GMP Speaks at Lynchburg College & LTS Graduations

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.

 

 

 

Jarvis Christian College, UT Tyler Form Partnership

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 21stcentury,” 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.

Meet Nancy Pittman, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of Phillips Theological Seminary

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 21stcentury, 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.

 

Living With Integrity – An update on the Bethany Fellows Program

Over the course of the last 15 years, never once have I had to wonder as so many do, “Who is the pastor for the pastor?”  Never one time, even in the most difficult days of my ministry have I thought, “I am so alone.”  Never have I worried about who I might call when I needed someone to be in prayer for me, my family, or my congregation.  I know, in the deepest part of my soul, that being connected with a community on this journey rooted in prayer and systematic trust, has made me a better woman, wife, mother, friend, and minister

Over these last years, I’ve traveled the difficult road of vulnerability and asking for help, the scary path of authenticity and humility, the hopeful path of collaborative leadership and relationship building.  These are the paths of the Bethany Fellowships Way. These are the roads that I continue to lead my congregation down each and every day because I know the difference it makes to have a community of people with whom you can journey as your truest self, your most broken self and how walking with such a beloved community can not only sustain you, but heal you and save you.

By Rev. Shanna K. Steitz

Senior Pastor, Community Christian Church

Bethany Fellows Alum and Board Member 

“During Paul’s lifetime, the Christian church was not yet an institution or a centrally organized set of common practices and beliefs. It was a living organism that communicated the Gospel primarily through relationships. This fits with Paul’s understanding of Christ as what we might call an energy field, a set of relationships inside of which we can live with integrity” (Rohr, 2018).

Founded in 1999, Bethany Fellows is an energy field, a set of relationships inside of which pastors can live with integrity. It is a mentoring and spiritual leadership ministry for young clergy in their earliest years of congregational service. The initiating mission of Bethany Fellows was to serve congregations by helping young pastors transition from seminary to sustained congregational ministry with a strong and healthy pastoral identity. At the heart of this ministry is an innovative mentor/leader team model.Originally developed through Transition into Ministrygrants from the Lilly Endowmentin partnership with HELM, Bethany Fellows helps meet the country’s need for bright, healthy and spiritually savvy clergy to meet the challenges of today’s and tomorrow’s changing and emerging church and world landscapes. Bethany Fellows launched its Ecumenical Fellows (EF) group three years ago and now has a waiting list of 40 for both the Disciples and EF groups. Today Bethany Fellows is sustained through individual and congregational support.

For more information visit www.bethanyfellows.orgor contact Director, Rev. Kim Gage Ryan, kim@bethanyfellows.org

Rohr, Richard. Church as Living Organism. Center for Action and Contemplation; May 7, 2018. https://cac.org/church-as-living-organism-2018-05-07/

Disciples Participate in Hispanic Theological Initiative Conference

On May 22 and 23, the Hispanic Theological Initiative sponsored an ecumenical gathering of twenty faith leaders at Princeton Theological Seminary for a Church Leadership Formation Conference.  Leaders in higher education, Latinx ministries and denominational life from Catholic, mainline and evangelical backgrounds met over the two-day conference to discuss the current context of Latinx Christianity in the United States and the role of higher education in training current and future leadership for the academy and wider church.  The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) was represented by Rev. Lori Tapia (National Pastor for Hispanic Ministries), Rev. Dr. Loida Martell (Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of Lexington Theological Seminary) and Rev. Dr. Jon Barnes (Director for Higher Education and Communications for HELM).

Presentations and discussions at the conference covered a range of topics, including the sharing of case studies on how different Latinx communities seek to address leadership development, a discussion of the changes that have taken place both within the Latinx community as well as the broader US context over the past decades, and a session on the role of denominational leadership in the future of Latinx theological education and formation.  When reflecting on the importance of the gathering, Rev. Tapia said that “This ecumenical and collaborative event reminds us that we are stronger and our sphere of influence is greater when we are all at the table. Quality theological education for and in the Latinx faith community impacts and enriches both academia and congregational life for all throughout the world.” The conference included in-depth conversation of the realities of all forms of theological education influencing our congregations, with a focus on bible institutes, certificate programs and others. “There is a hunger for theological education and ministerial formation and we are called as the Body of Christ to ‘feed the hungry.’ This may mean we need to look at the bigger picture through a different lens if we are to accomplish this relevantly and justly.”

Rev. Dr. Loida Martell, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean at Lexington Theological Seminary, participated in a panel of HTI graduates that reflected on the impact of the program.  At the conclusion of the event, Dr. Martell noted that “The Hispanic Theological Initiative’s gathering of important institutions involved in the development of Latinx religious leadership, for communities of faith and communities at large, underscores once again that the heart of the Latinx theological enterprise is collaborative in nature. Most important, it reminds us that Latinx theology has its roots in what Roberto Goizueta, Jr. once called a ‘praxis of accompaniment,’ an organic and holistic integration of the academic enterprise with eccesial and grassroots voices.”  Dr. Martell also emphasized the importance of the collaborative nature of the conference and her hope that participants will be able to experience the same environment in their own contexts: “We gathered as denominational leaders, academic leaders (including the Hispanic Summer Program and the Association of Hispanic Theological Education), and theological educators to envision how we can best serve the Church and the world for the Reign of God. In so doing, I hope that we have reminded both the academic and ecclesial structures at large that we are called to serve together, in an integrated and collaborative way; or as we say in Spanish, en conjunto. As the Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of Lexington Theological Seminary (and alum of HTI), I was proud to participate in this conference and to be part of an educational institution that models this spirit of collaboration with the Church in its curricular design.”

 

Disciples Divinity House at Vanderbilt Dean retires after 23 years

Mark Miller-McLemore is retiring as Dean of the Disciples Divinity House at Vanderbilt on June 30 after 23 years leading this innovative Disciples theological institution.

Disciples Divinity House is a student residence and scholarship foundation that supports Disciples of Christ students preparing for ministry at Vanderbilt Divinity School in Nashville. Students receive financial aid and comfortable, low-cost housing near campus in a community of twenty students. The House’s mission is “to shape outstanding ministers for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in a supportive community of faith.”

The Disciples House model is unique to the Disciples of Christ. The denomination established two Disciples Houses at ecumenical, university-based divinity schools in order to provide the best in theological education in a cost-effective way. By affiliating with an established school, the Houses avoid the expenses of libraries, faculty, and educational structures, which holds down costs to the church and to students, reducing their debt. The House at Vanderbilt is focused on building community that fosters supportive collegial relationships in ministry that last decades, as alumni/ae consistently attest. And the combination of an intense community of Disciples in the context of an ecumenical school provides solid grounding in the Disciples tradition, while enhancing ecumenical openness.

As Dean Miller-McLemore writes, “I came to DDH-Vanderbilt from 15 years as a solo pastor in a small but strong congregation in the south suburbs of Chicago that reversed a decade of decline and became very engaged in ministry with its surrounding community. Among other creative and fun efforts, it birthed a homeless sheltering program in 1980 that grew to involve almost 100 congregations and housed 150 people per night in the winter months. So I brought with me to DDH a vision of the attention to theological depth plus a heritage of social justice at Vanderbilt, combined with a focus on doing transformative ministry in churches. Communities of worship and activism aren’t often seen together in the mainline churches, but they can and should be connected for Disciples especially. I’ve worked throughout my tenure to shepherd ministers, especially pastors, who are faithful, effective, bold, and creative in their congregations and in their communities.”

In 1995, Dean Miller-McLemore inherited and effectively turned around an institution in serious distress, and he moved the institution forward on many fronts in a time of increasing costs and complexity and decreasing denominational support. “From 1999-2001, the other six schools of the Council on Theological Education each gave a portion of their Disciples Mission Fund income for three years to the Disciples House-Vanderbilt to give us resources and time to recover and move forward. I am still grateful and amazed at that act of unprecedented institutional generosity by leaders who looked past their own self-interest to the needs of a colleague school and the church’s larger good.”

Dean Miller-McLemore rebuilt the board and organized the institutional, financial, procedural, and compliance-related aspects of the House, leading to two decades of balanced budgets and clean audits.  He began and grew the House’s Annual Fund, doubled staff, added 25 named funds to the House’s endowment and tripled its size, established the Legacy Society, and oversaw interior and exterior facility renovations that made the House’s 1960s-era building energy-efficient and more attractive. Internal renovations were made possible by cost-saving collaborations with Disciple Men of Tennessee and Volunteers in Mission of Disciples Home Missions, “another collaboration for which I am grateful to the church.”

During Dean Miller-McLemore’s tenure, 113 Disciples students have received the Master of Divinity degree, 14 have received the 2-year Masters of Theological Studies degree, and 14 Disciples students have completed their PhD degree at Vanderbilt. Of those graduates, 103 (at last count) were ordained in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). They now serve faithfully throughout the church as pastors, college and military chaplains, counselors teachers, and leaders.

Over 23 years, Dean Miller-McLemore has worked with eight board chairs at DDH; three Deans at Vanderbilt Divinity School; and three presidents at HELM, three General Ministers, and a large number of presidents and deans at our other six Disciple seminaries.

Dean Miller-McLemore also advocated for ministry and kept alive a complicated partnership with the Divinity School and Vanderbilt University on behalf of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). He started numerous programmatic initiatives: monthly House Dinners, an Opening Retreat to build community, and the annual Graduation Celebration Dinner.  “I firmly believe in this residential model for educating excellent ministers, so I am pleased that Disciples House-Vanderbilt has thrived and been successful in its mission in spite of a very challenging, sometimes disastrous, time for church-related organizations.” The House receives regular requests for information about how it functions from other seminaries and denominations.

Under the dean’s leadership, Disciples House attracted over $1.5 million in grants, including two major grants from the Lilly Endowment for the Congregational Immersion Project, a Transition into Ministry initiative that ran for 12 years, placing graduates in two-year pastoral residencies with an excellent mentor pastor in a healthy congregation. He participated in Transition-related meetings and took leadership in the Lilly-sponsored Pastoral Excellence Network. As a former pastor, the dean has been committed to measuring outcomes for graduates in ministry as well as numbers of graduates. Two intentional evaluative events, in 2004 and 2014, gathered first-hand information from graduates serving in congregations three to six years about the effectiveness of their preparation. They were highly affirming of their education at VDS and DDH, and “Wise Practice” was designed to focus on practices of ministry that these minister-graduates reported as needing additional attention: money, conflict, weddings and funerals, and anti-racism training.

Disciples Divinity House-Vanderbilt Alumni/ae Lunches at the last twelve General Assemblies were the largest gatherings of Vanderbilt Divinity alumni/ae in the country and were marked by hilarity and high spirits. In 2007, the Disciples House began the musical event “Talent 4 the House.” In ten years, it grew from a spaghetti dinner with a student talent show to a spectacular series of events that raised over $100,000 to support ministry students and attracted almost 500 Disciples to an evening of song and celebration. In later years, it featured Nashville musicians such as Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Allison Krauss, Andrew Peterson; and Disciples Jonell Mosser, Gabe Dixon, Thom Schuyler, Stuart Duncan; as well as students, church members, and (occasionally) the dean on banjo.

“I am thankful for so many people who have been supportive of this place over the years—excellent board chairs and board members, Disciple friends in middle Tennessee, our graduates all over the country, some incredible musicians and volunteers, the larger church, former deans on whose shoulders I stood. Their belief in the House and its good ministry sustained me and our students. I am hopeful of more good at Disciples House even in the face of ongoing changes.”

As part of his role as dean, Prof. Miller-McLemore taught numerous courses at Vanderbilt in the area of Leadership and Ministry, as well as the class for ordination candidates in the History and Theology of the Disciples of Christ. He advised Disciple students and oversaw numerous senior projects. He teaches currently as associate professor of the practice of ministry, as well as playing bass guitar in the VDS faculty cover band, the Soul Providers.

In addition to his administrative and teaching responsibilities, Dean Miller-McLemore is a member of the Academy of Religious Leadership and a founding member of the Association of Disciple Pastors for Theological Discussion (ADPTD), a group of pastoral colleagues that has met continuously for 31 years for reading, writing, and theological conversation about ministry. He has published numerous articles on ministry, including a chapter on the Disciples’ theology of ministry in the Chalice Introduction to Disciples Theology. He has lectured and spoken to congregation, Regional Ministers, and groups throughout the church on the theological tradition of the Disciples of Christ. One of his next projects is a book on a usable Disciples tradition for congregations today.

He has been a member of the Council on Theological Education for 23 years, chairing the group for four years and serving on the board and Executive Committee of Higher Education and Leadership Ministries. He is a member at Woodmont Christian Church, Nashville.

Mark is married to Bonnie, a Disciple minister and professor who teaches pastoral care and practical theology at Vanderbilt Divinity School. They have 3 wonderful grown sons, all living in Colorado.

Mark will lead his 45thand last meeting of the board on June 4, 2018. “At my first meeting in 1995, few had email, so meeting materials had to be mailed a week or more in advance; the board chair had served for 35 years; the roof was leaking; and the inherited budget was a work of fiction. A lot has changed” But some things will remain the same: he intends to bring with him to this last meeting the same three juggling balls he brought to the first, symbols of what his work has been like, then and now, in an important, meaningful, small, church-oriented institution in a fast-changing world. He can still juggle.

Mark will teach a couple more years at Vanderbilt and give more attention to writing projects, his family, musical pursuits, and other interests forced to the back burner.

The board of trustees have named Rev. Beth Pattillo of Nashville as interim dean and will use this next period to assess the House’s work and conduct a search for the permanent position.

 

 

 

 

 

Lynchburg College Seeking Associate Chaplain

HELM has received the following job announcement from Lynchburg College. Please, direct all inquiries and questions to the contact information at Lynchburg College indicated below.

Lynchburg College is seeking an Associate Chaplain who will work with the Spiritual Life team to provide pastoral care to the college community and serve as the primary program director for LC’s diverse faith community. The Associate Chaplain will work to promote student engagement, social justice, spiritual growth and leadership development by developing programs and staffing small groups.

Selected candidates should be ordained members of the clergy or have comparable pastoral credentials with appropriate certification for ministry by a recognized denominational authority. Candidates should have experience with the various interfaith communities and religious denominations in addition to their own. Successful experience in congregational ministry, campus ministry, or other ministerial leadership roles with young adults is required. Master of Divinity and one basic unit of CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education) is strongly preferred. Selected candidate must successfully pass a background check.

To apply, please submit a Lynchburg College employment application, cover letter and resume with three business references to: Lynchburg College, Attn:  Human Resources, 1501 Lakeside Drive, Lynchburg, VA  24501, fax 434-544-8658, or email: HumanResources@lynchburg.edu.

General Minister and President Speaks at Jarvis Christian College Founders Day Convocation

Jarvis Christian College’s 2018 Founders Day celebrations took place from March 19-25, 2018, with a number of events, lectures and services.  On Tuesday, March 20, General Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Rev. Terri Hord Owens, was the featured speaker at the Founders Day Convocation.  Dr. Lester C. Newman, President of Jarvis Christian College, shared that “It was an honor to have Reverend Teresa Hord Owens join us in celebrating 106 years of educating our students by serving as the keynote speaker for the Founder’s Convocation. Reverend Owens captivated the audience with a powerful message that resonated well with all in attendance.  We will never forget the roadmap for success that she eloquently provided us – imagine, prepare, do.”

 

 

Reflecting on Jarvis Christian College’s relationship to the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Dr. Newman also noted: “We had strong support. Rev. Bernard “Chris” Dorsey, President of Higher Education Leadership Ministries, introduced our illustrious speaker, Rev. Owens, while Rev. Andy Mangum, Regional Minister of the Christian Church in the Southwest, provided us with the invocation and benediction.  We were truly blessed by the fellowship.”  In addition to Rev. Hord Owens, Rev. Dorsey and Rev. Dr. Mangum, Rev. Kyle Fauntleroy, Pension Fund Area Director for the Southwest Region, was also present at the Founders Day Convocation.

Jarvis Christian College is a historically black college (HBC) located in Hawkins, Texas.  The school began as Jarvis Christian Institute, modeled after the Southern Christian Institute in Edwards, Mississippi.  Formal instruction began as early in 1913 after Major James Jarvis and his wife, Ida Van Zandt Jarvis, donated 456 acers to the Christian Women’s Board of Missions with the understanding that a school would be built to provide quality education to African American children.  During the first few years, elementary and high school classes were offered, with the first college level courses beginning in 1916.  In 1928, the school incorporated as a college with the state of Texas granting a formal charter to Jarvis Christian College in 1939.  Over the years, the college has grown in its course offerings and now has a satellite campus in Dallas.

 

 

 

 

A Passion for Higher Education and the Development of Leaders

One never knows how responding with a “yes” can change the course of one’s life.  Eli Rolón Jeong, currently a PhD student in Ethics and Cultural Studies at Claremont School of Theology and the new Associate Regional Minister for Children, Youth and Young Adults for the Christian Church in Illinois-Wisconsin, was invited in 2006 to participate in the inaugural Disciples Leadership Institute (DLI) gathering.  He says that at the time he had a good job and was involved with his local church, Iglesia Del Pueblo Christian Church in Hammond, Indiana.  However, after accepting the invitation to DLI, the relationships formed and experiences gained served to redirect his life and calling: “At DLI, I encountered a diverse group of young adults who were passionate about the work of the church. Encouraged by their contagious excitement, I began exploring the possibility of ministerial work as my vocation. In the fall of 2008, after attending my third DLI gathering earlier that summer, I notified my boss that I would soon leave my position to prepare for studies at Vanderbilt Divinity School.”

After earning a Master of Divinity at Vanderbilt, Rev. Rolón Jeong received a Master of Arts in Ethics from Iliff School of Theology in Denver.  An ordained minister with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), he has served in positions with NAPAD and HELM, has served as a director of Chalice Press and on the Disciples’ General Board, and engages in intentional theological dialogue through the Constructive Theologies Project.  In reflecting on Eli’s time serving HELM, Rev. Chris Dorsey, President of HELM, says that “Eli is a remarkably gifted person. He played a pivotal role in HELM’s recent transition toward greater financial stability. His leadership of DLI and his work in coordinating the Leadership Fellows program has contributed significantly to HELM’s success.”

His current PhD studies in Ethics and Cultural Studies have great importance in both the academy and wider church.  Rev. Rolón Jeong says “My academic focus is on the formation of identity, an endeavor that requires careful exploration of historical and oftentimes contingent conditions through which those identities are formed. My goal is to curiously uncover what is often taken for granted in order to hopefully produce new and innovative ways of knowing, doing, and being.”

His recent call as Associate Regional Minister for Children, Youth and Young Adults for the Christian Church in Illinois-Wisconsin will provide new opportunities to bring together his passion for higher education and the development of leaders in the church.  Rev. Rolón Jeong notes that “this position affords me a responsibility in the development of young folks.  Here, my training as a theological educator in ethics and cultural studies could have significant impact.”  He also expresses thanks for the previous opportunities and experiences offered through the church that have led him to serve on the Regional level: “I am grateful for Higher Education and Leadership Ministries, and especially for the DLI program, which served as the catalyst I needed to explore a call to ministry.”

Disciples Affiliated Schools See Increase in Applications

At this time of year, when many high school students are making decisions on where to attend college in the fall, Disciples affiliated schools are reporting a record number of applications for admission for the upcoming academic year.   Texas Christian University broke the mark of receiving over 20,000 applications for the first time.  At Chapman University, 14,170 applications were received (an 8% increase over last year) and represent students from all 50 states as well as 62 countries.

 

Other Disciples affiliated schools also report growth in the number of applications received:

  • Midway University has experienced a 69% increase in applications from 2017 to 2018
  • Transylvania University saw a jump from 1400 to 2400 applications between 2016 to 2017. This year is on pace to reach 2400 again.
  • Drury University has seen a 27% growth in applications from 2015 to 2018
  • Hiram College has received 33% more applications in 2018 than were received in 2016
  • Bethany College has experienced 22% growth in applications over the past two years
  • Lynchburg College and William Woods University have seen a 10% increase over the past two years
  • Over the past six years, Culver-Stockton College has gone from averaging 1,500 applications to nearly 4,600 per year.

 

When discussing possible reasons for the increase in applicants over the past few years, admissions counselors shared that there are several factors.  Through increasingly sophisticated marketing strategies, schools are able to share their messaging more directly and personally with students and families.  In addition, an ever-increasing number of schools use the Common Application, making it easier for students to apply to multiple schools.