A New (And Different) Academic Year

My work at EuNC has continually evolved from before I even arrived nearly two years ago. Originally tapped to run the library, I taught a class on campus, then started developing and teaching online courses, co-taught another class on campus, and became heavily involved with mentoring and supporting the campus students.

This week, a new academic year began and the campus is just as quiet now as it was the day after everyone left. They're not coming back, at least not anytime soon. Yet, make no mistake, EuNC continues in a new and expanded form so that students do not need to uproot themselves (or families), deal with hassles over visas or luggage or airfare, and can study for Christian ministry in their own immediate context. God knows what he's doing in Europe, and he knows how the people he calls into ministry over here need to be prepared.

For the next six weeks, each learning center is being carefully evaluated by members of administration located both here on campus and in the various areas of Europe. The primary focus was always on the campus, but that focus has now shifted to the learning centers. They are the new "faces" of EuNC. What's working? What needs improved? How do we solve various problems involved with decentralized education? Such questions are being dealt with over the next six weeks, and while not every detail can be known or anticipated EuNC is moving forward with a clear sense of mission and direction.

Several students have consistently asked me "How are you doing? How are you coping with the change?" Well, so far I'm doing just fine, and I don't anticipate a change for the worse. I knew they were leaving, I was prepared for the fact that they would not come back in the fall, and I quickly made the adjustment to a new routine. I miss the hilarity and the questions and the activity, and I miss the tight-knit friendship that developed between myself and several of them. Yet I'm enjoying the extra time, space and quiet as well, and don't anticipate getting bored with that. I like the fact that I'm getting to know remaining faculty and staff better. I like a lot of things about the change, though I definitely miss the students and very much hope a campus program will re-start sometime in the future.

I remain gladly available for however EuNC may see fit to use me over the next few months. I am developing one last course, Church History II; writing a brief series of Bible studies for "Engage" magazine; and exploring various possibilities and opportunities concerning our future once my work officially comes to an end at EuNC in December (we stay until the end of Gina's contract at the end of January).

Yet, as quickly as things change, who knows? I think and pray about the future regularly (most times, simultaneously). But not with a sense of worry. I've lived in ambiguity enough in the past that I'm learning a certain pattern for how I best make big decisions. It still feels funny not to have the slightest idea what is coming or what it will mean or where we will end up, but I have every confidence that it will be the right thing.