Clay Quarterman went to the Netherlands in May, taking part in a consultation of reformed churches (EuCRC). Representatives shared from various seminaries, and the schools were interested to hear about our work in Ukraine, even asking for copies of the software we developed to track students and their assignments. Two of our Ukrainian Reformed pastors were also there, who were former ERSU seminary students. We also connected with old friends from Russia, and it was good to express the unity of the Church in turbulent times between our countries.
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Please pray for our seminary Registrar Helena and her husband Dima who is a graduate of our seminary and does our website and publications. Their infant son just died yesterday of heart failure. They live in Western Ukraine and were here in Kiev to get their son's heart operated on for a congenital heart problem. However, his heart gave out just 2 days before the planned operation. Please pray for the Lord's comfort. Such moments are the deepest and darkest of our human condition, when only the Gospel can offer hope.
We also ask you to praise God that our seminary session opened last month with 10 new students! It's a great new class, and they started out with a class on Hebrew (taught by our graduate from Minsk, Belarus) and Hermeneutics (taught by Dean of Students, Scott Andes). One new student was even coming down from St. Petersburg, Russia, but he got turned back at the border due to the war in the East! Please pray for Peace in Ukraine, and for reconciliation to follow. The Senior Class had courses on Eschatology (taught by President Erik Van Alten) and Christian Education (taught by Dr. Quarterman). Pray as all the students balance their personal, national, seminary and ministerial commitments!
The seminary is submitting our plans to the city of Kiev this month for our big Building Project to house our students. This would allow us to cut operating costs in half, but it may take us 2 or 3 years to complete. We will also need to sell our current office/library, and the market is way down , right now, due to the conflicts with Russia. Please pray for wisdom and God's timing and provision.
The Board of ERSU Seminary met last week, approving our plans and our Budget for 2016. Please pray for the Lord's provision -- especially for more churches and individuals to become Regular financial Supporters of the seminary. (MTW Account #95995 -- click here:
Ukraine: Kiev Seminary ERSU (95995)
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Fifteen Years!
by Clayq, Kiev, 7 August 2015
This year’s GRADUATION at ERSU Seminary was quite special. We celebrated the graduation of Sergei Nakul, not only our student and pastor of the Reformed church of Kiev, but also a regular interpreter for many of our ERSU classes!
This year was also special, since it marked the 15th YEAR of ERSU operation! We began our classes in May of 2000, so we celebrated this year with cake, flowers, speeches and gifts. Present were representatives from the Netherlands, USA, and even the countries of Georgia and Belarus! We also celebrated in a special place – the new sanctuary building of the Grace Reformed Church in Kiev!
Thank the Lord for our faithful donors, and for ALL the people: students, professors, wives and staff, who have been a part of our lives in these 15 years, making this ministry possible – training LEADERS for the churches of Ukraine and Eastern Europe!
CLICK HERE for more Photos of 15 Year Celebration of ERSU
President Erik van Alten, President Quarterman, and 2015 Graduate Sergei Nakul
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ERSU Student Updates, September 10, 2015
One new student came to us through “The Ark” Rehab Center that we had 10 years ago in Odessa. He’s now married with two kids and is on the Session of the Big City Presbyterian Church in Kiev! How mighty is our God to show grace to us, making us in His image, bringing us into His Covenant, and raising us up to usefulness in his Church!
We have a great group of new students, coming from a wide array of churches and places: one man left the Seventh-Day Adventist church in Belarus, became Reformed, and is now planting a church in the historic city of Brest; several students have come from the Lutheran church; and one student was coming all the way from St. Petersburg, Russia, but he was turned away at the border. Please pray for peace in our region!
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New President! New Vision! New Building!
- Kiev, August 2015, ClayQ
You haven’t heard much from us on this site, but it isn’t because things have been quiet!
During the past year, the ERSU Seminary Staff went through an intense period of Strategic Planning, presenting proposals to the Board for a New Vision, a New President, and even for a New Building!
In March 2015, Erik van Alten took over as the 2nd President of ERSU Seminary. He was inaugurated on May 30th. Dr. Quarterman will continue on Staff as Head of the Practical Department, especially developing new ventures in the area of Christian Education. The ceremony honored Dr. Quarterman for his 15 years of service as Founder and 1st President of ERSU.
The New Vision entails developing ERSU into a Regional Training Center. In order to reach this goal, we have decided to BUILD! This will not only increase our abilities and cut our costs, but it will also bring the school closer to self-support in the future. We are building a 5-story Study Center/ Kitchen/ Dining Hall/ Dormitory/ Office/ Library on the property of the Grace Reformed Church of Kiev. We received two generous gifts during this time. Along with the sale of our current offices, we will have the larger part of the funds for the building. We will need additional funding for outfitting such a facility.
This is an excellent time to develop education in Ukraine! New Laws and the New Freedom in Ukraine are opening many doors for private institutions such as ours.
Please join us in prayer and praise to the Lord, thanking Him for the past, and asking him for his provision for the future of education in Ukraine. May He walk us through the difficulties of a building program! Pray for wisdom and unity.
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