Sometimes we have the gift of being a part of something that changes the way we see ourselves and how we engage with the world. This month we reached out to Rev. Jose Morales, a participant in the first cohort of HELM’s Disciples Leadership Institute (DLI) and asked him to reflect on the program and his involvement with it.

HELM: What do you remember about your involvement with DLI?

“I was a newly minted Disciple when I served on the first steering committee that developed the Disciples Leadership Institute, so it is a program that is near and dear to me.  My favorite memory is still the first gathering.  It was new.  We all were hesitant and unsure as to how it would unfold.  It really was the first of its kind among Disciples: focused on emerging leaders in the church, with hard-fought intentionality regarding race and ethnicity, gender, new church leaders and leaders from established congregations, regional/geographic diversity, liturgical expressions, everything! We reflected on scripture, worshipped, debated, ate, and played together.  Out of that lived and living encounter, we were all changed, transformed.”

HELM: What are your thoughts on the impact of DLI on shaping leadership for the wider church?

Morales: Thinking of those who were in that cohort, we now see, today, the results of DLI’s impression and formation on us: from that group we now see prominent leaders in our denomination, who are doing significant congregational, regional, and general work, who are pastors, innovators, non-profit execs, activists, and professors.  It really is amazing to see the fruits of DLI ministering among us today

HELM: What are some of the key lessons learned by those involved in DLI?

Morales: We sometimes overdo our active role in the church, depleting of our passive role in the church—especially when we come from places of privilege.  Now, to be clear, we need to fight for access and agency, especially among ignored and underrepresented groups within our church—women, LGBTQIA persons, people of color, new church planters, etc.  There’s a part of our call that requires that we simply open ourselves to the new things rising within our community, things we cannot take credit for, and receive both its blessings and its challenge for how we partake in this communion. We all like to see ourselves as the ‘Good Samaritan’. However, truth be told, many (most?) times we are the religious leader who ignore the suffering of our midst, not just beyond the church but especially within it. Sometimes, we are the wounded traveler in the roadside ditch.  DLI taught me to see—honestly see!—my own wounds and to trust that within our fold, there are good Samaritans from unexpected quarters, who can offer me a healing touch and who can and should be the ones leading us all.

HELM: What did you learn specifically from your participation in DLI?

DLI was a foretaste of what a truly—and by truly, I mean ‘intentional’—cross-cultural community should look like.  It was really hard work that required that we be open to both unexpected praise and necessary reprimand.  At times I was a recipient of the latter, and I am better for it.  In a way, DLI didn’t work on my agency (i.e., on what I can do for the church), but on my receptivity—that is to say, on readying and opening myself to this new way of being church together.  This awareness of, and this openness to, the diverse church that we already are, but don’t live into fully, was the greatest gift that DLI gave me.

In addition to his participation in DLI, Rev. Morales’ ministry experience is broad, including more extensive denominational work, congregational ministry, advocacy/community organizing, and educational training.  He is currently the Director of Pastoral Formation at Disciples Seminary Foundation in Claremont, CA, working with ministerial students on issues of pastoral identity and training. In addition, he is also a Ph.D. candidate in Comparative Theology and Philosophy at Claremont School of Theology in Claremont, CA.  Rev. Morales has served as adjunct professor at Claremont School of Theology and Lexington Theological Seminary for their Certificate Program in Spanish.

Before moving to California, he served for four and a half years as the Executive Regional Minister of the Central Rocky Mountain Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), which encompasses Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, northern New Mexico, and southeastern Idaho. Prior to this, Rev. Morales served as the Associate Pastor at Iglesia del Pueblo-Hope Center (now named Hope Christian Church), a multicultural Disciples congregation in Hammond, Indiana. During his pastoral tenure in Indiana, he was an adjunct professor at McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago and the Clergy Caucus Chair of the Northwest Indiana Federation, an interfaith community organizing network working on justice and public policy issues in northwest Indiana.

Disciples Leadership Institute engages leaders in a model of community that deepens understanding and develops relationships across the perceived boundaries of race, culture, and language. DLI seeks to create a place for these young leaders to deeply and authentically share experiences of God thus increasing the effectiveness in building up the body of Christ and sharing the Gospel.  Click (here) to learn more about DLI.

A Conversation with former Leadership Fellow Rev. Caroline Hamilton-Arnold

Former HELM Leadership Fellow Caroline Hamilton-Arnold, who currently serves as the Associate Director for Week of Compassion, believes that being a good leader depends on the ability to build and nurture relationships: “The most valuable lesson in leadership I gained from the Fellows program is that leadership, like faith, is relational. If a life of faith is aboutright relationship with God, self, neighbor, and creation, then to be a faith leader is to foster those kinds of relationships.”  Rev. Hamilton-Arnold, who holds a Master of Divinity from Claremont School of Theology and a BA from Texas Christian University, goes on to note that “Most obviously, this means seeking collaboration and cooperation in my ministry. It also informs the attitudes I carry into interactions, the ways I create and inhabit spaces, and the questions I ask of systems and structures—always centering the balance of those four relationships. Prioritizing relational leadership requires rearranging power to be mutual and non-coercive. In a moment when we are confronted, once again, by the rampant abuse of pastoral authority to objectify and exploit others, this lesson of relational power is paramount.”

Another lesson learned from her time as a Leadership Fellow is how to deal with failure: “I have always been the goal-setting, perfection-seeking type. As such, Itend to shy away from risk, because risk perchance means failure. One year of my fellowship, we had half-a-dozen or so fellows at TCU.  At the time, part of the Fellows program was to create and implement a project that would benefit a congregation or community. We decided to try something new and generate a joint project. We assessed our skills and passions, identified a community partner with needs we could help fill, and designed the project. Then it failed. Abjectly. Through that experienceand the process of evaluating what had derailed our plans, I learned about the growth that comes from failure.”

When asked about memories from her participation in the Leadership Fellows Program, Rev. Hamilton-Arnold said, “The Leadership Fellows program introduced me to the broader world of the Disciples! During my high school years, I was very involved with our youth leadership team and camping program, but myconnections with the denomination stopped at the Regional level. During my first summer as a fellow (2007), HELM made it possible for me to attend my first General Assembly, and I haven’t missed one since.”  Reflecting on her first experience at a General Assembly she recalled: “In an arena in Fort Worth, this church embodied on a grand scale what I deeply loved about my local Disciples of Christ congregation. This gathering of diverse people, after a day of admittedly contentious debate on various resolutions, heard the gospel preached by Rev. Sharon Watkins then gathered around the table to share the Lord’s Supper. General Assembly and the connections made during the annual retreat fostered in me a deep appreciation for the way our covenantal structure can, at its best, foster collaboration and shared ministry across the breadth of the church.”

In her role with as Associate Director of Week of Compassion—the relief, refugee, and development mission fund for the Disciples, her primary focus is on domestic (US and Canada) disaster response. She coordinates with local congregations and ecumenical partners after disasters, providing solidarity grants where Disciples households or churches sustained material damage or where Disciples are involved in offering early relief, connecting Disciples with resources and organizations to support long-term recovery, and (where appropriate) collaborating with Disciples Volunteering to engage volunteers for rebuilding.  She also promotes disaster preparedness and educates for responsible disaster response among Disciples congregations and connects with Disciples congregations to share about the work of Week of Compassion and to celebrate the generosity of congregations.

The HELM Leadership Fellows Program is for undergraduate students who are part of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Click here for more information.

When Gary Peluso-Verdend first came to what was then called Phillips Graduate Seminary in 1993, the institution’s future was uncertain after it separated in 1987 from Phillips University to become a standalone school.

Twenty-five years later, as Peluso-Verdend exits the president’s office for a sabbatical year before returning to the seminary in a new role, Phillips Theological Seminary is among the rare standalone graduate theological schools that have emerged stronger with a significant endowment and renewed commitment to educating the whole church.

Peluso-Verdend served in several positions at Phillips over two different timeframes. First, between 1993-2000 and then from 2005 to now, including faculty member, Doctor of Ministry program director, dean, vice president of stewardship, and president.

“I’ve worn many different hats in my time at Phillips,” Peluso-Verdend said. “I’m thankful that the board has granted me the time and support to wear a new one.”

Peluso-Verdend, who has served as president since 2009, said the change at this time was a personal and vocational choice. “For myself, I’ve not been granted a full sabbatical in 25 years of leadership in theological education,” he said. “I am particularly grateful to receive a sabbatical as a prelude to a change in focus.”

When he returns from sabbatical in 2019, Peluso-Verdend has been authorized and directed by the Board to lead the seminary’s effort to initiate an Institute for Religion and Public Life in Oklahoma. The Board has approved the Institute as an element of the seminary’s strategic plan.

When he was the dean, Peluso-Verdend helped to consolidate the seminary in Tulsa and teach-out its Enid campus in the late 1990s. In 1999, he also wrote a successful grant proposal that brought the first infusion of technology to teaching at Phillips. In 2009, the seminary was approved to offer comprehensive distance education.

During his time as president of Phillips, Peluso-Verdend has served as the chair of the Disciples Council on Theological Education, on the HELM board, and as the leader of several Association of Theological Schools accreditation site evaluation committees.

He led in the creation of new identity and mission statements for the seminary along with new branding for Phillips, including a logo and tag line, “where faith leads.”

Click Below to Read Each Fellow’s Blog

[Emily Benson] [Stephanie Caress] [Fiyori Kidane] [Joshua Mata] [Rachel Sames]

Disciples colleges and universities recently held graduation ceremonies and a number featured well-known speakers giving the commencement address.

Chapman University hosted Larry Wilmore, a comedian formerly featured on the Daily Show with John Stewartas well as host of his own show, The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore, and currently the executive producer of the ABC series Black-ishand hosts of the podcast Black on Air.  Wilmore shared that he almost attended Chapman and told graduates to “Pour yourself into something meaningful or there is no point.” He continued: “I decided to choose a path for myself and whatever I did with my life was a physical manifestation of walking down that path. Sometimes people will ask me when I considered my life a success and I tell them, ‘The minute I decided to follow my passion.’ Success is not a destination but a journey.”

Lynchburg College hosted Setsuko Thurlow, a Nobel Peace Prize winner for her work in nuclear disarmament and a 1955 graduate of LC.  A survivor of the 1945 atomic blast in Hiroshima, Thurlow is now a leading figure in the movement to ban nuclear weapons. She shared that it is not easy to frequently recall the terror of the explosion and its aftermath in her speeches. “It has been painful, but rewarding task,” Thurlow said, but “I felt it was my moral responsibility to warn the world about the danger of nuclear weapons and the unspeakable suffering they would cause.”

Jarvis Christian College graduates heard from best-selling author Jesse J. Holland, who was selected by Disney to write companion novels for mega hits Black Pantherand Star Wars.

“Life will be a struggle filled with hard choices and no-win situations and straight up failures,” Holland told the graduates. “When you hit rough sea, will you fold your sails and go home? Will you give in or surge forward?” Holland shared stories of his own failures and how they made him a better reporter and writer.  “I hope you will own your failures and learn from them and move forward,” he said. “Winners take their loss, learn what they can from their failures, make appropriate adjustments and try again.”  In addition to Holland, Jarvis also awarded an honorary doctorate to actor Jamie Foxx.

Legendary US Olympian Robert “Bob” Beamon spoke at Eureka College. Beamon is a member of the National Track & Field Hall of Fame, the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, the USA Track and Field Hall of Fame and selected as one of ESPN’s top 100 athletes of the 20th century. Beamon is also a member of the Jesse Owens Foundation Board of Directors and most recently appointed as the Global Ambassador to Special Olympics. His jump of 29-feet, 2.5-inches shattered the world record and remains the Olympic record after nearly a half-century. “I ran in the rain, I ran in the heat, I ran in the snow.  It didn’t matter what the weather, I ran because I loved it,” Beamon said.  “Success is not the key to happiness, happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.”  Beamon challenged graduates to “Find inspiration in living, and I mean really living, and giving.  Go into the world and do well.  But even more importantly, go into the world and do good.”

Bethany College graduates heard from former NFL star quarterback Charlie Batch, who played for both the Detroit Lions and Pittsburgh Steelers before becoming a nationally-recognized advocate for urban communities.  Batch told graduates to “Expect greatness in your life.”  Reflecting on lessons he learned throughout his career, Batch said “Dream big.  Remember that dreams are nothing more than plans awaiting action, and sometimes you may be the only one who can see your vision. I’m sure at some point you were told that you weren’t good enough…smart enough…talented enough. You can either buy into that lie, or you can challenge that lie, and say ‘No, I refuse to believe that.’”

Finally, Hiram College hosted Carol Zelis Perez, a 1975 HC graduate and current United States Ambassador to Chile.  Speaking on the topic of “change,” Zelis Perez said that “We must accept that the only constant in life, in nature, in the universe, is change. The only question left to answer is ‘What will be your attitude in the face of change?  Will you run?  Resist? Reluctantly accept?  Or embrace it?’”  She told graduates that “The most joyful, rewarding path is that of radical acceptance, to learn to grow and to seize what is before you.”

HELM congratulates all the graduates from the fourteen Disciples related colleges and universities and looks forward to seeing the gifts you bring and the changes you make in our communities and world.

General Minister and President, Rev. Teresa Hord Owens, is regularly asked to represent the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in various contexts, including engaging ecumenically with Christians from many backgrounds as well as in interfaith dialogue.  At times, however, she has the opportunity to speak at Disciples institutions.  This was the case recently as Rev. Hord Owens was the guest speaker during the recent baccalaureate service at Lynchburg College as well as the graduation ceremony at Lexington Theological Seminary, both Disciples related institutions of higher learning.

At Lynchburg College, Rev. Hord Owens shared that prior to becoming General Minister and President, she had worked in higher education for many years as Dean of Students at the University of Chicago’s Disciples Divinity House and graduation ceremonies reminded her of those days: “As dean of students, I would be the one to read the names, shake the hands and give a final word of farewell to our students who were graduating.  This whole weekend is food for my soul.  It is the work of institutions like Lynchburg College to launch young, wonderful, intelligent, courageous and imaginative young people into the world.”  Having previously had the responsibility for making sure students met the “minimum requirements” to graduate, Rev. Hord Owens used that as a theme for her sermon.

Reflecting on Micah 6: 6-8, Rev. Hord Owens spoke about the relationship that people of faith need to have with God and how important it is to live lives of justice. Her words were inspiring and challenging: “The prophet Micah reminds us to do justly, to love mercy, and walk humbly with God.  This particular text is always used as a banner for the work of justice by Christians, but I want to start with the end of the phrase because I think that is where the minimum requirements really start, to walk humbly with our God.”  She went on to challenge the graduates, asking “Will you follow the admonition of the prophet Micah and meet your minimum requirements so that you can soar as God has intended you to soar?”

At Lexington Theological Seminary, Rev. Hord Owens preached on “Imagine. Prepare. Do.”  In speaking to graduates about leadership, she said that the work of pastoral ministry is the work of “Binding hearts together and holding them in your heart.”  She also quoted one of her mentors, J. Irwin Miller, saying “It is not about you, but about what you can empower others to do.” Rev. Hord Owens spoke about the changing context of the church and wider society, noting that just thirty days after she became General Minister and President, white supremacist marched in Charlottesville: “Since that time, the unimaginable has continued to happen. The people of God are called to transform the world according to the teachings of the Gospel.”  She invited those present to dream and to “Imagine what the world might look like if you hold God’s people in your heart.”

In both educational settings Rev. Hord Owens was received with enthusiasm and gratitude. Higher Education remains a crucial priority for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and Rev. Hord Owens embodies the church’s commitment to higher educations and leadership development.

Hawkins, TX– Jarvis Christian College has formed a partnership with the University of Texas at Tyler to offer seamless pathways for students to earn degrees and further enhance higher education in East Texas.

“We are forging a relationship that will provide better opportunities for all of our students to advance their education and be better prepared for the 21^stcentury,” said Dr. Glenell M. Lee-Pruitt, Jarvis Christian College Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. “With this new partnership, students will have an opportunity to choose from an array of academic and career pathways.” Under the agreement, undergraduate students from Jarvis will be able to transfer into selected undergraduate programs at UT Tyler. The selected programs will not duplicate those offered by Jarvis. Also, UT Tyler students will have an opportunity to pursue majors at Jarvis that are not offered at UT Tyler.

“The partnership is a win-win for both the University of Texas at Tyler and Jarvis Christian College, and especially for students and the region.” said Dr. Amir Mirmiran, UT Tyler Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. “We welcome this partnership that will not only further the friendly relationship and collaboration between our two institutions, but also help advance higher education in East Texas.”

The agreement also will allow qualified Jarvis students to begin limited study in selected master’s degree programs at UT Tyler as they complete their bachelor’s degrees from Jarvis. Jarvis President Dr. Lester C. Newman and UT Tyler President Dr. Michael Tidwell made the partnership official by signing a memorandum of understanding June 7, 2018, on the UT Tyler campus.

 Jarvis Christian College (JCC) is a historically Black liberal arts, baccalaureate degree-granting institution affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).  The mission of the college is to prepare students intellectually, through academic programs that promote excellence in teaching and learning; socially, through student-centered support programs that encourage positive and constructive communication among peers, faculty, and staff; spiritually, through programs that stimulate spiritual growth and worship; and personally, through interaction that fosters self-development and maturity.  The mission further seeks to prepare students for professional and graduate studies, productive careers, and to function effectively in a global and technological society. 

Jarvis Christian College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate and baccalaureate degrees. Contact the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Jarvis Christian College.

Rev. Dr. Nancy Pittman currently serves as Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dean, and Stephen J. England Associate Professor of the Practice of Ministry at Phillips Theological Seminary in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  After joining the faculty at Phillips in 2005 and, among other duties, directing the Doctor of Ministry Program, Dr. Pittman became Dean in 2013.

Dr. Pittman’s previous experience includes serving for six and a half years on the faculty of Tainan Theological College and Seminary, a school related to the Presbyterian Church of Taiwan.  While there, she taught biblical Greek (in Taiwanese) and introductory courses on the synoptic gospels.  Her appointment in Taiwan was supported by Global Ministries, the common international work of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ.  Upon returning to the United States in 2001, Dr. Pittman served as pastor of First Christian Church in Tehlequah, Oklahoma.  Reflecting on her service as Dean as well as previous experience in academia and the larger church, Dr. Pittman said “Serving as dean at Phillips places me at the intersection of academic theological work and the life of our churches.  It is my privilege to work with faculty and students who are striving to teach and learn all that is needed to be effective religious leaders for this century.”

In addition to numerous sermons in books and journals, Dr. Pittman has recently published New Proclamation, Series A, Easter through Christ the King, 2011 (Augsburg Fortress Press, 2011).  She has also contributed to the Canterbury Dictionary of Hymnology in the area of preaching and hymns, written homiletical essays for Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary, Year C, Volume II (Westminster John Knox Press, 2010) and “Ties That Bind Too Tightly: A Reflection on Relinquishment and Self-Differentiation in Women’s Leadership” in A Passion for Christian Unity: Essays in Honor of William Tabbernee (Chalice Press, 2009).  Dr. Pittman continues to engage in research in the Book of Revelation and the Gospel of John, particularly as they relate to current images of community, ministerial leadership in the 21^stcentury, and women in pastoral leadership.

Dr. Pittman received a Bachelor of Arts from Texas Christian University, a Master of Divinity from Brite Divinity School, and a PhD in New Testament Studies from Southern Methodist University.  She is an ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), an accredited spiritual director, and a member of the Society of Biblical Literature, Spiritual Directors International, the Association for Doctor of Ministry Education, and the Forrest-Moss Institute.

On July 1, 2018, Dr. Pittman will become Interim President at PTS as the current president, Dr. Gary Peluso-Verdend, steps away for a sabbatical year before returning to PTS in 2019 in a new role.