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God is our Refuge and Strength (continued)
One of the positive after effects of COVID 19 was the launch of our Online Extension Studies from January 2021 . This was for Pastors and other interested pro- fessionals who were not able to physically come on campus . We offered a one-year Certificate in Theology in Hindi medium, Diploma in Theology and Postgraduate Di- ploma in Theology in Hindi and English . Rev. Dr. Shivraj Mahendra is the Dean of Online Extension Studies .
We are happy to have Mr. Timothy Fedrick (Old Testament) and Ms. Wang- shisungla (Counselling) as our new faculty members . Both of them hail from the north east India . A few of our faculty members like Dr . Shivraj Mahendra (History & Mis- sions), Mr. Alex S. (Music), Rev. Santhosh Lukose (History & Missions) and Mrs. Jessy Santhosh (New Testament) who had gone for further studies have returned and rejoined the college after successfully completing their studies . We welcome all of them . Mr. Shubham Singh has joined the business office as a new office staff this year . Our staff Mr. Ashok Kumar and Mrs. K. Sam retired this year . We express our gratitude to both of them for their long years of faithful service in the college .
Two of our staff, Mr. Uppu Jagadeesh and Mr. Subham Singh got married this year, and we warmly welcomed them and their spouses who now live on campus .
I want to express my appreciation to our supporting staff for their special efforts to keep the campus clean and alive when it was empty of students . All of them worked hard on campus maintenance . As soon as the lockdown was over, they came and cleaned up the whole premises and main- tained the buildings and the surroundings . Some of them who used to work in kitchen became gardeners, welders, masons and painters . The Lord enabled the college to financially support all of them and none of them were laid off from work for which
they were grateful . During the lockdown the campus security staff also worked round the clock by staying on campus . All of them have been wonderful and we praise God for such committed team of support staff .
In 2021 we have eighty-eight students who are graduating from various degree and diploma programs: (Diploma in Wor- ship and Music 20; Bachelor of Theology 14; Bachelor of Divinity 25; Master of Di- vinity 24; Master of Theology 5) . This year we have the largest number of Master of Divinity students graduating . We missed our on-campus experience of working with them and preparing them for ministry as they graduate and leave the college . Some of them have been with us for four years, oth- ers three years and still others one year . We do trust that they have learned and tasted the best part of campus living and commu- nity life when they were here . We wish them well and thank them for their persistence and endurance in continuing and complet- ing their studies despite the pandemic .
We are looking forward to have on- campus classes and community life with our ongoing students from June 2021 . We do hope that the things that we learned dur- ing the pandemic in terms of online classes, synchronic and a-synchronic learning, use of e-resources, will be with us and produce fruit even when we revert to on-campus mode of learning and training .
I want to extend my thanks on behalf of our graduates, ongoing students, staff, faculty and management for your prayers and support in 2020-21 . Special thanks to the prayer partners and friends of NTC . You have been wonderful . We are grateful to all of you .
Do continue to remember us in your valuable prayers and uphold us with your fellowship and financial support. n