Tyndale Golden and Silver Milers Reunite
Tuesday, March 25 was a special day for the Tyndale community as we welcomed over 50 alumni from the classes of 1964 and 1989. Celebrating 50 years as alumni were Golden Miler graduates from the London College of Bible and Missions (LCBM) and Toronto Bible College (TBC), and celebrating 25 years were Silver Miler graduates from Ontario Theological Seminary (OTS).
Alumni guests were hosted to a Community Chapel service in the Van Norman Worship & Study Centre, a three-course lunch accompanied by musical ensembles and a tour of the Bayview campus.
Not only is 2014 a significant year for the classes of 1964 and 1989, but it’s also a significant milestone for Tyndale’s entire community as it moves to the Bayview campus. At the event, Dr. Gary Nelson, President and Vice Chancellor of Tyndale, recognized how alumni from all generations make up a significant part of Tyndale’s historical DNA.
“Moving has always been a part of our DNA; becoming something more has also been part of our DNA,” says Dr. Nelson. “If you know the history of LCBM, you will know that the idea of creating a Christian university is woven into the DNA of that institution. So much of what we are doing now is connected to the past.”
One LCBM alumna that attended the celebration was Dr. Janice Newson [BTh 1964], who is now a Professor of Sociology at York University. Speaking of her undergraduate education, she says that Tyndale “provided a credible academic experience that prepared me to go out into the world.”
At the event, OTS and TBC alumni were also acknowledged as forming an important element of Tyndale’s historical DNA. Whether it was the strategic location of TBC in downtown Toronto in the 1960s, or the creation of OTS – which would become Canada’s largest seminary – in 1976, Tyndale has always been positioned by God at a “particular time, in a particular place and in a particular context for understanding theological education and the mission of the church,” says Dr. Nelson.
Alumni left the event feeling encouraged about their place in Tyndale’s history and excited about where it’s going as it enters into this new chapter. One alumnus commented: “This is surely God’s hand at work, and we can see how this is a continuation of the work He was doing when we were here many years ago.”