Monday, May 3, 2010

We came to leave: Covenant Bible College

I was reminded yesterday that this weekend marked the 3 year anniversary of Covenant Bible College's final Commencement weekend. Any thought of CBC is decidedly bittersweet, and the anniversary of their closing especially so.

It's hard to describe the impact that CBC had on my family, and the role that it played in my life. In many ways, CBC was home away from home.

As a third generation CBCer I was so excited for my very own year there - I counted down from 7 years. Eventually my time came. And for now, that experience evades words. Another post, perhaps. Suffice it to say that I know with all certainty that I would not be the person I am today without that year, those studies, those friends. I am eternally grateful.

When CBC closed its doors, I was not only an alumna, but an employee. As a recruiter I had to call students I'd helped admit and tell them the news. Their plans for next year had changed. There would be no CBC for them to attend. My tenure there was short, rewarding and painful, but I consider it a privilege to have been part of the CBC family through that tumultuous time.

I wasn't able to be in Strathmore for that final Commencement, and I am still immeasurably sad to think that there will never be another one. No more final Vespers in the gym, choir performances, Christmas concerts, Xtreme Impacts, Kids Kollege, retreats, or Spiritual Formation Group. No more late night runs to Coffee Time, hockey games, Sno Jos, laughs, talks, cries. No more CBC. But there was one, and it blessed my life.

If I'm honest, it's still hard. I don't know if that will ever change. But if I learned one thing at CBC it is this: God's faithfulness is bigger and greater than I can comprehend. CBC's time may have ended, but its legacy lives on. And it was never really about CBC itself.

I am reminded of the term Sankofa: to look backward to move forward. Looking back at God's faithfulness over the ages and through CBCs tenure, we are able to anticipate and trust in the certainty of his faithfulness going forward. As students, we were constantly reminded that we came to CBC to leave. I thank God for that.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Your post was beautiful! Thank you.

I too believe I would not be where I am today if it were not for CBC, the growth I experienced while I was at CBC gives me great joy and appreciation to those to blessed us with their gifts of teaching and witnessing to us, I am truly blessed to have had the opportunity to be a part of CBC. Not only did I grow in the Lord there, I made some amazing life long friends and found my soul mate. Thanks again Sheri for sharing this beautiful post!

andrea said...

Thanks for this post, Sheri. These were words that I needed to hear right now. God is faithful and will continue to be. CBC is still a blessing to all of us who have been a part of it.