wfn.org | Newsline: Kulp Bible College in Nigeria holds 46th graduation ceremony

[CoBNews <CoBNews@brethren.org>]

Newsline: Church of the Brethren News Service, News Director Cheryl Brumbau gh-Cayford, 800-323-8039 ext. 260, cobnews@brethren.org

KULP BIBLE COLLEGE IN NIGERIA HOLDS 46th GRADUATION CEREMONY

(Dec. 18, 2009) Elgin, IL -- Kulp Bible College (KBC) held its 46th graduat ion ceremony on Dec. 4. KBC is a ministry of Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria ( EYN--the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria).

Fifty-five students graduated from several programs offered by KBC. Guests  from the village of Kwarhi--where the campus is located--and areas further  abroad in Nigeria were present to witness the granting of diplomas and cert ificates.

The school is the source of ministry training for pastors and church worker s within EYN. Graduating students from diploma and certificate programs wil l be placed in ministries--in roles such as pastor, evangelist, and Bible s chool teacher--by EYN National Headquarters.

For the Diploma in Christian Ministry (a four-year program), 19 diplomas we re awarded to 16 men and three women. Nine full-time students (eight men an d one woman) and five part-time students received the Certificate in Christ ian Ministry.

The Women's School granted 17 certificates to full-time students and five t o part-time students. The Women's School is an educational program to furth er the knowledge of women whose husbands are studying at KBC. Studies inclu de both practical (such as basic health concepts) and biblical/theological  content.

In his speech as principal of the college, Toma H. Ragnjiya congratulated t he students and spoke about some of the improvements and challenges facing  KBC in the future. The improvements include the implementation of a new cur riculum, the Diploma in Theology, which will be granted in affiliation with  the University of Jos. This affiliation program is near completion but was  delayed due to a strike by national university workers. Twenty-two candida tes were accepted to begin this new three-year program in February. Classes  for new and continuing students will begin Feb. 1, 2010.

(This report was provided by Nathan and Jennifer Hosler, Church of the Bret hren mission workers serving at Kulp Bible College. In addition to this rep ort, they requested prayer for graduating KBC students and families as they  are placed in ministries; for continuing students to receive needed rest o ver the holiday break; for Principal Toma H. Ragnjiya and the KBC staff; an d for the development of Peace and Reconciliation classes, as next semester  will have its first full implementation of the new program.)

The Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination committed to continu ing the work of Jesus peacefully and simply, and to living out its faith in  community. The denomination is based in the Anabaptist and Pietist faith t raditions and is one of the three Historic Peace Churches. It celebrated it s 300th anniversary in 2008. It counts some 125,000 members across the Unit ed States and Puerto Rico, and has missions and sister churches in Nigeria,  Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and India.

># # #

>For more information contact:

>Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford
>Director of News Services
>Church of the Brethren
>1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120
>800-323-8039 ext. 260
>cobnews@brethren.org