Alive, Thriving & Taking Off!
Energy and vibrant worship describe our time together in Louisville for the General Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). We came away reignited by a spirit of joy and grateful for our community. Dr. Delesslyn A. Kennebrew, leader of Convocation, captured my imagination with her brilliant and poetic statement, “We are about to take off. Fasten your seatbelts!”
The pandemic years reminded us how we need community, friendships, and meaning in our lives. Kinship with one another gives us that sense of belonging which also calls us into responsibility for one another. I have always loved the African concept of “ubuntu,” that we are made whole in relationship with one another. We thrive when our brothers and sisters thrive. We suffer when our brothers and sisters suffer. Together, and only together, we are the Kingdom of God.
In this issue, we at HELM celebrate our ability to assist our students, across institutions, to be successful. You will meet our scholarship recipients, our new Leadership Fellows cohort, HELM’s 2023 Distinguished Leadership awardees, and hear updates from some of our Disciples institutions.
In a fast-paced, changing world, we are experiencing a time of immense possibility and creative collaboration to meet the demands of the present and future community. To that end, HELM is entering a time of strategic design, revisiting and embracing possibility thinking. We invite your thoughts, vision, and partnership as we look forward. We remain committed to strengthening leadership and providing opportunity for young people seeking and entering college, graduating into first careers, and for our emerging clergy called to serve God in this rapidly changing world.
Yes, indeed, let’s fasten our seatbelts and be ready to take off – for the journey ahead is promising. God is surely doing a new thing can we not perceive it? (Isaiah 43:19)
Tamara Rodenberg
President
Higher Education & Leadership Ministries