seminary church
In March, President Wardlaw (foreground at left) convened the first fully in-person faculty meeting in two years. Everyone stepped out onto the balcony off Wright Hall in the newly opened Mary B. and Robert J. Wright Learning and Information Center to memorialize the happy occasion.
President’s Schedule May 1: Preach, First Presbyterian Church, Fort Worth, Texas May 15: Charge to the Graduates, Austin Seminary Commencement, University Presbyterian Church, Austin, Texas May 20: Baccalaureate Address, Austin College, Sherman, Texas May 21: Receive honorary doctorate, Austin College Commencement June 12: Preach, Shepherd of the Hills Presbyterian Church, Austin, Texas
from the president |
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n the pages ahead in this Spring issue of Windows, we are pleased to share with you an introduction to our relatively new Master of Arts in Youth Ministry degree. A brainchild of Dr. David White, Dr. Andrew Zirschky, youth minister Dietrich Kirk, and the Center for Youth Ministry Training, this degree program—one of the largest youth ministry degree programs in the country—enables seminarians to be formed in intensive cohorts that combine the pedagogy of both Seminary classrooms and congregational residency programs. Austin Seminary is proud to be engaged in the formation of new generations of committed young disciples passionate about the future of the church. In the pages ahead, you will be introduced to the degree itself, as well as student profiles of MAYM candidates. We also celebrate with you in this issue the five outstanding seniors receiving graduate fellowships: Rachel Watson (the David H. Stitt Fellowship), David Kim (the Pile-Morgan Fellowship), Julia Burkley (the Jamie Maxwell Morris Fellowship), Ashley Cuellar (the Alsup-Frierson Fellowship), and Kevin Ireland (the W.P. Newell Fellowship). Read on as well to note that this year’s Austin Seminary Association’s 2022 Awards for Service were bestowed upon two outstanding alums: the Reverend Fred Tulloch (MDiv’62, ThM’69), and the Reverend Martha Sadongei (MDiv’96). Note as well some arrivals and some departures. Dr. Ángel J. Gallardo will join the faculty on July 1 as an assistant professor of church history; and, in days to come, you will hear announcements of other new faculty members in the fields of New Testament and Evangelism and Mission. Please join me, as well, in welcoming back to campus the Reverend Dr. Sarah Allen (MDiv’07, DMin’19), our new director of the Doctor of Ministry and Supervised Practice of Ministry programs. Dr. Allen comes to us from long service at First Presbyterian Church in Austin, and succeeds the Reverend Dr. Paul K. Hooker, who retired in December after many years of creative and formative leadership with us in the DMin and SPM office. The Reverend Dr. David Johnson also retired in December from long service as the associate professor of church history and Christian spirituality. They will be missed! Please note as well the Reverend Dr. Chris Currie’s update regarding the ongoing presidential search process (Chris is the able chair of a wonderful Presidential Search Committee), and join me in keeping the work of this committee in your prayers. Finally, please note the new date for the dedication of the Mary B. and Robert J. Wright Learning an Information Center—May 13, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. on campus. Faithfully yours,
Theodore J. Wardlaw President 2 | Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary
