News & Pix
If you have any Grace News, please contact Kathy Smith at 207-947-1665 or email at ksmith@gecs.us
GECS Library Soon to be Ready
The new library building (Maguire building) has been moved aside to put in a foundation for the building and the completion of the construction phase is scheduled for the end of July. It is hoped that the books will all be in place and the library fully functional by the start of the fall semester. The building is a new model home which has never been occupied. The first story is completely finished with three large rooms, one small room, and a full bath and the second floor has a large unfinished room for future expansion.
Huge Yard Sale Raised Money for Student Lounge
GECS again held a large sale this summer with lots of great items and amazing deals! It took place Friday July 2 from 9am - 3pm. Grilled dogs and baked goods were also available for purchase. All proceeds will go to the student lounge project.
Biblical Archaeology Class to Visit Archaeology Lab & Dig
During the summer, students in the Biblical Archaeology class will visit a working archaeological dig and laboratory at Colonial Pemaquid. The visit is part of the "hands-on" aspect of the course providing a scientific approach to the study.
GECS 2010 Commencement
On May 12th at Bangor Baptist Church, Grace Evangelical awarded degrees to the following students: Alice Sozanski of East Boothbay Harbor earned a Master of Arts in Theology degree. She will be an adjunct professor in the fall, teaching Academic Success. Bill Simpson, of Troy was awarded a Master of Arts in Ministry and Bill is the pastor of Milan Community United Methodist Church and in New Hampshire. Paul Zebiak of Brewer was awarded a Masters of Arts in Biblical Studies. Paul is on the Board of Trustees for Grace Evangelical and is continuing to study with us for a Biblical Language degree. Deborah Nadeau of Glenburn earned an Associate of Arts Degree in Ministry. She works at the school and plans to go on to get her Bachelor and Masters degrees. Lee Grinnell of Southwest Harbor was awarded an Associate Degree in Biblical Studies. Lee also plans to continue studying toward a Bachelor’s Degree.
Anna Phillips, a project faculty member, recently received her Masters degree in from Jerusalem University College in Israel. They do not have a graduation ceremony so Dr. Terry Phillips, her dad, was happy to recognize the degree and award her with a hood signifying her degree completion.
The evening started with a supper enjoyed by the graduates, their friends and family, students and faculty. Dr. Chris Gnanakan, adjunct faculty member and missions pastor at Bangor Baptist Church, gave the charge for the graduates. He challenged the graduates and all present to study God’s word and use His word as the ultimate guidance for their lives.
GREECE WITH GRACE Trip Inspiring
Dr. and Mrs. Smith and some GECS students returned March 3rd. from visiting the churches of the Corinthians, Philippians, Thessalonians and Bereans, as well as the Acropolis, Parthenon and Mars Hill where Paul boldly shared the Gospel. Everyone was very pleased with such an amazing opportunity and are excited to share about their trip!
"10 Tests" Conference a Success
GECS hosted a World religions course which began with the Ten Tests for Spiritual Truth Conference, on Sat Jan 9 with about 50 people in attendance. Dr. Jiim Beverley, Associate Director of the Institute for the Study of American Religion and Dr. Chris Gnanakan, Director of Training for Outreach to Asia Nationals were the instructors. The remaining class sessions were held at GECS from Mon to Thurs. Some students saw this event as a highlight in their experience as a student.
ACSI Approves Grace Evangelical
The Association of Christian Schools International has placed GECS on its list of recognised colleges to grant CEU's (continuing education units) for Christian school teachers and administers!
GECS Approved for GI Bill Benefits
Students who have served in the military can now receive tuition assistance from the Veteran's Affairs office as all of GEC/S programs have been approved!
GECS Shirts Available
There are various new apparel available for
purchase with Grace Evangelical College &
Seminary embroidered on them. The golf shirts
are $14 and $22 w/pocket. The regular long
sleeved is $20 and $26 XLT+, caps are $7.50.
Record Enrollment! Again!
This is yet another semester of growth for GECS! We have grown to over 47 students taking up over 92 seats in classes! That is a FTE or full-time equivalent of 24 students. Considering that GECS is only 8 years old, located in a small city (40K, with the closest city being 1 hour away and smaller still) and having a tiny amount of money to spend on advertising, GECS is doing very well! We can simply say, Praise the Lord! He has truly blessed this school!
27" VGA Monitor Donated by
Last summer while installing a home theater system, Connectivity Works received the customer's used but well-kept 27''VGA TV monitor and gave it to GECS. It will be used in the conference/classroom and free up the video projector that has been in use there and on the road for promotional purposes. This will extend the life of the projector as well. One year earlier CW donated the entire video projection and sound system for the chapel/classroom and our multi-line phone system. Thanks Dan and CW for your offering to the Lord's work at GECS!
Associates Degree Awarded to High School Student (Bangor Daily News Article 6/05/09)HAMPDEN, Maine — Amaris Temoso Buchanan was awarded a college degree before earning her high school diploma. The 17-year-old senior at Bangor Christian Schools on Sunday received an Associate of Arts degree in biblical languages from Grace Evangelical College and Seminary in Bangor. She won’t be handed her high school diploma until June 5. “Learning languages always intimidated me,” she said at Grace’s intimate graduation ceremony at Community Church of the Open Door on Main Road North, “but once I began studying, I just fell in love with it.”
The languages the Southwest Harbor student learned have not been spoken regularly for centuries. She studied ancient Greek, Hebrew and Syriac — the languages in which the books of the Torah and the Bible were written.
“The scripts of the languages, especially Syriac, are so beautiful,” Buchanan said. “Learning these languages and seeing how Scripture opens up using them has let me see the verses in a whole new light.”
Buchanan’s father is the Rev. Wayne J. Buchanan, pastor of Tremont
Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, on Mount Desert Island.
He also is the biblical language teacher at Grace and his daughter’s in-
structor.
“It was an absolute thrill to see all the hard work my daughter has done
recognized today,” the 54-year-old Southwest Harbor resident said Sunday.
This fall, Buchanan will attend Gordon College in Wenham, Mass., where she plans to continue her studies in biblical languages. Gordon is a nondenominational Christian college located 25 miles north of Boston.
Douglas Towle, 40, of Palmyra also earned his Associate of Arts degree Sunday. The part-time youth pastor at Grace Bible Church in Holden is working toward his Master of Divinity degree and ordination.
“When I was about 21 years old,” Towle said, “I began to really desire to do ministry work. But I didn’t have the opportunity to do the academic study until 2003, when I enrolled at Grace.”
He said teachers at the small college and seminary, which is made up almost entirely of nontraditional students, give “a lot of practical instruction.”
“Being able to learn within the context of ministry has been very helpful to me,” Towle said.
Grace Evangelical has Paid off its Property Loan!
It sounds unbelievable with the economy's down-turn, but God has provided and GECS is now debt free! Please continue to pray with us that we would remain faithful to God's leading for this educational, discipling and mentoring ministry!
Low Low Tuition!
Tuition at GECS is only $500 for a full 3 credit hour course! That is less than $152/credit hour! It is rare to find tuition that low, especially graduate tuition! There are also no additional fees (with the exception of late fees and course extension fees, and of course textbooks which generally only run about $50/course)!
Financial aid is available for those who qualify, up to $400 per course based on need, and $250 for pastors.
GECS is on the radio
Listen to Ministry Spotlight Wednesday 6:15 pm on WHCF 88.5 FM
Satellite Campus in Northern Maine
Dr. Bob Leland and his wife Ruth (Amber) are teaching Grace Evangelical
courses at State Street Baptist Church in Presque Isle, located on State Street, one block up the hill from Main Street. Anyone wishing to take a course in the Presque Isle area may do so for full credit from Grace Evangelical for the same tuition and fees as at the Bangor campus. We refer to this outreach effort as the Aroostook Project.
Dr. Leland and his wife have been missionaries to Indonesia with TEAM and teachers at Erickson-Tritt Theological College for many years, and most recently Dr. Leland has compiled a Greek lexicon for the Indonesian language.
For more information please call Bob and Amber at (207) 764-4886, or call, email or write us at Grace Evangelical.
Professor's Book Available
Communicating Like Jesus, A Discovery of the Master's
Methods, by GECS Dean and professor, Dr. Terrence W. Smith
is based on the methods of the most masterful of communicators
--Jesus Christ, following His earthly ministry chronologically, learning how He preached, taught and counseled people, and what made Him so effective!
"To preach and teach well, the place to start is with the preaching and teaching of our Lord. That's the place to start, the place to end, and the place to visit often in the middle. Terry Smith takes us to that place." - Jeffrey Arthurs, Ph.D., Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.
"Our Savior is definitely the MASTER COMMUNICATOR ... a superb job in presenting Him in this light ... well presented and summarized." - Wendell Calder, Evangelist, Local Church Evangelism.
Order your copy today! Call GECS at 207-947-1665, or order online at Amazon.com, Borders.com, Barnesandnobel.com or Books-a-million.com.
GECS Student Accepted at Liberty Theological Seminary
BA student James Carson was accepted into the MDiV. program
at Liberty ('07). He graduated, married and started directing a camp
& retreat ministry at Long Beach NJ in May of '06.
What's going on at GEC/S
View from I-95
The lighthouse in Bass Harbor, ME, represents Jesus Christ's Light and the buoy the faithful believer who helps guide.
Our Mission is to educate, equip and provide servant leaders for the Body of Christ to fulfill the Great Commission.
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