We are continuing to have a very busy, eventful and blessed college year. On the Sunday prior to Thanksgiving, the College held its annual Thanksgiving dance. Everything went very well at the dance — with good, wholesome music, dancing, and entertainment. Students, faculty, members of the Advisory Council of Elders and numerous guests were present, including Mr. Frank Schnee, Director of the work of God's Church in the German-speaking areas of Europe.
As Mr. Tkach mentioned last week, Mr. Dwight Armstrong's funeral was Friday, November 23rd. The College arranged to have flowers sent to Mr. Dwight Armstrong's family, and I asked Dr. Roderick C. Meredith to represent the College at the funeral. Unfortunately, I had previously arranged to be back East on that Friday and was, therefore, unable to attend. In any event, Dr. Meredith knows Mrs. Dwight Armstrong even better than I.
I clearly remember having hundreds of conversations with Mr. Dwight Armstrong in the early years of the College. Like many others in those years, I tried to let him know how much we appreciated his music: and many of us encouraged him to continue his important music compositions for God's Church.
Mr. Les McCullough, Deputy Chancellor at the Big Sandy campus, and Mr. Jim Kissee, Financial Aids Officer at Big Sandy, were recently in Pasadena. I was able to discuss with them a number of points which concern the two campuses. As you ministers probably know, for the past two years the Pasadena and Big Sandy campuses have resumed, with Mr. Armstrong's approval, the annual exchange of faculty members between the two campuses. Mr. Greg Albrecht, Dean of Students at Pasadena, is now visiting the Big Sandy campus, where he is teaching classes, speaking at a Forum or Assembly, and meeting with various members of the faculty and administration. During the second semester, I hope to be able to visit the Big Sandy campus, and Dr. Meredith will also visit Big Sandy sometime during the early part of 1985.
Earlier this week I spoke to Don Duchene, an AC student currently visiting Pasadena before returning to Thailand to complete his one-year assignment there. Mr. Jeff Caudle (who is a 1983 AC graduate) and three AC students (Mike Wells, Jonathan McNair, and Don) comprise the group now teaching at various schools and at a college in Thailand. From all reports they are doing a fine job and are all setting excellent examples.
While Mr. Schnee was in Pasadena just before Thanksgiving, he and I discussed the possibility of Ambassador College again sending some German-language students to Germany during the coming summer. It looks as though we will again be able to send from five to seven students to work in the Bonn office, travel to the German Churches, do some sight-seeing, and assist their German-speaking hosts with various chores while living with them during a part of the summer of 1985.
For the past few years, the College has (with Mr. Armstrong's approval) been able to send AC students to the German, French, and Spanish-speaking areas to get valuable foreign language practice, as well as to receive priceless experience through such travel. Mr. Armstrong has always emphasized the importance of travel as a broadening and enriching experience for the students.
I am very much looking forward to the arrival of the new 1984 ENVOY. Mr. Dennis Robertson recently informed me that it is expected here most any day. It has been produced almost completely by the students, and even though it will be mainly a black-and-white production (16 pages in color), I feel certain that it will be another very fine ENVOY all of us will treasure. We hope you ministers who ordered a copy will have it in your hands before the end of this month.
My wife and I were privileged to spend the entire Feast at Rotorua in New Zealand. It was gratifying to see the very fine job Mr. and Mrs. Peter Nathan are doing in New Zealand. I received numerous comments from the brethren showing they appreciated the work he is doing as Regional Director of the New Zealand and South Pacific areas of God's Church.
It was also most gratifying to hear the ministers at the Feast — men whom I had known as young students at Ambassador — giving very fine sermons. We had excellent sermons from the New Zealand ministers — such as Mr. Lyall Johnston and Mr. Don Engle — and we had a fine sermon from Mr. George Birdwell, who also was a guest minister from Pasadena.
I might also add that my wife and I were very thankful to have had the wonderful opportunity to visit with our brethren in Fiji on the Day of Atonement. Mr. and Mrs. Epeli Kanaimawi (Mr. Kanaimawi is God's minister in Fiji) were very helpful and hospitable. We enjoyed getting to know them much better.
We appreciate the continued prayers and support of all of you ministers and wives. We need God's continued guidance and blessings to be able to keep Ambassador back on the track where Mr. Armstrong has set it.
AMBASSADOR COLLEGE UPDATE (Pasadena Campus)
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