Vol-125-1-2010 Winter Windows

8/14/2019 Vol-125-1-2010 Winter Windows

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AUSTIN PRESBYTERIAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

WINTER 2010


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On a long shelf in my study here at the Seminary, there sitsome twenty-five or so photographs of a cohort group towhich I have belonged for as many yearsone year perpicture. We meet for a week at the beginning of each January, andwork with an invited scholar-facilitator on the substance and craftof preaching. More importantly, though, we have become a sort ofschool of the Spiritcoaxing one another not just on skills, butfinally on character and personhood and faith and ministry andvocational obedience. The group has grown a bit over the yearsshedding some members and adding othersand gradually it hasbecome quite simply the most important group in my life. Yearafter year, people in this group have held one another accountable,have encouraged one anothers strengths and challenged oneanothers areas of needed growth; and, in the furnace of formation,have become stuck to one another in ways, finally, that are holyand redemptive. If I am remotely useful and effective as a preach-er, as a pastor, even as a Seminary pres-ident, it is in greatest measurebecause of the teaching power of this groupthe Moveable Feast.

Some time ago now, the Lilly Endowment became interested inwhat is possible in such peer sup-port groups, and began to takeseriously the pedagogical role theyplay in informing and sustainingpastors and thus churches. Whatfollows in this issue ofWindowsis an analysis of Lillys SustainingPastoral Excellence (SPE) pro-graman initiative which funded scores of cohort learninggroups across the warp and woof of American Christianity. Ourown Janet Maykus, principal of the College of Pastoral Leaders,co-authored this study; and its findings are both fascinating andencouraging. Also in this issue is a series of testimonials, really, rep-resenting the work and joy experienced by various cohorts fundedby our College. If you find this reading inspiring, I challenge youto explore how your own continuing education might be enrichedthrough such a group.

You will also note various other items of interest in the pagesthat follow. Do not miss the details of our 2010 MidWinters; and,if you have not yet made plans to be here for our annual lectureseries and homecoming, pencil in February 1-3, 2010!

From cover to cover, this particular issue ofWindows remindsme of a prayer I once heard. O Lord, we ask you for many things;but what you give us, over and over again, is each other.

Faithfully yours,

Theodore J. WardlawPresident

LOOKING OUTWARD

The Presidents Preaching andSpeaking Engagements

October 29, Speaker, Partnership Luncheon,Williamson County, Texas

November 12, Speaker, Partnership Luncheon,Bryan/College Station, Texas

November 29, Preacher, Fifth Avenue PC, NewYork City

December 6, Preacher, Westminster PC,Nashville, Tennessee

January 26, Host, Evening with the President,Fort Worth, Texas

January 27, Speaker and Preacher, First PC,Bryan, Texas

February 9, Host, Evening with the President,Little Rock, Arkansas

February 12, Speaker, Partnership Luncheon,Tyler, Texas

February 14, Preacher, First PC, Tyler, Texas

February 28, Preacher, Covenant PC, Carrollton,Texas

March 7-9, Preacher, Williamsburg PC,Kingstree, South Carolina

March 24, Host, Austin Seminary Day, Campus

TheMoveable Feast, 2


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CONTENTS

2-13 Peer-learning groups for clergy2 Support systems

A comprehensive study looks at the valueof clergy peer-group learning

BYJANET MAYKUS4 PilgrimageBYMELINDAVEATCH6 From cohort to allianceBYDANIEL DVILA8 Stuff that mattersBYDREWTRAVIS10 A spectrum of colorsBYJACKHABERER12 A living traditionBYKEN CARTER

13 Community news16 Faculty news

18 Development news19 Alumni/ae news

Publisher & Mailing Statement

Windowsis published three times each year

by Austin Presbyterian TheologicalSeminary.ISSN 2056-0556

Non-profit bulk mail permit no. 2473

Austin SeminaryWindowsAustin Presbyterian Theological Seminary100 E. 27th St.

Austin, TX 78705-5797

phone: 512-404-4808e-mail: [email protected]: 512-479-0738

www.austinseminary.edu

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Cassandra C. Carr, Chair

Michael D. AllenKaren C. AndersonThomas L. Are Jr.

Susan BeairdF. M. Bellingrath IIIDianne E. Brown (MDiv95)Elizabeth Christian

Joseph J. CliffordJames G. CooperMarvin L. Cooper

James B. CrawleyElizabeth Blanton FlowersDonald R. FramptonRichard D. Gillham

Walter Harris Jr.Bruce G. Herlin

J Carter King III (MDiv70)Michael L. LindvallCatherine O. LowryBlair R. MonieLyndon L. Olson Jr.B. W. Payne

William C. Powers Jr.Jeffrey Kyle RichardTeresa Chvez Sauceda (MDiv88)

Anne Vickery StevensonKarl Brian Travis

John L. Van Osdall

Sallie Sampsell Watson (MDiv87)Elizabeth Currie WilliamsJudy A. Woodward

Trustees EmeritiStephen A. MatthewsMax ShermanEdward D. VickeryLouis Zbinden

WINDOWSWinter 2010

Volume 125 Number 1

EDITORRandal Whittington

CONTRIBUTORSShuhan Chan

Caitlin DeyerleKathy Muenchow

Nancy Reese

Photographs of the College of Pastoral Leaders cohorts and Holy LandPilgrimage (on the cover and pages 2-12) provided by the participants.

Theological Education Fund(1% Plan)

The theological schools of the

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

no longer receive funding from

the basic mission budget of the

General Assembly. Churches

are asked to contribute 1% of

their operating budgets to the

fund, which is then distributed

to the seminaries.


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2

Support

Over the past twenty years, numerous studies have warnedBYJANET MAYKUS

HolyLandPilgrimage


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SystemsMinisters became a high-risk group to insurance carriers, leaving somedenominations scrambling to find coverage for their pastors. An unparal-leled exodus of ordained clergy left denominations bereft of seasonedleaders and pulpits stood empty. These problems, compounded by rapidsocietal changes that affected the role of clergy, their status in the com-

munity, and the validity of their authority were similar across the denomi-national and theological gamut.In 2003, the Lilly Endowment Inc. launched the

Sustaining Pastoral Excellence (SPE) Initiative, a vastprogram in which more than 15,000 ministry leadersin the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico continueto participate.

Each of the sixty-three institutions that received SPEgrantsseminaries, denominational headquarters,

retreat and counseling centers, and other educationalbodiesused the funds to develop and administer programs that enliven,invigorate, and sustain pastors for life-long ministry. (Austin Seminaryreceived $1.6 million in SPE funds, from which its College of PastoralLeaders emerged.) Representing nearly every Christian tradition, SPEprojects focused primarily on creating programs of peer learning. Many

WINDOWS / Winter 2010 3

Janet Maykus, principal of the College of Pastoral Leaders (CPL) and director of ChristianLeadership Education at Austin Seminary, serves as the administrator of The SustainingPastoral Excellence (SPE) Initiative Survey of Participants in Groups for Ministers and Other

Pastoral Leaders. She and Penny Long Marler, PhD, professor of sociology of religion atSamford University, Birmingham, Alabama, are co-principal investigators of the project.Robert Reber, PhD, President Pro Tempore of Bexley Hall, a Seminary of the EpiscopalChurch in Columbus, Ohio, and Bruce Roberts, PhD, leadership consultant and retired pro-fessor of Christian Education, Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, Indiana, serveas consultants for the survey project. For survey details, go to www.austinseminary.edu/SPE

The quotes that accompany this feature are taken from project director surveys and from CPLcohort evaluations; the photos are of various CPL cohort groups and this summers Pilgrimageto the Holy Land sponsored by the CF Foundation (see story on page 4).

storal leaders were in terrible shape, physically, emotionally and spiritually.

A comprehensive study

looks at the value of peer-

group learning for clergy

It has helpedmemaintain arhythm betweenwork, leisure,and study in my ministry.Ministryislikeamarathon,andthiskeepsme running.Ithastaught me to listen morecloselytoothers.


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4

PilgrimageBYMELINDAVEATCH

In late September of this year, I received a call from a colleague, asking about the Pilgrimage to the Holy Land thatAustin Presbyterian Theological Seminary had hosted in early August with sponsorship from the CF Foundationin Atlanta. He had seen video clips and journal entries of the trip on the Austin Seminary website and was curi-

ous to know exactly what had been its focus for the twenty pastors from eight different Protestant denominationsaround the United States.

Dont you think, he asked, it was a bit self-serving to go to a place of such deep struggle just to experiencespiritual renewal? Would it not have been better as leaders of your congregations to go there with an objective toeducate yourselves about the conflict so you could help raise awareness when you returned?

It was a tough question, and one we asked ourselves and the pilgrimage sponsor before we left. Our answer cameas together we engaged each day of pilgrimage.

The purpose of pilgrimage is to attend anew to the faith in which we live. Pilgrimage requires us to step out ofthe familiar orientation of our own experience, our own schedule, our own preferences, our own politics, our own

people, our own homes, our own comfort zonesin other words, our own self-controlled environmentsand openourselves to the leading of the Spirit in a new place and in a different way.The purpose of pilgrimage is also to be in community, to be looking and listening with others, to learn how dif-

ferently we each engage and experience all that we see, even as we are on pilgrimage together. It calls us to makespace daily in prayer, reflection, and worship together to hear how the Holy Spirit is talking to us through one anoth-ereven when what we hear challenges what we have always believed.

Pilgrimage to Israel is risky business, because it knocks away the crutches of comfortable assumptions we maybe carrying about the biblical story and how Jesus lived it. It invites us into daily life and prayer with people we havenot known before who dont see faith as we do. But those things are also among its many blessingsthe opportu-nity to experience the biblical story out of the box deepens its meaning and sharpens its call to us as disciples andas leaders of congregations. Sitting at a much broader Christian table, listening to and praying and worshiping withthose who engage prayer and worship differently was a deep drink of the Spirit that I had not anticipatedand one

that opened all of us to the gifts in the different ways we can worship together.Being on this pilgrimage also made it possible for us to visit just as people with Christians, Jews, and Muslims

living in the region whose lives are so overwhelmed by the political solutions that seem to bring only more violenceand misunderstanding, not resolution. Because we didnot come to those conversations with a curriculum oran agenda, but simply with a desire to hear, there wasroom to talk honestly about life in Israel, in Palestine,and in the United States and about the blessings andchallenges of living our long-held faith in the reality ofthe present days.

As pastors called to pilgrimage, we walked along aroad long-traveled, but certainly less traveled in thesemodern days. For all of us, to quote Robert Frost, ithas made all the difference in how we engage ministryand faith today. L

Melinda Veatch (MDiv96) is executive director of Tar-rant Area Community of Churches, an inter-denomi-national community ministry in Fort Worth, Texas.This summer she led Austin Seminarys Pilgrimage tothe Holy Land, sponsored by the CF Foundation of

Atlanta, Georgia. She is a member of the Abiding Presence cohort.


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groups convened for biblicalstudy, theological reflection,spiritual renewal, and the devel-opment of accountability andfriendship groups. Between2003 and 2008, SPE projects

created at least 1,390 pastorgroups, making it one of thelargest pastoral enrichmentexperiments in the history of thechurch in America. Most ofthe original sixty-three proj-ects and their peer groupsare still operating.

Although all denomi-nations report similar con-cerns regarding pastoralburn-out, spiritual dry-ness, and loneliness, theydiffer in their require-ments regarding formaleducational and life-long vocational education. Aone size fits allapproach never would have met the needs of so varied a constituency. The Lilly Endowment grantedawards across the denominational and geographical spec-trum to meet the multiplicity ofneeds. As a result, some institu-

tions support self-formed groupswhile some assign participants togroups. Some programs providecurricula and some ask membersto create their own learningcovenants or plans. Someprograms provide facilitatorswhile some do not.

All wondered if any ofthis work makes any differ-ence in the lives of the par-ticipants, their places of min-

istries, their families, andtheir colleagues. If changesare realized, what influencedo the various approacheshave on those changes?

In 2007, Austin Semi-nary received a grant to cre-ate and administer surveys toparticipants in groups to findanswers to these and many


other questions. Directors of andparticipants in thirty-two SPEprograms that have extendedpeer-group components partici-pated in the survey. Over 4,500pastoral leaders were surveyed

and 50% responded.So what do we know today?

We can infer from the beefyresponse rate that participation intheir peer groups is somethingministry leaders find important.(Completing the survey requiredforty-five minutes to an hour of

ones uninterrupted time.)Respondents indicate a high

degree of satisfaction with theirgroups and a commitment to partic-ipation. The median number of par-ticipants per group was eight.

Almost none of the groups reportedmembers dropping out, and they metfor a significant amount of timeamedian of two years, nine times a year,for three hours a meeting. The vast

majority of respondents indicated they had met withanother small group of ministers or pastoral leaders for

support and continuingeducation in the past ten

years, but in terms of posi-tive ministry impact, spiri-tual growth, creativity,intellectual challenge, per-

sonal guidance and sup-port, and group leader-ship, 100% of this sub-set said their SPE groupprovided a better expe-rience than any previ-ous group.

Group members

decide what they willexplore in 90% of theSPE programs. Sixty-five percent of the pro-grams allow partici-pants to choose theirown membership andmost (76%) do notinclude spouses or fam-ilies. Group-based peer-

Oneofthethingsthatemergesisthatpastoralexcellence

attendsto

thewell-beingofthewhole.

artandpastoralimagination

terrapastora

I believe that my discipline ofstudy andprayer has been espe-ciallystrengthened.Ihadatenden-cytofocusonthemorepracti-calsideofpastoraltheology.Myconsistentworkindeepertheolo-gyhas improvedthedepthofmyteachingandpreaching.


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6

From cohort to allianceBYDANIEL DVILA

Acore group of Hispanic ministers, onefemale and seven males, received a grantfrom the College of Pastoral Leaders to

meet and get to know each other better throughinterpersonal dynamics under the model of clini-cal pastoral education. In the process, the wallscame up at first and some us were on our guard.However, as time went by we learned to trust eachother and to engage in a genuine and sincere fel-lowship in the spirit of what Jrgen Moltmanncalls convivence. We were not only coexistingbut we started sharing our lives as colleagues with

mutual interest in knowing and upholding eachother as ministerial colleagues.Our group organized itself into an alliance

and in the process adopted the name of theAlianza Latina Ministerial de Austin (Austin LatinMinisterial Alliance). Thus the acronym is ALMA. It is significant because it also means soul in Spanish. We haveformed into a group of around forty ministers representing congregations from different denominations: ApostolicFaith in Jesus Christ, Assembly of God, Baptist, Disciples of Christ, Free Evangelical, nondenominational, andUnited Methodist. We are still in the process of incorporating into a non-profit organization, but for the time being

we gather as a covenant community of Latin leaders in parish and non-parish ministries. Together we have adopt-ed and written our values and we have also stated a mission and vision for ALMA.

Values:Unity:We value unity in the sisterhood and brotherhood in Christ Jesus.Diversity:We recognize the diversity in the unity of the church as a body of Christ.Individuality: We value the abilities and talents of each person.Respect: We believe in treating people with love, dignity, and respect.Development: We promote personal and ministerial growth.Friendship: In ALMA the relationships as friends are more important than any other type of relationships.Commitment:In our covenant with ALMA we commit ourselves to attend the established meetings.Service: We believe that as leaders we must first think of ourselves as servants of God for the welfare of Gods

people.Integrity:We believe that as ministerial leaders we must maintain our integrity in all matters.

Vision: Our vision is to see Hispanic ministries united in growth with the purpose of reaching our city to establishthe Kingdom of God.

Mission: Our mission is to promote ministerial fellowship and to assist each represented church of ALMA in thefulfillment of carrying out the Great Commission and to establish the Kingdom of God in the city of Austin.

ALMA meets on the third Wednesday of every month. In these meetings we have a didactic from a member of

Daniel Dvila is chaplain / associate director for spiritual care at Austin State Hospital. The other original membersof ALMA include: Abraham Perez, Anibal Ramirez, Marivel Reyes, Anastacio Rodriguez, and Lyndon Rogers.

Continued on page 13


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conflict. They say the lessonslearned contribute to a reductionin their experiences of stress whendifficult topics arise in their con-gregations.

The ministers in these groups

say they seldom question their callsand they almost never think aboutleaving their vocations for secularwork. They join and stay in theirgroups because they are alwayslooking for ways to improve inministry, they enjoy intellectualchallenges, they find the subjectmatter studied personally impor-

tant, they are energized by being withothers, they need to charge their spir-itual batteries, and they need a groupthat holds them accountable.

Clergy report they are weary ofgroups where a few large egos dominatethe discussion. They have no more timefor groups where the best in ministry

is judged by the size of the congre-gation or its budget. Clergy havehad their fill of gatherings filled with competition, gossip, andtedious focus on a few divisiveissues. They sympathize with laity

who leave the church; some won-der how they will ever be able tospread Good News when evendenominational leadershipmeetings are marred by theolog-

ical and politicalterritory fights. Bycontrast, the SPEgroups were mod-els of community,they were safeplaces where peo-

ple believed every-one was heard,they re-energizedmembers com-mitments to min-istry, they werefun, and peoplefelt they could sayanything withoutfear of rejection.

learning models are excellent vehiclesfor adult learners. The adult learner isself motivated, looks for informationthat has practical applications, and isup for a challenge; therefore, it is notsurprising that these ministers were

satisfied with their groups. After all,they participated in the design of theirlearning goals, they are surrounded bypeople they know will learn withthem, and they are not distracted bythe demands of family care-giving.(Check out A Lifelong Call to Learn:Continuing Education forReligious Leaders, edited byRobert Reber and D. BruceRoberts, and The Adult Learner,6th ed. by Malcom Knowles,Elwood Holton III, andRichard A. Swanson for furtherreading about the adult learn-er).

This is not to imply that there are no conflictsor issues regarding leadership within the groups. Everygroup that has been interviewed revealed thatalmost all members hesitated beforecommitting to the group. Some saidthey wanted to make certain thatthey were not going to be a part of

another minister group that wasworking against issues. They saidthey wondered if participants wouldactually live into their covenants withone another, and many felt guilt aboutleaving their con-gregations and fam-ilies. All of thegroups reportedthat the conflicts were handled well,and, more impor-

tantly, that theprocesses of posi-tively resolvingconflicts were, inretrospect, valuableexperiences. Theseministers now havetools for effectivelynegotiating thetroubling waters of


Thereisasenseofcommunityandcollaborativeintimacythatsessentialforpastoralexcellence.

artisticplayers

Ihavedonemuchmo

re

seriousreadingandbec

ome

morecommittedtotending

relationshipsandcaringfor

myselfthroughexercis

eand

healthyhabits.

HolyLandPilgrimage


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8

Stuff that mattersBYDREWTRAVIS

Our group had its genesis in a web of cell phoneconversations late one night meanderingthrough West Texas, dodging cows and coyotes

along the way. We lost connection somewhere aroundPaducah but the signal was strong on the caprock andmy battery lasted until the formula was complete andthe players were chosen.

We gave the group a nameThe STM Groupan acronymic expression for Stuff That Matters.Twelve hand-picked participants agreed to meet. (Itsan interesting number biblically, but assuredly withthis group the comparisons stop there.) We gathered in

the mountains of southern New Mexico for four daysof theology, politics, and music. We came to let ourhair down and to talk about, well, stuff that matters.It mattered enough for us to make it an annual affair.

Several of us have moved since banding together;we now come from Oregon and Alabama, Arkansas and New Mexico, and, of course, Texas. We run the gamut ofpastoral experience: one young un in his 30s, a couple of retired guys, and several mid-career pastors wondering

what we were thinking in the first place and questioning whether well ever make it to retirement. We look to thewisdom of those younger and older in our group.

We jumped at the opportunity to form a cohort group through the College of Pastoral Leaders for two reasons:the application process gave us the incentive to be intentional in clarifying our reason for existing as a group, and itprovided funds to support us in our venture.

With financial support, we continued our exploration of faith at the intersection of the arts and spirituality. Wehave penned poetry and composed music, formed fountains of copper and ducks of wood, created art tying knotsand dry flies. It is fair to say that we have learned much together and from each other. Without a doubt, this hasbeen a venture in continuing education.

The more I dabble in the scriptures and experience the workings of the church, the more impressed I am withthe relational nature of this faith we share.

The scriptures tell tales of folk like you and me, folk who live life in relationship with one another. For all theremarkably astute theological thought that has been summoned by the scriptures, the scriptures remain, in the end,stories of our relationships with God and with others. The genius of scripture lies in its ability to communicate truththrough its wordswords about relationships.

I value greatly the relationships that have been formed in this STM group. All our theological conversation andour pondering about what we are called to do and be as followers of the Christ has been strengthened by the bondsthat have formed between us. Our reflection on the arts and the creative juncture where art and spirituality com-mingle has been enhanced by the ties that bind us. Our meals and our drink, our prayers and our worship, our musicand our words have all come to mean more because of the bonds we have formed in the hospitality of friendship.

We have become a community.

Drew Travis is pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Conway, Arkansas. Other members of his cohort, STM, include:Lander Bethel, Jeffrey Finch, Gene Harbaugh, Thomas Hart, Roger Harveth, Samuel Lanham, Elton Lewis, L.Howell Martin, Matthew Miles, Neill Morgan, and J. Shannon Webster.



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Groups that havethe highest levels ofdiversity (e.g. gender,race, denomination,etc.) are those most like-ly to have curricula and

trained facilitators. Thefacilitator is an impor-tant factor in thesegroups as this personreminds the group of itscovenant and modelsrespectful listening whenthe expected and unex-pected differencesbetween memberscome to the fore.Members withoutfacilitators indicatethat commitmentto their groupsand/or theirgroups covenantsfocused themthrough conflictand even allowed them toestablish creative ways tonegotiate troubles.

Diversity took on new

definitions in most groups:decidedly diverse groups werepleasantly surprised by thesimilarities represented in theirgroups; the converse was truein those groupsthat appearedh o m o g e n e o u s .Clergy say thatc o n c e n t r a t e dintentional reflec-tion, study, prayer,

conversation, andfellowship haverevealed how thosethey once thoughtthe same arequite diverse.Some considerthemselves betterlisteners becausethey no longer

assume that one whoseems similar is. Thosein groups designed to bediverse have learned toset aside their precon-ceived notions and are

more aware of their per-sonal prejudices andassumptions about thoseconsidered different.Both groups report thatthe experiences of beingtogether with and beingheard by other clergyleaders who have com-mon goals make thembetter ministers, friends,and family members.

Many peer groupstravel. In fact, cultural immersion is an essentialcomponent of some programs. Time away fromday-to-day routines, from the burdens of adminis-tration and family life, can be refreshing and invig-orating and can provide open space for new ideas

and rejuvenatedhope. Yet theappeal of traveloppor tun i t i e swas one of the last

items listed as areason to join or areason to stay in apeer group. Theneed for a break

from my day-to-day routine wasmore commonlyrated as a reason tojoin and to stay ina group. Breaksfrom normal rou-

tines and immer-sion in meaning-ful activities withpeople who knowand understandeach others call-ings is revitalizing.The new activitystimulates themind, invigorates


Ifisol

ationandlonelinessis what drives us out ofministry, then friendship issurelywhatgotusheretobegin with and what holdsushere.

I am beginning my ninthyear of ministry

[here]andIdontthinkIwouldhavelast-

edthis longifithadnotbeenforthisgroup.

Ithaskeptmegrounded,givenmepeopleI

cantrustforencouragementandadvice,and

keptmeintellectuallystimulated.

altarednewbies

mothersinministry


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emergency contingenciesadded a level of stress to somepersons lives, but the benefitof the time with the group faroutweighed the stress.

It appears that the Sus-

taining Pastoral Excellenceinitiative struck a vital chord with minister leaders acrossthe nation. Changes in socie-tal norms, fluctuating immi-gration patterns, new uses oftechnology, and the wideninggaps in the economy bringchallenges to the leaders ofour churches that seminariesand divinity schools cannotadequately address andremain committed to thecourses necessary for robusttheological educations. Thechallenges of modernchurch leadership demandcommitmenet to life-longlearning, flexibility, andcuriosity from those in posi-tions of authority. The SPEmodels allow for nimble andcreative approaches to learn-

ing. I have never agreed withthe phrase one size fits all.Finding the right size, the rightfit, always results in a longerand more comfortable wear. L

creative energies, and helpsthe minister see her callingand gifts in new lights.

Those participating ingroups report a rise in atten-dance at their churches.

Although church attendanceis not the only indicator ofcongregational health and vitality, it is one importantindicator. Many participantsreport they joined groupsthinking this would be asupport group to help themleave ministry. Their calls toministry were not ques-tioned; their senses of weari-ness and lack of emotionaland spiritual resources,though, were devastating.Focused time in prayer,reflection, study, and fel-lowship renewed theirvigor. Colleagues, those to whom they minister,spouses, intimate friends,and children all benefitedfrom the participantstime with groups. Some

ministers reported that itseemed inevitable thatthe dog died or thepipes burst or thehurricane struck while they were out of town for a cohort meeting. Planning for

11WINDOWS / Winter 2010

Some of the most amazing thingsthat have happened are things that noone anticipated at all. No onepro-grammedthemormanagedthem.Weseeitasthespiritofthegroupemerging,respondingtoeachothersneeds,car-

ingforeachother,taking initiative,andreally manifesting a creativity that

couldnothavebeenanticipated.

ALMA

HolyLandPilgrimage


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12

A living traditionBYKEN CARTER

Early on our cohort settled on the nameLiving Tradition. We represent threedenominations (Presbyterian, United

Methodist, and Congregational) and the five of ushave enjoyed associations within and acrossdenominational lines. What unites us is the prac-tice of ministry, especially preaching, teaching, andgiving shape to worship, and, in addition, someexperience in seeking to define these acts againstshifting cultural expectations. So we are returningto the sources of the living tradition, drawingstrength from each other and from varied readings.

Most recently we met with Jason Byassee, for-merly an editor with The Christian Century andnow associated with Duke. Jason is the author ofPraise Seeking Understanding: Reading the Psalmswith Augustine (Eerdmans). In preparation we had read Augustines Confessions alongside Praise SeekingUnderstanding; our morning focus was on the Confessions, and our afternoon attention was given to the Psalms.

I had not read the Confessions(I confess!) since seminary. Augustine casts such a large shadow over our inter-pretation of scripture (and in particular sin and grace), and yet he does not come up in everyday conversation. Ibecame aware, in our morning of discussion, of how different Augustine is from our usual stereotype of him; forexample, we explored the prominent feminine images in the Confessions. In the afternoon, our questions centeredaround creative and allegorical interpretations of texts; Byassee insisted at one point that orthodoxy is more cre-ative than heresy. We acknowledged that often, due to demands of parish life or our lack of imagination, we are

prone to flattened interpretations of familiar biblical texts.Our upcoming plans include conversations with an Orthodox scholar and a visit for a few days to a Benedictine

monastery (where we will again reflect on the Psalms). We sense the renewing of friendship as a means of grace (andof course this is enhanced around meals!); we also share a common love for reading and study, and yet know thatthe accountability of our gatherings prompts us more deeply into this discipline. Since each of us serves a congre-gation that tends toward the traditional side in worship and liturgy, immersion in what has been and is importantis helpful to us, as leaders, but also, we are convinced, to our people.

Although we are dispersed by geography, each of us lives in contexts where the tradition is either called intoquestion, rejected, or rehearsed in static or nostalgic ways. The living tradition is about the recovery of the richinsights from friends who happened to live far from us in space and time and yet whose voices are nevertheless essen-tial to us. We also believe, with Craig Dykstra and Dorothy Bass, that there is a hunger [for] nourishment drawnfrom the deep wells of Christian history, belief, and experience.

We are convinced that the tradition is neither static nor a given, and that it merits renewed engagement in ourown lives and in the lives of our parishes. We are grateful, as a cohort, for time and space to return to these deep

wells that lead to life. L

Ken Carter is senior pastor of Providence United Methodist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. His cohort,Living Tradition, includes Jim Haddix, Rush Otey, David Hockett, and Jonathan Marlowe.


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14

On February 1-3, 2010,alumni/ae and friends ofAustin PresbyterianTheological Seminary will gather tohear Thomas Currie, BarbaraWheeler, Rodger Nishioka, andBrian Blount during the 2010MidWinters. The three-day event

will also include a Welcome DinnerUnder the Oaks, time forconversation with the lecturers,worship and social time with theJim Cullum Jazz Band, and theannual Austin SeminaryAssociation Banquet.

The Reverend Dr. Thomas W.Currie III (MDiv73) will begiving the Currie Lectures (namedfor his grandfather) focusing on thenature of Christian ministry. The

lectures, which he calls Dancinwith The One Who Brung Us:Jesus Christ and the EmbarassingWork of Ministry, will give anaccount of ministry that is rootedin an understanding of JesusChrist and the church he haschosen to embody with his ownpresence and ministry. Currie isprofessor of theology and dean ofUnion-PSCE at Charlotte. He hasserved as an ordained minister in

the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)for twenty-five years. He has taughtcourses in theology and homileticsat Austin Seminary and in itsextension programs in Houstonand Midland, Texas. Currie is theauthor of four books, includingThe Joy of Ministry, Searching forTruth: Confessing Christ in anUncertain World,Ambushed by

Two Theological Schools. Wheeler iscurrently serving on thePresbyterian Committee onCongregational Song, charged withproducing a new hymnal for thedenomination.

The Jones Lecturer, TheReverend Dr. Rodger Y. Nishioka,

holds the Benton Family Chair inChristian Education at ColumbiaTheological Seminary. His twolectures, Marked as the Imago Dei:Human beings and our capacity toimagine and But its just a rock!Nurturing the religious imaginationin a cynical age, will explorehumans imaginative giftedness andthe challenges to imagination of acynical and skeptical age. Hislectures will focus on the potential

of the human gift of imaginationinspired by the Holy Spirit.

While he teaches in the area ofChristian education and practicaltheology, Nishioka specializes inministry with youth and youngadults and has completed a researchproject comparing the participationof young adults in mainlineProtestant congregations and non-denominational independentChristian movements. Prior to his

joining the faculty at Columbia,Nishioka served for twelve years inthe area of youth and young adultministry for the PresbyterianChurch (U.S.A.). He earneddegrees from Seattle PacificUniversity, McCormick TheologicalSeminary, and Georgia StateUniversity. Nishioka has publishedseveral articles, chapters, and books

Grace: The Virtues of a Useless Faith,and Prayers for the Road.

In her Westervelt lectures, Dr.Barbara Wheelerwill address theeffects of differences withinmainline religious denominationsover theological doctrines, socialissues, and religious practices and

their possible implications. Herlectures are titled Made withHuman Hands: Idols of the Left,the Rightand the Center andFor This Reason: the Dignity ofDenominational Differences.Using the Presbyterian Church(U.S.A.) as a principal example, herfirst lecture will explore the waysthat differences threaten the futureof denominations and the secondwill propose ways that these same

differences can become the basis ofvitality and faithfulness in the yearsto come.

Wheeler is director of AuburnSeminarys Center for the Study ofTheological Education, which shefounded in 1991. Wheeler servedas Auburns president for thirtyyears. She writes and speaks onAmerican religious life andtheological education and consultswidely with seminaries,

denominations, foundations, andcongregations concerned about thefuture of religious leadership andinstitutions. She has contributedto and edited a dozen volumes onthe future of mainlineProtestantism, congregationalstudies, and theological educationand is co-author of the book, BeingThere: Culture and Formation in

anything but bleak!

COMMUNITY NEWS


17/24

WINDOWS / Winter 2010

largely focused on ministry withyouth and young adults and theeducational ministry of the churchas spiritual formation.

The MidWinters Preacher, theReverend Dr. Brian K. Blount, is

president and professor of NewTestament at Union TheologicalSeminary and Presbyterian Schoolof Christian Education inRichmond, Virginia. He was calledto this position in 2007 afterserving for fifteen years as theRichard J. Dearborn Professor ofNew Testament Interpretation atPrinceton Theological Seminary.He was the first African Americanto be tenured in the Department ofBible at Princeton TheologicalSeminary and is the author of fivebooks including CulturalInterpretation: Reorienting NewTestament Criticism and Can I GetA Witness? Reading RevelationThrough an African American Lens.

On Tuesday, February 2, aspecial ceremony will take place todedicate the Stanley R. HallLiturgics Lab. Through a gift from

the Class of 2009, a classroom inthe McMillan building is beingoutfitted with a custom-built (byalum Derek Forbes) communiontable, font, and pulpit. The roomwill be used primarily as a practiceworship space, long a dream of theformer professor who died in 2008.

A tent under the great live oaksbetween Shelton Chapel and StittLibrary will be the site of the

Crawley and Olsenjoin board as newtrustees

The Austin Seminary Board ofTrustees elected two new

members: James B. Crawley ofNorman, Oklahoma, and TheHonorable Lyndon L. Olson Jr. ofWaco, Texas. Each is invited toserve an initial three-year term.

James B. Crawleyis thefounder and chairman of CrawleyPetroleum Corporation, Crawley

Ventures LLC,and the Crawley

FamilyFoundation.Crawley earned adegree inmechanicalengineering at

Texas A&M before receiving anMBA from Harvard BusinessSchool. He and his wife, Molly, aremembers of First PresbyterianChurch, Waco, where James is anelder and serves on the Foundation

Board of Directors.The Honorable Lyndon L.Olson Jr. is an active member ofthe Council on Foreign Relationsand the Council of AmericanAmbassadors. Heserved as the U.S.Ambassador toSweden from1998-2001 andbefore that as thepresident and

CEO of TravelersInsurance Holdings. He is a formermember of the Texas State Houseof Representatives, serving from1973-1978. A graduate of BaylorUniversity and Baylor Law School,Olson lives in Waco, Texas, wherehe and his wife, Kay, are membersof Central Presbyterian Church;Lyndon is an elder.

opening dinner on Mondayevening. Guests will enjoy a Cajunfeast featuring peel and eatshrimp, gumbo, boudin balls, redbeans and rice, and bread puddingwith bourbon sauce. The JimCullum Jazz Band of theRiverwalk in San Antonio will playduring worship on Tuesday eveningand continue for an hour after forthose who wish to linger on thelawn and enjoy dessert and coffee.

New this year, in addition tobook signings by the lecturers andAustin Seminary faculty, books willalso be offered and signed byalumni/ae who choose to

participate.The Austin SeminaryAssociation (ASA) Annual Meetingand Banquet will close out thelectures on Wednesday at 12:30.Awards to distinguished alumni/aewill be given to Laura Mendenhall(DMin97) and Clint Rabb(MDiv74), President Ted Wardlawwill deliver the State of theSeminary address, and fellowshipswill be given to outstanding

seniors. The Seminary has made acommitment to end the banquet by2:00!

To register for the event andbuy tickets for the opening andclosing festivities, go towww.austinseminary.edu/midwinters2110 where youll find acomplete schedule of events and avideo of highlights from last yearsMidWinters.

15

Polity Bowl 09!Even though Austin Seminarys teamlost in the annual flag football matchagainst the Seminary of the Southwest,

justice still prevailed. This years t-shirtswere made in a U.S. factory by workerswho get paid a living wage; the studentsenate chose to put into practice one ofthe suggested Justice Challenges issuedby the Corpus Christi Student Group.


18/24

16

FACULTY NOTES

Whit Bodman, associate professorof comparative religion, gave apaper, The Color of God, at anIslam conference in Ottawa and

published an article, Reading theQuran as a Resident Alien in TheMuslim World Journal. He isdirecting a pilot course in FreeChurch Polity for Unitarians andUnited Church of Christ students.

James S. Currie, associate dean ofthe Houston Extension program,delivered the keynote address onJohn Calvin and preached at themeeting of Eastern Oklahoma

Presbytery in September. He alsogave two presentations on Calvinfor New Covenant Presbytery.

Academic Dean Michael Jinkinsdelivered the inaugural LupbergerLectures at St. Charles AvenuePresbyterian Church in NewOrleans on October 24, TheReformed Project: The Legaciesand the Future of Reformed Faith.He preached at Fifth AvenuePresbyterian Church in New Yorkon November 15.

In October David Jones, directorof the Doctor of Ministry program,delivered the keynote address,Prophetic Ministry: Taking aStand While Staying Connected toYour People, at The ChristianHealth Care Centers Clergy Dayin Wyckoff, New Jersey. InNovember he was the keynotespeaker for the Taiwanese Christian

Church Council of North Americagathering at the Austin TaiwanesePresbyterian Church. He also ledretreats for First UnitarianUniversalist Church in Austin andRussell Memorial UMC in WillsPoint, Texas.

Timothy Lincoln, associate deanfor seminary assessment and library

The Deans Bookshelf

Big feelings in small packages

Ernest Hemingway said you dont have to use big words to convey bigfeelings.The same can be said of big genres. You dont have to write a

novel the size ofWar and Peace to communicate passion, grief, hope,unrequited love, or unfulfilled longing. Sometimes a short story is exact-ly whats called for.

This year two collections entered the contemporary canon.The first is the swans song of perhaps the greatest fiction writer in

America: John Updikes My Fathers Tears and Other Stories(Knopf,$25.95). The second is a first work by a promising young author: LydiaPeelles Reasons for and Advantages of Breathing (Harper Perennial,$13.99).

They are must reads, as Ive been telling anyone who will listensince I read them this summer.

Updike reminds us that he is the rightful heir of Hawthorne andMelville, the most theological of American writers, because he is themost reverent and observant. In the story of a man returning home forhis high school reunion (graduating class of 1950), Updike writes: Intheistic Pennsylvania, David realized, people developed philosophies.Where he lived now, an unresisted atheism left people to suffer with themute, recessive stoicism of animals. The more intelligent they were, theless they had to sayin extremis.

Updike is in his element in the long short story, Varieties of

Religious Experience, which tracks the horrific events of 9/11 throughthe smallest apertures of individual experiences yet against the largestlandscape imaginable, the meaning of life and the character of God. Buthis wry turns of phrase in the title story, My Fathers Tears, signal thatsometimes the most important things about us are not cosmic, they areand remain ordinary: It is easy to love people in memory; the hardthing is to love them when they are there in front of you. These storiesare achingly beautiful.

Lydia Peelle is the best new writer Ive read in years. A native ofBoston, she writes about her adopted country of Tennessee as well asanyone since Peter Taylor. When I finished the first story in the collec-tion, Mule Killers, I closed the book and said that nobody could write

a better story. I was wrong. The second story, Phantom Pain, was evenbetter. She has a gift for allowing a narrative to transmute itself into ametaphor that represents something so elemental, so essential, to ourhumanity that we cannot, after reading the story, imagine there was atime when we didnt know this story. Theres nothing so true as good fic-tion. And sometimes the compression of feelings into the smallest liter-ary packages is whats needed for the truth to fly home.

Michael Jinkins,Academic Dean

FACULTY NEWS


19/24

Worthy Words

John Ahn, assistant professor of Old Testament, has co-edited (withStephen Cook) a new book, Thus Says the Lord: Essays on the Former andLatter Prophets in Honor of Robert R. Wilson (T & T Clark, 2009).Published to honor Ahns former professor at Yale Divinity School, the col-lection focuses on the Old Testament prophets, a major research subjectthroughout Wilsons career.

Jennifer Lord, associate professor of homiletics, has published FindingLanguage and Imagery: Words for Holy Speech (Fortress Press, 2009). It wasFortress best seller at the Academy of Homiletics annual meeting this fall.

The Christian Century magazine recommended two books by AustinSeminary professors in the Take and Read section of their fall book issue,October 20. Noteworthy reads in the Practical theology section includedMichael Jinkins Called to be Human: Letters to My Children on Living aChristian LifeandAllan Cole Jr.s Good Mourning: Getting Through YourGrief.

WINDOWS / Winter 2010

director, was granted the PhD fromThe University of Texas at Austin

in August. He led a workshop,Assessing the Theological Library:Analysis for Improvement, for theMinnesota Theological LibraryAssociation in St. Paul inNovember. Lincoln also served onan accreditation team of theAssociation of Theological Schoolsvisiting St. Tikhons OrthodoxTheological Seminary, SouthCanaan, Pennsylvania.

In addition to the publication ofher new book, Finding Languageand Imagery: Word for Holy Speech(Fortress),Jennifer Lord, associateprofessor of homiletics, preached atSt. Andrews Presbyterian Churchin Denton, Texas, and led an adulteducation class there and atWestminster Presbyterian Church,Austin. In October she gave alecture to the Corpus Christistudent group, Called Out

Women: Quotidian Realities andVocational Claims, on theSeminary campus.

K.C. Ptomeywas installed in theLouis H. and Katherine S. ZbindenChair of Pastoral Ministry andLeadership on November 9. Heserved for twenty-seven years aspastor of Westminster PresbyterianChurch in Nashville, Tennessee.

17

Faculty Marshall Allan Cole congratu-lates Timothy Lincoln on his burnt-orange doctoral robes, worn for the firsttime during Fall Convocation inSeptember.

Find back issues ofWindows online at


Board approves sabbatical leave requests

At its November meeting, the Austin Seminary Board of Trustees tookthe following action with regard to faculty: reappointed David W. Johnson as director of the Ministerial

Formation program; approved a six-month sabbatical leave for Academic Dean Michael

Jinkins for the 2010 fall term; approved a six-month sabbatical leave for Associate Dean Timothy

Lincoln for the 2010 fall term;

approved a one-year sabbatical leave for Assistant Professor MonyaStubbs for the 2010-2011 academic year.

approved a six-month sabbatical leave for Assistant Professor JohnAhn for the 2011 spring term;

approved a six-month sabbatical leave for Associate Professor WhitneyBodman for the 2011 spring term;

approved a sabbatical leave for Professor Lewis Donelson for the2011 fall term;

The board also accepted the sabbatical reports of Professors RigbyandJones and approved a feasibility study for a new capital campaign.

Sign up now for a Lenten study event led byHomiletics Professor Kristin Saldine

From Ashes to Fire: Lectionary Lessons for LentJanuary 8Register here:www.austinseminary.edu/cle2010


20/24

My wife,Ayana Teeter

(MDiv06), and I were thank-

ful to receive the Wilcox

Scholarship the summer of

2005. During that summer we

were married and served in a

co-internship at the Tai-

wanese Presbyterian Church

in Austin. Now we are in Mat-

tituck, New Yorkout on the

east end of Long Island. We

share an associate pastor

position and the responsibili-

ties of parenting our two

daughtersEvangeline, 3,

and Naomi, 1.

As students and newly-

weds we were quite seriously

poor! The Wilcox Scholarship

gave us the opportunity to

devote ourselves to practicingministry and learning pas-

toral skills before receiving

our first call. Through your

giving, God provided for us.

During this internship,

Ayana and I had our first

opportunity to work together.

Through this we discerned

Gods call for us to be in min-

istry together. This call has

been confirmed as we have

worked alongside one anoth-er for three years and count-

ing. We hope and believe

that our co-ministry will be

fruitful to the Church of

Jesus Christ.

Aaron Teeter (MDiv06)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Learning by going

The John R. Wilcox Endowed Scholarship was created in 2001 byfriends, family, and parishioners of John Wilcox, the former pastor ofCentral Presbyterian Church in Denver. Wilcox, who served a rural parishwhile attending seminary, believed that, in the words of Theodore Roethke,

We learn by going where we have to go. His friends created the fund tohelp inspire and enable students to grow through summer internships andtravel seminars. Since that time, eight students have benefited from thescholarship. Here are reflections by some of those recipients.

18

[TheWilcoxScholarship]ena

bleda

wonderfulpracticumformea

ndI

feeltremendouslyblessedtohav

ehad

thatexperiencetobringtomycall.Ialsothinkitwa

simportanttomy

receivingacallfairlysoonafte

r

graduationwhentheconvention

al

wisdomwouldsayI'dhaveah

ard

timefindingacall.WeknowGo

disin

chargeandIamthankfulfort

uned-in

heartsthatdothingsthatare

partof

God'swillbeingdone.

VickieGriffin(MDiv08)

Pastor,FirstPresbyterianChu

rch,Jacksonville,Texas

TheWilcoxScholarshipsupportedmytravelstudy

tripin2002,TheContemporaryChallengesofMiddleEasternChurches.DuringmytravelsIwas

abletospendtwoweeksinEgypt,visitingavastcross-sectionofchurchesandmin

istries.Despite

mypreviousexperienceswithPresbyterianBorder

MinistryinMexico,thistripchangedandchallengedmylife.IstartedtorealizethatIhadwrittenofftheMiddleEastinmymindandheart

asahopelesscause,butGodhadnotmadethesamemistake.AsaresultofthattripIbeganto

discernacallthathasledmetoreturntoEgyptasamissionworkerwith

thePresbyterianChurch(U.S.A.).Ihavejustcompletedfiveandahalf

yearsofmissionserviceattheEvangelicalTheologicalSeminaryin

Cairo.Imetmywife,Sungmin,inCairoafewyearsago,andwejust

celebratedoursecondanniversarylastsummerandthebirthofourfirst

child,Justine,lastmonth.WhenwereturntoEgyptnextmonthwewill

beginaneweffortinthesouthofEgypt,workinginsupportofthe

fifteenchurchesofUpperEgyptpresbytery.WefindEgypttobeaplace

wheremanydoorsareopenforexcitingministry,andwerejoiceatthe

opportunitieswehavetoservethere.BriceRogers(MDiv03)


21/24

CLASS NOTES

1970sThomas H. Schmid (MDiv71)was granted honorable retirementby National Capital Presbytery andhas been elected Pastor Emeritus ofthe Falls Church PresbyterianChurch of Falls Church, Virginia.Beth and Tom will be living inSanta Barbara, California.

Woodland Presbyterian Church,Memphis, gave a gift to the KayandJoe Donaho (MDiv63)Scholarship Fund at AustinSeminary to honor Joe who retiredin May as interim head of staff; thefund was established in 2000 byEastminster Presbyterian Church,Columbia, South Carolina. TheDonahos will reside in


Planned giving update

Charitable gift annuitiesbenefit both donor andstudents

If you would like to make a giftto Austin Seminary but also needcurrent income, a charitable gift

annuity may be an answer. Acharitable gift annuity is anirrevocable gift that provides you(or someone you name) a stable, setamount every year for life andcould yield more than your currentinvestments (see table below). Atthe end of your life, the remainderprovides a special and enduring giftto strengthen the Seminarysprograms. For more information,please call Elizabeth Shumaker at1-800-777-6127.

ONE LIFE

Age Rate

60 5.5%

65 5.7%

70 6.1%

75 6.7%

80 7.6%85 8.9%

90+ 10.5%

TWO LIVES

Age Rate

60/65 5.3%

65/70 5.5%

70/75 5.8%

75/80 6.2%80/85 6.9%

Stay up to date on all

things Austin Seminary!


/seminaryconnect

ATLAS for ALUM provides theologicalresources to graduates

Austin Seminary is now able to provide religion and theology resourcesto its alumni/ae through the ATLASerials for ALUM program, inpartnership with the American Theological Library Association (ATLA).The program gives the same access to information resources enjoyed byAustin Seminary students. ATLASerials, an online collection of more thanone hundred and forty major religion and theology journals selected byleading religion scholars, theologians, and clergy, is now available at no

charge to graduates of Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary until Aprilof 2012.

Says Dr. Timothy Lincoln, director of Austin Seminarys Stitt Library,Austin Seminarys graduates, like everyone these days, are bombarded byinformation. By providing our alums with ATLAS for ALUM at no charge,Austin Seminary is ensuring that our graduates will have access to highquality information to enrich their preaching, teaching, and decision-making.

To utilize ATLASerials, alumni/ae need to contact the Stitt Library [email protected], or call 512-404-4879.

ALUMNI/AE NEWS

WELCOME TO

Zachary Stice Clifton, born on

August 30, 2009, to Daniel andSheri Stice Clifton (MDiv02)

Germantown, Tennessee, to enjoytheir children and grandchildren.

1980sPaul D. Alexander (MDiv84)married Connie S. Alexander.

Scott R. Somers (DMin86) mar-

ried Isabel DoCampo.Bertha andJesus (Jesse) Gonzlez(MDiv92) are the proud grandpar-ents of Rhys Eric Gonzlez, bornon September 27.

1990sDavid Swanson (MDiv91) andothers will launch a new mediaministry platform called The Well



22/24

20

Above: Alice Hernandez(MDiv08) at her ordination

with James Lee (MDiv00) andhusband, Paul. Left: formerecumenical student Iza Hutzler(MATS06) dropped by theSeminary in November for a visitwith husband, Jeremy Schmidt,and daughter, Kamilla.

on December 6 in Orlando, Dallas,Chattanooga, and Ft. Myersaswell as on the Internet. View thepilot website atwww.drinkfromthewell.com.David will also publish his firstbook, Vital Signs, in print January15, in conjunction with thatmonths broadcasts.

Tammy Gregory Brown

(MDiv94), senior pastor ofWestminster Presbyterian Churchin Charleston, was honored byPresbyterian College for her workdirecting the multi-congregationalHands of Christ ministry. Shereceived the Honorary Doctor ofDivinity degree on Saturday, May9, during the schoolscommencement exercises.

The New England Dream Center,directed byGeorge Cladis(DMin96), opened the MichaelChaulk Master Tradesmen Programin October. The Center is designedto teach carpentry, plumbing, andelectrical skills to potential workersin the region. Cladis is workingwith officials from the City ofWorcester to identify dilapidated orabandoned properties for theseapprentice tradesmen to renovate.Profits from the sale of the homes

are reinvested in the program.Rebecca Fox Nuelle (MDiv97) isinterested in starting a TexasClergywomans Project with initialsteps being a website with blog andpossible retreat in 2010. Anyoneinterested in collaborating on theproject can email her at [email protected].

Presbyterian Church,Hagerstown, Maryland, onJune 28, 2009.

Marta Pea(MDiv06) wascommissioned as an officer in the

U.S. Army, Active Duty in theChaplain Corps, on August 9,2009.

Chizason Chunda(MATS09) hasbeen chosen to become theacademic dean for ChasefuTheological College in Zambia.

Melissa R. Koerner Lopez(MDiv08) and senior studentJoseH. Lopezwere married on June 6,2009.

2000sM. Anghaarad Teague (MDiv01)wed Daniel Zane Dees on August

8, 2009, at First PresbyterianChurch in Tupelo, Mississippi.They live in Pensacola.

Renee Mackey(DMin03) wasinstalled as pastor of Covenant

NECROLOGY

Thomas K. Prentice (MDiv53) Malden, Missouri, 2006

Florence M. Cole (MDiv57), Davidson, North Carolina, August 28,

2009

Fred S. Morrison (MDiv68), Green Valley, Arizona, April 20, 2009

Roger S. Watkins (MDiv70), Greensville, South Carolina, August 2,2009

Juan F. Trevino Jr. (MDiv79), Brownsville, Texas, September 12, 2009

Elisha A. Paschal Jr. (DMin92), Dallas, Texas, August 29, 2009

Roger M. Brown (MDiv99), Osage Beach, Missouri, June 18, 2009

CallingAllAlumAuth

ors:

Ifyouwouldliketobring,s

ell,andsignyourownbook

(s)

duringAustinSeminarys2

010MidWinters,pleaselet

us

knowandwellincludeyou

intheline-upalongwithou

rfaculty

andlecturers.ContactRan

dalWhittington:

windows@austinseminary.

eduor512-404-4808byJa

nuary15.


23/24

ORDINATION

Kathleen Brinegar (MDiv08)to serve CommunityPresbyterian Church in Oakland,Oregon

Alice Hernandez(MDiv08) tohospital chaplaincy at TrinityMother Frances Hospital, Tyler,Texas

Jonathan Murray(MDiv08) toserve St Paul's PresbyterianChurch, Needville, Texas

Emily R. Owen (MDiv08) toserve Matthews PresbyterianChurch in Matthews, North

CarolinaRyan M. Pappan (MDiv08) toserve Douglass BoulevardChristian Church in Louisville,Kentucky

Laura(MDiv09) and Keith(MDiv09) Hudson to serve asco-pastors of First PresbyterianChurch, La Grande, Oregon

If you have been ordained recently

and have not been recognized inWindows, please contact LanaRussell at 512-404-4809 [email protected]

Connect with Austin Seminaryalumni/ae over lunch, from11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Learnfrom a dynamic speaker andfrom one another. Lunch isonly $10; the continuing ed is

on us!

Register online at

www.austinseminary.edu;

click on Alumni/ae

Gatherings

March 4, 2010,GracePresbyterianVillage, Dallas

Elder Ministry withThe Reverend SamRiccobene (MDiv91)

April 22, 2010, FirstPresbyterian Church,McAllen

Transformacin: Leading

Church Through Ethnical

Change with The Reverend

Danny Cruz Longoria

May 5, 2010, First PresbyterianChurch, Tulsa

Art & Theology with TheReverend Dr. C.D. Weaver

Alumni/ae Challenge

The results are in!

The 2009 Alumni/ae Challengewas a wonderful successfeaturing a kick-off event at thePresidents Manse and callers inAustin and Dallas. A total of$56,666 in gifts and pledges wasraised for the Annual Fund;alumni/ae participation this fiscalyear is 20.35%. The stellarperformers during the challengewas (drum roll please): graduates ofthe Class of 2008 for having boththe largest number of donors andgiving the highest dollar amount.

Dallas-area alumni/ae who participated in the phone calls for the Alum Challenge were:(standing) Traci Truly, Clay Brantley, Mally Baum, Walker Westerlage, Lewis Donelson(who led a Bible study before the calls began), and Anne Clifton; (seated) Matt Calvert,David Fletcher, John Evans, and Cynthia Logan.

ALUMNI/AE NEWS

First female BD graddies in North Carolina

Florence Flosi Mason Cole(MDiv57) died on August 28 at

her home in Davidson, NorthCarolina. She was the first womanto receive the Bachelor of Divinity(precursor to the MDiv) degreefrom Austin Seminary. Cole wonthe Faculty Fellowship Award in1957.

While they were students, andbefore she married Richard Cole,Flosi and the only other femalestudent, Eugenia Genie HopperZavaleta(MCE57), lived in Wynn

House, the former home of thepresident of the University of Texas.

Before entering seminary, Flosiworked with migrant ministry forthe National Council of Churches.She was active in Davidson CollegePresbyterian Church and was arecipient of the colleges AlgernonSydney Sullivan Award, givenannually to a local citizen forservice to the community.


24/24

WINDOWSAustin Presbyterian Theological Seminary100 East 27th Street, Austin, Texas 78705-5797

Address Service Requested

Non Profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDAustin, Texas

Permit No. 2473

Envisioning the Future

of Christian Education & Formation:Ta l k i n g A c r o s s D i s c i p l i n e s April 5-7, 2010, at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary

This conference celebrates the

25-year partnershipbetween Austin

Seminary and The South Central Region of the Association of Presbyterian Church Educators

(SCRAPCE) and honors the long-standing commitment ofFirst Presbyterian ChurchBryan, Texas, to the ministry of education. Christian educators, pastors, chaplains, and lay per-

sons will explore the future of Christian formation and education in the 21st century as Austin Seminar

professors address the emerging developments and methodologies of their disciplines.

Theodore J. Wardlaw, President and Professor of Homiletics

David White, The C. Ellis and Nancy Gribble Nelson Professor of Christian Education | Convenor

Arun W. Jones, The John W. and Helen Lancaster Associate Professor of Evangelism and Missions

David H. Jensen, Professor of Constructive Theology

John Ahn, Assistant Professor of Old Testament

Kristin Emery Saldine,Assistant Professor of Homiletics

Come to discuss, collaborate, and learn!

Winter 2010

Spring Partnership Events

Tyler, Texas Feb. 12

Texas Hill Country March 25

Shreveport, Louisiana May 6

Evening with the PresidentFort Worth, Texas Jan. 26

Little Rock, Arkansas Feb, 9

For more information or to attendone of these call: 512-404-4886

Vol-125-1-2010 Winter Windows

Documents

Transcript of Vol-125-1-2010 Winter Windows