United Theological Seminary
Saturday, May 18 th Christian Life Center | Dayton, Ohio
2024 Commencement
• • • •
Please turn off all cell phones and other devices which may disturb the ability of others to participate prayerfully in the liturgy. The asterisk (*) indicates that you are invited to stand for that portion of the liturgy.
PRELUDE Oakwood Brass
*THE ACADEMIC PROCESSIONAL
*OPENING SENTENCES Dr. Tesia Mallory, Dean of the Chapel
LEADER: The earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep. ALL: A wind from God sweeps over the face of the waters.
The Lord spoke and the world was created. The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.
The Lord breathed into us the breath of the Holy Spirit, giving life. Prophesy to these bones and say to them, “Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!”
He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” He comes to baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire!
And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them. The glory of the Lord fills the room bringing unity in the Holy Spirit.
And so it came to pass, the Lord poured out the Spirit on all flesh. A people filled with prophecies, dreams, visions, signs, and wonders.
Prophesy to these dry bones and we shall live. God, open our lips, And we shall declare your praise forever and ever! Alleluia! Amen.
*HYMN
Verse 1
O for a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemer's praise, the glories of my God and King, the triumphs of his grace!
Verse 2
My gracious Master and my God, assist me to proclaim, to spread through all the earth abroad the honors of thy name.
Verse 3
Jesus! the name that charms our fears, that bids our sorrows cease; 'tis music in the sinner's ears, 'tis life, and health, and peace.
O For A Thousand Tongues to Sing
Verse 4
He breaks the power of canceled sin, he sets the prisoner free; his blood can make the foulest clean; his blood availed for me.
Verse 5
He speaks, and listening to his voice, new life the dead receive; the mournful, broken hearts rejoice, the humble poor believe.
Verse 6
In Christ, your head, you then shall know, shall feel your sins forgiven; anticipate your heaven below, and own that love is heaven.
2024 Commencement
*OPENING COLLECT
Let us pray together.
Dr. Elvin Sadler, Associate Dean for Doctoral Studies
Almighty God, you sent your Holy Spirit to bring life and renewal to all of creation. Send your Spirit once again with the fire of holiness to empower your Church for the work of ministry, that all may be unified under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. We cry, “Come, Holy Spirit! Fill us with the fire of your love.” All glory belongs to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and into all of eternity. Amen.
GREETINGS AND WELCOME
LESSON FOR THE DAY
AWARDING OF HONORARY DOCTORATE
Dr. Kent Millard, President
Matthew 4:18-25
Mrs. Paola Ariana Bellini, Master's Graduate
President Millard
Dr. David Watson, Academic Dean Doctor of Humane Letters | Mr. JaMes Tharp Former Chair (2014-2023), Board of Trustees, United Theological Seminary
Honorary Doctor of Divinity | Bishop JaMes swanson Bishop-in-Residence, United Theological Seminary Retired Bishop of The United Methodist Church
INTRODUCTION OF COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER
SERMON: "Come!"
PRESENTATION OF AWARDS
President Millard
Bishop Swanson
STUDENT AWARDS
David Watson, Academic Dean
Dr. Scott Kisker, Associate Dean for Master's Programs
The William and Carolyn Anderson Applied Theology Competition | Joan Foy
This award is given for a paper submitted in competition that demonstrates a student’s ability to think critically on theological issues he or she applies to contemporary social concerns. It is given through the generosity of Dr. William and Carolyn Anderson.
The Ruth Pippert Core Memorial Award | VerneTia Gayle Miller
To perpetuate Ruth Pippert Core’s lifelong interest in peace, unity, and the arts, Professor Emeritus Arthur C. Core established this award to provide enrichment in the arts, ecumenics, and aid to exchange students.
The Robert E. and Mary Elizabeth Cramer Award | elisa Dean
The Robert E. and Mary Elizabeth Cramer Award is given each year to an outstanding student who has completed two-thirds of the required semester hours for their degree to recognize and encourage academic achievement.
The Robert M. Daugherty Award | Don FiTzGeralD
The Robert M. Daugherty Award is given to a graduating senior who has demonstrated exceptional promise for pastoral ministry.
· 3 ·
The Harry L. Eckels Award | Callie piCarDo
The Harry L. Eckels Award is given each year to a person who has completed at least two-thirds of the required semester hours for their degree and who demonstrates stewardship of time, talent, and money.
The Fellowship Seminarian Award | williaM pinos
This award is given for outstanding leadership in music and/or worship arts.
The Hoyt Hickman Award | yoon sun shin
The Hoyt Hickman Award for Outstanding Liturgical Scholarship and Practice is awarded by The Order of Saint Luke. The award is given to the graduating student who, in the judgment of the selection committee, both (1) has given evidence of a high quality of scholarship in the study of liturgy, and (2) is an effective leader of Christian worship.
The Missionary Interpretation Award | ashray MaTha
The Missionary Interpretation Award is given each year to assist a student in interpreting to the American Church its worldwide Christian responsibility. The award is made possible by an endowment established by the Youth Fellowship of the Memorial United Methodist Church, Silver Spring, Maryland.
The Kendall McCabe Award in Preaching | paola Bellini
The McCabe Award in Preaching is given each year to a senior student in a United master’s program. The awardee will demonstrate in a submitted sermon exegetical skill in interpreting the text and an awareness of the liturgical, congregational, and missional context of the homiletical occasion. The award-winning sermon will serve as an exemplar of preaching as a liturgical act.
The Dr. Won Byung Roh Award | MisTer raBy
This award for excellence in pastoral care-giving is given to a student who demonstrates outstanding scholarship and practice in the field of Pastoral Care-Giving and has completed two-thirds of the required semester hours for their degree.
The Dr. Hervin U. Roop Award | GorDon DaViD BoyD
Through the generosity of the late Hervin U. Roop, former president of Lebanon Valley College, an award is given to recognize and encourage students in the leadership of worship and the public reading of Scriptures.
The August Thomas Memorial Award | JeFFrey FisCher
The August Thomas Memorial Award is given to a student who shows special promise in church administration.
The Bishop Joseph H. Yeakel Award | CarlTon Barnes
The Bishop Joseph H. Yeakel Award is presented annually to the student who shows special promise in ecumenical and social justice ministries. The award is made possible by a gift from the former New York West Area of The United Methodist Church in recognition of Bishop Yeakel’s twelve years of distinguished episcopal leadership in that area.
The Corda E. Smith Award | Janelle Moser
The Corda E. Smith Award is given every other year to a student who excels in the study of the New Testament in the Greek language.
2024 Commencement
The Dr. Kenneth H. Pohly Award | ryan whisel
The Dr. Kenneth H. Pohly Scholarship is given to a student who has completed at least one year of seminary education and shows exceptional promise in leadership for the local church.
DMin Outstanding Project in Church Renewal | won Geun lee
The DMin Outstanding Project in Church Renewal award is given each year to a doctoral student with an outstanding project in church renewal.
DMin Outstanding Project in Justice and Mercy | leslie BraMleTT
The DMin Outstanding Project in Justice and Mercy award is given each year to a doctoral student with an outstanding project in justice and mercy.
DMin Outstanding Project in Proclamation of the Gospel | seTh huMphries
The DMin Outstanding Project in Proclamation of the Gospel award is given each year to a doctoral student with an outstanding project in proclamation of the Gospel.
ALUMNI/AE AWARDS
Mrs. Harriet Watson Director of Development and Alumni Relations
Effective Ministry Award | Rev. TiM BurDen (MDiv ′83) and reV. Dr. Charlie sTallworTh (DMin ′97)
Established in 1976, this award is given to persons who have developed outstanding new or unique ministries, who are engaged in a particular local expression of ministry and witness or who serve in challenging areas of ministry defined by characteristics such as geographic region or cross-cultural appointments.
Distinguished Alumnus/a Award | reV. Dr. ByounG saM KiM (DMiss ′98) anD Bishop Teresa e snorTon (DMin ′00)
Established in the mid-1980s, the Distinguished Alumnus/a Award honors those who have obtained denominational, ecumenical, or professional distinction.
Outstanding DMin Alumnus/a Award | reV Dr leroy CoThran (MDiv ′99, DMin ′02)
Established in 2012, this award honors those who have developed an outstanding program or ministry outreach as a result of effective work in United’s Doctor of Ministry program.
PRESENTED BY
AWARDING OF CERTIFICATES
President Millard
Dr. Peter Bellini, Director of Non-Degree Programs
CERTIFICATE IN DISABILITY MINISTRY
Kimberly Perkins Cheng Methodist
Mary Klinkradt
Wade Jackson
Wayne Kerstetter
Timothy Owens
David Porath
William Slaven
Angelia Taylor
Wesley Thoene
Non-Denominational
COURSE OF STUDY COMPLETION
Greater New Jersey Conference of The UMC
Susquehanna Conference of The UMC
West Ohio Conference of The UMC
West Ohio Conference of The UMC
Northern Kentucky Conference of The UMC
West Ohio Conference of The UMC
West Ohio Conference of The UMC
· 5 ·
PRESENTED BY
THE AWARDING OF ACADEMIC DEGREES
* Degree to be conferred August 2024
Mekdes Bogale
William L. Campbell
Melvin Collins III
Kathryn Manuel Halterman
*Kathryn M. Pullen
Elisa Dean Sahaga
Larissa Renee Hallford
Dr. Kent Millard, President
Dr. David Watson, Academic Dean
Dr. Scott Kisker, Associate Dean for Master's Programs
Dr. Elvin Sadler, Associate Dean for Doctoral Studies
Mrs. Harriet Watson, Director of Development and Alumni/ae Relations
Mrs. Karen Clark, Registrar MASTER OF MINISTRY
Non-Denominational
African Methodist Episcopal Zion
Baptist
Florida Conference of The UMC
Baptist
MASTER OF ARTS IN CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES
Katherine Callaway Brooks Picardo
Robert H. Yancey, Jr.
Carlton L. Barnes
Alfred E. Arthur
Celesta Ann Ary
Myo Aung
Paola Ariana Bellini
Gordon David Boyd
Keith David Carlson
Summaria Ann Kirkpatrick
William Martin Klebe
Mark Andrew Kuhlman
*Vernetia Gayle Miller
Amanda Diane Mitchell
Eldren D. Morrison
Min Su Na
Hyoyeon Park
William J Pinos, Jr
Douglas C. Purcell
John Jerome Redmond
Betsy Lynn Williams
Lori J. Wyman
*Karam Youn
Non-Denominational
Rio Texas Conference of The UMC
West Ohio Conference of The UMC
Non-Denominational
MASTER OF THEOLOGICAL STUDIES
Baptist
MASTER OF DIVINITY
Non-Denominational
African Methodist Episcopal Zion
Baptist
West Ohio Conference of The UMC
Indiana Conference of The UMC
Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference of The UMC
Non-Denominational
Susquehanna Conference of The UMC
West Ohio Conference of The UMC
Non-Denominational
Western Pennsylvania Conference of The UMC
African Methodist Episcopal Zion
The Global Methodist Church
The Global Methodist Church
The Global Methodist Church
California Pacific Conference of The UMC
Holston Conference of The UMC
African Methodist Episcopal
Upper New York Conference of The UMC
Korean Methodist
2024 Commencement
Fresh Expressions and Church Renewal
DOCTOR OF MINISTRY
Faculty Mentors: Michael Beck, DMin; Rosario Picardo, DMin
McWilliam Colón, Sr.
Senior Pastor – The United Methodist Church of Bound Brook, Bound Brook, NJ
Curative Communities: Creating Healing People, Places and Processes for Those Suffering with Mental Illness
Mark Vorenkamp
Founding Pastor – Revolution Church, Online
Queer Church: LGBTQIA+ Led and Focused Fresh Expression as a Trauma-Sensitive LGBTQIA+ Ministry
Supernatural Ministry
Faculty Mentor: Frank Billman, DMin
Faculty Consultant: Scott Kisker, PhD
Charlie R. Coleman
Pastor – Spirit and Word Christian Church, Durham, NC
Teaching the Gifts of the Spirit for Manifesting in the Local Church
Prophetic Preaching and Praxis
Faculty Mentors: Brenda Braam, DMin; Kenneth Cummings, DMin; Robert Walker, DMin
Faculty Consultant: Al Kennon, DMin
Joan M. Baucum Foy
Elder – Mount Carmel United Holy Church, Dayton, OH
A Support Group Forum for the Family and Loved Ones of the Incarcerated
Eshakhia S. Sobukwe
Pastor – Urban Community Ministry, Columbus, OH
Renewing the Church for Its Role in Discipleship Within the Urban Community
Engaging and Growing Congregations through Creative Pastoral Preaching and Leadership Models
Faculty Mentors: Danielle Brown, DMin; Charles Goodman, DMin, PhD; Philip Pointer, DMin
Faculty Consultants: Wendy Deichmann, PhD; Ian Edwards, DMin; Darlene Cook, DMin
Charles H. N. Bobo, Sr.
Senior Pastor – West Side Missionary Baptist Church, St. Louis, MO
Reaching Young Adults in a Post-Pandemic Society
Dennis Lee Bouch
Pastor – Pennington Fellowship Church, Nashville, TN
Bringing Healing to Those Who Suffer With Combat Related Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Through Prayer and Group Therapy
Diamond Brooks
Associate Minister – Maranatha Baptist Church, Queens, NY
Growing Wider to Go Higher: Developing a Model of Team Leadership for Sustainable Pastoral Ministry
David Scott Cunningham
Pastor – China Grove African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Pineville, NC
What About Them: The Compassionate Ministry of Jesus as a Model to Bridge Socio-Economic Apertures in a Community
Rodney C. Griffin, Jr.
Senior Pastor – Greater Grace Church, Merrillville, IN
Family Discipleship: Building Men To Confidently Disciple Their Families
Herman M. Hawkins, Jr.
Associate Minister – The Sanctuary At Kingdom Square, Upper Marlboro, MD
Spiritual Gifts Through Servant Leadership: A Ministry Model For The Sanctuary At Kingdom Square
· 7 ·
Anthony Lloyd Holmes, Sr.
Senior Pastor – Loudon Avenue Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Roanoke, VA
A Model for Revitalizing Men’s Ministry: An Intentional Discipleship Process
Roderick S. Parks
Senior Pastor – New Friendship Baptist Church, Baltimore, MD
Change Agent: Developing A Congregation That Fosters Community Trust and Makes Disciples for Christ
Christopher Charles White
Pastor – Shiloh Baptist Church, El Paso, TX
Man Cave: Creating a Safe Community for Young Men
Johnathan M. Wilson
Associate Minister – Mount Ararat Baptist Church, Pittsburgh, PA
Biblical and Relevant: A Preaching Model for Congregational Engagement and Spiritual Growth
Innovative Leadership: Building Leaders and Congregations for Effective Change
Faculty Mentors: Dexter Cannon, DMin; Charles Jackson, DMin
Faculty Consultant: Anthony Le Donne, PhD
Debra D. Manigault
Executive Minister – Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Washington, DC
Mix and Match; Pick and Choose: An Inclusive Model for Assimilating New Members in the Local Church
Michelle McClendon McGhee
Senior Pastor – Christ Community United Methodist Church, St. Louis, MO
Developing A Ministry Model for Young Adult Re-Engagement Back into the Local Church
Zetra Lois Ross
Co-Founder, Director of Ministries – The New Heart Ministry, Inc., Langston, OK
Developing A Ministry Model For College Students That Lead To Their Discovery of Christian Identity
Paul Bala Samura, Sr.
Student Pastor – Central United Methodist Church, Richmond, IN
Developing A Mentoring Model for Training Leaders to Mentor Youth in the Local Church
Bishop Cho Scholars: Cross-Cultural Ministry and Spiritual Leadership
Faculty Mentors: Young Jin Cho, DMin; Young Bong Kim, PhD; HiRho Park, PhD
Faculty Consultant: Andrew Park, PhD
Jiyeon Lee Kim
Pastor – Wesley United Methodist Church, Vienna, VA Training Empathetic Leadership Through Listening Prayer
Mikang Kim
Pastor – Epworth United Methodist Church, Exmore, VA
Lead by Knees: Implementing Spiritual Leadership Through Six Weeks of Daily Prayer-Based Spiritual Leadership Training at Epworth United Methodist Church
Won Gyu Lee
Pastor – Culpeper United Methodist Church, Culpeper, VA
Celebrating Diversity in the Cross-Racial and Cross-Cultural Congregation Through Conflict Transformation
Won Geun Lee
Lead Pastor – The Korean Evangelical Methodist Church of Minnesota, Wayzata, MN
Biblical Stewardship and Financial Management Training for the Nazarene Church in Kyrgyzstan
2024 Commencement
Leo Tae Youl Park
Associate Pastor – Mariners Bethel Global Methodist Church, Ocean View, DE
Implementing an Intercessory Prayer Program to Shift the Focus from Local to Global in a Korean Immigrant Church
Yoon Sun Shin
Director of International Students – United Theological Seminary, Dayton, OH
Developing Cross-Cultural Communication Within International Students at United Theological Seminary
Pastoral Care and Counseling
Faculty Mentors: Anita Coleman, DMin; Jonathan McReynolds, DMin
Faculty Consultant: Reggie Abraham, PhD
Susan Agbenoto
Lady Pastor – First Love Church, Melbourne, FL
Distinguishing Between Ecclesial Culture and Biblical Doctrine
Jonathan W. Allen, Sr.
Lead Pastor – Connect Church, Waldorf, MD
Married for Life: Changing the Trajectory of the Separation and Divorce Rate in my Context and Beyond
Rosa Katherine Hawthorne
Senior Pastor – 4 Cross Ministries, Schertz, TX
A People Evolving Beyond the Bunkers of Sexual Assault Trauma
Gardner C. Taylor Scholars: Prophetic Leadership – Social Justice and Political Action
Faculty Mentors: Leroy Cothran, DMin
Faculty Consultant: Harold Hudson, DMin
Shelly Ranell Sims
Senior Pastor – Thomas Grove African Methodist Episcopal Church, Claxton, GA
The Empowerment of African American Males in the Martin Luther King Beloved Community Disruptive Church Leadership
Faculty Mentors: Mark DeYmaz, DMin
Faculty Consultant: Pete Bellini, PhD
Daniel A. Davidson
Executive Director – Coffee with a Cause, Pasadena, CA
Redeveloping Church Property Within God’s Economy: Case Studies for Successful Leveraging of Church Assets to Sustain Ministry
Warren "Chip" Freed, Jr.
Chief Missional Strategist and Lead Teaching Pastor – Garfield Memorial Church, Cleveland, OH
“Lived Diversity" In Individual and Corporate Spiritual Development
Michael Traylor
Superintendent – River Conference of the Free Methodist Church USA, San Antonio, TX
Evaluation of Intercultural Leadership Capacities at New Hope Free Methodist Church
Randy Clark Scholars: Presenting the Gospel as Jesus Intended – In Love, Authority and Signs and Wonders
Faculty Mentors: Ian Dunn, DMin; Robert Sawvelle, DMin
Faculty Consultant: Andrew Park, PhD
Liliane Cellerier
Pastor – Christ Life Ministries, International, Bronx, NY
Innovative Strategy to Mobilize the Churched and Non-Churched for Wholistic Evangelistic Outreach to the Homeless
Brian Mangan
Missioner with the Inspire Movement – Tulsa, OK
A Training Program for the Understanding and Practice of Charisms in Evangelism at Will Rogers United Methodist Church
· 9 ·
Preaching & Leadership Development in the 21st Century
Faculty Mentor: Lee Fields, Jr., DMin
Faculty Consultant: Mary McWilliams, DMin
Sherri L. Brown Jackson
Elder – United Fellowship Full Gospel Baptist Church, New Orleans, LA
Preaching Women Matter: Overcoming Patriarchy and Establishing Models That Affirm Preaching Women in Southeast Alexandria, Louisiana
Doris Ann Sanders
Associate Minister – Tabernacle Baptist Church, Gastonia, NC
Transformational Engagement: Empowering Victims of Domestic Violence in the Gaston County Missionary Baptist Association
Garland Scott Thompson
Senior Pastor – Encountering Christ Baptist Church, Houston, TX
The Content and Container: Developing a Model of Homiletics, Hermeneutics, Teaching and Prophetic Preaching in Northeast Houston, Texas
Enacting Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Beloved Community
Faculty Mentor: C. Anthony Hunt, PhD
Faculty Consultant: Lisa Hess, PhD
Terri Krishawn Williams
Pastor – Crossroads Charge, Baltimore, MD
A Model for Radical Inclusivity in Multi-Church and Multicultural Contexts
Living the Historic Faith: Christian Wisdom for Today’s Church
Faculty Mentors: Justus Hunter, PhD; Michael Lowry, DMin; David Watson, PhD
Faculty Consultant: Vivian Johnson, PhD
Serena J. Wolfe
Pastor – Williamsport United Methodist Church, Williamsport, OH
Pressing Forward: Establishing Practices of Prayer in Pursuit of Christian Perfection
Open the Floodgates: Mobilize a Spiritual Movement
Faculty Mentor: Brian Law, DMin
Faculty Consultant: Calvin Lane, PhD
Tracie Lynn Barrett
Minister – University Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Orlando, FL
Why Relationship Matters: Covenant, Discipleship, and Congregational Accountability in Unitarian Universalism
Scott D. Carlson
Director of Congregational Development – Wisconsin Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church, Sun Prairie, WI
Congregational Renewal Through the Missional Church Consultation Initiative
Sheila Ann Hill
President – Sassy Frassy, Inc., Hebron, KY
Identifying Intergenerational Trauma in Women Through Education and Empowerment
Kelly Richard McCuaig
Pastor – Grace Methodist Church, Alamogordo, NM
Hope Through Repentance: Practicing Honest Examination of a Congregation’s Past Through the Confessional Nature of Communion
John Kendall McGill
Emotional Intelligence Trainer and Coach – We Do EQ [an emotional intelligence training program for ministry leaders], Waxhaw, NC
Utilizing Emotional Intelligence Training for Clergy to Facilitate Better Life Satisfaction and Ministry Outcomes
Matthew Lee O'Neal
Group Facilitator – Praxis, Westerville, OH
Image, Iconoclasm, and Identity: A Method for Abiding
2024 Commencement
Ryan Thomas Ray
Pastor – Mt. Olive Evangelical Lutheran Church, Hickory, NC
The Spirit In, Under, and Through: Experiencing the Holy Spirit in Lay Communion Visits
Jason C. Stanley
Coordinator for Church Revitalization – Coastal Virginia District, Virginia Conference, the United Methodist Church, Norfolk, VA
Remembering and Narrating God’s Movement: Equipping Leaders as Storytellers to Unleash a Spiritual Movement
Adunnola O. Waterman French
Pastor – Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, New Rochelle, NY
Expectant Conversations With God: Prayer Practices That Empower Clergy And Laity For Service
Effective Leadership for Creative Ministry in the Post-Modern Church
Faculty Mentors: Sir Walter Mack, Jr., PhD; Herbert Miller II, DMin
Maurice Everett Culver, Sr.
Pastor – Jerusalem Baptist Church, Ft. Wayne, IN
Building From the Outside In: Training Church Leaders to Reconnect Souls to the Local Church
Dayna LeShelle Hooks
Treasurer – The Word Fellowship Baptist Church, Brandon, FL
Establishing a Leadership Model of Biblical Principles in a Conflictual Environment
Sadler Fellows: Embracing the Shift – 21st Century Leadership Development for Innovation and Transformation Faculty Mentors: David M. Nelson, DMin; J. Elvin Sadler, DMin
Faculty Consultant: Madeline Henners, DMin
Jacqueline Dalphine Dewberry
Associate Minister – Homewood African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Pittsburgh, PA
The Way of Love: Training Class Leaders in Servant Leadership
Rooted: Church Planting and Church Revitalization in Our Diverse World
Faculty Mentors: Rudolph Rasmus, DMin; Vance Ross, DMin; Lillian Smith, DMin
Faculty Consultant: Joni Sancken, PhD
Leslie Bramlett
Pastor – Cleft of the Rock Church, San Antonio, TX
Adaptable Leadership: Deliberating Developing Crisis Leaders
Darryl A. Burton, Sr.
Senior Pastor – Converted Heart Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Silver Spring, MD
Developing a Ministry Model for Leaders to Evangelize to the Unchurched Through Small Groups
Nicolle D. Harris Jean-Simon
Pastor – Duryee Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Schenectady, NY
Where Will the Poor People Go? A Look at Gentrification Through the Lens of Faith
Seth Humphries
Lead Pastor – The Living Church, Columbus, OH
Fingerprint: A Practical Theology for Personalized and Unique Evangelism Through Effective Preaching
· 11 ·
The Harold Hudson Scholars: Building Bridges for Church and Community Wholeness through Preaching, Christian Education, and Visioning Leadership
Faculty Mentors: Carl Solomon, DMin; Lisa Weah, DMin
Faculty Consultant: Kevin Taylor, DMin
Tellis Jerome Chapman
Pastor – Galilee Missionary Baptist Church, Detroit, MI
Building Bridges Between the Church and the Black Community Through a Self-Determination Practice
Chaplaincy for All Ministries
Faculty Mentors: Moses Taiwo, PhD
Samuel Andre Temoney
Pastor – Quinn Chapel, Sumter, SC
A Healing Ministry of Forgiveness For Post-Incarcerated Individuals
*PRAYER FOR GRADUATES President Millard
*HYMN Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
Verse 1
Love divine, all loves excelling, joy of heaven, to earth come down; fix in us thy humble dwelling; all thy faithful mercies crown! Jesus thou art all compassion, pure, unbounded love thou art; visit us with thy salvation; enter every trembling heart.
Verse 2
Breathe, O breathe thy loving Spirit into every troubled breast! Let us all in thee inherit; let us find that second rest. Take away our bent to sinning; Alpha and Omega be; end of faith, as its beginning, set our hearts at liberty.
Verse 3
Come, Almighty to deliver, let us all thy life receive; suddenly return and never, nevermore thy temples leave. Thee we would be always blessing, serve thee as thy hosts above, pray and praise thee without ceasing, glory in thy perfect love.
Verse 4
Finish, then, thy new creation; pure and spotless let us be. Let us see thy great salvation perfectly restored in thee; changed from glory into glory, till in heaven we take our place, till we cast our crowns before thee, lost in wonder, love, and praise.
*DISMISSAL AND BLESSING Bishop Swanson President Millard
Brothers and sisters in Christ, be confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Amen. Philippians 1:6
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen.
2 Corinthians 13:14
*THE RECESSIONAL
Please remain at your seats until all the graduates have recessed.
2024 Commencement
SPECIAL GUESTS
Keynote
Speaker
Bishop JaMes swanson
Bishop James E. Swanson Sr. is a retired bishop of The United Methodist Church. A native of Houston, Texas, he committed his life to Christ at age 8 and received the call to ministry while serving in the US Army in Vietnam.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in Christian ministry from Southern Bible College, a Master of Divinity in pastoral ministry and Christian education from the Interdenominational Theological Center at Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary, and a Doctor of Ministry from Southern Methodist University Perkins School of Theology. Rust College and Gammon Theological Seminary awarded honorary doctorates to him in 2013 and 2016, respectively.
He began his ministry in the South Georgia Conference of The United Methodist Church, where he was ordained a deacon in 1981 and ordained an elder in 1984. He became the first cross-racially appointed pastor in the South Georgia Conference with his appointment to St. Mary’s Road UMC (Columbus, Georgia), which grew exponentially under his 14 years of leadership. In 2001, he joined the Bishop’s Cabinet and served for three years as Chief Missional Strategist for the Savannah District.
Following his election to the episcopacy in 2004, he served the Holston Conference of The UMC until 2012 and the Mississippi Conference of The UMC from 2012 through his retirement on January 1, 2023. In April 2023, he began his current role as Bishop-in-Residence at United Theological Seminary.
From 2017 to 2020, Swanson served as the president of the General Commission of United Methodist Men, and he is once again leading the ministry as its interim general secretary (2024– ). He is a member of the International Association of Methodist Schools, Colleges and Universities. He serves on the board of trustees for Emory University, Rust College, and Millsaps College, and he is chair of the board of trustees at Gammon Theological Seminary.
Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters
Mr. JaMes Tharp
James “Jim” Tharp was born in Columbus, Ohio, and raised in the small town of Crooksville, Ohio. He spent his first year of college at Florida Institute of Technology playing basketball before transferring to Ohio University, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree.
After working three summers for The Shelly Company, a large highway contractor, Jim was offered a management position in their Cincinnati division. He ended up spending 37 years in various positions with the company, including many years as the Vice President and General Manager. Early in his career, he received a Master’s of Business Administration from Xavier University.
Jim served as chair of United Theological Seminary’s Board of Trustees for nine years (2014-2023), having first joined the board as a trustee in 2009. Under his leadership, United began working toward paying off its debts, paying off the $4 million mortgage debt on the seminary’s 150th anniversary on October 11, 2021, and completing payment of $3.3 million in endowment debt in May 2024 to become debt-free.
Jim and his wife, Beverly, met in Cincinnati and were married in 1982. Jim grew up in the Church of Christ (Disciples) and Beverly grew up in the Southern Baptist Church. They were married in the United Methodist Church and have been members ever since.
Beverly spent her 35-year career with Procter and Gamble Co. Both Jim and Beverly are now retired in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are blessed with a daughter and son and six grandchildren.
· 13 ·
Honored Alumni/ae
reV. TiM BurDen
Son of Rev. Mark and Leora Burden, Timothy Mark Burden grew up in an EUB preacher's home. His parents read Bible stories to him and his sister daily, and Tim received Jesus Christ as Savior at an early age. Those stories and the simple Gospel have stayed with Tim throughout his ministry as a pastor for 43 years and as a missionary for more than six years. During his junior year of high school, Tim experienced a call to the ministry.
Tim majored in psychology at Malone College in Canton, Ohio, where he met his wife, Elizabeth Thomas. Tim transferred to Ohio Northern University (Ada, Ohio) for his last two years of college and was appointed as a student pastor at Bluffton Trinity United Methodist Church. Upon graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Tim enrolled at Asbury Theological Seminary (Wilmore, Kentucky) and, after one year, transferred to Melodyland School of Theology (Anaheim, California). After three years, the Lord miraculously opened a door for Tim to return to the United Methodist Church and to achieve a Master of Divinity from United Theological Seminary in 1983.
In 1984 Tim and Beth moved their family to Amsterdam, Holland, and joined Youth With A Mission, serving as Discipleship Training School Directors for three years. In 1987 Tim returned to Ohio as Associate Pastor at Mills Memorial UMC (Lancaster, Ohio). While serving churches in West Ohio, Tim shared his passion for missions, taking teams on short-term mission trips to Mexico, Cuba, and Haiti. In 2009 Tim earned a Doctor of Ministry from Ashland Theological Seminary with an emphasis on Spiritual Formation. His dissertation was on the renewal of the local church using short-term mission trips. This soon took the form of a book, FUEGO! Get Them Out of Those Pews.
After retiring from the pastorate in 2018, Tim and Beth continue their mission passion by taking teams on mission trips where they teach and hold conferences, seeing many lives transformed.
reV. Dr. Charlie sTallworTh
Rev. Dr. C. L. Stallworth is in his 18th year as senior pastor of East End Baptist Tabernacle Church (Bridgeport, Connecticut). He serves as a senior policy fellow teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in public policy and administration at Connecticut’s Fairfield University, and teaching in the Black Church Ministries program at Hartford International University for Religion and Peace. Dr. Stallworth began ministering at the age of 16 following the faith-based liberation activist teachings of his father and mother which linked Christian faith and social justice activism as a path to empowerment and freedom.
During 12 years as a state representative, Representative Stallworth successfully advanced Democratic priorities with intellectual composition and oratory in the midst of opposition efforts to submerge the legislature as an institution into a deadlocked, nonproductive quagmire of incivility. His persistent and rational approach to policy debate and ability to secure bi-partisan support for legislative advances in education, public health, prison reform, and veterans’ services led to his elevation from majority whip to deputy Democratic majority leader, and, eventually, assistant deputy speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives. Along with the lessons learned from his parents, family, and his years as a young minister and later pastor, was the rigorous scholarship that accompanied obtaining a bachelor’s degree from Selma University, and two master’s degrees from Vanderbilt University, School of Divinity, and Yale University, School of Divinity, respectively, and a doctoral degree from United Theological Seminary. This mastery coupled with an intrinsic desire to positively affect social justice where it counts — at the street level — is what has made the Representative Rev. Dr. Charlie Stallworth not only one of the 100 Most Influential African Americans in Connecticut but one of the shining national examples of sustained faith-based social activism.
reV. Dr. ByounG saM KiM
Rev. Dr. Byoung Sam Kim is senior pastor of Manna Church in Korea. He graduated from United Theological Seminary in 1988 with a Doctor of Missiology. He earned master’s degrees from Methodist Theological University (Seoul, Korea) and Garrett Theological Seminary (Evanston, Illinois).
He is also the president of the World Human Bridge Organization and the chairman of Haneuldari Hospice Organization. He has served as a board member of United Theological Seminary, Methodist Theological University, Kukmin Cultural Foundation, and CTS Christian Television.
He was born into a pastoral family and studied theology, but becoming a pastor was the last thing he wanted. However, after experiencing the grace of God as a chaplain, he came to regard pastoral ministry as the most important mission, and he is dedicated to serving in ministry with passion in order to build a church that is pleasing to God and to nurture church members spiritually.
He dreams of a missionary church that “gathers to scatter” and a dynamic church that can “overpass the wall” according to God’s call and mission. The members of Manna Church are diverse in age and origin, and people
2024 Commencement
of all denominations come together in worship. Based on the church’s vision of becoming a missionary church with the help of it's members, there have been many positive results and efforts for church growth and renewal.
He believes that a church where members are happy and a church the world approves of are what God rejoices in above all else. After considering and implementing many new ideas, including a church coffee shop and an art gallery where non-Christians are free to gather, a smoking area within the church campus, and special performances during worship, his ministry has sought to make church members and community neighbors happy.
Bishop Teresa e snorTon
Bishop Teresa E. Snorton is the ecumenical bishop and program development officer of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. In that role, she represents the CME Church at national and worldwide events and is responsible for grants for the denomination’s special projects. She previously served as presiding bishop of the Fifth Episcopal District (Alabama and Florida) and the Eleventh Episcopal District (East Africa). Bishop Snorton is also the chaplain endorser for the denomination.
Bishop Snorton is chair of Friendship Press, the publishing arm of the National Council of Churches, and immediate past chair of: the National Council of Churches in the USA, the board of trustees of the Interdenominational Theological Center (Atlanta, Georgia), and the board of trustees of Miles College (Fairfield, Alabama).
She serves on the boards of the CME Connectional Headquarters, the Commission on the Concerns of Women in Ministry, and the Commission on Archives. In addition, she serves on the Pan Methodist Commission, National Religious Partnership for the Environment, Churches Uniting in Christ, the World Methodist Council, World Council of Churches, and the advisory board of the Candler School of Theology at Emory University.
Snorton attended public schools in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, Vanderbilt University (BA, 1977), Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary (MDiv, 1980), Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (ThM, 1987), Virginia Commonwealth University (Patient Counseling Certificate, 1988), and United Theological Seminary (DMin, 2000).
She is an instructor/mentor in the Doctor of Ministry program at Payne Theological Seminary, and a retired ACPE educator and Board-Certified Chaplain (APC/BCCI). She is the former executive director of ACPE, Inc. (2000-2011) and executive director of spiritual care at Emory Health (1990-2000). She was adjunct instructor at Virginia Commonwealth University (1987-1990), the School of Theology at Virginia Union University (1988-1990), and Candler School of Theology at Emory University (1990-2010).
She is an author and the founder of The Academy for Public Theology, whose premier programs include the Connectional CPE for Clergy and The Phenomenal Women's Summit. She is a life member of the NAACP and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. In 2024, she was inducted into Morehouse College’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Board of Preachers.
reV. Dr leroy CoThran
Rev. Dr. Leroy Cothran was born and reared in the city of Rome, Georgia. After matriculating through the Floyd County public school system, he enlisted in the United States Air Force. He accepted Christ and was called to preach at the age of nine. In 1983, Dr. Cothran rededicated his life to Christ and received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. From that life-changing experience, Dr. Cothran began to operate in the gifts of the spirit with an emphasis on the gifts of healing, deliverance, words of knowledge, and prophecy. Dr Cothran confesses that the moment he received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, was the exact moment he found himself.
Dr. Cothran presently serves as senior pastor of United Missionary Baptist Church (Dayton, Ohio). Under his 32 years of leadership, many souls have been led to Christ and the congregation has experienced numerous healings.
Dr. Cothran received a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Park University, and a Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry from United Theological Seminary. At present, Dr. Cothran serves at United Theological Seminary as a faculty mentor for the Doctor of Ministry program, an academic advisor to Master of Divinity students, and an adjunct professor.
Dr. Cothran has served as a board member of the Dayton View Academy (Edison Schools), the Montgomery County Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Coalition, and the Montgomery County Infant Mortality Coalition. Currently, Dr. Cothran serves on the Wesley Dayton Board. This board serves as a catalyst, convener, and connector in support of the citizens, businesses, and organizations of the Westwood neighborhood and West Dayton to improve and enhance the physical, financial, social, emotional, and spiritual well-being of the community. When time permits, Dr. Cothran enjoys fishing and reading. His greatest moment is when someone gives their life to Christ.
· 15 ·
Thank you for attending the Commencement Celebration for 2024 Graduates
Graduates and guests are invited to a reception immediately following the ceremony
Special thanks and appreciation to the organizations, staff and faculty who participated and contributed to the 2024 Commencement program.
Christian Life Center for hosting Oakwood Brass for their gift of music
United’s Alumni/ae Association for sponsoring the student reception All the staff and faculty
Our Mission: United prepares faithful and fruitful Christian leaders to make disciples of Jesus Christ.
United Theological Seminary communications and marketing professionals will be gathering still images and video for use on seminary social media and websites, as well as for other marketing and news purposes. Your participation in the public ceremony grants United Theological Seminary permission to use your likeness in such material.