5 December 2013
When people come into contact with BST, there are many things that are obvious. We have knowledgeable lecturers, helpful staff, excellent learning resources and a great view of the city from our campus! But some of the hidden treasures of BST are our volunteers. We don’t deliberately hide them, they simply carry on helping the college behind the scenes and often after hours. Between them, our current volunteers have given a total of approximately 116 years of service to the college, and the total value they have added is equivalent to $405,025 (and that’s just a conservative estimate of what their time has been worth!). It’s a huge contribution.
Today is International Volunteer Day and we want to take the opportunity to thank and acknowledge the wonderful contributions of our volunteers. Our volunteers give their time and energy to supporting the college in a variety of ways, from serving on the board of the college, cataloguing in the library, cooking delicious meals and so much more. We all greatly benefit from the work of our volunteers. It’s not always visible to everyone how much hard work our volunteers contribute and how that benefits the college. So we thought we should tell you a little bit about them!
Alan Shanks
Alan is our current longest-serving volunteer. For 34 years Alan has been volunteering at the college serving on the board and also since 2010 helping out in the library. He was the college Chairman from 1983 to 2002. All of our board members are volunteers who give their time and resources to steer the college in its ministry of training and developing passionate, capable disciples of our Lord Jesus. Board members like Alan are integral to ensuring we can continue to deliver quality Bible-centred theological training now and into the future. They are a big help when it comes to governance, strategic planning and ensuring the college complies within the legal framework.
In 1979 Alan was invited by a former director of the college to join the board. Alan was familiar with the college back when it was known as Queensland Bible Institute and was attending evening lectures since 1977. He is also an alumnus of the college where he completed a Graduate Diploma in Christian Studies in 2001.
We asked Alan what he finds most rewarding about volunteering…
“I just love the place, the faculty, staff and students. I have gained much from my involvement with the college. It has been so rewarding personally, theologically and in my walk with God. I hope I have made a contribution to the college in return for so much blessing,” Alan said.
Alan enjoys spending time with his family, classical music and reading. His favourite Bible verse is Isaiah 40:31…
“Its promise of renewal of strength, and not being weary in the Lord’s service, has been regularly bestowed on me. Waiting on the Lord and trusting Him has been a joy.”
Ian Case
Ian is currently serving as BST’s Chairman of the board. He started volunteering with the college in 2003.
Ian’s previous connection with BST motivated him to volunteer with the college.
“While I was still a student in high school and university, I really felt that I benefited from attending the night time classes at BST. Back in the 1970’s I was auditing the night time classes. I enjoyed what I learned and grew as a Christian. I have never forgotten that formative foundation, and I am very keen that others might enjoy the opportunities that I was so privileged to enjoy in my time. BST can make a real difference to your life,” Ian said.
Ian has a passion for investing in God’s work in the world.
“BST provides ideal opportunities to contribute in interesting activities and participating in a ministry that is seeing people challenged and growing as individuals. When this can be done in an environment where the people are friendly and engaged, it ticks all the right boxes for volunteering – it is enjoyable, fulfilling and is a responsible and valuable use of time before God.”
Ian enjoys reading and tinkering with computer operating systems (and he’s very good at it too!). We really benefit from Ian’s IT and technical skills.
His favourite Bible verse is Ephesians 3:20, 21.
“It never ceases to amaze me, and give me real pleasure, to see how God makes people blossom and develop as he works in them by His Spirit. This is what make the community of His church so valuable in His eyes, and in our eyes too when we look closely enough.”
Leon Tirel
Leon has been involved with the college since 1991 (22 years of volunteering). Former deputy principal of the college, Ivan Bowden was a guest speaker at Emmanuel Uniting Church. This was Leon’s home church at the time and after hearing Ivan speak, Leon wanted to know how he could get involved with the college.
“I trained as a librarian and was looking for work at the time but couldn’t find anything. So I thought helping at the college might be a good way to get more experience,” Leon said.
Not long after meeting Ivan, Leon began to volunteer in the college library.
“I enjoy what I do for the college and appreciate that everyone has been so kind and lovely.”
Leon has been a full-time carer for his elderly father and spends one day a week with us cataloguing journals. Back when he started volunteering in the library, the college was just starting to automate the cataloguing system.
Volunteering at the college is his way of putting his skills to good use to benefit students and the wider community who access our library resources.
Students who spend their time researching in the library for assignments will know how much of a big help journals are for their work. Having a cataloguing system where students can access up-to-the-minute resources is a big win for the college, and we have our volunteers to thank for making sure this can happen.
While we haven’t listed all of our volunteers here, we want to say a big THANK YOU to our wonderful volunteers who are serving now and those who have served the college in the past. You mean a lot to us and we are sincerely humbled by your support.
The Bible tells us that ”the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve” (Mark 10:45) and our volunteers in their commitment to helping others are following the example of what Jesus taught us to do, to serve one another in humility.
If you’re interested in finding out how you can help the college, please click the link below.
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