Anyone who knows me well knows that I love a party! Yes, I am a sanguine personality and love people. A party means people and lots of fun. As I am growing older, I don’t like birthday parties for myself. That means aging! But, I love to plan and participate in parties for others. Do you like to celebrate?

            The 2017-2018 academic year offers many opportunities for NOBTS Women to celebrate! Join us this year for exciting celebrations on campus and beyond.

• NOBTS is celebrating its 100th birthday! Our beloved School of Providence and Prayer was founded in 1917 and classes began in 1918. Our Centennial Celebration will begin with Founders Day Chapel on October 3, 2017 and conclude with Founders Day Chapel on October 2, 2018 with many special events in between. Join us in celebrating our Centennial!
• The City of New Orleans is celebrating its 300^th birthday! Our unique city was established near the mouth of the Mississippi River in 1718 and has become one of the world’s most intriguing destination spots, rich in history, culture, and food. Join our city in celebrating its Tricentennial!
• Protestants around the world are celebrating the 500^th anniversary of the Reformation! On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther posted his 95 theses on the door of the Wittenberg Castle Church denouncing the Catholic practice of selling indulgences to wipe away sins and launching a movement to recover the Gospel and the authority of Scripture. Join us in Chapel on Tuesday, October 31^st to hear Dr. Rhyne Putman preach about the Reformation!

Now, I am relieved to say that I was not alive to personally remember those events! But, I am so very grateful I can celebrate these significant occasions in history with you this year.

            Did you know that women played an important part in founding NOBTS? While there were only a few female students and faculty when the Baptist Bible Institute began, women were involved from the very beginning. When Southern Baptists voted to start a seminary in New Orleans, it was established uptown on Washington Avenue where the Sophie Newcomb College for Women had been located before it moved near the campus of Tulane University. A women’s college campus provided an ideal setting for the fledgling seminary with four buildings and a chapel which covered a square block. The Woman’s Missionary Union of the SBC contributed money to the new seminary which was founded to be a missionary training school and sent seven ladies to work with BBI, expanding the focus on mission education.

Through the century, women have become even more involved in the life and mission of NOBTS. Numerous women are on faculty and staff, and women comprise about 25% of the student enrollment, studying in many different degree programs. I am proud to say that my husband, the 8^th NOBTS President, has built more bathrooms for women in his tenure than any previous president. We ladies want to thank you, Dr. Kelley!

In 2017-2018, NOBTS will be celebrating our past and embracing our future! Our Centennial goals are challenging but exciting:

• Money - We will launch the $50 million “Second Century Initiative” to continue our Kingdom ministry.
• Missions - We will organize 100 mission efforts in our city, the country, and around the world.
• Movement - We will promote 100,000 gospel conversations to bring more lost people to salvation.

This year you can join the NOBTS family in our 3-fold Centennial Celebration of WHO WE’VE BEEN, WHO WE ARE, and WHO WE HOPE TO BE!

Anniversaries mark the passage of time, recalling triumphs and honoring losses. Celebrations are best when shared! Let’s celebrate together and give God the glory.

If you need more excuses to celebrate this year, here are a few more significant anniversaries:

• 200^th anniversary of Jane Austen’s Death
• 150^th anniversary of Canada’s Independence
• 125^th anniversary of the first Sherlock Holmes book by Arthur Conan Doyle
• 100^th anniversary of Denali National Park in Alaska
• 75^th anniversary of the movie “Casablanca”
• 50^th anniversary of the Beatles release of “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heartclub Band”
• 40^th anniversary of the movie “Star Wars”
• 40^th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death
• 25^th anniversary of Johnny Carson’s last “Tonight Show”
• 20^th anniversary of the movie “Titanic”

Let’s celebrate! And, as we do, let’s rejoice in all that God has done through New Orleans Baptist Theological in this wonderful city of New Orleans.