Dear friends,
This coming week, a chapter is closing on our lives at this end, and I plan on this being the final prayer mail related to our mission work. Of course, we could always use your prayers in the times ahead as you happen to think of us.
The following is based on my final note to people involved in the distance learning program, sent Saturday:
Distance learning update for Saturday, 24 September 2016:
Good day!
1) This is planned as my last weekly distance learning update before my attention will be focused in other ministry directions, with a few exceptions. Aside from individualized emails, for any future distance learning updates please look to the announcement section of the distance learning Web site.
1a) As one of my remaining connections, I am currently revising the Christian Doctrine/Christian Theology course to be a Christian Doctrine/Christian Theology course with an Anglican perspective, instead of an additional course focusing specifically on Anglican Doctrine/Anglican Theology. It may be finished in a few weeks.
1b) When I have finished that project, another of my remaining connections that I am planning will be to work with the Main Administrator to turn the current notes and slides from the individual courses into Kindle-based documents that can be downloaded from the Internet.
2) One of our students is nearing the very end of the final course in the program.
3) These courses will be open for the rest of 2016. Beginning in 2017, I plan to be the Benefactor of the course Web site, to keep it open for all of 2017 and for as much as I can beyond, but I won’t know for sure how this will work until January 2017.
4) Three people have stepped up as my replacements in the following capacities:
Main Administrator.
Curriculum Design Director.
Dean of the Faculty.
This has been a full week in other aspects of ministry and in family life as well.
Prayers:
1) For guidance on the path ahead are appreciated, including a smooth transition, and also for people in Belize in the wake of my departure.
2) For the transition of the Diocese of Belize Web site to the creation of a new one in due course.
3) For the publication of the Spanish Prayer Book, scheduled for this month, but I have not heard anything about it.
4) For the parishes and other matters that we are involved with. Julie continues as a hospital chaplain. I continue as an Interim Rector. Lydia continues as a student.
And mission work? As you can see from the above, there is a small bit to do yet. In the near term, Julie and I both continue as Associate Missionaries with SAMS, probably for as long as we have a missionary connection of some sort with Belize, unless something changes.
My prayer for you, this week, is that you would be open to what the Holy Spirit is guiding you to do and say.
God bless you, in Jesus’ Name,
Fr. Shaw, and on behalf of Rev. Julie and Lydi