Aware Magazine | Summer 2023

“I learned different ways to see God: seeing the Divine in nature, in our creativity, in our stillness, in our daily devotion to one another, for one another, and to ourselves.” (page six)

AWARE SUMMER 2023

MAGAZINE

GARRETT-EVANGELICAL THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

AWARE GARRETT-EVANGELICAL THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2023 Presidential Perspective

03

Celebrating Garrett-Evangelical’s 166th Commencement

04

Answering the Call

06

Forming Faith in Community

08

Do the Work Your Soul Must Have

09

Church Beyond Church

11

Alum Notes

12

In Memoriam

14

PRESIDENTIAL PERSPECTIVE

Speaking recently to several hundred men who had completed the “Rites of Passage” program he founded, Fr. Richard Rohr, the Franciscan Friar, author, and spiritual sage, expressed self-doubt about the significance of his work. As he approaches the end of his life and ministry, he wondered aloud, almost despondently, “When we started this work, we really believed that we could change all this, and now I look back and I wonder what of it really mattered. How did we end up in a place [all these years later] where I look at the world and it’s still this difficult? . . . How is this happening after 2000 years of Christianity?”

I confess to often having similar doubts. How is it that after two millennia of the spiritual revolution that is Christianity, that our world does not reflect the spirit and the values that revolution birthed? And how is it that we Christians have contributed so thoroughly and unrepentantly to the reality we live in today? These questions and others occupy my thoughts often as I think about the work of the seminary and what it is that we’re preparing leaders to do in the world. At times one is tempted to throw in the towel and to conclude that the tradition is beyond reform and that the decline we are seeing is the consequence of our compromising so thoroughly the spiritual revolution and tradition Jesus gave us.

When those thoughts are most tempting, I often return to the wisdom of Ángel Villarini Jusino, professor at the University of Puerto Rico, who wrote, “Humans are beings of traditions, we feed on them, our lives gain meaning and direction thanks to them. To belong to a tradition is to feel part of a historical process that transcends us, it is to recognize that nothing important is built in a generation. The achievement of great aspirations only occurs in the succession of generations....

In this sense, educational [and spiritual] reform must be conceived as a long-term historical process of which we are part and within the framework of which our efforts and struggles gain a sense of mission and critical hope” (translation mine).

The work of spiritual formation and reform is neverending. It is in these most difficult times that the best of our tradition is most in need, and that the wisdom, the call for justice, for spiritual renewal and awakening, and the work of forming leaders in the way of Jesus is an imperative. At GarrettEvangelical we cannot and will not tire of attempting to grow in the way of Jesus, and of preparing others to do the same. The challenge may feel overwhelming, the work will be arduous, but the calling endures. As we do so, we also remember, as Bishop Ken Untener has so wisely reminded us, “We plant the seeds that one day will grow. We water the seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise. We lay foundations that will need further development.” That is the work our graduates go forth to do. Pray for them and for us, that through our striving to walk in the way of Jesus, the world will grow in compassion, justice, and hope.

AWARE MAGAZINE SUMMER ‘23 | PAGE 3

READY TO RENEW THE CHURCH AND TRANSFORM THE WORLD Celebrating Garrett-Evangelical’s 166th Commencement

COMMENCEMENT

LIVESTREAM

“If you are going into churchwork, you are either a hospice worker or an EMT.” Commencement keynote speaker Rev. Adam Hamilton’s opening words reflect the stark reality facing seminary graduates. “You’re either reformers, or the church has no future,” he said, “We need you, and God has called you.” But, while no one assembled had any delusions about the stakes of their call, the mood was not somber—it was electric. Indeed, the paradox of joyfully entering difficult work was beautifully captured in President Javier Viera’s reminder to the graduating class: “You are a source of hope and promise in the world.”

The gospel isn’t a story of soft and easy labor, of God’s revolutionary change welcomed by the world with open arms. Nor is it a story of God imposing God’s will through overwhelming force. God’s presence is born in naked vulnerability and works through those brave or foolish enough to say, “Here I am. Send me.” It is the power of that story that filled stone arches with joyful singing—not people ignorant about the task ahead but nevertheless filled with divine hope. It’s a strength they draw from the seminary’s broader mission. “I hope we have prepared you to lead at the margins and from the margins,” President Viera said, “We are called to the margins to work diligently,” so those places can become God’s new center.

The day was also an opportunity to celebrate those who have spent their careers fulfilling that vision. When Rev. Dr. Cheryl Anderson’s retirement was announced, the sanctuary erupted into a standing ovation. “As a womanist scholar of Hebrew scripture,” President Viera remarked about her incredible career, “she has made issues of race, gender, class and sexual orientation central to the reading and understanding of the Bible.”

He then announced that the board had awarded her the title of Professor Emerita, an indication of how GarrettEvangelical will continue in that mission.

Three honorary doctorates were also conferred upon three deeply impactful friends of the Seminary: Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Conde-Frazier (Doctor of Divinity); Rev. Adam Hamilton (Doctor of Divinity); and Jerre L. Stead (Doctor of Humane Letters). Their impact and influence upon Garrett-Evangelical, the church, and the world would be far too great to list in such a short space.

Conde-Frazier is a trailblazing educator, scholar, and institutional leader, currently serving as Director of the Association for Hispanic Theological Education.

Throughout her career she has worked extensively with Hispanic Bible institutes to bring rigorous theological reflection to evangelical and Pentecostal communities and to create and expand pathways for entire communities, not just pastoral leaders, to benefit from the resources of theological education. Hamilton is founder and senior pastor of Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kans., the largest United Methodist Church in the world with over 25,000 members. A committed public theologian, he has led his congregation and The United Methodist Church through some of the most critical and challenging social issues of our day. Stead and

his spouse, Mary Joy, have been the largest benefactors in the history of Garrett-Evangelical. Stead joined the Garrett board 30 years ago, and for the last 15 years has served as chairman. His leadership has influenced all aspects of the Seminary’s life and it was a privilege to recognize and celebrate his tremendous leadership and impact.

In further indication of the seminary’s future vision, Dean Mai-Anh Le Tran awarded teacher of the year to Dr. Julie A. Duncan, Associate Professor of Old Testament, and Dr. Mark R. Teasdale, E. Stanley Jones Professor of Evangelism. Dr. Duncan’s liberation theology lens for reading scripture and Dr. Teasdale’s enthusiasm for growing the church are emblematic of Garrett-Evangelical’s conviction that—despite what naysayers warn—the brightest days for Christianity are still ahead of us. The road that takes us there still leads through robust biblical engagement and conviction in God’s ability to make all things new.

Perhaps nowhere was that change more evident than in the appointment of Garrett-Evangelical’s new board chair, the Rev. Dr. Daryl Franklin. Franklin is the first Garrett-Evangelical alumnus to serve in the position, the first non-UMC chair, and the first AfricanAmerican chair. His election testifies commitment to the new strategic vision—a determined effort to make Garrett-Evangelical not just the world’s flagship Methodist seminary, but a destination for all people who are serious about the thriving of the church and the healing of the world.

“The day is past when we needed stewards who have just done the same things the Church has always done,” Rev. Hamilton cautioned the graduates. “We need you to be visionaries, to have hope and big dreams.”

And yet, as he said those words, the hope was seated directly before him: 59 graduating seminarians, filled with a fire and passion to transform the world into God’s just peace. “It is time,” Dean of Student Life and Chaplain Karen Mosby concluded in her charge to the church’s newest leaders, “Go forth in the confidence that you have what you need. You are ready.”

REV. ADAM HAMILTON

REV. DR. ELIZABETH CONDE-FRAZIER

JERRE STEAD AWARE MAGAZINE SUMMER ‘23 | PAGE 5

ANSWERING the CALL Andrea Wright (DMin)

I was born in Nairobi, Kenya, and raised in Ypsilanti, Mich. I received my Master of Divinity from Gammon Theological Seminary in Atlanta, but wanted to focus my studies so I embarked on a Master of Arts in Pastoral Care and Counseling at Garrett-Evangelical, with a concentration in Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care. I want to help people reimagine how their faith, theology, and therapy can be a tool of liberation, empowerment, and wholeness. I also want to guide people in thinking critically about how they view God, themselves, and their own healing.

One of my favorite courses I took was Contemplative Spirituality with Dr. Rolf Nolasco. The course helped me engage and articulate connections between contemplative spirituality and our gender, racial, sexual, and religious identities. I learned different ways to see God: seeing the Divine in nature, in our creativity, in our stillness, in our daily devotion to one another, for one another, and to ourselves. Contemplative spirituality invites an awareness of how God moves and works through us—mindful of how our bodies are connected to the Creator, being open and receiving that gift.

But, more than just an internal pursuit, it asks us to engage in systems change, economic empowerment, communications, and strategic alliances with marginalized communities, moving away from individual to collective work.

Wanjiku KamuyuAnderson (MAPCC)

My time at Garrett-Evangelical has been enriching and fulfilling in so many ways. I matriculated with pastors and community leaders from across the globe whose work has inspired my own work. I’ve been exposed to some of the most respected scholars in their fields. The faculty’s commitment to the church is only rivaled by their commitment to academic rigor. Encountering the diversity of culture and theological dreaming at Garrett-Evangelical stretched me beyond what I thought was possible and I am so much the better for it.

My experience here has also served as a lab of theological and biblical formation. I am leaving GarrettEvangelical with the theological grounding and language needed to join the social impact sector. It is my hope to work with congregations to develop practices that foster an environment in which Christian discipleship serves as the flame that sets social engagement ablaze.

David Makobo

(MDiv)

I am a native of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

I was born and raised in Mwajinga, a United Methodist mission, where my parents worked as teachers for almost fifty years until January 2020. After completing my studies in Zimbabwe, I served the UMC as a Global Ministries agriculturist missionary in Senegal, West Africa. Finally, in 2020, I started my MDiv at Garrett-Evangelical.

While at Garrett-Evangelical, in preparation for ordination in the UMC, I enjoyed many classes. As an African with an African Methodist background, one course in my last semester particularly sparked imagination: United Methodist Studies: 20th Century to Present. The class was exciting and challenging, all at the same time. I found it challenging because the UMC is a global church with a contextual theology in a connectional polity. In-class conversations—sharing experiences of Methodism in different parts of the world, including North America, Africa, and Asia—enables us to celebrate diversity and acknowledge challenges in how a global church must adapt theology to a local context.

My time at Garrett-Evangelical has been meaningful—a preparation as I look forward to serving as an ordained clergy within The United Methodist Church.

Sun-Ah Kang (PhD)

I’m a cradle Methodist from South Korea, and just received my PhD in Biblical studies at Garrett-Evangelical. I also serve as an ordained elder in the Northern Illinois Conference. My dissertation explores the influence of the Proverbs 31 woman (“the capable wife”) on Korean Christian women, and the way that has been compounded by both the cultural Confucian ideal of “wise mother/good wife,” and American missionary work. I attempt to retrieve this text for Korean women in creative ways, including fresh readings for the ancient Confucian teaching of Naehun. I live in northwest Illinois with a couple of old-time prophets: Peter, a fellow UMC Provisional Elder and spouse, and Sungho, a toddler full of curiosity.

Through my experience as a teaching assistant for a Hebrew Bible course at Garrett, I gained a profound understanding of the intersection between theology and the local church. While I found it inspiring to hear about students discovering spiritual communities at Garrett, I also observed church leaders limiting women’s roles by appealing to biblical authority. As someone who has personally experienced marginalization, the stories of these students deeply impacted me. This led me to pursue ordination in the UMC with a firm goal of empowering women’s spiritual growth. My aim is to bridge the gap between theology and the local church by emphasizing the importance of rediscovering biblical texts and interpretations that empower women.

I am from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in Central Africa. I like to introduce my country as the “Big Congo,” the second largest country in Africa and larger than the Republic of Congo. I am fascinated by languages and I speak six, including English, French, and Portuguese. But, after studying economics at Africa University, I served as a missionary in Brazil, and began to ask myself questions about Christian service, which led me to Garrett-Evangelical. I thank God today that I am graduating.

Pauline Omboko

(MDiv)

My first semester was very difficult, not only the difference in language and culture, but because I struggled to deconstruct my embedded theology. I am from Africa and, for us, life is as spiritual as it is physical. Old beliefs had deep roots. But then, I followed a professor’s advice and started a practice of active listening. By listening to others, their stories, and their perspectives, I found I was learning about myself at the same time. My faith and belief system started becoming clearer. I started to fully embrace who I was, to validate my faith, doubts, and questions. Listening deepened my humility and respect for others. More than anything, GarrettEvangelical leaves me with a desire to seek and learn more about God, life, and my faith.

I am originally from Memphis, Tenn., and moved to Milwaukee, Wis., in 1983. Since I already had a masters in adult education, I ran from God when I was called to go back to school. I remember thinking, “God, you’re going to have to swallow me up like Jonah before I go back.” However, God kept putting individuals in my pathway to remind me of what I needed to do and more importantly where I needed to go—to Garrett-Evangelical. Well, God won and five years later I’m graduating, Garrett-Evangelical has nourished my spiritual life by opening my mind to new perspectives and ideas. It has also deepened my faith in God, helping me look beyond what I think I’m capable of doing. I have learned not to put God in a box.

The perspectives, ideas, and cultures around me broadened my ability to engage with people who are different from me, while also helping me better know my own beliefs. It’s incredible preparation for how to create a safe counseling environment. In the fall I will sit for my national exam to become a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and apply for the designation from my state to become an LPC-in-training. I cannot wait to work as a therapist.

Cheryl LucasDeberry (MAPCC)

AWARE MAGAZINE SUMMER ‘23 | PAGE 7

F

orming faith in community

The paths that led Greta Long (MAPCC) and Drew Unrue (MAPCC) to Garrett-Evangeligcal were not similar. Greta grew up in the United Methodist Church, was part of a progressive campus ministry in college, and came to seminary seeking to “reaffirm my belief in a God who is loving, a God who is compassionate, a God who is inclusive.” Drew Unrue, on the other hand, grew up in South Carolina within white evangelicalism until his early 20s when, they say, “I came into an understanding of my own queer identity,” and enrolled in seminary, in part, to pursue “integration in affirming spaces, and fully enfleshed embodiment of that identity.” Drew and Greta’s differences underscore the joy and challenge of spiritual development in a seminary context: Schools must address students’ uniqueness and particularity, while also creating a cohesive community that meets the needs of every student.

This challenge becomes more acute when considering the truly vast cultural diversity within the hallways. One in seven Garrett-Evangelical students is an international student, representing twentytwo countries and a wide spectrum of ethnic and theological differences. Many seminaries would be overwhelmed by the call to make education embody the global church—even creative friction can cause conflict. What’s clear in speaking with Greta and Drew, however, is that it is precisely the community’s breadth that helps to nurture care. “There’s a spirituality that resides in mutuality that fills the community with empathy and respect,” Long says, “It goes beyond progressive or conservative—it asks, ‘How are we showing up for other people?’”

The differences aren’t just geographic, either.

Unrue, for example, confesses that his quest for meaning-making took him beyond the bounds of classical theology, towards process thought. “I think we are all in motion and becoming. Spiritual formation is constant and eternal,” they note, “Buddhist prayers, spiritual meditations, getting back to and reinvigorating a Christian mysticism—embracing those have been really powerful for me.”

It’s a sign of a mature and healthy community of faith when those practices can joyfully flourish beside more traditional seminary offerings, like the weekly chapel services that Long religiously attends.

She observes that, as she moves into her vocation, “being in intentional worship as a recipient to the Spirit, instead of as a facilitator of that space, is really meaningful.” She also says that the diversity of Garrett’s community is part of what makes those services so meaningful. “Seminary was the first place I heard scripture being read in other languages,” she

continues, “It feels obvious to know that Christianity is a world religion, but then to hear scripture being read in Korean, in Chinese, in Swahili—it’s really powerful and offers me a lot of hope: We are not alone in this.”

The goal of spiritual care is, of course, to provide fertile soil for students to grow, as they discern who God is calling them to be. Unrue admits that, even though they hoped and knew that seminary would change them, they’re still surprised by the direction of their work. “Prior to coming to Garrett, I anticipated going a purely academic route,” they confess, “But studying at Garrett my first year, I was working at a church and I started fielding pastoral care concerns and so I decided to pursue something more on-theground. To be very frank, that was something I was hesitant about!” It didn’t erase their previous desires and interests, but instead helped them integrate what they were learning into who they were becoming. “My time here helped me come into an identity not only as a process theologian,” they reflect, “but someone who is dedicated to social justice.”

That kind of growth isn’t just good for the individual, it feeds collective transformation. “The number of students at Garrett who are queer, who operate out of queer theology and queer theory has been incredibly moving for me,” Long shares, “I’ve learned a lot through them, and it’s provided opportunities for me to have conversations that I wouldn’t have with my family or home church.” Contrary to what some people might suggest, building relationships across difference doesn’t shake or disorient people’s faith— it’s one of the most essential ways to discover what it is we believe. “My faith is the strongest it’s ever been,” Long says, “I’m more open for the Spirit to show up in spaces I might not be looking.”

Ultimately, it’s that intention and care for one another’s thriving that teaches Garrett-Evangelical students about who God is as much as what they learn in a classroom. “It’s more than just about academic questions,” Unrue notes, “it asks how our bodies are existing in a space—turning theory into praxis.” If theology is only something that happens in a book or a paper, we’re badly missing the mark for what it means to form ministers, therapists, and scholars ready to meet the church’s needs in the twenty-first century.

We need more than people who are smart—we need leaders who care deeply about their neighbors, awake to the reciprocity community demands. Paradoxically, it’s also the path that leads to true discernment— engaging others is the best way to know ourselves.

“My time at Garrett not only has honed a direction, it’s brought to light different pieces of myself that I never anticipated,” Unrue concludes, “The space that’s provided here is one of openness and change, if and when you’re ready for it.”

“Do the work your soul must have.”

Rev. Dr. Karen E. Mosby

Dean of Student Life and Chaplain

This oft-cited adage from womanist theologian and ethicist Katie Cannon speaks to my understanding of cultivating spiritual formation or soul work within the context of Garrett-Evangelical. Cannon’s words address the interrelatedness between authentic embodiedness, nurturing one’s spirit, experiencing deep peace and rest, and vocational pursuit.

Viewing Cannon’s words through her womanist lenses means that this soul work is necessarily situated within the mutuality of community, that is, one cannot be formed alone, discern one’s work alone, or do one’s work in isolation. Similarly, spiritual formation must be viewed as integral to the larger context of who we are as humans so that it does not become peripheral or optional work.

Spiritual formation is nurtured at Garrett-Evangelical through an intentional focus on curating an environment of respect and mutuality in which persons are seen, honored, welcomed, celebrated, and engaged in the fullness of their personhood.

The resounding message to our learners is that their wholeness and wellness matter to God. They are ‘all the things’—learners, practitioners, scholars, family members, activists, individuals, partners, siblings, beloveds of God. Within such an environment, soul work can occur in formal settings like weekly chapel services or scheduled events focused on mental and spiritual wellness. It can emerge in gatherings for community meals or in teaching/learning spaces.

It can populate the ordinary spaces of our time together like impromptu prayer, a serendipitous praise break in the hallway between classes, or in an online class or meeting when the virtual space agenda is transformed into a playground for the Spirit. And spiritual formation happens when we make space to mourn with one another, advocate for one another, rejoice together, and engage in collective social action.

Spiritual formation is not only the work of a few at Garrett-Evangelical. It is an aspect of the work we all do. Each of us contributes in some way to curating an environment in which our students can flourish. For many of us, this is the work that our souls must have.

AWARE MAGAZINE SUMMER ‘23 | PAGE 9

“The Bible became alive...

Our stories are in those stories.”

CHURCH BEYOND CHURCH

Rev. Andi Voinovich creates a community sanctuary

For centuries, churches were the center of communities—the lifeblood that connected people to their neighbors. After the ’50s and ’60s in the West, that began to change, and the decline in church membership directly stems from churches moving toward the periphery of civic life. Rev. Andi Voinovich (G-ETS 2018), associate pastor at Downers Grove United Methodist Church outside of Chicago, is trying to change that. If the church is going to experience a twenty-first century rebirth, it will be from the kinds of visionary leadership Voinovich brings to ministry.

While they do the youth work, confirmation, preaching, and programming that is typical in an associate call, they also run a drop-in center for LGBTQ youth, which has recently exploded in popularity. “Every Thursday we open up the youth room,” Voinovich says, “to LGBTQ+ youth and their allies, ages 12–20.” This program isn’t part of the official church ministry, and the goal isn’t evangelism, but it has created exactly the kind of vibrant community that helps fill churches.

“Right now we have a very large group of first-years in high school,” Voinovich notes. “Most of them started last year as eighth graders and kind of grew into that role. We’ve got a few middle schoolers and even a college student, who’s kind of the mother hen of the group.” Voinovich thinks the young people gravitate toward the church because they know it’s a safe space—something they don’t always get elsewhere.

“Our library made national news for receiving antiLGBTQ+ hatred,” Voinovich says solemnly, “and that message makes it to our youth. They hear, ‘I am not welcome here.’” But the drop-in center is different. Instead of being talked about, they get to be protagonists in their own lives. “My youth are super cool and awesome, and have great leadership skills,” Voinovich explains, “when they come here it’s the coolest space in the whole world.”

Sometimes, Voinovich runs trainings on concepts like gender identity, safe sex, or asexuality, but often they just facilitate joyful space where youth can hang out with friends. “For Halloween, we did drag pumpkins,” they laugh, “the latest ask has been for a mini renaissance fair, so we’re figuring out what that looks like in our space.” While the purpose is not to make these youth come to church, it’s exactly the kind of community-building evangelism experts suggest leads people back through the doors on Sunday morning.

Voinovich attributes their preparedness for this transformational ministry to their seminary training.

“Garrett-Evangelical had a sense of community that I didn’t experience when I was looking at other schools,” Voinovich says, “It felt like joy—it’s expansive. You feel yourself being able to take up space that in other spaces you don’t always feel.” And that nurturing spirit was deepened through theological education. “Learning to read scripture in liberative ways,” they confess, “I found that to be so freeing. The Bible became alive, not just something to memorize and throw quotes around. Our stories are in those stories.”

Now, Voinovich gets to embody that ethos in ministry—even when it takes them beyond the traditional church. “The same care and compassion that we talk about in the church is here, too.”

Voinovich explains, “It’s just different. But this is where Jesus spent time. Jesus’ people were always on the margins; it’s a place where deep spirituality happens.” And the young folks who show up at the drop-in center receive a gift, too. “Going into ministry as a queer and trans person, part of my understanding was that it’s important for people like us to see people like us in those roles,” Voinovich says. “It’s the kind of ministry that helps faith come alive.”

AWARE MAGAZINE SUMMER ‘23 | PAGE 11

alumni news

Michael Carson (G-ETS 1987) was awarded the Faith and Community in Action Award at the Mayor’s Prayer and Action Breakfast in Kokomo, IN. Carson serves as pastor of First Friends Church in Kokomo.

Victoria Rebeck (G-ETS 1989) has been appointed Director of Communications for the Northern Illinois Conference of The United Methodist Church.

Mickey Havener (G-ETS 1990) has been a practicing end of life doula since 2019.

Jane Eesley (G-ETS 1996) has been appointed by the General Board of Global Ministries to serve as Methodist Liaison Advocacy Coordinator in Jerusalem, Israel.

Daniel Doty (G-ETS 1998) has been called as Senior Minister of First Congregational Church of Tallmadge in Tallmadge, OH.

Shay Craig (G-ETS 2012) has become the 19th Dean of Christ Cathedral in Salinas, KS. She is the first woman to serve in the role.

Taylor Webster MacPherson (G-ETS 2019) has started a new position as Estate Management Supervisor at Midwest Care Management Services, Inc. in Chicago, IL. Jordan Aspiras (G-ETS 2022) illustrated the children’s book You Come from Love (Motz Books 2022), a story of love that will suit any family and all ages, especially families formed through surrogacy.

D’ana Downing (G-ETS 2022) was ordained Itinerant Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church during the 184th Session of the Indiana Annual Conference. Downing serves as the first Black woman and AME pastor in the role of Assistant University Chaplain at Northwestern University.

Katara Washington-Patton (G-ETS 2003) has been promoted to Executive Editor for the Voices Collection for Our Daily Bread Publishing.

homecoming NOVEMBER 8–9, 2023 We are thrilled to invite all alums to campus for Homecoming on Wednesday, November 8– Thursday, November 9, 2023. Join us for worship, fellowship, and learning.

Save the date!

Join us at Homecoming as we celebrate the 50th anniversaries of the Center for the Church & the Black Experience, the final graduating class of Evangelical Theological Seminary, as well as a presentation of our Distinguished Alum Awards

AWARE MAGAZINE SUMMER ‘23 | PAGE 13

IN MEMORIAM

1940 1950

1960

1970 1980 1990

Francis Guither, ETS 1946, Quincy, IL, died March 19, 2020.

Harold Spence, GBI 1949, Monticello, AR, died July 29, 2013.

John Simon, GBI 1950, Lakeland, FL, died December 2, 2022 Sarojini Welch, GBI 1951, Galion, OH, died August 28, 2022.

Burton Randle, GBI 1953, Skokie, IL, died April 16, 2023.

William Shealy, Jr. GBI 1953, Virginia Beach, VA, died January 14, 2023.

Herbert Coston, GBI 1954, Buckhannon, WV, died October 19, 2022.

D. James Fitzhugh, GBI 1955, Billings, MT, died September 19, 2021.

Jack K. Thomas, ETS 1955, Goshen, IN, died August 21, 2021.

Donald Walden, GBI 1955, Urbana, IL, died December 19, 2022.

Carlton Bauer, ETS 1957, Edina MN, died May 10, 2022.

William Mathys, GBI 1957, Anderson, IN, died April 2, 2022.

Theodore P. Townsend, GBI 1957, Sudbury, MA, died January 19, 2022.

George Clifford Pratt, GBI 1958, Des Moines, WA, died August 3, 2022.

Arthur Swarthout, GBI 1958, Lake Junaluska, NC, died February 9, 2023.

Jane Wiemers, GBI 1958, Fredericksburg, TX, died November 25, 2022.

Thomas Ogletree, GBI 1959, North Branford, CT, died January 4, 2023.

Kenneth Burres, GBI 1960, Sequim, WA, died September 5, 2022.

Keith Pohl, GBI 1960, Mason, MI, died March 10, 2023.

James Talmadge, GBI 1960, Sturgeon Bay, WI, died December 11, 2022.

Anthony J. Tolbert, III, GBI 1960, Mount Prospect, IL, died November 9, 2022.

Charles Wheeler, ETS 1960, Frankfort, IN, died December 19, 2022.

Clyde Cross, ETS 1961, Stoughton, WI, died October 19, 2021.

David C. Houston, GBI 1961, Poughkeepsie, NY died December 27, 2022.

James W King, GBI 1961, Coming, IA, died May 9, 2022.

John C. Wilkey, GBI 1961, Atlanta, TX, died December 6, 2022.

Raymond Fidler, GTS 1962, Laurinburg, NC, died December 20, 2019.

Ross Geiger, ETS 1962, Deland, FL, died February 5, 2020.

Morris Taggart, GTS 1962, Flower Mound, TX, died December 29, 2022.

Henry Hofler, GTS 1963, Evanston, IL, died February 19, 2022.

John R. Cantwell, Sr. GTS 1964, Le Claire IA, died August 16, 2022.

Dennis Groh, GTS 1965 & 1970, Lansing, MI, died April 22, 2023.

Howard Bredesen, ETS 1966, Coffeyville, KS, died February 1, 2023.

Earnest Cummings, GTS 1966, Whitehall, MI, died November 8, 2022.

Nicholas S Mitrovich Jr, GTS 1966, Woodridge, IL, died December 23, 2022.

Joseph William (Bill) Shepherd, GTS 1966, Sister Bay, WI, died December 20, 2021.

Herb Tavenner, GBI 1966, Richardson, TX, died November 24, 2021.

Thomas Emswiler, GTS 1967, Champaign, IL, died February 21, 2023.

Charles Flory, GTS 1967, Greensburg IN, died October 21, 2022.

Barbara Chase, GTS 1970, Penney Farms, FL, died in August 2022.

Arthur Woolley, GTS 1970, Bement, IL, died January 21, 2021.

Alford Wesley-Wright Alphonse, GTS 1971, Miramar, FL, died October 8, 2022.

Harrison Harnden, GTS 1971, Fairfield Bay, AR, died September 27, 2021.

Ilona Sabo-Shuler, GTS 1974, Lansing, MI, died September 28, 2021.

Kay Dillard, G-E 1977, Nobles, IN, died January 5, 2023 Carl Edward Flewellen, G-E 1979, Roswell, GA, died October 05, 2020.

Mildred Hill, G-E 1982 (Diaconal Minister), Frankfort IN, died April 7, 2023.

William Rhines, Jr., G-E 1982, Wilmington, DE, died January 17, 2021.

Richard Hartlerode, G-E 1983, Fond Du Lac, WI, died July 5, 2019.

Floyd David Smith, G-E 1984, died December 2, 2019.

Robert Einhouse, G-E 1987, Chatham, IL, died November 24, 2022.

Charles R. Posey, G-E 1988, San Antonio, TX, died December 25, 2022.

Bettye Mixon, G-E 1990, Davis, IL, died January 13, 2023 Kenneth Butts, G-E 1993, Atlanta, GA, died September 17, 2022.

Lloyd Miller, Enrichment 1994, Wellington, KS, died February 14, 2023.

Valerie Fons, G-E 1995, Washington Island, WI, died January 3, 2023.

Andrew Jackson, G-E 1997, Byron Center, MI, died November 8, 2022.

Davis L Fisher, G-E 1998, Portland, OR, died July 16, 2022.

At Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, we form courageous leaders in the way of Jesus Christ to cultivate communities of justice, compassion, and hope.

For the Thriving of the Church and the Healing of the World “Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary has been deeply formative for my spiritual formation as a minister” Abby Holcombe (MDiv student)

“Thank you so much for making my dream possible!”

David Makobo (MDiv 2023)

“Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary has given me friendships that will last a lifetime.”

Greta Long

(Master of Arts in Pastoral Care and Counseling student)

Will you consider participating in Garrett-Evangelical’s mission today?

Together we give to sustain the next generation of faith leaders. The many gifts we receive from all of you support this enduring and rewarding work.

AWARE MAGAZINE SUMMER ‘23 | PAGE 15

GARRETT-EVANGELICAL THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY 2121 Sheridan Road Evanston, Illinois 60201

For the Thriving of the Church and the Healing of the World At Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, we form courageous leaders in the way of Jesus Christ to cultivate communities of justice, compassion, and hope. Join us in this vital mission with a gift of any amount!

Thanks to all those who are already supporting our talented students. Your generosity helps impact both their lives and those whom they serve.

NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID EVANSTON, IL PERMIT NO. 326