There is always lots going on at Nazarene Theological College

Love

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Thank you for your Church

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We recently asked Gabi a few questions about her and the reasons for writing this book.
Tell us a little bit about yourself, and how you came to study with NTC Manchester?

I am – what is known as – a third culture kid, born in California, USA, but grew up in Germany and the Netherlands as well as various places in California. I finally settled back in the Netherlands, where I married a Dutchman, René, and together we have three daughters.

In 1953, Reverend Ron Hearn graduated from Emmanuel Holiness College, Birkenhead, the namesake of the Emmanuel Centre at Nazarene Theological College, and in June came with his wife, Jenny, to visit his alma mater’s legacy at NTC.
“It’s just a blessing to know that what you have previously been involved with is still alive to this very day,” said Revd Hearn. “It’s that legacy that you appreciate as you get older for what you were privileged to be in at the beginning of life is still alive to this day.”

The Emmanuel Centre is home to NTC’s library, classrooms, and the Manchester Centre for the Study of Christianity and Islam. “When Emmanuel closed its doors NTC agreed to honour the college, we kept all student archives and their transcripts, we also have photos and material from that time,” said Rev. Dr. Deirdre Brower Latz, Principal of NTC. “And for us, it is part of who we are, that those who go before us in faith are honoured by us.”

NTC is delighted to accept the Grogan Library as a gift from the Scottish School of Christian Mission after its closure.
The Grogan Library, named after former Principal of the college, Revd Dr Geoffrey Grogan, has been built up over the years into a first-class theological library. It has comprehensive resources on all areas of Christianity, theology and religious studies, with a focus on mission studies, youth and community work, practical theology, social sciences, and children’s ministry.

The Library has long sought to build and preserve a library collection with a breadth and depth of subjects, religious and theological perspectives; raise awareness of responses to contemporary social issues from a faith perspective; and provide access to a specialised resource base on Christian theology and practice, particularly its role in local, national, and international mission.

For a long time now NTC has had a vision to resource the church – by equipping and training women and men for service in the 21st century. We’ve seen this as holding on to the powerful story of our past, but being willing to grapple with innovation and thinking that shapes the church in the present. 
Several years ago now a conversation with a leader in a Scottish sister college made it clear that they were in trouble because of Scottish Government changes to student funding. Overnight they were not able to find a solution – and worked hard to think about ‘what next’.

Those conversations converged with our vision to be a resource and support – and our heartland in the UK has always been Scottish. In fact, NTC’s history and heritage is Scottish through and through! That college moved into a charity called Scottish School of Christian Mission and we partnered with them as they moved to Parkhead in Glasgow as part of a vision to be bedded into a community with amazing potential, incredible churches and deep acknowledged needs. We talked, prayed, shared, dreamt together and finally agreed that we would see if the church in Scotland needed what we could offer!