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Tyndale University presents a series of recorded chapel services from Tyndale's very own faculty and guest speakers.
Dr. Ken Michell 00:00
The invitation to worship comes from God. He's the one who welcomes us, who calls us into relationship with Him, and makes a way for us to be in relationship with Him through Jesus, by His Spirit, and gives us words to respond faithfully and in obedience.
This morning, I'll read the verses from Psalm 63 verses 1 through 5, as our call to worship, our response to God, who calls us.
"You, God, are our God, earnestly we seek you; we thirst for you, with all our whole beings we long for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. We have seen you in the sanctuary, beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, our lips will glorify you. We will praise you as long as we live, and in your name we will lift up our hands. We will be fully satisfied, as with the richest of foods; and with singing lips, our mouths will praise you."
As you're able, let me invite you to stand.
Sharon Chuah 01:05
Dear friends, please remain standing as we pray.
Oh heavenly Father, it is with joy and thanksgiving that we acknowledge Your presence here with us this morning, and we invite You in, Lord, to this chapel. We thank you, Lord, for the start of a new academic year for Tyndale University, for Your provision, for Your encouragement, and for the promises that lie ahead, Lord. I ask a blessing upon every student who studies here, faculty member who teaches and researches here and gives their scholarship, for our staff that serve this institution, Lord, may this year be one of growth and challenge, and a deeper connection with You.
Lord, we commit this academic year to You. We thank you that You walk with us into this future, and I pray God that as we begin this morning, this time brings glory to Your name. In Jesus' name, Amen. You may be seated.
"For thousands of years the Greater Toronto Area has been the traditional land of the Huron-Wendat, the Seneca, and most recently, the Mississaugas of the Credit River. It is part of the 'Dish with One Spoon Territory', a treaty between the Anishinaabe, Mississaugas, and Haudenosaunee that committed them together to share the territory and protect the land. Other Indigenous peoples and Nations have subsequently entered this territory in the spirit of peace, friendship and respect. It is on these lands and in this spirit that Tyndale seeks to engage in its work."
This land acknowledgement was developed specifically for Tyndale University under the guidance of Elder Dr. Terry LeBlanc and in consultation with individuals from Six Nations and the urban Indigenous community in the greater Toronto Area. We acknowledge that our campus is located on traditional Indigenous land, and those of us connected to this community gather, work, and study in the context of this history. It is our privilege and responsibility to partner in the journey to reconciliation, sustaining a safe, welcoming, and informed place of learning for everyone.
Well, Tyndale community, it brings me joy to welcome you to the start of the 2026-2027 academic year. It is really nice to look out and see all of your faces as we begin this time together. Our land acknowledgement mentions that we have both a privilege and a responsibility to partner together to create a safe, welcoming, and informed place of learning, and that we seek to have a spirit of peace, friendship, and respect in how we engage our work. That is indeed our desire, and that is why historically we mark the start of an academic year with this, our Commencement Chapel. It is our time to gather together and worship and commit the year to the Lord.
Worship as a community is central to who we are at Tyndale, and that's why every Tuesday in the fall and winter semesters at 11:15 a.m. we have this our community chapel. You are all welcome back here every week, and if you are unable to make it in person, you can watch it online on demand.
To our new students, I want to extend a special welcome to you because this is your first official Tyndale chapel, and seated around you this morning are students from the School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Education, and Tyndale Seminary, as well as our faculty who serve in all of those schools and our staff who serve the institution. There are also members of our alumni community, family, friends, supporters, and guests.
I'd also like to extend a special welcome and thank you to our supporters who are here with us this morning. Your investment in our students and Tyndale's mission carries a very deep impact, and we're grateful that you're here today.
I would also like to extend a special welcome to Fraser Roberts, General Secretary Treasurer of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Newfoundland and Labrador, who is here on their behalf. Welcome.
And finally, I would like to introduce you to our platform party this morning. They are seated behind me, and beginning from my left to your right is Dr. Rebecca Idestrom, Professor of Old Testament; Mr. David Smith, Vice Chair of the Tyndale Board of Governors; Ms. Harriet Thornhill, the Chancellor of Tyndale University; Dr. Marjorie Kerr, President and Vice Chancellor; and Dr. Paul Franks, Vice President Academic and Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences. Truly, this morning sits the entire Tyndale community all together. Be blessed.
Student Council Presidents, I'd like to invite you up now to lead us in our scripture for this morning.
Mallory Chow 06:51
Today we are reading from Psalm 145.
"I will exalt you, my God, the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts. They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works. They tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds. They celebrate your abundant goodness, and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all He has made. All your works praise you, Lord; your faithful people extol you. They tell of the glory of Your kingdom and speak of Your might, so that all people may know of Your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom."
Ethan Tang 08:06
"Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all that He does. The Lord upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does. The Lord is near to all who call on him, and all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. The Lord watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy. My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord. Let every creature praise His holy name for ever and ever."
Dr. Marjory Kerr 09:19
Thank you, Mallory and Ethan, and a thanks to all of our student leaders who step up on an annual basis in large and smaller ways for the good of this institution. We are stronger as a university because of our student leaders and their contributions.
Well, good morning, everyone. It is good to be here with you at the start of a new academic year, to be gathered here for our Commencement Chapel to worship, to celebrate and commit the year ahead to the Lord.
As usual, as I prepared for this morning, I found myself thinking about our mission and our strategic plan, and thinking about how these relate to our individual and shared commitments to Tyndale. Whether you're new to Tyndale or you've been counting along with me, we've begun year five of our strategic plan, and it's called, "Flourishing, Like Trees Planted by Streams of Water".
I've been carrying this printed copy of the strategic plan around in my portfolio for the last four and a half years, it's a little bit bruised around the edges. It has a number of reports and updates kind of stuffed in and filtering in in the between the pages. But I keep it handy for board and cabinet meetings, for annual planning, various Tyndale gatherings, donor and partner meetings, and just as a handy reference and reminder to keep me focused on what we're doing and where we're going, individually and collectively.
If we don't pay attention, if we don't keep important things close, we forget, we drift, and we can lose our way as a university. The same principle can be applied as we come together for worship this morning here at Tyndale, and in our own congregational settings and small groups that we may be part of. It's true for why we read and study Scripture, whether it's as students in a Bible class or in our own personal reading. It's true for why we pray, so that we can get to know God more fully and to grow in our understanding and our relationship with Him. It's true for why we talk about the things of God with friends and family and colleagues to encourage and, in turn, be encouraged in the wonderful times, the challenging times, and everything in between. The principle is the same as the reason for talking about mission and strategy. If we don't keep the things of faith close, as part of our routines and activities, checkpoints and references along the way, over time we are likely to forget. We drift, and we can lose our way. That's the human condition, and part of life.
And so, in that context, I want to speak today about God's provision. Over the past few months, there have been several points when the reality of God's provision has literally been put in front of me. Preachers have preached on it. My own devotional times and reading of Scripture have repeatedly underscored God's provision for those who follow Him. Conversations with friends have included this. As recently as two cabinet meetings ago, Dr. Paul Frank spoke of God's provision as he led our opening devotions before we began the business of the day. And so, as I was preparing for today and thinking about this through the summer, this is the focus I decided to bring: God's provision.
Clearly, one of the ways, and the most important way, really, that we are reminded and taught of God's provision is through the Scriptures. And that's partly why I chose Psalm 145 for today, because I think we need to begin by reflecting on who God is. There's 21 verses in this psalm. It's written entirely as a statement of praise to God. King David begins by saying he will exalt God every day forever, then he spends 18 verses articulating why. He speaks of the Lord's greatness, his faithfulness and power across generations, his majesty and splendor, and also his compassion and grace. Sixteen times David uses the word all, plus one every, to indicate the scope of God's impact and provision. He says, "The Lord is faithful to all He has made; He upholds all who fall, is loving toward all He has made, and near to all who call on Him."
Dr. Marjory Kerr 14:15
Sometimes I think of Psalm 145 as the "grace psalm" or the "whosoever song", because it clearly speaks of God's provision through David's eyes; David's experience of history, his present circumstances in that time, and his confidence in the future. Points that, it clarifies that our experience, our understanding, and our knowledge of God's provision enables us to decide to trust, to choose to trust, including when we don't feel it, when perhaps we can't see a clear way forward, when circumstances don't make sense. When it's hard, when we risk the trap of thinking God is no longer present and able to provide.
But God's provision also keeps us grounded and humble when everything is going rather well. In those circumstances too, God's provision enables us to choose to trust when we are experiencing success through our hard work and achievements; when independence and confidence flow abundantly; when opportunities seem boundless; when we risk the trap of relying on self instead of on God's provision.
But we all know, and we teach this to our students that the great truths of Scripture are found throughout Scripture, not just in one place. So let's go a little bit broader than Psalm 145. I had a whole list of them. I'm just going to share a few examples with you this morning that continue to illustrate God's provision.
The Old Testament books of Ruth and Esther are full of God's provision to these two women, to their communities, and to subsequent generations. In Isaiah 26 verse 12, we read this: "Lord, you establish peace for us. All that we have accomplished, you have done for us."
In the New Testament as well, Paul speaks repeatedly about the Lord's provision, and here's a couple of examples. In 1 Corinthians 10 and 13, Paul wrote, "No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing, he will also provide the way out, so that you may be able to endure it." God's provision, and in the 2 Corinthians chapter nine verse eight, he says this: "And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. God's provision.
This month, we've begun celebrating the 50th anniversary of our seminary. It's a wonderful living legacy of all that has been accomplished, including some things that have been overcome in those decades as well. God provided; He is still providing, and we give him the glory for that.
We're also celebrating the 500th anniversary of William Tyndale's translation of the New Testament into English. This university is named for William Tyndale. He was an English Christian change agent of his day, who believed passionately that every person in England ought to be able to read Scripture in English, the language they spoke, he endured criticism, ridicule, prison, and eventually death for his commitment to this goal. The vision didn't end with Tyndale's translation and death. In fact, it grew into a global mission to provide scripture in local and regional languages wherever possible. That's a work that's still in progress, but we see a portion of this commitment right here at Tyndale with faculty and students who study linguistics and engage in Bible translation. God's provision then and through the five centuries since is part of what enables us to be here today.
And let's fast forward to our current times. Last year, in April 2025, as our budget year was coming to an end, Tyndale received a life insurance gift of $1 million, which was exactly what we needed to close the gap in revenue and expenses. Years earlier, God planted the seed for an individual to make Tyndale University the beneficiary of his life insurance policy. No one knew when it would be received. The giver entered into God's eternal presence in early 2025, and the financial gift came to Tyndale at just the right time-God's provision in real time and in our time.
We sing of it in the song "The Goodness of God", and most of you know it. "I love you, Lord, for your mercy never fails me. All my days I've been held in your hands, from the moment that I wake up until I lay my head, I will sing of the goodness of God. Because all my life you have been faithful, and all my life you have been so so good. With every breath that I am able, I will sing of the goodness of God."
Collectively, these are reminders of God's character and His provision to us, revealed through Scripture, experience, and the songs that we sing. They feed our souls and our minds. They remind us of God's provision. They remind us that God's nature is to provide for His people.
I began this morning saying that the mission matters. It's our focus. It's our reason for being here as a Christian university, and it presents to us our shared invitation as we stay and serve in this particular academic community. I chose Psalm 145 as a starting point for thinking on God's provision today, in part because I believe the words of this chapter are also central to the intent of our mission. Listen once again to the words of our mission statement. "Tyndale is dedicated to the pursuit of truth, to excellence in teaching, learning, and research, for the enriching of mind, heart, and character, to serve the church and the world for the glory of God."
We're not here simply because many people have worked hard and generously for 132 years. We're here because of God's provision, and we're here to extend God's provision to others through our enduring mission and the daily engagement we have in equipping people to serve the church and the world for the glory of God.
So as we enter into this academic year and celebrate the start of another exciting period ahead of us, I'm inviting each of us to consider and to be diligent in living out our mission in such a way that it will be seen and heard and known that God's provision is our confidence, as a Christian university and in our lives as individuals. May it be so. God bless you.
Dr. Paul Franks 21:57
Good morning. Thank you, Dr. Kerr, for those those remarks, that was really helpful and challenging. Thank you. Thanks to Dr. Michell and the team as well for that time of worship.
It's my pleasure to now get to introduce some of our student awards. And before doing so, I just want to echo Sharon's comments earlier and just say a word of thanks to all of those who provide the financial resources for us to be able to give to students, it makes such a big difference in in their lives. So thank you for your continued support of our students.
Students, as you hear your name being read, if you would mind standing and waiting until the end, so we can see all of you and recognize you all together.
We'll begin with the Arch Brown Scholarship. The award winners this year are Sierra Ballantyne, Samuel Dereje, Shinelle Grant, Oladele Laniyan, Jack MacDonald, Caroline Misetich, Esther Segui, Thomas Van, Michael Van Huizen and Abby Vis.
There are two winners of the Canadian Bible Society Student Scholarship for Scripture Engagement, and those are Tysen Cocchetto and Nicole Koehn.
The Doris Nixon Award winner is Dennise Lorenzini Juárez. I see some of you in the audience not standing, but maybe eventually you will.
The Dr. Jacob Dick Memorial Scholarship has been awarded to Twyla Diefenbacher and Soojin Park.
The Dr. Keith Kwok Family Legacy scholarship has gone to Rose Jarvis.
The Ethics and Law Award to Liya Begashaw.
The Jim and Isobel Crawford Youth Leadership Scholarship has been awarded to Marc Wolfram. Looking right at you, Mark. Thank you.
The McCormick Family Scholarship has been awarded to Jasper Go, the Ngai Family Ambassador for Christ Award to Samantha Martin, the Ping Che and Phebe Wong Scholarship has gone to Jonathan Yohane.
The Tai and Wong Memorial Scholarship in Biblical Studies, there's three winners here: Tysen Cocchetto, Nicole Koehn, and Alexandra Mazerole.
The PAONL Academic Excellence Scholarship has gone to Claire Newman.
The PAONL Christian Character Scholarship to Dana Whitt.
The Trouton Family Scholarship to Jordan Silva.
The Undergraduate Studies Faculty Scholarship has gone to Mitchell Gordon, and finally, the Virginia E. Keith Memorial Award to Isabella Hopcroft.
So please join me in welcoming, thanking, or recognizing each of these candidates.
Dr. Rebecca G. S. Idestrom 25:06
I have the joy and privilege to announce the seminary student awards for this year. So I also would like to ask you to stand if you're present when I read your name.
ADONAI Award, Amanda Coombs, Aaron Husband.
Baraca Philathea Scholarship for Christian Education, Tammy Ishikawa, Hui Ling Lau, Caleb Owens, Liwen Shi, Zihan Zhao.
Bernardo Award in Leadership, Marie Khristine Barcelon, Morgan Barnhill, Mallory Chow, Emily Crow, Wayne Vernon.
Brenda MacKay Scholarship, Yue Zhang.
Catherine Nicolaou Keating Award for Children and Family Ministry, Hulan Zhu.
Chan Ka Ling and Law Pui Ying Memorial Scholarship, Lai Na Choi.
Chan Yat and Leung Fung Yin Memorial Scholarship, Ivy Foster, Tammy Ishikawa, Areni Siwajian.
Class of 2025 Scholarship, Snehitha Anjuri.
Class of '36 Scholarship, Nicole Crichton.
Doris Nixon Award, Natalie Hilder.
Dorothy Tang Tai Fook Chuen Memorial Scholarship, Gloria Huang.
Dr. John Kessler Hebrew Award, Jadyn Sanderson.
Dr. Kwan Chi Kao Scholarship, Chenxi He.
Dr. Nell and Ted Maxwell Scholarship, Christine Henein.
Dr. Stewart Boehmer Scholarship, Wonjun Jeong, Timothy Owusu, Corwin Tompson, Nicholas Vander Ploeg, Junal John Varghese.
Eagle Mission Award, Avishek Bishwokarma.
Joseph McDermott Scholarship in Evangelism, Michael Tagaban.
Joyce K. Y. Chu Memorial Scholarship, Ju-young Sur.
Ko Chi Ming and Ma Wai Kuen Memorial Scholarship, Anita Davis, Yamima Shahbaz, Shaymaine Shepherd, Shuangshuang Xu.
Mr. and Mrs. Alex McCready Proficiency Award, Andy Kim.
Ngai Family Ambassador for Christ Award, Jeremiah So.
Norma Marion Alloway Memorial Writing Scholarship, Candace Hamm.
Ottawa Chinese Alliance Church Scholarship, Hulan Zhu.
Ping Che and Phebe Wong Scholarship in Counseling, Sin Yee Chan.
Professor Donald Leggett Prize, Candace Hamm, Natalie Hilder, Sarah Kim.
Rev. Leonard Chester Scholarship, Candace Hamm.
The Alvin and Stella Scholarship for Christian Education, Junal John Varghese.
The Anne and Walter Moodie Preaching Award, Jeffrey Ho, Andy Kim.
The Bradley T. Noel- the Doc- Scholarship, Corwen Tompson.
The Harvest Counseling Award, Jakob Bezuyen, Heather Fletcher.
The Rev. Samuel and Dr. Ann Mills Scholarship, Nicholas Vander Ploeg.
The Tom and Marianne Ho Counselling Scholarship, Cynthia Vance.
Trouten Family Scholarship, Tony Lee.
Victor Adrian Award in Christian Apologetics and Missions, Rommel Acob.
Violet Coull Flawn Scholarship, Eriny Youssef.
Waisin Lau Memorial Scholarship, Jing Ung Kang.
Let's congratulate all our award recipients.
Harriet Thornhill 30:27
Good morning! Congratulations to all of you. Let us pray.
Gracious and loving God, our Creator and Sustainer, we come before You today with grateful hearts. Thank you, Lord, for Your grace that has carried us, and for blessings both seen and unseen. Thank you for the Tyndale community, for the privilege of learning, for the pursuit of knowledge and truth, and for the relationships and experiences that enrich our lives. We receive this new academic year as a gift from you, filled with possibility, purpose, and hope.
We pray especially for our new and returning students. Give them courage, Lord, when they are uncertain, confidence when they question their abilities, and wisdom as they make choices for their future. Enlarge the capacity of every one of them, the capacity to learn, to think deeply, to listen generously, to persevere through difficulty, and to use their gifts in service to others. May they discover not only what they can do, but also who You are calling them to become.
Lord, we give special thanks for our faculty; for their knowledge and expertise, for the years of study and experience they bring to their calling, and for the generosity with which they share what they know. We thank you for their commitment to their students, for the faith in You that sustains and guides them.
And Lord, we also pray for our staff, administrators, and leaders. Thank you for the blessings of their contribution and for the work that makes this community possible.
And dear Jesus, unto You who are able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or imagine, according to Your power at work within us, bless us, keep us, guard our hearts and minds with Your peace. Sustain us, Lord, and guide us in all that we do, in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.