November 7, 2019
Last Saturday Pathways School of Ministry commissioned its 2019 graduating class in a ceremony in Ancaster, Ontario.
Pathways is run by the Central Canadian District of the Christian & Missionary Alliance and is designed to train people for service in the denomination. It offers an undergraduate certificate program in partnership with Emmanuel Bible College and a graduate certificate program in partnership with McMaster Divinity College (MDC).
The occasion was a joyful and encouraging one, with a keynote address from Professor Lee Beach of MDC and communion led by Rev. Aaron Gerrard. Beach, attuned to the cultural shifts happening in Canada, applied the biblical theme of exile to the church’s current experience and offered some exhortations about theological education in this context.
The graduating class included five students of the undergraduate program, three of whom are planning to continue their education at Emmanuel Bible College.
Representing Emmanuel at the ceremony were Assistant Academic Dean & Registrar Dr. Hughson Ong and Chief Business & Operations Officer Anita Boles. Ong was among the ministry and academic professionals who officially congratulated the graduates upon receiving their certificate.
The closing prayer was given by Rev. Janice Anderson, a professor emeritus of Emmanuel who specializes in intercultural studies.
Pathways is part of an important trend in Christian education, namely, the development of new and innovative methods of training church leaders. The undergraduate certificate program, in the words of Emmanuel president Dr. Stephen Roy, “represents a creative alternative” to more traditional ministry training, “packaged in a way that is accessible, affordable, and academically credible.”
The Pathways undergraduate certificate is one of the many innovative educational options Emmanuel currently offers. Other options are available through Open Learning and Distance Education.