Alumni Association.

I recently got an email from one of the colleges I attended, asking me to fill out a survey for the alumni association. Every University that I graduated from has an alumni association, for various reasons. One. To continue encouraging the students, keeping in touch, helping them network with others, etc. Two. To inform the alumni about the news at the university, help them understand some of the changes, involve them in some of the decision making process. (CIU where I went even invite alumni to stay up to two nights a year free at some nice rooms that the school built for that purpose.) Also to inform alumni about other alumni, and continue to encourage the relationships. Three. Yes, to encourage alumni to give to the institution financially for both operational purposes and extra projects.

We don't have many alumni, (aprox. 350), but I would like to start building this concept, because I would like to add a selfish #4. I would love to promote a real attitude of support from the alumni to the institution of Portantorchas. Before you get nervous, I already mentioned financial support in number 3. Since I graduated from Christian Universities this is true of them as well. They have encouraged us to support them and the staff in prayer and even other ways. Did you know that a note of encouragement from alumni to staff goes a long way? Did you know that our staff often get very discouraged in their jobs and could use prayer?

So, tell me what you think? Do you think it's a good idea?

I added this in English, because the majority of our alumni are english speakers, and it's late at night so I will translate it and add it in Spanish tomorrow.

Reading the Bible, part II

In my last post, I wrote about how we "encourage" our students to read the Bible and I want to further to encourage you to do so by mentioning a way in which my personal Bible study has been enriched during the last year: listening to good teaching. I bought myself an Ipod last Christmas and I have been surprised by how little I have listened to music (I still love music and my Ipod has more music than I can probably listen to in a year). Instead, I have enjoyed listening to Bible teaching through Podcasts. One of the sermons I listened to was talking about the "means of grace" and listed the teaching of the Word of God among them. In many ways, I feel that I have experienced God's grace towards me through listening to His Word being taught. I would like to encourage you to consider listening to one of the following teachers and see how God's Word speaks to you as you listen (click on the name below):

Alistair Begg

Jill and Stuart Briscoe

Richard Dahlstrom

Dr. Michael Easley

Mike Fabarez

Charles Price

Also, all of these, except Charles Price, are also available through iTunes.