Annual Report July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023
Fresh Wind Campaign "Takes Flight"
Learn more about the initiative to reduce student debt
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
New Faces at United Get to know the newest leaders at United
Your Impact
Recognizing all who supported the Seminary in the last year
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
“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.
▪ 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
Alumni/ae Are Serving in or Retired from Ministry 43 Students from Denominations
* Figures represent those who responded. All figures rounded to the nearest whole number.
Source: united.edu/ataglance2023
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: to endow scholarships MILLION
$10M 4X will increase endowed scholarships by more than
$13M $650K will produce annually for scholarships
$3M $150K currently provides annually for scholarships
*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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Watch your email for more invitations to pray throughout the year.
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
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 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.
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 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
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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!”
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.”
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+
Mrs. Constance Fulmer
Mrs. Vicki L. James and Mr. Rick L. James †
Robert E. Toothman*
$50,000–$99,999
Rev. Dr. and Mrs. David S. Bell †
Jack and Anna Jackson
$20,000–$49,999
The Boyd Family
Mr. Lewis Fikes and Mrs. Martha Fikes †
Drs. James and Barbara Holsinger †
Sister Joyce Lehman CPPS
Dr. and Mrs. Kent Millard †
Betty A. O'Brien †
Mr. Douglas Spragg †
Mr. and Mrs. James S. Tharp †
$10,000–$19,999
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Bowen †
Rev. Dr. Laura H. Harris, '13
Dr. Marion Hayes, '18 †
Mr. James R. Heinrich and Mrs. Janice E. Heinrich, '00
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
$5,000–$9,999
Bishop George, '58, '76 and Carolyn Bashore †
Ms. Margaret Biolchini
Rev. Jean Brindel, '76 †
Mr. and Mrs. George S. Brooks II †
Mrs. Mary Kay Feller †
Mrs. Mary Anna Geib and Mr. Darrell Geib
*deceased † given consecutively five years or more
Rev. Dr. SueLee Jin, '10, '13 †
Mrs. Janet Kalas †
Mrs. Prudence Colaw Klinger
Matt Knecht †
Dr. and Mrs.* Thomas Lasley †
Robert and Barbara Livingston
Mrs. Fran Lopus
Bishop Michael and Jolynn Lowry †
Rev. Ron, '72 and Sue Mowry †
Dr. Gary L. Olin, '67 and Rev. Saranne Nelson-Olin, '78 †
Dr. and Mrs. Andrew S. Park †
Rev. Dr. Rosario Picardo, '14 and Mrs. Callie Picardo †
Mr. David Rodgers
Rev. Dr. Michael B. Slaughter, '90 and Mrs. Carolyn Slaughter †
Rev. Harvey B. Smith, '58 †
Mr. Steven R. Smith and Dr. Kellye Smith
Dr. and Mrs. Jason Thorn
$2,500–$4,999
Dr. and Mrs. Reggie Abraham
Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Bonnell
Rev. Bob Coleman, '72 †
Drs. Viola Devany and Glenn Feltz
Mr. Stan Johnston
Mr. R. Wayne Livingston
Mrs. Marvalene P. Ricard †
Dr. and Mrs. Ted L. Sauter, '72
Dr. Terry Swan and Rev. Dr. Cinda L. J. Swan, '13 †
Dr. David F. Watson and Mrs. Harriet Watson †
Mr. Joel L. Watts, '12
Rev. Dr. Ed Zeiders, '73 †
$1,000–$2,499
Thomas A. Andrew, '21
Mrs. Nancy Louise Barnes †
James and Phyllis Barnett
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur R. Bauer
Rev. Dr. Michael A. Beck and Rev. Jill Beck
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
Mrs. Joyce W. Elliott
Rev. Herman A. Emmert, '56 †
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
Dr. Seok Jae Jeon, '04 and Mrs. Yoon Sun Shin, '20
Mrs. Karen Jones
Bishop Kaebnick Family †
Rev. Kirsten D. King and Mr. Paul T. King
Rev. Andrew D. Kinsey
Scott and Roberta Kisker † 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
David and Doris* Ponitz †
Rev. Karen K. Powell, '00 †
Terrell and Carol Rainbolt
Rev. Dr. Rudy Rasmus, '19 and Rev. Juanita Rasmus †
Rev. Ronald L. Reichman, '72
Cynthia Reynolds, '78 †
Mr. and Ms. Mark C. Roh
Dr. and Mrs. J. Elvin and Stefanie Sadler †
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
Mr. Don VonGruenigen
Dr. Lance Watson, '06
Rev. and Mrs. Mark S. Weatherman, '08
Rev. Dr. Bridget D. Weatherspoon, '12, '15 †
Bishop Mark and Jodi Webb
Neil Westby, '73
$500–$999
Rev. Thomas Adams, '59 †
Rev. Jerry D. Adinolfi, Jr., '96 †
Rev. Martin A. Berisford, '63 †
Chaplain and Mrs. Larry W. Biederman, '77 †
Dr. Sandra K. Black, '20, '23
David, '64 and Velma Bradley †
Leslie Bramlett
Rev. James F. Bray, '64 †
Rt. Rev. Dr. and Mrs. C. Franklin Brookhart Jr., '84
Percy D. Brown, '54
Mrs. William A. Clark
Dr. Leroy Cothran, '99, '02 †
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. Sheila Hill
Ms. Patricia Hopper
Justus and Ellen Hunter †
Rev. Charles L. Hutchinson
Rev. and Mrs. G. Scott Jenkins Jr., '95 †
Gary A. Kellner, '85
Rev. Dr. Charles, '84 and Della Keyworth †
Shirley Landis, '82 †
Rev. and Mrs. Ehrhardt Lang, '62 †
Rev. Anton Sarg Magyar, '96
Mrs. Esther M. Mefferd †
Mike Miller, '17
Mr. and Mrs. Dick Miller
Revs. Ryan, '03 and Kris, '03 Mutzenberger
Rev. Dr. Jorge L. Ochoa
Bishop Bruce R. Ough
Ms. LaLonne Parish
Mr. and Mrs. Mark and Karen Payne †
Dr. Artie L. Polk, '12 †
Dr. Philip A. Roberts, Trustee, Emeritus and Mrs. Jonell Roberts
Rev. Louis, '72 and Joyce Rohrs †
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
Rev. Genett Timlin, '05
Dr. Robert C. Walker, '95 and Dr. Mary L. Walker, '03 †
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 †
Rev. Paul S. Beal, ′69 †
Ms. Barbara Bechman
Rev. Ronald J. Beistline, ′68
Pete and Mariuccia Bellini †
Mrs. Anna S. Bickhart †
Rev. and Mrs. Kent G. Biller Jr., ′77 †
Edw. R. Bridgeman, CLM †
Chad, ′17 and KaLynn Clark
Ken and Julie Cochrane †
Rev. Dr. Elvernice Davis, ′05 and Rev. Dr. Cynthia Davis, ′05 †
Rev. George S. Easley, ′53
Dr. Laurence L. Falk, ′58 †
Phillip Gehm, ′57 †
Ms. Pat Hartranft †
Robert, ′61 and Jean Hefty
Rev. & Mrs. Richard K. Hoover, ′64 †
Bishop and Mrs. Neil L. Irons, ′63
Mary H. Joseph, ′91 †
Chaplain William (“Jack”) Kouth, ′64 †
Marcia Lafferre
Joe A. Lambright
Rev. Dr. and Mrs. Brian A. Law
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
Rev. John E. McRoberts, ′58 †
Mrs. Martha Milhouse
Mrs. Mary L. Miller
Rev. Arthur V. Norris, ′64
Bishop and Mrs. Gregory V. Palmer †
Rev. James L., ′75 and Mrs. Fayetta Phillips †
Ms. Carol Pohly
Arnold A. Porter
Rev. Francis L. Reichart †
Michele Cash Russo
Rev. Charles L. Shaffer, ′73 †
Mrs. Sherry Tschudin
Dr. James K. Wagner, ′62, ′78 †
David and Laura Weber †
Rev. Thomas L. True, ′73
$100–$249
Porooshat Akbar Akhgari
Rev. Beatrice Alghali, '21
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 †
Ms. Jane Benner, '80 †
Mrs. Doris E. Bergman
Ms. Antoinette C. Bernard
Harold, '63 and Karen Biederman
Rev. and Mrs. Warren C. Black Jr., '77
Rev. Wilmer T. Bloy
Dr. Carolyn Bohler
Mr. and Mrs. Rick Bragg
David Brice, '65
Mr. Ted Briggs Chaplain (COL) and Mrs. W. Kermit Brock, '59 †
Carol Brophy and Roy Johnson
Rev. Mary Ann Bushong, '92 †
Rev. Neil D. Butcher, '72
Mr. Walter D. Campbell
Ms. Shirlita Carson
Anwar Carter, '22
Rev. Charles J. Chipman, '57 †
Rev. Dr. Philip R. Chisholm, '21
Rev. Michael W. Christian, '66 †
Ralph Ciampa, '66 †
Edward L. Clarke, '69
Ms. Robbie Collins
Mark Condy, '03
Rev. Dr. Thomas E. and Rev. Dr. Amelia Cooper Boomershine, '91, '15
Rev. Lewis F. Cornwell, '69
Jim and Carolyn Craig †
Judy Cramer, '09 †
Pastor Brandilynne Craver, '13
Rev. Dr. Kenneth W. Cummings Sr., '93
Rev. and Dr. Dennis Richard Daley, '84
Rev. Julie M. Davis, '20
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
Pastor Caleb, '18 and Elizabeth Fritz †
Mrs. Marianne L. Garrett †
J.A. Garrett
Maureen and Greg Gearhart
Ms. Katherine Geible †
Rev. Dr. Olivia E. Graham, '88 †
Dr. and Mrs. Jeffrey E. Greenway †
Mr. David E. Gretencord †
Mr. Dennis Gump
Christina S. Haines, '22
Jack, '70 and Carolyn Hartman †
Rev. C. Archibald Hawkins, '79 †
Mr. Donald L. Hayashi
Mrs. Dee Dee Heffner
Elizabeth Harrison Hicks, DMin, '10
Rev. Earl, '62 and Mrs. Eunice Higgins
Rev. Susan Hitts, '19
Ms. Julie Hobbs
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Hoffman
David, '70 and Paulette Hogg †
Tim and Connie Holmen
Rev. and Mrs. Eugene R. Hostetter, '62 †
Curtis Hurley, '78 †
Ms. Rachel Hurley †
Rev. Sherri L. Jackson, '16
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
Rev. Cynthia J. Osborn, '88 † and Rev. Richard L. Mitchell
Rev. and Mrs. Frederick Osei-Manu, '22
Ms. Gloria Pallotti
Mr. and Mrs. Steven Palmquist
Rev. Karen Pellett, '85
Rev. Dr. Paul R. Peters, '84 †
*deceased † given consecutively five years or more
Rev. Kristina J. Peterson, '74 †
Rev. Dr. David, '67 and Elaine Pierce
Rev. Robert L. Priest, '61
Dr. William L. Raker, '60 †
Mr. David Redwine
L. Fitzgerald Reist II, '77
Arnold Rhodes, '68
Carl Rife, '66
Don Riker, '81 †
Rev. Katherine J. Riley, '78
Dr. Bruce Roberts
Mrs. Harveta A. P. Rockwell, '67
Hugh M. Rohrer, '83
Dr. and Mrs. Vance P. Ross, '15
Rev. Dean V. Roush, '60 †
Mr. Raymond Rush
Dr. Donald L. Russell, '76, '91
Rev. Phelmon Saunders, '84
John A. Schaefer, '81
Rev. David, '66 and Sharron Schar †
Dan, '92 and Joanie Schilling
Dr. and Mrs. Gene E. Sease
David A. Sedgley, '79
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 †
Rev. Carl A. Synan, '69
Rev. Thomas Lee Taylor Jr.
Chong O. Tetkowski
Rev. Dr. Norman E. Thomas
Rev. Dr. and Ms. Alfred L. Thompson
Dr. Jim L. Tom, '70 †
Susan Tressler, '69 †
Rev. Dr. Joe and Sandee Trueblood
Dr. Karen Hien Thi Vo-To
Blake D. Wagner Sr.
Mr. Scott Walker
Steve Walker
Rev. Dr. Dale C. Waters, '68, '91 †
Thomas Weber, '74
The Rev. Thomas L. Weeks, '73
Ms. Blanca E. Weinberg
Howard, '63 and Ann Weisz
Gene Wells, '61 †
Robert Wilber
Mr. Thomas Wilson
Dr. and Mrs. Andrew J. Wood †
Dr. Lynn Youngblood
Mr. and Mrs. Ben Zehr
Ms. Carol J. Alexander
Rev. Dennis Alexander, '80 and Rev. Gail Alexander, '80
Thomas Alexander* †
Ms. Nola Anderson
Rev. William D. Armold
Ayad Attia, '19
Blanca N. Baker, '14 †
Ms. Kristen Ball
Ms. Martha Banks
Sherwood Barnette, '71
Patricia Baughman
Mr. and Mrs. Phil Beck
Mr. Mark Becker
Mr. Timothy S. Binkley
Ms. Millicent Y. Black, '15, '16
Dr. Sarah Blair †
Charles Bobo
Alverta (Robbin) Boozer, '16, '22
Ms. Damita Bridges
Mr. Kenneth F. Broda
Rev. Bonita Buckley
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas G. Burger
Kimberly Bury, '23
Brent and Julie Byerly
Guy Camp, '68 †
Dale Rick Campbell
Rev. Dr. Dexter Cannon
Eric Carr
Ms. Theresa Carter, '19
Ms. Vickie Chastain
Rev. John E. Ciampa, '73
Jerry and Sherral Clark
Mr. Jim Coleman
Rev. Dr. Anita Coleman, '21
Ms. Karen Combs
Mr. Torren Cooper
Rev. E. Jill Croswell, '00
Mr. and Mrs. Randall Crouse †
Ms. Dyanne Cunningham
Ms. Caryn M. Dalton, '98, '01 †
Ms. Deborah Dangerfield
Adrian Davis
Jacqueline Dewberry
Ms. Cathy Dickson
Diane E. DiLuzio
Rev. Annette Lee Dimond, '85
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Doll
Dr. and Mrs. Thomas B. Dozeman
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Duffy
Doug, '85 and Candi, '86 Elmore
Mr. Jack Ensminger
Rev. Dr. Terrence Evans, '23
Eric Falker, '19
Rev. Dr. William Falla, '76 †
Ms. Deborah Fegan
Ms. Kay Findley
Rev. Dr. Janet Flanagan, '06
Rev. Dr. Tracey Fletcher, 23
Cassandra Foster
Mr. Ian Glenn
Rev. Todd R. Goddard, '86
Pattie E. Gordon
Ms. Theresa Grant
Bertrand Griffin II
Nellie Grinage
Mr. and Mrs. J. Paul Gruver Jr. †
Mr. Tom Gulker and Mrs. Bonnie Gulker
Rev. Dale E. Harner
Mrs. Helen M. Harper †
Mr. Brent Hartman and Mrs. Linda Hartman
Mrs. Susan Haupt
Dr. Melanie Hauser, '23
Mr. and Mrs. Claud Hayes
Rev. Dr. Hugh E. Hendrickson, '20
Lynne Hodges
Mrs. Katherine B. Hollingsworth and Mr. Frank W. Hollingsworth
Sue Laningham and Al Holzhausen
Ms. Cathy Honrath
Mr. Jack Hott
Seth Humphries
Rev. Dr. Timothy M. James, '94
Dr. Cheryl Bridges Johns
Ms. Connie Johnson
Rev. Dr. Linda Johnson, '18
Ms. Shirley Johnson
Marilyn Kasperek, '14
Dr. Tolly A. Kennon III, '17
Rev. Kiboko Kiboko
Dr. Carol M. Lange †
Dan Larkin
Mr. Michael Laughlin
Anthony Le Donne
Ms. Andrea H. Leininger
Ms. Cheryl Long
Rev. John H. Lynch
Ms. Peggy Malone
Mr. Randy McCall
Ms. Angela McClung
Tracy McGeathey
Rev. Michelle M. McGhee
Rev. Dr. Edward N. McNulty, '93
Rev. Beverly F. Meadows, '85
Rev. and Mrs. Ned A. Michael, '76 †
Mr. and Mrs. Lee Michaels
Mr. and Mrs. Willis Mitchell
Ms. Jill Moberley
Rev. and Mrs. Arthur T. Moffat Jr., '88
David S. Morey Jr., '88 †
Dr. James Anthony Morris, '16
Rev. Allen C. Myers*, '70 and Mrs. Janice E. Myers †
Rev. Dr. William Bert Neal III, '19
Dr. J. Steven O'Malley
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Partridge
Rev. Margaret Ann Peary, '90
Ms. Pamela Perkins Carn
Mrs. Jean S. Peterson
Ms. Janet Purichia
Dossie Randle, '08
Dale, '84 and Sylvia Reese
Rev. Dr. and Mrs. Matt, '21 and Heidi Reynolds
Ms. Patricia Ross
Rev. Dr. and Mrs. Leonard G. Rowell, '91
Dr. Doris Sanders
Warren Savage
Brian Schubert
Rev. Sharon L. Schwab, '77
Rev. Stephany Smith Sechrist †
Juanita Sheppard
Mr. Leonard Sheridan
Mark, '95 and Heidi Shover †
Dr. James G. Skinner
Charles Slaybaugh, Jr., '68
Carlene T. Smith
Mrs. Carol Irish Smith, '82
Rev. Dr. Lillian C. Smith, '19
Chuck Smith
Rev.* and Mrs. Dennis R. Snovel, '72 †
Mr. Lawrence B. Snyder
Mr. Jarvis L. Spreng
Mr. Barry Stearns
Rev. Richard A., '03 and Mrs. Sharon Stenhouse
Dr. Jerome P. Stevenson Sr. †
Patti and Mark Stinski
Rev. Robert P. Stokes
Mr. and Mrs. Rob Stufflebeam
The Rev. Dr. Jack Sullivan Jr., '93
Ms. Sharon Tanner
Derrick Lee Tanyhill
Ms. Ebony Taylor
Ms. Janet Thom* †
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
*deceased † given consecutively five years or more
$100,000+
Community Foundation of Elkhart County, Elkhart, IN
General Board of Higher Education & Ministry, Nashville, TN †
Lilly Endowment Inc., Indianapolis, IN
$50,000-$99,999
Cora Foundation, Inc., Buffalo, WY
National Christian Foundation Kentucky, Lexington, KY †
The United Methodist Foundation of Michigan, Grand Rapids, MI †
$20,000-$49,999
Bethel World Mission Church, Beavercreek, OH
Sisters of the Precious Blood, Dayton, OH †
The Columbus Foundation, Columbus, OH †
$10,000-$19,999
Carmel United Methodist Church, Carmel, IN
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
Where He Leads Me Inc., Columbia, KY
$5,000-$9,999
Arsenal Capital Partners, New York, NY
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
$1,000-$2,499
First Church of God, Columbus, OH
Saint Paul Baptist Church, Charlotte, NC †
United Methodist Foundation of Indiana Inc., Fishers, IN
WhiteMountain Forensic Consulting Services, Bow, NH
$500-$999
Cicero United Methodist Church, Cicero, NY
Faith United Methodist Church, Delmont, PA
Leipsic UMC, Leipsic, OH †
United Methodist Foundation of West Virginia, Inc., Charleston, WV †
$250-$499
Richfield UMC, Richfield, PA †
The United Methodist Foundation of Western Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, PA †
West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church, Worthington, OH †
$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
$1-99
The Scarritt Bennett Center, Nashville, TN
Vano Ministries, Inc, Storm Lake, IA
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.
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
Mrs. Nancy Louise Barnes
J. Bruce L. Behney
Rev. and Mrs. Ehrhardt Lang, ′62
Lynn A. Bergman
Mrs. Doris E. Bergman
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
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
Honorable William A. Clark
Mrs. Catherine C. Clark
Bishop Emerson Colaw
David and Jill Colaw
Mrs. Prudence Colaw Klinger
Deborah Colaw Peterson
Rev. Dr. Michael Paul Vilardo, ′92 and Mrs. Marcie Colaw Vilardo
Ed Conrad
Rev. Ronald J. Beistline, ′68 and Mrs. Mary M. Beistline
Rev. Dennis R. Daley
Dr. Susan Merrell Daley
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
Harry L. Eckels
Anonymous
Dr. H. Allan Feller
Mrs. Mary Kay Feller
Norma Nail Varnado Brown Fussell
Mr. Joel L. Watts, ′12
Rev. William H. Garrett
Mrs. Marianne L. Garrett
Mr. Larry Gebhart
Rev. and Mrs. Harold M. Stockman, ′67
Merrell D. Geible
Ms. Katherine Geible
Ernest Green
Alverta (Robbin) Boozer, ′16
Rev. Hadley P. Harper
Mrs. Helen M. Harper
Dennis D. Heffner, '73
Mrs. Dee Dee Heffner
Mary Elizabeth Hinkle
Dan, ′92 and Joanie Schilling
Mr. William Hotter, USMC
Rev. Jerry D. Adinolfi, Jr., ′96
Joseph E. James
Mrs. Mary R. James
Bishop Hermann W. Kaebnick
Bishop Kaebnick Family
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
Marjorie E. Knecht
Matt Knecht
Delbert R. Krumm, '53
Mrs. Dee Dee Heffner
Reverend Thomas J Lasley
Dr. and Mrs.* Thomas Lasley
Doris Livingston
Robert and Barbara Livingston
Jordan P. Mann
Mr. and Ms. Jerry and Edna Mann
Dr. Kendall McCabe
Rev. Marylyn H. Doyle, ′86, ′91, ′97
John D. McCance, father, a Vietnam veteran
Rev. Julie M. Davis, ′20
Sandra McNulty
Rev. Dr. Edward N. McNulty, ′93
John Robert Miller, '57
Mrs. Mary L. Miller
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
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
William Newcomer
Rev. Ronald J. Beistline, ′68
Elmer J. O ' Brien
David S. Morey Jr., ′88
Betty A. O′Brien
Ibidunni Olayemi Onabanjo
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
Mr. Frank W. Hollingsworth and Mrs.
Katherine B. Hollingsworth
Mr. Michael Laughlin
Mr. and Mrs. Willis Mitchell
Ms. Jill Moberley
Lance and Kathy Moyer
Brian Schubert
Patti and Mark Stinski
Steve Walker
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
Bob Rae
Mr. Denis Larrick
Michael L. Raymo Anonymous
Dr. Calvin and Audrie Reber
Charles Slaybaugh, Jr., ′68
Dr. James B. Recob
Rev. John E. McRoberts, ′58
Dr. Won Byung Roh
Mr. and Ms. Mark C. Roh
Erma H. Rohrer, '83
Hugh M. Rohrer, ′83
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. and Mrs. Charles E. Smith ll
Rev. Dennis R. Snovel, '72
Rev. Ronald L. Reichman, ′72
Rev. Margaret Stenhouse
Mark Condy, ′03
Jean Thie
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
Rev. Russell H. Youngblood, '40
Dr. Lynn Youngblood
Richard A. Zimmerman
Anonymous
Ms. Hillary Marotta
"Our Pietist Ancestors in Faith"
Dr. Wendy J. Deichmann and Mr. Neal E. Klopping
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
Rev. Margaret Ann Peary, ′90
Louise S. Schultz
Dr. Peter J. Bellini
Mr. James Lambert
Dr. Edwin D. Burtner
Rev. and Mrs. Ehrhardt Lang, ′62
Rev. Dr. Camisha Chambers for completing her DMin program
Anonymous
Rev. Bob Coleman
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
Dr. Bruce Roberts
Rev. Dr. Joe and Sandee Trueblood
Andrew Dorsett
Anonymous
Dr. Thomas B. Dozeman
Ms. Caryn M. Dalton, ′98, ′01
Judith A. Sigmund, M.D., ′03
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
Ms. Barbara Bechman
Mr. and Mrs. Phil Beck
Rev. John L. and Dolores Brown
Mrs. Joyce W. Elliott
Ms. Kay Findley
J.A. Garrett
Grace United Methodist Church
Glenn and Rebecca Haveman
Mr. and Mrs. Claud Hayes
Ms. Julie Hobbs
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Hoffman
Ms. Patricia Hopper
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. 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
Rev. Dr. W. Martin Nicholas and Mrs. Pat Nicholas
Terrell and Carol Rainbolt
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
Diane E. DiLuzio
Rev. Dr. G. Edwin Zeiders
Rev. Stephany Smith Sechrist
Fresh Expressions House of Study
Michael Adam Beck
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. Beverly Ann Avers
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. George B. Brewer
Mr. and Mrs. Rick and Brenda Brown
Rev. L. Norman Butler
Chaplain and Mrs. Glenn C. Calkins
Rev. Robert G.* and Mrs. Eleanor Callihan
Rev. D. Grundy A. Couch
Rev. William J. Cowfer
Mrs. Ruth A. Daugherty
Dr. Wendy J. Deichmann
The Rev. E. Robert Dickerson, III
Rev. George S. Easley
Rev. H. Stanley Eichenauer Sr.
Dr. Stephen E. Ellis
Rev. Herman A. Emmert
Dr. Laurence Falk*
Rev. and Mrs. Richard G. Felty
Rev. Timothy J. Forbess
Rev. Dr. Lois B. Fortson Kirk
Rev. Floyd Fought*
Rev.* and Mrs. Paul A. Fulp
Mr. Walter Gildemeister and Mrs. Gisela Gildemeister
Rev. Dr. and Mrs. Mearle L. Griffith
Dr. Louis-Charles Harvey
Mr. James R. Heinrich and Mrs. Janice E. Heinrich
Rev. and Mrs. Ronald L. Hines
Rev. Robert S. Hinrichsen* and Mrs. Helen W. Hinrichsen*
Mr. James W. Hook and Mrs. Joan Hook
Bishop and Mrs. Neil L. Irons
Rev. and Mrs. Mark W. Jacobs
Mrs. Vicki L. James and Mr. Rick L. James
Rev. Kevin A. Johnson
Ms. Winifred L. Kaebnick
Rev. and Mrs. Dennis R. Keller
Rev. and Mrs. Charles W. Keller Jr.
Rev. Dr. and Mrs. Charles W. Keyworth
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Knecht
Rev. and Mrs. Lawrence E. Lynch
Rev. Paula Y. Mayberry
Rev. David L. McRoberts
Rev. Beverly F. Meadows
Rev. James I. Melhorn and Mrs. Lora B. Melhorn
Dr. and Mrs. Kent Millard
Mrs. Mary L. Miller
Rev. Barbara J. Moore
Rev. and Mrs. F. Jeffrey E. Mugridge
Mrs. Rose T. Needy
Mr. James T. Neef
Mrs. Mary C. Newlin
Rev. Elmer J.* and Mrs. Betty A. O'Brien
Rev. Dr. Michael J. O'Donnell
Dr. Gary L. Olin and Rev. Saranne Nelson-Olin
Rev. Dr. Donna Osterhout
Mrs. Martha C. Page
Rev. Allen D. Pebley and Rev. Patricia A. Pebley
Rev. Bruce C. Pfeiffer* and Mrs. Janet Pfeiffer
Mr. John A. Prall and Mrs. Nancy Prall
Mr. Jerry Megong Rabbu
Lt. Col. Robert E. Rae*
Rev. John L. Rauch* and Mrs. Joanne Rauch
Dr. and Mrs. David L. Reed
Rev. Ronald P.* and Mrs. Marvalene P. Ricard
Mrs. Elva Gay Rieth
Dr. Carl B. Rife
Mrs. Jeanne B. Ringley
Rev. Dr. Donald L. Russell
Dr. and Mrs. Ted L. Sauter
Mr. Richard L. Schaefer* and Rev. Katharine Schaefer
Rev. and Mrs. David E. Schar
Dr. Lowell W. Scheufler* and Mrs. Sarah H. Scheufler
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. Harvey B. Smith
Mr. Douglas Spragg
Mrs. Irma W. Springman
Rev. and Mrs. Harold M. Stockman
Dr.* and Mrs. Paul E. Stuckey
Steven and Cheryl Swallow
Mr. Allen Thomas
Major and Mrs. Mark E. Thompson
Robert E. Toothman*
Mrs. Susan Tressler
Rev. Carl D. Tribett and Mrs. Dona L. Tribett
Chaplain Margaret L. Turner
Rev. Dr. Reginald V. Van Stephens
Ms. Betty J. Walker
Dr. Valdrie N. Walker
Rev. Dr. Philip T. Wanck
Ms. Mary Lue O. Warner*
Rev. James T. Wenrich
Mr.* and Mrs. Leon A. Whitney II
Rev. Leslie Castle Womack
Rev. John K. Wortinger
Rev. Dr. Ed and Mrs. Joan* Zeiders Jr.
Rev. and Mrs. Paul F. Zieber
Mr. Richard A. Zimmerman* and Mrs. Nancy C. Zimmerman*
Rev. Harriette G. Zoller
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
Erik Leake has been hired as Director of the AME 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.
Polly Reynolds has been hired as Administrative 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.
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)
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)
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)
T homas 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)
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)
Cheryl Bridges Johns, Distinguished Professor of Pentecostal Studies
Re-Enchanting the Text: Discovering the Bible as Sacred, Dangerous, and Mysterious (Baker Academic, 2023)
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.
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.
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.
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 Universit y, Oxford Ohio, of which he has authored several editions.
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.
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.
of 1983
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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)].
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.
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. 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).
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. 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. 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. 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. 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.
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. Ty Williams began serving Hoffman Global Methodist Church on July 1, 2023.
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. 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.
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. Dawn L. Barnes is now part of the Global Methodist Church.
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. 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.
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.
Rev. Dr. Faith Cole authored Prayer Matters and Preach the Word
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.
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. Jacqueline Lynch launched her first children's book, I Am Who I Am, the ABC’s of Positive Affirmations, (Vine Publishing, 2022).
Rev. Dr. Angela Martin is continuing in her Liberation Theology work by living and conducting research in Central Mexico.
Class
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.
Rev. Keith Adkins '83 and Rev. Yvonne Oropoza '85 celebrated their 40 th wedding anniversary on August 13.
Rev. Jeffrey Barker '90 celebrated the 30 th 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.
Rev. Paul S. Beal '69 Akron, OH
Rev. Ron Fike '13 Grand Rapids, MI
Rev. Kevin A. Johnson '79 Palm Springs, CA
Ernest L. Bein, alumnus, who died June 15, 2018. He was a resident of Anderson, OH.
Rev. Dwight Bowers '81 who died December 28, 2022. He was a resident of Bryan, OH. Louis Boyd, alumna, who died on February 3, 2022. She was a resident of Cincinnati, OH
Rev. Dr. Sandra Goode Bricker '04 who died October 28, 2022. She was a resident of Westerville, OH.
Rev. Roger Burtner '98 who died September 16, 2023. He was a resident of Keedysville, MD.
Ms. Marcia Cash, alumna, who died October 2, 2023. She was a resident of Toledo, OH.
Rev. Lee Cate '59 who died July 12, 2022. He was a resident of Clinton, TN.
Rev. James Conley '59 who died May 22, 2023. He was a resident of Gross lle, MI.
Rev. Daniel Culbertson '83, '84 who died January 16, 2023. He was a resident of Ft. Wayne, IN.
Rev. Dennis Daley '84 who died December 22, 2022. He was a resident of Dayton, OH.
Rev. Thomas England '72 who died March 13, 2023. He was a resident of Zanesville, OH.
Rev. Wesley Epler '70 who died October 28, 2022. He was a resident of Lititz, PA.
Dr. Kenneth Galdeen '73, '86 who died September 13, 2022. He was a resident of Middletown, OH.
Mr. C. Gault '08 who died January 28, 2023. He was a resident of West Liberty, OH.
Ms. Donna Golliher, friend of United, who died March 14, 2023. She was a resident of Spearfish, SD.
Mr. Allen Greer '72 who died May 12, 2023. He was a resident of Corvallis, OR.
Rev. Janet Griesinger '70 who died December 9, 2022. She was a resident of Millfield, OH.
Rev. Helen Hayes '94 who died April 2, 2023. She was a resident of Sidney, OH.
Rev. David Hernandez '78 who died in 2023. He was a resident of Sidney, OH.
Mrs. Helen Hinrichsen '84 who died November 19, 2022. She was a resident of Davidsville, PA.
Rev. Terry Hurlbutt '85 who died September 10, 2023. He was a resident of Clarenden, PA.
Ms. Lois Jones '62 who died August 14, 2023. She was a resident of College Park, MD.
Rev. Dr. LeRoy Kettinger '88 who died May 27, 2023. He was a resident of Auburn, NY.
Rev. William R. Kinsey '57 who died October 7, 2023. He was a resident of Morgantown, WV.
Rev. Lamar Kopp '52 who died March 1, 2023. He was a resident of Quincy, PA.
Cynthia K. Kreichbaum, wife of Rev. William T. Kreichbaum ‘68 who died June 28, 2023. She was a resident of Adrian, MI.
Rev. Wilbur Lantz '60 who died December 16, 2022. He was a resident of Lancaster, PA.
Janet Lasley, wife of trustee Dr. Thomas Lasley, who died January 26, 2023. She was a resident of Centerville, OH.
Mrs. Arlene Lenich '64 who died May 8, 2023. She was a resident of Telford, PA.
Rev. Michael Mansfield '84 who died July 19, 2022. He was a resident of Lexington, KY.
Rev. Dr. Linda McCoy '96 who died March 20, 2023. She was a resident of Carmel, IN.
Dr. Larma Jean MillerWhelchel '86 who died May 31, 2022. She was a resident of Los Angeles, CA.
Rev. Donald Morgan '62 who died April 23, 2022. He was a resident of Carlisle, PA.
Ms. Dorla Morgan of Kettering, OH, died on December 1, 2022. Ms. Morgan worked at United for 30 years in both the admissions and development departments. Upon her retirement in 2003, the Seminary recognized her with an honorary degree. Dorla’s former colleagues remember her deep love for God and how she was able to share God’s love with others through her outgoing and caring personality.
Rev. Charles Moyer '60 who died December 24, 2022. He was a resident of Williamsport, PA.
Rev. Dr. Clarence Noble '92 who died April 15, 2022. He was a resident of Tuskegee Institute, AL.
Rev. Dr. Richard North '17 who died August 8, 2022. He was a resident of Brookville, OH.
Charles V. Painter, friend of United, who died March 16, 2023. He was a resident of Centerville, OH.
Allen A. Pebley, husband of Rev. Patricia Pebley ’14, who died April 29, 2023. He was a resident of Jackson, MI.
Rev. Bruce Pfeiffer '58 who died August 20, 2022. He was a resident of Richmond, VA.
Rev. Allen Phillips '73 who died July 20, 2022. He was a resident of Sellersburg, IN.
Rev. Richard Rothemich '81 who died October 17, 2022. He was a resident of Lancaster, OH.
Mr. John Russo, friend of United, who died June 5, 2022. He was a resident of South Bend, IN.
Mr. Richard Schaefer, husband of Rev. Katharine Schaefe r, '91 who died October 4, 2023. He was a resident of Beavercreek, OH.
Rev. Fred Schmidt '64 who died June 10, 2022. He was a resident of Kent, OH.
Mrs. Trish Schneider, alumna, who died May 6, 2023. She was a resident of Alamosa, CO.
Rev. Charles Selby '61 who died June 26, 2022. He was a resident of Lakeside, OH.
Rev. Alan Sippel '72 who died October 19, 2023. He was a resident of Columbus, OH
Rev. Dennis Snovel '72 who died April 25, 2023. He was a resident of Lititz, PA.
Rev. Dr. T. Anthony Spearman '03 who died July 19, 2022. He was a resident of Greensboro, NC.
Mrs. Jean Thie, friend of United, who died February 23, 2023. She was a resident of Dayton, OH.
Ms. Janet Thom, friend of United, who died September 27, 2022. She was a resident of Dayton, OH.
Rev. Dr. Edward Wallen '71, '80 who died December 27, 2022. He was a resident of Wapakoneta, OH.
Rev. Dr. Allen Paul Weaver '94 who died June 19, 2023. He was a resident of New Rochelle, NY.
Rev. Thomas Webb '65 who died July 23, 2023. He was a resident of Ickesburg, PA.
Dr. Carl Wiley '63, '73 who died July 3, 2023. He was a resident of Grove City, OH.
Mrs. Nancy Zimmerman, friend of United, died on May 1, 2023. Mrs. Zimmerman and her late husband were longtime supporters of United, giving generously of their time and resources for more than 30 years. In 2016, the seminary dedicated the Richard A. and Nancy Zimmerman chapel in honor of the Hershey, PA, couple. Mr. Zimmerman had been CEO of Hershey Foods and a member of United’s Board of Trustees for 20 years, serving as chair of the Board during the transition to the Trotwood, OH, campus. Today, the Zimmerman Chapel continues their legacy, serving as a space for the United community to gather in worship and prayer.
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.
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.
Holy Spirit Seminar: The Power of the Holy Spirit
December 1, 2023
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.
Doctoral Intensive: 21st Century Ministry Beyond the Norms — Emerging Models for Preaching
January 22-26, 2024
Worship service and plenaries are open to the public.
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.
The X-Seminar
May 3, 2024
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.
For more information visit www.united.edu/events or contact United: 937.529.2201
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
“Dynamite Prayer is full of powerful and explosive prayers 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!”
Pastor, Emmanuel UMC and St. James UMC Appleton, Wisconsin
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.
Dr. James W. Holsinger, Jr. Chair
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
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
Dr. Cinda Swan, '13 First Vice Chair
Mr. Scott M. Laubie Principal, Woodard Development Englewood, 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
Dr. Thomas J. Lasley II Second Vice Chair
Rev. Dr. Robert C. Scott, '97 Senior Pastor, St. Paul Baptist Church Charlotte, NC
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.
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
Lisa
Senior Pastor, New Bethlehem Baptist Church Baltimore, MD
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
Retired Bishop, Mississippi Conference of The UMC Acworth, GA
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
Kent Millard President
David Watson Senior Vice President, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Academic Dean
Steven Swallow Vice President for Finance and Administration, Board Treasurer
Callie Picardo Vice President for Development
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
Destini Edmond
Executive Assistant to the President, Board Secretary
Bridget Weatherspoon Vice President for Enrollment
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 from United