Disciples Seminary Foundation Past-Present-Future

by Rev. Belva Brown Jordan, Interim Executive Director at DSF

Disciples Seminary Foundation has been supporting the formation of emerging theological leaders for 63 years! Over the past three years, DSF has evaluated, reorganized, and forged a path squarely in line with its original goals – “serving seminarians and graduate students and
interpreting theological education to the church.” Through many seasons of discernment, significant markers have remained in place while clarity about needed changes emerged. Just as HELM has worked to “nurture Christian leaders who are transforming church, society, and world,” DSF has connected with ecumenical and educational partners to do the same.

Claremont School of Theology (CST) was our first ecumenical and educational partner. The list of schools in the west that DSF has affiliated with it has changed over the years. In addition to CST, our partner schools today include Pacific School of Religion, Iliff School of Theology, and the Graduate Theological Union at Berkeley. At the time of this writing, DSF offers tuition scholarships to 30 students at these partner schools. As we look at the number of students who have received DSF scholarships, 90 students have graduated since 2019. True to our vision, these graduates are serving the wider church in congregational ministry, military and hospital chaplaincy, at higher theological education faculties, and as bi-vocational ministers engaged as social justice advocates and community organizers.

DSF’s commitment to supporting the formation of emerging theological leaders goes beyond the walls of seminaries and theological schools. We can be found in church basements and fellowship halls supporting professors/instructors, and teaching lay adults, “who are interested in deepening their knowledge of theology, the Bible, and the practice of ministry,” as they serve in a local congregation. Our Certificate Ministry Studies and Diploma Ministry Studies programs are vibrant and serve Disciples Hispanic church communities along the West Coast.

DSF has a rich history, and I have had the privilege to serve as the Interim Executive Director for three years. It has been an incredible journey, which called for discernment, patience, prayer, and the dedication of three amazing staff – Jess Kim, Siobhan Lopez, and Xose Escamilla. DSF is not the same expression of ministry it was in 1960, or even in 2020, when I came on board. But it will be around 60 years from now to tell its faithful story.

Putting in a Call to the Mayor

By Chaplain Bruce Fowlkes, Eureka College, Eureka, Illinois

“Mayor Lind, hello! This is Chaplain Bruce at the college. Gotta question I’d like to ask you….” Hearing my voice, the mayor was immediately concerned about my wrecked front yard. A water main had burst on Christmas Eve, threatening to flood my basement. The crisis had been averted, thanks to the city workers who pumped and dug for over four hours in the 14◦F darkness.

A dozen years ago, out my front window, I saw a lone boy raking my yard – coincidentally where the frozen, muddy hole is today. It was Eric, a youth from Eureka Christian Church. A nice kid, like so many of our church youth, here and everywhere. Blessed to have our youth, yes indeed, I thought that day.

Honestly, the young people I serve give more to me than I can ever give back to them. Deep purpose. I’m constantly searching for the right moment- to say the right thing, to offer the right assistance- in hopes of earning a bit of my calling, all with the faith that today I know enough to serve well, those I’m called to serve.

Alas, at least for this 60-year-old, the world’s current rate of change has out-paced my ability to make sense of it. The wealth gap, entrenched racism, mass violence in sacred spaces of learning and worship, toxic nationalism, politics without character, soul-less intelligence, monetized attention, polarization for profit – I would stop there, except then the pandemic’s global upheaval entered the scene.

Despite all this, or perhaps because of it, my sense of purpose and call has gained new clarity. The most urgent needs facing students and their families are no longer the complexities of the elite and privileged. Rather, food insecurity, crushing debt, mental health, suicide, care for extended family members, etc., are re-aligning the work of higher education, in and out of the classroom. Students, just like the rest of us, have a deep need to feel safe enough to belong.

Somewhere. Somewhere safe, then welcomed, then included, then valued, then loved, then missed when they’re gone. Home. Church. School.

That’s why I called Mayor Eric Lind to ask him to bring the address for Eureka College’s annual Founders’ Day Convocation, to tell his Eureka story. Not because he’s a Eureka College alumnus – he’s not. But the story Eric told on Founders’ Day was of deep belonging, and the sense of generosity, service and leadership engendered by his congregation at Eureka Christian Church, his hometown, and its little college, Eureka.

Eric continues the great Eureka call and story of joining faith, learning, leadership, and service – cut from the same cloth of the abolitionist Christians from Kentucky who settled here so long ago. At 25 years old, Eric has already given more to the community’s common good than most ever will.

(And, if you happen to read this, Mr. Mayor, don’t worry about my yard. It’ll get done soon enough!)

February Interim Iterations

A few years back, then Editor/Publisher John M. Buchanan, writing in The Christian Century, quoted a few sentences from Frederick Buechner’s essay titled, “The Church.” You can find this essay in Buechner’s book, Secrets in the Dark. I believe these words can give some direction to the readership of the Higher Education Digest.

Here are Buechner’s words:

“Maybe the best thing that could happen to

the church would be for some great tidal wave

of history to wash it all away — the church

buildings tumbling, the church money all lost,

the church bulletins blowing through the air

like dead leaves, the differences between

preachers and congregations all lost too. Then

all we would have left would be each other and

Christ, which was all there was in the first place.”

I first read these words back in 2015. It was long before the “great tidal wave of history,” Covid-19, would appear. Nevertheless, Buechner’s words seem appropriate to address where we find ourselves today in the church and its institutional expressions. I am reminded that our call into existence as the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), our birth certificate if you will, was a last will and testament.

As I write, it is reported that there have been 6.85 million Covid-19 deaths worldwide. Between January 3, 2020 and February 6, 2023, there have been 1,097,246 Covid-19 deaths in the United States. The bells of death have tolled and the church as we once knew it has changed. So have its institutional expressions like colleges, universities, and graduate schools of theology. We are all trying to make sense of our present and coming realities. Although there is no one path forward, there is a determination to move forward into this journey of unforeseen endings, with hope and creativity. The church and its institutional expressions have been here before, just check-in with your church historian friend.

Some of the current realities facing the church have been accelerated by the pandemic. There has been a decrease in median worship attendance. Births, baby dedications, baptisms, marriages, and membership growth and development are not keeping pace with the congregation’s rate of attrition due to people leaving, resigning, retiring, moving, and dying. Decreasing enrollment in some of our higher education institutions are causing concern as schools heavily reliant on residential learning are pivoting to create on-line and hybrid learning opportunities. With increasing costs to earn a degree, conversations have heightened about the value of higher education.

Let’s visit Buechner again, keeping in mind the impact his words have for both congregations and church related institutions of higher education:

“. . . many neighborhood and rural congregations

require courageous and new thinking if they are to

survive — new thinking on the part of denominational

executives, pastors brave enough to walk into

challenging situations, and people willing to let go of

a church model that no longer works.”

We are all — church and academy — in a state of transition, but all is not doom and gloom. The good news is that there are opportunities and possibilities for our future. To get there, we must put the fear of change and the paralysis it causes on hold. We lean into our futures despite the current realities of demographic decline and its accompanying economic and spiritual distress. We learn from the present realities and find new ways to function and be faithful. Our congregations and educational institutions are in the process of recreating church and higher education anew for this day and time.

I suppose that when all is said and done it will be true that the center and core of congregational life and our related institutions is “each other and Christ, which is all there was in the first place.” This is probably not a bad place to start as Higher Education and Leadership Ministries leans into its future during this time of transition. I am so glad to be part of the new discoveries you are making as you search for a new President. Keep looking through the front windshield and not your rear-view mirror. This will surely take you to the place God wants you to be.

 

Leaning forwardly yours,

Ron

Chapman University’s Legacy of Hope

By Rev. Cisa Payuyo, Associate Director of Church Relations Chapman University

The most rewarding part of my ministry at Chapman University these past twenty years has been mentoring and taking spiritual care of our Disciples and United Church of Christ-related students. It is a blessing to hear them share their Joys and Concerns during Wednesday Night Worship, sponsored by our Disciples on Campus community. Then, there are times when a student sits on the couch in my office and says, “I think I want to go into ministry. Will you help me explore this yearning?” My heart fills with gratitude to God as I hear them talk about their call. I have often witnessed God’s nudge in their life even before they realize it. These students come in at the beginning of their college career, wide-eyed, full of excitement, and ready for new experiences. Or they come in anxious, homesick, yet somewhat brave enough to take it a step at a time, a day at a time. Throughout the school year my colleagues in the office of Church Relations and I pray for and with them. We see the transformation in their lives as they become compassionate global citizens, effective church leaders, and grow into the good, kind, and courageous people God meant for them to be.

I have kept a record of graduates who have gone on to seminaries and divinity houses during my time at Chapman. From 2003 to the present, we have sent twenty-four alumni to schools with names such as Claremont School of Theology, Pacific School of Religion, Yale, Princeton, Harvard, Christian Theological, Lexington, and Union. Half of the graduates are ordained ministers. All of them serve in churches, hospitals, or in non-profit organizations. The first and the last names on the list are Leadership Fellows. Rev. Tiffany Curtis ‘07 works for the National Benevolent Association, while serving as minister with the open circle: a Disciples of Christ Community in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Tristan Spangler-Dunning ’21 currently attends Union Theological Seminary.

Disciple-related schools of higher education offer a legacy of hope to the world and ignite the passion in people to be God’s grace incarnate.

Christian Theological Seminary: New Horizons

Christian Theological Seminary welcomes the new year by exploring exciting new horizons. In recent months, we announced our redesigned MDiv degree program that increases accessibility through remote learning AND launched two 6-week online courses designed for lifelong learners.

At CTS, we understand you can’t put your life on pause to pursue your calling. Thanks to new remote learning technology and our redesigned MDiv, you no longer have to. Our MDiv program now offers remote learning options for completing classes without eliminating the traditional in-person classroom experience, creating an equitable experience from anywhere with an internet connection. Consistent course offerings and individualized degree mapping allow students to complete required credit hours at their own pace with minimal on-site intensive days.

Listening to community feedback, we also launched two non-degree lifelong learning courses that are entirely online. Our new Skills for Flourishing Congregations series consists of micro-credentialing courses that help leaders stay nimble and up to date in rapidly changing ministry environments. The 6-week online courses help church leaders gain skills-based knowledge in key areas of church leadership like strategic planning, fundraising, volunteer management, conflict resolution, and more. Leveraging relationships with partners like the Lake Institute on Faith and Giving, our expert instructors provide premier training in formats that suit busy pastors and church professionals.

The Our Life in Common Series is a space for community learning through a theological lens. Theology plays a powerful role in our shared experience. Good theology breathes life into our communities, but misguided theology can foster intolerance and injustice. These 6-week online courses offer meaningful discussion and theological exploration of faith, humanity, ethics, and other relevant topics. Both lifelong learning series are open to all - there are no preconditions for prior education or formal religious commitment.

These new horizons are an extension of our current ministry, theology, counseling, and social justice programs centered on CTS’ core values: advancing scholarship and formation, embracing diversity, working toward justice for all, affirming God-given human dignity, and promoting healing and wholeness throughout creation. Over 85% of CTS students receive scholarship support including financial aid opportunities specifically for Disciples of Christ affiliated students. Visit www.cts.edu to find out how CTS could be the next step in YOUR calling!

New Year Interim Iterations

The Higher Education and Leadership Ministries Presidential Search Committee met in mid-December to begin its search for the next President of HELM. And, since our General Ministry is also in the process of discerning who its next President will be, I thought it appropriate to start the new year with some thoughts on ministry. There is no greater privilege than to serve as a minister or President of a ministry, though undoubtedly, with great privilege comes even greater responsibility.

To care for the flock, including the flock who has yet to embrace the church’s mission, demands that we bring our very best to the task of ministry. If any time in history has called for an educated, literate, and professional ministry, that time is now.

I have always believed that education and ministry are two sides of the same coin. T.H. White in The Once and Future King probably said it best when he wrote this about learning:

“The best thing . . . is to learn something. That is the only

thing that never fails. You may grow old and trembling in

your anatomies, you may lie awake at night listening to

the disorder of your veins, you may miss your only love,

you may see the world about you devastated by evil

lunatics, or know your honor trampled in the sewers of

baser minds. There is only one thing for it then — to learn.

Learn why the world wags and what wags it. That is the

only thing which the mind can never exhaust, can never

alienate, never be tortured by, never fear or distrust, and

never dream of regretting.”

 

Ministry is about learning, and growing, and sharing that growth with others. The purpose of ministry is to strengthen and transform the whole church and world. Ministry has never been for the sake of the church alone but has always been for the sake of the world and all who dwell in it.

If education and ministry are two sides of the same coin, so are ministry and leadership. Our ministers must help us to encounter new ideas and take them seriously, develop the capacity to think critically and interdependently, discover deep interests and consuming passions, and define the type of church and society we want to be and the type of mission that will help get us there. Such ministers will always be educators and leaders. I have observed that both church and society are crying out for leadership.

I thank God every day for the ministry to which I have been called, for the privilege to serve, and for the responsibilities and challenges of the profession. I am thankful for all who serve in ministerial, educational, and leadership positions; for those searching for a place to serve; and, for those who hope to serve one day — ministers, educators, and leaders in waiting.

Surely God is preparing a minister, educator, and leader in our church to serve as the next President of HELM. That person might just be you. Look over the President position description published in this issue of the Higher Education Digest and respond accordingly. This may be exactly what God has been preparing you to do in life. You may be the very person the Search Committee seeks. Marriages like this do happen. I know because it has happened to me.

Presidentially yours,

Ron

Jarvis: Pivoting from Excellence to Preeminence

It has been an exciting year at Jarvis Christian University in Hawkins, Texas. Marking its 110th anniversary since its founding in 1912, in affiliation with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), this year also is the transition from College to University with the addition of two master level programs, one in business administration and one in criminal justice.

“In a year filled with transitions and transformation, our University’s theme of ‘Transformation: Pivoting from Excellence to Preeminence,’ is coming alive,” said Jarvis President Dr. Lester C. Newman. Jarvis was named one of 19 Fulbright Historically Black College and University Institutional Leaders for 2022; one of 25 educational gems in the State of Texas—the only HBCU listed; and JCU was selected in the second cohort of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) Transformation Project. JCU is also embarking upon a $60 million capital campaign for need-based scholarships, the enhancement of academic programs and a multimillion dollar state-of-the-art student and community center.

“Academically and athletically, it’s been a busy year for students,” Newman said.  Two freshmen math majors from Texas with 4.0 GPAs were accepted into the BRING MATH program with the Institute for Mathematical and Statistical Innovation at Argon National Laboratory. Cancer research on campus led to student papers being published in peer-reviewed medical journals. Jarvis’ student chapter of the National Association of Blacks in Accounting (NABA) is one of the largest in the country.

Augmenting its athletic program by adding men’s and women’s wrestling, Jarvis has made history as the only HBCU in the nation with a women’s wrestling program. Two of Jarvis’ women wrestlers are currently ranked in the top 20 nationally, placing 15th and 20th.

On the move to live out this year’s theme, JCU is racing from excellence to preeminence and elevating the city of Hawkins and all of Wood County—being the only institution of higher education countywide.  In keeping with the words from the school’s alma mater, JCU can be “None but Great!”   

December Interim Iterations

As you are wrapping up the final weeks of Year 2022, I trust that you are leaving behind what needs to be let go of and looking forward to what lies ahead. In a few short weeks a new year will be upon us, and with it, the promise of doing better than we did the year before. This is precisely what good, healthy religion is all about — doing better!

Mediocre religion settles for maintaining the status quo and doing things just the same way it has always been done. It says, “Why push the envelope any further? Just let it coast, and everything will be okay.”

Such mediocre religion lures the believer into an acceptance that all is well with the world, and with God and no improvement is needed. The believer has already arrived, is already in the know, has nothing new to learn, and is the gravy waiting to be heaped onto the metaphorical Christmas turkey. (By the way, Merry Christmas!)

Unfortunately, the religion of mediocrity is alive and well in the world today. It settles for less than the best in theological scholarship and learning. It demands no sacrifice and faces no difficulty. It expects ease and comfort, which results in a high margin of profitability. It is the religion of the masses and often parades about in the name of Jesus and Christianity. But there is a better way, a more promising religion that does not parade about in the name of Jesus and Christianity. It is the very religion of Jesus and is the embodiment of the Christian faith.

It calls its followers to a deep understanding of the mystery of God and Christ and never settles for less than the best in one’s life, one’s world, or one’s universe. It demands sacrifice. It focuses attention on the poor, the outcast, the ‘least of these.’ It also encourages the believer to use all the tools of modern scholarship and understanding in the search for truth. It is nothing new, but it is new everyday as one realizes that there is always more to learn about faith, about Jesus, and about God.

Whenever I feel the pull toward practicing mediocre religion, the religion that just wants me to ease my way through and not think too much, I remember that time long ago when I gave my life to Christ, the real Christ not the ersatz Christ. I told Jesus that I would surrender my life to him not only during days of ease and comfort, but especially when the way grows dim and the outcome uncertain. I have followed Jesus down many a road and winding pathway never compromising my intellect or giving in to the unreasonable cries of those who would sell their faith for a quick fix or magical solution.

We in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) have another chance to start this coming year with a desire to get it right, to follow the real Christ instead of the false ones, to use our brains and not our bronze, to think rather than emote, to do instead of say, to feel deeply, to listen carefully, and to follow where Jesus leads us in our lives for the betterment of the world.

Let each of us pledge in the year to come, to do better than we did the year before, and the year before that, and the year before that, and the year before that . . .

Improving-ly yours,

Ron

2022 Seminarian Grant Recipients

Isaac Ackerman

Isaac Ackerman (he/him or they/them) attended Eureka College double majoring in Biology and Chemistry with a minor in Spanish. They intended to study medicine after their time at Eureka but was convinced while volunteering at a hospital in rural India to first explore the world and other vocations before (possibly) taking another look at medicine. After college, he taught English to young learners in Incheon, South Korea for two years. He then returned to the United States to work with the National Benevolent Association’s Xplor program assisting a number of organizations around Cleveland, Ohio including college ministry at Kent State and providing support for adults with developmental disabilities at Hiram Farm. Seeing the wide work of the church in helping communities thrive, Isaac decided to pursue ordination with the Disciples of Christ and is entering his third year of divinity school at Vanderbilt.

Kerrigan Greene

Kerrigan is a longtime Disciple, a HELM Leadership Fellow alumnus (2016-2020), and a Global Mission Associate of Japan (2018-19). They are currently attending the University of Chicago Divinity School, where they were the Divinity Student Association Secretary (2021-22). They did their undergrad in Asian Studies, and their love of Japanese culture and history has continued an interest in Shintoism and Buddhism. Along with this focus, they are pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Gender and Sexuality Studies. In the future, they hope to work with fellow LGBTQ+ people within affinity organizations. Kerrigan enjoys drinking tea and coffee while talking with their found-family about the books they all are reading.

Courtney Sells

My time at Vanderbilt Divinity School has allowed me to become incredibly interested in various forms of labor and economic justice. This fall I will be completing my thesis on emotional and spiritual labor– specifically from a feminine and queer perspective.

Graham Watson

Graham is going through the ordination process accompanied by FCC in Abilene, TX. As of now, Graham’s professional curiosity relates to process thinking in ecumenical work and seminary preparation. During the school year, Graham attends Vanderbilt Divinity School and works at Woodmont Christian Church. This summer, Graham served at FCC Abilene, and last summer Graham served as a worship leader in Badlands National Park.

Neddy Yong

Nereyda “Neddy” Yong is a proud Latina and first-generation seminarian at San Francisco Theological Seminary who is passionate about spiritually based social engagement. She has over a decade of local ministry experience and is also trained as a spiritual director. Her vocation is to support leaders and activists of color by becoming a presence of passion and peace. You will often find her doing what she loves: meeting new people, enjoying nature, trying new food, dancing, laughing with her family (she has a partner and three beautiful children), and adventuring to new places to experience first-hand the beautiful diversity present in the world.

Taylor Ballard

I’m entering my third year at Vanderbilt Divinity School with concentrations in Prison and Carceral Studies, and Spirituality and Social Activism. I grew up in Florida and graduated from Florida State University with a masters in criminology. The prison and carceral path offered by Vanderbilt was the biggest pull for me to pursue theological education. I grew up in a Disciples of Christ church and always, silently, imagined myself in some facet of the church, but never one that was on stage behind a pulpit. Instead, I found the work of non-profits and theological underpinnings to be what drew me in – to weave and recognize the Divine in the world around us, outside of “Church” walls. In coming to Vanderbilt, I started working at a local non-profit that is dedicated to disrupting systems of harm and providing educational opportunities to formerly incarcerated peoples. I work on the policy side of this field, engaging in state and regional level policy. When I’m not deep into legislative action or collective work, you can find me selling donuts at a Nashville bakery or cuddled up with my cats reading a good book. I am very thankful for this scholarship and the opportunity you have all provided me.

Wesley King

Wesley King is a seminarian finishing his final thesis and capstone project at Lexington Theological Seminary where he is pursuing his Master of Divinity. While at LTS he has received the HELM grant and Lovelace scholarship multiple times, the DHM scholarship, and the Walker Preaching Scholarship. He currently serves The Table Nashville, an ELCA queer-centric church plant on Sunday evenings as a ministerial intern to complete the requirements of his MDiv. In addition to his seminary studies, he works full-time for the denomination as Program Coordinator for New Church Ministry. In this position he plans trainings, webinars, events, and other programming that seeks to help new church pastors and all pastors seeking to learn, grow, and innovate. In addition to ministry, Wesley is a professional musician working as a performer, conductor, and composer in Nashville, TN. He is the Artistic Director of Nashville in Harmony, an LGBTQ+ Ally chorus. He has also spent the last several years composing and developing a musical that he just produced in Nashville in June of 2022 titled, “Ten Year,” a musical about a man attending his 10-year high school reunion dealing with regret and being stuck in the past. He is also a songwriter and is currently working on a supplement to the Chalice Hymnal. Some of his songs and hymns have been published by The Hymn Society, The Pennsylvania Council of Churches, and Lorenz Publishing. After he finishes his MDiv, he plans to be ordained and continue his ministry work at the denominational level. He is also interested in the intersections of ministry and music, specifically new hymnody that reflect themes of Justice, Inclusion, and Equity. Wesley is a member of Vine Street Christian Church and resides in East Nashville with his husband, Tyler who is an accomplished architect, and their rescued racing greyhound, Fuel.

Brenda Velázquez-Morales

My name is Brenda Alicia Velázquez-Morales. I am 61 years old and have been married to Chaplain Rev. Dr. Fernando Morales for 26 years. I have three brothers: Miguel Angel, Héctor Luis, and Damaris, and my father lives with me. My mom is waiting for her Savior, resting in peace for 5 years. I am originally from Fajardo, Puerto Rico, but I was raised in Ceiba, the most beautiful East Coast site on the Island. I am an Executive Secretary and worked at Nevarez & Villavicencio Construction Co. for about 28 years until I was married. For six years I was a Secretary for our Disciples of Christ Hispanic Convention in the Florida Region and was also involved with the DOC Hispanic Women’s Ministry as a secretary and activities’ planner, which I continue to support today. Several times I served as a volunteer for Assembles of our National Disciples Christian Church. I also love to read, sing, decorate, do makeovers, cook and bake, sew, and travel. I also love to teach and preach the Word of God. I do not have my own, but I love kids. I also love nature, and one of my passions is gardening (my favorite hobby). I received my call to ministry in 1994 at a United Church of Christ Assembly Saturday night youth service. For many years I thought being a Pastor’s wife was enough, but the Lord had something more for me. God called me to Asbury Theological Seminary! During 2021-22 I studied at Lexington Theological Seminary, and have returned to ATS to finish my MDiv. My lovely church is First Christian Church in Deland, FL where I serve as Ordained Chair of the Elder’s Ministry. With great joy I represent my church as a missionary for Garden of Eden Health Center in Jayuya, Puerto Rico where, once a year, I do administrative and organizational office work. Today I am under care of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) COM (Commission on Ministry) of the Florida Region. My goal is to continue serving the body of Christ and community with all the talents and gifts the Lord has given me. I greatly appreciate your support during my journey as a student. Thank You so much!