AUSTIN PRESBYTERIAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

WINTER 2010

On a long shelf in my study here at the Seminary, there sitsome twenty-five or so photographs of a cohort group towhich I have belonged for as many years—one year per

picture. We meet for a week at the beginning of each January, andwork with an invited scholar-facilitator on the substance and craftof preaching. More importantly, though, we have become a sort ofschool of the Spirit—coaxing one another not just on skills, butfinally on character and personhood and faith and ministry andvocational obedience. The group has grown a bit over the years—shedding some members and adding others—and gradually it hasbecome quite simply the most important group in my life. Yearafter year, people in this group have held one another accountable,have encouraged one another’s strengths and challenged oneanother’s areas of needed growth; and, in the furnace of formation,have become stuck to one another in ways, finally, that are holyand redemptive. If I am remotely useful and effective as a preach-er, as a pastor, even as a Seminary pres-ident, it is in greatest measurebecause of the teaching power ofthis group—“the Moveable Feast.”

Some time ago now, the LillyEndowment became interested inwhat is possible in such peer sup-port groups, and began to takeseriously the pedagogical role theyplay in informing and sustainingpastors and thus churches. Whatfollows in this issue of Windowsis an analysis of Lilly’s SustainingPastoral Excellence (SPE) pro-gram—an initiative which funded scores of cohort learninggroups across the warp and woof of American Christianity. Ourown Janet Maykus, principal of the College of Pastoral Leaders,co-authored this study; and its findings are both fascinating andencouraging. Also in this issue is a series of testimonials, really, rep-resenting the work and joy experienced by various cohorts fundedby our College. If you find this reading inspiring, I challenge youto explore how your own continuing education might be enrichedthrough such a group.

You will also note various other items of interest in the pagesthat follow. Do not miss the details of our 2010 MidWinters; and,if you have not yet made plans to be here for our annual lectureseries and “homecoming,” pencil in February 1-3, 2010!

From cover to cover, this particular issue of Windows remindsme of a prayer I once heard. “O Lord, we ask you for many things;but what you give us, over and over again, is … each other.”

Faithfully yours,

Theodore J. WardlawPresident

LOOKING OUTWARD

The President’s Preaching andSpeaking Engagements

October 29, Speaker, Partnership Luncheon,Williamson County, Texas

November 12, Speaker, Partnership Luncheon,Bryan/College Station, Texas

November 29, Preacher, Fifth Avenue PC, NewYork City

December 6, Preacher, Westminster PC,Nashville, Tennessee

January 26, Host, Evening with the President,Fort Worth, Texas

January 27, Speaker and Preacher, First PC,Bryan, Texas

February 9, Host, Evening with the President,Little Rock, Arkansas

February 12, Speaker, Partnership Luncheon,Tyler, Texas

February 14, Preacher, First PC, Tyler, Texas

February 28, Preacher, Covenant PC, Carrollton,Texas

March 7-9, Preacher, Williamsburg PC,Kingstree, South Carolina

March 24, Host, Austin Seminary Day, Campus

The Moveable Feast, 2008

CONTENTS

2-13 Peer-learning groups for clergy2 Support systems

A comprehensive study looks at the valueof clergy peer-group learningBY JANET MAYKUS

4 Pilgrimage BY MELINDA VEATCH

6 From cohort to alliance BY DANIEL DÁVILA

8 Stuff that matters BY DREW TRAVIS

10 A spectrum of colors BY JACK HABERER

12 A “living tradition” BY KEN CARTER

13 Community news

16 Faculty news

18 Development news

19 Alumni/ae news

Publisher & Mailing Statement

Windows is published three times each yearby Austin Presbyterian TheologicalSeminary.ISSN 2056-0556

Non-profit bulk mail permit no. 2473

Austin Seminary WindowsAustin Presbyterian Theological Seminary100 E. 27th St.Austin, TX 78705-5797

phone: 512-404-4808e-mail: windows@austinseminary.edufax: 512-479-0738www.austinseminary.edu

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Cassandra C. Carr, Chair

Michael D. AllenKaren C. AndersonThomas L. Are Jr.Susan BeairdF. M. Bellingrath IIIDianne E. Brown (MDiv’95)Elizabeth ChristianJoseph J. CliffordJames G. CooperMarvin L. CooperJames B. CrawleyElizabeth Blanton FlowersDonald R. FramptonRichard D. GillhamWalter Harris Jr.Bruce G. HerlinJ Carter King III (MDiv’70)Michael L. LindvallCatherine O. LowryBlair R. MonieLyndon L. Olson Jr.B. W. PayneWilliam C. Powers Jr.Jeffrey Kyle RichardTeresa Chávez Sauceda (MDiv’88)Anne Vickery StevensonKarl Brian TravisJohn L. Van OsdallSallie Sampsell Watson (MDiv’87)Elizabeth Currie WilliamsJudy A. Woodward

Trustees EmeritiStephen A. MatthewsMax ShermanEdward D. VickeryLouis Zbinden

WINDOWSWinter 2010

Volume 125 Number 1

EDITORRandal Whittington

CONTRIBUTORSShuhan ChanCaitlin DeyerleKathy MuenchowNancy Reese

Photographs of the College of Pastoral Leaders cohorts and Holy LandPilgrimage (on the cover and pages 2-12) provided by the participants.

Theological Education Fund(1% Plan)

The theological schools of thePresbyterian Church (U.S.A.)no longer receive funding fromthe basic mission budget of theGeneral Assembly. Churchesare asked to contribute 1% oftheir operating budgets to thefund, which is then distributedto the seminaries.

2

SupportOver the past twenty years, numerous studies have warned that

BY JANET MAYKUS

HHoollyy LLaanndd PPiillggrriimmaaggee

Support SystemsMinisters became a high-risk group to insurance carriers, leaving somedenominations scrambling to find coverage for their pastors. An unparal-leled exodus of ordained clergy left denominations bereft of seasonedleaders and pulpits stood empty. These problems, compounded by rapidsocietal changes that affected the role of clergy, their status in the com-munity, and the validity of their authority were similar across the denomi-

national and theological gamut. In 2003, the Lilly Endowment Inc. launched the

Sustaining Pastoral Excellence (SPE) Initiative, a vastprogram in which more than 15,000 ministry leadersin the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico continueto participate.

Each of the sixty-three institutions that received SPEgrants—seminaries, denominational headquarters,retreat and counseling centers, and other educational

bodies—used the funds to develop and administer programs that enliven,invigorate, and sustain pastors for life-long ministry. (Austin Seminaryreceived $1.6 million in SPE funds, from which its College of PastoralLeaders emerged.) Representing nearly every Christian tradition, SPEprojects focused primarily on creating programs of peer learning. Many

WINDOWS / Winter 2010 3

Janet Maykus, principal of the College of Pastoral Leaders (CPL) and director of ChristianLeadership Education at Austin Seminary, serves as the administrator of The SustainingPastoral Excellence (SPE) Initiative Survey of Participants in Groups for Ministers and OtherPastoral Leaders. She and Penny Long Marler, PhD, professor of sociology of religion atSamford University, Birmingham, Alabama, are co-principal investigators of the project.Robert Reber, PhD, President Pro Tempore of Bexley Hall, a Seminary of the EpiscopalChurch in Columbus, Ohio, and Bruce Roberts, PhD, leadership consultant and retired pro-fessor of Christian Education, Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, Indiana, serveas consultants for the survey project. For survey details, go to www.austinseminary.edu/SPE

The quotes that accompany this feature are taken from project director surveys and from CPLcohort evaluations; the photos are of various CPL cohort groups and this summer’s Pilgrimageto the Holy Land sponsored by the CF Foundation (see story on page 4).

Over the past twenty years, numerous studies have warned that pastoral leaders were in terrible shape, physically, emotionally and spiritually.

A comprehensive study

looks at the value of peer-

group learning for clergy

“IItt hhaass hheellppeedd mmee mmaaiinnttaaiinn aarrhhyytthhmm bbeettwweeeenn wwoorrkk,, lleeiissuurree,,aanndd ssttuuddyy iinn mmyy mmiinniissttrryy..MMiinniissttrryy iiss lliikkee aa mmaarraatthhoonn,, aannddtthhiiss kkeeeeppss mmee rruunnnniinngg.. IItt hhaassttaauugghhtt mmee ttoo lliisstteenn mmoorreecclloosseellyy ttoo ootthheerrss..””

4

PilgrimageBY MELINDA VEATCH

In late September of this year, I received a call from a colleague, asking about the Pilgrimage to the Holy Land thatAustin Presbyterian Theological Seminary had hosted in early August with sponsorship from the CF Foundationin Atlanta. He had seen video clips and journal entries of the trip on the Austin Seminary website and was curi-

ous to know exactly what had been its focus for the twenty pastors from eight different Protestant denominationsaround the United States.

“Don’t you think,” he asked, “it was a bit self-serving to go to a place of such deep struggle just to experiencespiritual renewal? Would it not have been better as leaders of your congregations to go there with an objective toeducate yourselves about the conflict so you could help raise awareness when you returned?”

It was a tough question, and one we asked ourselves and the pilgrimage sponsor before we left. Our answer cameas together we engaged each day of pilgrimage.

The purpose of pilgrimage is to attend anew to the faith in which we live. Pilgrimage requires us to step out ofthe familiar orientation of our own experience, our own schedule, our own preferences, our own politics, our ownpeople, our own homes, our own comfort zones—in other words, our own self-controlled environments—and openourselves to the leading of the Spirit in a new place and in a different way.

The purpose of pilgrimage is also to be in community, to be looking and listening with others, to learn how dif-ferently we each engage and experience all that we see, even as we are on pilgrimage together. It calls us to makespace daily in prayer, reflection, and worship together to hear how the Holy Spirit is talking to us through one anoth-er—even when what we hear challenges what we have always believed.

Pilgrimage to Israel is risky business, because it knocks away the crutches of comfortable assumptions we maybe carrying about the biblical story and how Jesus lived it. It invites us into daily life and prayer with people we havenot known before who don’t see faith as we do. But those things are also among its many blessings—the opportu-nity to experience the biblical story “out of the box” deepens its meaning and sharpens its call to us as disciples andas leaders of congregations. Sitting at a much broader Christian table, listening to and praying and worshiping withthose who engage prayer and worship differently was a deep drink of the Spirit that I had not anticipated—and onethat opened all of us to the gifts in the different ways we can worship together.

Being on this pilgrimage also made it possible for us to visit just as people with Christians, Jews, and Muslimsliving in the region whose lives are so overwhelmed by the political solutions that seem to bring only more violenceand misunderstanding, not resolution. Because we didnot come to those conversations with a curriculum oran agenda, but simply with a desire to hear, there wasroom to talk honestly about life in Israel, in Palestine,and in the United States and about the blessings andchallenges of living our long-held faith in the reality ofthe present days.

As pastors called to pilgrimage, we walked along aroad long-traveled, but certainly less traveled in thesemodern days. For all of us, to quote Robert Frost, “ithas made all the difference” in how we engage ministryand faith today. �

Melinda Veatch (MDiv’96) is executive director of Tar-rant Area Community of Churches, an inter-denomi-national community ministry in Fort Worth, Texas.This summer she led Austin Seminary’s Pilgrimage tothe Holy Land, sponsored by the CF Foundation ofAtlanta, Georgia. She is a member of the Abiding Presence cohort.

groups convened for biblicalstudy, theological reflection,spiritual renewal, and the devel-opment of accountability andfriendship groups. Between2003 and 2008, SPE projectscreated at least 1,390 pastorgroups, making it one of thelargest pastoral enrichmentexperiments in the history of thechurch in America. Most ofthe original sixty-three proj-ects and their peer groupsare still operating.

Although all denomi-nations report similar con-cerns regarding pastoralburn-out, spiritual dry-ness, and loneliness, theydiffer in their require-ments regarding formaleducational and life-longvocational education. A“one size fits all”approach never would have met the needs of sovaried a constituency. The Lilly Endowment grantedawards across the denominational and geographical spec-trum to meet the multiplicity ofneeds. As a result, some institu-tions support self-formed groupswhile some assign participants togroups. Some programs providecurricula and some ask membersto create their own learningcovenants or plans. Someprograms provide facilitatorswhile some do not.

All wondered if any ofthis work makes any differ-ence in the lives of the par-ticipants, their places of min-istries, their families, andtheir colleagues. If changesare realized, what influencedo the various approacheshave on those changes?

In 2007, Austin Semi-nary received a grant to cre-ate and administer surveys toparticipants in groups to findanswers to these and many

WINDOWS / Winter 2010 5

other questions. Directors of andparticipants in thirty-two SPEprograms that have extendedpeer-group components partici-pated in the survey. Over 4,500pastoral leaders were surveyedand 50% responded.So what do we know today?

We can infer from the beefyresponse rate that participation intheir peer groups is somethingministry leaders find important.(Completing the survey requiredforty-five minutes to an hour of

one’s uninterrupted time.)Respondents indicate a high

degree of satisfaction with theirgroups and a commitment to partic-ipation. The median number of par-ticipants per group was eight.Almost none of the groups reportedmembers dropping out, and they metfor a significant amount of time—amedian of two years, nine times a year,for three hours a meeting. The vast

majority of respondents indicated they had met withanother small group of ministers or pastoral leaders for

support and continuingeducation in the past tenyears, but in terms of posi-tive ministry impact, spiri-tual growth, creativity,intellectual challenge, per-

sonal guidance and sup-port, and group leader-ship, 100% of this sub-set said their SPE groupprovided a better expe-rience than any previ-ous group.

Group membersdecide what they willexplore in 90% of theSPE programs. Sixty-five percent of the pro-grams allow partici-pants to choose theirown membership andmost (76%) do notinclude spouses or fam-ilies. Group-based peer-

“OOnnee ooff tthhee tthhiinnggss tthhaatt eemmeerrggeess iisstthhaatt ppaassttoorraall eexxcceelllleennccee aatttteennddss ttoo

tthhee wweellll--bbeeiinngg ooff tthhee wwhhoollee..””

aarrtt aanndd ppaassttoorraall iimmaaggiinnaattiioonn

tteerrrraa ppaassttoorraa

“II bbeelliieevvee tthhaatt mmyy ddiisscciipplliinnee ooffssttuuddyy aanndd pprraayyeerr hhaass bbeeeenn eessppee--cciiaallllyy ssttrreennggtthheenneedd.. II hhaadd aa tteennddeenn--ccyy ttoo ffooccuuss oonn tthhee mmoorree pprraaccttii--ccaall ssiiddee ooff ppaassttoorraall tthheeoollooggyy.. MMyyccoonnssiisstteenntt wwoorrkk iinn ddeeeeppeerr tthheeoolloo--ggyy hhaass iimmpprroovveedd tthhee ddeepptthh ooff mmyytteeaacchhiinngg aanndd pprreeaacchhiinngg..””

6

From cohort to allianceBY DANIEL DÁVILA

Acore group of Hispanic ministers, onefemale and seven males, received a grantfrom the College of Pastoral Leaders to

meet and get to know each other better throughinterpersonal dynamics under the model of clini-cal pastoral education. In the process, the wallscame up at first and some us were on our guard.However, as time went by we learned to trust eachother and to engage in a genuine and sincere fel-lowship in the spirit of what Jürgen Moltmanncalls “convivence.” We were not only coexistingbut we started sharing our lives as colleagues withmutual interest in knowing and upholding eachother as ministerial colleagues.

Our group organized itself into an allianceand in the process adopted the name of theAlianza Latina Ministerial de Austin (Austin LatinMinisterial Alliance). Thus the acronym is ALMA. It is significant because it also means “soul” in Spanish. We haveformed into a group of around forty ministers representing congregations from different denominations: ApostolicFaith in Jesus Christ, Assembly of God, Baptist, Disciples of Christ, Free Evangelical, nondenominational, andUnited Methodist. We are still in the process of incorporating into a non-profit organization, but for the time beingwe gather as a covenant community of Latin leaders in parish and non-parish ministries. Together we have adopt-ed and written our values and we have also stated a mission and vision for ALMA.

Values:Unity:We value unity in the sisterhood and brotherhood in Christ Jesus.Diversity:We recognize the diversity in the unity of the church as a body of Christ.Individuality: We value the abilities and talents of each person.Respect: We believe in treating people with love, dignity, and respect.Development: We promote personal and ministerial growth.Friendship: In ALMA the relationships as friends are more important than any other type of relationships.Commitment: In our covenant with ALMA we commit ourselves to attend the established meetings.Service: We believe that as leaders we must first think of ourselves as servants of God for the welfare of God’s

people.Integrity:We believe that as ministerial leaders we must maintain our integrity in all matters.

Vision: Our vision is to see Hispanic ministries united in growth with the purpose of reaching our city to establishthe Kingdom of God.

Mission: Our mission is to promote ministerial fellowship and to assist each represented church of ALMA in thefulfillment of carrying out the Great Commission and to establish the Kingdom of God in the city of Austin.

ALMA meets on the third Wednesday of every month. In these meetings we have a didactic from a member of

Daniel Dávila is chaplain / associate director for spiritual care at Austin State Hospital. The other original membersof ALMA include: Abraham Perez, Anibal Ramirez, Marivel Reyes, Anastacio Rodriguez, and Lyndon Rogers.

Continued on page 13

conflict. They say the lessonslearned contribute to a reductionin their experiences of stress whendifficult topics arise in their con-gregations.

The ministers in these groupssay they seldom question their callsand they almost never think aboutleaving their vocations for secularwork. They join and stay in theirgroups because they are alwayslooking for ways to improve inministry, they enjoy intellectualchallenges, they find the subjectmatter studied personally impor-

tant, they are energized by being withothers, they need to “charge their spir-itual batteries,” and they need a groupthat holds them accountable.

Clergy report they are weary ofgroups where a few large egos dominatethe discussion. They have no more timefor groups where “the best” in ministry

is judged by the size of the congre-gation or its budget. Clergy havehad their fill of gatherings filledwith competition, gossip, andtedious focus on a few divisiveissues. They sympathize with laitywho leave the church; some won-der how they will ever be able tospread Good News when evendenominational leadershipmeetings are marred by theolog-

ical and politicalterritory fights. Bycontrast, the SPEgroups were mod-els of community,they were safeplaces where peo-ple believed every-one was heard,they re-energizedmembers’ com-mitments to min-istry, they werefun, and peoplefelt they could sayanything withoutfear of rejection.

learning models are excellent vehiclesfor adult learners. The adult learner isself motivated, looks for informationthat has practical applications, and isup for a challenge; therefore, it is notsurprising that these ministers weresatisfied with their groups. After all,they participated in the design of theirlearning goals, they are surrounded bypeople they know will learn withthem, and they are not distracted bythe demands of family care-giving.(Check out A Lifelong Call to Learn:Continuing Education forReligious Leaders, edited byRobert Reber and D. BruceRoberts, and The Adult Learner,6th ed. by Malcom Knowles,Elwood Holton III, andRichard A. Swanson for furtherreading about the adult learn-er).

This is not to imply that there are no conflictsor issues regarding leadership within the groups. Everygroup that has been interviewed revealed thatalmost all members hesitated beforecommitting to the group. Some saidthey wanted to make certain thatthey were not going to be a part ofanother minister group that was“working against issues.” They saidthey wondered if participants wouldactually live into their covenants withone another, and many felt guilt aboutleaving their con-gregations and fam-ilies. All of thegroups reportedthat the conflictswere handled well,and, more impor-tantly, that theprocesses of posi-tively resolvingconflicts were, inretrospect, valuableexperiences. Theseministers now havetools for effectivelynegotiating thetroubling waters of

WINDOWS / Winter 2010 7

“TThheerree iiss aa sseennssee ooffccoommmmuunniittyy aanndd ccoollllaabboorraattiivveeiinnttiimmaaccyy tthhaatt’’ss eesssseennttiiaallffoorr ppaassttoorraall eexxcceelllleennccee..””

aarrttiissttiicc ppllaayyeerrss

“II hhaavvee ddoonnee mmuucchh mmoorree

sseerriioouuss rreeaaddiinngg aanndd bbeeccoommee

mmoorree ccoommmmiitttteedd ttoo tteennddiinngg

rreellaattiioonnsshhiippss aanndd ccaarriinngg ffoorr

mmyysseellff tthhrroouugghh eexxeerrcciissee aanndd

hheeaalltthhyy hhaabbiittss..””

HHoollyy LLaanndd PPiillggrriimmaaggee

8

Stuff that mattersBY DREW TRAVIS

Our group had its genesis in a web of cell phoneconversations late one night meanderingthrough West Texas, dodging cows and coyotes

along the way. We lost connection somewhere aroundPaducah but the signal was strong on the caprock andmy battery lasted until the formula was complete andthe players were chosen.

We gave the group a name—The STM Group—an acronymic expression for “Stuff That Matters.”Twelve hand-picked participants agreed to meet. (It’san interesting number biblically, but assuredly withthis group the comparisons stop there.) We gathered inthe mountains of southern New Mexico for four daysof theology, politics, and music. We came to let ourhair down and to talk about, well, stuff that matters.It mattered enough for us to make it an annual affair.

Several of us have moved since banding together;we now come from Oregon and Alabama, Arkansas and New Mexico, and, of course, Texas. We run the gamut ofpastoral experience: one young ’un in his 30s, a couple of retired guys, and several mid-career pastors wonderingwhat we were thinking in the first place and questioning whether we’ll ever make it to retirement. We look to thewisdom of those younger and older in our group.

We jumped at the opportunity to form a cohort group through the College of Pastoral Leaders for two reasons:the application process gave us the incentive to be intentional in clarifying our reason for existing as a group, and itprovided funds to support us in our venture.

With financial support, we continued our exploration of faith at the intersection of the arts and spirituality. Wehave penned poetry and composed music, formed fountains of copper and ducks of wood, created art tying knotsand dry flies. It is fair to say that we have learned much together and from each other. Without a doubt, this hasbeen a venture in continuing education.

The more I dabble in the scriptures and experience the workings of the church, the more impressed I am withthe relational nature of this faith we share.

The scriptures tell tales of folk like you and me, folk who live life in relationship with one another. For all theremarkably astute theological thought that has been summoned by the scriptures, the scriptures remain, in the end,stories of our relationships with God and with others. The genius of scripture lies in its ability to communicate truththrough its words—words about relationships.

I value greatly the relationships that have been formed in this STM group. All our theological conversation andour pondering about what we are called to do and be as followers of the Christ has been strengthened by the bondsthat have formed between us. Our reflection on the arts and the creative juncture where art and spirituality com-mingle has been enhanced by the ties that bind us. Our meals and our drink, our prayers and our worship, our musicand our words have all come to mean more because of the bonds we have formed in the hospitality of friendship.We have become a community.

Drew Travis is pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Conway, Arkansas. Other members of his cohort, STM, include:Lander Bethel, Jeffrey Finch, Gene Harbaugh, Thomas Hart, Roger Harveth, Samuel Lanham, Elton Lewis, L.Howell Martin, Matthew Miles, Neill Morgan, and J. Shannon Webster.

Continued on page 13

Groups that havethe highest levels ofdiversity (e.g. gender,race, denomination,etc.) are those most like-ly to have curricula andtrained facilitators. Thefacilitator is an impor-tant factor in thesegroups as this personreminds the group of itscovenant and modelsrespectful listening whenthe expected and unex-pected differencesbetween memberscome to the fore.Members withoutfacilitators indicatethat commitmentto their groupsand/or theirgroup’s covenantsfocused themthrough conflictand even allowed them toestablish creative ways tonegotiate troubles.

“Diversity” took on newdefinitions in most groups:decidedly diverse groups werepleasantly surprised by thesimilarities represented in theirgroups; the converse was truein those groupsthat appearedh omog e n e o u s .Clergy say thatc o n c e n t r a t e dintentional reflec-tion, study, prayer,conversation, andfellowship haverevealed how thosethey once thought“the same” arequite diverse.Some considerthemselves betterlisteners becausethey no longer

assume that one whoseems “similar” is. Thosein groups designed to be“diverse” have learned toset aside their precon-ceived notions and aremore aware of their per-sonal prejudices andassumptions about thoseconsidered “different.”Both groups report thatthe experiences of beingtogether with and beingheard by other clergyleaders who have com-mon goals make thembetter ministers, friends,and family members.

Many peer groupstravel. In fact, cultural immersion is an essentialcomponent of some programs. Time away fromday-to-day routines, from the burdens of adminis-tration and family life, can be refreshing and invig-orating and can provide open space for new ideas

and rejuvenatedhope. Yet “theappeal of traveloppor tun i t i e s”was one of the lastitems listed as areason to join or areason to stay in apeer group. Theneed for “a breakfrom my day-to-day routine” wasmore commonlyrated as a reason tojoin and to stay ina group. Breaksfrom normal rou-tines and immer-sion in meaning-ful activities withpeople who knowand understandeach other’s call-ings is revitalizing.The new activitystimulates themind, invigorates

WINDOWS / Winter 2010 9

“IIff iissoollaattiioonn aanndd lloonneelliinneessssiiss wwhhaatt ddrriivveess uuss oouutt ooffmmiinniissttrryy,, tthheenn ffrriieennddsshhiipp iissssuurreellyy wwhhaatt ggoott uuss hheerree ttoobbeeggiinn wwiitthh aanndd wwhhaatt hhoollddssuuss hheerree..””

“II aamm bbeeggiinnnniinngg mmyy nniinntthh yyeeaarr ooff mmiinniissttrryy[[hheerree]] aanndd II ddoonn’’tt tthhiinnkk II wwoouulldd hhaavvee llaasstt--

eedd tthhiiss lloonngg iiff iitt hhaadd nnoott bbeeeenn ffoorr tthhiiss ggrroouupp..

IItt hhaass kkeepptt mmee ggrroouunnddeedd,, ggiivveenn mmee ppeeooppllee II

ccaann ttrruusstt ffoorr eennccoouurraaggeemmeenntt aanndd aaddvviiccee,, aanndd

kkeepptt mmee iinntteelllleeccttuuaallllyy ssttiimmuullaatteedd..””

aallttaarreedd nneewwbbiieess

mmootthheerrss iinn mmiinniissttrryy

10

A spectrum of colors makes a bright lightBY JACK HABERER

Brent Eelman’s proposition wasn’t very attractive, but Iwas too proud to turn him down. To join him and a half-dozen other colleagues around

the presbytery in forming what he called a “clergy cohortgroup” had a basic attraction. I already was participating ina national pastors’ covenant group that meets for three dayseach spring—and loving the collegial accountability that thatannual gathering was forging. To meet for a full day once amonth every month was appealing, except for one thing.Brent was, at least by reputation, so far off the other end ofthe theological spectrum from me that I couldn’t imagine thegroup becoming anything more than either a scream sessionor a conversation about bland trivialities.

But he had extended the invitation, and I was not aboutto get tarred as too high and mighty to give it a try.

So, with caution, I drove to the home of Mac Turnage—whom Brent had recruited to be convener and host. I waspleasantly surprised. The ten guys there (yes, it was specifi-cally a men’s group) shared their personal history of faith and

calling, as well as a how-goes-it report on their present church. Each one’s faith was genuine. Each one’s opennessin sharing struggles was disarming. After lunch Mac led us in a discussion to lay the groundwork for a long-termplan—morning check-in to be followed by an afternoon topical discussion, with each of us to take a turn present-ing an original paper or circulating an interesting article or the like.

Given that I was researching my book, GodViews, I realized that this could provide a great way to test myhypotheses regarding the theological spectrum with these folks that represented most every part across the range. Infact, I was quick to volunteer my papers, and they were quick to give insightful feedback with suggested edits. Theresulting book reflects their wisdom and counsel.

Fourteen years have passed since our original meeting. Some folks moved away—Brent’s call to Abingdon,Pennsylvania, marked one of the first departures. Mac eventually moved to Atlanta and several years later joined thechurch triumphant. Others joined the group but five of the originals remain to this day.

Along the way we joined Austin Seminary’s College of Pastoral Leaders. We even welcomed its director, JanetMaykus, to break the mold of the boys-only club to become our newest convener-guide-teaching fellow. A twelve-day trip with spouses to France in the summer of 2006, under sponsorship of the CPL, climaxed our time togeth-er.

Now Rick lives 300 miles north and I live a thousand miles east. But for us the friendships forged through thoseyears brought us into the deepest kind of fellowship, collegiality, mutual accountability, and pastoral partnership—the kind that we will treasure into retirement and to which we will return often to share our joys and our sorrows,our hopes and struggles. And in that circle we know we are loved—even though we live up to the name we eventu-ally dubbed ourselves, “Spectrum.” �

Jack Haberer is editor of The Presbyterian Outlook. Other current members of his cohort, Spectrum, include: MikeCole, Charles Hendricks, Jerry Hurst, Ken Jack, and Rick Young.

emergency contingenciesadded a level of stress to somepersons’ lives, but the benefitof the time with the group faroutweighed the stress.

It appears that the Sus-taining Pastoral Excellenceinitiative struck a vital chordwith minister leaders acrossthe nation. Changes in socie-tal norms, fluctuating immi-gration patterns, new uses oftechnology, and the wideninggaps in the economy bringchallenges to the leaders ofour churches that seminariesand divinity schools cannotadequately address andremain committed to thecourses necessary for robusttheological educations. Thechallenges of modernchurch leadership demandcommitmenet to life-longlearning, flexibility, andcuriosity from those in posi-tions of authority. The SPEmodels allow for nimble andcreative approaches to learn-ing. I have never agreed withthe phrase “one size fits all.”Finding the right size, the rightfit, always results in a longerand more comfortable wear. �

creative energies, and helpsthe minister see her callingand gifts in new lights.

Those participating ingroups report a rise in atten-dance at their churches.Although church attendanceis not the only indicator ofcongregational health andvitality, it is one importantindicator. Many participantsreport they joined groupsthinking this would be asupport group to help themleave ministry. Their calls toministry were not ques-tioned; their senses of weari-ness and lack of emotionaland spiritual resources,though, were devastating.Focused time in prayer,reflection, study, and fel-lowship renewed theirvigor. Colleagues, those towhom they minister,spouses, intimate friends,and children all benefitedfrom the participants’time with groups. Someministers reported that itseemed inevitable that“the dog died” or “thepipes burst” or “thehurricane struck” while theywere out of town for a cohort meeting. Planning for

11WINDOWS / Winter 2010

“SSoommee ooff tthhee mmoosstt aammaazziinngg tthhiinnggsstthhaatt hhaavvee hhaappppeenneedd aarree tthhiinnggss tthhaatt nnoooonnee aannttiicciippaatteedd aatt aallll.. NNoo oonnee pprroo--ggrraammmmeedd tthheemm oorr mmaannaaggeedd tthheemm.. WWee sseeeeiitt aass tthhee ssppiirriitt ooff tthhee ggrroouupp eemmeerrggiinngg,,rreessppoonnddiinngg ttoo eeaacchh ootthheerr’’ss nneeeeddss,, ccaarr--iinngg ffoorr eeaacchh ootthheerr,, ttaakkiinngg iinniittiiaattiivvee,, aannddrreeaallllyy mmaanniiffeessttiinngg aa ccrreeaattiivviittyy tthhaattccoouulldd nnoott hhaavvee bbeeeenn aannttiicciippaatteedd..””

AALLMMAA

HHoollyy LLaanndd PPiillggrriimmaaggee

12

A “living tradition”BY KEN CARTER

Early on our cohort settled on the name“Living Tradition.” We represent threedenominations (Presbyterian, United

Methodist, and Congregational) and the five of ushave enjoyed associations within and acrossdenominational lines. What unites us is the prac-tice of ministry, especially preaching, teaching, andgiving shape to worship, and, in addition, someexperience in seeking to define these acts againstshifting cultural expectations. So we are returningto the sources of the living tradition, drawingstrength from each other and from varied readings.

Most recently we met with Jason Byassee, for-merly an editor with The Christian Century andnow associated with Duke. Jason is the author ofPraise Seeking Understanding: Reading the Psalmswith Augustine (Eerdmans). In preparation we had read Augustine’s Confessions alongside Praise SeekingUnderstanding; our morning focus was on the Confessions, and our afternoon attention was given to the Psalms.

I had not read the Confessions (I confess!) since seminary. Augustine casts such a large shadow over our inter-pretation of scripture (and in particular sin and grace), and yet he does not come up in everyday conversation. Ibecame aware, in our morning of discussion, of how different Augustine is from our usual stereotype of him; forexample, we explored the prominent feminine images in the Confessions. In the afternoon, our questions centeredaround creative and allegorical interpretations of texts; Byassee insisted at one point that “orthodoxy is more cre-ative than heresy.” We acknowledged that often, due to demands of parish life or our lack of imagination, we areprone to “flattened” interpretations of familiar biblical texts.

Our upcoming plans include conversations with an Orthodox scholar and a visit for a few days to a Benedictinemonastery (where we will again reflect on the Psalms). We sense the renewing of friendship as a means of grace (andof course this is enhanced around meals!); we also share a common love for reading and study, and yet know thatthe accountability of our gatherings prompts us more deeply into this discipline. Since each of us serves a congre-gation that tends toward the traditional side in worship and liturgy, immersion in what has been and is importantis helpful to us, as leaders, but also, we are convinced, to our people.

Although we are dispersed by geography, each of us lives in contexts where the tradition is either called intoquestion, rejected, or rehearsed in static or nostalgic ways. The “living” tradition is about the recovery of the richinsights from friends who happened to live far from us in space and time and yet whose voices are nevertheless essen-tial to us. We also believe, with Craig Dykstra and Dorothy Bass, that there is a “hunger [for] nourishment drawnfrom the deep wells of Christian history, belief, and experience.”

We are convinced that the tradition is neither static nor a given, and that it merits renewed engagement in ourown lives and in the lives of our parishes. We are grateful, as a cohort, for time and space to return to these “deepwells” that lead to life. �

Ken Carter is senior pastor of Providence United Methodist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. His cohort,“Living Tradition,” includes Jim Haddix, Rush Otey, David Hockett, and Jonathan Marlowe.

StuffContinued from page 8

WINDOWS / Winter 2010 13

ALMA or from a guest speaker. We also take time tominister to each other. We separate into pairs or threes tohear each other, support and encourage each other, andto pray with each other. We have grown in number butour spirit of mutual interest in knowing and upholdingeach other as ministerial colleagues continues. That is ourDNA that was born as a consequence of our comingtogether and meeting at Austin Presbyterian TheologicalSeminary under the grant from the College of PastoralLeaders. We remember this beginning with gratitude toCPL and to God. �

I am grateful to the College of Pastoral Leaders forhelping us make this community happen. It seemsimportant for pastors to experience community where

our role is not that of shepherd or leader. There aretimes when it is simply good to be amongfriends, to be cared for and supported.This community has afforded us the oppor-tunity to celebrate together the birth of achild and the wedding of a friend. It hasgiven us the occasion to share compassion inthe death of a loved one and a listening ear intime of family strife. Together, we have sharedstories of ministerial challenge and leaned onone another as we discerned new calls. In theprocess, we have come to understand eachother and ourselves. We’ve lived up to what wesaid we wanted this group to be—because thisis the stuff that matters. �

“II eexxppeecctteedd ttoo bbee iinn rreellaattiioonnsshhiipp wwiitthh aa ggrroouupp ooffccoommmmiitttteedd aanndd ggiifftteedd ppaassttoorrss wwhhoo wwoouulldd cchhaalllleennggeemmee,, ssuuppppoorrtt mmee,, aanndd hhoolldd mmee aaccccoouunnttaabbllee ttoo tthheeggooaallss II sseett iinn wwoorrkkiinngg ttoowwaarrdd ppaassttoorraall eexxcceelllleennccee..II rreecceeiivveedd wwhhaatt II eexxppeecctteedd aanndd mmoorree.. TThheeaaccaaddeemmiicc wwoorrkk wwee ddiidd hheelldd mmee aaccccoouunnttaabbllee ttookkeeeeppiinngg uupp wwiitthh tthheeoollooggiiccaall ssttuuddyy wwhheenn iitt iiss ssooeeaassyy ttoo lleett ootthheerr tthhiinnggss iinn tthhee ppaarriisshh ttaakkeepprreecceeddeennccee.. BBuutt eevveenn mmoorree,, aass wwee sshhaarreedd oouurr lliiffeejjoouurrnneeyyss ttooggeetthheerr,, II eexxppeerriieenncceedd aa ssttrreennggtthheenniinngg ooffmmyy ssppiirriitt aanndd jjooyy iinn mmyy wwoorrkk tthhaatt ccoonnttiinnuueedd ttoossuurrpprriissee mmee..””

“II’’mm pprraayyiinnggccoonnttiinnuuaallllyy ffoorr tthhee

ffoouunnddaattiioonn,, ffoorrAAuussttiinn SSeemmiinnaarryy,,

aanndd

ffoorr tthhee lleeaaddeerrss ooff

tthhiiss ggrreeaatt pprrooggrraamm..’’

AllianceContinued from page 6

COMMUNITY NEWS

Young incoming classactive in serviceAustin Seminary welcomed thirty-six master’s-level students representing six denominationsat the start of its 2009 academic year onSeptember 8. The convocation address, “WhatMakes Care Pastoral?” was given by AllanHugh Cole Jr., the Nancy Taylor WilliamsonAssociate Professor of Pastoral Care. The pasttwo student body presidents of SchreinerUniversity are in the incoming class as well asfour PC(USA) Young Adult Volunteers. Thisyear’s entering class includes students whohave served as volunteers in ministry settingsin India, Nigeria, South Korea, and Malawi.The median age of the students is 25.

14

On February 1-3, 2010,alumni/ae and friends ofAustin Presbyterian

Theological Seminary will gather tohear Thomas Currie, BarbaraWheeler, Rodger Nishioka, andBrian Blount during the 2010MidWinters. The three-day eventwill also include a Welcome DinnerUnder the Oaks, time forconversation with the lecturers,worship and social time with theJim Cullum Jazz Band, and theannual Austin SeminaryAssociation Banquet.

The Reverend Dr. Thomas W.Currie III (MDiv’73) will begiving the Currie Lectures (namedfor his grandfather) focusing on thenature of Christian ministry. Thelectures, which he calls “Dancin’with The One Who Brung Us:Jesus Christ and the EmbarassingWork of Ministry,” will give anaccount of ministry that is rootedin “an understanding of JesusChrist and the church he haschosen to embody with his ownpresence and ministry.” Currie isprofessor of theology and dean ofUnion-PSCE at Charlotte. He hasserved as an ordained minister inthe Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)for twenty-five years. He has taughtcourses in theology and homileticsat Austin Seminary and in itsextension programs in Houstonand Midland, Texas. Currie is theauthor of four books, includingThe Joy of Ministry, Searching forTruth: Confessing Christ in anUncertain World, Ambushed by

Two Theological Schools. Wheeler iscurrently serving on thePresbyterian Committee onCongregational Song, charged withproducing a new hymnal for thedenomination.

The Jones Lecturer, TheReverend Dr. Rodger Y. Nishioka,holds the Benton Family Chair inChristian Education at ColumbiaTheological Seminary. His twolectures, “Marked as the Imago Dei:Human beings and our capacity toimagine” and “But it’s just a rock!Nurturing the religious imaginationin a cynical age,” will explorehumans’ imaginative giftedness andthe challenges to imagination of acynical and skeptical age. Hislectures will focus on the potentialof the human gift of imaginationinspired by the Holy Spirit.

While he teaches in the area ofChristian education and practicaltheology, Nishioka specializes inministry with youth and youngadults and has completed a researchproject comparing the participationof young adults in mainlineProtestant congregations and non-denominational independentChristian movements. Prior to hisjoining the faculty at Columbia,Nishioka served for twelve years inthe area of youth and young adultministry for the PresbyterianChurch (U.S.A.). He earneddegrees from Seattle PacificUniversity, McCormick TheologicalSeminary, and Georgia StateUniversity. Nishioka has publishedseveral articles, chapters, and books

Grace: The Virtues of a Useless Faith,and Prayers for the Road.

In her Westervelt lectures, Dr.Barbara Wheeler will address theeffects of differences withinmainline religious denominationsover theological doctrines, socialissues, and religious practices andtheir possible implications. Herlectures are titled “Made withHuman Hands: Idols of the Left,the Right—and the Center” and“For This Reason: the Dignity ofDenominational Differences.”Using the Presbyterian Church(U.S.A.) as a principal example, herfirst lecture will explore the waysthat differences threaten the futureof denominations and the secondwill propose ways that these samedifferences can become the basis ofvitality and faithfulness in the yearsto come.

Wheeler is director of AuburnSeminary’s Center for the Study ofTheological Education, which shefounded in 1991. Wheeler servedas Auburn’s president for thirtyyears. She writes and speaks onAmerican religious life andtheological education and consultswidely with seminaries,denominations, foundations, andcongregations concerned about thefuture of religious leadership andinstitutions. She has contributedto and edited a dozen volumes onthe future of mainlineProtestantism, congregationalstudies, and theological educationand is co-author of the book, BeingThere: Culture and Formation in

… anything but bleak!

COMMUNITY NEWS

WINDOWS / Winter 2010

largely focused on ministry withyouth and young adults and theeducational ministry of the churchas spiritual formation.

The MidWinters Preacher, theReverend Dr. Brian K. Blount, ispresident and professor of NewTestament at Union TheologicalSeminary and Presbyterian Schoolof Christian Education inRichmond, Virginia. He was calledto this position in 2007 afterserving for fifteen years as theRichard J. Dearborn Professor ofNew Testament Interpretation atPrinceton Theological Seminary.He was the first African Americanto be tenured in the Department ofBible at Princeton TheologicalSeminary and is the author of fivebooks including CulturalInterpretation: Reorienting NewTestament Criticism and Can I GetA Witness? Reading RevelationThrough an African American Lens.

On Tuesday, February 2, aspecial ceremony will take place todedicate the Stanley R. HallLiturgics Lab. Through a gift fromthe Class of 2009, a classroom inthe McMillan building is beingoutfitted with a custom-built (byalum Derek Forbes) communiontable, font, and pulpit. The roomwill be used primarily as a practiceworship space, long a dream of theformer professor who died in 2008.

A tent under the great live oaksbetween Shelton Chapel and StittLibrary will be the site of the

Crawley and Olsenjoin board as newtrustees

The Austin Seminary Board ofTrustees elected two new

members: James B. Crawley ofNorman, Oklahoma, and TheHonorable Lyndon L. Olson Jr. ofWaco, Texas. Each is invited toserve an initial three-year term.

James B. Crawley is thefounder and chairman of CrawleyPetroleum Corporation, Crawley

Ventures LLC,and the CrawleyFamilyFoundation.Crawley earned adegree inmechanicalengineering at

Texas A&M before receiving anMBA from Harvard BusinessSchool. He and his wife, Molly, aremembers of First PresbyterianChurch, Waco, where James is anelder and serves on the FoundationBoard of Directors.

The Honorable Lyndon L.Olson Jr. is an active member ofthe Council on Foreign Relationsand the Council of AmericanAmbassadors. Heserved as the U.S.Ambassador toSweden from1998-2001 andbefore that as thepresident andCEO of TravelersInsurance Holdings. He is a formermember of the Texas State Houseof Representatives, serving from1973-1978. A graduate of BaylorUniversity and Baylor Law School,Olson lives in Waco, Texas, wherehe and his wife, Kay, are membersof Central Presbyterian Church;Lyndon is an elder.

opening dinner on Mondayevening. Guests will enjoy a Cajunfeast featuring “peel and eat”shrimp, gumbo, boudin balls, redbeans and rice, and bread puddingwith bourbon sauce. The JimCullum Jazz Band of theRiverwalk in San Antonio will playduring worship on Tuesday eveningand continue for an hour after forthose who wish to linger on thelawn and enjoy dessert and coffee.

New this year, in addition tobook signings by the lecturers andAustin Seminary faculty, books willalso be offered and signed byalumni/ae who choose toparticipate.

The Austin SeminaryAssociation (ASA) Annual Meetingand Banquet will close out thelectures on Wednesday at 12:30.Awards to distinguished alumni/aewill be given to Laura Mendenhall(DMin’97) and Clint Rabb(MDiv’74), President Ted Wardlawwill deliver the State of theSeminary address, and fellowshipswill be given to outstandingseniors. The Seminary has made acommitment to end the banquet by2:00!

To register for the event andbuy tickets for the opening andclosing festivities, go towww.austinseminary.edu/midwinters2110 where you’ll find acomplete schedule of events and avideo of highlights from last year’sMidWinters.

15

Polity Bowl ’09!Even though Austin Seminary’s teamlost in the annual flag football matchagainst the Seminary of the Southwest,justice still prevailed. This year’s t-shirtswere made in a U.S. factory by workerswho get paid a living wage; the studentsenate chose to put into practice one ofthe suggested Justice Challenges issuedby the Corpus Christi Student Group.

16

FACULTY NOTESWhit Bodman, associate professorof comparative religion, gave apaper, “The Color of God,” at anIslam conference in Ottawa andpublished an article, “Reading theQur’an as a Resident Alien” in TheMuslim World Journal. He isdirecting a pilot course in “FreeChurch Polity” for Unitarians andUnited Church of Christ students.

James S. Currie, associate dean ofthe Houston Extension program,delivered the keynote address onJohn Calvin and preached at themeeting of Eastern OklahomaPresbytery in September. He alsogave two presentations on Calvinfor New Covenant Presbytery.

Academic Dean Michael Jinkinsdelivered the inaugural LupbergerLectures at St. Charles AvenuePresbyterian Church in NewOrleans on October 24, “TheReformed Project: The Legaciesand the Future of Reformed Faith.”He preached at Fifth AvenuePresbyterian Church in New Yorkon November 15.

In October David Jones, directorof the Doctor of Ministry program,delivered the keynote address,“Prophetic Ministry: Taking aStand While Staying Connected toYour People,” at The ChristianHealth Care Center’s “Clergy Day”in Wyckoff, New Jersey. InNovember he was the keynotespeaker for the Taiwanese ChristianChurch Council of North Americagathering at the Austin TaiwanesePresbyterian Church. He also ledretreats for First UnitarianUniversalist Church in Austin andRussell Memorial UMC in WillsPoint, Texas.

Timothy Lincoln, associate deanfor seminary assessment and library

The Dean’s BookshelfBig feelings in small packages

Ernest Hemingway said you don’t have to use big words to convey bigfeelings. The same can be said of “big” genres. You don’t have to write a

novel the size of War and Peace to communicate passion, grief, hope,unrequited love, or unfulfilled longing. Sometimes a short story is exact-ly what’s called for.

This year two collections entered the contemporary canon. The first is the swan’s song of perhaps the greatest fiction writer in

America: John Updike’s My Father’s Tears and Other Stories (Knopf,$25.95). The second is a first work by a promising young author: LydiaPeelle’s Reasons for and Advantages of Breathing (Harper Perennial,$13.99).

They are must reads, as I’ve been telling anyone who will listensince I read them this summer.

Updike reminds us that he is the rightful heir of Hawthorne andMelville, the most theological of American writers, because he is themost reverent and observant. In the story of a man returning home forhis high school reunion (graduating class of 1950), Updike writes: “Intheistic Pennsylvania, David realized, people developed philosophies.Where he lived now, an unresisted atheism left people to suffer with themute, recessive stoicism of animals. The more intelligent they were, theless they had to say in extremis.”

Updike is in his element in the long short story, “Varieties ofReligious Experience,” which tracks the horrific events of 9/11 throughthe smallest apertures of individual experiences yet against the largestlandscape imaginable, the meaning of life and the character of God. Buthis wry turns of phrase in the title story, “My Father’s Tears,” signal thatsometimes the most important things about us are not cosmic, they areand remain ordinary: “It is easy to love people in memory; the hardthing is to love them when they are there in front of you.” These storiesare achingly beautiful.

Lydia Peelle is the best new writer I’ve read in years. A native ofBoston, she writes about her adopted country of Tennessee as well asanyone since Peter Taylor. When I finished the first story in the collec-tion, “Mule Killers,” I closed the book and said that nobody could writea better story. I was wrong. The second story, “Phantom Pain,” was evenbetter. She has a gift for allowing a narrative to transmute itself into ametaphor that represents something so elemental, so essential, to ourhumanity that we cannot, after reading the story, imagine there was atime when we didn’t know this story. There’s nothing so true as good fic-tion. And sometimes the compression of feelings into the smallest liter-ary packages is what’s needed for the truth to fly home.

—Michael Jinkins, Academic Dean

FACULTY NEWS

Worthy WordsJohn Ahn, assistant professor of Old Testament, has co-edited (withStephen Cook) a new book, Thus Says the Lord: Essays on the Former andLatter Prophets in Honor of Robert R. Wilson (T & T Clark, 2009).Published to honor Ahn’s former professor at Yale Divinity School, the col-lection focuses on the Old Testament prophets, a major research subjectthroughout Wilson’s career.

Jennifer Lord, associate professor of homiletics, has published FindingLanguage and Imagery: Words for Holy Speech (Fortress Press, 2009). It wasFortress’ best seller at the Academy of Homiletics annual meeting this fall.

The Christian Century magazine recommended two books by AustinSeminary professors in the “Take and Read” section of their fall book issue,October 20. Noteworthy reads in the “Practical theology” section includedMichael Jinkins’ Called to be Human: Letters to My Children on Living aChristian Life and Allan Cole Jr.’s Good Mourning: Getting Through YourGrief.

WINDOWS / Winter 2010

director, was granted the PhD fromThe University of Texas at Austinin August. He led a workshop,“Assessing the Theological Library:Analysis for Improvement,” for theMinnesota Theological LibraryAssociation in St. Paul inNovember. Lincoln also served onan accreditation team of theAssociation of Theological Schoolsvisiting St. Tikhon’s OrthodoxTheological Seminary, SouthCanaan, Pennsylvania.

In addition to the publication ofher new book, Finding Languageand Imagery: Word for Holy Speech(Fortress), Jennifer Lord, associateprofessor of homiletics, preached atSt. Andrew’s Presbyterian Churchin Denton, Texas, and led an adulteducation class there and atWestminster Presbyterian Church,Austin. In October she gave alecture to the Corpus Christistudent group, “Called OutWomen: Quotidian Realities andVocational Claims,” on theSeminary campus.

K.C. Ptomey was installed in theLouis H. and Katherine S. ZbindenChair of Pastoral Ministry andLeadership on November 9. Heserved for twenty-seven years aspastor of Westminster PresbyterianChurch in Nashville, Tennessee.

17

Faculty Marshall Allan Cole congratu-lates Timothy Lincoln on his burnt-orange doctoral robes, worn for the firsttime during Fall Convocation inSeptember.

Find back issues of Windows online atwww.austinseminary.edu

Board approves sabbatical leave requests

At its November meeting, the Austin Seminary Board of Trustees tookthe following action with regard to faculty:• reappointed David W. Johnson as director of the Ministerial

Formation program;• approved a six-month sabbatical leave for Academic Dean Michael

Jinkins for the 2010 fall term;• approved a six-month sabbatical leave for Associate Dean Timothy

Lincoln for the 2010 fall term;• approved a one-year sabbatical leave for Assistant Professor Monya

Stubbs for the 2010-2011 academic year.• approved a six-month sabbatical leave for Assistant Professor John

Ahn for the 2011 spring term;• approved a six-month sabbatical leave for Associate Professor Whitney

Bodman for the 2011 spring term;• approved a sabbatical leave for Professor Lewis Donelson for the

2011 fall term;The board also accepted the sabbatical reports of Professors Rigby and

Jones and approved a feasibility study for a new capital campaign.

Sign up now for a Lenten study event led by Homiletics Professor Kristin Saldine“From Ashes to Fire: Lectionary Lessons for Lent” January 8Register here: www.austinseminary.edu/cle2010

My wife, Ayana Teeter(MDiv’06), and I were thank-ful to receive the WilcoxScholarship the summer of2005. During that summer wewere married and served in aco-internship at the Tai-wanese Presbyterian Churchin Austin. Now we are in Mat-tituck, New York—out on theeast end of Long Island. Weshare an associate pastorposition and the responsibili-ties of parenting our twodaughters—Evangeline, 3,and Naomi, 1. As students and newly-weds we were quite seriouslypoor! The Wilcox Scholarshipgave us the opportunity todevote ourselves to practicingministry and learning pas-toral skills before receivingour first call. Through yourgiving, God provided for us.During this internship,Ayana and I had our firstopportunity to work together.Through this we discernedGod’s call for us to be in min-istry together. This call hasbeen confirmed as we haveworked alongside one anoth-er for three years and count-ing. We hope and believethat our co-ministry will befruitful to the Church ofJesus Christ.—Aaron Teeter (MDiv’06)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Learning by going

The John R. Wilcox Endowed Scholarship was created in 2001 byfriends, family, and parishioners of John Wilcox, the former pastor of

Central Presbyterian Church in Denver. Wilcox, who served a rural parishwhile attending seminary, believed that, in the words of Theodore Roethke,“We learn by going where we have to go.” His friends created the fund tohelp inspire and enable students to grow through summer internships andtravel seminars. Since that time, eight students have benefited from thescholarship. Here are reflections by some of those recipients.

18

[The Wilcox Scholarship] enabled a

wonderful practicum for me and I

feel tremendously blessed to have had

that experience to bring to my call. I

also think it was important to my

receiving a call fairly soon after

graduation when the conventional

wisdom would say I'd have a hard

time finding a call. We know God is in

charge and I am thankful for tuned-in

hearts that do things that are part of

God's will being done.

—Vickie Griffin (MDiv’08)

Pastor, First Presbyterian Church, Jacks

onville, Texas

The Wilcox Scholarship supported my travel studytrip in 2002, “The Contemporary Challenges ofMiddle Eastern Churches.” During my travels I wasable to spend two weeks in Egypt, visiting a vastcross-section of churches and ministries. Despitemy previous experiences with Presbyterian BorderMinistry in Mexico, this trip changed andchallenged my life. I started to realize that I hadwritten off the Middle East in my mind and heartas a hopeless cause, but God had not made thesame mistake. As a result of that trip I began to

discern a call that has led me to return to Egypt as a mission worker with

the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). I have just completed five and a half

years of mission service at the Evangelical Theological Seminary in

Cairo. I met my wife, Sungmin, in Cairo a few years ago, and we just

celebrated our second anniversary last summer and the birth of our first

child, Justine, last month. When we return to Egypt next month we will

begin a new effort in the south of Egypt, working in support of the

fifteen churches of Upper Egypt presbytery. We find Egypt to be a place

where many doors are open for exciting ministry, and we rejoice at the

opportunities we have to serve there.—Brice Rogers (MDiv’03)

CLASS NOTES

1970sThomas H. Schmid (MDiv’71)was granted honorable retirementby National Capital Presbytery andhas been elected Pastor Emeritus ofthe Falls Church PresbyterianChurch of Falls Church, Virginia.Beth and Tom will be living inSanta Barbara, California.

Woodland Presbyterian Church,Memphis, gave a gift to the Kayand Joe Donaho (MDiv’63)Scholarship Fund at AustinSeminary to honor Joe who retiredin May as interim head of staff; thefund was established in 2000 byEastminster Presbyterian Church,Columbia, South Carolina. TheDonahos will reside in

WINDOWS / Winter 2010 19

Planned giving updateCharitable gift annuitiesbenefit both donor andstudents

If you would like to make a giftto Austin Seminary but also needcurrent income, a charitable giftannuity may be an answer. Acharitable gift annuity is anirrevocable gift that provides you(or someone you name) a stable, setamount every year for life andcould yield more than your currentinvestments (see table below). Atthe end of your life, the remainderprovides a special and enduring giftto strengthen the Seminary’sprograms. For more information,please call Elizabeth Shumaker at1-800-777-6127.

ONE LIFEAge Rate

60 5.5%65 5.7%70 6.1%75 6.7%80 7.6%85 8.9%

90+ 10.5%

TWO LIVES

Age Rate

60/65 5.3%

65/70 5.5%

70/75 5.8%

75/80 6.2%

80/85 6.9%

Stay up to date on allthings Austin Seminary!

www.austinseminary.edu/seminaryconnect

ATLAS for ALUM provides theologicalresources to graduates

Austin Seminary is now able to provide religion and theology resourcesto its alumni/ae through the ATLASerials for ALUM program, in

partnership with the American Theological Library Association (ATLA).The program gives the same access to information resources enjoyed byAustin Seminary students. ATLASerials, an online collection of more thanone hundred and forty major religion and theology journals selected byleading religion scholars, theologians, and clergy, is now available at nocharge to graduates of Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary until Aprilof 2012.

Says Dr. Timothy Lincoln, director of Austin Seminary’s Stitt Library,“Austin Seminary’s graduates, like everyone these days, are bombarded byinformation. By providing our alums with ATLAS for ALUM at no charge,Austin Seminary is ensuring that our graduates will have access to highquality information to enrich their preaching, teaching, and decision-making.”

To utilize ATLASerials, alumni/ae need to contact the Stitt Library at circdesk@austinseminary.edu, or call 512-404-4879.

ALUMNI/AE NEWS

WELCOME TO…Zachary Stice Clifton, born onAugust 30, 2009, to Daniel andSheri Stice Clifton (MDiv’02)

Germantown, Tennessee, to enjoytheir children and grandchildren.

1980sPaul D. Alexander (MDiv’84)married Connie S. Alexander.

Scott R. Somers (DMin’86) mar-ried Isabel DoCampo.

Bertha and Jesus (Jesse) González(MDiv’92) are the proud grandpar-ents of Rhys Eric González, bornon September 27.

1990sDavid Swanson (MDiv’91) andothers will launch a new mediaministry platform called The Well

Continued on page 20

20

Above: Alice Hernandez(MDiv’08) at her ordinationwith James Lee (MDiv’00) andhusband, Paul. Left: formerecumenical student Iza Hutzler(MATS’06) dropped by theSeminary in November for a visitwith husband, Jeremy Schmidt,and daughter, Kamilla.

on December 6 in Orlando, Dallas,Chattanooga, and Ft. Myers—aswell as on the Internet. View thepilot website atwww.drinkfromthewell.com.David will also publish his firstbook, Vital Signs, in print January15, in conjunction with thatmonth’s broadcasts.

Tammy Gregory Brown(MDiv’94), senior pastor ofWestminster Presbyterian Churchin Charleston, was honored byPresbyterian College for her workdirecting the multi-congregationalHands of Christ ministry. Shereceived the Honorary Doctor ofDivinity degree on Saturday, May9, during the school’scommencement exercises.

The New England Dream Center,directed by George Cladis(DMin’96), opened the MichaelChaulk Master Tradesmen Programin October. The Center is designedto teach carpentry, plumbing, andelectrical skills to potential workersin the region. Cladis is workingwith officials from the City ofWorcester to identify dilapidated orabandoned properties for theseapprentice tradesmen to renovate.Profits from the sale of the homesare reinvested in the program.

Rebecca Fox Nuelle (MDiv’97) isinterested in starting a TexasClergywoman’s Project with initialsteps being a website with blog andpossible retreat in 2010. Anyoneinterested in collaborating on theproject can email her at rebec-ca.foxnuelle@gmail.com.

ALUMNI/AE NEWSPresbyterian Church,Hagerstown, Maryland, onJune 28, 2009.

Marta Peña (MDiv’06) wascommissioned as an officer in theU.S. Army, Active Duty in theChaplain Corps, on August 9,2009.

Chizason Chunda (MATS’09) hasbeen chosen to become theacademic dean for ChasefuTheological College in Zambia.

Melissa R. Koerner Lopez(MDiv’08) and senior student JoseH. Lopez were married on June 6,2009.

2000sM. Anghaarad Teague (MDiv’01)wed Daniel Zane Dees on August8, 2009, at First PresbyterianChurch in Tupelo, Mississippi.They live in Pensacola.

Renee Mackey (DMin’03) wasinstalled as pastor of Covenant

NECROLOGYThomas K. Prentice (MDiv’53) Malden, Missouri, 2006

Florence M. Cole (MDiv’57), Davidson, North Carolina, August 28,2009

Fred S. Morrison (MDiv’68), Green Valley, Arizona, April 20, 2009

Roger S. Watkins (MDiv’70), Greensville, South Carolina, August 2,2009

Juan F. Trevino Jr. (MDiv’79), Brownsville, Texas, September 12, 2009

Elisha A. Paschal Jr. (DMin’92), Dallas, Texas, August 29, 2009

Roger M. Brown (MDiv’99), Osage Beach, Missouri, June 18, 2009

Calling All Alum Authors:

If you would like to bring, sell, and sign your own book(s)

during Austin Seminary’s 2010 MidWinters, please let us

know and we’ll include you in the line-up along with our faculty

and lecturers. Contact Randal Whittington:

windows@austinseminary.edu or 512-404-4808 by January 15.

ORDINATIONKathleen Brinegar (MDiv’08)to serve CommunityPresbyterian Church in Oakland,Oregon

Alice Hernandez (MDiv’08) tohospital chaplaincy at TrinityMother Frances Hospital, Tyler,Texas

Jonathan Murray (MDiv’08) toserve St Paul's PresbyterianChurch, Needville, Texas

Emily R. Owen (MDiv’08) toserve Matthews PresbyterianChurch in Matthews, NorthCarolina

Ryan M. Pappan (MDiv’08) toserve Douglass BoulevardChristian Church in Louisville,Kentucky

Laura (MDiv’09) and Keith(MDiv’09) Hudson to serve asco-pastors of First PresbyterianChurch, La Grande, Oregon

If you have been ordained recentlyand have not been recognized inWindows, please contact LanaRussell at 512-404-4809 oralum@austinseminary.edu

Connect with Austin Seminaryalumni/ae over lunch, from11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Learnfrom a dynamic speaker andfrom one another. Lunch isonly $10; the continuing ed ison us!Register online at www.austinseminary.edu;click on “Alumni/aeGatherings”

March 4, 2010,GracePresbyterianVillage, Dallas

“Elder Ministry” withThe Reverend SamRiccobene (MDiv’91)

April 22, 2010, FirstPresbyterian Church,McAllen

“Transformación: LeadingChurch Through EthnicalChange” with The ReverendDanny Cruz Longoria

May 5, 2010, First PresbyterianChurch, Tulsa

“Art & Theology” with TheReverend Dr. C.D. Weaver

Alumni/ae Challenge

The results are in!

The 2009 Alumni/ae Challengewas a wonderful success

featuring a kick-off event at thePresident’s Manse and callers inAustin and Dallas. A total of$56,666 in gifts and pledges wasraised for the Annual Fund;alumni/ae participation this fiscalyear is 20.35%. The stellarperformers during the challengewas (drum roll please): graduates ofthe Class of 2008 for having boththe largest number of donors andgiving the highest dollar amount.

Dallas-area alumni/ae who participated in the phone calls for the Alum Challenge were:(standing) Traci Truly, Clay Brantley, Mally Baum, Walker Westerlage, Lewis Donelson(who led a Bible study before the calls began), and Anne Clifton; (seated) Matt Calvert,David Fletcher, John Evans, and Cynthia Logan.

ALUMNI/AE NEWS

First female BD graddies in North Carolina

Florence “Flosi” Mason Cole(MDiv’57) died on August 28 ather home in Davidson, NorthCarolina. She was the first womanto receive the Bachelor of Divinity(precursor to the MDiv) degreefrom Austin Seminary. Cole wonthe Faculty Fellowship Award in1957.

While they were students, andbefore she married Richard Cole,Flosi and the only other femalestudent, Eugenia “Genie” HopperZavaleta (MCE’57), lived in WynnHouse, the former home of thepresident of the University of Texas.

Before entering seminary, Flosiworked with migrant ministry forthe National Council of Churches.She was active in Davidson CollegePresbyterian Church and was arecipient of the college’s AlgernonSydney Sullivan Award, givenannually to a local citizen forservice to the community.

WINDOWSAustin Presbyterian Theological Seminary100 East 27th Street, Austin, Texas 78705-5797

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Envisioning the Futureof Christian Education & Formation:

Ta l k i n g A c r o s s D i s c i p l i n e s

April 5-7, 2010, at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary

This conference celebrates the 25-year partnership between Austin

Seminary and The South Central Region of the Association of Presbyterian Church Educators

(SCRAPCE) and honors the long-standing commitment of First Presbyterian Church,Bryan, Texas, to the ministry of education. Christian educators, pastors, chaplains, and lay per-

sons will explore the future of Christian formation and education in the 21st century as Austin Seminary

professors address the emerging developments and methodologies of their disciplines.

Theodore J. Wardlaw, President and Professor of Homiletics

David White, The C. Ellis and Nancy Gribble Nelson Professor of Christian Education | Convenor

Arun W. Jones, The John W. and Helen Lancaster Associate Professor of Evangelism and Missions

David H. Jensen, Professor of Constructive Theology

John Ahn, Assistant Professor of Old TestamentKristin Emery Saldine, Assistant Professor of Homiletics

Come to discuss, collaborate, and learn!For information or to register: www.austinseminary.edu 512-404-4857 cle@austinseminary.edu

Winter 2010

Spring Partnership Events

Tyler, Texas Feb. 12Texas Hill Country March 25Shreveport, Louisiana May 6

Evening with the PresidentFort Worth, Texas Jan. 26Little Rock, Arkansas Feb, 9For more information or to attendone of these call: 512-404-4886