Aware Magazine | Fall 2020

Aware magazine Fall 2020

A SERVANT’S HEART: AN INTERVIEW WITH PRESIDENT LALLENE J. RECTOR PAGE 4

THE 2019-2020 ANNUAL REPORT PAGE 8

PRESIDENTIAL PERSPECTIVE DR. LALLENE J. RECTOR “You are the light of the world; be light in our darkness, O Christ.”

(Canticle of Light and Darkness, Response 2, The United Methodist Hymnal, 205)

Dear Garrett-Evangelical Family: I am penning my last Aware column to you as president of the seminary, and it seems very fitting to me this issue comes just as we are anticipating the season of Advent. In thinking of our alumni in particular, I am always mindful of the liturgical rhythm of our Christian calendar and the theological focus many of you are engaging in your ministries. We are living in a season of political turmoil, of demands for long overdue racial justice, for love of neighbor as we fight a deadly pandemic, and for regeneration and repair of God’s creation amongst wildfires, tropical storms, earthquakes, and droughts to which our wanton devastation of the earth has contributed.

I tend to think of Advent as a time to renew hope focused on the birth of new life, on the incredulity of God’s incarnation, and the arrival of a long-awaited Savior bringing new possibilities. But this year, I am led to reflect more upon the mysteries of darkness and light as we consider the life of Jesus and what his coming into our darkness means for new light in our lives and in the world. For some months now, I have been drawn to the “Canticle of Light and Darkness” referenced above. It felt a little like liturgical cheating to grab onto this response so early when it is listed for “Advent, Christmas, and General.” I was nonetheless compelled and felt exonerated by the possibility of “general” use!

This last year has been one of more darkness for the seminary than we have experienced in a long time. There were painful challenges that emerged in our presidential search process on race and how we share our work together.

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There has been the ongoing task of managing the pandemic. And both of these things have required continuous, intensive meeting schedules in order to care for the safety and support of all members of our community.

Alum Relations has worked hard to stay connected with you and to provide some opportunities to gather in Zoom rooms with various faculty to discuss the challenges you are facing. We know you have experienced your own struggles in wrestling with many dilemmas in your ministries: how best to provide meaningful worship, Sunday School classes, continuing support, and pastoral care of those you serve, how to encourage continued giving, and how to maintain a strong sense of community as the body of Christ even as we are separated from one another.

To be entirely honest, it has been an exhausting year for us that required running a race that seemed without end. And so, “Where is the light?” you might be wondering. There has been light in the work and final report of the Garrett Together Task Force in its response to concerns emerging from the search process. After listening carefully to all parties, a set of related recommendations has been issued and are already being undertaken during this semester and continuing forward.

With regard to the challenges of the pandemic, our administration, faculty, staff, and students have generated creative solutions for operating effectively in remote modalities and for strategic planning for long-term well-being of the school – “generational stewardship” as we understand it.

There is newfound creativity in ways of knowing, doing, and being, in opportunities to dismantle white normativity, and in the explicit commitment to live into our own microcosm of being God’s beautiful and complex world.

And, there has been creativity among you as well. We see it in what you have shared with us and with each other regarding the new and creative ways you are sustaining your ministries and continuing to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. We have needed each other in these days.

As people of faith, we have walked together in darkness and in light. We have not forgotten that in the mysteries of darkness, in the not seeing and in the stumbling, we also have a Savior, Jesus Christ the Lord, who is the Light of the world and who encourages us to faithfully keep stepping forward into the new light. And so, we shall together.

As part of stepping forward in faith, I want to call upon you to continue supporting our beloved seminary and to offer the same strong support I have enjoyed with you to our new President-Elect, Rev. Dr. Javier Viera. He is going to bring new ways of thinking, new wisdom, new gifts, and new collegiality with all of Garrett-Evangelical. In a phrase, I know he will be an instrument of God’s new light to us.

It has been the greatest privilege of my life to serve Garrett-Evangelical – you – in a variety of roles. I still hope for some annual conference visits in the future when we can safely undertake such travel, but in the meantime, know that I carry you in my heart and in my prayers. You are the ongoing inspiration for our work at the seminary. My love to you and may God richly bless each of you during this Advent season and beyond.

Dr. Lallene J. Rector President AWARE MAGAZINE | 3

Aware FALL 2020 4 | A Servant’s Heart: An

Interview with President

Lallene J. Rector 7 | Photos of a President 8 | 2019-2020 Annual Report 10 | Our Heartfelt Thanks

for You 11 | Jeong and Wymer Begin

Teaching this Fall 12 | Rev. Harlene Harden Creates

Scholarship to Assist

Women of Color 14 | Remembering Alumna

Rosalie Bentziner, Who

Paved a Way for Women

and Deacons 14 | In Memoriam

Aware magazine is published

quarterly by the offices of development and marketing and communications for alums and friends of Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, a graduate school of theology related to The United Methodist Church with an ecumenical outreach.

AWARE EDITORIAL BOARD Mary Bowmann Arents Katharine Duke Joseph R. Emmick Krista J. McNeil Shane A. Nichols Tasha N. Sargent Maudette Watley

A SERVANT’S HEART AN INTERVIEW WITH PRESIDENT LALLENE J. RECTOR Dr. Lallene J. Rector was named president of Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary on May 16, 2013, and began her term on January 1, 2014. Rector has been an esteemed faculty member at Garrett-Evangelical since 1986 as associate professor of psychology of religion and pastoral psychotherapy and served as vice president of academic affairs and academic dean from 20062013. The list of accomplishments and highlights during Rector’s presidency speaks directly to her love for and lifelong dedication to Garrett-Evangelical.

Effective December 31, 2020, Rector will officially step out of the role of president and once again take up her faculty post. As both she and the seminary prepare for this transition, we asked her some questions to reflect on her time as president and share her insights on the future.

What do you consider significant accomplishments during your term as president?

A Virtual Celebration in Honor of President Lallene J. Rector On Thursday, December 10, 2020, at 4 p.m. (CST), the seminary community will gather via Zoom to pay tribute to Dr. Lallene J. Rector for her work and dedication to Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. You won’t want to miss this special celebration and milestone moment in the history of the seminary.

All who register by 5 p.m. (CST) on Wednesday, December 9, 2020, will be emailed the Zoom link on the morning of Thursday, December 10.

To attend this virtual celebration, register today at Garrett.edu/Rector.

I take great joy in what has been accomplished during these last seven years, and not by me, but by us. Staff, faculty, students, the leadership team, alumni, trustees, and friends all contributed, together. We have built on the solid foundations that had already been laid. I’ve come to think of leadership as a relay race. You pick up the baton that is handed to you, and you do your best to run “the race set before you” until it is your turn to hand off the baton.

I am grateful for the excellent and substantive work that has been accomplished: a curriculum revision, re-accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission, the Association of Theological Schools, and the United Methodist University Senate; completion of a $100 million capital campaign; Lilly Endowment Inc. grants totaling $3.122 million that allowed us to offer new initiatives in financial literacy for pastors, to equip effective congregational leaders in young adult ministries, and to strengthen effective preaching. The Connectional Learning program expanded the reach of Garrett-Evangelical to those who previously knew nothing of the school. We have become a much more diverse community with intentional faculty and staff hires, key promotions in leadership positions, intentional recruitment of diverse students, and affirmation by the Board of Trustees that the seminary welcomes LGBTQUIA+ persons in all aspects of our community. Currently, we are strengthening our infrastructure as a form of “core innovation.” We have built a robust information technology department and are streamlining processes in the business office, in human resources, and in other areas of the seminary. We are reorganizing departments for more creative alignment of work and greater effectiveness. And while these efforts are not as exciting as transformative innovations, they have been absolutely necessary new initiatives that needed to be undertaken.

Much has been accomplished. We have worked very, very hard, and for all of this, we are indebted to many colleagues.

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What have been some of the most challenging aspects of being Garrett-Evangelical’s president?

There are two things. First, I have not been able to make peace with the slow pace of change in higher education. From the beginning of my time in this office, I have struggled to find ways to accomplish needed changes more expeditiously. I quickly realized that one factor is the reality of the academic calendar. Significant meetings where action could be taken and projects moved along occurred only monthly and then, not even in every one of the approximately 7.5 months when such meetings could be scheduled. There were also subtle forms of resistance that further delayed consideration of requested changes, e.g., slowness to put an agenda item on the docket for any given meeting, meaning further delay. It is possible for whole academic years to go by before a specific action might be taken. Strong and steady intentionality is required!

Secondly, we are living in a time of great distrust in our institutions and in virtually every area of our society, including the political, social, economic, and religious arenas.

This is the climate in which the seminary is pursuing its mission. I have had to reflect too often for comfort on the persistence of distrust in our school. It is especially notable in the midst of what has felt like extensive efforts to systematically listen to all voices, to value difference, to welcome ideas, to offer an open door for individual and small group meetings, and to gather employees once a month in order to convey we are all in this together and that each person’s work is significant for accomplishing the mission.

I have been reflecting on various aspects of leadership and will continue to do so for some time. For now, it seems that a certain level of distrust is inevitable given the delegated power structures in higher education, our human vulnerabilities, and our desire for agency.

What have you enjoyed the most during your time as president of Garrett-Evangelical?

I have greatly enjoyed working with our Board of Trustees for about 15 years now, first in the capacity of faculty representative (four years), as VP for academic affairs, (almost eight years), and then as president (seven years.) Our trustees are a great gift to the seminary. They embody so much talent, so much experience, so much generosity, so much faithfulness, and so much good will for all the people at the seminary, while, at the same time, holding us accountable for wise stewardship of the seminary’s resources. The trustees are sometimes unrecognized heroes and heroines for us. They sometimes become the object of an archetypal us/them dynamic, but praise be to God they persevere. We are richly blessed by their dedication.

I have very much enjoyed our alumni and visiting with them each year at the Annual Conferences. In them, we can see how a Garrett-Evangelical education can be used in creative ways to engage transformative ministries and in those always-needed ministries that steadily work in the trenches of human sorrow and human rejoicing, offering caring presence. How much more gratifying could it be to know we at the seminary are serving a purpose greater than ourselves – one that results in prophetic interaction with the world, in care for the least of these, and in a faithful steadfastness to share the gospel of Jesus Christ, a “love that will not let us go.”

And I have been so blessed to work with a great leadership team. Each member has a work ethic that is sometimes dangerous to their own health, not always conducive for a good work/life balance, bringing reliable talent, creativity, and a “can do” attitude.

What greater gift to a president than to work closely with a group of people who inspire confidence and offer excellence!

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Although you are stepping down as president, you will remain on the faculty.

What are your plans going forward as a professor and a researcher?

I currently have three research and writing interests:

Gifts in Honor of President Lallene J. Rector We invite all members of the Garrett-Evangelical family to honor President Rector’s legacy with a gift to the seminary’s Center for the Church and the Black Experience (CBE). Gifts to the CBE in her honor will help fund the center’s multitude of programs.

Donors who wish to make an unrestricted gift in President Rector’s name may do so with a contribution to the seminary’s annual fund.

To make your gift today, go to Garrett.edu/Giving or mail your check to the development office.

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1. The Psychology of Difference. For some time, I have been interested in the psychological experience of difference and the emotional/ psychological responses evoked by these experiences. Though I have previously written a bit about this, I want to devote much more time to it. I am firmly convinced that one of the greatest struggles we have as human beings is to understand this realm of experience, the ways in which we may delight in and welcome those who are “different” from us, and most importantly to understand the psychological mechanisms at work in us as we respond negatively to and reject difference. There seems to be a continuum of response, from welcoming those who are different, to simply distancing ourselves, to the extreme of violence against, even killing of “the other.” We would do well to invest quite a bit of effort to better understand these dynamics and then to develop constructive interventions, no doubt including attention to child rearing practices. Our positioning in relation to difference starts from the very beginning of our lives; 2. The self as vehicle of leadership. As I have reflected upon the experience of leadership, I have become convinced that effective leadership is as much about the being of the leader’s self as it is about technical skills. As we have learned from many experts, Ronald Heifetz in particular, we will only get so far in our leadership efforts if we bring only technical skills; 3. Narcissistic dimensions of resisting individual and corporate responsibility for participation in the regeneration and repair of God’s creation, the biosphere which sustains the possibility for our living.

There is greater diversity at Garrett-Evangelical since you have been president. Why do you think that is important?

During part of my campus interview for the opportunity to serve the Office of the President, Dr. Brent Waters asked me what I would most want to have accomplished during my term. It was a wonderful question and one that I had not anticipated. I remember speaking to the strong desire to increase our racial/ethnic diversity and that this was important because we prepared students to serve the world, and thus, our seminary community should reflect the world we serve.

I believe this has been accomplished in the faculty and in the student body. The seminary is at a critical point in its potential to turn the corner on white normativity as a way of being and doing here. Our efforts to recruit faculty and students of color place us now in 50/50 plus demographic within the school. We have more work to do with the staff and the Board of Trustees. These efforts continue with intentionality. I believe that President-Elect Javier Viera’s presidency could accomplish this turn for Garrett-Evangelical. It will be complex work and will require great care and skill, and he has the requisite qualities to lead this effort. I am very excited about his mature leadership coming to Garrett-Evangelical!

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PHOTOS OF A PRESIDENT

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From awards given to awards received, from alum gatherings in Evanston to Seoul, South Korea, and from the Chapel of the Unnamed Faithful on campus to the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., it has been an incredibly busy seven years for President Rector. Here are just a few of the highlights.

To read more about the seminary’s accomplishments and highlights during the presidency of Dr. Lallene J. Rector, visit us online at Garrett.edu/Rector.

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2019-2020 ANNUAL REPORT JOSEPH R. EMMICK VICE PRESIDENT OF DEVELOPMENT This is my favorite issue of Aware each year. The annual report is an opportunity to thank you for your generosity, celebrate with you what your gifts make possible for our students, and ask you to consider your philanthropy for this year.

In a year as uncertain, unpredictable, and as unsettling as the 2019-2020 fiscal year, there was one joyful constant for Garrett-Evangelical: You. All of the ways in which you support Garrett-Evangelical and your churches—your philanthropy, your ministries, your vocations, your lay leadership, your involvement in your communities—are immeasurable blessings to our seminary. We are grateful for your gifts of time, talent, and treasure.

Your gifts made possible nearly $3 million in scholarships to seminarians answering God’s call to bold, servant church leadership. A record Giving Day in March provided flexible unrestricted support for the seminary to deliver world-class theological education. We were deeply moved by your response to our Food for the Soul Campaign which provided food for students who were not able to move off campus during the pandemic. These are just a few of the ways in which you made a difference in our students’ lives.

The breadth of your support is extraordinary. The seminary’s alumni and friends gave $5,876,591 in 2019-20. Donors also made another $1,631,142 in planned gift commitments, bringing the total support for Garrett-Evangelical to $7,507,733.

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You’ll find additional details about your faithful investments in the seminary in the full annual report.

As I write, we have completed the first quarter of our new fiscal year, a year that is proving to be as challenging as 2019-20. Garrett-Evangelical’s response to these challenges is an abiding commitment to its mission of developing bold church leaders who will change the world as disciples of Jesus Christ’s transformative love.

Will you prayerfully consider a gift to the seminary this year? If you were a donor last year, we hope you will renew your gift. If you have not given in a few years, will you consider a gift now? If you’ve never given, will you consider your first gift?

There are number of ways you can support your seminary: A gift to the unrestricted annual fund that will be matched dollar for dollar thanks to a generous gift from Jerre and Mary Joy Stead; a gift to the Center for the Church and the Black Experience in honor of President Lallene Rector’s historic career; a gift to our unrestricted endowment; a gift to fund a scholarship enabling a student to answer God’s call to ministry; or, a gift from your estate.

You will hear more from us in the weeks and months ahead about how you can help the seminary achieve its mission. For now, you have our deepest gratitude for your support for GarrettEvangelical. Blessings to you for peace and good health.

ANNUAL FUND GIVING (2019-2020)

GIFT DESIGNATION (2019-2020) ENDOWMENT RESTRICTED 41%

ANNUAL UNRESTRICTED $476,375 (19%)

ANNUAL UNRESTRICTED 8% ENDOWMENT UNRESTRICTED 16%

ANNUAL RESTRICTED $1,021,857 (40%)

ANNUAL RESTRICTED 17% UMC MINISTERIAL EDUCATION FUND UNRESTRICTED $1,021,976 (41%)

UMC MINISTERIAL EDUCATION FUND 18%

$768,430

$1,037,166

$2,225,850 $1,240,647

$1,021,976 $341,876

$686,421

$282,421

$44,277

$33,407

$27,795

$682,650

$710,211

$327,465

$626,240

$1,069,703

$1,783,040

$1,199,624

$493,106 $931,004

$574,023

$595,492

$488,993

$3,869,790

THREE-YEAR COMPARISON OF GIVING BY RELATIONSHIP 2019-2020 2018-2019 2017-2018

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AWARE MAGAZINE | ANNUAL REPORT 9

OUR HEARTFELT THANKS FOR YOU We offer our heartfelt thanks to the 1,628 alums, friends, churches, trustees, corporations, estates, and foundations who supported Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in the 2019-20 fiscal year (July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020). The $7.5 million received in gifts during the 2019-2020 fiscal year enabled Garrett-Evangelical to: • Educate more than 400 future Christian leaders • Provide scholarship assistance totaling $2.9 million to deserving students • Send 72 graduates into the world as pastors, deacons, Christian educators, spiritual directors, chaplains, counselors, and nonprofit professionals • Hire a new assistant professor of New Testament interpretation, Rev. Dr. Dong Hyeon Jeong, and a new assistant professor of liturgical studies, Rev. Dr. Andrew Wymer (see next page) • Hire a new director of field education and assistant professor of community-based learning, ethics, and society, Sara A. Williams, who will begin in February 2021 • Establish a new partnership with Project Transformation, providing a new path for young adults to enter seminary • Achieve certification as a “Green Seminary” by the Green Seminary Initiative • Receive a $372,000 sustainability grant from the Lilly Endowment Inc. for the “Leading Vibrant Congregations” initiative • Be recognized for a fifth year in a row as a “Seminary that Changes the World” by The Center for Faith and Service • Add $3.35 million to the endowment We are grateful for your support, and we invite you again this year to help us fulfill our mission of preparing bold Christian leaders for the church, the academy, and the world.

There are numerous ways to support our mission. To find which way works best for you, go to Garrett.edu/WaysToGive.

REVENUES (2019-2020)

EXPENSES (2019-2020)

ENDOWMENT AND INVESTMENT

38% 10% AUXILIARY AND OTHER REVENUES

FINANCIAL AID

30%

GRANTS, GIFTS, AND BEQUESTS

22% STUDENT TUITION AND FEES

AUXILIARY EXPENSES

15% 11% GENERAL OPERATIONS

23% 51% INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT AND INSTRUCTION

Our financial position is strong due to your generous support and the performance of the equity markets. The total investment portfolio as of June 30, 2020, is $106.8 million.

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JEONG AND WYMER BEGIN TEACHING THIS FALL Rev. Dr. Dong Hyeon Jeong joined the faculty as assistant professor of New Testament interpretation, effective July 1, 2020.

Jeong brings a wealth of expertise including biblical studies and languages, social justice, race and ethnicity, and posthumanism. The son of Korean missionaries in the Philippines, Jeong is an ordained elder in the Philippine Central Conference, Manila Episcopal Area, Southwest Philippines Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church.

“I am honored and excited to be part of this community,” said Jeong. “I found GarrettEvangelical’s pursuit for academic excellence and deep desire to share the Gospel to be key attributes that drew me to this amazing institution.”

Rev. Dr. Andrew Wymer joins the faculty of Garrett-Evangelical as assistant professor of liturgical studies. His research engages liturgical and homiletical theory and practice with attention to race, social justice, and ecology.

A doctor of philosophy graduate of GarrettEvangelical, Wymer returns to Garrett-Evangelical from New Brunswick Theological Seminary in New Brunswick, New Jersey, where he served as the assistant professor of preaching and worship, director of the chapel, and assistant dean of doctoral studies.

Jeong comes to Garrett-Evangelical from the Academy of Saint Elizabeth in Morristown, New Jersey, where he served as a religion teacher and the department chair, as well as Rutgers University, where he served as part-time lecturer.

“Garrett-Evangelical is an institution that has profoundly shaped my scholarship and teaching,” said Wymer. “I am deeply appreciative of GarrettEvangelical’s progressive commitments to public theology and to equipping leaders to share the transforming love of Jesus Christ. It is a delight and honor to be invited to join this special community of learning in this role.”

Jeong earned his doctor of philosophy in New Testament and early Christianity from Drew University in 2018. He holds master of divinity and master of theology degrees from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University, and a bachelor of arts in economics from the University of Santo Tomas.

Wymer holds ordination in the Rochester Genesee Region of the American Baptist Churches USA. Previously, Wymer served as the Styberg Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow in homiletics at Garrett-Evangelical. He also regularly teaches for the Association of Chicago Theological Schools (ACTS) Doctor of Ministry in Preaching Program.

Throughout his studies and career, Jeong’s work has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Helen LePage and William Hale Chamberlain Best Dissertation Award, the Forum for Theological Exploration Doctoral Fellow, and the Newhall Teaching Fellow.

Wymer holds a master of arts in worship studies from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and he studied liturgy and homiletics at Drew University Theological School. He earned a doctor of philosophy in liturgy and homiletics from Garrett-Evangelical in 2016.

His book, With the Wild Beasts, Learning from Trees, is forthcoming and will be published by the Society of Biblical Literature Press, Semeia Series.

He is the author of articles in Worship, Practical Matters, and the International Journal of Homiletics. His first book, Revolutionary Preaching: A Homiletical Ethic for the Twenty-First Century, is under contract.

AWARE MAGAZINE | ANNUAL REPORT 11

REV. HARLENE HARDEN CREATES SCHOLARSHIP TO ASSIST WOMEN OF COLOR In this overdue social moment of affirming the value of Black lives, Garrett-Evangelical alumna Rev. Harlene Harden also seeks to affirm women of color’s sacred call to ministry.

Rev. Harlene Harden knows Black women in ministry’s dilemma – feeling God’s call but not having that call fully affirmed by their denominational community or leadership. When her calling came, Harden belonged to a Baptist church that didn’t believe women were called to pastoral ministry. Also, at that time, she had never even known a Black woman pastor.

“Every pastor of every church that I had known had always been male,” she recalled.

Yet, despite these obstacles to full affirmation, Harden said the call was clear. “God opened up Isaiah 61 for me in a way that was phenomenal,” she said. “It talks about Jesus’s call to ministry and how he was going to mend the brokenhearted, and I felt like God was telling me that I was going to be doing those things.”

At that time, Harden was happily working in a management position for Commonwealth Edison, a nuclear power company in Joliet, Illinois.

One day, she saw a newspaper article announcing that a Black female minister from Michigan – the Reverend, Dr. Linda Hollies – would come to Joliet and pastor the Richards Street United Methodist Church. Harden knew she had to meet Hollies.

“That was the first time in my life that I had heard of a woman pastor,” Harden shared.

When Hollies arrived in Illinois, Harden introduced herself and welcomed her to the community.

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shortly after, Harden joined the Richards Street United Methodist Church. With Hollies’ support, Harden began to understand womanist theology, male patriarchy, and the polity differences between the United Methodist and Baptist churches. Later, Hollies encouraged Harden to attend seminary.

“She became one of my dearest friends and mentors,” Harden said.

At first, Harden was resistant to the idea of seminary. She had heard an Evangelical preacher glibly say that going to seminary was like going to the cemetery – lifeless and without spirit. Hollies, a Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary graduate, convinced Harden otherwise, and she agreed to visit Garrett-Evangelical.

The visit transformed Harden. “I went to GarrettEvangelical to check out the school, and I was like a little kid,” Harden remembered. “It was a whole new world for me.”

Harden sat in on a Hebrew class with 10 or 12 other students. As she listened to the lecture, she got goosebumps, she said.

After her meeting with admissions, Harden went out the back door of the main building to meet her son, who was attending Northwestern University.

Not realizing that Garrett-Evangelical was adjacent to Northwestern’s campus, she asked her son, “Why haven’t I seen this seminary before?”

“Sometimes God only lets us see things when it is time to see,” he replied.

Harden applied, was accepted, and started seminary in January of 1990, 10 years after she had finished her undergraduate degree in criminal justice from Lewis University in Chicago.

She lived in the off-campus apartments and learned how to study and write papers all over again. Harden said she loved the coursework and the professors, but what she truly valued was the diversity at Garrett-Evangelical.

“I vividly remember the students I met at Garrett-Evangelical, many of them from different cultures and walks of life,” she said.

“This interaction helped me to respect and appreciate our differences. These experiences piqued my interests for cross-cultural ministry and international travel,” she continued.

When the opportunity arose to travel to Russia and Israel with the seminary, Harden wholeheartedly joined the trip. “I was exposed to these incredible geographical, cultural, and historical locations that I had only read about,” she said.

Harden said she learned a lot and had a wonderful time at Garrett-Evangelical.

“Seminary was everything I wanted it to be,” she said. “I was the first in my family to go to college, and then to go to graduate school, people couldn’t believe it. I am so grateful for all the opportunities I had.”

Harden paid for most of her education, having saved during her time at Commonwealth Edison, but she did receive two small scholarships from Garrett-Evangelical. She also received support from some of the members of the Baptist Church, where she started her journey to ministry. After she heeded her call, four other women at that church also more fully acknowledged their ministerial calls.

“They loved me, and when I needed help to pay my tuition, they gave me money,” she said. “They also came to my graduation.”

Harden graduated in 1994 with a master of divinity degree and began serving a two-point charge on the south side of Chicago – the Pullman United and the Fellowship United Methodist Churches. During her time there, Harden became well known for teaching on TV 38 International Sunday School program, which aired weekly.

Four years later, Harden became pastor at the First United Methodist Church in Waukegan,

Illinois. There, she became known for her Multicultural (Black History) celebration services. After serving that church for eight years, Harden became senior pastor of St. James United Methodist Church in Hyde Park, Illinois.

Harden’s last charge was the Sycamore United Methodist Church in Sycamore, Illinois, where she was the first African American female in its 180-year history to serve as pastor. In her 10 years there, the whole community and its local businesses became her ardent supporters. Harden still communicates with her many supporters there, especially as they discuss the Movement for Black Lives Matter and how to build better relationships with the Black community.

In June 2018, Harden retired from the Sycamore Church and now lives in Scottdale, Georgia, near her family and grandchildren.

“I’ve served five different churches throughout my ministry, and I’ve grown in every one of those leadership experiences,” Harden shared. “I have been so blessed to have had wonderful relationships with these congregations.”

In 2009, while serving the Sycamore church, Harden created a scholarship in her name at Garrett-Evangelical and invited friends, family, and past and present congregants to contribute to it. In addition to starting this namesake resource, Harden has also made a planned gift as part of her eternal legacy to further support it. When it becomes fully endowed, the Reverend Harlene Harden Endowed Scholarship will assist Black and diverse women pursuing the development of God’s call in their lives.

Harden created the scholarship for several reasons. First, education has always been a central value in her family and a source of preparation for leadership and life.

Second, Harden feels strongly that Black and diverse women offer a unique expression of leadership that Black families and communities need to be vibrant and strong.

Additionally, she wanted them to attend a well-known seminary.

“I know that other Black women have dreams, just like I had, and I want to help make them come true,” Harden said.

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REMEMBERING ALUMNA ROSALIE JANE BENTZINGER, WHO PAVED A WAY FOR WOMEN AND DEACONS Garrett Biblical Institute alumna Rosalie Jane Bentzinger (GBI 1958) of Donnellson, Iowa, died on October 25 at the age of 96. Among her numerous contributions and life of service to the church, Bentzinger was instrumental in the formation of diaconal ministry as an important part of laity in service to The United Methodist Church.

Diaconal Ministry for the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry at the national United Methodist headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee. In addition, she was a key member of the team that helped to begin the formation of Africa University in Mutare, Zimbabwe.

Throughout her adult life, she had a distinguished career in service to The United Methodist Church.

Her passion was for Christian education, and she was elected president of the Christian Educators’ Fellowship (CEF) – a newly formed national organization. She was consecrated as a diaconal minister (now the order of deacon) in 1977.

Bentzinger wrote of her life and career: “As I take risks, I realize that the Christian’s call is to live ‘on the brink’, sacrificing comfort for growth and significant service. As is often true with ministry, I have never really known how significant or effective my efforts have been. I only know I have had many unusual opportunities for service: an abundance of hard work with wonderful colleagues and much joy along the way.”

From 1979 – 1994, Bentzinger served as the associate general secretary of the Division of

Upon retiring from the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry in Nashville, Bentzinger and her sister Margaret moved to Donnellson, Iowa, and lived in the house in which they were raised.

IN MEMORIAM As we remember the saints who have gone before us, we offer our condolences and sympathy to the family and friends of the following alums who have died in Christ in the past year (October 2019 to October 2020).

1940s

1950s

Roger Stressman, ETS 1947, Tempe, AZ, died October 27, 2019.

Don Heinrich, ETS 1950, Geneva, IL, died July 18, 2020.

Robert Farr, GBI 1948, Ames, IA, died April 24, 2020.

George Wesley Buchanan, GBI 1951, Gaithersburg, MD, died December 2019.

Calvin Rodeheffer, GBI 1948, Portsmouth, OH, died December 20, 2019.

Donald Struchen, GBI 1948, New York, NY, died June 28, 2020.

Edgar Draper, GBI 1949, Jackson, MS, died November 16, 2019.

14 AWARE MAGAZINE | FALL 2020

Donald Lowe, GBI 1951, Bloomington, IL, died December 16, 2019.

Paul Gibson, ETS 1952, Cudahy, WI, died October 10, 2019.

Paul Kuenning, GBI 1952, Milwaukee, WI, died March 9, 2020.

Duane Lenz, ETS 1952, Lincoln, NE, died April 21, 2020.

Donald Sather, ETS 1952, Denver, CO, died August 13, 2020.

Wesley Clarke, GBI 1953, West Liberty, OH, died February 18, 2020.

Armin Vogt, ETS 1953, Lincoln, NE, died September 24, 2020.

Carlos Welch, GBI 1953, Baton Rouge, LA, died February 29, 2020.

Carl Zager, ETS 1953, Sterling, IL, died October 14, 2019.

Frank Kuhlman, GBI 1961, St. Marys, OH, died September 22, 2020.

John Wesley Z. Kurewa, GTS 1967, Mutare, Zimbabwe, died February 15, 2020.

Donald Keith Laidler, ETS 1961, Holland, MI, died July 1, 2020.

William (Omar) Logan, Jr., GTS 1967, Palm Coast, FL, died July 22, 2020.

Chester Ross, GBI 1954, Goodland, KS, died August 12, 2020.

John Andrews, GTS 1962, Grand Rapids, MI, died January 20, 2020.

Preston Woods, GTS 1968, Lombard, IL, died October 5, 2019.

Robert K Johnson, GBI 1955, Harmony, MN, died August 27, 2020.

Charles Bauer-King, GTS 1962, Racine, WI, died September 10, 2020.

1970s

Roy Larson, GBI 1955, Naperville, IL, died February 25, 2020.

Fred Eisenhut, ETS 1962, Huntly, IL, died August 22, 2020.

Arthur (Art) Webb, GBI 1955, Rockford, IL, died July 25, 2020.

Don Leo, GTS 1962, Carol Stream, IL, died March 9, 2020.

DeWayne Woodring, GBI 1957, Flower Mound, TX, died July 4, 2020.

Wayne McArthur, ETS 1962, Broken Arrow, OK, died April 13, 2020.

Jiles Kirkland, GBI 1954, Lake Junaluska, NC, died December 29, 2019.

Rosalie Bentzinger, GBI 1958, Donnellson, IA, died October 25, 2020.

Raymond Gibson, GBI 1958, Indianapolis, IN, died February 28, 2020.

John Barney Johnson, GBI 1958, Easley, SC, died January 16, 2020.

David Habegger, GBI 1959, Elkhart, IN, died March 30, 2020.

Jerald Jackson, GBI 1959, Edina, MN, died May 29, 2020.

Walter Chisholm, ETS 1964, Bath, OH, died June 25, 2020.

Shirley Clement, ETS 1964, Nashville, TN, died December 27, 2019.

Linda Laird Nicholson, GTS 1964, Indianola, IA, died September 3, 2020.

Anthony Shipley, GTS 1964, Southfield, MI, died April 2, 2020.

John F. Smith, ETS 1964, Springfield, IL, died August 5, 2020.

William Cotant, GTS 1971, Boynton Beach, FL, died January 27, 2020.

Bruce Gearhart, ETS 1971, Dillsburg, PA, died October 5, 2020.

Robert Fox, ETS 1973, Frederick, MD, died May 3, 2020.

Karl Leo Lent, GTS 1974, Lincoln, NE, died March 4, 2020.

R. Daniel Olson, GTS 1974, Montrose, CO, died July 28, 2020.

Elijah McGee, G-ETS 1975, Hermitage, TN, died August 24, 2020.

1980s Mollie Clements, G-ETS 1985, Kalamazoo, MI, died March 1, 2020.

Lisa Scott-Joiner, G-ETS 1985, St. Louis, MO, died January 11, 2020.

Susan Wessels, G-ETS 1986, Davenport, IA, died May 5, 2020.

1960s

Gary Bass, GTS 1965, Springfield, IL, died August 17, 2020.

Richard Lewis, GBI 1960, Wichita, KS, died January 16, 2020.

George Fleming, ETS 1965, South Haven, MI, died April 16, 2020.

Eunice Tabor, G-ETS 1997, Ithaca, NY, died March 25, 2020.

Wilmert Wolf, ETS 1960, Pittston, PA, died October 21, 2019.

Ronald King, GTS 1965, Rochester, MN, died December 22, 2019.

2000s

George Alley, GBI 1961, Indianapolis, IN, died June 10, 2020.

Richard Cheatham, GTS 1966, San Antonio, TX, died November 30, 2019.

Bruce Cornely, ETS 1961, Kennewick, WA, died May 16, 2020.

William (Bill) Kirk, GBI 1961, Phoenix, AZ, died April 20, 2020.

David Goodloe Love, GTS 1966, York, PA, died February 8, 2020.

1990s

Deborah Jane Waite Shamlin, G-ETS 2000, Canton, OH, died August 15, 2020.

S. Sue Horner, G-ETS 2001, Boston, MA, died April 10, 2020.

Nancy Powers, G-ETS 2006, Perry, MI, died September 27, 2020.

AWARE MAGAZINE | 15

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