The International Baptist Theological Seminary in Prague was at its festive best this week, when it celebrated the diamond Jubilee of the institution with a graduation ceremony, birthday party and a service of thanksgiving.

Over 150 people gathered at the Jeneralka campus to celebrate the occasion at the conclusion of the 60th Academic Year of IBTS.

The President and General Secretary of the European Baptist Federation, Toma Magda and Tony Peck, led an assembly of alumni from Ruschlikon and Prague, as well as staff, students and friends of the community in a series of special events over the four-day celebration.

The graduation saw 24 people gain a master of theology degree, four people a doctor of philosophy and 18 people receive a certificate of theology diploma. They were awarded their diplomas by Dr Gouldbourne and dressed in their academic gowns and hoods by the Rector, the Rev Dr Keith G Jones, and the Pro-Rector, the Rev docent Dr Parush R Parushev. Other students were Valedicted as they moved to the dissertation writing stage of their Masters, Magister and Doctoral degrees.

On Sunday members of the IBTS community joined with the Sarka Valley community church, which meets on the campus, in an open air Pentecost service of celebration and thanksgiving.

Rev Jones commented, “We have had a marvellous Diamond Jubilee. It was a delight to welcome back to IBTS people like Dr G Keith Parker, who served on the Faculty in the 1970s, student presidents from several eras and good friends and supporters of the seminary.

"The presence of the EBF President and General Secretary throughout the celebrations was a reminder of how much the seminary is valued by the European Baptist Federation.”