Newsletters

This feels like a new stage of my life and the future looks very bright. I am incredibly excited to serve as your new alumni president and with that excitement there is a little nervousness. I have found that, when preparing for a sermon, the moments leading up to presenting what God has prepared for me to say come with a flutter and a worry–an “I really don’t want to mess this up” sort of feeling. I have found that this can be a very good thing. It means that you see what you are doing as valuable; that you actually care about it, and that you want to see it go well. Indeed, I do indeed want to serve well in this role.

I should introduce myself. My name is Joshua Nickel and I graduated NBC with my BA in Biblical Studies in 2012. I am currently living in Nipawin with my lovely wife Ericka. I work as the head recreational coach for Nipawin Revolution Gymnastics, but I also work casually as a caretaker (custodian) for the North East School Division. I frequently get involved at my local church (Nipawin Alliance) as the Visuals Coordinator where I oversee the team that puts the song lyrics and media up, as well as recording and uploading the sermons to our Youtube channel. I have a love of music and have been getting back into drawing lately. It is with a deep desire to see our brothers and sisters deepen in their relationship with God and each other that I start my new role as your president.

Alumni Weekend (Nov. 15-17, 2024) saw us positively impact the school. We, as alumni, raised $9,718 which will go toward an RO water system in the dining hall and a water fountain for the gym. Any remaining funds will go toward replacing the basketball hoops and backboards in the gym. We also took time to recognize some alumni. Our 2024 Alumnus of the Year for Distinguished Service to NBC went to Ken & Louise Leonard and our 2024 Alumnus of the Year for Distinguished Faithfulness in Ministry went to Gord & Carole Sawatzky (’71). We also awarded the Alumni Children Scholarship to the following first year students: Liam Anderson (Lindsay & Amanda Anderson ’99), Marybeth Masich (Jason & Anita Boucher ’95), Kathryn Bueckert (Mark & Rebecca Bueckert ’96), Tabatha Buhler (Kendall & Amanda Buhler ’93), and Jamiel Nunez-Quicana (Steven & Angelica Ens ’01).

A more detailed recap about Alumni Weekend 2024 and bios for the Alumni of the Year recipients can be found in the final report from past president, Ben Thiessen, on the NBC website: nipawin. org/alumni-weekend/.

Thank you all for your continuing support of the school and those who have been impacted by it. I look forward to serving as the Alumni president and pray that I can be a good leader and positive influence on those I come into contact with. Let me finish with a word of blessing from Numbers 6:24-26: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace” (ESV).

Joshua Nickel
Alumni President
joshua_a_nickel@yahoo.ca