Connections 2016

Connections May 2016 | Volume III

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Send Us Your Updates We want to hear from you! Updates on jobs, books, children, weddings, missions work, etc. Please send your updates to alum@hartsem.edu. Photos are welcome and encouraged.

May 2016 | Connections

Table of Contents Celebrating 50 Years Class Notes In Memoriam President’s Message

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Class of 1966 - 50 Years Later

An overhead view of the original Hartford Seminary Foundation campus, which today is occupied by the University of Connecticut Law School.

The Hartford Seminary class of 1966 is celebrating its 50th year this spring. While much has changed at Hartford Seminary since 1966, including a move across the street to our current campus, and even our name (originally Hartford Seminary Foundation), our alums have remained steadfast in service to their respective communities.

In 1966, Hartford Seminary issued degrees to 34 students in Master of Arts in Religious Education, Bachelor of Divinity, thesis and non-theseis Master of Arts, Master of Sacred Theology, Doctor of Religious Education, and Doctor of

Philosophy. Many alums have made lasting impacts on their communities and use their Hartford Seminary education on a daily basis.

The classes of 1966 and 2016 will share a connection to the Luce Foundation through commencement. The commencement speaker for the 1966 graduation was the Rev. Canon Kenneth Cragg, a Henry Luce Visiting Professor at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. The keynote speaker for the 2016 class will be the current President of the Henry Luce Foundation, Dr. Michael Gilligan. The classes also share milestone years in Hart-

ford, 1966 was the 100th year of the institution in Hartford; the 2016 class concludes the 150th academic year of the institution in the capital city.

Listed in the following pages are updates of the class of 1966.

Phillip Elkins received his Master’s in Religious Education in 1966 and another MA in 1969. He was the Director of Operations for Middle East Fellowship Inc., a non-profit working for peace and justice.

He is the founding director of the Intercultural Studies program at the School of Intercultural Studies Connections | May 2016

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in Pasadena, Calif. He is currently the Executive Director of an experience-based intercultural training institute called Language & Cultural Institute. He has conducted research projects in over 70 countries, interviewing more than 400 expatriate, cross-cultural workers. For five years he lived and worked with the Tonga people of Zambia. He has also been CEO of several businesses and is currently working on building a small subdivision on 47 acres in Altadena, Calif.

her return to Africa in 1973, she was a teacher and director of The Department of Church Leadership at Trinity College in Ghana. Her work at the college included the training of pastoral leadership for the major Protestant churches in the country. She wrote a textbook for theological schools in Africa and edited a hymnbook for African children.

Earlier she wrote a prayer book for children, illustrated with her photographs taken in Sierra Leone.

After her return from Ghana, she helped develop The Center Keith Kersher for Church Leaderis responsible for ship Development as developing and a joint program of managing PhiladelWood Junior College phia-based Research and the North Misfor Better Schools as sissippi Conference. its Executive DirecUpon retirement tor. RBS’s mission in 1989, Dr. Megill is to help schools went to Africa for and other educaone year to serve as a tion organizations volunteer, working in improve student Christian education learning, teacher The Hartfordian was a quarterly publication of Hartford Seminary Foundation with churches in five content knowledge, different countries. happenings on and around campus. and instructional effectiveness. In addition to atDr. Esther Megill earned her Doc- Upon graduation from the Seminary, tor of Religious Education degree tending Hartford Seminary, Keith’s the Rev. Dr. Vahan H. Tootikiprofessional degrees include an A.B. in 1966 after receiving her MA from an served the Armenian Memorial Hartford Seminary in 1960. In 1968 Church of Watertown, Mass. Dr. in Slavic Languages from Princeton she was Secretary for North and University, an M.S. in Educational Tootikian is the Pastor Emeritus Research from Bucknell University, West Africa for the World Division, of the Armenian Congregational United Methodist Board of Global and a Ph.D. in Behavioral Sciences Church of Greater Detroit and has from the University of Delaware.

Ministries. For seven years following served as the Moderator of the May 2016 | Connections

He also has earned a certificate of linguistic proficiency in the Russian language at the University of Vienna, Austria.

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Armenian Evangelical Union of North America and the President of the Armenian Evangelical World Council. In addition he is a lecturer, administrator, scholar, and prolific writer. He has written 36 books and was honored in 2014 by the Armenian Congregational Church of Greater Detroit for his 55th anniversary of service; a gathering hall was named in his honor.

Dr. Ben Wade and his wife Janice are deeply involved in educating minds at Bridgewater College. Dr. Wade served as the first Provost of Bridgewater, a tenure that began in 1979. The Ben and Janice Wade Outstanding Teaching Award was established in 1998 at Bridgewater College, which is awarded annually to a faculty member who has demonstrated outstanding teaching in the classroom. This past fall, the college named the Institute for Teaching and Learning after the Wades. The Wade Institute for

Janice and Ben Wade Teaching and Learning will create and implement new ways for faculty

munities such as Ocracoke Island.

In 2013, he was awarded the North Carolina Award, the highest award given to a North Carolina citizen. He directs the North Carolina Language and Life project at NC State and has been involved in the production of television documentaries, construction of museum exhibits, and the development of dialect awareness curricula for schools and the general public. to teach, and students to learn.

Walter Wolfram also earned his MA (‘66) and Ph.D (‘69) from the Seminary and is a sociolinguist at North Carolina State University, specializing in social and ethnic dialects of American English. He was one of the early pioneers in the study of urban African-American English.

He has authored or co-authored 20 books and more than 300 articles on variation in American English. In addition to African-American English, Wolfram has written extensively about Appalachian English, Puerto Rican English, Lumbee English, and on many dialects of North Carolina, particularly of rural, isolated com-

Patricia (Barney) Yates served as Director of Religious Education at Hampton Park Christian Church in Toledo, Ohio, at Kings Chapel in Boston, and First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Ashland, Kentucky. Mrs. Yates also did social work in Boston and Ashland, and was ordained in 1995. She received her MA in Religious Education from the Seminary.

Over 130 books have been written by the class of 1966; 14 members of the class have passed away. If you are an alum of the class of 1966, Hartford Seminary would love to know what you are up to. Please email alum@hartsem.edu.

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Class Notes J. Robert Achtermann, MA ‘60, STM ‘65, is currently retired and recently moved to Homestead Village.

He writes to say that memories of Hartford Seminary are still alive and well.

1822 Westcott Dr. Lancaster, PA 17603 Charles D. Baboian, B.D. ‘55. For the last 20 years he has volunteered twice a week as a receptionist in the surgical waiting rooms at York Hospital, serving as a liaison between recovery room staff and families of patients undergoing surgery. He and his wife Sandy celebrated their 52nd wedding anniversary last year.

1876 Marigold Rd. York, PA 17408 John A. Bankosky, B.D. ‘55, and his wife Susan officiated a wedding of two missionaries in Ecuador in 2015.

The couple hosts a home church once a week and are involved in Love in the Name of Christ ministry. “We see this organization as one of the ways in which the Holy Spirit is moving in our community of Melbourne to mobilize local churches for the transformation of the lives of the poor and needy.”

3579 Deer Lakes Dr. Melbourne, FL 32940 Led Baxter, D. Min ‘94, retired from ministry in 2012 but has a continuing interest in the possibility of developing adult faith formation groups in churches and in encouraging the dialogue between faith and May 2016 | Connections

science. He is a delegate to Central Association and CT Conference, and Associate member of Center Church, UCC in Hartford where he serves on their Prudential Committee (Church Council) and is a delegate to the Christian Activities Council. He is also enjoying “fixing up ‘this old house’ where I grew up!”

745 Main St. Newington, CT 06111 Shirley N. Berry, MA ‘54, is involved with the Alzheimer’s Organization and heads the monthly Alzheimer’s support group; she is also chair of the Alzheimer’s walk in her area of Tennessee.

PO Box 389 Pleasant Hill, TN 38578 Jason Blosser, MA ‘08, was named Assistant Vice President for Information Technology Services at North Dakota State University.

Blosser has 20 years of leadership experience in higher education. He was director of systems and networks at Northland Pioneer College in Holbrook, Ariz., from 1994-99.

He was Director of Information Technology at Manchester Community College (CT) from 1999-2010.

He began his career at NDSU in 2010 when he was hired as a technology systems coordinator in the telecommunications and emergency technologies department.

Carolyn Brooks-Burton, BMP ‘89, is a community advocate and

serves on numerous boards and committees. She is as an advocate for children, at-risk teens, families in crisis, the elderly, cancer survivors and nonviolence based on Dr. Martin Luther King’s teachings; she was also a foster parent. She is

a business owner, trained chaplain, CNA, licensed radio/TV announcer and was named Who’s Who in Executives and Professionals. She is a lifetime member of The International Women’s Leadership Association and is President of the Lift Every Voice and Sing Gospel Festival and Fair and the LEVAS Community Gospel Choir in Hartford. She was awarded a Living Legend Award from the University of Saint Joseph and from the Christ Temple Church of God in Christ Women’s Department. In 2015 she received a Living Legend award from Ka La Rue Arts in Motion, the State of Connecticut, City of Hartford and City Council, and the Mildred W. Walton Lay Person of the Year award. She is now retired after 32 years with Life Insurance Marketing Research Association.

289 Granby St. Hartford, CT 06112

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Robert H. Calvert, B.D. ‘55, has been researching the history of stained glass windows installed in 1911 at Boehm’s UCC founded by John Philip Boehm. He helped organize the Colonial Churches of the Ambler, PA area; two churches have Revolutionary War soldiers buried in their cemeteries. With the help of fellow ministers and the Community Outreach group of Boehm’s, he is establishing a fund to send supplies to a Philadelphia city school.

The Meadows 9A 501 N. Bethlehem Pike Ambler, PA 19002 Sajjad Chowdhry, MA ‘02, recently left his job to join a partnership and start a new company focused on global waste oil recycling. He travels between NY, Jeddah and other loca-

tions in search of new markets. The ability to set his own schedule means he can also participate in community and academic work which is very satisfying and needed. 782 Wilson Court N Woodmere, NY 11581 George Conklin, M. Div ‘56, is retired. He was elected to the Conference Council (Board of Directors) of Northern California-Nevada Conference of the UCC for a three-year term. He also established

Worldwide Faith News on the internet.

2319 Parker St. Berkeley, CA 94704 Terasa Cooley, D. Min. ‘04, is currently running a consultancy practice focused on change management, conflict transformation, leadership coaching, board development and board/staff relations.

32 Sheridan St. #2 Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 Davida Foy Crabtree, D. Min ‘89, retired in 2010 but has kept busy as a senior consultant to the officers of the UCC for the Great Minds project, discovering exceptional laity and celebrating their giftedness. Davida was an Acting Conference Minister Missouri Mid-South Conference UCC and Interim Conference Minister, Florida Conference UCC until 2014.

112 Chandler St. Windsor, CT 06095 Christie Davis, MA ‘91, writes to update her address.

8 Glen Rd. Granby, CT 06035 Ruby Dempson, BMP ‘06, WLI ‘12, writes to update her address.

280 Collins St. Apt. #317 Hartford, CT 06105 Rev. Jay Ebersole, B.D. ‘53, is retired after serving at a number of churches for two decades before being named VP of Student Services at Harrisburg Area Community College and then VP of the HHCC Foundation.

Piedmont Crossing

130 Hedrick Dr. Tomasville, NC 27360 Jane Ellingwood, MA ‘09, was awarded a Ph.D. in Theology from the University of Exeter (England) in February of this year, after having been a part-time student since 2009 in the joint international Ph.D. program sponsored by Exeter and Hartford Seminary.

23 Kingswood Drive Bethel, CT 06801 Shawn R. Fisher, MA ‘15, is the full-time pastor at Groton Congregational Church.

9 Deer Run Marlborough, CT 06447 Sid Gardner, MA ‘87, is serving as President of Children and Family Futures, a non-profit founded by his wife and him in 1996. On the side, Sid has written eight novels on special and political themes. In March, he published a nonfiction book on global child protection, titled The Future of the Fifth Child. He also published a novel, titled Crossings, about what happens in the US and Mexico when a newly elected President tries to deport 11 million people. Both books are available on Amazon.

22202 Wayside Mission Viejo, CA 92692 Charles Hainer, M. Div. ‘60, has been enjoying retirement since 1999.

43 Village Dr. Belleville, Ontario K8P 4K2 (Canada) Fachrizal Halim, MA ‘06, is a fulltime faculty member in the Department of Linguistics and Religious Studies, University of Saskatchewan, Connections | May 2016

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RET. LT. COLONEL SHAREDA HOSEIN: NOT YOUR AVERAGE ARMY OFFICER Reprinted with permission from The Interfaith Observer.

What would propel an 18 year-old, 4’10” Muslim girl, born in Trinidad, the daughter of immigrants, to join the U.S. Army and serve for 35 years?

Ret. Lt. Colonel Shareda Hosein says it all started with a pair of army socks.

palaces,” she reminisced.

She returned to the States after that summer abroad, a bit more worldly but still uncertain about her future.

Her parents were not savvy enough to guide her for college applications, nor did they have the financial resources to foot the bill if she had been accepted. That’s when a pair of army socks became a catalyst for Shareda Hosein’s unconventional life and career.

In a magazine she spotted an offer

In 1978 Shareda was living a traditional, sheltered life with her four siblings and parents in Boston. Her mother owned a hair-salon and her father scaled poles as a cable-splicer for a local telephone company.

Originally from India, they were third generation Muslims living in Trinidad before they immigrated to America.

The eldest of the siblings, Shareda, was a dutiful daughter and diligent student. She attended a public school for gifted students where she was the only Muslim; the majority of her classmates were white, with a few African-Americans and some of Chinese origin. When school was over each day, Shareda played sports and then went straight home. “I didn’t hang out with my friends except when we had parties. My life and my movements were very circumscribed.”

But Shareda had dreams, fed by a brief stint in Cologne and Berlin as a high school exchange student in the summer between her junior and senior years. “I grew up on fairy tales, and Germany for me was once the land of castles and May 2016 | Connections

her father she was joining the army and leaving for Germany.

While in the Army, Shareda met and married her first husband, a white Christian from North Carolina, who later converted to Islam when they moved back to Boston.

Their daughter, Farhana, was conceived while they were stationed in Panama.

Her first army stint concluded, Shareda entered the University of Massachusetts in Boston where she became head secretary in the Department of Biology, a job that afforded her free tuition and a stipend from the Army.

She separated from her husband in 1983 – not because of religion but incompatibility, she disclosed.

The following year she joined the reserves because, frankly, she missed the army lifestyle. In 1987 she graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a degree in business administration.

for a free pair of army socks if she would fill out an army application.

Shareda applied for the free socks and, in short order, received a phone call from the Army recruiting office asking her to come in for an interview.

Listening to their pitch and envisioning herself in the military, Shareda experienced a strong wave of feminism and decided to sign up. In the U.S. army, she could become an independent woman. That appealed to her deeply.

Oddly enough, Shareda never discussed her decision to join the army with her parents. It was a secret that she only shared with two of her aunts and some school friends. Then one day she abruptly announced to

All the while Shareda was also becoming more involved with her local mosque, wanting to expose her young daughter to Islam. In 1991 she even ran for a position on the board and won, scoring the second highest number of votes, a real coup since she was the only woman running against ten men. “I spoke passionately to the members about growing up in a community where I lacked mentors and guides.

I wanted to see our youth grow up with their own mentors and I wanted to see women have more say in the mosque.” She ended her speech by echoing the military slogan she heard frequently and had inculcated into her own life: “Lead by example.”

She also found herself becoming

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more devout in her practice, and in 1995 she started to wear the hijab (Muslim women’s head-covering).

Shareda also decided to register at Hartford Seminary for the Muslim Chaplaincy program.

Becoming a Muslim Army Chaplain The second time around, it was an article in the Boston Globe – not army socks – that sparked her interest in returning to active military duty. A Marine gunny sergeant had said he would like to see a female Muslim become a chaplain in the military. Ripe for the plucking and a perfect candidate, Shareda snagged the job. She also realized at the time she could become an advocate for Muslim women soldiers to wear a hijab as she did.

The infamous day of September 11, 2001, while taking a course at Hartford Seminary, was the first time Shareda experienced fear living in America. “We didn’t know who toppled the Twin Towers, but around 4 pm a local Imam came and advised us, ‘If you have to go out to the market, etcetera, please call the mosque and ask for men to run your errands.’ They were worried that the women wearing a hijab might be endangered, especially after a Sikh wearing a turban had just been killed while buying gas in Oregon,” she recalled.

“I was 40 years old and I didn’t recognize the America emerging after 9/11, because I felt a double jeopardy: one being Muslim and one being a military officer, and the only thing that sustained me during that rough period was my belief in God.” “I was worried that the political quarantine camps created for the

Japanese in America during World War II might happen to us Muslims too. Later I realized the government wouldn’t have to confine us in special areas because we were already being monitored with all of the electronic surveillances available: Internet, phone tapping, and so on.

I felt I had no secure future.”

A month after 9/11 her security officer told her: “I’m not sure if you thought about this, but some people in the military may not trust

you and even some Muslims may not trust you.” It was an eye-opener for Shareda, who by then held the rank of major and had experienced a great sense of security because her colleagues in the reserve units in Boston all trusted her.

Shortly thereafter, however, she began to sense a palpable erosion of confidence within the military as well as in general society. On one hand, they had created a special job for her, as a cultural engagement officer to educate other servicemen about Islam. On the other, she felt she wasn’t being engaged in certain conversations because she was Muslim. Nevertheless, in Tampa, Florida, her last assignment, her chaplaincy skills and knowledge about Islam became the core of her new role in the army. “I was able to set up workshops, lectures, and support staff as needed, and that gave me a deep sense of inclusivity.”

disolved, and she was not replaced.

Shareda Hosein retired in 2015 in an official ceremony attended by her proud family and friends. Her time as a commissioned officer had expired. “Being in the military offered me great independence and a sense of truly becoming an American because I took the mission of the military seriously.

“I felt confident, invincible, and trustworthy, because I was walking in the footsteps of so many great leaders. And ironically enough, I would credit the army for bringing me back to my religion. They always allowed me the time and place to worship – whether I was in Germany or Panama or Kuwait or elsewhere I was in awe that the military gave people time and ability to practice their religion.

“While I served I felt safe and comfortable and could trust the military with my life. The camaraderie and the fellowship that I’ve experienced these 35 years have been rich and rewarding. We were able to build true intimacy with one another, all of us a band of brothers. However, I realize how angry I am right now about what is happening to loyal Muslims in our country.”

“This is precisely the time in our military history that we need more Muslim men and women in our ranks,” Shareda emphasized. “And I would say to young Muslims: If that’s your calling, do join and know that there will be lots of men and women to support you.”

Today, Ret. Lt. Colonel Hosein serves Hartford Seminary as a Corporator.

When she left, her position Connections | May 2016

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in Saskatoon, Canada. His areas of specialization are Islam and Modernity, Islamic Law - Islamic Schools of Law, Islam and Digital Humanities, and Christian-Muslim relations.

After graduating from Hartford Seminary in 2006, he went on to a Ph.D. program at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. Prior to joining the University of Saskatchewan as a full-time faculty member, he held a visiting fellow position in the Islamic Legal Studies Program at Harvard Law School.

920-9 Campus Dr. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5A5 Canada

Ruth Conant at Hartford Seminary.

52 Missionary Rd. Apt. 214 Cromwell, CT 06416 Rev. Dr. Leon Hermes, D. Min. ‘96, is trained and certified to do interim ministry and is presently retired.

101 Lakeside Dr. Oldsmar, FL 34677

Norman Jackson, B.D. ‘54, writes to tell us he has taught at the Eagle Butte Learning Center on the Cheyenne River Reservation for the past ten years. The Center designs learning experiences for Lakota lay and clergy leadership. He has written papers on Settler Colonialism Richard Hasler, Ph.D. ‘64, writes to in US history and the racism of say that although he officially retired “Redskins” and other uses of Amerway back in 1999, he has spent his ican Indian mascots by schools and retirement years serving Presbyteprofessional sports teams. Norman rian (USA) and United Church of and his wife Faith Fitch Jackson Christ churches as an interim pastor have lived in California for 16 years. or associate pastor on the church 660 Alden Rd. staff. He is an ordained PresbyteClaremont, CA 91711 rian (USA) minister and currently a member of the Eastminster PresChristine May Joyner, WLI and bytery. A free-lance writer, his latest Interfaith Studies ‘12. “I love being published book is Surprises Around a part of the Hartford Seminary the Bend: 50 Adventurous Walkers reas I live in Hartford County. Proleased by Augsburg-Fortress Pubgrams about Spiritual Transformalishers in 2008. He has also written tion, Sufi Music, graduations and articles for various publications and interfaith gatherings and using the magazines. fabulous library. I shall be visiting 3407 Brookpoint Ln. Daranee Warsrseth at her church Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44223 in Bangkok as well as contributing to disabled orphans in Indonesia. I Rev. Dr. Mary N. Hawkes, MA have the pleasure of also going to ‘58, retired in 2002 after many years a retreat and dance workshop with of service in a number of different the International Sacred Dance churches including pastoral positions Guild in which I am a Member and in CT, NY, and VT. Ordained in have lived and danced all my life. In 1980, she has fond memories of Dr. Manchester, I’m working through Edna Baxter, Dr. Helen Edick and IRIS finding homes and settlement May 2016 | Connections

for our share of refugee families. I work closely with many others in CT doing this work and am always in need of volunteers to help with Arabic. Give me a call or send an email! Thanks to all we do together my friends of Hartford Seminary.”

450 2 East Center St. Manchester, CT 06040 Email: spiritmoon7491@gmail.com The Rev. Michael Kasevich, BMP ‘03, writes to say “I received my call from God as I was sitting in the lecture hall at Hartford Seminary.

God’s voice was loud and clear as I looked around to see who was there, I was the only human in the room. The ordination process then started through the United Church of Christ. Upon approval of ordination I was called to St. Paul UCC in Old Monroe, MO.” He is the Chair of the Board of God’s Kitchen, an ecumenical soup kitchen in Lincoln County, MO, and Chaplain at Lincoln Mercy Hospital in Troy, MO. He is the Pastor at St. Paul UCC in Old Monroe, MO. 897 Meier Rd. Old Monroe, MO 63369 Sarah Kieffer, WLI ‘15, writes to update her address.

13 Ringgold St. West Hartford, CT 06119 David Koppel, D. Min ‘91, took a call in Pittsburgh, PA, and later received a full fellowship to the Beeson Pastor Program of Asbury Seminary where he received another D. Min. in Leadership and Preaching, as well as making site visits to the largest and fastest growing Chris-

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TRUE LIFE MINISTRY SENDS DOCTORS AROUND THE GLOBE

For alumnus Rev. Alford Miller, everything started at Hartford Seminary. The pastor of True Life Ministry in Hartford’s North End is incredibly grateful and fondly remembers the lasting impact Hartford Seminary has had on his life. We sat down to catch up with him last August on campus.

A 1992 graduate of the Black Ministries Program, Rev. Miller has led True Life Ministry since 2005 and has been involved in missions work and ministry since the early 90’s. He attributes his passion and desire to continue his work to the lessons learned at Hartford Seminary. tian churches around the world. He is currently Senior Pastor of Palm Valley Lutheran Church, author of a weekly column in the Round Rock Leader called “In His grip”, volunteer chaplain for the Round Rock Police Department, and a member

“The seminary was the first step in my ministry,” said Rev. Miller. “It opened my eyes to different people and religions; it opened up the world without dictating which religion you should belong to. Coming here gave me a perspective of ministry that I hadn’t been exposed to before.”

Rev. Miller fondly recalls teachings of Dr. Alvin Johnson, Bishop Dr. Alfred White and Dr. James Walker, among others, while at Hartford Seminary, and used those teachings in numerous capacities after graduation. He was a preacher in the Connecticut Department of Corrections, preaching to those in minimum and maximum security prisons throughout the state.

As a missionary, Rev. Miller has made a major impact in Haiti and Jamaica and made two extended visits to Liberia in the early 2000’s.

During his visits in Liberia he helped distribute large quantities of food to those in need along with countless medical supplies so desperately needed. Rev. Miller and his church also do continuous work in Jamaica and are currently spearheading a project, with the help of local Pastor Michael Robinson, to send supplies to the Lionel Town Hospital in the parish of the board of the Sacred Heart Community Clinic. He launched a charity called Water for Africa that provides LifeStraws to those in areas where clean water is hard to find.

4550 Wandering Vine Trl. Round Rock, TX 78665

of Clarendon. “They always need supplies, doctors and nurses,” said Rev. Miller of the work being done in Jamaica. “We work with many organizations to try to get as much help as possible for them there.”

Rev. Miller and True Life Ministry have worked with Executive Director Rev. Venton Forbes of FaithCare which sends doctors and nurses to hospitals around the globe to do missions work in the healthcare field. He has also collaborated with IMEC in Massachusetts, which donates medical equipment overseas.

Additionally, Rev. Miller and his church try to meet the needs of their community through local food pantries, donations, and general outreach with the help of Community Renewal Team in Hartford.

As pastor for the last 12 years, Rev. Miller has led True Life Ministry through a pair of relocations and built the church into a nurturing environment where all are welcome.

During our conversation, Rev. Miller walked into the meeting room at Hartford Seminary and recalled, “This is where it all started; my foundation for learning, it opened up all the opportunities I’ve had.”

Ivan Kurtz, STM ‘68, is enjoying his retirement in Florida.

3506 Caroline Blvd.

PO Box 1047 Penney Farms, FL 32079

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Rafael Lantigua, Islamic Chaplaincy ‘13, became the first Muslim Chaplain in the history of the Na-

tional Guard in June 2013. In March, 2014, he became one of three active duty Muslim Chaplains in the US Air Force.

PO Box 276233 San Antonio, TX 78227 The Rev. Dr. John Luoma, Theology ‘74, is on staff as a Pastor at Hope Lutheran Church in The Villages, FL 1162 Fiesta Key Circle Lady Lake, FL 32159 Katherine Mallory, Coop M. Div. ‘15. In December, 2015, Kathy graduated from Andover Newton with an M. Div. Kathy’s time at Hartford Seminary and at Andover Newton prepared her well to engage issues of difference from a posture of sensitivity and curiosity. Her advisor from Andover Newton said “In her studies, Kathy has proven to be a smart, committed, and organized student and I have been consistently impressed by her ability to think critically about the tasks of ministry.

Her leadership in a variety of ministerial tasks has prepared her well to think both about the theological May 2016 | Connections

ground of ministry and the day to day practical work of religious leadership. Our school has been enriched by her presence.” She is working full time at Blue Cross, part-time as a Licensed Minister at Pilgrim Congregational Church, while working on the process of ordination as required by the United Church of Christ in Connecticut.

2 Haines St. East Haven, CT 06512 Valerie Maness, BMP ‘80, writes to update her address.

106 Whiting St. Plainville, CT 06062 Barbara Mase, Congregational Studies ‘03, retired from the CT Department of Public Health as a Health Program Supervisor in 2013.

She serves as Minister of Music at First Congregational Church in Meriden and substitute preaches when minister is away. She is enjoying retirement with her partner Connie Hubler Mensch.

55 Long St. New Britain, CT 06051 A. Warren Matthews, B.D. ‘55, writes: “My years at Hartford Seminary are among the happiest and most rewarding in my maturing education.” He retired in 1999 but has worked with seven editors who have helped him work with higher education students from around the world. He has discovered the joys of cooking in his retirement.

7463 Gleneagles Rd. Norfolk, VA 23505 Sergio Mazza, MA ‘06, is taking a year’s sabbatical, moving to Sedona,

AZ, and building a home.

80 Bell Creek Way Sedona, AZ 86351 Dwight Mexcur, D. Min. ‘97, is enjoying retirement in Iowa.

275 9th St. Unit 1 Marion, IA 52302 Dr. Lucinda Mosher, MA ‘92, is Faculty Associate in Interfaith Studies and Director, Multifaith Chaplaincy Program at Hartford Seminary. She published the book Sin, Forgiveness, and Reconciliation (Georgetown University Press) earlier this spring.

Mohamed Moustafa, MA ‘15, is participating in an international conference at the University of Geneva, where he is presenting his MA-based paper entitled “Upholding God’s Essence: Ibn Taymiyya on the Createdness of the Spirit.”

Al Shaheed St Nasr City, Cairo 11884 Egypt SaraJane Munshower, WLI & BAP ‘06, is a Spiritual Director/Companion. She retired from UCC ministry in 2015. She completed six years on the Board of Directors for Oasis Ministries for Spiritual Development in Camp Hill, PA, and is currently serving on two CT UCC committees while enjoying offering spiritual companionship in her home.

36 Ripley Rd. Glastonbury, CT 06033 Kathy Myering, WLI ‘99, MA ‘03, announces the arrival of her seventh grandchild in January.

129 Paterson Dr. Middletown, CT 06457

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Mary Louise Oliver, WLI ‘98, is an artist who creates clerical stoles, paraments and other liturgical textiles. Mary recently became the Program Coordinator for Windham Arts, the Designated Regional State Organization for Eastern Connecticut’s Quiet Corner.

SISTER MARIE ROSE ROCCAPRIORE EARNS UNICO GOLD MEDAL

Reprinted from myrecordjournal.com

Southington UNICO (Unity, Neighborliness, Integrity, Charity, and Opportunity) announces that Sister Marie Rose Roccapriore, M.P.F., is the 2016 gold medal of honor recipient, the organization’s most prestigious honor.

Called one of Southington’s secret treasures, Sister Marie is truly the epitome of UNICO’s creed of “service above self.” Her apostolate is at St. Thomas Parish, where she has served for nearly two decades. As part of her own personal ministry, Sister Marie has

58 North Brook St. Hampton, CT 06247

years and was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Divinity degree in 1982.

Rev. Dr. Paul Opsahl, B.D., MA ‘60, was granted the status of Trustee Emeritus of Yankton College, on April 15, 2016. He has served the Board of Trustees at Yankton for 36

Richard Pierce, Linguistics ‘67, taught in the English Department at Weaver High School, Hartford, and in the College of Arts and Sciences, University of Hartford (adjunct).

committed to the sick and elderly and created many special outreach programs and initiatives that help care for and nurture those in hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

Productions two CDs and a DVD of Spirit Joy’s music. Feliciano also provided the musical accompaniment for each of the productions.

A love of music, she sings and plays the piano, and an observation by her mother brought about the beloved Spirit Joy Children’s Music Ministry.

Sister Marie explained that while caring for her homebound mother, the two women noted that many televised religious broadcasts were remiss of children. As such, Sister Marie founded Spirit Joy, which allows youth to reach out to the sick and elderly via music.

Sister Marie writes all of the songs performed by the 30-member group and directs the children in their prayer-filled music. Monthly performances take place at area hospitals, health care and assisted living facilities, such as The Summit at Plantsville.

As an added touch, Sister Marie employed the talent of internationally renowned performer Jose Feliciano, with whom she’s enjoyed a 20-year friendship. To date, Sister Marie has produced in affiliation with Feliciano

Sister Marie also founded the Lap Blanket Prayer Ministry, which distributes hand-knitted blankets to those in area hospitals and nursing homes. With 20 women currently involved in the group, Sister Marie maintains that more than 1,000 lap blankets have been created to ensure that the recipient “feel God’s healing warmth.”

Her enduring dedication to the sick and elderly is also embodied in two books she authored. She received her MA from Hartford Seminary in 1996 and her D. Min in 1999.

As a lifelong educator, Sister Marie has taught elementary school in several states and is currently the director of religious education for St. Thomas Parish. She is a member of the Religious Teachers Filippini Community, Villa Walsh.

Southington UNICO has awarded the Gold Medal to a distinguished citizen in the community annually since 1945.

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DR. JOYCE TOMPKINS LEADS SPIRITUAL LIFE AT SWARTHMORE

in their religious lives. As Director of Religious and Spiritual Life, she leads a team of four religious advisers and staff on campus.

Swarthmore employs a Catholic adviser, Jewish Student adviser, Muslim Student adviser, along with an Intervarsity Christian Fellowship adviser, truly an interfaith experience that Dr. Tompkins was undoubtedly exposed to, and studied at length, as a D. Min student at Hartford Seminary.

Photo by Laurence Kesterson

Dr. Joyce Tompkins earned her Doctor of Ministry from Hartford Seminary in 2012 and is now the Director of Religious and Spiritual Life at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania.

Swarthmore is an academically rigorous institution and Dr. Tompkins ensures that young minds are enriched in both the classroom and

He is married with two children and three grandchildren and serves as President of the Wintonbury Historical Society of Bloomfield and First Baptist Church, West Hartford, as Assistant Treasurer and member of the Missions Committee.

14 Julie Ln. Bloomfield, CT 06002 Dr. Robert Polk, M. Div. ‘55, turns 88 in May and is living in a ContinuMay 2016 | Connections

In addition to her D. Min, Dr. Tompkins also has a Bachelor’s Degree from Cornell, did graduate course work at Yale, and has her Master of Divinity from General Theological Seminary in New York.

She is ordained in the Episcopal Church.

Dr. Tompkins often shares her Spritual Reflections with the Swarthmore College community.

One of her major roles at Swarthmore is to plan and oversee interfaith activities such as guest speakers, fellowship activities and dinners, and interfaith dialogue. ing Care Retirement Community. He tells us that has added longevity and he is far more productive there then he would be at his home on Lake Candlewood (PA). He has published two books, including a memoir titled Crossing Barriers and Building Bridges.

He has been highly involved in his community in various ways, initiating black history events and organizing Martin Luther King Jr. annual memorials; for Black History month

last year, he mounted a significant African and African-American art exhibit. He was invited to offer prayers in the Commissioning Ceremony for the USS North Dakota submarine at the sub base in Groton, CT. His prayers are on view in the sub and on page 15.

600 E. Cathedral Rd. Apt. G-418.

Philadelphia, PA 19128.

Richard Purchase, M. Div ‘64, is retired.

5309 Peacock Dr. Holiday, FL 34690 Richard N. Rinker, B.D. ‘55, M. Div. ‘55, and his wife continue to live in Elon and are enjoying retirement. He is now a proud grandfather, woodworker, genealogist and writer. His most recent book is called Michael F. Rinker – Pioneer Pastor, a biography of a (non-related) Lutheran pastor. Two other books have been published and one on the way is a collection of conversations between a variety of folks around the topic of God Is/God Isn’t titled Holy Scope!

814 Wagoner Rd. Elon, NC 27244 Robert Rock, B. Div. ‘68, retired in December from Mount Pleasant UCC where he was pastor for eight years and is enjoying “being one of the persons in the pews.” Since retirement he has taken up painting with watercolors and pastels.

9320 Rocky Ridge Rd. Rocky Ridge, MD 21778 Rudolph K. Schnabel, B.D. ‘61, served as a pastor from 1961 until retirement in 1999. “My seminary

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education and experience along with my India experience and pastorate prepared me well for my public service work in Iowa and Arizona.”

13013 W. Redbird Rd. Peoria, AZ 85383 J. Barrie Shepherd, MA ‘72, is retired and keeps himself busy guest preaching, lecturing and writing. Last summer Wipf and Stock published his 16th book which was titled Destination Bethlehem - Daily Meditations, Prayers and Poems to Light the Way to the Manger. This followed two books, Between Mirage and Miracle - Selected Poems for Seasons, Festivals, and the Occasional Revelation and Faces By the Wayside Persons Who Encountered Jesus on the Road both published in 2012. His poetry also appears fairly regularly in various publications, most notably Christian Century.

15 Piper Rd. K325 Scarborough, MA 04074 L. Pablo Stone, MA ‘53, writes to share fond memories of living in Williams Hall and sharing meals with Dr. Frank Stone and Andrew Young in Hosmer Hall.

PO Box 145 Black Mountain, NC 28711 Mark Freeman Strickland, M. Div. ‘58, has served as interim pastor in several churches in Connecticut, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

He is involved in two retired clergy groups on Cape Cod and is the proud father of two children and six grandchildren.

PO Box 252 West Falmouth, MA 02547 Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, MA

DR. ROBERT POLK’S PRAYERS ON DISPLAY IN USS NORTH DAKOTA

is filled with the gift of learning, enhanced by coping with challenges that develop skill, confidence and expertise.

May she always be a trustworthy and reliable partner with you to be guided through storms as well as waters of calm to a safe haven and a friendly port.

Photo by Dennis Janke

Dr. Robert Polk, M. Div. ‘55, offered the following prayers at the Commissioning Ceremony for the USS North Dakota; the prayers are displayed in the sub.

“O divine spirit, creator of heaven and earth, sun & stars, wind, waves and sea; we come before you on this glorious commissioning occasion to bless this remarkable vessel; the endeavor of great minds and human hands.

May all who serve on her be protected from the perils of the deep as they guard our country. May a safe course always be plotted for her sons and daughters who live and work on board as they travel the waters of the world with vigilance and courage and personal resilience.

O God, we pray that every voyage ‘00, served as President of Spelman College from 2002 until her retirement in 2015. Under Dr.

We pray that the USS North Dakota will be loyal to this great state by being mindful of its glorious crest which embraces the symbols and bears the words: “strength from the soil & reapers of the deep.”

We implore you, gracious god, to make the stormy seas of life tranquil by your heavenly benediction.

As stated in the book of psalms, we know you can still the storm to a whisper and hush the seas. So we ask that those who sail on this boat are glad when it grows calm and are successful in their missions.

Finally, may those who become one with this great vessel live out the encouraging thoughts of Mark Twain by throwing off the lines, sailing away from safe harbor, catching the wind and, in doing so, explore, dream and discover.

We commission this great boat, USS N.D. And ask your continued blessing on all the souls she will encompass and protect.”

Tatum’s leadership, Spelman College launched its Wellness Revolution in 2012. The Wellness Revolution is a Connections | May 2016

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holistic initiative designed to empower and educate Spelman women and the communities they will influence on key components of lifelong wellness – eating better, moving more and sleeping well. In 2013, the Carnegie Corporation of New York named Dr. Tatum as a recipient of its 2013 Academic Leadership Award, recognizing her as an exceptional president of a U.S. college or university. She was the first president in the state of Georgia and the first at a historically black college or university to win the award. Dr. Tatum retired in July of 2015 as President Emerita to focus on her work as an author, speaker and expert on issues related to racial identity.

Joyce Tompkins, D. Min. ‘12, is the Director of Religious and Spiritual Life at Swarthmore College. See story on page 14.

310 S. Chester Rd. Swarthmore, PA 19081 Tom Verde, MA ‘09, was asked this past fall to serve on a new Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut Interfaith Committee. Committee members are hoping to reach out to members of other faith traditions in the state, and to focus on the Holy Land as a shared holy space for the Abra-

May 2016 | Connections

hamic faiths. He has also recently published the first in a six-part series on historic, Islamic women rulers in AramcoWorld. The series will also be featured on the Muslim Heritage website.

109 Pequot Trail Pawcatuck, CT 06379 Richard Waddell, D. Min. ‘86, retired in June after 11 years as a hospice chaplain with Androscoggin Home Care and Hospice. He continues in volunteer service as a Conference Deacon for the Maine Conference, UCC, facilitating communication among the Conference and three small churches in the Franklin Association, UCC; he also serves as chair of the Franklin Association Committee on Ministry. He is a volunteer chaplain at his local hospital--Franklin Memorial Hospital. He has enjoyed several missions trips to Honduras for assorted projects and leisure travel around the world.

140 Eastmont Square Farmington, ME 04938 Daranee Waraseth, IPP ‘11, has been working at Wattana Church in Thailand as an associate pastor since 2012.

34 Sukhumvit 15

Wattana, Bangkok 10110 Thailand The Rev. Dr. Lawrence Washburn, B.D. ‘59, M. Div ‘59, D. Min ‘80, is retired after a life of service to the church and greater community in South Kingstown, R.I. Along with his wife Lenore Darsch Washburn, he retired in 1993 and has since served as interim pastor at several churches near their home in Florida. He is still active as a pastor of a small congregation Nokomis, FL, and enjoys his small hobby farm.

They hope to hear from classmates.

7502 249th st E, Myakka City Fl. 34251 lwashburn11@verizon.net Robert W. Wright, Theology ‘60, has spent the last 29 years as Protestant Chaplain at the William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich, CT. 623 Route 32 N. Franklin, CT 06254 Henry G. Wyman, M. Div ‘56. In 2014, he celebrated his 60th year as a minister in the UCC Congregational Church and 66 years of marriage to Sona. He has since retired at the age of 90. 118 Royal Rd. Bangor, ME 04401

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In Memoriam The Rev. LaDonna Ruth Carey, Kennedy School of Missions ‘66, died September 29, 2015; she was 91. LaDonna was born June 30, 1924, in Bronson, KS, the first child of Claude F. and Marie (Broughton) Clemings. She was reared in that community and graduated from Bronson High School in 1941.

She completed her A.A. degree at Evanston Collegiate Institute in 1944 and attended Baker University, earning a B.A. in 1946. LaDonna married Robert Carey on September 16, 1946, in Baldwin City and went to make their home in Denver. They served as youth leaders at Trinity Methodist Church until their departure in 1950 to prepare for missionary service in Liberia. She also worked in the Christian Rural Overseas Program while they lived in Denver. During the years from 1950 to 1976, she served in various ways in the educational programs of the Methodist Church in Liberia.

In 1984, she began preparation for pastoral ministry in the United Methodist Church at Saint Paul School of Theology in Kansas City, MO, and was ordained in the Kansas East Conference in 1988. Her appointment was for five years at the Moline and Grenola Churches in the Chautauqua Hills Parish. Retiring to Baldwin City in 1993, she continued her connection to the church through committees and boards in the Kansas East Conference of the United Methodist Church. She also served as visiting pastor at Lowman United Methodist Church. Survivors include her husband of 69 years.

nali, most of the mountains of the Sierra Nevada, and several in South America. After retiring in 1999, Don hiked the entire Pacific Crest Trail and the Appalachian Trail, embracing the trail name “Abominably Slowman.”

Rev. Donald S. Chorley, B.D. ‘63, died Sept. 29, 2015, at Madrone Hospice in Yreka, CA. Don grew up in several towns throughout the East Bay, and many summers were spent at the family cabin at Huntington Lake. After meeting his wife Virginia at Hartford Seminary, they moved west, and he held parishes in most of the western states.

He was a storyteller with fictional monsters such as “Jake the Alligator Man” and the “Giant SnowWorm.”

Don participated in diner sit-ins as the only Caucasian exchange student at Fisk University in the 1950s; he admitted to throwing dirty china off the Santa Fe train and joining fans of Cal Berkeley on Tight Wad Hill.

He enjoyed ornithology and cheating at games. Don is survived by his wife of 53 years, Virginia.

He began running at the age of 42, and, over the years, he finished the New York City Mara­thon, the Boston Marathon, and many ultra marathons, including the Western States 100. Much meditation and inspiration for his sermons and life came from running in Briones and the High Sierras. He finished his 100th marathon at the age of seventy-five.

Don was also a hiker from an early age. He climbed the Cascades, De-

Donald P. Richter, former Trustee, Vice-Chairman, and member of the President’s Council at Hartford Seminary, died January 25, 2016.. At his passing at the age of 91, he was counsel to the law firm of Murtha Cullina LLP in Hartford, CT. His early years in law were spent at the New York firm of Winthrop, Stimson, Putnam & Roberts. He later joined the predecessor of Murtha Cullina in 1952 and became a Senior Connections | May 2016

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Partner in 1969. He was admitted to practice in Connecticut and New York.

Attorney Richter often observed that, while the law was his profession, education was his passion. He graduated from Bates College in 1947, and was elected a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He graduated from Yale Law School in 1950. He showed his passion for education during his 32-year tenure as a Trustee of Bates College and his 28 years as a Trustee of Suffield Academy, where he served as Board President for seven years. At the conclusion of his Board Presidency at Suffield Academy, his fellow Trustees funded the annual “Richter Award for Excellence in Teaching” in his honor. To continue his commitment to education he accepted the newly elected position of Chairman of the Advisory Board of the WALKS Foundation, a consortium of Independent Schools in the Greater Hartford area dedicated to providing scholarship assistance to able but economically disadvantaged students. For many years, Attorney Richter also served Hartford Seminary as Trustee, Vice-Chairman, Member of the Board of Sponsors and President’s Council.

C. Knox Distinguished Leadership Award.” A member of the Manchester Rotary Club for more than 40 years, he served as President and was made a Paul Harris Fellow in 1997.

ford, where he pursued Arabic and Islamic studies, earning a Masters in Arts and later a Doctor of Philosophy at Hartford Seminary Foundation.

Prior to his career in law, he served as a Naval Officer in the Pacific after completing his V-12 program during World War II aboard the U.S.S. Agawam AOG(6). He was successively Gunnery Officer, Navigation Officer and Executive Officer.

He served for 15 years in Egypt under the United Presbyterian Church. He traveled widely in the Middle East, encouraging dialogue and understanding between Christians and Muslims. Returning to the United States in 1969, he served small churches in Bethlehem Parish, including Clarksville, Millsboro, Vestaburg and Beallsville, until retirement at 1991.

As a Congregationalist, Attorney Richter served his church, Center Church in Manchester, variously as Moderator, Chairman of Prudential Committee and Trustee. He is survived by his wife of nearly 70 years, Jane “Penny” Richter.

Kenneth Edward Nolin, MA ‘61, Ph.D. ‘68, 88, died September 15, 2015, in his home at Strabane Trails Village, Washington.

Kenneth’s parents served as missionaries to Egypt with the Presbyterian Church, and his early years were lived in a boarding school for missionary children from Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia. One of his significant memories involved a ship trip with his mother and three siblings by way of Cape Town, South Africa, to New York, traveling in total darkness to avoid German submarines and evacuate from Egypt before General Rommell and his troops invaded duringWorld War II.

Moving back to Pennsylvania, he married Rosella Mae Hutchison in In 1987, he was awarded the “Robert 1954. The couple moved to HartMay 2016 | Connections

During retirement, he remained active, serving five years as an interim pastor at Upper Ten Mile Presbyterian Church in Prosperity. He was an amateur beekeeper, master builder of tree houses for children and grandchildren, avid reader and a faithful choir member of Claysville Presbyterian Church until his death.

Dorothy Frieda Jud DeVries, MA ‘47, 92, died peacefully at Providence Hospice in Waco, TX, on March 12, 2015. Dorothy was born on June 8, 1922, in Pocohontas, MO. She was the eighth of nine children. She was the daughter and granddaughter of Protestant ministers.

She graduated from Baylor University in Waco in 1944. During her undergraduate years at Baylor, Dorothy became interested in christian missionary service and christian education. She graduated from Hartford Seminary in 1947 and worked for two years as a christian educa-

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tion director in several churches. In 1949, she moved to Baghdad, Iraq, to work as a christian missionary schoolteacher for a girls’ school and served with great distinction there for four years.

Dorothy was an accomplished water color painter. She was a member of the Central Texas Watercolor Society. Dorothy was an idealist who longed for a more humane world free of the chaos of war and blessed by the presence of justice and community. Dorothy was a superb mother, grandmother, great grandmother, servant, scholar, teacher, wife, and friend. Her children, grandchildren, and many friends grieve her death but celebrate her life. Dorothy was a Christian who believed in liberty for all captives, freedom for all oppressed persons, and good news for all. (Luke 4:18).

She was a stalwart opponent of prejudice. She spent her life in a ministry of reconciliation and brotherhood.

She will be sorely missed by the

many persons who respected and loved her.

Henry Doughty, ‘61, 83, of South Woodstock, CT, was the beloved husband of 61 years of Ruth (Clapp) Doughty. Father of Paul Doughty, Priscilla Colwell and Christine Wecker, grandfather of Emily, Ian, Caroline and Lydia, brother of Faye Banks and Carol Woodford. Henry was a devoted Pastor and Real Estate Broker operating Pine Knoll Real Estate.

Harry G. Widman, MA ‘52, was born Aug. 25, 1927, in Milwaukee, WI to Edna (Knutson) and Harry G. Widman, Sr, and joined his sister Grace A. Widman. He married Anne (Rose) Widman on July 27, 1952, and they remained married more than 52 years until her death in 2005.

Harry passed away peacefully on Feb. 13, 2016.

Harry had a lifelong relationship with congregational churches; from his childhood through earning a Master’s degree in Religious Education at Hartford Seminary, working for the National Council of Churches managing camps and conference centers in Ohio and New Hampshire, and finally 45 years as a devoted member of First Congregational Church in Wolfeboro.

While he formally retired from the ministry he never retired from living its teachings and counseling those in need. Harry was an educator from multiple perspectives, religiously as well as his years at Brewster Academy, first as a history teacher and then as Chairman of the History Department. You could frequently find Harry substitute teaching or volunteering in the library for many years after his retirement. After moving into the Assisted Living wing at Sugar Hill, Harry discovered he was a closet poet and became a published author in his late 80’s.

Throughout his life Harry was devoted to his faith and equality for all.

He fought against racial and gender discrimination, and community exclusion of those with disabilities.

While Harry was not a native he was considered a “local” to his many neighbors and friends after his 45 years of residence in New Hampshire.

Did we miss something?

While we get wind of some things our alums are up to, we love getting updates straight from the source!

Send us an email any time of year to be featured in Connections. alum@hartsem.edu

Connections | May 2016

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Save the Date for Alumni Weekend Mark your calendars for Friday, September 30 - Saturday, October 1, 2016 for Mini-Seminary and Alumni Weekend. Join the Development and Alumni Offices as we welcome all alumni back to campus for a weekend of reunion, celebration, learning, sharing and socializing. The weekend will feature speakers and workshops, classes, the opportunity to interact with faculty, staff and students, and perhaps a round of golf with fellow alums, if you’re interested. Preliminary plans include: Friday, September 30th evening: Featured guest speaker, networking groups, cocktail reception, announcements from Hartford Seminary.

Saturday, October 1st: Breakfast, workshops, seminars, courses, lunch, golf outing, dinner and silent auction.

We would love to hear of your interest in this program! Detailed information will be available on our website (www. hartsem.edu) in the coming months. If you have ideas in the meantime, please share via email at alum@hartsem.edu

May 2016 | Connections

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Fall 2016 Courses Arts & Ministry • Mental Health: An Islamic Perspective (AM-653) Online • Fishing in a Shallow Sea; Church Leadership Strategies in a Secular Age (AM-648) Intensive: 9/13, 10/11, 11/1, 11/29, 12/20 Ethics • Enduring Question: How Do We End Violence (ET-615) Intensive: 9/13, 10/11, 11/1, 11/29, 12/20 History • Islamic History II (HI-625) • The Early Church (HI-550) • World Christianity I: Reformations and Transformations (HI-520) - Online Interfaith Dialogue • Images of Jesus in Christian and Muslim Sacred Writings (DI-636) - Online

Scripture • Readings in Islamic Law: Fiqh of Worship (SC-643) • The Synoptic Gospels (SC-540) • “She Did That!”: Women’s Agency in New Testament Texts (SC-553) - Online Theology • Introduction to Black Theology (TH-526) • Readings in Shi’a Tradition (TH-652) • Metaphysics and the Quest(ion) of God After Kant (TH-626) • Introduction to Islamic Theology (TH-533) Worship and Spirituality • Spiritual Foundations for Social Change (WS-613) Online • Women’s Leadership Institute I (WS-551) 9/23-24, 10/21-22, 11/18-19, 12/16-17

• Dialogue in a World of Difference Intensive: 9/16-18, 11/4-6, 12/3-5 Language • Introduction to New Testament Greek I (LG-561) • Readings in New Testament Greek I (LG-661) • Introduction to Arabic Phonology and Script (LG-580) Religion and Society • Contemporary Religious Trends (RS-668) • Secularism and Religion-State Relations Around the World (RS-628) Intensive: 9/8, 9/29, 10/20, 11/17, 12/8

Special Pricing The non-credit audit fee for courses is $575. A special audit fee of $385 is available for the following groups: donors of $250 or more, persons age 60 and older, persons 55 and older receiving disability income, graduates of Hartford Seminary degree programs or the Cooperative M. Div, and Hartford Seminary Adjunct Faculty. There is a limit of one course per academic year for all groups except those 60 and older, for whom there is no limit.

To register, please contact the Registrar at 860-509-9511 or email registrar@hartsem.edu.

• Contemporary Islamic Thought (RS-572) Course takes place in Herndon, VA

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President’s Message While Hartford Seminary likes to look forward, drawing energy from new students and programs, we know that it’s equally important to look back and celebrate the accomplishments of our remarkable alumni/ae who have put their skills into practice. You take on leadership positions under challenging circumstances. You are pastors, consultants, professors, authors, chaplains, spiritual directors and college presidents, just to name a few.

Milestones are important, too. Looking back 50 years brought us to the graduating Class of 1966. Its members studied in Hartford at a tumultuous time in our nation’s history, then went on to make a significant impact around the world. I find it remarkable that the 34 students in the graduating class wrote over 130 books among them.

We also mourn those alumni/ae we lost in the last year, as well as the fourteen members of the Class of 1966 who have passed away since graduation, and send our heartfelt sympathy to their families.

Our religiously diverse world needs Hartford Seminary’s expertise in leadership development now more than ever, and your support is crucial. There are many ways you can help.

Invest in the future with a gift to the Annual Fund, a donation to supMay 2016 | Connections

port a program that is dear to you, or a scholarship gift that benefits the current generation of students. You can contribute in honor of a family member, colleague, or community.

You can include the Seminary in your estate plan, and there are many options that benefit you, your family and the Seminary. Contact Development Director Samuel Locke

Communications Director Susan Schoenberger (sschoenberger@ hartsem.edu) know that you’d like to be kept up-to-date on upcoming opportunities.

Follow us on social media. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube, where we share Hartford Seminary news as well as thought-provoking information and perspectives about today’s religious landscape.

Pray for the Seminary, its students, faculty and staff, and all those who have completed their studies and are out in the world leading, caring for others, teaching and making a difference.

(slocke@hartsem.edu), and he’ll be glad to help find that right way for you.

Refer potential new students to the Seminary. Many of our current students are here because faith leaders or trusted friends thought Hartford Seminary would be the best place for them to learn and grow.

Admissions Director Tina Demo (tdemo@hartsem.edu) will welcome your referrals and suggestions.

Participate in educational programs at the Seminary, of which there are many, from full courses at a discount for alumni/ae to free lectures, workshops and events. Let

It is a privilege to serve as President of Hartford Seminary and to witness how our graduates exemplify the mission “to prepare leaders, students, scholars and religious institutions to understand and live faithfully in today’s multi-faith and pluralistic world.”

Sincerely,

Heidi Hadsell

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Invest in Hartford Seminary CASH, CHECK OR CREDIT CARD Many gifts are cash contributions that are made by check or credit card. These gifts are tax deductible as allowed by law and provide Hartford Seminary with immediate funding for ongoing operations.

SECURITIES AND PROPERTY Gifts of stock, other securities or property benefit the institution and provide the donor with a tax deduction for the fair market value of the gift when it is made.

Additionally, in most cases the donor does not have to pay capital gains tax on the appreciated value of the stock or property.

MATCHING GIFTS Many companies provide their employees with the benefit of increasing their gifts to certain organizations

by matching those gifts either dollar for dollar or by a percentage. Please check with your employer about their matching gift program.

PLANNED GIVING Gifts made through estate planning provide for the future growth of the institution. The Mackenzie Heritage Society honors those who have made provisions for Hartford Seminary in their estate plans.

GIFTS IN KIND Hartford Seminary welcomes gifts in kind including goods and services that meet the programmatic needs of the organization.

ONLINE GIVING Available at www.hartsem.edu

DOUBLE THE IMPACT OF YOUR GIFT - DONATE BY JUNE 30, 2016 To inspire your generosity, a group of Trustees has committed to match gifts to the Annual Fund - up to $40,000 for the remainder of the fiscal year ending on June 30th.

Connections | May 2016

77 Sherman Street Hartford, CT, USA 06105-2260 www.hartsem.edu Address Service Requested