Our Summer 2010 so far...

Hello Friends,

It's been a few weeks since my last update and that's because, as you will see, we had a very full month of June. This summer we are staying put in Orlando to continue what we have done throughout this past year. I am studying and Sarah is designing.

In June I took two one week classes at RTS and have started a third—an independent study to be completed by August. The June classes were intense but satisfying. The first class I took was in Apologetics and was taught by a visiting —Bruce Baugus—from the Jackson, MS campus. It was an enjoyable week where we met Monday through Friday from 8:30AM to 3:30PM. Bruce is a great teacher with a style that easily engenders questions and interaction. We have a month after the class to complete all the class work as well as arrange a phone oral exam that I will take next week. I am looking forward to that part. I am about 2/3rds of the way through the reading, right now in the middle of Corneilius Van Til's short tome, Christian Apologetics. I am particularly interested in the concepts behind Van Til's ideas regarding "presuppositionalism"—a form of Theology/Apologetics that I suspect might be useful when approaching and interacting with the art world.

The second class I took and finished last week was on the Church and the World. We met Monday through Friday 8AM to 4PM. The class was taught by John Meuther—RTS Orlando's librarian. I have taken a class with John before and enjoyed his style of teaching as well...he enjoys good interaction with the students. One book we are reading that has begun to cause a stir in Christian circles is James Davison Hunter's book, To Change the World. Hunter—a sociologist at the University of Virginia—is challenging predominant thinking in the Church regarding models of cultural change. John is sympathetic to Hunter's perspective and I have found my thinking attracted to his line of reasoning, although the jury is not fully in for me quite yet.

Last Friday, the last day of class for me, Sarah and I got on the road for an eight hour trip to northern South Carolina to attend a former student's wedding in Rock Hill. Stephen Crotts is someone Sarah and I met the summer of 2006—the same summer she and I started dating. He has become a much loved friend, and we are excited he and his new bride Erica are finally husband and wife. Stephen works as an illustrator and Erica is a school teacher. They will continue to live in Rock Hill. It seems our circle of friends grows in the North and South Carolina area.

After the wedding Sarah and I were able to spend a few days with Sarah's best friend, Audrey. As you may know from our newsletters, Audrey has been dealing with breast cancer and will most likely be entering radiation treatment sometime in July. Both Audrey and Sarah had an invigorating few days of "junkin'" as they traveled to as many thrift shops and secondhand stores as the could get to. I sat home and read. We are grateful to Audrey and Scott for allowing us to stay with them a few days...not that it was an effort for Audrey (she and Sarah love discovering unique items).

At the end of July we will be on the road again, traveling to Maryland, then NYC for another wedding, and then back down to North and South Carolina for another wedding before returning to Florida. We appreciate all your prayers!

Peace,
Kirk and Sarah