On March 5, 2007, the Nanjing Union Theological Seminary held an opening ceremony and Sunday worship in the chapel for its 3 rd graduate class for Pastoral Ministry .
M ore than 30 new ly ordained pastors from all around China , admitted after passing the examinations , happily attended the opening c elebration together with other students in the seminary and prepared to devote their energ y t o the study .
In order to ensure that these pastors from grass-roots churches can devote themselves fully to their studies without worrying about their church work back home, the seminary made both curricular a nd logistical adjustments .
Rev. Wang Peng, dean of the seminary, acted as liturgist during the Sunday worship. Three pastors representing the church staff read the Psalms, the G ospels and the L etters. Rev. Mike, the foreign teacher of the seminary, conducted the choir . The vice principal of the seminary, R ev. Chen Zemin, delivered a sermon entitled " C ount ing O ur D ays and Acquiring the H eart of W isdom" in which he reflected on God's leading of the Seminary, counted the blessings from God and witnessed to God as the master of history. Rev. Chen quoted P salms 90:12 and Luke 10:1,17-20.
Rev. Mei Kangjun, the Executive Associate General Secretary of TSPM, entrusted by Presbyter Ji and Rev. Cao, made a speech at the opening ceremony and expressed his congratulations on the opening of 3rd graduate class for Pastoral Ministry in the Seminary. Rev. Mei quoted Philippians 2:5 to exhort them all to seek after opportunities to find fulfillment in serving people.
After the ceremony, the students of the graduate class held a discussion meeting. All the students involved expressed their wish es to make great efforts to succeed in their studies.
