Aware Magazine: Spring 2009 by Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary

Contents

Aware magazine

April 2009

Features 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 13 13 15 16 16 17 17 18 19 Back Cover

Presidential Perspective: “The Paradox of Joy” Forging our Future Seminary Receives Luce Grant Jen Tyler... Always Open to the Spirit Taking Her to New Places International Student Travels 2008-2009 Stephen Ray Installed as Neal F. and Ila A. Fisher Professor of Theology Singing God’s Song: “Hymn Writing and Hymn Writers” No Such Thing as ‘Mission Impossible’ at Barrington United Methodist Church Janet Lutz Answered Call to Teach in Zimbabwe Robert Allan Hill to Deliver Commencement Address Gift Annuities Offer High Returns Without High Risk Five Recession-Proof Giving Ideas Garrett-Evangelical Announces $500 Tuition Grant Pamela Lightsey Named Associate Vice President Class Notes & News In Memorium Save a Tree Nominate Distinguished Alum for 2010 Seminary to Launch New Website Aware is published quarterly by the development office for alums and friends of Garrett-Evangelical Theological Garrett-Evangelical on Facebook Seminary, a graduate school of theology on the campus of Northwestern University. Calendar of Events

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2121 Sheridan Road Evanston, IL 60201

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1.800.SEMINARY (800.736.4627)

E.MAIL

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WEBSITE

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PRESIDENT

Philip A. Amerson

EDITORIAL BOARD

Betty Campbell Charlie Lehman David Heetland Krista McNeil

PHOTOGRAPHY

Bill Burlingham

COVER

M. Div. Student Jen Tyler in Costa Rica

PRESIDENTIAL PERSPECTIVE

The Paradox of Joy a very troubling set of circumstances, offered this insight: “I have learned that laughter comes after tears. Tears spot my clothing, but laughter brightens my soul… given a choice, I will side with joy.”

Philip A. Amerson Sometimes all you can do is laugh. In the face of tragedy and hardship, laughter is a good medicine. Author Anne Lamott in her book, Plan B, writes that “laughter is carbonated holiness.” I like the image— holy joy, bubbling up amidst and around the hard edges of life. Recently I sat with students who were full of joy. The laughter turned to tears of delight, and the tears turned into loud guffaws, as they talked about their international mission trips, their fieldwork, and other mission experiences. Sometimes all you can do is laugh. Sometimes seeing the strength and wisdom of others in difficult situations not only inspires, but sometimes bubbles over in glee. The laughter that evening was contagious. They reported that even when faced with tough and sometimes impossible realities of disease, poverty, hunger, or joblessness, the human spirit can be resilient, even whimsical. It is counter-intuitive really—that laughter often comes amid sadness and suffering. Not always, but often, in the midst of tough times and challenging situations, the people with whom we work and from whom we learn, teach us about joy. I remember one member of a parish I served many years ago who, when facing www.garrett.edu

I write these words at some risk because I know I may be misunderstood. I know that appropriate and real grief can last for years. I don’t minimize the struggles for bread or breath or a sliver of hope. I am not celebrating hard times, nor romanticizing poverty or hunger. What I am suggesting is that we have a remarkable group of students in this generation of seminarians—students who are deeply committed to addressing fundamental social and spiritual impoverishment. They work long hours in difficult situations, in field placements and internships. And, yes, they cry; they do have doubts and grave concerns for those with whom they work and for our future. They also laugh. It is a gift to join our students in such “carbonated holiness.” I Thessalonians 1:4-6 reads: “For we know, brothers and sisters, beloved by God, that he has chosen you, because our message of the gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit… And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for in spite of persecution you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit.” Karl Barth is quoted as saying, “Laughter is the closest thing to the grace of God.” We at Garrett-Evangelical take seriously the tough times—times of economic, physical, and spiritual stress—and often, suddenly, we are surprised by joy. I spoke with Bishop Edsel Ammons recently

about missional leadership. I asked him about the way missional leaders, in the most difficult of circumstances, can be overwhelmed by unexpected joy. He replied, “Oh yes, it is in those moments that we learn and affirm our limits. It is then we come to see the reality that we have nothing more we can give or do than trust the Almighty. This is the locus of our joy; it is the discovery that we are about God’s work and not our own.” I celebrate the bold leadership that is being forged in the lives of our students. It is leadership that makes an enduring difference in the world. It is leadership that will always be listening, learning, and reaching beyond its comfort zone. And, surprise, there will be plenty of room for laughter when such leadership is practiced. Garrett-Evangelical has an enormous responsibility. I celebrate our students who commit themselves to lives of sacrifice for the sake of the Gospel. We could feel sorry for them, but when you hear them laugh, you know better. They have discovered the center point of hope and the music of life in surprising places. Without denying that many tears will be shed and many will experience fatigue and despair, I still know there will be joy—joy unspeakable in the face of tragedy. This lightens my heart, and brightens the soul, even in these troubled times. I celebrate the paradox of it all… and raise my voice in delight and laughter for God’s mission… and for those who teach us humility and the healing treasure that is laughter.

Aware Magazine

Forging Our Future David and Patricia Meyer

Systematics seemed to draw together the disparate elements of the world into something coherent, exciting, even, as I later came to understand, redemptive. During that first year at Garrett, Pat and I, inveterate liberals, became Unitarians, so I left, first to finish my M.A. in English (dramatic literature and writing) while Pat completed her teaching degree in English, then to go to Meadville Theological School at the University of Chicago, and finally to serve a Unitarian congregation in Madison, Wisconsin. The latter experience convinced me that I was not meant for parish ministry, though faith and theology still held my attention in compelling ways.

Aware invited David Meyer, 1976 Garrett-Evangelical alum, to share why he and his wife, Patricia, have included the seminary in their estate planning. Here is their story: My wife Pat and I both grew up in Iowa, though on opposite sides of the state. Pat was a small town girl, whereas I was a city boy from Cedar Rapids. We share the loss of a parent in early childhood: Pat’s father died after a very long illness when she was five, whereas my parents divorced when I was eleven months old. Though I saw my father a few times a year, I, like Pat, was basically raised by a single mother in the forties and fifties. Both of us grew up in small Methodist churches that were important parts of our formative years. As I entered high school, my mother and I moved to the Chicago suburbs, cementing my identity as an urban person. There, I became active in a much larger church where later Bishop Emerson Colaw was the minister. Both Pat and I have fond memories of our teen years in MYF. After three semesters as a theatre major at Illinois Wesleyan (where I first encountered Paul Hessert), I transferred to the University of Northern Iowa. Pat and I met in Humanities Class where she sat next to me. She remembers, though I do not, my dominating a

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discussion group of which she was the assigned leader. Nevertheless, she became interested in me, hinting that the development of our relationship might possess an element of divine ordination. It seems to have worked, as we’ve been married since undergraduate school, 44 years. At this point in our story, Paul Hessert reappeared, having moved from IWU to become a professor at Garrett. A little more than a year after our marriage, with the Vietnam War raging, we went to see Paul. We were weighing options, as I knew that I would not, under any circumstances, contribute to a war effort we both believed to be not only misguided, but downright malevolent. I wondered if such a concern was a sufficient reason to go to seminary. Paul’s reaction was, “Try it for a year. If you don’t like it, you can always leave.” Another encounter with divinity? Probably, as my first year at Garrett hooked me. I remember coming home to our one room apartment on Maple and saying to Pat, “I feel like I’m being initiated into western civilization!” Not that our undergraduate education had been weak, quite the contrary, yet somehow courses in Early Church History, Christian Art, Pastoral Care, The Prophets, The Gospels, and

So, after a brief political sojourn in the McGovern campaign, I returned to Garrett and Paul Hessert, intending to do a Ph.D. in theology with a Northwestern cognate field in theatre performance. This dual emphasis baffled the theatre people, although Paul thought it completely coherent, as did I. Still, after a couple of years, I realized I was spending a long time and a great deal of effort to prepare myself for unemployment. After significant internal struggle I entered the world of publishing, becoming the manager of the Garrett book store. It wasn’t long before I realized that my literary, theatrical, and theological backgrounds made sense only in theological publishing. How had I managed that? Thus began a thirty year career, most of it spent self employed. Some of you may remember from the late 80s, Meyer-Stone Books, a publishing house of which I was the principal that published several Garrett authors. We were scheduled to do Hessert’s ground-breaking Christ and the End of Meaning, but didn’t manage to get it out before we had to sell as a result of the Federal Reserve bailout of Continental Bank. The current economic crisis takes me back to that agonizing time, when I wasn’t sure if I would have work, retain our house, or remain married to Pat. She stuck with me, another providential moment in my life. www.garrett.edu

I retired from publishing in 2004 and Pat retired from teaching (after having been first English Department Chair, then Assistant Principal) in 2007. Since my retirement, I have pursued a writing career (over the last 40 years I’ve published about 80 poems and several essays). I now am back to playwriting, which was what I wanted to do when I first went to Wesleyan in 1961, but whether I’ll find success remains to be seen. It’s no accident that there are only about 15-20 major playwrights in the history of theatre! Another opportunity for Providence? Pat and I have been pleased to include

Garrett-Evangelical in our will as one of our two primary legatees. This is in acknowledgement of the incredibly central place the seminary has played in our lives and my career. Without my wonderful experience of people like Paul Hessert, Morris Taggart, Ron Lee, Al Sundberg, Sam Laeuchli, Charlie Kraft, John Batsel, Wolfgang Roth, and John Hinkle, not to mention many fellow students, my life not only wouldn’t have been the same, I would have been a lesser, shallower person. I only hope that our legacy at GarrettEvangelical helps to deepen the lives of later generations at the seminary and, by extension, in the church of the future.

If you share David and Pat’s commitment to help train future leaders for our churches and communities, we invite your participation in the seminary’s Forging Our Future campaign. Unrestricted endowment gifts are especially welcome as are gifts for endowed scholarships, faculty support, and program support. For further information on how you can participate, contact David Heetland, vice president for development, at 847.866.3970. Outright gifts, pledges over a five-year period, and planned gift commitments are all welcome.

Seminary Receives Luce Grant to Enhance Teaching of Mission and World Religions Garrett-Evangelical has received a grant from the Henry Luce Foundation to help prepare leaders for service in a religiously plural world. The $330,000 grant, which will be paid out over a four year period, will allow Garrett-Evangelical to significantly enhance its course offerings in mission and world religions, supplement its aging world religions library collection with more current resources, and bring highly regarded experts to the seminary community to talk about how the Christian church can best engage in mission in an increasingly diverse world. In 2008, Philip A. Amerson, president of Garrett-Evangelical, unveiled plans to recapture the original missionary spirit that enlivened Garrett Biblical Institute and Evangelical Theological Seminary in their early days. To renew this spirit, Amerson proposed honoring the legacy of Wilber Harr, professor of missions at Evangelical Theological Seminary from 1940-1971, and his wife Juanita, national president of the church’s Board of Global Ministries for several years. The seminary’s goal, he announced, was to create an endowed chair in mission and world religions in their names. Upon learning of the grant from the Henry Luce Foundation, Amerson said, “We celebrate this generous grant from the Henry Luce Foundation at the very time that we seek to renew Garrett-Evangelical’s commitment to teaching mission and interfaith understanding. This grant will allow us to move forward immediately in implementing this goal.” The grant from the Henry Luce Foundation will not be applied toward the endowed chair. Instead it will be used in its entirety www.garrett.edu

over the next four years to hire a faculty member who can teach mission and world religions, to strengthen the library’s holdings in these areas, and to sponsor an annual lecture series. The four-year Luce grant allows Garrett-Evangelical to address the seminary’s goal to prepare leaders for service in a religiously plural world sooner rather than later, while it seeks funds over the next four years to permanently endow the Wilber and Juanita Harr Chair in Mission and World Religions. The Henry Luce Foundation was established in 1936 by Henry R. Luce, the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Time Inc., to honor his parents who were missionary educators in China. The foundation builds upon the vision and values of four generations of the Luce family: broadening knowledge and encouraging the highest standards of service and leadership. It seeks to bring important ideas to the center of American life, strengthen international understanding, and foster innovation and leadership in academic, policy, religious, and art communities. Will you help us renew our mission emphasis by joining us in building the Harr Endowment Fund, or by creating an endowment fund that complements the Harr Endowment? We invite alums, friends, and churches to help us celebrate the Harr legacy by ensuring enduring support for the teaching of mission and world religions now and for generations to come. Outright gifts, multi-year pledges, and planned gift commitments are all welcome. For further information on how you can participate, contact David Heetland, vice president for development, at 847.866.3970. Aware Magazine

Jen Tyler… Always Open to the Spirit Taking Her to New Places Let us count the ways Jen “Going and Doing” Tyler has traveled… and learned… and served since coming to Garrett-Evangelical from South Dakota nearly three years ago:

1) Biding her time and building her funds, Jen waited almost a year before embarking on a 10-week, field-education pilgrimage to southern Africa in the summer of 2007. She prepared Bible studies, made pastoral visits in homes and hospitals, and participated in worship services. She joined outreach projects in townships and rural areas, working in orphanages with people living with HIV/AIDSs and tuberculosis. She participated in programs for training Methodist ministers, meeting with many engaging students.

2) Five months later, she satisfied her “Methodist Studies” requirement during a two-week, January course in England. The class studied at universities and participated in services in London, Oxford, Cambridge, Bristol, and Ely. They met with Rev. Peter Graves, pastor of the Methodist Church in Cambridge, and Lord Leslie Griffiths, pastor of Wesley’s Chapel in London and life peer in the House of Lords.

3) Last summer during an eight-week, coast-to-coast bicycle tour she helped raise more than $200,000 to support a grassroots organization that addresses Africa’s HIV/AIDS and water crisis.

4) Jen followed that up in December with the seminary’s annual trip to Israel with Professor K.K. Yeo, who teaches while exploring major sites in the Holy Land with Garrett-Evangelical students. This was supported by the James E. Ridgeway endowed scholarship.

5) She was back in the USA for less than a month when she took off again, this time for a United Methodist mission in Costa Rica. For two weeks in January, she helped paint classrooms and build a bathroom at a Bible school. She had the opportunity to get to know many villagers, old and young. This was underwritten by the Robert and Joan Suda Volunteer in Mission Endowed Scholarship.

6) After graduating with an M.Div. in May, she heads to California to begin another Ride: Well Tour. Last summer she raised money and drove a support van. This year she’s going to ride 3,172 miles from San Diego to Washington, D.C., across 10 states and four time zones.

The consensus around the seminary is that if Jen’s extensive travels during the past 24 months aren’t unprecedented at Garrett-Evangelical, they certainly are unusual. Actually, her fascination for venturing into unfamiliar places began as an undergraduate at Simpson College in Iowa. She earned academic credit during her first trip abroad, to China, in May 2004. “I got a taste for it,” she says. “After that, I always wanted to be someplace seeing new things, experiencing new cultures.” But it was in Australia, where she spent a college semester and felt like she was living there instead of just visiting, when she first linked service with travel. She had volunteered for a service project and stayed in the outback for a weekend. “It opened my eyes to a new context of community service, a context completely apart from my own,” she says. “I started seeing strength in being a part of community service and community development in different contexts. I could see it from a different perspective. I could see it opening up a chance for change and growth, both within myself and in the community. … “That was the trip in college that made me want to do community development. I came to seminary looking for ways to pair my work in church with community development.” Jen, who seeks ordination as an elder in the Dakotas Annual Conference, says it’s important that her service and community-development work is always church related. See Jen Tyler on pg. 14

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www.garrett.edu

International Student Travels 2008-2009 The James E. Ridgway Endowed Scholarship was established in 2006 to provide scholarship assistance to GarrettEvangelical students for travel to the Bible Lands through Educational Opportunities, Inc. (an organization founded by James Ridgway). Twelve Garrett-Evangelical students received financial assistance this year to participate in an Educational Opportunities Tour of the Holy Land led by K.K. Yeo, Professor of Old Testament at Garrett-Evangelical in December 2008. They are pictured above with K.K. Yeo, Professor of Old Testament (front left); Bishop Elias Chakour (center of first full row); and other tour participants. “Before we left, people told us it would be a life-changing experience, but I don’t think many of us knew just how transformational it would be….I left Israel with a renewed, deepened commitment to do whatever I can to contribute to peace and justice in that region and in the world.” - Melanie Baffes The Robert and Joan Suda Volunteer in Mission Endowed Scholarship was established in 2003 to honor the years of service Robert and Joan Suda have contributed toward missionary work in Costa Rica. Each year this scholarship underwrites the expenses for two Garrett-Evangelical students to participate in a Volunteer in Mission program. This year, Jennifer Tyler and HyeMin Na were awarded the scholarships and traveled with Robert and Joan Suda on their two-week VIM trip to Costa Rica in January 2009.

Hyemin Na (center) in Costa Rica

The Emmy Lou John Endowed Scholarship was established in 2007 to provide assistance to students to participate in a VIM trip each year. This year, Jerry Miller spent two weeks in the Philippines teaching short courses at a local college, painting dormitories, making repairs to a public health facility, and delivering clothes, medicine, and other needed supplies to the local population.

Other International and Cross-Cultural Travels The Sabeel Foundation, Jerusalem Inspired by his December 2007 trip to the Holy Land with the Educational Opportunities Tour and K.K. Yeo, M.Div student Jake Weber obtained an internship at The Sabeel Foundation in Jerusalem. Inspired by the life and teaching of Jesus Christ, The Sabeel Foundation seeks to deepen the faith of Palestinian Christians, promote unity among them, and lead them to social action. Weber’s internship, which began in September 2009, is supported by a gift from James Wall and by a special international field education fund. Rome: Cross-Cultural Class led by James Papandrea, Visiting Assistant Professor of Church History Jim Papandrea led 10 students to Rome for a course on Early Christian Rome in the eternal ciaty. The tour included seeing places associated with the early church in Rome, as well as some opportunities for ecumenical dialogue with church leaders in Rome, Both Catholic and Protestant. This travel course fulfills the cross-cultural requirement. www.garrett.edu

Jake Weber, Sabeel Foundation Intern Aware Magazine

Stephen Ray I

nstalled as

Neal F. and Ila A. Fisher Professor

of Theology

Stephen G. Ray Jr. was installed as the Neal F. and Ila A. Fisher Professor of Theology at GarrettEvangelical during an April 1 service in the Chapel of the Unnamed Faithful. He succeeds Henry Young in the professorship.

into a corner office in a Manhattan skyscraper and the affluent lifestyle that came with business success. He married Susan Parris, who worked for Aetna Insurance in Hartford, CT, and they lived in homes in New York and Hartford.

Before joining the Garrett-Evangelical faculty as Professor of Systematic Theology last August, Ray was Associate Professor of African-American Studies and Director of the Urban Theological Institute at Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia; Associate Professor of Theology and Philosophy at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary; and Lecturer at Yale Divinity School and Hartford Seminary.

“I was enjoying my life,” he said during a recent interview in his third-floor Pfeiffer office, when he “got a clear call from God” that he couldn’t ignore. “My mother always said, ‘When God asks you to do something, you do it.’ “

He is an ordained minister of the United Church of Christ and has served as pastor of churches in Hartford and New Haven, CT., and in Louisville, KY. Ray received a Doctor of Philosophy in Theology and African-American Studies from Yale University and a Master of Divinity (summa cum laude) from Yale Divinity School. Among his awards are the Hooker Fellowship for Excellence in Theological Studies; Charter Oak State College Distinguished Alumni Award; Kentuckiana Metroversity Distinguished Teacher of Adult Learners; and The Associated Church Press 2006 Award of Excellence for Column Writing. He is the author of two books: A Struggle from the Start: The Black Community of Hartford, 16391960 and Do No Harm: Social Sin and Christian Responsibility. He is co-author of a third book: Black Church Studies: An Introduction. Ray stepped onto this theological path when he was 25 and already carving out a successful career in insurance and financial planning. He had settled comfortably

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So he sat down to talk with his pastor about his call and before he left the office had agreed to serve as director of the church’s new Safeguarding Program, a place of last resort for the city’s poorest residents. After 3 1/2 years at Safeguarding, he worked for the City of Hartford, helping the chronically unemployed find work. He considers those years, 1985-89, when he lived and worked every day with the most vulnerable and disenfranchised people in his community, to be the most formative part of his ministry. “I saw how people had been passed over by the economy,” he says. “I saw how government policy and tax policy during the Reagan administration really affected those most vulnerable. The experience bent my work toward social-justice concerns. … It helped me get a sense of the way systems worked. I had to massage systems to try to weave webs that relieved distress. It also made me aware of how political and economic systems destroy people.” Ray had been considering attending seminary (“Bishop Thomas Hoyt told me at some point you’ve got to fish or cut bait”) when he learned on a Monday that funds for his jobs program had been cut. By Friday, the last day Yale Divinity School would accept applications for www.garrett.edu

admission to its next class, he made the deadline.

Ray’s work circles around two poles:

“I got it done just in time, and I got accepted,” he said, smiling broadly. “That is one reason why I believe in providence.”

Development of a consequential approach to theological constructions. “By that I mean being aware of the effect of theology on real live human beings and their communities and the rest of creation.”

Faithful reinterpretation of the tradition. “In too many cases the power of Christian tradition has been hijacked and used as a tool by the powers of oppression and hegemony. It became as clear as day to me when doing theological work on the issue of slavery how Christian tradition had become captive of this regime of white supremacy. … That’s why all the work I do is doctrinal in nature.”

During his second year at seminary, 1990-91, he fell in love with systematic theology… and began to appreciate the life of the academic. He graduated with honors the following year and immediately enrolled in a Ph.D. program at Yale University. For two reasons it took seven years, until 2000, for Ray to complete his doctoral courses and dissertation. One, even though he loved the academic life, he also loved church. He was ordained in the United Church of Christ in 1993, and for more than 10 years, he worked regularly as pastor or on a church staff. Two, in 1995 he was invited to assume a key role in the Hartford Black History Project. He worked as project historian and museum curator for two years, developing significant skills that continue to serve him well. He was attracted to Garrett-Evangelical because of its “commitment to serve the church as it is becoming and not trying to force it to be what it was,” he said. “You can see it in the way this seminary embraces diversity. Garrett-Evangelical is living into the future and not trying to create a false past.”

Stephen and Susan Ray will celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary in November. They have a daughter, 19-year-old Kiara. “She keeps me honest,” Ray said. “She used to make fun of my bow ties. Now, whenever she thinks I’m getting too full of myself, she’ll call me ‘the good doctor’ with just the right lilt in her voice.” Stephen Ray is, as Kiara knows so well, a very good doctor indeed.

Singing God’s Song: Hymn Writing and Hymn Writers Seminary Offers New Course, On Campus and Online, For Writers and Composers of Congregational Song Garrett-Evangelical is offering a new course in hymn writing and composing this summer with on-campus and online components. Ruth Duck, Professor of Worship and a well-known writer of hymn texts, will be the lead instructor. Students will practice writing hymn texts and composing music while also studying past and contemporary masters of this ancient art form that lifts the souls of millions across the world each day. Students will be on the seminary campus for an intensive week of work from July 6-10. In addition, they will complete online work before and after the classroom work in Evanston. The course may be taken for master’s or doctoral level academic credit and for continuing education units. Students may also audit the course. Those taking the course for credit have the option of fulfilling one assignment by attending a Hymn Society www.garrett.edu

in the United States and Canada conference the following week, July 12-16, at St. Olaf’s College in Northfield, Minn. Duck’s hymns appear in at least 14 denominational hymnals, four of which include eight or more of her hymns. Her most recent book of hymn texts is “Welcome God’s Tomorrow,” G.I.A. Publications, Chicago, 2005. She is also author of “Circles of Care: Hymns and Songs,” The Pilgrim Press, Cleveland, 1998; and “Dancing in the Universe,” G.I.A., Chicago, 1993. Before joining the Garrett-Evangelical faculty in 1989, she served as pastor at United Church of Christ parishes in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Massachusetts. She earned her doctorate in theology at Boston University. Aware Magazine

No Such Thing as ‘Mission Imposssible’ at Barrington United Methodist Church Garrett-Evangelical announced in October 2007 the establishment of the Leadership Circle of Congregations to recognize and thank those churches that are playing a critically important role in helping to train future church leaders. Churches and organizations (such as United Methodist Women, United Methodist Men, Sunday School classes, etc.) who give $1,000 during any fiscal year are recognized as members of the seminary’s Leadership Circle of Congregations.

Thomas, resulting in the church’s strong involvement in missions in Nepal during the 1950s and ‘60s. He notes the church’s long-standing support for Evangel Hospital in Jos, Nigeria. Carolyn and Greg Kirshner (she is the daughter of church members Curt and Marie Verschoor), worked in the Christian hospital in an overwhelmingly Muslim area. Today the church contributes $30,000 a year to the Foods Resource Bank in cooperation with a Lutheran church in Ottawa, IL. The program supports farmers in Central and Latin America.

In this issue of Aware, we are pleased to introduce one of the congregations in our 2008-2009 Leadership Circle of Congregations—Barrington United Methodist Church in Barrington, Illinois, a church with a passion for “mission.”

For years, the church has responded to one crisis after another, Wilson says, noting massive relief efforts after the 2001 tsunami devastated large swaths of Asia and again in an ongoing effort to help meet the needs of Hurricane Katrina victims.

From Nepal to Nigeria, from THE tsunami to Hurricane Katrina, and from Humbolt Park to Bethel, 166-year-old Barrington United Methodist Church is on a mission… perpetual and universal.

Locally, Barrington United Methodist Church has developed a powerful bond with Humboldt Park United Methodist Church that serves a diverse, multilingual West Side Chicago community, participating in a lowincome housing and meals programs. In addition, Barrington launched a very successful program to assist the Hispanic/Latino population. It grew into a Bible study, then a worship service. District Superintendent Enrique Gonzales from Elgin suggested it be expanded into a United Methodist Fellowship. Soon, Wilson, said it will become Bethel United Methodist Church. “That has been exciting,” he says.

“For many, many years, long before my arrival, mission had been a high priority for this church,” says Rev. Jim Wilson (M.Div. 72), Barrington United Methodist Church’s senior pastor. “It’s continued to be a very strong emphasis. We have always supported United Methodist missions worldwide, nationally and within the Northern Illinois Conference. And we’ve always gone beyond that. … “We have a deep and abiding commitment that the church is in mission always. It has been said that church doesn’t have a mission, it is a mission. We really believe that at all levels.” Wilson says the focus on international mission work began in earnest under the passionate leadership of retired school superintendent Frank

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Finally, in this sampling of missions that only scratches the surface of Barrington’s deep commitment, senior high students go on a service project every summer. “These kids are privileged,” Wilson says. “They really get a strong introduction to poverty and people in need. These service projects have really been a transforming experience for a lot of our kids.”

Barrington is the fifth church that Wilson has served in 37 years of ordained ministry. Ministry was a second career for him. Before he was a pastor, he was a high school math teacher and coach (basketball, track, and cross country) in Marseilles, IL, near Ottawa. Wilson studied at Garrett-Evangelical from 1969 to ‘72 during its “days of turmoil,” he says, referring to protests surrounding the Vietnam War and the shooting deaths by the Ohio National Guard of students at Kent State University. “I have nothing but the highest regard for what I experienced at Garrett,” he says. “What I have come to appreciate is that experience was like a crucible—in the midst of turmoil, we need to be anchored and grounded in faith. … Seminary can’t prepare you for everything, but Garrett prepared me well.” Barrington United Methodist Church is a growing church with nearly 1,100 members, Wilson says. “We really work at it. We try our best to be open, working at how we recruit, how we do evangelism. That’s important to us.” The mission, youth, music, and

See Barrington on pg. 15 www.garrett.edu

The Phone Rang, and Janet Lutz Answered Call to Teach in Zimbabwe Ordained clergy may understand better than most that the timing of God’s calls isn’t always synchronized with the best-laid plans of women and men. Take Janet Lutz (M.Div. 69), for example. She and her clerical sisters and brothers also understand, perhaps better than most, the opportunities for transformation and joy to which those calls can lead—and frequently do—take your breath away. Lutz had retired from Emory Center for Pastoral Services at Emory University Hospital and, in 2007, had decided to move from Atlanta to Evanston to be closer to her family. The plan was solid. She was selling one condo and buying another with a glorious 17th-floor view of Lake Michigan. That’s when the call came. The Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) wanted Lutz to teach the firstever CPE course at Africa University in Zimbabwe. “I kind of dragged my feet for a while,” she says, chuckling over the memory. Negotiations ensued. ACPE wanted 10 weeks, then settled for seven. After six weeks of enjoying a glorious view from her new condo at Sherman Plaza, she moved into an Africa University dorm. She’s not complaining. Her life, she says, will never be the same. “It was not what I expected. I don’t think there’s any way to anticipate the cross-cultural experience I had there.

It was such a powerful experience. In some ways it changed my life.” She and her partner in the project, Ted Asfaw of Adventist Healthcare and a native of Ethiopia, received Pioneers Awards from ACPE. Lutz taught six students who had never studied CPE and who had never been in a course where the teacher frequently asked them, “What do you think about that?” There were four women and two men in the class. Three were natives of the Democratic Republic of Congo, two were from Zimbabwe and one from Angola. Only two spoke the same language as the clients they were visiting, resulting in a lot of translating. Beyond the classroom work, students worked at the Old Mutare Mission near the campus. Lutz and her students saw patients at the mission hospital’s HIV/AIDS clinic, children at its orphanage and expectant mothers at its home for women in the final six weeks of their pregnancies. Africa University and Old Mutare Mission are supported by The United Methodist Church. “It was very difficult for the students, yet they did very well,” she says. “The students were so eager to learn.” Lutz says one highlight of the experience was the way they began and ended every day with prayer and song. “The singing was breath taking. African singing was not like singing at a United See Janet Lutz on pg. 14

From Janet’s Blog (www.cpe-au.blogspot.com) “This week I have become acutely aware of how much we take for granted in the US. Reliable electricity, a washer and dryer (clothes here are generally done by hand and hung out to dry), radio, availability of gas for our cars, and parts when they break down, a wide variety of foods, a reasonably stable economy, available low cost books. This experience has touched me as my life has been greatly simplified while here. It has made me grateful for what I have, and at the same time deeply aware of the inequities of the world. “Near the entrance to the dining hall there is a cactus that has grown up into the leaves of a tree. In many was this symbolizes for me the contradictions and complication of life here. I don’t expect to see a cactus and a leafy tree intertwined. Neither did I expect to find so many other things intertwined: Prayers for the country, laughter, wonderful, wonderful singing in harmony, empty stores, pain, joy, deep caring for one another, a multicultural, multi-national, multi-language speaking peer group, many languages, and in all an unrelenting atmosphere of hope. “ www.garrett.edu

Aware Magazine

Robert Allan Hill, Dean of Boston University’s Marsh Chapel, Will Deliver Commencement Address Dean, professor, preacher and chaplain at Boston University, and United Methodist elder for 33 years, Robert Allan Hill will deliver the address at Garrett-Evangelical’s 152nd commencement service on May 15 at First United Methodist Church in Evanston. Hill, who has been preaching since 1976, is dean of BU’s historic Marsh Chapel, professor of New Testament and pastoral theology, and preacher and chaplain to the University. Since 1981 he has taught at McGill University’s Presbyterian College, Syracuse University, Lemoyne College, Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School, Northeastern Seminary, and United Seminary. He has focused his teaching on New Testament, Greek, preaching, the practice of ministry and church administration. As Dean of Marsh Chapel, he provides guidance, oversight, and counsel for all religious life at Boston University. The interdenominational chapel, which harbors a non-fundamentalist expression of faith with roots in Methodism, is used by an average of 1,800 people each week during the academic year. A heart for people and a vibrant service of Sunday worship are the center of chapel life. His research and published books reflect his passionate interest in the intersection of Scripture and life, especially in the work of preaching. He explored the Gospel of John and Gnosticism in a book published in 1997: An Examination and Critique of the Understanding of the Relationship between Apocalypticism and Gnosticism in Johannine Studies, (Edwin Mellen Press, 1997). Three years later he published Snow Day: Reflections on the Practice of Ministry in the Northeast (University Press of America). He has also published numerous articles, book chapters, and reviews. Most of his writing, however, has been devoted to weekly sermons over 30 years, some of which have been collected, published and recorded. Before joining Boston University, Hill served as pastor at seven churches in five annual conferences, including the 2,300-member Asbury First United Methodist Church in Rochester, NY, from 1995 to 2006. He has been involved in General and Jurisdictional Conference work in The United Methodist Church. His main denominational interests have been ministry at large churches and theological education. In 2003 he was given the Harry Denman Award for Evangelism. Hill received a doctor of philosophy in New Testament in 1991 at McGill University; a master of divinity in 1979 at Union Theological Seminary; and a bachelor of arts in 1976 at Ohio Wesleyan University. He is a native of Syracuse, NY His wife, Jan, is a musician and teacher. They have three grown children. He loves sports, and played college basketball and soccer. He and Jan are joggers and spend summers on a lake in upstate New York.

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Gift Annuities Offer High Returns Without High Risk Are you looking for an attractive return on your savings? Maybe you have invested in CDs (Certificates of Deposit) in hopes of the best interest rates. However, CD rates have been like a roller coaster. The past two decades have seen the rates skyrocket to record highs and then plummet to new lows. Why not consider a Charitable Gift Annuity instead? Garrett-Evangelical will pay you an attractive rate of return that never changes—a fixed amount for life. A good portion of your return will be tax-free, and you will receive a charitable deduction when you itemize on your tax return. Best of all, you will receive the satisfaction of knowing that your gift is helping the seminary prepare outstanding Christian leaders for our churches. If you want to support our mission, a charitable gift annuity can be a good way to do so. Compare the current annuity rates with those for a CD and see the difference.

Five Recession-Proof Giving Ideas During these financially challenging times, we hope you will consider one or more of these five giving ideas. Depending on which gift you decide to make, you can minimize your taxes, reduce the tax burden for your heirs, earn lifetime income, and help Garrett-Evangelical fulfill its mission of preparing bold Christian leaders.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Bequest Charitable gift annuity Charitable remainder trust Future gift of retirement plan assets Gift of retained life estate

For more information on any of these ways to give, call David Heetland at 847.866.3970 or email him at David. Heetland@garrett.edu. www.garrett.edu

Gift annuity rates Certificate of Deposit rates*

Age 50 60 70 80 90+

Rate 4.4% 5.0% 5.7& 7.1% 9.5%

Years 1.5 4 6 8 10

Yield 2.75% 3.35% 3.50% 3.68% 4.00%

(*Rates as of January 2009. Source: www.bankcd.com)

Annuity rates are determined by your age at the time you make the gift. You can take out a gift annuity at Garrett-Evangelical for as little as $1,000 or any amount above that. To learn more about how a gift annuity can help you and Garrett-Evangelical, call David Heetland at 847.866.3970. There is no obligation.

Garrett-Evangelical Announces Commitment to New

$500 Tuition Grant and to Maintaining Scholarship Support in Difficult Economic Environment In response to the nation’s unprecedented financial difficulties, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary is offering a one-time $500 tuition grant for all returning and new full-time students enrolling in the 2009-2010 academic year. The seminary will also maintain the current levels of overall scholarship support. President Philip A. Amerson announced these financial commitments to students in a letter distributed to the seminary community. He said that, “Even in the face of significant reductions from our endowment income support, we affirm that our top priority for the future is maintaining support for our students.” Aware Magazine

Jen Tyler, continued “I feel called to work within the church and to bring people in,” she says. “It’s really important for me to be in a church. … Today I find myself called to a place in ministry that looks like the international mission field. I hope eventually this leads me back home to the Dakotas, where I will serve in parish ministry, but I am open to the spirit taking me to new places.” She is exploring options and expects to know more about her next steps shortly after graduation.

Jen Tyler (center) celebrates with Ride:Well group when they complete the Pacific-to-Atlantic journey.

Jen wasn’t born with a silver spoon. She’s done all of this service-oriented travel the old-fashioned way -- she’s earned it. In college she worked multiple jobs. Scholarships, she says, “have saved my life.” She took on student loans for her education, but not for her travel. She has worked, raised money or received scholarships for that. She is grateful for her many travel opportunities while at Garrett-Evangelical. “I’ve just had overwhelming support,” she says, her face erupting in a series of light-up-the-room smiles. “I don’t know how it’s all come together. It’s kind of miraculous really.” Then she shrugs and smiles again. “I am learning to be patient and trusting. I’m a person who trusts my instincts. They are God given. … I don’t know anyone else who has taken the path I have taken. Even if it seems crazy, it will work out. I know it’s right.”

Janet Lutz, continued Methodist Church in the U.S. There was a harmony they could do that was amazing.” She also says it’s difficult for most Americans to prepare for the scarcity that is life in Zimbabwe. It’s one thing to read about it or watch it on TV; it’s entirely different seeing the villagers surrounding the university living it every day. “The food was very spartan,” she says. “Some were eating one meal a day in the villages. That was two years ago. It’s worse today. Most only had electricity from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m., and very little gasoline, very little meat, very little cornmeal to make their staple sadza. Lots of children and young adults were dying of AIDS. It’s a very, very

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complicated disease in a country like Zimbabwe. “Living at the university was like living on an island surrounded by a sea of a country that was falling apart. I felt very safe on campus. I got to know many wonderful people who are so full of hope. I was very impressed with Africa University.” Lutz, who grew up in Kenosha, WI, taught third graders in Winnetka, IL, for three years after graduating from Garrett Theological Seminary in 1969. Not sure where her ministry was going, she was in her first hour of her first CPE course at Children’s Hospital in Chicago “when I realized this is where God wanted me to be, in hospital ministry.”

She served as pastor at United Methodist Church of Worth (IL) for three years and was ordained an elder in 1977. A year later she enrolled at the University of Chicago for CPE training. She moved to St. Louis to continue her training, was given a CPE position on the staff at Barnes Hospital there and eventually became director. After 10 years in St. Louis, she accepted a position at Emory University Hospital, where for 17 years she served as chaplain to the staff and as CPE supervisor. Today she spends a lot of time being “Aunt Jan” to two generations of nieces and nephews. And she always remains open to Gods calls.

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Dean of Students Pamela Lightsey Named Associate Vice President Among Other New Responsibilities, She Will Coordinate Mission Outreach Dean of students, Pamela Lightsey, has been named associate vice president for student affairs at GarrettEvangelical. In addition to her role as dean, which she assumed in March 2007, Lightsey will coordinate mission outreach activities, lead the seminary’s emergency preparedness planning, work with resident assistants to provide programming for students in seminary housing, serve on the worship committee and act as affirmative action officer. As dean, Lightsey serves as the seminary’s official student advocate, responsible for enhancing student life in many arenas, including spiritual formation, physical fitness and wholeness, extracurricular activities, and mentoring. She is also responsible for making sure students understand the seminary’s expectations of them—the “adjudicator of regulations,” is how she describes that function before punctuating her sentence with a wink and a smile. An ordained elder in the United Methodist Church, Lightsey earned a doctor of philosophy at GarrettEvangelical while significantly increasing membership as pastor at Southlawn UMC in Chicago. Three scholarships helped finance her doctoral studies; she graduated in 2005. Lightsey received the Northern Illinois Annual Conference Denman Award for Evangelism in 2006,

and the same year was selected as one of the profiles in a UMC documentary about the Women of Color Scholars Program. “I have a tremendous love and respect for education and how transformative it can be,” Lightsey said. “I have been very critical of preachers especially when I hear some of the less than thoughtful televangelists and I see lives being harmed. I’ve been part of the choir saying we need good preachers. Here at Garrett-Evangelical, God has given me an opportunity to practice what I preach—an opportunity to be part of an outstanding seminary preparing dynamic leaders for the church. And it has given me an opportunity to pursue the two loves of my life, ministry and scholarship.”

Barrington, continued education programs “have come together to make a lively and vital congregation.” Barrington United Methodist Church has had a long partnership with Garrett-Evangelical, including a number of laypersons who have served as seminary trustees over the years (Corliss and Catherine Anderson, Phil Bash, Jerre Stead, and now Rosalyn Wesley). The church is getting more involved with Garrett-Evangelical. Professors are teaching at the church, and Wilson plans to have seminary students immersed in the church’s programs. “We want to be a teaching church,” he says. “We want to make disciples and teach discipleship.” Are you interested in learning more about the Leadership circle of Congregations and how your congregation can join? If you answer is “yes,” contact David Heetland, vice president for development at 847.866.3970 or David.Heetland@garrett. edu. www.garrett.edu

Aware Magazine

CLASS NOTES & NEWS Marge (Jeckel) Engelman, GBI 1952, Madison, WI, recently wrote Whole Brain Workouts and Your Amazing Brain and How it Works. She writes materials to aid older adults in keeping their minds active. Kenneth Engelman, GBI 1953, Madison, WI, was honored at the Wisconsin United Methodist Church Conference for serving as a member of the clergy for 60 years. J. Robert “Bob” Ewbank, GBI 1958, Mobile, AL, has published a book, John Wesley, Natural Man and the ‘Isms. Anthony Farina, ETS 1959, Fond du Lac, WI, has had his book, The Story of the Italian Evangelical Church of Wisconsin published by the

Rev. Judy Wismar Claycomb, G-E 1985 has been appointed district superintendent of the Firelands District of the East Ohio Conference. Janet Diehl, G-E 1989, Hastings, MN, has been writing for a weekly and monthly publication by St. Paul’s On-the-Hill Episcopal Church on liturgical seasons, customs and things folks can do at home to incarnate their faith or reinforce what the Church season is teaching. Rev. Bernard “Chris” Dorsey, G-E 2001, Chicago, IL, has been appointed Vice President of Development and Marketing at Chicago Theological Seminary. After completion of his M.Div at Garrett-Evangelical, he continued his graduate education at the University of Chicago where he is a Ph.D. candidate in Theology.

Wisconsin Conference Commission on Archives and History. Douglas Norris, GBI 1961, Palo Alto, CA, is Senior Pastor Emeritus of First United Methodist Church, where he has served for 15 years. In June, he will be directing the 39th annual California-Nevada Conference Adult and Family Camp. Since retiring in 1999, Douglas has served as Interim Senior Pastor in Paradise Valley and Glendale, Arizona. December 31, he completed an 18-month appointment as Interim Senior Pastor in San Jose, California. He and his wife, Eleanor, live in Mesa, Arizona, and Walnut Creek, California.

Mai-Anh Le Tran, G-E 2004, St. Louis, MO, joined the faculty of Eden Theological Seminary in June 2008 as Assistant Professor of Christian Education. She received her undergraduate degree from Texas Wesleyan University, her master’s from Southern Methodist University, and her Ph.D. from Garrett-Evangelical. Christopher Grundy, G-E 2006, St. Louis, MO, joined the faculty of Eden Theological Seminary in June 2008 as Assistant Professor of preaching and worship.

Rev. Orlando Chaffee, G-E 1983, Ohio, will be appointed the district superintendent to the North Coast District of the East Ohio Conference Cabinet at the annual conference in June.

In Memoriam Our Christian sympathy is extended to the family and friends of the following alums who have died in Christ. 1930s Dr. Raleigh Sain, ETS 1939, Lake Wales, FL, died on July 2, 2008. 1940s Anne Tinker, GBI 1942, Oro Valley, AZ, died on January 10, 2009. Paul W. Neal, GBI 1944, Woodbury, MN, died on August 23, 2008. He is survived by his wife, Mary. Arthur E. Brent, GBI 1947, Mount Pleasant, IA, died on November 22, 2008. He is survived by his wife, Doris. Donald C. Woods, GBI 1948, San Bernadino, CA, has died. We regret that no further information is available at this time. Marvin J. Scherbenske, ETS 1949, Kansas City, MO, died on August 26, 2008.

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1950s

1960s

Robert Milton Cox, GBI 1950, Columbus, NC, died on January 7, 2009. He is survived by his wife, Eleanor.

George Howard Borneman, ETS 1961, Elmhurst, IL, died on December 4, 2008.

Dr. Fred Carney, GBI 1951, Dallas, TX, died on January 15, 2009. He is survived by his wife, Kim.

Lawrence “Larry” M. Bouldin, ETS 1961, Lombard, IL, died on January 31, 2009. He is survived by his wife, Janet.

Veryl E. Schubert, GBI 1953, Jacksonville, WI, died on January 23, 2009.

Dr. Frank Deninger, GBI 1961, Pontiac, IL, died on March 7, 2009. He was preceded in death by his wife.

Curtis Strader, GBI 1953), St. Petersburg, FL, died on March 11, 2009.

Harold R. Nelson, GBI 1961, Green Valley, AZ, died on September 8, 2008.

Lynn Garth, GBI 1954, Sebring, Ohio, died on October 1, 2008. He is survived by his wife, Jeanne, two children, four grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

John Frederick Sorensen, GTS 1962, Grand Rapids, MI, died February 7, 2009.

Carson Thomas Howes, Jr., GBI 1955, Lakeland, FL, died on March 9, 2009. John C. Keenon, GBI 1955, San Antonio, TX, died on October 10, 2008. Philip A. Harley, GBI 1956, Chicago, IL, died on December 23, 2008. Carl Fox, GBI 1959, Savoy, IL, died on February 22, 2009. He is survived by his wife, Rebecca Litton Fox.

Carter Preston, GTS 1964, Bay City, MI, died on October 24, 2004. He is survived by his wife, Sally. 1970s David R. Worm, ETS 1971, Onalaska, WI, died on January 29, 2009. He is survived by his wife, Anita. 1990s Linda Fox, GETS 1991, Hot Springs Village, AR, died on March 10, 2009. She is survived by her husband, Jim.

www.garrett.edu www.garrett.edu

e e r T a Save Ready to switch from snail-mail to e-mail? Over the years it has been our pleasure to mail our quarterly newsletter, Aware, to our alums and friends with news and features about the seminary. Over the years, we’ve always enjoyed hearing how much it is appreciated! Now we are also able to offer Aware on-line and many of our readers have already signed up for it at www. garrett.edu/gogreen. Each quarter, you can receive an e-mail with an easy link to our magazine. In 2009, we are renewing our campaign to sign up readers for this on-line version of Aware. For many reasons—most notably, environmental—we wish to transfer as many of our readers as we can from paper delivery to online delivery. The need to conserve our natural resources is ever more urgent. Please help us! Simply go to www.garrett.edu/gogreen to register your email. Or, if you prefer, contact Betty Campbell at 847.866.3971 or elizabeth.campbell@garrett.edu to let us know your preference.

Nominations for 2010 Distinguished Alum Awards At commencement each year, the seminary announces two Distinguished Alum Awards honoring two graduates for their outstanding ministries. The seminary is currently considering nominations for the 2010 awards. Do you know an alum who embodies the principles of Christian service? Nominate him or her to be considered as a recipient of the 2010 Distinguished Alum Award. One award goes to someone who graduated more than 25 years ago and a second award honors an alum who graduated 25 years ago or less. Download the nomination form from our homepage at www.garrett.edu OR e-mail Elizabeth.Campbell@garrett.edu. Nominations must be received by June 30, 2009. www.garrett.edu

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Home

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Alums & Friends

Scott Carnes “You could tell these people had become true friends.”

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Michele Watkins Celebrating the opportunity to study at 13 Chicago-area seminaries

Aware Magazine Calendar Chapel Chicagoland

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Seminary Prepares to Launch New Website in April Garrett-Evangelical will launch a substantially improved website in April. Among many other enhancements, the new website will feature live streaming audio and video broadcasts that will enable alums and friends to tune into chapel services and lectures by faculty and guests. “The Garrett-Evangelical website is our front door to the world,” President Philip Amerson said. “It is the way more and more people learn about us; decide whether to pursue enrollment here; apply for admissions, make donations and register for events; hear and see our amazing array of excellent lectures and programs; and make plans to visit. The new website is the result of a lot of work by a lot of people. It is a huge improvement and something we can be very proud of. I sincerely hope you enjoy your visit to www.garrett. edu and come back often.” The new website features intuitive design that makes it much easier to navigate. The website is organized around five major categories which are prominently displayed on the homepage. These categories are also easily accessible from any of the hundreds of pages through which visitors gain access: • About Us • Student Life • Prospective Students • Alums & Friends • Academics One of the most striking improvements in the new website is the prominence of videos. These videos keep the focus on students, featuring their insights and observations in 30-to60 second bites. Because the seminary’s mission is to educate our students to fulfill their vocation in ministry, student voices are featured prominently on the website. In addition, the voices of faculty, alums, administration, and trustees are also featured, rounding out the picture of Garrett-Evangelical for our visitors. Vidology is another new and exciting website feature. Vidology features short, homemade videos produced primarily by students. The seminary purchased a Camcorder that students may check out of the library for 24 hours, or for a weekend, to capture an event or an idea on video. They range from whimsical to documentary to theological. The Media Gallery, accessible from the site’s homepage, also features a growing library of audio and video podcasts for visitors to enjoy. A new, easily accessed Calendar of Events makes it easy to find out about upcoming events and recent Garrett-Evangelical news.

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We hope that you will visit us at www.garrett.edu to get to know our students and the seminary better and to explore the many exciting events and undertakings that are going at Garrett-Evangelical. www.garrett.edu

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Garrett-Evangelical on Facebook Along with visiting the new website, web surfers can also find GarrettEvangelical on Facebook. The office of development and alum relations created a group on the ever expanding and popular social networking site earlier this year. The Garrett-Evangelical Alumni/ae and Friends group allows members to reconnect with classmates and friends, to share memories, and to find out about upcoming events at the seminary. The group, already consisting of 180 members, and growing everyday, has a discussion board where browsers can post stories, memories, and news. Information

Graduate and former professor, Alva Caldwell (GTS 1969) has developed a series of virtual discussions called, “Connections.” Each week a new topic is posted asking members to reflect on their time at Garrett-Evangelical. Some of the recent topics were: “Who was most influential in helping you to develop a life of prayer and devotion?” and “Who caused you to develop a great appreciation for Scripture?”

Location: 2121 Sheridan Road Evanston, IL 60201 Phone: 1-800-SEMINARY

The group website also connects members through links to similar groups such as: The United Methodist Church on Facebook, United Methodist Clergy on Facebook, and the United Methodist Young Adult Seminarian Network on Facebook. Some of the group’s more famous members include Eliza Clark Garrett and Lucy Rider Meyer.

Friends

Alva Caldwell

Eliza Garrett

Pamela Lightsey

Okki Kim

Shane Nichols

Micah Boon

Lucy Meyer

Charlie Lehman

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Facebook was founded in 2004 by Harvard students Mark Zuckerberg, Dustin Moskovitz, and Chris Hughes as a school project. The website’s motto—“Giving people the power to share and make the world more open and connected”—is accomplished by “the digital mapping of people’s realworld social connections.” Users create a free account where they can post pictures, interests, blogs (writings), and short videos. Accounts have a virtual “wall” where people can leave short messages or links to other websites, a private messaging center, and perhaps the most popular feature—status messages—which allow users to write a short description of their current real life endeavors. Garrett-Evangelical alums and friends can join the 175 million active Facebook users by logging on to: http://www.facebook.com. To join the new GarrettEvangelical group: after creating an account, search with the keyphrase of “Garrett-Evangelical Alumni/ae and Friends,” and then click, “Join Group.” Aware Magazine

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Calendar of Events

Academic Lectures are Wednesday, 11:00 a.m.. room 205 unless otherwise noted.

April Friday, April 24

Student Theological Conference: 27 students enrolled in the Association of Chicago Theological Schools will be presenting papers on the topic of Aesthetics in Theology. Chicago area Iconographer, Joseph Malham will be giving the keynote lecture. Contact Krista McNeil at 847.866.3923 or Krista.mcneil@garrett.edu

Wednesday, May 13

Garrett-Evangelical Black Seminarians 40th Anniversary Graduation Banquet will convene at the Hilton Garden Inn at 6:30 p.m. Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright, Pastor Emeritus, Trinity United Church of Christ, Chicago IL, will deliver the keynote address. Tickets are $50; $35 for students.

Friday, May 15

Sabbatical Lecture: Nancy Bedford, Georgia Harkness Professor of Applied Theology at Garrett-Evangelical, “Planting Gardens and Listening to Trees: Toward a Feminist Theology in Migration.” Contact Patty Baker at 847.866.3903 or patty.baker@garrett.edu

Commencement Address by Robert Allen Hill, Dean of Marsh Chapel, Boston University 10:00 a.m. Worship, Chapel of the Unnamed Faithful 2:00 p.m. Commencement Ceremony, First United Methodist Church, Evanston, Illinois Contact President’s office at 847.866.3902 or meckhardt@garrett.edu.

May

June and July

Wednesday, May 6

Monday, June 15-Friday, July 10

Wednesday, April 29

Stead Center Lecture: Elizabeth Agnew Cochran, Assistant Professor of Moral Theology, Duquesne University, “Christian Perfection and Moral Reasoning: A Wesleyan Method for Engaging Questions in Bioethics.” Contact the Stead Center for Ethics and Values at 847.866.3933 or ethics.center@garrett.edu

Summer Classes begin.

September Tuesday, September 8

Fall semester classes begin.