From:         Friends Of WATS [prayerletter@watsonline.org]
Sent:          Monday, June 1, 2009 A.D.
To:              Friends of WATS
Subject:    Praise and Prayers for June 2009
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  Issue No. 6
June 2009 A.D.
Friends of WATS Prayer Letter
In This Issue
20th Anniversary
Praise Notes
Prayer Requests
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Dear Friend of WATS,

20th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

WATS celebrates 20 years of service in Nigeria, Africa
"I will sing of the LORD´s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations." (Psalm 89:1 NIV)

Thank God for His awesome help throughout May, and particularly for His blessing through the third week, as we celebrated twenty years of WATS history. And thank YOU for joining us in praises to God!

Praise Notes

Praise Notes
  1. Highlights of the WATS TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY, May 19 – 23, 2009:

    1. Tuesday, May 19th witnessed an intensive seven-hour take-off of a WATS institutional evaluation to be continued over the next two months. Twenty-five participants met to discuss our past, present and future. The chairman of our Governing Council was there, and Dr. Gary S. Maxey moderated sessions re-evaluating the core values and mission of the seminary. The participation of our returning doctoral students (i.e. William Udotong, Acha Goris and Emmanuel Ogunyemi) was particularly helpful. We look forward to the continuation of these sessions in July, under the moderation of Dr. Edward L. Beaver.

    2. Wednesday, May 20th – Friday, May 22nd was delightfully highlighted by a preaching conference under a huge tent entitled the "Power of the African-American Pulpit". The conference was led by Dr. Ralph Douglas West (Church Without Walls, Houston), Dr. Maurice Watson (Beulahland Bible Church, Macon, Georgia), and Dr. Sola Aworinde (Lagos). These outstanding preachers were in top form, with excellent lectures and anointed preaching. Praise was led by Willie Kitchens and Jeff Seay. We did not have 2,000 pastors as we had hoped, but the several hundred there were blessed with this great conference.

    3. Friday, May 22nd:
      • The Governing Council met and selected the next provost of WATS, Pastor William Udotong (see details at watsonline.org/provost.html).
      • The annual meeting of WATS alumni was conducted, with gradually increasing involvement in the ministry and support of the seminary.

    4. Saturday, May 23rd witnessed an exciting triple-header:
      • The Graduation of 114 students.
      • The cutting of the WATS birthday cake.
      • The awarding of seven honorary doctorates.

      The crowd of over 2,500 was more than we could handle (a local newspaper rather humorously reported the crowd as "over 30,000!"). Professor Pat Utomi´s address was excellent. It was a day never-to-be-forgotten by those present.

  2. The highlight was the first-time awarding of honorary doctorates to people who have been a very special blessing to WATS and who have otherwise distinguished themselves as worthy of these honors:

    1. Brigadier General Samuel L. Teidi (rtd), Doctor of Humanities. Though he was unable to be with us in person because of his medical "detention" in London, he was represented by Admiral Victor Ombu. General Teidi has excelled in public service since his retirement from the Nigerian Army in 1992, and has been an outstanding supporter and trustee of WATS for many years.

    2. Chido Nwangwu, Doctor of Humanities. Chido is the editor of USAfrica newspaper and CLASS magazine, a CNN correspondent, and generally the leading African journalist in the US, as well as a fifteen-year supporter of WATS.

    3. Rev. B. C. K. Obiako, Doctor of Divinity. Kofi has been with WATS since its very first day, and has served in multiple capacities, especially representing WATS to the public both inside and outside of Nigeria, and faithfully serving as a trustee for many years.

    4. Rev. Leroy Adams, Doctor of Divinity. Rev. Adams served as WATS´ first Academic Dean, music teacher and missions leader, and now has a distinguished fifty-year history of mission service in East Africa, West Africa and recently in Egypt, as well as in Europe.

    5. Rev. Donald R. Plemons, Doctor of Divinity. Rev. Plemons his church in Illinois have shipped more than forty overseas containers to WATS. He has served on the Friends of WATS board for many years.

    6. Rev. Bernard Dawson, Doctor of Divinity. Bernie served on the WATS Governing Council for eight years, and has supported WATS with vigor both financially and by sending many international students.

    7. Rev. Alan Bullock, Doctor of Divinity. Alan is assistant to the president of Daystar Television Network, and has been a widely sought-after evangelist and supporter of WATS for several years.

  3. Encouraging progress was made in May on our chapel construction. Dr. Ira Pence concluded his own work early in the month, and Dr. Donald Plemons put in two weeks of work later in the month, along with a WATS work crew. Floor joists are going up, and progress is being made despite the slow pace of the fundraising!

  4. In early May Dr. Emmanuel Ogunyemi concluded his Masters module in Research Methods, while Dr. Selome Kuponu (Lagos State University) wrapped up his own module on Johannine Literature. On May 25 Dr. Leroy Adams began a two-week module on Cultural Anthropology, while Dr. E. Ola Adeogun (LIFE Theological Seminary) launched a module on The History of Israel, and Kalu Okechukwu took several Masters students through Greek Syntax and Grammar.

    5.  

Prayer Notes

Praying Hands
  1. Pray about continued delays in the clearing of our overseas containers, including the World Missionary Press container with 1.5 million scripture booklets, building materials for the chapel, and other seminary properties, including our new tractor! May God see us through successfully!

  2. Pray for the conclusion of Masters modules now underway. Also, on June 9, Dr. Victor Reasoner starts the first of two back-to-back modules in Systematic Theology. Later in the month Dr. John Hucks (president of Southern Methodist Church, USA) starts a module in New Testament Theology and Dr. Emmanuel Ogunyemi teaches Graduate Teaching Methods.

  3. Pray for the continuation of the chapel construction, including the arrival of a team from Due West United Methodist Church, Atlanta, led by Bruce Remick. In addition to completing the flooring for the chapel (up to the half-way mark, which will allow initial chapel occupancy by the resumption of undergraduate classes in August), the team will install two water purification systems in key areas of need around the Lagos.

  4. Pray for a very special conference on discipleship especially targeted to WATS alumni, June 21 – 27. The conference is led by Richard Greene, and is part of the highly-successful Keystone project sponsored by the Missionary Church and conducted globally over the past few years. Pray that God will make it a huge success for the pastors in attendance, including several from other African countries.

  5. Finally, continue to pray for God to send in the needed support for WATS during these days of huge financial stress brought on by global economic conditions. God is faithful. This ministry is moving ahead with vigor and enthusiasm, but more than ever before we need the support of God’s people. Our God is faithful!


 
Thank you for standing with us! As never before we must work together as a TEAM. God bless you!
BULLETIN:  (1) Check www.watsonline.org for giving online, either using your credit card or an automatic bank draft.
(2) WATS needs people with library science training to spend two weeks helping with our library automation effort.
(3) WATS needs expert carpenters to lead Nigerian teams in decking our mezzanine level. Is that YOU?
Friends of WATS   WEST AFRICA THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
PO Box 490306   PMB 003, Ipaja
Lawrenceville, GA 30049   Lagos, NIGERIA
Ph: 678-226-4733 or 404-895-0018   Ph: +234-1-898-1676 or 1914
Fax: 404-806-4433   EM: GMAfrica@aol.com
  Yours for the African Harvest,
Dr. Gary S. Maxey


Dr. Gary S. Maxey