27th and Speedway

Due to the global pandemic, Austin Seminary cancelled classes on March 13; within a week, the Seminary faculty quickly and creatively adapted to distance learning and online teaching resources. These learning technologies—and the strong commitment of faculty and students—allowed us to maintain our focus on outstanding theological education and the importance of a community of learners. In these uncertain times, all of us have wondered how the 2020-21 academic year will be different from years past and how we might foster theological learning in community while adhering to prudent standards of public health during a global pandemic. In late June, Academic Dean David Jensen announced the plan for the fall semester for master’s-level degree programs conducted on the Seminary campus: • All larger courses (fifteen students or more) will be conducted online for the duration of the fall semester. • Instructors of smaller courses (fourteen students or fewer) will have the option of hosting regular or occasional face-to-face sessions during the regularly scheduled hours of these courses. These sessions are wholly at the discretion of the instructor. If a faculty member chooses to exercise this option, all appropriate guidelines for public health will be followed. Those include: 1) only the largest classrooms and outdoor spaces will be used, ensuring six feet of social distancing; 2) masks will be required; 3) classrooms will undergo regular disinfecting. • If a faculty member chooses to exercise the face-to-face option outlined above, s/he will also need to provide an analogous online option for those students who choose not to participate in face-to-face learning. This means that students can opt for a fully online fall semester, if they wish. “Guided by public health recommendations,” says Jensen, “the Seminary administration will monitor the data surrounding the coronavirus in the months ahead. If that situation worsens, we may have to rescind the face-to-face option outlined above or more strictly limit the numbers of students who can gather in a classroom. Whatever the shape of the semester ahead, we can trust that theological education at Austin Seminary will continue in service to the church and the world.”

Alumna and board member Jill Duffield (DMin’13), received the Award of Excellence for her book, Lectionary Reflections: Cycle A from the Associated Church Press 2019 Best of the Church Press. The Presbyterian Outlook, for which Duffield is editor, received top honors in several categories including an Award of Merit for the “Benedictory” columns written by Austin Seminary Professor Cynthia Rigby.

Penny Baker will become the program coordinator in the Office of Ministerial Formation and Advanced Studies. She follows in the footsteps of Brenda Osbon who retires this year after eleven years at Austin Seminary.

Monica Tornoe is the new director of Latinx Learning. Working out of both Education Beyond the Walls and Academic Affairs, she will oversee programs such as the Spanish-language Certificate in Ministry and Certificate in Christian Leadership for Hispanic Women. Tornoe has been instrumental in promoting the Seminary’s outreach to Latinx learners.

The Alice Phiri Award, established by the student body in 2018 to honor the memory of the wife of Arnold Phiri (MATS’16) of Malawi, was created to recognize a student who “goes above and beyond to help another person or persons.” Congratulations to Usama Malik (MDiv’20) and Rachel Watson who received the 2020 Phiri Award. Lex Allum (MDiv’20) received the 2020 Chidester Preaching Award, established by the First Presbyterian Church of Malvern, Arkansas, to recognize a graduating senior with the greatest potential in the area of preaching. She was chosen by the homiletics faculty. See page 7 for a list of other graduating seniors who were honored with special awards voted on by the faculty.

In addition to learning quickly to navigate online classes and ZOOM worship, students have learned lessons not found in the regularly scheduled spring curriculum. “A wise person once said, “It is hard to be depressed when I’m thankful.” In times like these, it is hard to be thankful. My wife lost her job at the beginning of COVID-19. Things have been hard on us financially, spiritually, emotionally, etc. Yet, despite our nation’s hospitals being overwhelmed, I have to appreciate just how sheltered from this virus we have been. The zip code where the seminary resides has one of the lowest infection rates in all of Travis County, despite being smack-dab in the middle of Austin. As well, the zip code where my essential work takes place has only seen 47 total cases since the pandemic began! I am incredibly grateful that, despite so much uncertainty and despair around us, God has placed me in a (relatively) safe place to work and live. – Luke Donahue

“I have been fortunate enough to volunteer at The Welcome#Table at St. James Episcopal Church. This is a { food distribution program for persons/families unable to leave their homes to grocery shop, due to their underlying health issues. It has been very rewarding to know I was able to contribute to someone’s quality of life during this crazy COVID-19 season. Along the way I’ve met some beautiful humans dedicated to helping those who are not able to help themselves. I also had the good fortune to work alongside Seminary of the Southwest senior Addie Tyler! – Karen Sprouse (at left)

Photo by Usama Malik

When Professor Jen Lord’s scheduled travel study pilgrimage to Spain was converted to a directed study over the summer, student Aiden Diaz (above) decided he would walk from campus to the Texas Capitol every day for two and a half weeks, encompassing the freedom days of Juneteenth (June 19) and July 4. He invited people to join him and engage in conversations about racial inequality, being allies, and related topics.

“Dr. Lord’s directed study class for those who would have been walking the Camino de Santiago this summer included a group of us who decided to embody walking in { various locations (Barton Creek Greenbelt, Enchanted Rock SNA, and the NPS Missions Trail in San Antonio) as part of our project. It has been an incredible opportunity for transformation and building community. My photos represent three of the elements we tried to incorporate in each walk—fellowship, a meal, and always the open trail. Great places, great people, great experience. – Leslie Sinclair-Worley (shown here behind student Christy Martin)

“Since the beginning of the pandemic, some of the students and staff have made 669 masks, and we have enough supplies for 491 more. We have donated to our campus including alumni/DMins/faculty/staff, local hospitals, homeless ministries, and friends/family of students. Everything has been funded through our student group budget, donations from other student groups, and donations from individual recipients. All of this started by using fabric from my grandma’s collection, which I inherited. She used to say, “She who dies with the most fabric wins.” Now, I keep thinking that she who dies with the most fabric saves lives. My grandma was a quilter, and every time she gave a { quilt, she would tell the recipient that the quilt wasn’t made to be hung on the wall. It was made to be used—for warmth, for comfort, to feel surrounded by love. As I see her fabric walking around campus, it feels like I’m watching a moving quilt, a patchwork of love for one another. – Kimberlee Runnion