2022-2023 Annual Report

Annual Report July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023

In this Issue 4 President’s Update

Dr. Millard on the process of progress

6 Fresh Wind Campaign "Takes Flight"

Learn more about the initiative to reduce student debt

10 12 13

Making a Global Impact

United students and graduates in ministry around the world Donor Spotlight

Steve Ellis is planting seeds of hope The Shepherd's Fund Giving back to retired clergy

14 New Faces at United

Get to know the newest leaders at United

18 Your Impact

Recognizing all who supported the Seminary in the last year

28 News and Notes

united.edu

Updates from United's faculty and alumni/ae

37 Dynamite Prayer

A breakthrough prayer initiative from the Bishop Bruce Ough Innovation Center

A Christian seminary affiliated with The United Methodist Church, United is a community of learning and faith with representation from many ecumenical traditions.

Every effort has been made to prepare this publication with accuracy according to donor records from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023. To report any errors, please contact: Mandy Wood Office of Development United Theological Seminary 4501 Denlinger Road, Dayton, OH 45426 937.529.2206 • development@united.edu

Spirit Led, Renewing the Church!

Here at United

3

Life at United is never boring!

It seems God is always up to something, whether it is provision through grants or generous gifts, new programs developed by faculty or through the Bishop Bruce Ough Innovation Center, miracles and breakthroughs happening in the classroom or through one-onone times of prayer, or simply the joy of being a part of God’s Kingdom work — stories you will read in this year’s Annual Report.

You are part of this movement. Thank you for your prayers, generosity, referrals of prospective students, and encouragement.

Lately, we have been leaning into the experience of the disciples living in that already-butnot-yet tension of life following the resurrection of Jesus. On that first Pentecost, a group was gathered in the upper room, celebrating Passover and waiting on the promise of the Holy Spirit.

“Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven… All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:2, 4).

We’ve been praying “Lord, breathe your fresh wind of the Holy Spirit on us.” That’s our heart behind the recently launched Fresh Wind: Where the Spirit Takes Flight campaign. The goal of this campaign is to add $10 million to the endowment for scholarships, more than quadrupling the amount of endowed scholarships at United, through gifts made over up to five years and with estate gifts. This will allow more men and women to answer God’s call to ministry and graduate with less encumbering debt.

In just over a year, more than $6 million has been given or committed to the Fresh Wind campaign! Again, life at United is never boring, and we are trusting that God will continue to surprise us with more than we could ask or even imagine. Our prayer throughout this campaign is not just for an abundance of God’s provision, but also an abundance of God’s presence. Will you join us in praying:

Lord, breathe your fresh wind of the Holy Spirit on us!

Gratefully yours in Christ,

Callie Picardo Vice President for Development

Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven... All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:2, 4

President’s Update “Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21 At United we have been preparing for one of our regular accreditation evaluations by The Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools. As we looked back at what God has done since their last visit in 2017, Ephesians 3:20-21 has been on my mind, because it is abundantly far more than all we could have asked or imagined six years ago. Here is a summary of what has happened since 2017: Financial Stability:

▪ United's $4 million mortgage was completely paid off.

▪ A $3 million debt to the Seminary’s endowment will be paid down to $650,000 by December 2023, and $0 by June 2026.

annual report 22|23

▪ The total value of the Seminary’s endowment plus long-term investments has grown from $5 million to more than $10 million.

▪ Each year, United has operated with a balanced annual budget of about $7 million and, for the past three years, has received the highest financial composite score possible of 3.0 from the United States Department of Education.

▪ Over $5 million in grants has been received for specific educational purposes.

▪ More than $6 million has been given or committed to the newly launched Fresh Wind campaign to raise $10 million for the scholarship endowment.

Enrollment:

▪ Since the seminary’s 150th anniversary in 2021, master’s enrollment has grown from 182 in Fall 2021 to 247 in Fall 2023, and doctoral enrollment has increased from 217 to 224.

▪ There are now seven Houses of Study for denominational, church renewal and/or language- and culture-based ministry, including online Spanish and Korean Houses of Study. These Houses of Study have enrolled over 120 new master’s students in the United States and around the world.

We give thanks to God for our faculty, staff, trustees, alumni/ae and donors who have glorified God by their deep faith in God and visionary Christian leadership which has enabled us to fulfill our mission to prepare faithful and fruitful Christian leaders who make disciples of Jesus Christ.

As we look at all that God is doing among us, we say with St. Paul: “God is accomplishing abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine!”

Thanks be to God! Dr. Kent Millard President

Spirit Led, Renewing the Church!

United by the Numbers

5

2022–2023 Academic Year Enrollment*

61% Male

547 Students ▪ 45% Doctoral ▪ 55% Masters 2%

39% Female

1%

43% Black or African American 9%

27% White 18% International

43%

18%

9% Hispanic 2% Asian or Pacific Islander

27%

1% Two or more races Students from

43

87%

Denominations

Alumni/ae Are Serving in or Retired from Ministry

▪ Students from 36 states ▪ 61 International Students from 19 Countries 0.5%

Income 2022 | 2023

6% 7.9%

Average Scholarship/Student Aid Amount

$1,552

Gifts and Grants | 43.9% | $6,027,000 43.9%

41.8%

Gross Tuition and Fees | 41.8% | $5,735,000 Other | 7.9% | $1,081,000 Ministerial Education Fund | 6% | $825,000

r

Endowment | 0.5% | $64,000

83%

of United Students Received Scholarships or Student Aid

The income amounts reported were derived from pre-audited financial statements of the Seminary for the year ended June 30, 2023.

*Figures represent those who responded. All figures rounded to the nearest whole number.

Source: united.edu/ataglance2023

Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven... All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:2, 4

Fresh Wind: Where the Spirit Takes Flight

We believe God is calling United to launch the

Fresh Wind: Where the Spirit Takes Flight campaign to grow the endowment, providing scholarships for students for generations to come.

CAMPAIGN GOAL:

united.edu

$10

MILLION

to endow scholarships

UNITED’S SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT

$10M

will increase endowed scholarships by more than

$3M currently provides for $150K annually scholarships

$13M

will produce

$650K annually for scholarships

4X

*United Theological Seminary Financial Aid Office. April 2021. Data represents the average student educational debt upon graduation for 2019-2020 master’s and doctoral degree-seeking graduates.

Spirit Led, Renewing the Church!

An Evening with Governor Taft On April 20, friends from the Dayton area and beyond came together to hear former Ohio Governor Bob Taft speak on the positive impact of strong church congregations and leaders in local communities. Members of Bellbrook United Methodist Church in Bellbrook, OH, Gov. Taft and his wife, Hope, have experienced firsthand the leadership of graduates of United Theological Seminary who have served as their pastors. They believe in the need for strong leaders of the church as well as scholarships to support those leaders. This event was designed to help raise awareness and donations for the Fresh Wind campaign.

Rev. Joshua Ward, Pastor of Omega Baptist Church, shares his testimony of how United has shaped his life and ministry, remembering with special fondness the lessons he learned from his Pastoral Care Professor, the late Dr. Emma Justes.

Governor Bob Taft speaks about the need for church leaders in local communities

United President Kent Millard

Dr. Tom Lasley, a member of the Seminary’s Board of Trustees, shares his passion for supporting the campaign and the need for generous people who have the courage and patience to invest in scholarships for long-term generational impact.

Rev. Dr. Tesia L. Mallory, Dean of Chapel, and Maurice Kidd, guest worship leader.

Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven... All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:2, 4

7

Fresh Wind Campaign Prayer is the Foundation From the moment the idea of a campaign to grow the endowment for scholarships was conceived, it has been covered in prayer. As soon as the campaign was officially approved, one of the first teams organized was a prayer team, led by Doctor of Ministry alumnae Dr. Cinda Swan '13 and Dr. Laura Harris '13.

For over a year, they have weekly gathered a team of prayer warriors to intercede for this campaign. Our desire is not just for an abundance of God’s provision, but also for an abundance of God’s presence, so the prayer team has been praying that everyone involved in this campaign would experience God with them in greater ways as they get involved.

The campaign launched with a breakthrough prayer that has been shortened to a breath prayer. We invite you to pause now and pray this prayer for yourself, for United, for this campaign, and for the students studying at the seminary: Lord, breathe Your fresh wind of the Holy Spirit on us.

annual report 22|23

Watch your email for more invitations to pray throughout the year.

Fresh Wind Leadership The Fresh Wind campaign to increase the Seminary’s endowment is a collective effort. Meet a few of the faithful leaders who are committed to reducing the burden of debt for future seminarians.

Jim Holsinger and Jim Tharp Campaign Chairs

Dr. Jim Holsinger is the current chair of United’s Board of Trustees, and Mr. Jim Tharp is the immediate past chair. A resident of Lexington, KY, Dr. Holsinger is Chancellor Emeritus of University of Kentucky Medical Center. A retired US Army Reserve major general, he served as the Under Secretary for Health in the US Department of Veterans Affairs from 1990 to Jim Holsinger Jim Tharp 1993, and as Kentucky's Secretary of Health and Family Services from 2003 to 2005. Mr. Tharp is retired from business management, having served as the manager of Shelly Company, a paving contractor based in Thornville, OH. He has provided leadership on numerous church boards and chaired United’s Board of Trustees for the past nine years.

Vicki and Rick James

Honorary Co-Chairs

Rick and Vicki James have a Kingdom perspective that everything they have belongs to the Lord, and they are the stewards. Residents of Fort Wayne, IN, Rick is founder, chairman and CEO of Metal Technologies, and together Rick and Vicki lead The James Foundation as chairman and president. They were active in the early dreaming stages of the campaign and are leading the way with their generosity giving both during their lifetime and with an estate gift to establish the Kent and Cheri Millard Endowed Scholarship at United.

Spirit Led, Renewing the Church!

9 Dr. Elvin Sadler and Bishop Sir Walter Mack, Jr. '97 Doctoral Scholarships

Dr. Elvin Sadler and Bishop Sir Walter Mack, Jr. have been longtime leaders in the Church and in United’s doctoral program.

Dr. Sadler is the General Secretary–Auditor for the AME Zion denomination and the Associate Dean for Doctoral Studies at United. Bishop Mack is the innovative pastor and leader of 4,000-member Union Baptist Church (Winston-Salem, NC) and J. Elvin Sadler Sir Walter Mack a mentor in United’s doctoral program. Both have a passion for passing on the spiritual legacy they have inherited and have established their own endowed doctoral scholarships, while encouraging others.

Rev. Dr. Michael '90 and Carolyn Slaughter Major Gifts

Pastor Emeritus of Ginghamsburg United Methodist Church, Rev. Dr. Michael Slaughter has served the Lord faithfully for decades with his wife Carolyn. They have established an endowed scholarship, and Rev. Slaughter is serving on the major gifts committee of the Fresh Wind campaign to encourage others to invest in future leaders of the Church to change the world.

Rev. Dr. Ted Sauter '72

Pacesetter Gifts and United Ambassador

Rev. Dr. Ted Sauter retired after serving as an elder in the Florida Annual Conference and as pastor of 2,200-member North Naples United Methodist Church. He and his wife Ginger are making a generous gift to endowed scholarships through their estate, and Rev. Sauter is working with donors and alumni/ae to share the impact God is making through United.

Rev. Bob Coleman '72

Honoring Clergy Scholarships

When Rev. Bob Coleman retired from being Senior Pastor of Grace United Methodist Church (Franklin, IN), many from the church gave generously to establish the Coleman Scholarship at United. Rev. Coleman is now helping other groups who want to honor clergy members who made an impact through their ministry.

Campaign Progress 7 New Estate

Named Endowed Scholarships as of October 2023

45 Pre-campaign + 42 Fresh Wind Campaign

87Total as of

Gifts

$6.2committed toward million

GOAL$10

mi llion

100% Faculty Giving

100% Trustee Giving

October 2023

Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven... All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:2, 4

The Global Impact of United Leo Park | Master of Divinity ′15, current Doctor of Ministry student New Jersey Following the hardships that touched the world during the COVID-19 pandemic, many have experienced doubts and anxieties about the future of the Church. Rev. Leo Park joined United’s doctoral program to do something about it.

Leo centered his project around prayer to move Korean Evangelical Methodist Church of Minnesota from anxiety about the future to intercession for global impact. Through a six-week intercessory prayer training, Leo aimed to shift their mindset from numerical growth to spiritual growth.

“John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, prayed every day around 4 a.m. on his knees in the corner of his bedroom. This is the birthplace of Methodism and its DNA,” he says. “I want to restore this DNA.”

"The Doctor of Ministry program at [United] is truly phenomenal, innovative, and uniquely designed… to help me reaffirm [my] call to ministry and to help me live out that call in a practical way," says Leo.

united.edu

Joseph Mulongo | Master of Ministry ′23 Democratic Republic of the Congo

Rev. Joseph Mulongo had been working toward seminary for more than a decade. An experienced pastor, district superintendent and leader in the North Katanga and Tanganyika conferences of The United Methodist Church, he still desired to go deeper in his ministry through a seminary education.

This goal came to fruition through the support of Grace United Methodist Church in Franklin, Indiana, whose congregation embraced him as part of their community and provided for education, travel and living expenses.

The experience has given him the tools he hoped for. “United reshaped my spiritual life and gave me a new taste for the ministry of the Word,” he reflects.

As Joseph returns to ministry in the DRC, he is continuing his position as Director of Connectional Ministries in the North Katanga and Tanganyika conferences and is preparing to take on the new role of theological educator. He will be teaching at two North Katanga Conference seminaries as well as two non-Methodist seminaries, shaping future leaders to do the work of the Church in the world.

Spirit Led, Renewing the Church!

11 Daisy Globh | Master of Ministry ′23 Sierra Leone

With each student who comes to United, the impact of their education is multiplied through their ministry. That multiplication is exponential in the case of Rev. Daisy Gbloh. An experienced pastor in Sierra Leone, Daisy was encouraged by the late Bishop John Yambasu to attend United so that she could become a professor at the Bishop Wenner School of Theology at the United Methodist University — Sierra Leone. After graduating in August 2023, Daisy has returned to her home country to do just that.

Now, what she has learned at United will ripple through the ministries of each pastor she teaches in Sierra Leone.

“The love of the Gospel brought me to United,” says Daisy. “A man cannot give what [he doesn’t] have.

Therefore, I needed to come to United [to] be trained and be prepared enough to go out and do ministry and missions in earnest.”

Daisy’s education was made possible by the generous people of Carmel United Methodist Church in Carmel, Indiana, who covered the cost of her education, travel and living expenses throughout her seminary journey. It is her hope that God will continue to call and bless the donors who help support students as they complete their studies and train others to spread the gospel in Africa and beyond, for the transformation of the world.

Derick Jaramillo | Master of Divinity student Mexico The child of missionaries and church planters, Derick Jaramillo started out in music ministry and began to feel God’s call to lead the church.

Now a pastor in Monterrey, Mexico, Derick is being further equipped through a Spanish-language Master of Divinity in United’s Hispanic House of Study. A grant from Lilly Endowment Inc.’s Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative is underwriting the cost of this predominantly online program, allowing classes to be offered at a more affordable rate for international students.

Derick’s heart is to share the gospel of Jesus Christ however possible.

He sees studying at United as a way to “gain greater resources to serve the Lord, to be able to share the word of the Lord, and above all, [for] the edification of the church.”

Derick encourages others, “I invite you, if you are receiving a calling from God to prepare yourself, do not resist it. Listen to Him. And together we will be able to say, I am United.”

Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven... All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:2, 4

Donor Spotlight | Steve Ellis Planting Seeds of Hope Steve Ellis (MDiv '97) knows the value of scholarships first-hand. At 45 years old, God called Steve out of the business world and into ministry. That posed a challenge because affording seminary on a $12,000-a-year student pastor salary wasn’t plausible. “I was barely able to survive,” Steve recalls.

Miraculously, he was offered a full scholarship to attend United in 1995. “I would not have made it through seminary had it not been for that scholarship,” Steve remembers. “It was a major deal for me.”

With the double blessing of the scholarship and his United education, Steve wanted to give back, so he started sowing seeds…literally.

On his farmland in Indiana, Steve planted 100 hardwood trees for United. One day, when they’re big enough, the trees can be harvested and sold for lumber, with the proceeds going to United’s Fresh Wind campaign for student scholarships, sowing spiritual seeds. That’s the legacy Steve wants to leave.

“I wish I could donate hundreds and thousands of dollars, but pastors don’t make that much money,” Steve explains. Planting trees was Steve’s creative alternative to do just that.

annual report 22|23

Then, Steve had a ”wild and crazy idea,” as he describes it, to gather a group of friends who also own farmland and encourage them to plant walnut and oak trees with the pledge of future profits going to United.

On July 15 in Greenfield, Indiana, Steve gathered 14 friends from his previous church to meet President Kent Millard and hear his testimony and idea for funding future scholarships. While some who came preferred to write a check instead (always welcome!), others are considering sowing seeds like Steve did.

“I hope it works out. I really do,” says Steve. “I probably won’t live long enough to see it, but maybe somebody else will.”

“United will always have a soft spot for me because I made good friends there, friends from overseas.

It was just a very good experience.”

Learn more about how to give at united.edu/fresh-wind-campaign

The Shepherd’s Fund

13

Elders who are leading well should be admired and valued. Double up on the honor shown them; care for them well — especially those constantly and consistently teaching the word and preaching.

1 Timothy 5:17

In the summer of 2022, United began a partnership with The Shepherd’s Fund organization established to serve and bless retired clergy and their spouses by providing financial assistance when a medical event or other crisis creates a hardship.

We are pleased to report that, since that time, $400,000 has been distributed to United alumni/ae families through this partnership (representing 40 alumni/ae who have been approved to receive this $10,000 grant).

The Shepherd’s Fund was founded with the vision of helping those who have faithfully served Christ and the Church when health issues impact their ability to pay their medical bills or household expenses. Eligible beneficiaries include clergy, local church pastors, missionaries and seminary professors.

Through this fund, United alumni/ae and/or their spouses may qualify for an assistance grant of up to $10,000 each in a calendar year. They are also eligible to receive the grant in subsequent years, especially in the event of chronic, ongoing medical conditions.

So far, this fund has been an answer to prayer for several United alumni/ae families, each in a unique situation, who qualified for this fund.

Several recipients have shared about their experience with The Shepherd’s Fund: ▪ “We are so grateful for The Shepherd’s Fund. They have just been wonderful in responding to our needs.

Very quickly they came to our aid and have been such a godsend to us.”

▪ “The application process was very easy.”

▪ “The Shepherd’s Fund has been such a blessing to me for the last past year! My contact person has been phenomenal!! Always available and always helpful.”

▪ “This fund has been a bridge over troubled waters.”

Our hope is that this fund will be a blessing to many more faithful leaders who have blessed so many in the Church.

Learn more about The Shepherd’s Fund at www.united.edu/the-shepherds-fund or contact Harriet Watson at hwatson@united.edu or 937.529.2291

New faces at United Bishop James Edward Swanson, Sr. United Methodist Bishop-in-Residence

How did you realize God was calling you into ministry?

As far back as I can recall, I’ve always loved going to church. I felt at home there. My memory of first thinking about ministry was sparked during the summer of my eighth birthday. I was walking from my aunt’s home toward my home, and I met a man walking towards me on the sidewalk. He patted me on the head and said to me, “Hello, little preacher.” I said hello to him and continued to walk. When I realized what he had said I turned to look back at him and he was gone. That moment changed my life. And I couldn’t shake those words, “Hello, little preacher,” from my mind. Those words stayed with me until one night at a prayer meeting I said “Yes, Lord.”

Is there a pivotal moment or person that shaped your faith journey?

Elder Arthur J. Buddage was my pastor when I was eight, and he preached a sermon one Sunday morning that compelled me to ask my mother if Jesus really loved me, even when I was bad. She said yes. So, I asked her, “What does Jesus want from me?” She said he just wants you to give him your heart.

She led me in a prayer of forgiveness and acceptance of God’s love into my heart. The people of my churches and other childhood saints nurtured me in the faith from that time on.

united.edu

What are you most looking forward to in your role as Bishop-in-Residence at United?

I want to do for the students that come to United what Elder Buddage, my mother, the saints of my home churches, two Army Chaplains, Bishop Cornelius Henderson, Ed Bufford and so many others have done for me on my journey and continue to do for me even now. They helped me to hear God’s voice and trust the Holy Spirit speaking to me. They taught me to walk faithfully, to be fruitful in my life, and to work as unto God. I desire to open my life as a book before United’s students, faculty, administrators, donors and others as a witness that God is real, Jesus yet saves, and the Holy Spirit is still empowering people to carry on the ministry of Jesus Christ to this world.

In my role as Bishop-in Residence I’m looking forward to being a learner within this academic community, learning from students, faculty members, administrators, guest lecturers and ancillary persons I will encounter in this role. And more than anything else, I’m looking forward to bringing to

Spirit Led, Renewing the Church!

15

Bishop James Swanson was installed as Bishop-in-Residence during Opening Convocation on October 11, 2023. Delphine Swanson, his wife, joined him as he was introduced. (Pictured, L-R: Chad Clark, Bridget Weatherspoon, Bishop Swanson, Delphine Swanson, Kent Millard, David Watson)

United the benefits of my experiences that I believe will augment what the Holy Spirit is already doing here. I will also endeavor to keep before United the necessity of producing spiritual leaders to fulfill God’s mission for local churches in their context that will serve both locally and globally.

Now that you are retired is there something fun you like to do with your time?

Retirement has opened a whole new venue to me of searching my heart to discover if there are other ways I can live life fully with joy and celebration. I was already an avid golfer but refused to carve out time in my life to enjoy it more. Thanks to developing new friends, I’m doing that now. With the assistance of those friends, I’m trying to finally complete a book that has been on my heart for 15 years. I’m spending more time with my wife especially around the house and just enjoying watching her enjoy “her” home. Of course, I grumble about babysitting the grandkids, but they bring me lots of joy. Believe it or not, I still love to travel.

Any advice for someone just starting a career in ministry?

There are many things I would say to those just beginning to answer their call in ministry but let me make it brief. Above everything, learn how to love yourself by being in constant communication with God. Please notice and store the compliments you will receive on this journey and go back and review them when you are feeling useless. Make friends with people who will help you to laugh while being serious about this gift of service and life. Lastly, keep your eyes open to the beauty of God’s creation, all of it. And that includes your family.

Anything else you’d like to share with the United community?

Continue to scrutinize the details while staying focused on the mission. We are the stewards of what God has given to The United Methodist Church in particular and, because we are followers of John Wesley, we open ourselves to the world as our parish. The world is rather large and the people we seek to serve are many. But, thanks be to God, the Holy Spirit came and with the coming of the Holy Spirit we are empowered to reach more, teach more and help to transform more as we combine our gifts together. I hear and feel a Fresh Wind blowing and I’m glad to be.

Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven... All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:2, 4

New faces at United

Pauline Buisch Assistant Professor of Old Testament Dr. Pauline Paris Buisch joined the faculty of United Theological Seminary on July 1, 2023, as Assistant Professor of Old Testament.

She recently completed a PhD in Hebrew Bible and Early Judaism from the University of Notre Dame, and is currently writing her first book on the biblical motif of the woman facing the threat of childlessness.

Tell us about a pivotal moment or person that shaped your faith journey.

The pastor of the church I attended in college had a significant impact on my Christian journey. His teaching provided my faith with a theological scaffolding and gave me a vision for how the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, came together to function as Christian Scripture.

annual report 22|23

What are you most excited about in coming to United?

I am excited to help students learn to enjoy the Old Testament.

It’s a wonderfully fascinating library of texts, and I am looking forward to diving in with them.

Why did you pick your field of study?

Even as a child, I was fascinated by the mysterious world of the Old Testament. Then during my seminary studies, it was learning to read the Old Testament in Hebrew that ultimately led to my choice to pursue Old Testament studies.

What do you like to do outside of work?

I have three young children, so outside of work, you can find me at the splash pad, making play-dough or chasing after a child scootering down the sidewalk. My husband and I also enjoy reading novels aloud together. Right now, we’re reading Olav Audunsson by Sigrid Undset.

Where do you see God moving in the Church today?

There is a growing movement, particularly among young people, toward a more intentionally historic expression of Christianity. I think this return to the basics, so to speak, is one of the subtle but powerful ways God is working in the Church right now.

Do you have a favorite scripture about renewal?

When I think of renewal, I think of the picture the prophet paints in Isaiah 44:3-5 of God pouring out water on the dry land and Jacob’s descendants springing up like willow shoots, saying, “I am the Lord’s!”

▪▪▪

Spirit Led, Renewing the Church!

New faces at United

17

Xavier Johnson Assistant Professor in the Practice of Preaching and Black Church Studies Rev. Dr. Xavier L. Johnson joined the faculty as Assistant Professor in the Practice of Preaching and Black Church Studies on July 1, 2023. He earned his DMin from Virginia Theological Seminary and holds both an MA in Theological Studies and an MA in Teaching. Since 2013, he has served as Senior Pastor of the Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Dayton, Ohio.

Tell us about a pivotal moment or person that shaped your faith journey.

I was raised by two of the best practical theologians I know, my grandmother, Bettye J. Dixon, and my great-grandmother, Ruth Jackson Melton. They are my "Lois and Eunice." Their faith journey still inspires mine.

What are you most excited about in coming to United?

The opportunity to work with some amazing colleagues and students. United has a long history of equipping, preparing and sending leaders to serve the broader church. I am delighted to help to continue that work.

Why did you pick your field of study?

I have always loved preaching!

What do you like to do outside of work?

I am a violist with the Miami Valley Symphony Orchestra.

Where do you see God moving in the Church today?

COVID-19 accelerated changes that were already taking place. The churches that I see growing and thriving are those that have embraced the shift.

Is there a Bible verse that is especially meaningful to you?

Micah 6:8 “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

▪▪▪

Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven... All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:2, 4

Gratitude List: 22|23 The following list consists of donors who gave gifts to United Theological Seminary between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023. United Theological Seminary is grateful to the following who have given generously to invest in God’s work in and through the Seminary. $100,000+

Rev. Dr. SueLee Jin, '10, '13 †

Mrs. Constance Fulmer

Mrs. Janet Kalas †

Mrs. Vicki L. James and Mr. Rick L. James †

Mrs. Prudence Colaw Klinger

Robert E. Toothman*

Dr. and Mrs.* Thomas Lasley †

Matt Knecht † Robert and Barbara Livingston

$50,000–$99,999

Mrs. Fran Lopus

Rev. Dr. and Mrs. David S. Bell †

Bishop Michael and Jolynn Lowry †

Jack and Anna Jackson

Rev. Ron, '72 and Sue Mowry †

$20,000–$49,999

Dr. Gary L. Olin, '67 and Rev. Saranne Nelson-Olin, '78 †

The Boyd Family

Dr. and Mrs. Andrew S. Park †

Mr. Lewis Fikes and Mrs. Martha Fikes †

Rev. Dr. Rosario Picardo, '14 and Mrs. Callie Picardo †

Drs. James and Barbara Holsinger †

Rev. Marla Elifritz Brown, '86 and Len Brown † Rev. John L. and Dolores Brown Ms. Susan Butts John R. Campbell, '63 † Ms. Yoonhee Cho Robert Clo, '97 David and Jill Colaw Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Connolly † Kathy and John Cookman Ms. Betty Darst Mr. and Mrs. Bob Douds

Mr. David Rodgers

Mrs. Joyce W. Elliott

Dr. and Mrs. Kent Millard †

Rev. Dr. Michael B. Slaughter, '90 and Mrs. Carolyn Slaughter †

Rev. Herman A. Emmert, '56 †

Betty A. O'Brien †

Rev. Harvey B. Smith, '58 †

Mr. Douglas Spragg †

Mr. Steven R. Smith and Dr. Kellye Smith

Mr. and Mrs. James S. Tharp †

Dr. and Mrs. Jason Thorn

$10,000–$19,999

$2,500–$4,999

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Bowen †

Dr. and Mrs. Reggie Abraham

Rev. Dr. Laura H. Harris, '13

Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Bonnell

Dr. Marion Hayes, '18 †

Rev. Bob Coleman, '72 †

Mr. James R. Heinrich and Mrs. Janice E. Heinrich, '00

Drs. Viola Devany and Glenn Feltz

Dr. Seok Jae Jeon, '04 and Mrs. Yoon Sun Shin, '20

Mr. Stan Johnston

Mrs. Karen Jones

Mr. R. Wayne Livingston

Bishop Kaebnick Family †

Mrs. Marvalene P. Ricard †

Rev. Kirsten D. King and Mr. Paul T. King

Dr. and Mrs. Ted L. Sauter, '72

Rev. Andrew D. Kinsey

Dr. Terry Swan and Rev. Dr. Cinda L. J. Swan, '13 †

Scott and Roberta Kisker †

Sister Joyce Lehman CPPS

united.edu

Rev. Dr. Michael A. Beck and Rev. Jill Beck

Rev. Sue Nilson Kibbey † Mr. and Ms. Jerry and Edna Mann † Rev. Dr. and Mrs. W. Martin Nicholas † Rev. and Mrs. Harold M. Stockman, '67 † Mr. and Mrs. David Sullivan Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Thompson

Dr. David F. Watson and Mrs. Harriet Watson †

$5,000–$9,999

Mr. Joel L. Watts, '12

Bishop George, '58, '76 and Carolyn Bashore †

Rev. Dr. Ed Zeiders, '73 †

Ms. Margaret Biolchini

$1,000–$2,499

Rev. Jean Brindel, '76 †

Thomas A. Andrew, '21

Mr. and Mrs. George S. Brooks II †

Mrs. Nancy Louise Barnes †

Mrs. Mary Kay Feller †

James and Phyllis Barnett

Mrs. Mary Anna Geib and Mr. Darrell Geib

Mr. and Mrs. Arthur R. Bauer

*deceased † given consecutively five years or more Spirit Led, Renewing the Church!

Rev. Penni L. Farrington, '05 † Allen R. Fasnacht † Kim and Kent Friedman Rev. Kathleen Genus Rev. Donald G. Haulman, '64 Glenn and Rebecca Haveman Dr. and Mrs. Harold A. Hudson, '03 † Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Ireland

Ivan, '59 and Gloria Kurtz † Mr. Denis Larrick Mr. and Mrs. Scott Laubie Chaplain Bernard H. Lieving Jr., '63 † Rev. Jerome M. and Pamela A. Lipka † Mr. and Mrs. Dennis M. Maloney † Mervyn L. Matteson, '64 † Christian Messer M. Joseph Miller, '67 † Rev. Dr. Grace Oh, '20 Deborah Colaw Peterson

Gratitude List: 22|23

19

David and Doris* Ponitz †

Dr. Sandra K. Black, '20, '23

Rev. Genett Timlin, '05

Rev. Karen K. Powell, '00 †

David, '64 and Velma Bradley †

Terrell and Carol Rainbolt

Leslie Bramlett

Dr. Robert C. Walker, '95 and Dr. Mary L. Walker, '03 †

Rev. Dr. Rudy Rasmus, '19 and Rev. Juanita Rasmus †

Rev. James F. Bray, '64 †

Rev. Ronald L. Reichman, '72

Rt. Rev. Dr. and Mrs. C. Franklin Brookhart Jr., '84

Cynthia Reynolds, '78 †

Percy D. Brown, '54

Mr. and Ms. Mark C. Roh

Mrs. William A. Clark

Dr. and Mrs. J. Elvin and Stefanie Sadler †

Dr. Leroy Cothran, '99, '02 †

Rev. Dr. Joni Sancken and Rev. Steven Schumm † Rev. Dr. Carolyn Scanlan-Holmes Rev. Katharine, '91 and Mr. Richard Schaefer † Mrs. Sandra H. Schmeling † Louise S. Schultz † Rev. Dr. Robert C. Scott, '97 † Dale, '68 and Mary Alice Smith Bishop and Mrs. Dan E. Solomon, '73 † Rev. and Mrs. Harlan Sorensen, '99 † Janis Stevens Mr. John M. Stockman Rev. Thomas S. Stone* '57 and Mrs. Jean M. Stone † Gregory, '77 and Linda Stover † Steven and Cheryl Swallow † Honorable Robert Taft and Mrs. Hope Taft Rev. Brian, '02 and Mrs. Donna Thie † Rev. William M. Thompson, '72 † Rev. Dr. and Mrs. Michael Paul Vilardo, '92

Dr. Wendy J. Deichmann and Mr. Neal E. Klopping Joseph, '72 and Patricia Easley † Rev. and Mrs. Richard G. Felty, '68 † Rev. Dr. Arlys A. Mindt-Fogt, '96, '07 † Lisa Magdalena Hess and Brian D. Maguire †

Ms. Sarah Walters-Maher † Rev. Kelly K. Warner, '97 and Mr. Mark Warner Mrs. Betsy Whitney † Rev. and Mrs. Paul F. Zieber, '65 † Ms. Joan Zoeller

$250–$499 Dr. Mark Abbott Mr. and Mrs. Marc Adams Rev. Susan N. Arnold, ′23 Rev. Gary A. Batey, ′71 †

Ms. Sheila Hill

Rev. Paul S. Beal, ′69 †

Ms. Patricia Hopper

Ms. Barbara Bechman

Justus and Ellen Hunter †

Rev. Ronald J. Beistline, ′68

Rev. Charles L. Hutchinson

Pete and Mariuccia Bellini †

Rev. and Mrs. G. Scott Jenkins Jr., '95 †

Mrs. Anna S. Bickhart †

Gary A. Kellner, '85

Rev. and Mrs. Kent G. Biller Jr., ′77 †

Rev. Dr. Charles, '84 and Della Keyworth †

Edw. R. Bridgeman, CLM †

Shirley Landis, '82 †

Ken and Julie Cochrane †

Rev. and Mrs. Ehrhardt Lang, '62 †

Chad, ′17 and KaLynn Clark

Rev. Anton Sarg Magyar, '96

Rev. Dr. Elvernice Davis, ′05 and Rev. Dr. Cynthia Davis, ′05 †

Mrs. Esther M. Mefferd †

Rev. George S. Easley, ′53

Mike Miller, '17

Dr. Laurence L. Falk, ′58 †

Mr. and Mrs. Dick Miller

Phillip Gehm, ′57 †

Revs. Ryan, '03 and Kris, '03 Mutzenberger

Ms. Pat Hartranft †

Rev. Dr. Jorge L. Ochoa

Robert, ′61 and Jean Hefty

Mr. Don VonGruenigen

Bishop Bruce R. Ough

Rev. & Mrs. Richard K. Hoover, ′64 †

Dr. Lance Watson, '06

Ms. LaLonne Parish

Bishop and Mrs. Neil L. Irons, ′63

Rev. and Mrs. Mark S. Weatherman, '08

Mr. and Mrs. Mark and Karen Payne †

Mary H. Joseph, ′91 †

Rev. Dr. Bridget D. Weatherspoon, '12, '15 †

Dr. Artie L. Polk, '12 †

Chaplain William (“Jack”) Kouth, ′64 †

Bishop Mark and Jodi Webb

Dr. Philip A. Roberts, Trustee, Emeritus and Mrs. Jonell Roberts

Marcia Lafferre

Neil Westby, '73

Rev. Louis, '72 and Joyce Rohrs †

Rev. Dr. and Mrs. Brian A. Law

$500–$999 Rev. Thomas Adams, '59 † Rev. Jerry D. Adinolfi, Jr., '96 † Rev. Martin A. Berisford, '63 † Chaplain and Mrs. Larry W. Biederman, '77 †

Rev. Margery, '80 and Rev. Gordon, '87 Schleicher † Rev. John R. Shafer, '50 † Rev. Wilson A. Shearer, '54 † The Rev. R. Thomas Slack Ms. Lisa D. Taylor, '19 Rev. and Mrs. Andrew C. Thompson

Joe A. Lambright Mr. and Mrs. Craig Lopus Mr. David G. Lounsbury, ′85 Rev. Dr. Tesia L. Mallory, ′12, ′21 and Rev. Jimmy Mallory, ′19 † Dr. Eugene W. Matthews, ′91 James, ′77 and Billie, ′77 Maynard Rev. Dr. Jeff McDowell

Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven... All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:2, 4

Gratitude List: 22|23 Rev. John E. McRoberts, ′58 †

Anwar Carter, '22

Rev. Susan Hitts, '19

Mrs. Martha Milhouse

Rev. Charles J. Chipman, '57 †

Ms. Julie Hobbs

Mrs. Mary L. Miller

Rev. Dr. Philip R. Chisholm, '21

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Hoffman

Rev. Arthur V. Norris, ′64

Rev. Michael W. Christian, '66 †

David, '70 and Paulette Hogg †

Bishop and Mrs. Gregory V. Palmer †

Ralph Ciampa, '66 †

Tim and Connie Holmen

Rev. James L., ′75 and Mrs. Fayetta Phillips †

Edward L. Clarke, '69

Rev. and Mrs. Eugene R. Hostetter, '62 †

Ms. Robbie Collins

Curtis Hurley, '78 †

Mark Condy, '03

Ms. Rachel Hurley †

Rev. Francis L. Reichart †

Rev. Dr. Thomas E. and Rev. Dr. Amelia Cooper Boomershine, '91, '15

Rev. Sherri L. Jackson, '16

Michele Cash Russo

Rev. Lewis F. Cornwell, '69

Rev. Charles L. Shaffer, ′73 †

Jim and Carolyn Craig †

Mrs. Sherry Tschudin

Judy Cramer, '09 †

Dr. James K. Wagner, ′62, ′78 †

Pastor Brandilynne Craver, '13

David and Laura Weber †

Rev. Dr. Kenneth W. Cummings Sr., '93

Rev. Thomas L. True, ′73

Rev. and Dr. Dennis Richard Daley, '84

Ms. Carol Pohly Arnold A. Porter

Rev. Julie M. Davis, '20

$100–$249 Porooshat Akbar Akhgari Rev. Beatrice Alghali, '21 annual report 22|23

Pastor Jonathan W. Allen Sr. Rev. Andrew A. Allie Rev. Dr. Stephan, '81 and Ms. Gail Angel Maria and John Babilon Craig, Susan, Tammy, and Alana Baker George W. Barto, '65 † Dr. J. Victor Bean and Rev. Kathleen Bean, '99 †

Mr. Richard M. DeLon The Rev. Martin L. Deppe † Rev. Thomas E. Dipko, '61 † Rev. Marylyn H. Doyle, '86, '91, '97 † Rev. and Mrs. Philip D. Edwards, '64 † Dr. Rev. Stephen E. Ellis, '98 † Mr. Gerald K. Faust Rev. Derrick L. Fields, '22 Ellen Lilly File, '12 † Jon Flint, '88 Rev. and Mrs. David P. Frees, '64

Ms. Jane Benner, '80 †

Pastor Caleb, '18 and Elizabeth Fritz †

Mrs. Doris E. Bergman

Mrs. Marianne L. Garrett †

Ms. Antoinette C. Bernard

J.A. Garrett

Harold, '63 and Karen Biederman

Maureen and Greg Gearhart

Rev. and Mrs. Warren C. Black Jr., '77

Ms. Katherine Geible †

Rev. Wilmer T. Bloy

Rev. Dr. Olivia E. Graham, '88 †

Dr. Carolyn Bohler

Dr. and Mrs. Jeffrey E. Greenway †

Mr. and Mrs. Rick Bragg

Mr. David E. Gretencord †

David Brice, '65

Mr. Dennis Gump

Mr. Ted Briggs Chaplain (COL) and Mrs. W. Kermit Brock, '59 †

Christina S. Haines, '22

Carol Brophy and Roy Johnson Rev. Mary Ann Bushong, '92 † Rev. Neil D. Butcher, '72 Mr. Walter D. Campbell Ms. Shirlita Carson

Mark Jacobs, '79 Rev. Thomas Jacobs, '71 Mrs. Mary R. James Rev. Phillip Charles Jerman Jr., '94 James and Nancy Johnson Rev. Caroline Kinsler Jonah, '75 Jay E. Jones, '88 Mr. Philip Kinsey Rev. Bon Woong Koo, '74 † Mr. James Lambert Rev. Dr. William Lasher, '91 Mrs. Summer Lee Rev. and Mrs. Charles W. Lightner, '61 † Bishop Sir Walter Lee Mack Jr., '97 Ms. Hillary Marotta † Rev. Dr. Martin McCain, '97 Rev. Kelly McCuaig Rev. Dr. Walter E. McNutt, '97 Mr. Scott Meeker Ms. Sharon Mercer Pastor Marlin A. Miller, '64 † Rev. Dr. Herbert Miller II Senator Patricia L. Miller Esther Mindt Rev. Dr. and Mrs. Gene B. Moore Jr., '13 † Rev. Ronald K. Morgan, '71 Rev. and Mrs. Lance and Kathy Moyer Robert Stephen Newnum, '76

Jack, '70 and Carolyn Hartman †

Rev. Cynthia J. Osborn, '88 † and Rev. Richard L. Mitchell

Rev. C. Archibald Hawkins, '79 †

Rev. and Mrs. Frederick Osei-Manu, '22

Mr. Donald L. Hayashi

Ms. Gloria Pallotti

Mrs. Dee Dee Heffner

Mr. and Mrs. Steven Palmquist

Elizabeth Harrison Hicks, DMin, '10

Rev. Karen Pellett, '85

Rev. Earl, '62 and Mrs. Eunice Higgins

Rev. Dr. Paul R. Peters, '84 †

*deceased † given consecutively five years or more Spirit Led, Renewing the Church!

Gratitude List: 22|23

21

Rev. Kristina J. Peterson, '74 †

Rev. Carl A. Synan, '69

Ms. Damita Bridges

Rev. Dr. David, '67 and Elaine Pierce

Rev. Thomas Lee Taylor Jr.

Mr. Kenneth F. Broda

Rev. Robert L. Priest, '61

Chong O. Tetkowski

Rev. Bonita Buckley

Dr. William L. Raker, '60 †

Rev. Dr. Norman E. Thomas

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas G. Burger

Mr. David Redwine

Rev. Dr. and Ms. Alfred L. Thompson

Kimberly Bury, '23

L. Fitzgerald Reist II, '77

Dr. Jim L. Tom, '70 †

Brent and Julie Byerly

Arnold Rhodes, '68

Susan Tressler, '69 †

Guy Camp, '68 †

Carl Rife, '66

Rev. Dr. Joe and Sandee Trueblood

Dale Rick Campbell

Don Riker, '81 †

Dr. Karen Hien Thi Vo-To

Rev. Dr. Dexter Cannon

Rev. Katherine J. Riley, '78

Blake D. Wagner Sr.

Eric Carr

Dr. Bruce Roberts

Mr. Scott Walker

Ms. Theresa Carter, '19

Mrs. Harveta A. P. Rockwell, '67

Steve Walker

Ms. Vickie Chastain

Hugh M. Rohrer, '83

Rev. Dr. Dale C. Waters, '68, '91 †

Rev. John E. Ciampa, '73

Dr. and Mrs. Vance P. Ross, '15

Thomas Weber, '74

Jerry and Sherral Clark

Rev. Dean V. Roush, '60 †

The Rev. Thomas L. Weeks, '73

Mr. Jim Coleman

Mr. Raymond Rush

Ms. Blanca E. Weinberg

Rev. Dr. Anita Coleman, '21

Dr. Donald L. Russell, '76, '91

Howard, '63 and Ann Weisz

Ms. Karen Combs

Rev. Phelmon Saunders, '84

Gene Wells, '61 †

Mr. Torren Cooper

John A. Schaefer, '81

Robert Wilber

Rev. E. Jill Croswell, '00

Rev. David, '66 and Sharron Schar †

Mr. Thomas Wilson

Mr. and Mrs. Randall Crouse †

Dan, '92 and Joanie Schilling

Dr. and Mrs. Andrew J. Wood †

Ms. Dyanne Cunningham

Dr. and Mrs. Gene E. Sease

Dr. Lynn Youngblood

Ms. Caryn M. Dalton, '98, '01 †

David A. Sedgley, '79

Mr. and Mrs. Ben Zehr

Ms. Deborah Dangerfield

Mr. David Seitz, '23 Rev. Charles E. Selby*, '61 and Mrs. Janet M. Selby † Rev. Dr. Justin M. Shamell, '19 Tom Shatto, '71 Rev. and Mrs. James Shaver, '71 Rev. Robert R. Shaw II Vernon Shazier Ms. Karen Showalter Jenness A. Sigman Judith A. Sigmund, M.D., '03 † Dr. Ozzie E. Smith, '96 Dr. and Mrs. Nathan S. Smith, '77 † Mrs. Joyce D. Sohl † Rev. Joe Spackman, '87 Mr. James D. Stahler and Rev. Katherine M. Stahler, '63 † Rev. Laurie Steele, '17 Rev. Paula W. Stewart, '11 Rev. Patricia Wilkes Stone, '05 Sandy Stover, '62 †

Adrian Davis

$1–$99 Ms. Carol J. Alexander Rev. Dennis Alexander, '80 and Rev. Gail Alexander, '80

Jacqueline Dewberry Ms. Cathy Dickson Diane E. DiLuzio Rev. Annette Lee Dimond, '85

Thomas Alexander* †

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Doll

Ms. Nola Anderson

Dr. and Mrs. Thomas B. Dozeman

Rev. William D. Armold

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Duffy

Ayad Attia, '19

Doug, '85 and Candi, '86 Elmore

Blanca N. Baker, '14 †

Mr. Jack Ensminger

Ms. Kristen Ball

Rev. Dr. Terrence Evans, '23

Ms. Martha Banks

Eric Falker, '19

Sherwood Barnette, '71

Rev. Dr. William Falla, '76 †

Patricia Baughman

Ms. Deborah Fegan

Mr. and Mrs. Phil Beck

Ms. Kay Findley

Mr. Mark Becker

Rev. Dr. Janet Flanagan, '06

Mr. Timothy S. Binkley

Rev. Dr. Tracey Fletcher, 23

Ms. Millicent Y. Black, '15, '16

Cassandra Foster

Dr. Sarah Blair †

Mr. Ian Glenn

Charles Bobo

Rev. Todd R. Goddard, '86

Alverta (Robbin) Boozer, '16, '22

Pattie E. Gordon

Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven... All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:2, 4

Gratitude List: 22|23 Ms. Theresa Grant

Rev. and Mrs. Ned A. Michael, '76 †

Patti and Mark Stinski

Bertrand Griffin II

Mr. and Mrs. Lee Michaels

Rev. Robert P. Stokes

Nellie Grinage

Mr. and Mrs. Willis Mitchell

Mr. and Mrs. Rob Stufflebeam

Mr. and Mrs. J. Paul Gruver Jr. †

Ms. Jill Moberley

The Rev. Dr. Jack Sullivan Jr., '93

Mr. Tom Gulker and Mrs. Bonnie Gulker

Rev. and Mrs. Arthur T. Moffat Jr., '88

Ms. Sharon Tanner

Rev. Dale E. Harner

David S. Morey Jr., '88 †

Derrick Lee Tanyhill

Mrs. Helen M. Harper †

Dr. James Anthony Morris, '16

Ms. Ebony Taylor

Mr. Brent Hartman and Mrs. Linda Hartman

Rev. Allen C. Myers*, '70 and Mrs. Janice E. Myers †

Ms. Janet Thom* †

Mrs. Susan Haupt

Rev. Dr. William Bert Neal III, '19

Dr. Melanie Hauser, '23

Dr. J. Steven O'Malley

Mr. and Mrs. Claud Hayes

Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Partridge

Rev. Dr. Hugh E. Hendrickson, '20

Rev. Margaret Ann Peary, '90

Lynne Hodges

Ms. Pamela Perkins Carn

Mrs. Katherine B. Hollingsworth and Mr. Frank W. Hollingsworth

Mrs. Jean S. Peterson Ms. Janet Purichia

Sue Laningham and Al Holzhausen

Dossie Randle, '08

Ms. Cathy Honrath

Dale, '84 and Sylvia Reese

united.edu

Mr. Jack Hott Seth Humphries

Rev. Dr. and Mrs. Matt, '21 and Heidi Reynolds

Rev. Dr. Timothy M. James, '94

Ms. Patricia Ross

Dr. Cheryl Bridges Johns

Rev. Dr. and Mrs. Leonard G. Rowell, '91

Ms. Connie Johnson

Dr. Doris Sanders

Rev. Dr. Linda Johnson, '18

Warren Savage

Ms. Shirley Johnson

Brian Schubert

Marilyn Kasperek, '14

Rev. Sharon L. Schwab, '77

Dr. Tolly A. Kennon III, '17

Rev. Stephany Smith Sechrist †

Rev. Kiboko Kiboko

Juanita Sheppard

Dr. Carol M. Lange †

Mr. Leonard Sheridan

Dan Larkin

Mark, '95 and Heidi Shover †

Mr. Michael Laughlin

Dr. James G. Skinner

Anthony Le Donne

Charles Slaybaugh, Jr., '68

Ms. Andrea H. Leininger

Carlene T. Smith

Ms. Cheryl Long

Mrs. Carol Irish Smith, '82

Rev. John H. Lynch

Rev. Dr. Lillian C. Smith, '19

Ms. Peggy Malone

Chuck Smith

Mr. Randy McCall

Rev.* and Mrs. Dennis R. Snovel, '72 †

Ms. Angela McClung

Mr. Lawrence B. Snyder

Tracy McGeathey

Mr. Jarvis L. Spreng

Rev. Michelle M. McGhee

Mr. Barry Stearns

Rev. Dr. Edward N. McNulty, '93

Rev. Richard A., '03 and Mrs. Sharon Stenhouse

Rev. Beverly F. Meadows, '85

Dr. Jerome P. Stevenson Sr. †

*deceased † given consecutively five years or more Spirit Led, Renewing the Church!

Ms. Rosalind Thomas Rev. Herbert Thomas Jr. Rev. Dr. Walter Thomas, Jr., '23 Mr. and Mrs. Wendel L. Thompson Carl Thompson Kim Troy-Richardson Ms. Lay Ruth Turner Clair, '61 and Lorraine Wagner † Jeaninne Lewis Walker, '92 Ms. Janice M. Walker Ms. Helen Walker Tim and Qua Ward Ms. Rachel Ward Mr. and Mrs. Dan Weddle Ms. Karla West Dr. Joan L. Wharton, '91 † Crystal White Ms. Karen L. White, '22 Philip Williams Rev. Ronald J. Williams, '67 Patricio Wilson Rev. Dr. Femrono Wood, '23 Ms. Teresa Wood Ms. Donna Young Ms. Natalie Young Rev. Robert E. Ziegler* and Mrs. Harriet L. Ziegler, '58

Gratitude List: 22|23

23

Churches, Foundations, Trusts, Businesses and Organizations $100,000+

$1,000-$2,499

Community Foundation of Elkhart County, Elkhart, IN

First Church of God, Columbus, OH

General Board of Higher Education & Ministry, Nashville, TN †

Saint Paul Baptist Church, Charlotte, NC †

Lilly Endowment Inc., Indianapolis, IN

United Methodist Foundation of Indiana Inc., Fishers, IN WhiteMountain Forensic Consulting Services, Bow, NH

$50,000-$99,999 Cora Foundation, Inc., Buffalo, WY

$500-$999

National Christian Foundation Kentucky, Lexington, KY †

Cicero United Methodist Church, Cicero, NY

The United Methodist Foundation of Michigan, Grand Rapids, MI †

Faith United Methodist Church, Delmont, PA

$20,000-$49,999

Leipsic UMC, Leipsic, OH † United Methodist Foundation of West Virginia, Inc., Charleston, WV †

Bethel World Mission Church, Beavercreek, OH Sisters of the Precious Blood, Dayton, OH †

$250-$499

The Columbus Foundation, Columbus, OH †

Richfield UMC, Richfield, PA †

$10,000-$19,999 Carmel United Methodist Church, Carmel, IN

The United Methodist Foundation of Western Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, PA † West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church, Worthington, OH †

EBC Cares, Inc, Atlanta, GA Faithlife, Bellingham, WA † Gerald D. and Edna E. Mann Family Foundation, Inc., Indianapolis, IN Grace United Methodist Church, Franklin, IN Hyde Park Community UMC, Cincinnati, OH † The Foundation for Evangelism, Lake Junaluska, NC

$100-$249 Columbus Baptist Ministers Alliance, Gahanna, OH Columbus Baptist Pastors Conference, Pickerington, OH New Journey Christian Ministry, Columbus, OH The Trinity Baptist Church, Columbus, OH

Where He Leads Me Inc., Columbia, KY

$1-99 $5,000-$9,999 Arsenal Capital Partners, New York, NY

The Scarritt Bennett Center, Nashville, TN Vano Ministries, Inc, Storm Lake, IA

Daejeon Mustard Seed Church, Daejeon, South Korea National Christian Foundation Northwest, Seattle, WA St. Louis Community Foundation, St. Louis, MO The Dayton Foundation, Dayton, OH † Wayne County Foundation, Richmond, IN

$2,500-$4,999 Integrated Insight Therapy LLC, Delta, CO The Heinrich Family Foundation, St. Marys, OH † The North Naples UMC, Naples, FL The Philadelphia Foundation, Philadelphia, PA † United Methodist Foundation of Louisiana, Baton Rouge, LA † United Methodist Foundation of West Ohio, Worthington, OH

Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven... All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:2, 4

Honor and Memorial Gifts United Theological Seminary welcomes gifts “in honor of” or “in memory of” loved ones and persons who played significant roles in the lives of people. This offers the donor the opportunity not only to honor or memorialize a loved one, but also to receive a charitable deduction and support the seminary’s mission.

The following are the gifts so designated and received by United during the period of July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023. Gifts have been made in memory or in honor of names in bold. The donors for those gifts are listed under each name.

In Memory Dr. Billy Abraham The Boyd Family

Rev. and Mrs. Andrew C. Thompson Dr. David F. Watson and Mrs. Harriet Watson

Thomas K. Alexander

Rev. Martin A. Berisford, ′63

Martha Anderson

Mr. Richard M. DeLon and Mrs. Joan DeLon

Robert G. Barnes, '59 annual report 22|23

Mrs. Nancy Louise Barnes

J. Bruce L. Behney

Rev. and Mrs. Ehrhardt Lang, ′62

Lynn A. Bergman

Mrs. Doris E. Bergman

Bishop Emerson Colaw David and Jill Colaw

Dennis D. Heffner, '73 Mrs. Dee Dee Heffner

Mrs. Prudence Colaw Klinger Deborah Colaw Peterson Rev. Dr. Michael Paul Vilardo, ′92 and Mrs. Marcie Colaw Vilardo

Mary Elizabeth Hinkle

Dan, ′92 and Joanie Schilling

Mr. William Hotter, USMC Ed Conrad

Rev. Ronald J. Beistline, ′68 and Mrs. Mary M. Beistline

Rev. Jerry D. Adinolfi, Jr., ′96

Joseph E. James Mrs. Mary R. James

Rev. Dennis R. Daley

Dr. Susan Merrell Daley

Bishop Hermann W. Kaebnick Bishop Kaebnick Family

Alta Mae Varnado Daniel Mr. Joel L. Watts, ′12

Annabelle Grace Doke (mother)

Rev. Dr. Thomas E. and Rev. Dr. Amelia Cooper Boomershine, ′91, ′15

Edna M. Ebersole

Mr. Richard M. DeLon and Mrs. Joan DeLon

Dr. and Mrs. Ted L. Sauter, ′72

Dr. Tom Kisker Anonymous

Dr. and Mrs. Kent Millard Dr. and Mrs. Andrew S. Park

Dr. John R. Knecht

Rev. Michael W. Christian, ′66 Matt Knecht

Mario and Carmelina Bertolo Pete and Mariuccia Bellini

Ronald L. Bickhart, '70 Mrs. Anna S. Bickhart

Roger L. Bishop

Clair, ′61 and Lorraine Wagner

Dr. Charles E. Booth

Rev. Beatrice Alghali, ′21 Dr. and Mrs. J. Elvin and Stefanie Sadler Tim and Qua Ward

Harry L. Eckels Anonymous

Marjorie E. Knecht Matt Knecht

Dr. H. Allan Feller

Mrs. Mary Kay Feller

Delbert R. Krumm, '53 Mrs. Dee Dee Heffner

Norma Nail Varnado Brown Fussell Mr. Joel L. Watts, ′12

Reverend Thomas J Lasley Dr. and Mrs.* Thomas Lasley

Rev. William H. Garrett Mrs. Marianne L. Garrett

Mr. Larry Gebhart

Rev. and Mrs. Harold M. Stockman, ′67

Doris Livingston

Robert and Barbara Livingston

Jordan P. Mann

Mr. and Ms. Jerry and Edna Mann

Elmer E. Bosworth Marcia Lafferre

Rev. Dwight E. Bowers

Rev. and Mrs. Harold M. Stockman, ′67

Mrs. Judy Bowers

Rev. and Mrs. Harold M. Stockman, ′67

Merrell D. Geible

Ms. Katherine Geible

Dr. Kendall McCabe

Rev. Marylyn H. Doyle, ′86, ′91, ′97

Ernest Green

Alverta (Robbin) Boozer, ′16

Rev. Hadley P. Harper Mrs. Helen M. Harper

Honorable William A. Clark Mrs. Catherine C. Clark

Spirit Led, Renewing the Church!

John D. McCance, father, a Vietnam veteran Rev. Julie M. Davis, ′20

25 Sandra McNulty

Rev. Dr. Edward N. McNulty, ′93

John Robert Miller, '57 Mrs. Mary L. Miller

Ms. Jill Moberley Lance and Kathy Moyer Brian Schubert Patti and Mark Stinski Steve Walker

Wilma Miller, my wife who served with me 60 years Pastor Marlin A. Miller, ′64

Rev. Leon W. Mindt Esther Mindt

Dorla D. Morgan

Rev. Dennis Alexander, ′80 and Rev. Gail Alexander, ′80 Carol Brophy and Roy Johnson Mr. and Mrs. Robert Doll Mrs. Susan Haupt Ms. Sharon Mercer

Mr. Scott Walker Robert Wilber Mr. Thomas Wilson

Rev. C. Edwin Pellett Rev. Karen Pellett, ′85

Rev. and Mrs. Harold M. Stockman, ′67

Mrs. Katherine Pellett Rev. Karen Pellett, ′85

Rev. Dr. Kenneth H. Pohly

Mr. Richard L. Schaefer* and Rev. Katharine Schaefer, ′91

Rev. Ronald K. Morgan, ′71 Rev. Kristina J. Peterson, ′74 Mr. Barry Stearns Rev. and Mrs. Harold M. Stockman, ′67

Allen C. Myers

Mrs. Janice E. Myers

Bob Rae

Mr. Denis Larrick

Michael L. Raymo Anonymous

Rev. Ronald J. Beistline, ′68

Elmer J. O' Brien

David S. Morey Jr., ′88 Betty A. O′Brien

Anonymous

Charles V. Painter Porooshat Akbar Akhgari Anonymous Maria and John Babilon Craig, Susan, Tammy, and Alana Baker Ms. Antoinette C. Bernard Mr. and Mrs. Rick Bragg Ms. Cathy Dickson Maureen and Greg Gearhart Mr. Tom Gulker and Mrs. Bonnie Gulker

Rev. and Mrs. Harold M. Stockman, ′67

Rev. Joseph Timlin

Rev. Genett Timlin, ′05

Rev. Dr. Edward G. Wallen

Rev. and Mrs. Harold M. Stockman, ′67

Mary Lue O. Warner Mr. Stan Johnston

Susanna Wesley

Michael Adam Beck

Leon A. Whitney

Mrs. Betsy Whitney

Franklyn T. and Lucille T. Williams Anonymous

Carl E. Young, '33 Mrs. Mary L. Miller

Dr. James B. Recob

Richard A. Zimmerman

Rev. John E. McRoberts, ′58

Dr. Won Byung Roh

Mr. and Ms. Mark C. Roh

Hugh M. Rohrer, ′83

Dr. Lynn Youngblood

Anonymous

Ms. Hillary Marotta

"Our Pietist Ancestors in Faith" Dr. Wendy J. Deichmann and Mr. Neal E. Klopping

Jo Aun Malithia Craig Ross

Rev. Dr. and Mrs. Vance P. Ross, ′15

Rev. Dr. William D. Schmeling Mrs. Sandra H. Schmeling

Arthur L. Schultz, '52 Louise S. Schultz

Marilyn Shearer

Rev. Wilson A. Shearer, ′54

Mr. Horace E. Smith

Mr. Frank W. Hollingsworth and Mrs. Katherine B. Hollingsworth

Mr. and Mrs. Charles E. Smith ll

Mr. Michael Laughlin

Rev. Dennis R. Snovel, '72

Mr. and Mrs. Willis Mitchell

Jean Thie

Rev. Russell H. Youngblood, '40

Erma H. Rohrer, '83 Ibidunni Olayemi Onabanjo

Mark Condy, ′03

Dr. Calvin and Audrie Reber Charles Slaybaugh, Jr., ′68

William Newcomer

Rev. Margaret Stenhouse

Rev. Ronald L. Reichman, ′72

Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven... All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:2, 4

In Honor Rev. Dr. and Mrs. Jorge and Cheryl Acevedo Ms. Margaret Biolchini

Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Connolly Kathy and John Cookman Ms. Gloria Pallotti Don VonGruenigen

Bishop and Mrs. George and Carolyn Bashore Dr. Wendy J. Deichmann and Mr. Neal E. Klopping

Dr. Kathleen A. Farmer

Rev. Dr. Janet Flanagan, ′06

Rev. Helen M. Hayes Ms. Jane Benner, ′80

Rev. Dr. Joyce Lamison Hoile for completing her DMin program Anonymous

Rev. Andy Kinsey Anonymous

Mr. and Mrs. Marc Adams

Rev. Margaret Ann Peary, ′90

Ms. Barbara Bechman

Louise S. Schultz

Mr. and Mrs. Phil Beck Rev. John L. and Dolores Brown

Dr. Peter J. Bellini

Mr. James Lambert

Dr. Edwin D. Burtner

Rev. and Mrs. Ehrhardt Lang, ′62

united.edu

Rev. Dr. Camisha Chambers for completing her DMin program Anonymous

Mrs. Joyce W. Elliott Ms. Kay Findley

Mr. and Mrs. Marc Adams James and Phyllis Barnett Jerry and Sherral Clark J.A. Garrett Grace United Methodist Church Glenn and Rebecca Haveman James and Nancy Johnson Rev. Andrew D. Kinsey Mrs. Martha Milhouse Mr. and Mrs. Steven Palmquist Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Partridge

Andrew Dorsett Anonymous

Dr. Thomas B. Dozeman

Rev. Dr. Mary Olson

Rev. Margaret Ann Peary, ′90

’Debo Onabanjo

Dan, ′92 and Joanie Schilling

Ted and Ginger Sauter Mrs. Frances Lopus

Rev. Harold M. Stockman Mike Miller, ′17

Dr. Daryl Ward

Ms. Rachel Ward

Bishop Mark J. Webb

Cicero United Methodist Church

Grace United Methodist Church

Diane E. DiLuzio

Glenn and Rebecca Haveman Mr. and Mrs. Claud Hayes Ms. Julie Hobbs Mr. and Mrs. Charles Hoffman Rev. Charles L. Hutchinson Ms. Shirley Johnson Mr. Philip Kinsey Ms. Andrea H. Leininger Ms. Janet Purichia Mr. David Redwine Ms. Karen Showalter Mr. and Mrs. Dan Weddle Mr. and Mrs. Ben Zehr

Mrs. Fran Lopus

Mr. and Mrs. Craig and Kathy Lopus

Dr. Bruce Roberts Rev. Dr. Joe and Sandee Trueblood

Terrell and Carol Rainbolt

J.A. Garrett

Ms. Patricia Hopper

Rev. Bob Coleman

Rev. Dr. W. Martin Nicholas and Mrs. Pat Nicholas

Dr. Kent Millard

Mr. Brent Hartman and Mrs. Linda Hartman Mrs. Vicki L. James and Mr. Rick L. James Janis Stevens Mr. and Mrs. David Sullivan

Ms. Caryn M. Dalton, ′98, ′01 Judith A. Sigmund, M.D., ′03

Spirit Led, Renewing the Church!

Rev. Dr. G. Edwin Zeiders

Rev. Stephany Smith Sechrist

Fresh Expressions House of Study Michael Adam Beck

Heritage Society

27

The Heritage Society represents persons who have notified us that they have made a provision for United Theological Seminary in their estate plan or through a deferred gift. High quality theological education is made possible through a strong and growing endowment. These gifts help ensure a strong future for United.

Rev. Robert E. Airhart and Mrs JudyBuckle Airhart

Rev. and Mrs. Dennis R. Keller

Rev. Beverly Ann Avers

Rev. Dr. and Mrs. Charles W. Keyworth

Rev. Dr. Robert* and Mrs. Nancy Barnes Mrs. Janine L. Bartram Rev. Lowell D. Bassett Rev. and Mrs. Martin A. Berisford Jr. Mrs. Dorothy K. Bosserman

Rev. and Mrs. Charles W. Keller Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Mark Knecht Rev. and Mrs. Lawrence E. Lynch Rev. Paula Y. Mayberry Rev. David L. McRoberts

Rev. Dr. J. Gordon Schleicher and Rev. Margery A. Schleicher Rev.* and Mrs. Fred A. Schmidt Jr. Rev. David W. Schneider Mrs. Alice Schultz Rev. and Mrs.* John R. Shafer Rev. Max L. Smith

Rev. Beverly F. Meadows

Rev. Harvey B. Smith

Rev. James I. Melhorn and Mrs. Lora B. Melhorn

Mr. Douglas Spragg

Mr. and Mrs. Rick and Brenda Brown Rev. L. Norman Butler

Dr. and Mrs. Kent Millard

Chaplain and Mrs. Glenn C. Calkins

Mrs. Mary L. Miller

Rev. and Mrs. Harold M. Stockman

Rev. Robert G.* and Mrs. Eleanor Callihan

Rev. Barbara J. Moore

Rev. D. Grundy A. Couch

Rev. and Mrs. F. Jeffrey E. Mugridge

Rev. William J. Cowfer

Mrs. Rose T. Needy

Mrs. Ruth A. Daugherty

Mr. James T. Neef

Dr. Wendy J. Deichmann

Mrs. Mary C. Newlin

The Rev. E. Robert Dickerson, III

Rev. Elmer J.* and Mrs. Betty A. O'Brien

Mrs. Susan Tressler

Rev. George S. Easley

Rev. Dr. Michael J. O'Donnell

Rev. H. Stanley Eichenauer Sr.

Dr. Gary L. Olin and Rev. Saranne Nelson-Olin

Rev. Carl D. Tribett and Mrs. Dona L. Tribett

Rev. and Mrs. George B. Brewer

Dr. Stephen E. Ellis Rev. Herman A. Emmert Dr. Laurence Falk* Rev. and Mrs. Richard G. Felty Rev. Timothy J. Forbess

Mrs. Irma W. Springman Dr.* and Mrs. Paul E. Stuckey Steven and Cheryl Swallow Mr. Allen Thomas Major and Mrs. Mark E. Thompson Robert E. Toothman*

Chaplain Margaret L. Turner

Rev. Dr. Donna Osterhout

Rev. Dr. Reginald V. Van Stephens

Mrs. Martha C. Page

Ms. Betty J. Walker

Rev. Allen D. Pebley and Rev. Patricia A. Pebley

Dr. Valdrie N. Walker Rev. Dr. Philip T. Wanck

Rev. Dr. Lois B. Fortson Kirk

Rev. Bruce C. Pfeiffer* and Mrs. Janet Pfeiffer

Rev. Floyd Fought*

Mr. John A. Prall and Mrs. Nancy Prall

Rev. James T. Wenrich

Rev.* and Mrs. Paul A. Fulp

Mr. Jerry Megong Rabbu

Mr.* and Mrs. Leon A. Whitney II

Mr. Walter Gildemeister and Mrs. Gisela Gildemeister

Lt. Col. Robert E. Rae*

Rev. Leslie Castle Womack

Ms. Mary Lue O. Warner*

Rev. Dr. and Mrs. Mearle L. Griffith

Rev. John L. Rauch* and Mrs. Joanne Rauch

Dr. Louis-Charles Harvey

Dr. and Mrs. David L. Reed

Mr. James R. Heinrich and Mrs. Janice E. Heinrich

Rev. Ronald P.* and Mrs. Marvalene P. Ricard

Rev. and Mrs. Ronald L. Hines

Mrs. Elva Gay Rieth

Mr. Richard A. Zimmerman* and Mrs. Nancy C. Zimmerman*

Rev. Robert S. Hinrichsen* and Mrs. Helen W. Hinrichsen*

Dr. Carl B. Rife

Rev. Harriette G. Zoller

Mr. James W. Hook and Mrs. Joan Hook

Rev. Dr. Donald L. Russell

Bishop and Mrs. Neil L. Irons Rev. and Mrs. Mark W. Jacobs

Rev. John K. Wortinger Rev. Dr. Ed and Mrs. Joan* Zeiders Jr. Rev. and Mrs. Paul F. Zieber

Mrs. Jeanne B. Ringley Dr. and Mrs. Ted L. Sauter

Mrs. Vicki L. James and Mr. Rick L. James

Mr. Richard L. Schaefer* and Rev. Katharine Schaefer

Rev. Kevin A. Johnson

Rev. and Mrs. David E. Schar

Ms. Winifred L. Kaebnick

Dr. Lowell W. Scheufler* and Mrs. Sarah H. Scheufler

Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven... All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 2: 2,4

Faculty/Staff News and Publications

annual report 22|23

Peter Bellini, Professor of Church Renewal and Evangelization in the Heisel Chair, founded and led United’s first annual X-Seminar in May 2023.

Based on his book The X-Manual, the seminar focuses on theory and practice for deliverance and healing ministries. Over the past year, Dr. Bellini has published several works on charismatic ideology in the Methodist traditions, including “Methodists Need a Charismatic Upgrade!” in Firebrand Magazine (April 2023) and a book on the deliverance ministry of John Wesley. In addition, he has been exploring the theological implications of artificial intelligence, with several speaking engagements, podcast episodes, and articles on the topic, as well as a new book called Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and the Image of God (Wipf and Stock, 2023).

Wendy Deichmann, Professor of History and Theology, is a co-editor with Scott Kisker of Heirs of Pietism in World Christianity: the 19th to the 20th Centuries, A Conference Held at United Theological Seminary, Dayton, Ohio, June 1-3, 2022 (First Fruits Press, forthcoming) and is a contributor to The Methodist Book of Daily Prayer, released by Abingdon Press in November 2023.

Lisa M. Hess, Professor of Practical Theology and Contextual Ministries, co-authored “It’s More Complicated Than We Know: Pilgrimage as Metaphor and Method," with Rabbi Brad Hirschfield, which she presented for the Christian Spirituality Group at the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion in Denver, 2022.

The paper was later published in, Spiritus: A Journal of Christian Spirituality (2023) volume 23, no. 1.

Dr. Hess stewarded a biweekly elder-woman circle toward a Mother's Day event for Rise Community Church (Dayton, OH); co-led monthly circles for women's healing at Harrison Memorial CME Church (Dayton, OH); and shared her love of crafting rosaries for Hilliard United Methodist Church (Hilliard, OH). She also hosted a SoulCollage workshop at Fairmont Presbyterian Church (Dayton, OH), where she serves as Parish Associate. In addition, Dr. Hess was certified to lead Transformation Tables for the Greater Dayton Area, a community development program instigated by the Maxwell Leadership Foundation.

Justus Hunter, Associate Professor of Church History, was elected to the Executive Committee of the Wesleyan Theological Society, where he now serves as First Vice President. Dr. Hunter also co-edited with T. Adam Van Wart and David L. Whidden III Love Become Incarnate (Emmaus Academic, 2023), a book of essays in honor of Bruce D. Marshall, a renowned Catholic theologian.

Cheryl Bridges Johns, Distinguished Professor of Pentecostal Studies, was the featured lecturer for the Seminary’s 22nd annual Preaching Seminar, held in October 2023. She spoke on themes from her most recent book, Re-enchanting the Text: Discovering the Bible as Sacred, Dangerous, and Mysterious (Baker Academic, 2023). Dr. Bridges Johns also presented at the 2023 New Room Conference in Houston, Texas, leading two breakout sessions on “Re-enchanting the Text” and a pre-conference session on “Women Thriving in Ministry and Leadership.”

Anthony Le Donne, Professor of New Testament, completed his sixth and final year as executive editor of the Journal for the Study of the Historical Jesus. His final contribution to that publication was a special issue on “Mary Magdalene in Film,” released in December 2022. Dr. Le Donne continues in leadership of the annual Ryterband Symposium in Judaic Studies, a longstanding collaboration with the University of Dayton and Wright State Anniversary. In March 2023, he oversaw the 43rd annual symposium on “Humor and Hope in the Bible and Jewish Christian Dialogue,” which was hosted at United.

Andrew Park, Professor of Theology and Ethics, recently authored the chapter “Brokenness, Jesus’ Holistic Healing, and the Future of Christianity,” in the Oxford Handbook of Asian Christian Theologies, scheduled for release by Oxford University Press in 2024. Dr. Park also speaks regularly on healing, recently presenting on Healing Teaching and Practice for pastors of the Northern Ohio District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and conducting a Healing Clinic during the 2023 Prayer Conference at Kingdom Ministries House of Prayer (Hamilton, OH).

Spirit Led, Renewing the Church!

29 Joni Sancken, Professor of Homiletics, authored All Our Griefs to Bear: Responding with Resilience After Collective Trauma (Herald Press, 2022) and co-authored Getting to God: Preaching Good News in a Troubled World (Cascade Books, 2023). Dr. Sancken is an active speaker, recently serving as the keynote lecturer and preacher at both Preaching Grace in Calgary, Alberta, and the Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary Pastors and Leaders Conference in Elkhart, Indiana. Dr. Sancken was also a featured speaker at the West Ohio Conference Clergy Day Apart in Hilliard, Ohio, delivering a lecture entitled “From Grief to Easter,” and at the Sommerville Lectures in Vancouver, British Columbia, delivering a lecture entitled "All Our Griefs to Bear."

Dr. Sancken’s last semester at United will be Fall 2023, as she will be starting a new position as the Butler Chair of Homiletics and Hermeneutics at The Vancouver School of Theology in January 2024.

New Staff, Promotions, and Role Changes

David Watson, Academic Dean and Vice President for Academic Affairs, and Professor of New Testament, recently authored “Baptism and Developmental Disabilities” in New Life in the Risen Christ: A Wesleyan Theology of Baptism (Cascade, 2023), and “A Vision of Scripture for the Next Methodism” in The Next Methodism: Theological, Social, and Missional Foundations for Global Methodism (Seedbed, 2022). In addition, Dr. Watson recently became a fellow of the Institute on Biblical Research.

Erik Leake has been hired as Director of the AME

Bridget Weatherspoon, Vice President for Enrollment, published her first book. Broken to be Saved: The Other Side of the Pit (TheoThought Books, 2023) shares her personal journey from trauma to triumph, a testimony of encouragement for others undertaking their own healing process with Christ.

Polly Reynolds has been hired as Administrative

Emily Ball has been hired as Graphic Designer.

Samuel Blanco III has been hired as Assistant

Contextual Ministries Director for the Hispanic House of Study.

Robbie Collins is retiring after faithfully serving in

the Academic Dean’s office for the last 15 years.

We are grateful for Robbie and all that she has done in support of United and its students!

Kimberly Hamby has been hired as Executive

Assistant to the Academic Dean.

Seok Jae Jeon has been hired as Director of the

Korean House of Study.

Zion House of Study.

Eliseo Mejia has been hired as Academic

Oversight Officer for the Hispanic House of Study.

Dr. Claudette Morgan-Scott has been hired as

Director for the Jabula Luminary House of Study.

Sungkyoon Park has been hired as Assistant

Director of Contextual Ministries for the Korean House of Study.

Assistant for Non-Degree Programs.

Camron Robb has been hired as Online

Course Manager.

Elaine Hawley has been promoted to Houses of

Study Director.

Lisa Weah has been hired as Director of the Full

Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship House of Study.

▪▪▪

Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven... All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:2, 4

Faculty publications Peter Bellini, Professor of Church Renewal and Evangelization in the Heisel Chair Thunderstruck! The Deliverance Ministry of John Wesley Today (Wipf and Stock, 2023) Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and the Image of God (Wipf and Stock, 2023)

united.edu

Michael Beck, Director of Fresh Expressions House of Study The Five Congregational Personality Types: An Ancient Pathway for Congregational Renewal in the 21st Century (Invite Resources, 2023) Doing Justice Together: Fresh Expressions Pathways to Heal Racism in Your Church, co-authored with Stephanie Moore Hand (Abingdon Press, forthcoming 2024)

Joni Sancken, Professor of Homiletics All Our Griefs to Bear: Responding with Resilience to Collective Trauma (Herald, 2022.)

Getting to God: Preaching Good News in a Troubled World, by Joni S. Sancken, Luke A. Powery, and John Rottman (Cascade Books, 2023)

Spirit Led, Renewing the Church!

Justus Hunter, Associate Professor of Church History Love Become Incarnate: Essays in Honor of Bruce D. Marshall, edited

by Justus H. Hunter, T. Adam Van Wart, David L. Whidden III (Emmaus Academic, 2023)

Thomas Boomershine, retired, G. Ernest Thomas Distinguished Professor of Christianity and Communication (2004–2006) and Professor of New Testament (1979-2000) First-Century Gospel Storytellers and Audiences: The Gospels as Performance Literature, Biblical Performance Criticism, vol. 17 (Cascade Books, 2022)

Cheryl Bridges Johns, Distinguished Professor of Pentecostal Studies Re-Enchanting the Text: Discovering the Bible as Sacred, Dangerous, and Mysterious (Baker Academic, 2023)

News and Notes UPDATES • ANNIVERSARIES • BIRTHS • DEATHS Class of 1954 Rev. Wilson Shearer moved to Providence Place Senior Living in July at age 92, after living alone following the passing of his wife, Marilyn, in 2021. The couple met while Wilson was in seminary, and they were happily married for nearly 66 years.

Class of 1960 Rev. Dean Roush welcomed two great-grandsons this past year.

Class of 1963 Rev. Martin Berisford and his wife, Sandra, celebrated 63 years of marriage and have two great grandchildren.

For 11 years now Martin has paid monthly visits to an inmate on death row in Chillicothe.

Class of 1965 Rev. Keith R. Eipper and his wife, Marlene, moved into independent senior living. Their suite is on the fourth floor looking west into the Rocky Mountains.

Rev. Paul F. Zieber and his wife, Judy, celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary on August 20. Judy is recovering well from a stroke she had in 2021. Paul has been active in a variety of ways at Mt. Zion United Methodist Church (Enola, PA) since retiring in 2004. They have three children, seven grandchildren and one step great-grandchild.

Class of 1969 Rev. Paul S. Beal served five parishes from 1969 to 2002.

Following his retirement in 2001, he served part-time interims in five parishes from 2002 to 2019. He and his wife of 42 years, Linda, now live in Akron, OH. Together they have five adult children and four grandchildren.

Class of 1970 Rev. Dr. Paul David Robinson has challenges in his senior years that he never expected. In addition to having 38-year-old twin boys with autism disorder, his wife now has dementia. He would love to hear from anyone who remembers him.

Class of 1972 Rev. Joseph Easley and his wife, Patti, moved to Walnut Creek, CA, in June 2021 after 40 years of active ministry in south Indiana and nine years of retirement in Evansville, where they were involved in church and community activities. The move brought them nearer

to their sons, daughters-in-law and grandchildren in the Bay Area. The couple is active in Lafayette United Methodist Church; a progressive Jesuit-led Catholic Church in Haight Ashbury, San Francisco; and in antiracism work. They love being near family, the place they live, the beauty of the area, and its diversity of people.

Class of 1973 and 2016 Rev. Dr. Scott Kelso has written his fifth book entitled Mugged by Reality: When Heavens Resource Meets Human Isolation (Holland Robinson Publishing, 2023). It’s a study of the unseen reality of God over our lives. The book highlights 10 Old Testament personalities who find themselves in impossible life circumstances, and who then get “mugged” by God in a dramatic way.

Class of 1977 Rev. James Maynard is author of two recently published books. For Honor and Love is a historical novel set in World War II, following the war on the home front in Oxford, OH, and in the Pacific aboard a US submarine.

The second is a 75th anniversary edition of A History of the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps at Miami University, Oxford Ohio, of which he has authored several editions.

Class of 1978 Rev. Dr. Kevin A. Johnson United student body president ’78-’79, retired September 24, 2023, from the church he cofounded 21 years ago: Bloom in the Desert Ministries United Church of Christ in Palm Springs, CA. He and his partner, now husband, Michael Shear were commissioned by Broadway United Methodist Church in Chicago, IL, in June 2002, to be missionaries to the West.

The new church was endorsed by the Church within a Church Movement. Counting active ministry prior to his ordination in 1976, this completes Rev. Kevin’s 50-year career. The couple will remain living in Palm Springs, with summer visits to Wisconsin.

Class of 1980 Rev. Paula Young Mayberry is a retired United Methodist minister and serves two small United Methodist churches near her home. This is her final year as President of the Lucille Raines Residence Board, a residence located in Indianapolis and operated by United Women in Faith of Indiana. It provides a safe, healthy, friendly home for those working to recover from addiction to drugs and/ or alcohol.

Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven... All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:2, 4

31

News and Notes Class of 1983

Class of 1995

Rev. Keith Adkins was named Executive Director of HopeNow Furniture Bank, an organization that distributes free donated furniture and household supplies to persons with need in and around Knox County, Ohio.

Lori Tate began Crossroads Soul Resources: School of Spiritual Direction in 2022. Grounded in a Christcentered trinitarian model and a focus on the Enneagram Harmony Map, the scool develops whole and holy spiritual directors and leaders equipped to accompany others on their journey to deepen and broaden their experience of God. She is also founder of Soul Dig, providing Christ-centered spiritual direction, retreats, online teaching and group spiritual direction.

Class of 1986 and 1988 Dr. Lynn Somers is proud to announce the recently recreated website of Hand of the Master Ministries, Inc. / Lynn Somers & Friends, found at handofthemaster.org.

As founder and president of this unique ministry that began while Lynn was a student at United, she is excited to continue connecting with churches, ministries and organizations through the ministry of puppets, music and education.

Class of 1989

annual report 22|23

Rev. Dr. John Daniels has authored three books, Grace Full Healing, Looking for Larry and Interruption. He is a certified church planter, and recently welcomed his first granddaughter, Juniper Mae Moore.

Class of 1993 Rev. Dr. Edward McNulty is semi-retired in Bellbrook, OH, but keeps busy writing film reviews for church leaders. This is his 33rd year of publishing the monthly journal Visual Parables (visualparables.org), which he started while working on his DMin thesis at United.

Through the publication, he explores social justice themes in films, such as racism, poverty and sexism, and provides discussion guides to help church leaders foster dialogue around faith and film.

Rev. Jennifer Olin-Hitt is active as a certified spiritual director helping people discern and live out their spiritual lives. Through the global network Spiritual Directors International, Jennifer connects with clients and colleagues. In addition, Jennifer works as a professional clinical counselor and marriage and family therapist in Akron, OH, and is licensed in the state of Ohio for this work with individuals, couples and families. She is available to consult with churches and pastors in these areas of spiritual health and mental health.

Dr. Len Wilson is in his fourth year of leading a recent publishing ministry startup, Invite Resources. Invite is a premier publisher in the Wesleyan tradition that is “high on Jesus, low on politics, and biased toward innovation.” Len’s goal through Invite is to create a better author experience. In 2022, Len co-authored Telos: The Hope of Heaven Today (Invite Resources) with Dr. Leonard Sweet, president emeritus of United.

Class of 1997 Rev. Jo Baldwin recently published Plain Notes on Emmett Till Imitating Haiku (Edwin Mellen Press, 2023), a collection of poems that explore challenging questions about racism.

Rev. Janet Johnson has found that tragedies and grief have focused her ministry on helping others walk these difficult journeys. Since 2020 four of her books have been published, won awards, and one has been translated into Korean, Ukrainian and Swedish. Grief, the Unwanted Journey (a devotional for adults) and Surviving the Holidays While Grieving (for all ages) help readers discover God’s joy amid suffering. Fly High, Understanding Grief with God's Help, and Fly High (for the general market) bring hope to children.

Class of 1998 Rev. Dr. Dale Hatch recently moved back to Ohio from Florida to be closer to children and grandchildren and is settling into a new home, community, church and community.

Rev. Dr. Byoung Sam Kim authored 교회 신앙의 래디컬을 꿈꾸다 (두란노, 2023) [Again, Church: Dreaming of a Radical Faith (Duranno, 2023)].

Class of 2000

Class of 1994 Rev. Sally Carpenter published her eighth cozy mystery novel, The Highland Havoc Caper (Cozy Cat Press, 2023). She continues to write the Roots of Faith column for the Acorn Newspapers and lives in southern California serving as a lector at her parish.

Rev. Dr. Paige Chargois has had her third book published by Judson Press entitled Living a Job Faith: From Tried to Triumphant, which is based on her DMin dissertation.

Rev. Dr. Charlene Hendricks has authored two books, Making It After Breaking It: Living a Great Life When Single — Again (Outskirts Press, Inc., 2021) and Times of Refreshing: Love Messages from God to the Heart (Outskirts Press, Inc., June 2021).

Rev. Janis Loomis is a Pastor at Pleasant Hill United Church of Christ in Ohio.

Spirit Led, Renewing the Church!

33 Class of 2002

Class of 2016

Rev. Charles D. Stephens is a member of the Rio Texas Conference of The UMC, and he is appointed in an extension ministry with the Alexandria VA Health Care System. Chief Stephens will be completing three years as the Alexandria Chief of Chaplain Service on June 21, 2023.

Rev. Jefferson Furtado was appointed lead pastor of The Vine United Methodist Church, the newest community of faith of the Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference of The UMC. The Vine is a hybrid community, holding a robust online presence and dispersed small groups.

Class of 2005

Rev. Blair Goold was ordained as an elder in The United Methodist Church in 2019 and currently serves as pastor at St. John's United Methodist Church in Hazlet, NJ. He and his wife, Joan, are blessed with four granddaughters.

Rev. Dr. Cynthia Davis was named Executive Vice President/Director of The Moore-West Center for Applied Theology. In this role, she is overseeing partner relationships, including partnerships with United Theological Seminary, Asbury Seminary and World Methodist Evangelism. She is also working closely with JourneyWise, a faith-based content network connected to the Center for Applied Theology.

Rev. Dr. Gloria Dillon published her first children’s book, Taste Like Chocolate (Morning Glory, 2023).

Class of 2009

Rev. Ty Williams began serving Hoffman Global Methodist Church on July 1, 2023.

Class of 2017 Rev. Kim Hurley Andrews was ordained as a full elder in June during the Great Plains Annual Conference of The UMC in Omaha, NE.

Rev. Judy Cramer pastors two congregations, Pharisburg and Magnetic Springs, which have merged into a joint community, Magnetic Springs Pharisburg United Methodist Church. Their members and ministries enrich the lives of kids and families in Union County, Ohio.

Rev. Linda Settles pastors Green Trails United Methodist Church (Chesterfield, MO). She and her congregation partnered with the St. Louis County Parks Foundation to restore Missouri’s oldest one-room schoolhouse for African American students. Linda spoke about the experience on The Kelly Clarkson Show in February 2023.

Class of 2012

Rev. Dr. Nonito Dobles (MDiv ’17, DMin ’21) led First FilAm Church in launching “Project 10M — Saturating the Nations With The Gospel of Christ” in January 2023. The project was supported by a $10,000 grant from the West Ohio Conference of The UMC. He and his family also lead daily devotions on Facebook that now reach over 10 million people around the world.

Rev. Heather Foley is now serving as pastor at Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Evansville, IN. Rev. Dr. Cassandra Gould relocated to the nation’s capital in 2022 to begin serving on the national staff of Faith in Action National Network as the Senior.

Strategist. She helps to develop faith leaders working at the intersection of faith, politics and organization.

Rev. Dawn L. Barnes is now part of the Global Methodist Church.

Class of 2013

Class of 2018

Rev. Dr. Jonathan "Jay" Augustine is senior pastor of St. Joseph African Methodist Episcopal Church (Durham, NC) and a member of the consulting faculty at Duke Divinity School. He recently authored two books in wide circulation, When Prophets Preach: Leadership and the Politics of the Pulpit (Fortress Press, 2023) and Called to Reconciliation: How the Church Can Model Justice, Diversity, and Inclusion (Baker Academic, 2022). Jay also gave the opening lecture at the 2023 Festival of Homiletics in Minneapolis, MN.

Rev. Diana McHenry has served as a bivocational pastor for over 15 years, serving with churches in the United Methodist Church, the Episcopal Church, and the United Church of Christ. She has also worked full-time in technology firms in business roles, where diversity, equity and inclusion were areas of involvement. Diana and her husband Scott welcomed their first granddaughter in 2021 and have been on a ministerial sabbatical to spend more time with family.

Rev. V. Gayle Miller was hired by the Montgomery County Law Office of the Public Defender as the inaugural Probate Resource Attorney serving pro se patrons filing in the Montgomery County, Ohio probate court. She finds that the position calls for ministerial as well as legal skills.

Rev. Angela Timpson received her DMin at Erskine Theological Seminary in May 2023 and she is currently the Center Director at Hope Rising, North Dayton location.

Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven... All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:2, 4

News and Notes Class of 2020 Rev. Eric Falker was ordained as a full elder at the Michigan Annual Conference on June 3, 2023.

Rev. Douglas Fox is now pastoring a new church start, McKinney Global Methodist, and is one of the Presiding Elders for new church starts in the Mid Texas Conference of the Global Methodist Church.

Rev. Dan Lyons began as the inaugural pastor of Clayton (NC) Methodist Church, a Global Methodist congregation, in July 2023.

Rev. Leah McGlynn was ordained as a full elder at the Michigan Annual Conference of The UMC on June 3, 2023.

Class of 2021 Rev. Dr. Faith Cole authored Prayer Matters and Preach the Word.

united.edu

Thomas Cotton and his family relocated to Washington, NC, on January 1, 2023, to be appointed as a first-time senior pastor at Cornerstone Family Worship Center Church of God. He was also named President of Cornerstone School of Ministry, affiliated with Christian Life School of Theology Global.

Rev. John Little has been senior pastor of Resurrection Missionary Baptist Church since 2000. The church celebrated 45 years of ministry and a mortgage burning on August 20, 2023.

Dr. Ben Martin is a professor in the Christian Ministries Department at Lindsey Wilson College and the Associate Pastor and Director of Worship Ministries at Memorial United Methodist Church in Elizabethtown, KY.

Class of 2022 Rev. Dr. Mina Attia is teaching at King Jesus University in Florida. He is also planning to travel to Egypt, where he was born, to evangelize, meet underground church leaders, visit orphanages and be part of clean water projects.

Rev. Patricia Bell was voted by the clergy body of The Mountain Sky Conference of The UMC to become a Provisional Elder in June 2023.

Rev. Dr. Joseph C. Chandler was recognized as the Department of the Air Force recipient of the 2023 NAACP Roy Wilkins Renown Service Award, Civilian Category, and he was a finalist for the 2022 Air Force Blacks in Government Meritorious Service Award. In 2023, he was elected vice president for the Sergeant Lawrence Everhart Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, and his community selected him to serve a three-year term on the Police Accountability Board of Frederick County, Maryland.

Rev. Dr. Angela Martin is continuing in her Liberation Theology work by living and conducting research in Central Mexico.

Class of 2023 Rev. Dr. Jorge Acevedo published Everybody Needs Some Cave Time: Meeting God in Dark Places (Invite Press, January 2023). In January 2023, Jorge retired after 39 years of local church pastoral ministry and is continuing his ministry as a coach, writer and speaker.

Rev. Dr. Larry Frank joined the pastoral team at Grace Church, a dynamic multi-site ministry in southwest Florida with campuses in Cape Coral, Fort Myers, and Fort Myers Shores, on July 1, 2023.

Rev. Dr. Walter Thomas, Jr., after eight years as pastor of First Baptist Church of Steelton (Harrisburg, PA), has been elected and called to serve as the senior pastor of the New Psalmist Baptist Church in Baltimore, MD. He succeeds his pastor and father, Bishop Walter Thomas, Sr., who has served the church for over 48 years.

Rev. Dr. Femrono Wood founded Ark of Hope Community Center, Inc. which has drilled and dedicated four wells in Kenya, East Africa. The wells provide several marginalized communities with water, strengthen family dynamics, and reduce death previously caused by parasitic water. Ark of Hope also provides boarding school sponsorships for more than a dozen kids and conducts leadership training for a host of pastors and church leaders in addressing the spiritual, social and material needs of the Masaai people in Kenya, East Africa.

Celebrations Rev. Keith Adkins '83 and Rev. Yvonne Oropoza '85 celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary on August 13.

Rev. Jeffrey Barker '90 celebrated the 30th anniversary of his ordination in the United Church of Christ on July 23.

Rev. Martin Berisford '63 celebrated his 63 rd wedding anniversary on August 20.

Dr. Norman E. Thomas (Faculty 1983-2002) celebrated his 91st Birthday.

Rev. Paul Zieber '65 celebrated his 62nd wedding anniversary on August 20.

Retirements Rev. Paul S. Beal '69 Akron, OH Rev. Ron Fike '13 Grand Rapids, MI Rev. Kevin A. Johnson '79 Palm Springs, CA

Rev. Jacqueline Lynch launched her first children's book, I Am Who I Am, the ABC’s of Positive Affirmations, (Vine Publishing, 2022).

Spirit Led, Renewing the Church!

Our prayers are with the families of: Ernest L. Bein, alumnus, who Rev. Helen Hayes '94 who died June 15, 2018. He was a died April 2, 2023. She was resident of Anderson, OH. a resident of Sidney, OH. Rev. Dwight Bowers '81 who Rev. David Hernandez '78 died December 28, 2022. He who died in 2023. He was was a resident of Bryan, OH. a resident of Sidney, OH. Louis Boyd, alumna, who died on February 3, 2022.

She was a resident of Cincinnati, OH

Mrs. Helen Hinrichsen '84 who died November 19, 2022. She was a resident of Davidsville, PA.

Rev. Dr. Sandra Goode Bricker '04 who died October 28, 2022. She was a resident of Westerville, OH.

Rev. Terry Hurlbutt '85 who died September 10, 2023.

He was a resident of Clarenden, PA.

Rev. Roger Burtner '98 who died September 16, 2023.

He was a resident of Keedysville, MD.

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Ms. Dorla Morgan Rev. Charles Selby '61 who of Kettering, OH, died died June 26, 2022. He was on December 1, 2022. a resident of Lakeside, OH. Ms. Morgan worked at Rev. Alan Sippel '72 who United for 30 years in died October 19, 2023. He both the admissions and development departments. was a resident of Columbus, OH Upon her retirement in 2003, the Seminary recognized her Rev. Dennis Snovel '72 who died April 25, 2023. He was a with an honorary degree. resident of Lititz, PA. Dorla’s former colleagues remember her deep love Rev. Dr. T. Anthony Spearman for God and how she was able to share God’s love with '03 who died July 19, 2022. others through her outgoing He was a resident of Greensboro, NC. and caring personality.

Ms. Lois Jones '62 who died Rev. Charles Moyer '60 Mrs. Jean Thie, friend of August 14, 2023. She was a United, who died February resident of College Park, MD. who died December 24, 2022. He was a resident of 23, 2023. She was a resident Rev. Dr. LeRoy Kettinger '88 Williamsport, PA. of Dayton, OH. Ms. Marcia Cash, alumna, who died May 27, 2023. He Rev. Dr. Clarence Noble '92 who died October 2, 2023. was a resident of Auburn, NY. Ms. Janet Thom, friend of who died April 15, 2022. He She was a resident of United, who died September Rev. William R. Kinsey '57 was a resident of Tuskegee Toledo, OH. 27, 2022. She was a resident who died October 7, 2023.

Institute, AL. of Dayton, OH. Rev. Lee Cate '59 who died He was a resident of Rev. Dr. Richard North '17 July 12, 2022. He was a Morgantown, WV. who died August 8, 2022. He Rev. Dr. Edward Wallen '71, '80 resident of Clinton, TN. Rev. Lamar Kopp '52 who was a resident of Brookville, who died December 27, Rev. James Conley '59 who died March 1, 2023. He was OH. 2022. He was a resident of died May 22, 2023. He was a resident of Quincy, PA. Wapakoneta, OH. Charles V. Painter, friend of a resident of Gross lle, MI. Cynthia K. Kreichbaum, wife United, who died March 16, Rev. Dr. Allen Paul Weaver Rev. Daniel Culbertson '83, of Rev. William T. Kreichbaum 2023. He was a resident of '94 who died June 19, 2023.

'84 who died January 16, ‘68 who died June 28, 2023. Centerville, OH. He was a resident of New 2023. He was a resident of Ft. She was a resident of Allen A. Pebley, husband of Rochelle, NY. Wayne, IN. Adrian, MI. Rev. Patricia Pebley ’14, who Rev. Dennis Daley '84 who Rev. Wilbur Lantz '60 who died April 29, 2023. He was a Rev. Thomas Webb '65 who died December 22, 2022. died December 16, 2022. resident of Jackson, MI. died July 23, 2023. He was a He was a resident of He was a resident of resident of Ickesburg, PA. Rev. Bruce Pfeiffer '58 who Dayton, OH. Lancaster, PA. died August 20, 2022. He was Rev. Thomas England '72 Janet Lasley, wife of trustee a resident of Richmond, VA. Dr. Carl Wiley '63, '73 who died July 3, 2023. He was a who died March 13, 2023.

Dr. Thomas Lasley, who died resident of Grove City, OH. He was a resident of January 26, 2023. She was a Rev. Allen Phillips '73 who died July 20, 2022. He was Zanesville, OH. resident of Centerville, OH. a resident of Sellersburg, IN. Mrs. Nancy Zimmerman, Rev. Wesley Epler '70 who Mrs. Arlene Lenich '64 who friend of United, died on May Rev. Richard Rothemich died October 28, 2022. He died May 8, 2023. She was 1, 2023. Mrs. Zimmerman '81 who died October 17, was a resident of Lititz, PA. a resident of Telford, PA. and her late husband were 2022. He was a resident of longtime supporters of Dr. Kenneth Galdeen '73, Rev. Michael Mansfield '84 Lancaster, OH. United, giving generously of '86 who died September 13, who died July 19, 2022. He their time and resources for 2022. He was a resident of was a resident of Lexington, Mr. John Russo, friend of United, who died June 5, more than 30 years. In 2016, Middletown, OH. KY. 2022. He was a resident of the seminary dedicated Mr. C. Gault '08 who died Rev. Dr. Linda McCoy '96 South Bend, IN. the Richard A. and Nancy January 28, 2023. He was a who died March 20, 2023.

Zimmerman chapel in honor Mr. Richard Schaefer, resident of West Liberty, OH. She was a resident of of the Hershey, PA, couple. husband of Rev. Katharine Mr. Zimmerman had been Ms. Donna Golliher, friend of Carmel, IN. Schaefer, '91 who died CEO of Hershey Foods and United, who died March 14, Dr. Larma Jean MillerOctober 4, 2023. He was a 2023. She was a resident of Whelchel '86 who died May resident of Beavercreek, OH. a member of United’s Board of Trustees for 20 years, Spearfish, SD. 31, 2022. She was a resident Rev. Fred Schmidt '64 who serving as chair of the Board of Los Angeles, CA. Mr. Allen Greer '72 who died June 10, 2022. He was during the transition to the died May 12, 2023. He was a Rev. Donald Morgan '62 who a resident of Kent, OH. Trotwood, OH, campus. resident of Corvallis, OR. died April 23, 2022. He Today, the Zimmerman Mrs. Trish Schneider, was a resident of Carlisle, PA. Chapel continues their Rev. Janet Griesinger '70 alumna, who died May 6, legacy, serving as a space who died December 9, 2023. She was a resident of for the United community 2022. She was a resident of Alamosa, CO. to gather in worship and Millfield, OH. prayer.

Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven... All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:2, 4

2023 Alumni/ae Awards Congratulations to the 2023 Alumni/ae Award recipients who were honored on May 20 during the 2023 Commencement activities. These individuals are expanding the reach of the Kingdom of God through their ministries.

Effective Ministry Award Rev. Justin Cason ’19 serves as an Online Campus

Pastor at Monticello United Methodist Church in Indiana. Through the creation of “The Couch,” he developed an entirely online, interactive campus experience providing teaching sessions, prayer rooms and a weekly service to connect with people virtually who otherwise would not attend church.

Outstanding DMin Alumna Award Rev. Dr. Sheila Bouie-Sledge ’19 is a native of St.

Louis, Missouri, where she is Senior Pastor of North Park United Methodist Church. As her doctoral project at United, she founded the non-profit organization “My Diversity Circle, LLC” in response to the 2014 Ferguson riots in St. Louis. “My Diversity Circle” fosters relationships across ethnic, racial, religious, age and gender lines. Sheila is passionate about teaching others to confront issues of race, prejudice and discrimination with the love of Jesus Christ and real conversation.

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Distinguished Alumna Award Rev. Dr. Vanessa Ward ’91 is President of Omega

Community Development Corporation (Omega CDC) and Pastor Emerita of Omega Baptist Church (Dayton, OH). As President of Omega CDC, she oversees the organization's mission of providing services that develop and improve the lives of children and families in northwest Dayton.

Under her leadership, Omega CDC was recently awarded a $28.7 million Promise Neighborhood Grant from the US Department of Education.

Sheila Bouie-Sledge, Justin Cason, Vanessa Ward

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Happenings at United Holy Spirit Seminar: The Power of the Holy Spirit

The X-Seminar

December 1, 2023

May 3, 2024

At the 12th annual Holy Spirit Seminar, Bishop James Swanson teaches on the power of the Holy Spirit to come alongside us to bring transformation in our own lives and the life of the Church.

Led by Dr. Peter Bellini, The X-Seminar is a one-day comprehensive course in deliverance and exorcism.

All clergy and laity, experienced and inexperienced, are invited. Certification will be offered at the conclusion of the seminar.

Doctoral Intensive: 21st Century Ministry Beyond the Norms — Emerging Models for Preaching

For more information visit www.united.edu/events or contact United: 937.529.2201

January 22-26, 2024 Worship service and plenaries are open to the public.

Bishop Bruce Ough Innovation Center Prayer Wave Fueled by “Dynamite Prayer"

Over the last year, a prayer wave has been gathering momentum in churches across the United States.

When Rev. Sue Nilson Kibbey, director of the Bishop Bruce Ough Innovation Center, and Rev. Dr. Rosario Picardo ’14 published Dynamite Prayer: A 28 Day Experiment (Invite Resources) in August 2022, their goal was simply to introduce more people to the practice of breakthrough prayer, a form of Spirit-fueled prayer that invites God’s unlimited power for fresh inspiration and divine guidance forward. But the book’s reach has grown in ways they did not anticipate.

Inspired by two United Methodist conferences who rallied their congregations to undertake the 28-day prayer experiment, the Innovation Center created additional Dynamite Prayer resources in fall 2023 to equip other conferences and congregations of all denominations to experience renewal and transformation through the power of prayer.

Multiple United Methodist conferences and congregations have since joined the emerging “Dynamite Prayer Wave” by engaging their communities in daily breakthrough prayer, guided by Dynamite Prayer.

With 28 days of daily devotionals based on the “dunamis” (resurrection power) of God’s Spirit, Dynamite Prayer provides an accessible introduction to the concept of breakthrough prayer. The guidebook also includes simple daily break-through prayer guides to help participants establish an ongoing breakthrough prayer habit that moves fresh hope and expectation to the center of everything.

“Dynamite Prayer has been the ignition for our people to step out boldly where they never would have before. By using the language of prayer and naming breakthroughs, they now trust that God has already gone ahead of them.”

Rev. Ben Morris '16

Pastor, Emmanuel UMC and St. James UMC “Dynamite Prayer is full of powerful and explosive prayers Appleton, Wisconsin that are packed with the Holy Spirit,” says Rev. Lisa Fox ’16, who led the breakthrough prayer initiative for the West Virginia Conference of The UMC in September. “Our church prayed together for 28 days and witnessed the true power of God. This book has shown us the impact of coming together and focusing on prayer!”

Participating conferences and congregations were also equipped with resourcing and encouragement through on-demand video trainings, Dynamite Prayer sermon series examples, and downloadable short video stories of Dynamite Prayer breakthroughs from other congregations.

The Innovation Center is inviting churches to continue the Dynamite Prayer Wave into 2024. If your congregation is ready to covenant to become part of the growing Dynamite Prayer 28-day prayer experiment, head to dynamiteprayer.com to join.

The Innovation Center offers a wide variety of resources. Check out the Center’s latest offerings at: united.edu/innovation-center, or email director Rev. Sue Nilson Kibbey at snkibbey@united.edu.

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Board of Trustees OFFICERS Dr. James W. Holsinger, Jr. Chair

Dr. Cinda Swan, '13 First Vice Chair

Dr. Thomas J. Lasley II

Mr. Scott M. Laubie Principal, Woodard Development Englewood, OH

Rev. Dr. Robert C. Scott, '97 Senior Pastor, St. Paul Baptist Church Charlotte, NC

Second Vice Chair

BOARD MEMBERS Rev. Michael A. Beck Pastor, Wildwood United Methodist Church Director, Fresh Expressions UM Wildwood, FL Rev. Robert P. Coleman, '72 Retired Elder, Indiana Conference of The UMC Franklin, IN Mr. Phillip F. Connolly Senior Consultant, Connolly Construction Co. Marysville, OH

united.edu

Dr. William H. Curtis † Senior Pastor, Mount Ararat Baptist Church Pittsburg, PA Rev. Dr. Cynthia D. Davis, '05 Retired Elder, Memphis Conference of The UMC Memphis, TN Rev. Warren “Chip” Freed, Jr. Lead Pastor, Garfield Memorial Church Pepper Pike, OH Dr. Jeffrey E. Greenway Lead Pastor, Reynoldsburg Community Church Reynoldsburg, OH Dr. Marion Hayes, MDiv '15, DMin '18 Senior Managing Director, Arsenal Capital Partners New York, NY Dr. James W. Holsinger, Jr. Retired, University of Kentucky College of Public Health Lexington, KY Dr. Thomas J. Lasley II Director, Policy and Montgomery Co. Educational Service Center and Professor, University of Dayton Centerville, OH

Rev. Brian A. Law Lead Pastor, Christ Kettering United Methodist Church Springboro, OH Bishop Emeritus at Large Michael Lowry Martinsburg, WV Rev. Dr. Sir Walter Lee Mack, Jr., '97 Senior Pastor, Union Baptist Church Winston-Salem, NC Rev. William M. Nicholas Retired Elder, Texas Conference of the UMC Sugar Land, TX Sister Judy Niday, CCPS † Sister of the Precious Blood Dayton, OH Rev. Dr. Jorge L. Ochoa Director of Hispanic/Latino Movement, Northwest Texas Annual Conference of The UMC Lubbock, TX Bishop Gregory V. Palmer Bishop, West Ohio Conference of The UMC Worthington, OH Rev. Dr. Rudy Rasmus, '19 Co-founder and Executive Director, Bread of Life Inc., Houston, TX Rev. Dr. Vance P. Ross, '15 Senior Pastor, Central United Methodist Church Atlanta, GA Rev. Dr. Ted L. Sauter, '72 Retired Elder, Florida Conference of The UMC Marietta, GA

Rev. Dr. Michael B. Slaughter, '90 Retired Elder, West Ohio Conference of The UMC Cincinnati, OH Rev. Harvey B. Smith, '58 Retired Elder, West Ohio Conference of The UMC Centerville, OH Mr. Steven R. Smith Retired Tontitown, AR Dr. Cinda Swan, '13 Retired Faculty, Lindsey Wilson College Campbellsville, KY Bishop James E. Swanson † Retired Bishop, Mississippi Conference of The UMC Acworth, GA Mr. James S. Tharp Former Chair, Retired, The Shelly Company Cincinnati, OH Rev. Andrew C. Thompson Lead Pastor, First Methodist Church Tulsa, Ok Mrs. Sarah Walters-Maher Data Management Director, Innovative Financial Group, Inc. Englewood, OH Bishop Lisa Weah † Senior Pastor, New Bethlehem Baptist Church Baltimore, MD Bishop Mark J. Webb Lititz, PA

† United welcomed four new trustees during the past academic year. Thanks to our new trustees and to all of our trustees for their service to United.

Spirit Led, Renewing the Church!

New Trustees at United

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United welcomed four new trustees during the past academic year. Thanks to our new trustees and to all of our trustees for their service to United.

Dr. William H. Curtis Senior Pastor, Mount Ararat Baptist Church Pittsburg, PA

Bishop Lisa Weah Senior Pastor, New Bethlehem Baptist Church Baltimore, MD

Bishop James E. Swanson Retired Bishop, Mississippi Conference of The UMC Acworth, GA

Sister Judy Niday, CPPS Sister of the Precious Blood Dayton, OH

Life and Honorary Trustees Mr. Donald F. Aldrich Mr. E. Lynn App Bishop George W. Bashore Rev. David S. Bell Dr. Charles S. Brown Rev. Marla Elifritz Brown Mrs. Ruth A. Daugherty Dr. James K. Davis Mr. James A. Dyer Rev. H. Stanley Eichenauer Mrs. Mary Kay Feller

Mr. L. Craig Fulmer* Mr. James R. Heinrich Rev. Dr. Byoung Sam Kim Mr. Geoffrey R. Lorenz Mr. William T. Maddock Mr. John E. Moore Rev. Gary L. Olin Rev. Saranne Nelson-Olin Ms. Karen H. Painter Mrs. Marjorie H. Putman Rev. Christopher S. Roberts

Dr. Philip A. Roberts Mr. Richard M. Roediger Mr. Charles E. Smith II Rev. Harold M. Stockman Mrs. Norma K. Stockman Mr. Ron C. Thie* Mr. Leon A. Whitney II* Mr. Richard A. Zimmerman* Mrs. Nancy C. Zimmerman* *deceased

Corporate/Administrative Officers Kent Millard

President

Steven Swallow Vice President for Finance and Administration, Board Treasurer

David Watson Callie Picardo Senior Vice President, Vice President for Development Vice President for Academic Affairs and Academic Dean

Destini Edmond Executive Assistant to the President, Board Secretary Bridget Weatherspoon Vice President for Enrollment

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Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven... All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:2, 4

Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Dayton, OH Permit No. 579

4501 Denlinger Rd. Dayton, OH 45426

annual report 22|23

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

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United

May God fill you to overflowing with a sense of abundance and gratitude! With grateful hearts from the administration, faculty, staff and students of United Theological Seminary.

"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever." Psalm 136:1