The Board of Trustees of Disciples Seminary Foundation (DSF) is pleased to announce Rev. Dr. Christy Newton as the newly appointed Executive Director. She will begin her ministry on August 1. Rev. Dr. Newton will replace Rev. Belva Brown Jordan, who has served as Interim Executive Director of DSF since January 2020.

Since 2013, Rev. Dr. Newton has served as the Senior Pastor at First Christian Church of Vallejo, CA, where her achievements include the mentorship of five student ministers as well as a committed member of a Clergy Women’s Circle of Trust for over 16 years. Rev. Dr. Newton has served at Lexington Theological Seminary since 2011 as Adjunct Professor of Social Ethics, Practice of Ministry, and Doctor of Ministry Faculty Advisor. Her teaching experience also includes work at Pacific School of Religion, San Francisco Theological Seminary, the Graduate Theological Union, Church Divinity School of the Pacific, Chapman University, and Yagumo Juko.

Rev. Dr. Newton earned her Ph.D. in 2011 from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, CA, where she won the Chan Prize in Religion and Economics in 2006 and 2007 as well as the Newhall Scholar/Teacher Award in 2008 and 2010. She received her M.Div. in 2000 from Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, CA, and was ordained on June 18, 2000 at Arkansas First Christian Church (DOC) in Russellville, AR.

Rev. Dr. Newton is a firm supporter of DSF, having not only been a recipient of its scholarship program but also served on the Board of Trustees as a member and an officer from 2008-2014. The DSF Board of Trustees and staff are excited to begin this new journey with Rev. Dr. Newton and ask that they all be lifted up in prayer as DSF continues to support the formation of emerging theological leaders.

Hiram President David Haney Announces Retirement 

Board of Trustees to Launch Search for New College Leadership 

David P. Haney, Ph.D., is stepping down from his position as president of Hiram College and retiring, effective June 30, 2023. Dr. Haney served as interim president beginning in fall 2020 and was appointed president in June 2021. 

“Dr. Haney’s focus was positioning Hiram to better meet the needs of its students today and in the future,” Board of Trustees Chair Robert Turner said. “He mademeaningful contributions that advanced Hiram’s mission to foster intellectual excellence and social responsibility, enabling our students to thrive in their chosen careers and succeed in life. We thank him for his service, and we certainly wish him the best.” 

During his tenure, Dr. Haney led the College through a challenging period in Hiram’s history while ensuring the overall health and safety of the campus community during the COVID crisis. He helped evolve initiatives and develop long-term strategies for new academic offerings, enrollment marketing, student transfer agreements, community engagement, diversity and inclusion, campus sustainability, and financial stability. 

Turner said the leadership transition comes at a time of strength for the 173-year-oldcollege. 

“A change of this magnitude is always challenging, but we’re thrilled that we have leadership and staff in place with the kind of experience and expertise to make this a seamless transition.”

Rob Bohrer, Ph.D., vice president for academic and student affairs and dean of the College, has been named acting president of the College, and will play a key role in day-to-day decision-making until a new president is named. He will report directly to Turner.  

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About Hiram College:  

Founded in 1850, Hiram College provides students of all backgrounds with an attainable private education that teaches the 21st-century skills needed to thrive professionally and personally in the face of inevitable and constant change. Built on a community that fosters student-faculty collaboration, the College equips all students with the tools necessary to embrace active learning in the classroom, in Ohio, and beyond through technology, internship, study away, research, and other experiential opportunities for growth and development. Recognized by Colleges of Distinction, The Princeton Review, U.S. News and World Report, and as a top baccalaureate college by Washington Monthly, Hiram enrolls over 1,000 undergraduate and graduate students in academic programs on its Northeast Ohio campus and online. For more information, please visit www.hiram.edu.

Hiram College has once again been recognized for its excellence in undergraduate education that focuses on hands-on learning, strong student-faculty relationships, and successful outcomes, earning a place as one of the nation’s 2023-2024 Colleges of Distinction and Ohio Colleges of Distinction.

“We are honored to receive this national recognition from Colleges of Distinction,” said Rob Bohrer, Ph.D., interimpresident of Hiram College. “It affirms our commitment to helping our students learn, grow, and succeed by providing a relationship-rich education based on close interactions and mentorship from top-notch faculty, alongside experiential learning opportunities such as internships, study aboard experiences, and student research.”

Colleges of Distinction’s selection process comprises a sequence of in-depth research and detailed interviews with the schools, accepting only those that adhere to the Four Distinctions: Engaged Students, Great Teaching, Vibrant Community, and Successful Outcomes. As a College of Distinction, Hiram College has shown excellence in each of these areas, providing its students with a well-rounded, practical education that prepares them for successful careers and lives.

Hiram also achieved program-specific recognition for its Nursing Department, Education Department, and Scarborough School of Business and Communication. These additional accolades were borne out of a need for college curricula that are comprehensive not only in course material, but also in practical- and soft-skills development. Hiram College has met these needs with a blend of classroom learning, program-specific training, and abundant opportunities for real-world application.

Nursing 

Hiram College educates future nurses to be compassionate caregivers who are clinically competent, ethically grounded, and socially and culturally responsible. Hiram’s nursing students experience a wide range of specialties during their educational journey including adult, pediatric, gerontological, community, critical care, and psychiatric mental health. Accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and approved by the Ohio Board of Nursing, the College’s direct entry nursing program enables its students to take calculated action, even in high-pressure situations.

“For a nursing program, being recognized as a College of Distinction highlights the program’s commitment to providing a comprehensive, high-quality, holistic education that prepares students to flourish in their nursing career,” said Sarahbeth Abalos, Ph.D., RN, CNE, nursing program director at the College. “Hiram’s commitment to the liberal arts tradition further develops our nursing graduates to possess critical thinking skills, cultural and ethical competence, and a life-long learning mindset.”

Education 

Hiram College is proud to graduate future educators who are not only knowledgeable, but also efficient mentors whoprovide empathetic support and novel teaching methods. Students pursuing a licensure degree in education from Hiram learn by doing, both in the field and in campus classrooms, with faculty support as they engage in deep and connected experiences with learners. The Teacher Licensure program at Hiram College is nationally accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), and the College’s teacher licensure candidates rank among the top in the state with strong passage rates on the educator licensure exam.

“It’s an honor for the education program at Hiram College to once again be named as a College of Distinction,” said Jennifer McCreight, Ph.D., head of teacher education at Hiram. “We are proud of our focus on ensuring students have diverse opportunities to engage in practical classroom experience throughout their time at Hiram, which comes from the close relationships we have with our local K-12 community. Our faculty also advise students closely and believe strongly in expanding our students’ experiences by encouraging them to take courses across campus – they will be better educators because they can learn and think in a variety of ways!”

Business 

The Scarborough School of Business and Communication educates and challenges students to become leaders and innovators who create value for themselves, their profession, and their community. Through interdisciplinary learning and real-world experiences, programs in management, marketing, accounting and financial management, communication, and sport management help students develop the higher order skills today’s employers are seeking.

“This distinction is a strong validation of what we do at Hiram and a testament to our ability to make a difference in the lives of our students,” said Andrew White, Ph.D., director of the Scarborough School of Business and Communication. “Faculty in the Scarborough School of Business and Communication are committed to joining students in their educational experience – it’s not about standing in front of a class and telling students what we know, rather we engage in conversations, explore possibilities, and critically evaluate real-world situations. Our faculty are also determined to help students secure the experiential opportunities that will serve as a strong foundation ahead of their careers.”

To view Hiram College’s profile or to find more information about the innovative learning experiences the College offers, visit https://collegesofdistinction.com/school/hiram-college/.

About Hiram College: 

Founded in 1850, Hiram College provides students of all backgrounds with an attainable private education that teaches the 21st-century skills needed to thrive professionally and personally in the face of inevitable and constant change. Built on a community that fosters student-faculty collaboration, the College equips all students with the tools necessary to embrace active learning in the classroom, in Ohio, and beyond through technology, internship, study away, research, and other experiential opportunities for growth and development. Recognized by Colleges of Distinction, The Princeton Review, U.S. News and World Report, and as a top baccalaureate college by Washington Monthly, Hiram enrolls over 1,000 undergraduate and graduate students in academic programs on its Northeast Ohio campus and online. For more information, please visit www.hiram.edu.

Rev. Dr. Denise Bell will join the faculty as the Don and Lillian Nunnelly Chair for Pastoral Leadership. Dr. Bell is the Regional Minister of the Christian Church in Georgia. For 35 years, she has served as pastor, associate, senior associate, satellite pastor, interim pastor, executive pastor, and regional minister. Dr. Bell received her Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership from Eastern University, where she studied the practices of flourishing African American pastors and challenged research regarding clergy well-being. She was awarded the 2022 Dissertation of the Year Award. As an educator and regional pastor, Dr. Bell helps pastors and congregations increase their capacity to be healthy communities of faith. Dr. Bell will join the Seminary on Sept. 1, 2023.

Dr. Esther Parajuli, joined the faculty as assistant professor of Christian Theologies in August 2022.  Dr. Parajuli (she/her), a theologian, a third-generation migrant and a Naga-Nepali hybrid, completed her PhD in Systematic Theology at Union Theological Seminary (UTS) in New York City in May 2022. Her current research work integrates apophatic theology with liberation theology as well as postcolonial theory to contemplate the question of selfhood and its relationship with “the Other.” She is the author of “Concept of Virginity: A Patriarchal Hegemony” in Bangalore Theological Forum (2017).

Dr. Wilson Dickinson envisioned and served as chair of the Christ Seminar, a collaborative project on Christologies of the People through the Westar Institute. He presented on his current book project on the Psalms, parenting, and climate change at the American Academy of Religion Annual Meeting.

Dr. Loida I. Martell, Vice President and Dean and Professor of Constructive Theology, delivered the Antoinette Brown Lecture at Vanderbilt Divinity School on April 11, 2022. The lecture was titled “The God Who Is.” She delivered the plenary address for the Society of Pentecostal Studies at their annual meeting held March 24-26, 2022. The presentation was titled, “Emergent Diseases, Climate Change, and the Viral Nature of Racism: The Spirit’s Call to Breathe.” She presented a paper titled “Emergent Diseases in a Globalized World: The Viral Nature of Racism” during the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion for La Comunidad of Hispanic Scholars of Religion in 2020.

Dr. Leah Schade, Associate Professor of Preaching and Worship, and Dr. Richard Voelz, Associate Professor of Preaching and Worship at Union Presbyterian Seminary, have secured a grant from The Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion to study diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Academy of Homiletics. In June 2020 Dr. Schade co-founded the Clergy Emergency League, which has grown into a network of 2,500 pastors across the United States, providing support, accountability, resources, and networking for clergy to prophetically minister in their congregations and in the public square.

Dr. Jerry Sumney, Professor of Biblical Studies, co-authored with Dr. Schade Apocalypse When? A Guide to Interpreting and Preaching Apocalyptic Texts. He wrote the Foreword for a forthcoming book of essays on the General Epistles and Revelation, all written from an Afro-Centric perspective. Dr. Sumney celebrates 25 years on the faculty at LTS.

Ms. Dolores Yilibuw, Library Director, continues to contribute to the intellectual life of the Seminary by actively participating in professional organizations such as the American Theological Library Association (ATLA) and the Association of Christian Librarians (ACL). She recently reviewed a book, Making Peace with the Earth: Action and Advocacy for Climate Justice for the Journal of the Association of Christian Librarians.

Dr. Charisse L. Gillett, President and Executive Director of the Office of Lilly Projects at LTS, concluded her reflections on leadership with an essay titled “Reflections on Leadership in the Era of COVID-19 and In the Midst of a Reckoning on Racial Injustice,” published by the Journal of Higher Education Management (2021).

Rev. Dr. Jon Barnes serves as project director for the Lilly Endowment (LEI) supported Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative and Rev. Dr. Doris Garcia Rivera serves as the Academic Coordinator. The Pathways Initiative seeks to provide potential students from underserved populations with options for pursuing theological education, and it gives attention to sustaining a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community.

Thriving Congregations Initiative

Rev. Dr. Erin Miller Cash serves as the project director for the Thriving Congregations Initiative. She has identified contextual hallmarks of thriving congregations for greater ecclesial effectiveness in their faith communities.

Thriving In Ministry Initiative

Rev. Dr. Kris Bentley, Director and Senior Researcher of the Bi-vocational Ministry Research Project contributed a chapter in the recently published book, Bivocational and Beyond: Educating for Thriving Multivocational Ministry. Her chapter, “Pitching Our Tent with Bivocational Ministry,” shares insights from the research at LTS concerning bi-vocational ministry and highlights some stories of bi-vocational pastors and the congregations they serve. The book, published by Books @Atla Open Press, is available via open access at https://doi.org/10.31046/atlaopenpress.82.

Dr. Charisse L. Gillett celebrates 12 years of ministry as president of Lexington Theological Seminary. She began her service as President September 2011 and has led the seminary during a period of intense transition, crisis, and growth.  Dr. Loida Martell celebrates 6 years as Vice-President and Academic Dean. Dr. Martell and Dr. Gillett were identified as women of influence in a 2023 video presentation by the Association of Theological Schools.

Dr. Emily Askew was named Professor Emerita of Systematic Theology upon the recommendation of the faculty and action of the Board.  This action was taken in recognition of her teaching, service, and scholarship as a faculty member at LTS.  Dr. Askew was an early adopter of the green movement and was instrumental in starting the LTS recycling program 15 years ago. She was a founding member of the Green Task Force, and has taught, mentored and nurtured students into their vocations.  She was a committed advocate for a community that reflects the rights and humanity of LGBTQA+ students. She joined the faculty in 2007 and retired in July 2022.

LTS was approved as the first Green Chalice Seminary in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) by the Green Chalice Ministry. The letter of approval said: “The work that you all do has ripple effects, the impact of which we will never fully know. You are a model in your community, for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and for seminaries and churches everywhere. We give great thanks for your witness to the Gospel by living your faith in action by walking more gently on the earth and by inviting others to do the same.”

At the KY Pitch competition, two Midway University student teams competed and walked away with honors and prizes. The KY Pitch competition is open to all Kentucky post-secondary colleges and universities.  Read More…

Leadership Fellows Global Awareness Trip to Israel-Palestine

After their third year in the Leadership Fellows Program, HELM fellows participate in a Global Awareness trip. The destinations vary, but the goals are always the same: that fellows would learn about faithful accompaniment in our interconnected world and engage in conversations around authentically and effectively walking in solidarity with Christians and DOC partners around the world. This year, we saw our students deeply engaged in both the immediacy and the long, tenuous story of Israel-Palestine. Seven fellows, along with HELM’s President, Board Chair, and Program Coordinator spent six days learning and growing together under the guidance of Dr. Peter Makari in Global Ministries. Especially meaningful were the opportunities to hear real-life stories of Palestinians today, learning how we might be able to walk alongside them in solidarity and in hope. The group returned to the US with full hearts, and their own stories to share. Please meet our fellows below and hear what they found most vital and life-changing throughout their Global Awareness trip.

Katie Varon

I was previously aware of Palestine’s occupation, but I had no idea the extent of the inhumanity and injustice done to them, and I am so grateful to HELM, Global Ministries, and the Church for showing us this perspective of the Holy Land. It feels impossible not to talk about, and it feels equally impossible to feel satisfied with just one conversation.

I am much more aware of the geographic, structural, and institutional forms of violence, in addition to the literal violence. The existence of settlements, the need for permits, the Canadian trees, the checkpoints and movement restrictions, the wall around Bethlehem, the lack of money for Universities and community centers— everything is negatively impacted by occupation.

Sara Wilson

The thing that most changed me was the personal connection that I had with people who live this reality every day. I cannot unhear each person’s story that we heard. I cannot unsee the destroyed homes and bullet holes in the buildings. I cannot unlearn the history or the current situation that Palestinians are experiencing daily. I will never fully understand the hurt, pain, loss, suffering, struggle, hope, or fear that they endure as individuals or a community, but I can do my best to understand, learn, listen, share their stories, and uplift their voices so that they can be heard. I feel the responsibility to make known what is being filtered and hidden from the people outside of Israel-Palestine.

Dylan Wyly

What I witnessed on the ground in Palestine was not at all what I had heard from the media, institutions, or my close inner circle. I witnessed not a conflict or war, but instead an oppressive apartheid regime doing everything in its power to silently control, humiliate, and erase Palestinian people and their culture. I will never forget the experience I had on my visit. I will never forget the Palestinians we talked to who would freely share endless stories of the oppression that they face every single day.

Sophia Patchin

Because of this life-changing trip, I have a deeper understanding of my personal faith, and I have a greater knowledge of the Palestinian reality and ways we can help them here in the US. My biggest take away is seeing the hope in individuals despite the unimaginable injustices they face every single day. How beautiful would it be if these individuals could have hope and love in a just world instead of in an unjust world?

Eli Baldwin

As a future teacher, I was excited to visit a school one day. The kids were so happy and excited to see some new faces. They danced with us, gave us high fives, and made us give them lots of piggyback rides. After we left, it really sunk into me how genuinely happy these kids, and even the adults were, even living in the terrible conditions that they do. These displaced Palestinians have been stripped of their homes, denied access to basic human rights, and constantly live in fear of being attacked or killed by Israeli military officers, yet they were some of the most kind and loving people I’ve ever met.

They just want to be treated like human beings. They want peace, and an end to the suffering, violence, and the oppression they face every day. We often hear media outlets make claims that Palestinians are raising their children in hatred and teaching them to be terrorists, but this is the furthest thing from the truth. When I was interacting with the children, all I felt was love.

Even among the kids, they are ready for a change, and I think they know kindness and love are what help create peace. I want to help change the narrative that people have towards Palestinians, especially Palestinian refugees, and children. I want to help the world see that Palestinians are not terrorists or fueled by hatred; they are human beings, who hold an unbelievable amount of love in their hearts.

Abby Bender

While seeing the Holy Land and visiting the historic and biblical sites I have learned about since I was a child was a breathtaking experience, meeting people from Palestine will always be what I remember from this trip. What has changed the most in my head and in my heart since coming home is knowing how much the Palestinian people are hurting and just want to live in their homes without fear of being thrown in jail or killed by Israeli military. We in the United States are very lucky that we live in a place where we do not have to think about what would happen to us for simply speaking out against our government or not obeying military officers as they forcibly take our land for their own gain.

Maci Mazza-Fredley

So much of what I had already seen and heard about this ongoing “conflict” does not even scratch the surface of the realities taking place in Israel-Palestine. Human rights violations, disregard for international law, and apartheid are affecting the lives of millions of people living in Palestine. After witnessing such egregious atrocities, it is clear that the rest of the world needs to know the truth about what the Israeli occupation is doing to Palestinian families and communities.

Something I will always carry with me is the love that Palestinians have for their communities. So many asked us to “share our stories when you go back home.” The truth about what is happening daily in Palestine is something we as global leaders now carry in our hearts and minds forever. We can never un-see and un-hear what we have. We can never un-experience the love and acceptance we were shown when going into vulnerable spaces, refugee camps, and holy sites. I will never forget the names of those who told us their stories. It is now up to us to share their stories with those around us, and hopefully one day, see the end of this humanitarian catastrophe.

The heart of HELM’s work resides within the network of the whole Church, from the individual congregation which nurtures young people, to the region which connects them to a larger faith community, to the colleges, universities and theological schools that develop their skills in leadership.

HELM walks beside each of these expressions of the Church identifying emerging leaders during their undergraduate and graduate studies. Our great joy is providing support in the form of scholarship and leadership development. We do this in partnership with our general and ecumenical ministries as well as individuals like you.

Recently, a group of Leadership Fellows traveled to Israel-Palestine under the leadership of Dr. Peter Makari, Global Relations Minister for the Middle East and Europe, Global Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and United Church of Christ. Our students witnessed the world in this sacred place – its profound hope and its lived pain. Leadership is the ability to engage and experience the world as it is with clear, critical, reflective and responsive presence.   

Leadership Fellows learn that clarity requires an opportunity to see, hear, smell, taste and touch the world in new and transforming ways. Critical thought requires in-depth study filtered with intellectual and emotional intelligence. Reflection requires personal experience and time. Responsive presence requires humility and courage.

HELM’s Leadership Fellows Global Awareness experiences and Emerging Clergy Leadership Conferences are designed to introduce students to the possibilities and challenges in leadership within the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and in relationship with the world as it is today.

Similarly, HELM connects our institutions of higher learning in dialogue and support of our related presidents, chancellors, deans, faculty, andcampus ministries. Our mission is lifting and amplifying these talented voices as we celebrate institutional advancements and respond to challenges in church, society, and world. We do this work through our Council of Theological Education, Council of Colleges & Universities, and Council on Higher Education Ministries.

Beyond the classroom, HELM supports post-graduate dialogue and reflection through the Association of Disciples in Theological Discussion (ADTD). ADTD brings together outstanding theological minds from across our related institutions to consider the moment in meaningful reflection, theological leadership, and in published contribution addressing pressing issues of our time.

It is my privilege and honor to begin a season of service, together with HELM’s Board of Directors and partners, as we consider the possibilities before us. We will navigate our way forward, valuing the past, embracing the now and expanding directions and resources for the future.

Mark Dingler ’23 M.Div. is all about community-building. At Yale Divinity School, he’s gotten involved in student affairs and student government to rebuild the community lost to the isolation of the Covid pandemic. His goal after graduation in May is to become an associate pastor in a church where he can foster relationships. “Life is too hard to go through by yourself. You need people to walk on this journey.”

A desire for community is what led Mark, a native of Arlington, Texas, to pursue a degree in music education from Texas Christian University. He then discerned God was calling him to foster community in additional ways through the church. “I wanted to do relational community work, and the church has been that space for me.” The Disciples of Christ—his denomination then and now—stresses togetherness. “Our slogan is ‘a movement for fullness in a fragmented world.’ I love that idea of trying to find ways that we can work together to do the work that God has called us to do.”

He came to Yale in the fall of 2020, when classes and activities were online. “The first month I lived here I didn’t see anyone in person. I was really glad I had a dog.” As the pandemic subsided, Mark worked with others to bring people together. “We were trying to find ways to be Covid-safe while having events that helped foster community.” One was a gathering of his classmates in the M.Div. program for cookies and hot chocolate.

While at Yale, Mark has interned at Spring Glen Church, a UCC congregation of about 250 in nearby Hamden, and last year he filled in for a pastor who was away for seven weeks. “I led worship by myself, and they let me just jump in.” He also offered pastoral care and served on the Good Works Committee.

Mark is hoping to be ordained in June and is in conversation with several churches, looking to find one that will be a good fit for everyone. The Disciples of Christ congregations are mostly in the West and Midwest, and he’s willing to resettle anywhere. One of denomination’s appeals for Mark is that churches are led by local congregations and there is little hierarchy.

“We encourage diversity of thought and opinion. You can question and have your own thoughts and you can disagree with one another. We’re still in it together, we’re still loved children of God.”