If you would like our new phone numbers, send us an e-mail.
davidanddawn@gmail.com
Dear Friends and Family,
We have been in St. Louis for nearly two weeks now. The move went well. When we pulled up to our new apartment we were swarmed by about a dozen seminary students who helped us move in and brought us food and toilet paper. The apartments we live in are kind of a community within a community. Everyone here attends the seminary, which is about 20 minutes to the west. Even in this short time we have already made some friendships with other couples here. Last Saturday we ate with three other couples and played some impromptu Frisbee golf around the neighborhood. At UNK, we were in the minority because of our age and being married. Here, the single people are the minority and the average age of students is 28. We are still a bit odd though as we are younger than many students but have been married longer than most.
We moved down on Monday and I had my first Intensive Greek class on Thursday. It is as easy as it sounds. I am used to writing and reading and this has been almost entirely memorization. I have a huge stack of flashcards already. I am in a study group with two other guys from the apartments so that has helped. I am certainly being challenged but it is such a blessing to think that I will be translating the word of God in the original language by the end of the summer.
My Greek professor shares a devotion with us every class. These have been particularly timely and helpful. One text was John 1:20. John the Baptist is asked, “Who are you?” and he replies, “I am not the Christ.” The professor makes us repeat John’s answer until he is satisfied that we are saying it like we believe it. He shared that we must remember these words as seminary students who tend to be very afraid of not being perfect. Our failures and weaknesses prove to us that we are not the Christ and they must also make us grateful that a Christ has been provided for us and that he is perfect. Our inadequacies serve to glorify him all the more.
Between studying and trying to settle in to our new place, we have found time to take advantage of the city. The first Sunday we were here, we visited Grace Community Chapel where a former pastor of ours now preaches. That night he and his wife invited us to “Shakespeare in the Park” where Much Ado About Nothing was being performed with an Old West setting. It was great. On Wednesday we went to the Botanical Gardens for a free Jazz concert. On Tuesday, one of my favorite bands is coming to town so we have tickets for that. There are a lot of free events this summer so I hope we can take advantage of more of them. We’ve also been finding some great restaurants and have already had Ted Drewes frozen custard twice.
Dawn has been looking for a job. She’s interviewing at Bed, Bath, & Beyond today. Please pray that she finds something that will compensate her well for the hard work ethic that she is known for. She really likes the city so far. She’s registered for two classes in the fall, one of which we will be taking together.
So things are going well thus far. We are adapting well but we really miss our good friends and family in Nebraska. You have been in our thoughts often. Stay in touch.
Hebrews 13:20
David and Dawn
Friday, June 15, 2007
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Update/Support Letter
This is the support letter we have been giving out-
“The heart of man plans his way,
but the Lord establishes his steps.”
- Proverbs 16:9
Looking back on the years since we got married and left McCook for the University of Nebraska at Kearney, we are very grateful that God has been establishing our steps even in times when our hearts were making other plans. Over the last two years God has slowly been redirecting our hearts towards full-time pastoral ministry. This is something that has always been in the back of our minds but God has used various people and circumstances as well as the prompting of the Holy Spirit and the scriptures to bring it to the forefront in the last two years. We have felt specifically lead towards Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis. God started opening doors and we just keep walking through in faith. I (David) was accepted last fall and have been awarded a 50% scholarship for my first year of studies. I will be pursuing a Master of Divinity degree, which is the standard degree for those entering into pastoral ministry. My goal is to finish in four years. We trust it will be a time of challenge and deep spiritual growth for both of us.
Having graduated from UNK this May, we will be moving to St. Louis the first week of June so that I can begin with an intensive Greek course before starting regular classes in the fall.
We ask for your prayers as we make this transition and begin training for ministry.
• Pray that we would find good employment that is flexible with school schedules.
• Please pray that we would trust God to provide for our financial and spiritual needs.
• Ultimately, pray that we would treasure Christ above all and that we would grow spiritually as well as intellectually during our time in St. Louis.
We would also be grateful to any who feel led to partner with us through financial support. Attending seminary is expensive and so is living in St. Louis. There are two specific reasons why we need assistance in this area. First, it is common that pastors right out of seminary do not make a lot of money. While doctors and lawyers often make enough to pay off student loans in their first years of employment, many pastors have to take a second job just to make ends meet. This can result in emotional and physical burnout – something we would like to avoid! Our goal is to remain loan-free throughout seminary. Second, Dawn is willing to work full-time to help support us financially, but this kind of schedule would hinder her ability to take advantage of Covenant’s Spouse Scholarship program that allows her to take seminary courses for free as long as I am enrolled. If possible she would like to work part-time and pursue a masters program that Covenant offers specifically for Christian lay-workers. We feel it is very important that she be well equipped to handle the special calling of being a pastor’s wife.
If you are receiving this letter you have probably already been a part of this process, in one form or another, so we thank you for your love and guidance. Many of you have been encouraging us and fostering our spiritual growth for many years and we thank God for your presence in our lives. We feel that God has called us to this ministry and we strive to be obedient to his will. It is our desire to glorify God and serve his people faithfully. Let us all drink deeply from the fount of every blessing.
Walking in the steps He has established,
David and Dawn
FINANCIAL PARTNERING:
If you would like to partner with us financially you can send donations directly to us or you can send them to our account at the seminary. Money in this account will be used to pay for tuition, fees, books, rent and living expenses. These donations are not tax-deductible and are considered gifts to the student by the IRS. Make sure to include “DAVID SALYER, STUDENT ACCOUNT” in the memo line of your check to ensure that the money is applied to our account. Checks can be made payable to “Covenant Theological Seminary” and sent to the following address:
Covenant Theological Seminary
12330 Conway Rd.
St. Louis, MO 63141
Questions? Contact Covenant’s Financial Aid Office: (314) 434-4044 ext. 4940
CONTACT INFO:
If you would like to get periodic updates on our progress, please send us an email or letter to that effect.
“The heart of man plans his way,
but the Lord establishes his steps.”
- Proverbs 16:9
Looking back on the years since we got married and left McCook for the University of Nebraska at Kearney, we are very grateful that God has been establishing our steps even in times when our hearts were making other plans. Over the last two years God has slowly been redirecting our hearts towards full-time pastoral ministry. This is something that has always been in the back of our minds but God has used various people and circumstances as well as the prompting of the Holy Spirit and the scriptures to bring it to the forefront in the last two years. We have felt specifically lead towards Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis. God started opening doors and we just keep walking through in faith. I (David) was accepted last fall and have been awarded a 50% scholarship for my first year of studies. I will be pursuing a Master of Divinity degree, which is the standard degree for those entering into pastoral ministry. My goal is to finish in four years. We trust it will be a time of challenge and deep spiritual growth for both of us.
Having graduated from UNK this May, we will be moving to St. Louis the first week of June so that I can begin with an intensive Greek course before starting regular classes in the fall.
We ask for your prayers as we make this transition and begin training for ministry.
• Pray that we would find good employment that is flexible with school schedules.
• Please pray that we would trust God to provide for our financial and spiritual needs.
• Ultimately, pray that we would treasure Christ above all and that we would grow spiritually as well as intellectually during our time in St. Louis.
We would also be grateful to any who feel led to partner with us through financial support. Attending seminary is expensive and so is living in St. Louis. There are two specific reasons why we need assistance in this area. First, it is common that pastors right out of seminary do not make a lot of money. While doctors and lawyers often make enough to pay off student loans in their first years of employment, many pastors have to take a second job just to make ends meet. This can result in emotional and physical burnout – something we would like to avoid! Our goal is to remain loan-free throughout seminary. Second, Dawn is willing to work full-time to help support us financially, but this kind of schedule would hinder her ability to take advantage of Covenant’s Spouse Scholarship program that allows her to take seminary courses for free as long as I am enrolled. If possible she would like to work part-time and pursue a masters program that Covenant offers specifically for Christian lay-workers. We feel it is very important that she be well equipped to handle the special calling of being a pastor’s wife.
If you are receiving this letter you have probably already been a part of this process, in one form or another, so we thank you for your love and guidance. Many of you have been encouraging us and fostering our spiritual growth for many years and we thank God for your presence in our lives. We feel that God has called us to this ministry and we strive to be obedient to his will. It is our desire to glorify God and serve his people faithfully. Let us all drink deeply from the fount of every blessing.
Walking in the steps He has established,
David and Dawn
FINANCIAL PARTNERING:
If you would like to partner with us financially you can send donations directly to us or you can send them to our account at the seminary. Money in this account will be used to pay for tuition, fees, books, rent and living expenses. These donations are not tax-deductible and are considered gifts to the student by the IRS. Make sure to include “DAVID SALYER, STUDENT ACCOUNT” in the memo line of your check to ensure that the money is applied to our account. Checks can be made payable to “Covenant Theological Seminary” and sent to the following address:
Covenant Theological Seminary
12330 Conway Rd.
St. Louis, MO 63141
Questions? Contact Covenant’s Financial Aid Office: (314) 434-4044 ext. 4940
CONTACT INFO:
If you would like to get periodic updates on our progress, please send us an email or letter to that effect.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Update
Three full weeks of school left plus finals. We are graduating on May 4th and having a reception with some others at our church after the ceremony.
Dawn=Bachelor of Science in Organizational Communication and Bachelor of Arts in Theatre
David=Bachelor of Arts in English and Philosophy, minor in History
We're getting ready to move. We're trying to sell some stuff and figure out how we are going to get what's left to St. Louis. We will most likely be living in some apartments owned by the Seminary. I'll start Summer Greek on June 7th.
We're going to be in McCook for Mother's Day.
Hoping to get up to Lincoln to see some friends and family before we leave.
Dawn=Bachelor of Science in Organizational Communication and Bachelor of Arts in Theatre
David=Bachelor of Arts in English and Philosophy, minor in History
We're getting ready to move. We're trying to sell some stuff and figure out how we are going to get what's left to St. Louis. We will most likely be living in some apartments owned by the Seminary. I'll start Summer Greek on June 7th.
We're going to be in McCook for Mother's Day.
Hoping to get up to Lincoln to see some friends and family before we leave.
First Suit!
So I bought my first suit this year. Calvin Klein. On sale of course. It's a milestone. It is hard to find suits for tall, skinny guys with long arms. So I still don't look good enough to be with such a beautiful girl, but now I don't cramp her style as much.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Graduation and beyond
Things are plodding along. Dawn is working a lot. I am going to school and working a lot. We will be graduating May 4th. Then we're moving to St. Louis the first week of June to attend Covenant Theological seminary. I got a 50% scholarship which is a huge blessing. Looking forward to getting there, not looking forward to the moving or leaving our friends. More on all this soon. We will be in McCook for Easter. 8 new episodes of HOUSE starting this Tuesday. peace
Sunday, January 7, 2007
2007 Off to a Great Start
We just got back from San Diego with my family. It was great. We went to the zoo, Sea World, got to see where Dawn lived when she was on summer project, ate a lot of great food and enjoyed the incredible weather and scenery.
My last semester of classes at UNK starts tomorrow. Dawn is going to be working full-time.
Our new year's resolution is to read through the bible. It's going well so far.
For those of you who don't know yet, myspace is letting you have up to 300 photos on your page right now, so I put a bunch up tonight. Link to the right ->
We also got to see some good friends over the holidays. Rob and Tiffany Stanton dropped by. Seth and Sandy Bates had Chinese with us and then we went over to visit Alex Helmbrecht and his family who live in Kearney now. Amanda (aka Hoser) Novak was in McCook and her brother let me rock out on Guitar Hero for PS2. Good times. We are blessed to have a few very close friends and wish we were closer to all of them.
Hope everyone had a great holiday season and wish you a happy new year.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Christmas Letter 2006
“The heart of man plans his way,
but the Lord establishes his steps.”
- Proverbs 16:9
Friends and Family,
(You can see a slideshow of pictures from many of these events on our youtube page, link on the right ->)
2005’s Christmas letter blew up on the runway so we’re hoping for better results this time ☺. The Lord has continued to bless us in our fourth year of marriage. The majority of our time has been filled with the usual. Dawn finished up her last semester at UNK in December. I have one more semester left. We are planning to officially graduate in May. Dawn will have a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Communication and Theatre. I will have a Bachelor’s in English and Philosophy with a minor in History. We have both been working at Herberger’s. I unload the trucks and Dawn puts merchandise on the sales floor. It is nice to see each other during the workday.
When we’re not doing that, we like to spend time with our friends. We took a trip to the G. K. Chesterton Conference in Minnesota with Tory and Annie this June. We had a great Fourth of July celebration with our friends in Kearney. We put on a four family garage sale. In October we drove all the way to Florida to go to Rob and Tiffany (Nix) Stanton’s wedding and had a great time! Of course we made it back to McCook a few times to enjoy relaxing with family and play with our nieces and nephew.
For those of you who didn’t know already, there is a third member of our family now. We adopted a puppy named Zoya last summer. When we can afford health insurance we’d like to have real kids, but until then Zoya will more than suffice. She’s worked her way into the hearts of our family too. Her puppy-dog eyes have secured many a cookie from Grandpa Petty and a few spoonfuls of ice cream from Great Grandma Salyer. She had even licked peanut-butter off a certain sibling’s feet.
We continue to be involved at Trinity Presbyterian Church here in Kearney. We help with music and we have been leading the middle school group this fall. We have been studying biblical worship and I am the reigning Chubby Bunny champion. We also got a chance to sponsor the high school group’s trip to Vedawou, WY for some rock-climbing and repelling.
Dawn has been manipulating her appearance a lot lately. She has been doing a lot of make-up and costume design in school. Aside from acting in a few plays herself, she directed a one-act (I was one of her actors), she designed the costumes for a play this fall, and she has been enjoying working in the Theatre’s costume shop. Last month she buzzed her beautiful hair to donate it to Locks-of-Love. She looks cute and she shaved 15 minutes off her getting-ready-in-the-morning time.
I’ve been spending most of my free time studying theology when I should be doing homework. I’ve also really gotten into watching the UFC, which is a combination of wrestling, grappling, boxing, and martial arts. Sometimes Dawn lets me play Xbox when I get all my homework done. My real gaming passion however, is Settlers of Catan - a board game somewhere between Monopoly and Risk. Sometimes Dawn even lets me win.
We’ve been to Missouri twice in the last three months. Most recently I was able to read a paper on Plato (not to be confused with Play-dough) at Truman State University in Kirksville for an undergraduate conference on philosophy and religion. Prior to that we went to St. Louis so that we could visit Covenant Theological Seminary. If God continues to open the doors, I will be pursuing a Master of Divinity degree there starting in the summer of 2007. I have already been accepted and we are currently waiting to see if we will be getting any scholarships or other financial aid. I am hoping to complete the degree in three years. Dawn is planning to work full time so that I can focus on school but she is hoping to take classes as well. The seminary allows spouses to go for free and we would like to take advantage of that opportunity if we have enough income to allow for it. Please be in prayer that we would be sensitive to God’s calling and that he would provide the funds needed to attend the school and live in the city. This will be a big change for us but we are trusting God and seeking his will.
Of course I am leaving a lot of things out but you’re probably bored of hearing about us and I am tired of writing about us. Looking forward to the next time we meet. You are all in our thoughts and prayers.
Merry Christmas,
Dave and Dawn
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