The Southern Florida District and Nazarene Theological Seminary of Haiti formed a partnership 22 June to enhance the ministerial training program of both entities. Through video conferencing, STNH professors will assist in teaching modular courses for ordination credit in Southern Florida and qualified faculty on the Southern Florida District will assist teaching STNH students in Haiti.

STNH provides a certificate program, a diploma, and a Bachelor of Arts in Pastoral Ministry. The partnership may also provide an initial pathway to a Bachelor of Arts for those who complete the Modular Course of Study and also meet the entrance requirements for the STNH B.A. program.

Approximately one third of Southern Florida’s 100 Nazarene churches are French and Creole speaking, pastored by pastors of Haitian descent. The partnership also seeks to improve the French and Creole bibliographical offerings to students, as well as improve STNH facilities in Port-au-Prince and provide teacher training opportunities.

The Southern Florida District is establishing 10 teleconference classrooms across the district to provide greater accessibility to all students.

The signing took place in the General Assembly Exhibit Hall at the Mesoamerica Region booth. Present for the signing were STNH President Jean Robert Maitre, Haiti Field Strategy Coordinator Pierre Antoine Jacques and his wife, Mesoamerica Regional Education Coordinator Ruben Fernandez, USA/Canada Region Haitian Ministries Coordinator Pascal Permis, Southern Florida District Superintendent Brian Wilson, and Southern Florida District Ministerial Board Chairman Dan Cupp.

An additional partnership is in the works between STNH and the USA/Canada Region Multicultural Ministries Office to offer Bachelor of Arts courses in French and Creole to USA/Canada Region students.

--Church of the Nazarene Southern Florida District