Visiting teacher, Rev. Chacko Chacko, teaches the students.

SAIACS is currently offering its first ever “Certificate in Theological Librarianship” from 07 January 2012 to 31 March 2012.

The Library is an important part of a learning institution. There are many Indian theological colleges and seminaries in great need of skilled personnel to manage their library resources and services. In order to cater to this need, SAIACS has offered a 3 months certificate course in Theological Librarianship from January 2012 to March 2012.

The objectives of the course are i) to equip students with theories and practices of library science, ii) to enable students to learn about and handle theological resources, iii) to help students to understand current trends in library automation technology, and iv), to encourage students to face and address the challenges of Indian theological libraries.

The course is taught by the SAIACS Chief Library Mr. Yesan Sellan, along with few other visiting librarians from theological colleges in India.

There are 5 major topics that are being taught during the course, along with a practical training.

1. Library Organization & Management.
2. Information Sources and Services (Theological resources will be covered)
3. Organization of Library Materials
4. Library Classification (Practice)
5. Library Cataloging (Practice)
6. Field visits and Practical Training

This course is validated by ATA India and Indian Theological Library Association (ITLA). Currently there are six students registered. The Certificate in Theological Librarianship will be awarded at the graduation ceremony of SAIACS on 31 March 2012.

SAIACS Entrance Exam currently in progress.

Today (10 Feb, 2012) and tomorrow (11 Feb, 2012) SAIACS is hosting several applicants for its MTh and PhD programmes. There will be entrance exams and interviews spread over two days. After this, the MA applicants will be invited for a similar process, on Monday (13 Feb, 2012) and Tuesday (14 Feb, 2012).

The Admissions Programme usually begins with either Chapel or prayer in the morning followed by the first round of exams. This is followed by lunch with the community. Next are the interviews and any other remaining exams.

The entrance exams are for “English and Analytical Skills”, “General Awareness” and then for the MTh/PHD applicants – a “Departmental Exam”, and for the MA applicants, a “Bible Knowledge” exam.

The interviews usually go on for about 15 minutes, though PhD students can expect about 30 minutes. The goal of interviews is to have a more personal look at the applicant rather than simply the numbers that are on display from the exam results.

Apart from the exam time, the applicants are encouraged to meet with current students and faculty and see for themselves whether SAIACS is the right place for them.

After all the admissions results are tabulated, the Faculty meet for an extended time to decide on each and every applicant, prayerfully and with a mind of whether the right candidate is given admission.

The news for each applicant, whether they were accepted or not, is then sent to the contact address provided in the application form.

A lot of prayer goes into this, because God’s wisdom is truly needed here.

Do also join us in prayer for SAIACS and the applicants at this important time.

In this post, the SAIACS Blog features a week-long photo-focus on one such week (30 March – 2 February, 2012), when the Cell Group “More Than Conquerors” (MTC), led the community to reflect on the theme: “In Christ, together, we are more than conquerors.”

Poster.

Worship leading.

Congregation singing the theme song.

Skit.

Campus Teens join in.

Student Sermon.

After sermon.

Outdoor small-group Bible reflections.

Outdoor praise.

“Bind us together.”

After the meal, the entire community usually just hangs around the lawn, chatting, while the children, and the children-at-heart, run ON THE LAWN (yes, the “holy” SAIACS lawn is not so sacred on Friday nights).

After that, about 8:00pm, the Cell Groups call their members (literally shout out) to join them in their various meeting classrooms.

The following are a sample of Cell Group activities that took place today, Friday Night, 27 January, 2012.

Here, Cell Groups yell out “Arooooma” “Eeeeeternals”!!

PROMISE KEEPERS (below)

Cell Group activities usually have meetings, announcements and a lot of fun games/activities.

AROMA

Cell groups try to involve everyone: students, staff, spouses and children.

One of the key developments over the past few years is that many Cell Group leaders now take notes for Cell Group planning on their cell phones.

ETERNALS

With heavy schedules through the week, the success of Cell Group evenings are often measured by how much or how hard people laugh.

As you can see, Eternals Cell Group here seems quite successful.

EKLEKTOS

Cell Groups try to come up with creative games, sometimes games that no one has ever played before. For instance, here, Eklektos is playing “banana soccer.” In which a string tied from head to banana is used to hit an sweet-lime (mausambi), to the goal post. Group No. Two won 6 goals to 3!!!

Or in this game, the team needs to blow four cards across the table. Simple, doesn’t require much planning, but very effective fun.

MORE THAN CONQUERORS (MTC)

Some Cell groups can’t afford to have fun though, because once a year, Cell Groups have to lead the SAIACS Chapel for a week. Here, MTC is preparing for their Chapel… currently practicing for a group song. Shhh don’t tell the other groups what they are doing, it’s a secret!

GODZONE

However the goal, every Friday is much the same. A group that plays together…

…stays together.

Before they leave, Cell Groups have to clear up. Here the Promise Keepers’ Cell Group sets the class room they used back to normal (for classes on Monday).

And finally, Cell Group members head to the Commons for a cup of tea, before heading home for well-deserved rest.

The flag between the SAIACS dome and the SAIACS chapel

For those who can notice it, this shot is taken from the SAIACS CEO Centre, featuring the Indian flag between the two SAIACS “crosses”… on the dome and on the chapel.

Friday School children

Several Friday School children woke up early for the Republic Day service.

Children running around the lawn.

The photographer of this photo assures that this is a candid shot, of these children running around the SAIACS lawn.

This year there was a student speaker (Jeremiah, MA-2) who also hoisted the flag. Jeremiah reminded the community to be faithful to God and serve the nation.

The Bible was read in English, Hindi and Kannada.

Plus, during the service, the community not only sang the National Anthem but also “Saare Jahaan Se Achha.”

For breakfast, a new dish was added, a cream-based curry that completed the the usual Upma and Kesri Bhhat.

And the Indian flag fluttered through the day and was taken down ceremoniously before sundown.

All in all, a wonderful day of rest and reflection.

Early morning sun.

Singers.

Community breakfast.

Context Based Learning discussion in progress

The Context Based Learning programme is a recent addition to SAIACS, where all MA students not only have to be involved for at least 8 hours a week in a ministry around the city, but also have monthly discussions with Faculty, about how to address some of the issues that arise from such involvement.

This photo was taken early in the morning as the sun hit the academic block from behind the residence hall.

SAIACS and Asbury Theological Seminary (Kentucky/Florida, US) collaborate on a two-week course on “Globalisation, Culture and Urban Church Planting.” Dr. Art McPhee (Asbury) and Dr. Atul Aghamkar (SAIACS) co-teach a group of 16 students from Asbury and about 12 from SAIACS.

These are some of the graduate and post-graduate students from Asbury currently studying at SAIACS.