Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ -

It's amazing how fast the months go by. We are looking straight into October when it feels like it should still be May. The past month, fast as it was, was full of much study, building relationships and general work.

I'd like to share with you a little bit about each one of my classes that I have taken this term. They each have their own interesting qualities and I have learned a great deal from the wisdom of the teachers, and of course from the direct study of the scriptures.

I, II Peter & James - Ray Young - The study over these epistles has been enlightening. I never realized what I miss out in a book until I sit and read it over and over. A preacher once said, "If you want to really know a book of the Bible, read it 100 times." Well, we did not read each book 100 times, but we did read it repetitively. (If you would like to look at the study we underwent and maybe use it for yourself, click on this link - http://www.sibi.cc/dl/student_resources/jp_1Peter_Study.pdf)
This class has not only taught me the importance of being in the Word, but also I have seen things within these specific texts that I had never seen before.

Family and Youth Ministry - Gibby Gilbert - I told you last month about this class briefly, but I would like to expound a little more. Brother Gibby is in the process of helping us to be adequate ministers to both young people and families. The building blocks of our societies rests in the homes. That is what people are born into; it is where they learn values and morals. Families are the ones who support our government financially and provide the people who will be our leaders. Families are the building blocks for our churches as well. Each person comes from a household into the household of God. Thus, understanding the concept that families are where the formation of people's outlooks begin, we must concentrate on this institution in ministry.
This is the one class that I will be taking for the next three terms. It is our "track course" and so Brother Gibby will have the opportunity to expound more and more on these ideas, and to help guide us as we get ready to minister to people on our respective fields.

Sacrificial Systems - Victor Ellison & Gerald Paden - One of the highlights of my time at Sunset has been taken this long awaited class. It has been a dream of mine to study the Sacrificial Systems with someone who truly understood the history and the meaning behind it all. This year, due to unforeseen illness, we were blessed to have Victor Ellison teach the first half of the course. The past two weeks, we were again blessed with Brother Padden to teach us. Both teachers brought interesting perspectives to the curriculum and have done an amazing job of helping us to understand the Old Testament sacrifices, their meanings, and what New Testament reality they are a shadow of.

On a less academic note, my brother and his wife just had their first baby. Malachi Ray McAdams was born September 11 weighing 7lbs. He is truly precious and Lord willing over our break week I will be taking a trip to go and see him. He is the first grand-baby on either side of the family, so please pray we don't spoil him too much.

AIMers - The work we are doing with the AIMers is coming along steadily. We have still been attending Amherst each Sunday to help encourage that church and to give the AIMers an opportunity to serve. The six students that I am working with personally continue to grow and become stronger in the Lord day by day. It is a joy and honor to be able to watch how God is molding these young people, and I feel privileged to be able to work with them day by day with them. Please pray for their continued growth and that I will have the wisdom to know what to say and how to act when situations come my way.

Thank you all again for all that you do for me. I feel like I say this every month, but each month it is no less true: if it were not for you, I would not be here doing what I am doing, learning what I am learning, and being prepared to return full-time to the field. I thank God for you all and I pray that He is blessing you with as many rich blessings as He has me.

God bless you all - Pamela D.

www.pamelamcadams.com