Letter From the Chair: Purpose Is Forever
Gena Bennett, genabennett@yahoo.com
Blessed are those who trust in the Lord. . . . They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they go right on producing delicious fruit. Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NLT)
No doubt, many of you are familiar with Rick Warren (2002), who posited five purposes for which we were created: to love God, to be a part of His family, to become like Him, to serve Him, and to tell others about Him. In the introductory portion of his work, Warren (2002) quoted Sir Thomas Browne: “Your time on earth is but a small parenthesis in eternity. You were made to last forever” (p. 36). Warren explained that when we realize our time on earth is merely preparation for forever in eternity, we begin to see things through a different lens.
CETC’s purpose is “to provide a place of support for English-language professionals who share a belief in Jesus Christ and a forum for those who have a common interest in teaching English to speakers of other languages.” Though CETC will no longer exist in its current form as of July 31, our purpose as a group will never change. Whether we are Christian Educators in TESOL Caucus, Christian Educators Forum, or Christians in English Language Teaching, our purpose remains the same: support each other in the name of Jesus Christ. As Warren showed us, CETC may have lasted only 10 years, but that time is “but a small parenthesis in eternity”; forever we can work together to provide a place of support for English-language professionals who share a belief in Jesus Christ and a forum for those who have a common interest in teaching English to speakers of other languages.
In other sections of this newsletter, information is discussed concerning how to continue carrying out our purpose together; this topic will, of course, also be discussed at length at our business meeting in New York City. Please join us physically, if you can, or submit your thoughts, ideas, and opinions beforehand via the e-list. Our purpose continues on, and we will continue to purpose!
Reference
Warren, R. (2002). The purpose-driven life. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
