. During the service, they presented a gift to the seminary in remembrance of their time at N.E.S.T. – a plaque on which is written those very words of Isaiah 6:8.

Dr. George Sabra, N.E.S.T.’s president, reflected:

I was deeply moved by their choice of the hymn and those verses from Isaiah. Here are fresh Middle Eastern graduates from a theological seminary who are declaring, “We are ready to serve you, Lord. Send us where you will.” Young men who will serve the church in Palestine, Syria, and Lebanon – three countries that are in terrible shape. Our graduates will be serving and living in countries where there is violence, oppression, occupation, severe economic, social, and political crises; three countries many of whose young people are emigrating, fleeing to find better conditions of living elsewhere. And here are young graduates singing, praying, declaring that they are ready to go where the Lord sends them.

Although most of N.E.S.T.’s normal extracurricular activities and educational programs, like the Public Lecture series and the Forum of Christian-Muslim Thought, could not be conducted due to the COVID-19 situation and the numerous lockdowns, nevertheless, the Resource Center for Christian Education has been active in organizing Youth and Children Ministry Online and Hybrid Seminars in Syria. Through cooperation with Mrs. Hala Bitar Khoury (part-time instructor at N.E.S.T. and helper with our Resource Center activities) and Dr. Pierre Filfili, and in collaboration with the Bible Society in Syria, around 7 sessions of training will be held in various Syrian cities between May and October 2021. Two of those sessions have already been held in Homs.

Our Outreach team at the newly renovated Grace Chapel

Our Outreach team, who visited in Lebanon in late May, spent time at N.E.S.T., as we always do, and were honored to find that our visit was acknowledged in N.E.S.T.’s June newsletter:

Travel and visits are rare in the days of COVID-19, but as soon as the situation started to improve and vaccinations were being administered here and abroad, some of N.E.S.T.’s old and faithful friends dared to travel and came to visit. On May 24, a delegation from The Outreach Foundation consisting of Marilyn Borst, Julie Burgess, Jack Baca, Mark Mueller, and Nuhad Tomeh visited the seminary ….

Please join me in prayer for and in celebration with this precious partner.

Marilyn Borst                                                                  
Associate Director for Partnership Development

Read more about the Near East School of Theology in Lebanon HERE.

THE NEED
The Outreach Foundation is seeking gifts totaling $20,000 for student scholarship support and general seminary operations. Outreach is also seeking funds for the Beirut Compassion Fund. You may make a gift HERE or by sending a check to our office.