Dear Friends and Family

After many years of schooling and pastoral ministry, I'm changing gears. On November 10th, Lord willing, I'll depart for Shanghai, China, to explore opportunities to learn Chinese for the eventual resumption of graduate studies, this time in Asian Christianity (please see the content to the right). I hope to spend a week or two in Shanghai, several weeks in Nanjing (a former capital and home of the national seminary), and a day or two with a friend in Hefei before returning for family Christmas in Pennsylvania. January and February will likely be a time of finalizing plans to return to China with an educational visa (or a work visa if I acclimate through English teaching), visiting family and friends, and making long-term arrangements for my house, car, and finances here. When the new Chinese semester begins in late February, I hope to dive right in. I appreciate your support and prayers. Please visit this site, my Twitter page (whose updates appear on the sidebar of this page), and my Facebook page to know how best to pray for me. To track the progress of the new church here in the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania for whom I offer the sincerest prayers for success, please also visit Riverbend's site. My profile (which can be retrieved from the sidebar) may be useful to potential patrons, and my email address remains shad@riverbendonline.org. May God bless you all. Shad