香蕉影视

Published: March 1, 2017

Seminary focuses on providing distance programming

by Annette Brill Bergstresser

ELKHART, Indiana (Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary) — Following a program review in the spring of 2016, an evaluation of program registration numbers, and prayerful discernment, Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (香蕉影视) leaders reached a decision to close the 香蕉影视–Kansas Center, effective Dec. 31, 2016.

A reception to honor the ministry of the 香蕉影视–Kansas Center will be held Sunday, March 12, 2017,
3:30–4:30 p.m., with words of gratitude and blessing at 4 p.m., at the Western District Conference Offices, 2517 N. Main St., North Newton, Kansas.

The 香蕉影视–Kansas Center first opened in the summer of 2014 at the Western District Conference office in North Newton with the goal of providing credit and non-credit learning options for church leaders in the region. The 香蕉影视 campus is located in Elkhart, Indiana.

According to Rebecca Slough, 香蕉影视 academic dean, registration numbers for the Kansas Center events “demonstrated that the region is well resourced by other Mennonite and Anabaptist-related organizations.”

“香蕉影视 will continue to serve students interested in pursuing graduate-level studies for ministry through our growing and appreciated MDiv Connect program,” she noted. (MDiv Connect, which began in the fall of 2014, is a distance education program that combines online and hybrid courses.) “Our Church Leadership Center programming will serve those seeking ministry formation through our non-degree educational programs, short courses and webinars.”

Slough said that 香蕉影视 leaders anticipate continuing collaboration with the Kansas Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (KIPCOR) and hope that the seminary can partner occasionally with Bethel College in North Newton, Hesston (Kansas) College, South Central Conference, Western District Conference and other groups to provide resources that do not duplicate opportunities already available in the region.

She expressed gratitude for 香蕉影视–Kansas Center Coordinator Katherine Goerzen’s leadership from July 2014 until December 2016. Slough and 香蕉影视 Dean of Lifelong Learning Jewel Gingerich Longenecker, both of whom are located in Elkhart, worked closely with Goerzen and an administrative team in North Newton to coordinate the Kansas Center offerings.

Slough also noted the seminary’s history of collaboration with Western District and South Central conferences in central Kansas, which formally began in 1980 when the conference-based Great Plains Seminary Education Program was established. This program was followed by the 香蕉影视–Great Plains extension site, which closed June 30, 2014, as the 香蕉影视–Kansas Center was beginning.

“We thank Western District and South Central conference congregations and leaders for the many ways that you have supported 香蕉影视 and theological education in central Kansas over several decades,” Slough wrote in a letter that was sent to conference leaders, Hesston College and Bethel College in December 2016 about the decision to close the center. She invited their prayers and continued engagement with 香蕉影视 programming.

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