| John Guthrie
is a husband, the father of two children, and he’s graduating
from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in May of 2006.
He has a son who is a college sophomore and a daughter in high
school.
He wrote to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s financial
aid office to express his thanks for the Presbyterian Study
Grant awarded for his final year at Austin Presbyterian Theological
Seminary, but what is apparent in his letter was his appreciation
of his family’s support:
“It is one thing for a single individual to elect to
undergo financial deprivation in order to heed the call of God
to a vocation of service in the ordained ministry. It is entirely
another matter when that deprivation is shared by a seminarian’s
family. God calls individuals into ordained ministry; their
families love them enough to follow and support them.”
Without grants like those provided by the Presbyterian Church
(U.S.A.) and Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, many
seminarians are forced to rely on loans in order to meet the
cost of their education. The burden of repaying these loans
after graduation can be overwhelming, and for some seminary
students, like John Guthrie, it comes at a time in their lives
when financing a child’s college education is also pressing.
“Your support helps to lift from my wife and me the burden
of concern over financial matters. That freedom allows us, in
turn, to enjoy these years, and for me to concentrate more fully
on preparation as a Minister of the Word and Sacrament in the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Thank you for your generous support.”
Presbyterian students attending PC(USA) related seminaries
are generally provided with substantial financial aid from the
seminary, and may apply for additional need based aid from the
denomination. The Presbyterian Study Grant is the denomination’s
only financial aid program for PC(USA) seminary students and
it is entirely funded through the endowments managed by the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Foundation and contributions to
the Presbyterian Study Grant through Extra Commitment Opportunity
E860127.
Read more about the Presbyterian
Study Grant. |
