Fall 2013 Seminary Update

Fall Update 2013
Top to bottom: Leading worship in the DR, CCC’s camp volunteer team, our DR family, a baptism at camp, Bible Study with the youth group

Dear Friends,

As many of you know, I am currently taking classes through Sioux Falls Seminary’s Omaha program. Here’s a quick look at what I’ve been up to since you last heard from me:

  • This spring, I took a course in Pastoral Care. Interestingly enough, throughout the semester I found myself in many situations where it was appropriate to apply what I had been learning in class. Funny how that happens…
  • I applied and successfully interviewed for a Ministry License with the Evangelical Covenant Church. As of July 1st, I am a fully licensed minister!
  • Over the summer, I served for four weeks at Covenant Cedars Bible Camp. I played on the worship team, taught workshops, and assisted with other ministry-related tasks.
  • I traveled to the Dominican Republic on a mission trip with a team from my church. We helped with a service project, led a music camp, and met with local worship teams to discuss the theology of worship.

As you can see, it’s been an incredibly busy year, but I am committed to continuing my Master of Divinity studies. This fall, I am taking two classes: God, Christ, and Humanity (my first theology class!), and Supervised Ministry. As always, I am dependent on God’s provision and your support as I continue to learn and grow. Here are two simple ways you can help:

Please pray for me. In each of my updates, I ask for you to pray that I will trust Jesus to provide the spiritual, physical, emotional, and financial stability needed to complete my studies. Throughout the semester, something as simple as a text or a Facebook message to let me know you’re praying will go a long way.

Please provide financial assistance. More than ever, I am in need of your generosity. Although the seminary is willing to work with me in the meantime, I am currently facing a financial deficit that may lead me to take the spring semester off. You can help me continue my studies by making a tax-deductible donation through Sioux Falls Seminary’s LIFE Fund program. If you decide to support me in this way, please use this form. Please know that, even if I have to take some time off, I am committed to completing my studies. I will not let your contribution to go to waste!

Chances are, if you’re reading this post, it’s because I see you as a partner in ministry. Thank you for investing in the work God has called me to do. If you have any questions, concerns, or just want to grab a cup of coffee sometime, let me know – I’d love to talk about what I’m learning in seminary.

You’re in my prayers. Thanks again!

Sincerely,
Mike Harvat

Dominican Republic Mission Trip

This weekend, I will be joining a team from Community Covenant Church on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic. We will be partnering with Covenant Merge Ministries, an organization that facilitates short-term missions for Covenant Churches.

At CCC, we’ve been asking the question, how can we better partner with God in doing the work of his kingdom? We believe the answer lies partly in what Jesus says to his followers in Acts 1:8: “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” For us, this means reaching out in the name of Jesus to our neighbors, people across town, and even people on the other side of the world.

While the Dominican Republic isn’t exactly “on the other side of the world,” some members of our congregation have served there before, and we’d like to continue the work God started with them. We will be serving primarily in Jacagua and Cienfuegos, doing work projects, a music camp, worship team workshops, and general ministry to the community.

We leave on Saturday, August 3rd and return on Sunday, August 11th. During our time away, I ask for you to pray for the following:

  • Please pray for the people we meet in the Dominican Republic, that their hearts would be receptive as we speak God’s truth into their lives.
  • Please pray for each of our team members, that we might remain humble and work together to do effective ministry: Becca, Brooke, Connor, Jenny, Judy, Leah, Lori, and Mike.
  • Please pray for our safety, and for our physical, emotional, and spiritual health.

I’m very excited for what God has in store for us on this trip! My own involvement is the result of many years of prayer and listening for God’s prompting; I truly believe that God has called me to go on this trip. I’m grateful for your prayers and support! I’ll be sure to post again after the trip is over.