Thursday, May 13, 2010

Upcoming items for Alumni of PBTS/PBC/Davis!

Greetings in the name of the wonderful name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior!

To the Alumni of Practical Bible Training School/Practical Bible College/Davis College:

There are several upcoming items for Alumni of our Alma Mater, which I think you will enjoy.

Firstly, on Thursday, May 20, 2010 at 7 PM (EST) there will an Alumni Group chat hosted by me (Corey Adams) on the Davis College Alumni Forum: http://daviscollegealumni.ning.com/
If you haven't registered I would encourage you to join today and participate. It will be a chance to meet new Alumni and reconnect with old classmates.

Secondly, the college is bringing back The Alumnus publication and I will be the editor of it. I am very excited for this opportunity. The first two editions will be both print (mailed to home addresses) and digital (emailed). Included in the first two editions will be a card and envelope for any Alumni that would like to continue receiving it in print. For everyone else we will send it in a digital format. The first one should be mailed out in the middle of June so check your mail boxes (both physical and virtual).

Thirdly and Finally, the homecoming celebration this year is going to be great and I hope you all can attend. More details are going to follow, but we have some really exciting things happening for the 110th anniversary of the college.


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Monday, May 10, 2010

Commencement 2010: Saturday, May 8, 2010


Graduates getting into their robes for Commencement


Tyler Rathmell and Benjamin Wilcox


The TESL grads with Bonnie Novak (TESL chair)


Dr. Pedrone and Dr. Parker about to walk down the aisle


The grads coming into the gym about to graduate


Dr. Gene M. Williams giving the commencement speech


Dr. Williams reading from John 13


William J. Chatlos the president of the Chatlos Foundation receiving an honorary doctorate


Dr. William J. Chatlos


Grace Fabian (Class 1959) receiving the honorary doctorate


Grace getting her doctorate


Dr. Grace L. Fabian


Ben Baker receiving his Bachelor of Religious Education (BRE) Degree


Tyler Rathmell receiving his degree and having the tassel turned by
Chairman of the Board, Jerry Traister (1967).



The graduates singing the Alma Mater


The graduates being congratulated by the Board of Trustees


Darren and Kendra Maslin


Myself (Corey J. Adams) and my best friend William Deckert


Dr. Walter Schlundt and Jerry Traister (Class 1967)


Grace (Jones) Fabian (class 1959) with her sister Mary


Dr. Grace Fabian and Dr. William Chatlos


Grace and her sisters


Craig Hall (manager of the Davis bookstore) with Grace


Myself with Grace


The honorary doctorate


Grace with her honorary doctorate

This past Saturday (May 8, 2010) the 109th graduating class of Davis College received their degrees. Since the first diplomas were issued by Practical Bible Training School in 1901 (the year after the school began) thousands of men and women have entered into the ministry. Some have become pastors, some missionaries, some counselors, some Sunday School teachers, some Youth works, some TESL teachers, and countless others going into secular work with a Biblical worldview. As the saying goes, "The Sun Never sets on PBTS (PBC/Davis)," because the work of the LORD continues on in each class that graduates from the school, and this past Saturday was no different.

The weather forecast for Saturday was bleak with maybe a few minutes of sun here and there. High winds and rains were predicted for the Southern Tier of New York, but God had different plans for this commencement. It was amazing to see God work in the weather that day. I arrived on the campus around 8:10 AM to setup a video camera and make sure everything was all set and there was a light rain coming down. Only minutes after I arrived the light rain started to fade away and the sun started to come out. At around 8:45 AM Grace Fabian arrived on the campus to start setting up a table for her book signing that would follow the graduation. At around 9:15 AM the graduates, faculty, and Board Members assembled in Lowe Hall to adorn their robes and academic regalia. Soon the class of 2010 would be graduating from Davis College.

At about 10:04 AM the bagpipes started playing and commencement began. The American Flag (carried by student Evan Hickernell) and the Christian flag (carried by student Nate Benner) were walked down the aisle behind David Hall who played the bagpipes. Dr. Pedrone, the Board Members, and the member of the faculty followed and convened on the stage. The graduates followed and assembled in the front of the Robb Activity Center. Today was their big day! Do you remember your graduation day? Maybe you had it in the Robb Activity Center or maybe you had it in King Hall, but in either place your day of completion had arrived.

This commencement marks the second year in which we awarded Honorary Doctorates to two deserving individuals. This year the honorary doctorates went to William J. Chatlos, who the president of the Chatlos Foundation in Florida and Grace L. Fabian (PBTS class 1959). Both were overwhelmed with joy and excitement as they were presented with Doctor of Divinity Degree.

William J. Chatlos and his family have been involved with the college since the 1930s when his uncle (William J. Chatlos), and his aunt (Alice E. Chatlos) attended PBTS. In the 1960s the foundation was formed and donated a large sum of money to the college to build the current main building and also the library. Since then the foundation has continued to donate to college to help the college maintain the buildings on campus.

Grace L. Jones was born in Otego, NY and she had Practical Bible Training School in her blood. Both of her parents had attended PBTS in the 1920s. Her father (Clarence Jones) had graduated in 1927. Grace attended PBTS in the Fall of 1956 and graduated in 1959. Upon graduating from PBTS, Grace joined Wycliffe Bible Translators. She first served in Mexico assisting other Bible Translators. She went back to States to continue her training where she met her husband to be, Edmund Fabian. They were married in 1968 and went to Papua New Guinea in the summer of 1969. She and her husband had four children while they worked on translating the New Testament into the language of Nabak. On April 29, 1993 Edmund was murdered while translating 1 Corinthians 13. In the midst of tribulation God's Outrageous Grace shone through. You can read more about her life in her book called Outrageous Grace.

After both honorary doctorates were given the Commencement speaker, Dr. Gene Williams spoke. Dr. Williams is the President Emeritus of Luther Rice Seminary in Lithonia, Georgia and he gave a wonderful message from John 13. More specifically he read from John 13.5-11. The passage is about Jesus washing the disciples' feet and Peter being so offended that Christ would wash his feet. In these verses he made comparisons between the Greek word that is used for wash (in terms of the disciples' feet) and bathed (used in addressing Peter's request in John 13.9). For a person that has been "bathed" in the blood of Jesus Christ only needs to be cleaned from their sins that they committed after being saved (1 John 1.9). In essence you only need to have your feet washed. It is such a basic message, but very relevant for all of us.

After Dr. Williams spoke the diplomas were handed out. It was wonderful to see so many friends being honored by graduating from Davis. These were the Freshman class my Senior year at Davis. It was wonderful to see the smiles and tears as they shock hands with Dr. Pedrone and Jerry Traister. Their time at Davis was coming to a close.

The singing of the Alma Mater occurred soon after the conferring of the degrees. It is always sad hearing them sing the final verse of it:

We must part now, for He calls us
To a wider field;
And though we are loath to leave you,
For His sake, we yield.


After the singing the Alma Mater the prayer of dedication was prayed by board member Rudy Holland and the Seniors headed out of the Robb Activity Center. The LORD blessed the day with sunshine for the time they went outside. As mentioned earlier the day was suppose to be full of rain, but God had other plans. There were many tears and hugs as parents and friends snapped photos and wished God speed. Grace stayed in the Robb Activity Center and signed copies of her book.

It was a wonderful Commencement at Davis.
All glory and honor to God.




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Wednesday, May 05, 2010

Opposite: The musical


Some of the homeless people at the mission


Derek Ledbetter (Cameron), Bekah Havens (Rachel), and Deborah Ward (Sam)


Big Daddy (Josh Rathmell) and Jay (James Pine)


Sam and Rachel talking about the Rescue Mission


The character of Lizzie (Jeannine Snyder) blames the mayor for her problems...


...and is shot by the body guards of the mayor


The Mayor's family invites Jay over for saving Rachel's life


Cameron (Derek), T-Money (Andrew Ryckman), Jay (James Pine), and Downtime (Phil Chapman)


Sam and Rachel talking about the Rescue Mission


Sam is freaked out by Downtime and T-Money


But soon they are working together


Rachel and and Jay share a meal at the mission


Looking sharp there boys


Jay and Rachel talk about their future


Big Daddy giving some wisdom to Jay


This past weekend several students put on a musical entitled Opposite. It was a great musical. It is about a recently unemployed man named Jay that goes to a Rescue Mission for a meal and finds eternal life in Jesus Christ. He meets two guys "T-Money" and "Downtime" who mentor him and help him do things opposite than what he did in the past. While he is at the mission he meets Rachel whose father is the mayor of the city. Rachel and her boyfriend Cameron visit the mission and serve and soon Rachel brings her friend Sam along. The musical was a great reminder that the Christian life is not easy, but with Christ and godly friends you can live Opposite to your sin nature.

Great job to the Cast and Crew of Opposite!


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