reconnect with classmates. fellowship with faculty ... · who survey evidence for ancient...

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Spring Alumni/ae Day on Friday, May 16 begins with a breakfast reception in the Refectory at 9:00 a.m. Then we will gather in Santee Chapel by 10:30 a.m. for Alumni/ae Day worship, which will include a justice-focused sermon from Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Soto, the Seminary’s Coordinator of Field Education and Cross Cultural Programs. Also during worship, the Meck Award for excel-lence in pastoral ministry will be presented to Jason Leader, MDiv ‘00 / DMin ‘10, and the Moss Award for excellence in specialized ministry will be presented to Rev. Nathan Baxter, MDiv ‘76 / DMin ‘84.

A dramatic new innovation this year will be the location of the Alumni/ae Banquet, which this year will take place under a tent on the front lawn of the Lark Building. The banquet will get under-way at 12:30 p.m., and during the program the Meck and Moss winners will have the opportunity to express their appreciation. Also during the banquet, a drawing will be held for a spectacular painting of the Lark Building by local artist Frei-man Stoltzfus (see page 7 for details).

FRIday, may 16 &

SatuRday, may 17

—continued on page 5

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IN thIS ISSue...

Spring Revival p3 Win This Painting p7 Celebrating 50 Years p9African-American Heritage Week p8

Master Class with Rev. Wright p15

make youR Way to alumNI/ae day IN may

By Rev. Paul Eyer, ’06, Director of Alumni/ae and Church Relations

RecoNNect WIth claSSmateS.FelloWShIP WIth Faculty.

NouRISh youR SPIRIt at laNcaSteR SemINaRy.

It is all happening on Alumni/ae Day and Commencement weekend:

2 Spring 2014, Volume 10, number 25

FRom the PReSIdeNt beING Good SteWaRdS oF ouR oWN thIN PlaceBy Rev. Dr. Carol E. Lytch, President, Lancaster Theological Seminary

boaRd oF tRuSteeSRichard Kratz, ChairJon Gruber, Vice ChairBeckie Meyer, SecretaryMarja Coons-Torn, Treasurer

Kharma Amos

Sandy Cross

Edward Davis

Karen Demby

Susan Garofola

Catherine Hartley

Sadie High

Patricia Hopson-Shelton

Karen Horsey

Anne Lampe

Marjorie Lohnes

Cody Long

Benjamin Rader

Robert Rhoads

Kenneth Samuel

Harry Serio

Scott Shuck

admINIStRatIoNRev. Dr. Carol E. Lytch, PresidentDr. David Mellott, Dean of the Seminary and Vice President, Academic AffairsElizabeth Bennett,Vice President, Business and Operations

Crystal Mills, Vice President, Advancement and Communications

Lancaster Theological Seminary serves God by educating and strengthening transformational leaders for congregations, other settings of ministry, and society.

555 West James StreetLancaster, PA 17603800.393.0654www.lancasterseminary.edu

Where the door between the world and the next is cracked open for a moment

and the light is not all on the other side.

—Sharlande Sledge

The concept of a “thin place” comes from the Celtic tradition of Ireland and Scotland. A “thin place” is a location where people have noticed that the veil between heaven and earth is especially transparent and permeable. It is a place where God’s majesty and power and grace and mercy are more easily felt.

The Island of Iona off the west coast of Scotland is a thin place. It is a small island with an ancient stone abbey where Saint Columba brought Christianity from Ireland to Scotland in the 6th century. My husband and I went there when we were students at the University of Edinburgh to attend a retreat with theology students from around the world, and we were merged into a fellowship like that of heaven above.

Another thin place is Chimayo, New Mexico, a village in the mountains outside of Santa Fe. There is a tiny church where people have gone for healing over the centuries. God’s gracious gift of wholeness has been found there as people have been liberated from all kinds of infirmities. I experienced it as a thin place when I attended a gathering of seminary presidents as we shared worship and felt that same healing Spirit in soul-bearing conversation that has drawn pilgrims for centuries.

When I came to Lancaster I discovered a new thin place. It’s the campus of the Seminary, especially Santee Chapel where we have worship at 11:00 on Wednes-days. I am regularly transported to a new sense of God’s grace and loving kind-ness as students, professors, and guests offer prayers, preaching, and liturgy.

Now we are engaged in a project that will maintain Santee Chapel as well as Lark, Mayer Commons, and Dietz Refectory. More than two years ago, Partners for Sacred Places contacted us. It is an organization that empowers congregations to restore their buildings and revitalize their communities. They asked if we might collaborate on their first major project at a seminary. We received a grant from the Henry Luce Foundation to engage our community, alumni/ae and friends to enhance our campus. (For grant details, see page 14)

While God is everywhere, there are those places where we feel especially close to God’s beauty and grace, places where we lose our death grip on life and breathe in a new way. Lancaster Seminary is one of those places, a thin place where we can see, God willing, the promise of a new heaven and earth.

Rev. Carol Lytch, PhD, President

alumNI/ae NeWS bRIeFS¢ Hurry, there’s still time to hop onboard for the alumni/ae summer trip to Germany aug. 6-17. Join President Carol Lytch and Prof. Lee Barrett on this special trip commemorating the 50th anniversary of Lancaster Seminary’s “Seminar Abroad /

Cross Cultural” program. Contact Paul Eyer at [email protected].

¢ celeste brooks, mdiv ’13, has been selected to participate in this summer’s New Clergy Program at the Chautau-qua Institution.

¢ Rev. dr. bob Naylor, mdiv ’70, authored a book pub-lished by Pilgrim Press, What Church Lead-ers Really Need to Know: A Practical How-To Guide. He’ll teach a weeklong course during our Summer Academy.

(pictured above) Also participating in this compelling worship experience will be the United Voices of Praise Gospel Choir, led by organizer and musical director Charles Brad-shaw. This multicultural choir brings together musicians from the United Church of Chapel Hill, N.C. and Fisher United Holy Church of Durham, N.C. Founded in 1992, the choir has performed in Germany, France, and England.

JoIN uS FoR SPRING ReVIValLancaster Theological Seminary will be the site of a Spring Revival service on Friday, April 25 beginning at 6:30 p.m. in beautiful Santee

Chapel. The preacher will be Rev. Dr. Kenneth Samuel, pastor of Victory for the World Church (UCC) in Stone Mountain, Georgia, and a new member of Lancaster Seminary’s Board of Trustees. Dr. Samuel is well known as a contributor to the Still-Speaking

Writers Group, and his Still-Speaking Devotions, published online by the UCC, are immensely popular.

a NeW laNcaSteRSemINaRy.eduThanks, in part, to a generous class gift from the Class of 2012, and support

from a key donor, we launched our new website in February.

With updated graphics, streamlined navigation, and improved multimedia capability, the new site is poised to be our primary platform for sharing news, events and information while serving as a portal for students and alumni/ae.

The superb theological research database, ATLAS for Alums, is still available at no charge as a benefit for our graduates. The vast scholarly resources (including biblical studies materials helpful in sermon preparation) are available through the American Theological Library Association database. First-time users will need to register to gain access, and previous users will need to re-register. You can find the ATLAS for Alums tab under the heading “Alumni/ae Resources” on the Alumni/ae section of the new website.

Coming up, we’ll be adding some new features including an online store offer-ing logo apparel and other cool items, more multimedia presen-tations, and a new interactive offering to help alumni/ae con-nect with colleagues, classmates, and the compelling conversa-tions that take place at Lancaster Seminary.

www.lancasterseminary.edu 3Leadership Letter

President Carol E. LytchOur President maintains

a busy calendar that also includes speaking and preaching engagements. Here are just a few:

June 7-8 — Preaching at St. James Episcopal Church, Lancaster

June 15 — Leading Bible Study at the Penn Central Conference Annual Meet-ing, Susquehanna University, Selins-grove, PA

June 26 — Keynote speaker at the UCC Southern Conference Annual Meeting, Portsmouth, VA

Dr. Lee C. BarrettHis latest book, Eros and Self-Emptying: The Intersections of Augustine and Kierkegaard, is getting outstanding reviews, including an endorsement

from Murray Rae, from New Zealand’s University of Otago, who calls the book “theologically astute and wonder-fully insightful,” and recommends it for “anyone interested in what the Christian journey of faith involves.”

May — Book lectures in Denmark

July — Book seminar at Minnesota’s St. Olaf College

Fall — Book session, American Academy of Religion annual meeting, San Diego.

Dr. Greg CareyIn addition to writing

his popular blogs for the Huffington Post, Greg spends most Sundays at Evangelical Lutheran

Church of the Holy Trin-ity in Lancaster, where he is Resident

Scholar, planning and coordinating adult education opportunities for this vibrant and historic congregation that partners with Lancaster Seminary on educational initiatives including jointly sponsored lectures.

April 26 — keynote address, “Rethink-ing Missing When Nobody Goes to Church,” Catoctin Assoc. of UCC Central Atlantic Conference, Taneytown, MD

May 18-20 — representing the United Church of Christ on the Convening Table for Theological Study and Dialogue and Matters of Faith and Order, National Council of Churches Christian Unity Gathering, Washington, DC.

Dr. David MellottWinter 2014 — “Less

Common Melodies on the Christian Spiritual Path,” Christian Adult

Forum, St. John Lutheran, St. James Lutheran,

and St. Paul Episcopal churches, Columbia, PA.

Winter 2014 — “Everyday Theologizing: How Is God in the Midst of Your Peo-ple?,” 2014 Leadership Series, presented with the Samaritan Center, Lancaster.

Dr. Julia O’BrienMarch 2014 — Made final

edits as Editor-in-Chief of the Oxford Encyclo-pedia of the Bible and Gender Studies, the first

major encyclopedia of its kind. Three years in the mak-

ing, the Encyclopedia explores the ways in which gender is constructed in the diverse texts, cultures, and readers that constitute “the world of the Bible.” It includes the work of established and newer biblical scholars and contem-porary gender theorists, classicists, archaeologists, and ancient historians who survey evidence for ancient con-

structions of same-sex relations, gender transgression, marriage and divorce, race/class/ethnicity, and other realms of gender and sexuality in the ancient Mediterranean.

Dr. Anabel ProffittLate 2013 — Began a co-

pastorate at Wisdom’s Table, St. Peter’s United Church of Christ, a block from the Seminary with

co-pastors the Rev. Lance Mullins and Minister Naomi Leapheart, a second-year seminarian; they seek to embody the multicultural and sexual diversity God created and to do “church unusual, not church as usual.”

Co-wrote with Leadership Now Director Rev. Jacquie Church Young “Catalyze Community: When the Community Becomes the Catechist,” a chapter for a new book titled, A More Excellent Way: How Youth Ministry Is Changing the Way Christian Leaders Are Formed.

Published a research article on Lilly Endowment-sponsored research on youth culture for the Lilly Endowment research website.

Dr. Anne ThayerWinter 2014 — Taught

“Streams of Christian-ity: Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Protestant, and

Pentecostal/Charismatic,” adult education series,

Immanuel UCC, Shillington, PA.

June 2014 — Presents “Popular re-sources for local spiritual formation: Sermon collections and pastoral manu-als in the later Middle Ages,” at Re-ligious Orders and Religious Identity Formation in Late Medieval and Early Modern Europe (XV-XVII centuries) Conference, University of Nijmegen, Netherlands.

out IN the WoRldInternationally known scholars, respected teachers, gifted preachers, talented writers and editors — our people personify lancaster Seminary’s attributes: Innovative. Involved. Inclusive. you’ll find them also sharing their knowledge outside our campus, preaching, teaching, presenting, and publishing. here is just a sampling of what they’re doing off campus.


disability, Inclusion & the heart of the Gospel


Following the banquet (at 3 p.m. Friday in the Refectory), there will be a compelling presentation, relevant both to the Seminary and to individual churches, about the relationship between architecture and mission. Nationally known consul-tants Partners for Sacred Places will discuss their work with us to maximize our beautiful, historic buildings on campus. Any-one who cares about ecclesiastical architecture or about the connection between church structures and church ministry won’t want to miss this presentation.

Spring Alumni/ae Day comes to a close Friday with reunion receptions to which all alumni/ae are invited. Alumni/ae who graduated prior to 1980 will gather in the Dietz Refectory, and alumni/ae who graduated from 1980 onward will assemble in the Bricker Room at Richards Hall. It promises to be a delight-ful end to an event-filled day.

On Saturday, May 17, Lancaster Seminary will hold 189th Commencement exercises at Church of the Apostles UCC in Lancaster. The Commencement address will be delivered by none other than Bishop Nathan Baxter, who will have received the Moss Award the previous day. During Commencement, members of the Class of 1964 (who are celebrating the 50th anniversary of their graduation) will be invited to stand as their names are called.

It will be a special weekend, and we hope that you will be part of it!

—Continued from front page

alumNI/e day aNd commeNcemeNt WeekeNdBy Rev. Paul Eyer, ’06, Director of Alumni/ae and Church Relations

Join us as we welcome the Rev. Bob Molsberry who will speak on “Disability,

Inclusion, and the Heart of the Gospel” from 11 a.m.–Noon on April 24 in Santee Chapel.

Bob, injured in a bicycle accident in 1997, uses a wheelchair for mobility. He is the author of two books that explore the concept of disability, Blindsided by Grace: Entering the World of Disability and Tour de Faith: A Cyclist’s Lessons for Living. He also has published several dozen articles.

Active in wheelchair sports, he completed an Ironman-length triathlon in 2010, and competed in the U.S. Paralympics Swimming Trials leading to the London Paralympics, where he captured first place in the breast stroke events in his disability classification.

Bob was active in planning and leading three annual Widen-ing the Welcome Conferences on disability inclusion in St. Louis and Columbus in 2010, 2011, and 2012, and has served on the UCC Disabilities Ministries Board. His most recent posi-tion was as Conference Minister for the Ohio Conference of the United Church of Christ from 2007-13.

Currently Interim Senior Pastor at Peace United Church of Christ in Webster Groves, Missouri, Bob has served in a variety of set-tings across the United Church of Christ. A graduate of Yale Divinity School, Bob has served churches in Illinois and Iowa, includ-ing an 11-year tenure at the congrega-tion where he was baptized and raised in Grinnell, Iowa.

He and his wife, Ann, were Peace Corps volunteers for three years in the highlands of Guatemala, and then with their two children in tow, served for three years in Nicaragua with the Mennonite Central Committee, doing training in church-based community development.

Bob’s appearance is sponsored in part by the Disability Awareness Committee.

His lecture is free and open to all.

NeWS FRom the adVaNcemeNt oFFIceBy Crystal Mills, Vice President for Advancement & Communication

hoNoRING FRaNk StalFa’S 25 yeaRS oF SeRVIce

Last fall Lancaster Theological Seminary lost one of its greatest treasures, Rev. Dr. Frank Stalfa. While we move forward, the grief is still palpable.

This academic year Frank would have celebrated a quarter century of service to the Seminary, an occasion traditionally commemorated with the presentation of an engraved chair.

At Spring Convocation, President Carol Lytch presented the chair to Frank’s beloved wife, Rev. Dr. Susan Minasian (’88, ’13) and their adored daughter, Anna Stalfa.

Making the celebration even more meaningful was the announce-ment of a $100,000 gift in Frank’s memory by Mrs. Ann B. Barshinger, a close friend of Susan, Frank and Anna, and a generous benefactor of Lancaster Seminary.

We feel blessed to have benefited from Frank’s special gifts over the course of 25 years. His legacy will live on here and continue to inform our mission.

Honor the Seminary’s illustrious past while helping prepare for its glorious future through membership in the 1825 Society! An annual gift of $1,825 is all that is needed to join.

Alumni/ae are invited to spread their gift out over as many as five years, which equates to only one dollar per day — or a $365 annual gift to Lancaster Seminary.

Membership benefits include a 20% discount for Summer Academy and other continuing education offerings, invitation to exclusive 1825 Society events in-

cluding receptions with guest lecturers, and a special 1825 commemorative lapel pin.

For more information on the 1825 Society, please contact Rev. Paul Eyer (’06) at (717) 290-8705 or via email to [email protected].

the 1825 SocIety

Susan Minasian, Ann Barshinger and Anna Stalfa gather around the Frank Stalfa chair in Santee Chapel

you aRe INVIted to JoIN


the GatheRING StoRm: Averting A Crisis thAt Could Kill the ChurCh

A conversation regarding the impact of student debt on ministry

thursday, may 18:30 a.m. – 12 noon

lancaster theological SeminaryRSVPs are required. Please contact Cheryl DeMarco,

Lilly Student Debt Project Coordinator, at (717) 290-8743 or [email protected] for more information.

Lancaster artist Freiman Stoltzfus has created this stunning 4’ by 3’ painting en-titled “Lancaster Theological Seminary” as a gift to be used to raise funds for the school.

“I wanted to honor the Seminary’s history as a great center of learning and theological engagement for generations, as a beacon of thought, word, and action in our ever-changing world,” he explained.

“I portrayed the building as permanent and yet dynamic, as the four seasons pass from spring on the right (east) to winter on the left. The times of the day follow the seasons: morning/spring; noon/summer; twilight/fall; and winter/night. A map of West Lancaster is along the bottom. By playing with scale, the painting feels both grand and intimate – depicting a bastion of warmth and nourishment, and a launch-ing place for students who leave here for expanded, radiant lives of loving action in their native communities and around the world.”

We sincerely thank Freiman and invite you to take part in a drawing to win this original masterpiece, valued at more than $6,000. Only 300 chances are available for a $100 donation each. the winner will be pulled at Spring alumni/ae day, Friday, may 16. Visit lancasterseminary.edu to purchase tickets, or call the Advancement Office at (717) 290-8738.

a SemINaRy FuNdRaISeRStoltzfus Painting:


Our February heritage celebration began with a libations service and dinner fellowship, during which we invoked the spirit of African-American ancestors to guide us as we faithfully live out the gospel message.

February 6, the Rev. Dr. James Forbes powerfully delivered the 2014 African American Heritage Lecture, “A Divine Sign with Policy Implications,” and gra-ciously shared in conversation with students afterwards. (His talk is a featured video on the Seminary’s new website, www.lancasterseminary.edu)

Each Wednesday in February, we celebrated the worship traditions of historical-ly African-American denominations in Santee Chapel. We were blessed by the word of God as dynamically proclaimed by Minister Kim Kendrick (MDiv student), Pastor Mark Kearse (alumnus), and the Rev. Dr. Jasmin Sculark.

Inspired by the theme, “The Church and the Public Square,” small groups of students gath-ered with notable pastors from the region to reflect on how religious leaders can thoughtfully and actively engage issues in the public domain, including politics and community revitaliza-tion. The Rev. Cean James (DMin student) and the Rev. Dr. Lavette Paige (alumna) generously imparted wonderful words of wisdom.

Several students and faculty members went to Dallas for the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Clergy & Lay Leadership Conference which nurtures, sustains, and mobilizes the African-American faith community to address critical needs of human and social justice. Our whole community will benefit from their experience of prophetic preaching, illuminating workshops, and compel-ling plenary sessions.

Our Book Drive yielded more than 40 multicultural children’s books for donation to organizations serving children and families in the Lancaster area. Our service project promoted childhood literacy while helping to stimulate kids’ imagination so they can visualize the fullness of God’s diverse human creation.

We ended the month at Millersville University’s production of Ernest J. Gaines’ play, A Lesson Before Dying. We look forward to planning another great celebration of African-American Heritage in 2015.

aFRIcaN-ameRIcaN heRItaGe WeekcelebRatIoN FeatuRed WoRShIP, FelloWShIP, SeRVIceBy Naomi Christine Leapheart, MDiv ’15 Co-chair, African-American Heritage Committee


It was 1964, a time of turmoil as cultural fault lines deepened in the U.S., enflamed by race riots and war protests. Around the world, crises burned. China detonated its first atomic bomb. Greeks and Turks battled in Cyrus; Muslims and Hindus fought in what was then called Calcutta. Germany was a divided country and South Africa was holding tight to its abominable apartheid policies.

Then-president of Lancaster Seminary, Dr. Robert V. Moss, Jr., saw the need to prepare future church leaders and pastors to serve in “a world communion … educating men [and women] for the ministry in the world of tomorrow.” He proposed what he called “a pioneering venture in American theological education” — a required MDiv seminar abroad.

That summer, Lancaster Seminary students boarded a chartered plane to West Berlin, Germany, where they attended approximately 17 lectures in 27 days, some venturing across the Berlin Wall secretly carrying Bibles for those in the Communist-controlled east. Their mission was “tell people what you see.”

Since 1964, Lancaster seminarians have traveled throughout Europe, Central and Latin America, India, Africa, and more on our Cross Cultural seminars. This year, 21 students experienced the divided world of Israel and Palestine.

Lancaster Seminary’s Cross-Cultural Seminar trips continue to challenge students to break down walls of separation that religious beliefs have constructed and our political systems have reinforced. Theological education cannot be separated from the realities of life we bring into the classroom. Our program makes the theologically necessary connections among local, na-tional and global issues.

Next year, we will travel to another wall of separation in Nogales, Arizona and Nogales, Mexico with BorderLink, where we will continue to “tell people what we see.”

(photo circle) The ancient market in Hebron.

(photo above) Wall art in Aida, a refugee camp in Bethlehem, where the displaced find strength in the words of Martin Luther King Jr.

In the Palestinian city of Hebron, on the West Bank of Jerusalem, soldiers were ever-present, especially in the area between Old Town Hebron and the adjacent Israeli settlement.

Photo credit: Fa Lane

cRoSS-cultuRal SemINaR celebRateS 50 yeaRSBy Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Soto, Coordinator of Field Education and Cross-Cultural Programs

Some of us at table enjoying a late-night meal of the traditional “upside down” dish mekoubleh.


keePING the FaIthBy Rev. Dr. Daphne Wiggins, Visiting Professor

In May 1985, I graduated from seminary. I was already ordained and had a posi-tion waiting for me. On that day, a sense of accomplishment, joy and triumph were all rolled into one. In three decades all sorts of twists and turns can occur in min-istry. If you talk to ministers who’ve been serving more than a minute, you will find many of them talk with enthusiasm about the “move of God,” the growth in parish-ioners and their unshakable faith. Sample another pool of clergy and you’re likely to stumble upon ministers struggling to continue in their posts, wondering how to maintain their passion for winning souls and leading God’s people.

Over the course of time resistance of the unsaved and the passivity of the con-verted can dampen your fervor. Over the course of time, commitment can turn into resignation; the minister may “suit up and show up” but the thrill is gone. Doing ministry can take its toll in many ways. Research data show that 1,500 pastors leave the ministry each month; 50% of married pastors divorce; 80% of seminary and Bible school graduates who enter the ministry will leave it in 5 years. A 2006 study of 1,050 pastors by the Francis Schaeffer Leadership Institute found, among other data, that 100% of pastors had a close associate or seminary buddy who had left the ministry because of burnout, conflict in the church, or moral failure.

So I ask two questions:“How will you steer clear of ministry fatigue?”“How will you keep the faith?”

The text which commands our attention is attributed to Paul or someone who knew Paul’s sensibilities. Paul had experienced a traumatic conversion followed by three years of preparation for public ministry. He knew the joys of thousands get-ting saved and establishing Christian fellowships in Mesopotamia. He endured the suspicion from his Jewish brethren, and from the disciples he had sought to stop in their tracks.

He understood the hard work of establishing a new order out of old mindsets, and experienced cultural and gender clashes. Paul knew about the things that can derail your focus and deplete your spirit. Paul also knew that working for God meant suffering for God.

In this scripture we find Paul is aware of how close he is to paying the ultimate price for serving Christ. From a jail cell, he took the opportunity to leave some sound words to a minister who would have to carry on the work. Knowing his days for “hands on” ministry were shorter than they were long, he tells Timothy, “I fought the good fight, I finished the race, I kept the faith.”


2 tImothy 4:7

I haVe FouGht the Good FIGht,

I haVe FINIShed the Race,

I haVe kePt the FaIth.

As winter melts away and the season of renewal is upon us, we celebrate ordinations, commencement, and new assignments. In this spirit, we share excerpts from a beautiful ser-mon delivered by Visiting Professor Rev. Dr. Daphne C. Wiggins who taught ministerial formation this year. She reminds us, clergy and laity alike, how to keep the faith when life throws us a curve or two.

11

1

2

3 Haven’t you heard these words before? These are the words so often spoken at the funeral of a faithful follower of Christ. They are words of culmination and celebration.

First we learn that STRUGGLE IS INHERENT TO MINISTRY. No one knows with certainty which enemies Paul had in mind when he spoke of fighting the good fight. Each one of us will have our own “good fight” to win. We struggle with the opponents out-side the faith and the divisive ones within the fold; we contend with the threats of cynicism, doubt and weariness.

Every battle isn’t one you can win. The good fight has to be one that advances God’s will not our will. The good fight cre-ates unity not discord. The good fight ought to be one the Spirit compels us towards not merely our wounded sensibilities.

Second, I offer that COMPLETION IS THE PERSONAL GOAL OF THE MINISTER. Paul said, “I have finished the race.” In the King James version, it says, “I finished my course.” Paul never thought he was embarking on an endless journey. God had an assignment for him to fulfill and he did it with all of his be-ing. Paul’s course took him through Syria, Rome, Ephesus, and Galatia, it led him into public squares and private homes, and into dangers and dungeons. Paul was signaling that Timothy would have to learn to run his own race.

Ministers sometimes experience frustration and fatigue because they’re trying to run someone else’s race. Finishing the race can occur if we’re sure we’re in our own lane. And finish-ing in ministry is not the same as competing against, leaving a legacy, or being successful by worldly measures. Finishing is just that, completing the obligations committed to you.

Thirdly, SAFEGUARDING THE FAITH IS THE ESSENCE OF THE MINISTER’S TASK. Paul said, “I have kept the faith.” His goal was not to keep his position, but “the faith.” To “keep” something means to safeguard, to protect, to shield it. That’s what Paul did with “the faith.” For Paul “the faith” meant Jesus Christ is the incarnate word made flesh. Jesus Christ crucified, buried and resurrected for all -- that was the essence of “the faith” Paul had kept.

Perhaps clergy would not get so burnt out if we stayed com-mitted to the core message of the gospel. Paul’s example shows us it is possible to end this journey with an exclamation of contentment when we are clear about what has been trusted to us and what is worthy of our full devotion.

Ministry and ministers are like married couples. We have to be able to stay the course, when we’re encountering the whole truth, through the good, the bad, and the ugly.

The Word tells me that faithfulness is rewarded. The Word tells me that steadfastness is noticed by God. The truth is, you can be cut off from people, but never from God. The truth is, when no one stands with you, God will stand for you.

Paul endured because he kept looking forward rather than backwards. Through it all, he kept his focus on who he served, not where he served.

We can do what we‘re called to do because we don’t just have the truth about who may be against us, but we have the hope of who is for us.

We do this thing, not because we’re in the dark, but because we live by one who is the Light.

Whatever you may face as you walk your journey of faith, may you live with the whole truth — that “he who has begun a good work in you will perfect it until that day.”

Paul endured because he kept looking forward rather than backwards. Through it all, he kept his focus on who he served, not where he served.

www.lancasterseminary.edu Leadership Letter

2 tImothy 4:7

If you know an outstanding high school student with leadership potential, tell them about Lancaster Seminary’s Leadership Now Academy. Held this year from June 21-28, this weeklong summer experience is a community of young people, led by young people, built around a desire to explore deep questions about faith and life.

In addition to classes, workshops, and worship, Leadership Now Academy provides space for youth to build relationships with others who ask big ques-

tions about themselves, their faith, and the world.

More information and application forms are on lancasterseminary.edu; select Academics, Youth, Leadership Now. Application deadline is May 12, 2014.

Questions? Contact Rev. Jacquie Church Young at [email protected].

In MemoriamIn December, our prayers were offered to the families of two

beloved former members of our Board of Trustees. We give thanks to God for sharing these inspiring and dedicated lead-ers with us.

William G. “bill” Walkup, 87, of Valley Forge, PA, died Dec. 23. Bill, a retired executive of Philadelphia Electric Co., faith-fully served on the Seminary Board for 12 years until com-pleting his fourth term in 2013. His wife, Joan Beck Walkup, survives along with four grandchildren and a stepson.

Richard b. “dick” hoffman, 77, of Mount Joy, PA, died Dec. 30. Dick was a Trustee Emeritus after serving on the Board from 1985-95. A Physics professor at Franklin & Marshall Col-lege, he retired in 2002 as F&M VP and CFO. His wife, Cheryl Knorr Hoffman, survives along with three sons, seven grand-children, and three great-grandchildren. We are grateful for the memorial gifts friends and family made to honor Dick’s service to the Seminary.

laRRy coVIN leadS coNtINuING educatIoN

In early 2014, we welcomed alumnus Rev. dr. larry d. covin, Jr. of Atlanta (DMin ’12) back to campus as Director of Continuing Education.

At Lancaster Seminary, he directs our continuing education programs including

guest lectureships, Summer Academy, the Safe Church and Healthy Congregations initiatives.

He is an ordained minister in both the Disciples of Christ and Methodist churches and is an in-demand consultant in the areas of ethics, social justice, nonviolence training, and prison reform. His article “Homelessness, Poverty and Incarceration: The Criminalization of Despair” in The Journal of Forensic Psychology Practice has been selected by the U.S. Department of Justice as a resource in the department’s Na-tional Criminal Justice Reference database.


callING outStaNdING hIGh School

StudeNtSLeadership Now academy

JuNe 21-28

Rev. Dr. Edward Smith DavisRev. Davis is the Conference Minister for the Southern

Conference of the United Church of Christ, serving the state of North Carolina. A certified nonprofit manager, he served on the Board of Directors of the United Church Funds, which manages and

directs socially responsible investments on behalf of churches and organizations of the UCC. He also

serves on the boards of United Church of Christ, the Education and Family Life Institute, Community Renewal

Society, and NeighborScapes, Inc.

Patricia Hopson-SheltonA human relations and higher education professional,

Ms. Hopson-Shelton was awarded the honorary title of Emerita Assistant to the President for Social Equity & Chief Diversity Officer after 23 years of service in that role at Millersville University. She presents nationally on topics including cultural,

ethnic and gender diversity, and mediation. She serves on Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology

Board of Trustees and NAACP Executive Committee, and is past president of the Pennsylvania Black Conference on Higher Education.

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. SamuelAn author, professor and minister, Rev. Samuel is

senior pastor and founder of Victory for the World Church in Stone Mountain, Ga. Victory Church has dual standing as an independent Baptist church and as an active congregation in the United Church

of Christ.

He has served as an adjunct professor at Clark At-lanta University in the Religion and Philosophy Depart-

ment, and is the author of Solomon’s Success: Four Essential Keys to Leadership.

Robert F. Groff, Jr. Trustee EmeritusMr. Groff of Lancaster, a longtime supporter of Lan-

caster Theological Seminary, served as a Trustee from 1975 to 1982, and was influential in the forma-tion of the Parish Resource Center, first housed at Lancaster Theological Seminary in the 1970s.

The Board of Trustees of Lancast-er Theological Seminary installed three new members at its January meeting, bringing the number of trustees to 21. The Board also wel-comed a new Trustee Emeritus, Mr. Robert F. Groff, Jr., of Lancaster.

“The Board and I are honored to welcome this class of accomplished new trustees who bring to the Seminary passion for our mission, dedication to outstanding theologi-cal training, in addition to valued skills in a variety of important areas including religious and civic leader-ship, human resources, nonprofit management, and higher educa-tion,” said Dr. Richard A. Kratz, Board Chair.

Welcome to ouR NeWeSt tRuSteeS


The Henry Luce Foundation awarded a $172,000 two-year Theology Grant to Lan-caster Seminary for a campus preservation and maximization project that also will serve as a national model for seminaries.

Working with the nationally known nonprofit Partners for Sacred Places, we have begun a detailed assessment of our historic campus and our own culturally significant “sacred spaces” to identify preservation needs and opportunities to maximize the use of space to benefit the Seminary and the greater community.

Using research methodology developed by the University of Pennsylvania, we are quantifying the Seminary’s economic “halo effect” on the local and regional econo-mies.

We have convened a diverse group of outstanding community leaders who are helping to guide us in identifying and attracting new partners and resources to help restore and fully use the campus.

In addition to reaching out to members of the larger community who will be invited to participate in an on-campus “visioning” experience called Asset Mapping, we will be engaging our faculty and staff, students, trustees, alums, and donors in the process.

This work will lay the groundwork for a fundraising case statement that articulates the extensive community value of Lancaster Seminary, and will allow for the creative, sustained use of campus facilities thus ensuring that the Seminary will be a vibrant and vital presence here for years to come.

Advisory Group of Community LeadersGary crossCommunity Volunteer

Susan connolly eckertThe Eckert Group

carlos GrauperaSpanish American Civic Association

J. Samuel houserFranklin & Marshall College

elizabeth todd lambertArts & Business Consultant

anne lampeDemuth Museum and Seminary Trustee

Rev. Randy RiggsLancaster Seminary

Gregory J. ScottRLPS Architects

marshall W. SnivelyLancaster City Alliance

christine m. Stabler, m.d.Lancaster General Health

abigail StewartRLPS Architects

adVaNcING camPuS PReSeRVatIoN & uSe

These are just two of the com-ments we heard from com-munity clergy recently as we hosted them on campus as we continue the process of more intentionally connecting with

our community.

We joined forces with the Sa-maritan Counseling Center’s Clergy

and Congregation Care Program to offer a series for clergy and lay leaders with the theme of “Everyday Theologizing.” The unique series provides plenary events in January, April, September and November, led by a member of our distinguished faculty. Each plenary session is followed by three on-campus seminars led by the same faculty member.

The series kicked off with our Dean, Dr. David Mellott, helping pastors to think theologically about their everyday encounters in Pastoral Ministry.

The “hidden gem” comment came from a first-time visitor to the Seminary who was referring to both Dr. Mellott’s teaching style as well as the architecture on campus. She had driven by Seminary for years, but never stepped foot on the campus. Nor had she met any of the faculty.

Another participant noted, “Dr. Mellott helped us to see that the challenge of ministry in the 21st century is to help our people to see God’s call in the midst of their lives and not as something reserved for Sunday morning.”

The series continues in April and May with Dr. Julia O’Brien presenting “What the Bible Means to Me.”

coNNectING WIth ouR commuNItyBy Rev. Dr. Randy Riggs Liaison for Community Engagement and Director of Presbyterian Studies


“a hIddeN Gem!”

“aN uNdIScoVeRed

tReaSuRe!”

DON’T MISS THIS MASTER CLASStheoloGy FRom the black PeRSPectIVeReV. dR. JeRemIah WRIGhtPastor EmeritusTrinity United Church of Christ, Chicago

8:00 a.m. – NooN

may 19-23, 2014haFeR ceNteR oN camPuS

The Master Class provides a survey and analysis of the many differ-ent theologies preached and practiced by the Black churches in the Diaspora from the days of the European enslavement of Africans through the 21st Century, comparing and contrasting the broad range of theologies found in Christian congregations and denomi-nations in Africa with Black Christian churches in the Diaspora. The course will take seriously the four Black Americas in the U.S. described by Eugene Robinson and the issues of class as explicated by Kerri Day, examining the reality that there is no monolithic Black church or Black theology.

• 2.0 CEUs

• $250 per person

• $200 per person if 10 or more register & pay together

• Register online at lancasterseminary.edu

Lancaster Theological Seminary, a richly diverse and dynamic graduate school of theology, is home to an engaged community of students and faculty from many Christian traditions and backgrounds. We educate & strengthen Christian leaders to serve church and society. Visit us at lancasterseminary.edu

HOMILETIC GeNIuSTHEOLOGICAL ScholaR

THE PASTORS’ PaStoR

A once-in-a-lifetime chance to take a course from this renowned

man of faith who is praised as a


aN excLusive OPPORTUNITY

TO LEARN fROM ONE Of THE

GREAT PREACHERS Of OUR TIME

Published bylancaster theological Seminary

Please advise us of address changes:Office of AdvancementLancaster Theological Seminary555 West James StreetLancaster, PA 17603(717) [email protected]

555 West James Street, Lancaster, PA 17603(717) 393-0654(800) 393-0654www.lancasterseminary.edu

Non-Profit Org.US Postage

PaIdPermit No. 1291Lancaster, PA

At Lancaster Theological Seminary, our Summer Academy offers you the opportunity to feed your body, mind and soul by creating a safe space for learning and exploration, providing wonderful meals with great times of fellowship, and allowing space for quiet conversation or taking a reflective walk.

If you would like to know more, please go to www.lancasterseminary.edu, click on Academics, select Continuing Education, then choose Summer Academy. There you can read class descriptions and find out how to register.

If you have questions, please call our director of Continuing Education, Dr. Larry Covin at (717) 290-8714, or email him at [email protected].

lancaster theological Seminary

July 14 – 18, 2014

SummeR academy¢ moRNING claSSeS

monday through Friday 9:00 am – 12:15 pm

What’S uP WIth thoSe catholIcS?Rev. Dr. David M. MellottlIVING FaIthFully IN the coNtemPoRaRy WoRld: INtRoductIoN to theoloGyDr. Lee BarrettQueeR eVeNtS, QueeR IdeNtItIeS Rev. Dr. Kharma Amos

¢ WoRkShoPS4 days: mon., tues., thur., Fri. 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm

FaIth aNd the VISual aRtSDr. Betty Snapp-BarrettyoGa aNd FaIth FoRmatIoN Mrs. Jennifer Hess Biemiller

¢ eVeNING claSSeSmonday through Friday 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm

SIN aNd tRaNSGReSSIoN IN eaRly chRIStIaNItyDr. Greg CareyexPloRatIoNS IN chRIStIaN WoRShIPMr. R. Nick PetersonmINIStRy: RemaINING ReleVaNt IN tRaNSItIoNal tImeSRev. Bob NaylorReeNtRy: WheRe the chuRch aNd the PeNal SyStem INteRSectMrs. Melanie G. Snyder and Mr. Jonathan Queen

leadeRShIP letteR

reconnect with classmates. fellowship with faculty ... · who survey evidence for ancient...

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