|
United President Elected to Serve as Chair of Women in Leadership for ATS |
 |
 |
|
United is proud to announce that its own President Wendy Deichmann was elected to serve a leadership role on a women’s committee she has been a member of for two years.
At the recent 2012 biennial meeting of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) in the U.S. and Canada, President Deichmann was elected to serve as Chair of the Women in Leadership (WiL) Committee for a two-year term, following her membership on the Committee for the previous two years.
“When women are called into leadership, they deserve their colleagues' support,” said Deichmann. “I'm honored to help provide such support and guidance on behalf of both United and ATS. The church and academy cannot afford to miss out on the leadership many women have been gifted and called to provide. So I count it a privilege to assist with this important work.”
Through the work of WiL, the international accrediting association “provides educational support for women faculty and administrators and assists schools in their efforts to include more women in leadership positions.” This includes professional development for women through ATS-sponsored events, including an annual conference for women in faculty and administrative positions, a retreat for senior administrators and research geared toward supporting the roles of women in leadership in theological education.
While the number of women serving as faculty and administrators in theological education is growing gradually, it is far behind the pace of growth of the percentage of female students. For example, United remains the only free-standing United Methodist seminary to have appointed a woman as president to date, while it is not unusual for women to constitute half of the students at traditional Protestant seminaries, including those that are United Methodist in affiliation. |
|
United’s Academic Dean Dr. David Watson Elected to Serve on The University Senate of The UMC |
|
|
|
United’s Academic Dean Dr. David Watson was recently elected by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry of The UMC to serve on The University Senate of The UMC.
“I was surprised and delighted to have been selected,” Dr. Watson said. “I certainly didn’t see it coming.”
He said he is honored to represent United on The University Senate.
“It’s a great opportunity to give United a voice at the table that we haven’t had for a while and to represent what I see to be the interests of the broader church,” he said.
As a member of The University Senate, Dr. Watson will be one of the 25 voting members.
“They make legislative decisions about higher education within The United Methodist Church,” Dean Watson said. “It’s really an office of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry.”
He said he will attend his first meeting as a member of The University Senate in late January.
The University Senate is composed of members who are actively engaged in the work of education through employment in an educational institution and are fitted by training and experience for the technical work of evaluating educational institutions.
It follows the following objectives:
-
To establish the criteria that must be met by schools, colleges, universities and theological schools to achieve and retain listing as institutions affiliated with The United Methodist Church.
-
To support the development of institutions whose aims are to address and whose programs reflect significant educational, cultural, social and human issues in a manner reflecting the values held in common by the institutions and the Church.
-
To provide an effective review process to ensure that schools, colleges, universities, and theological schools listed by the University Senate and qualifying for Church support have institutional integrity, well-structured programs, sound management and clearly defined Church relationships.
-
To establish effective annual reporting procedures that will provide the senate with the data necessary to complete its review of the institutional viability and program integrity of member institutions.
The University Senate of The United Methodist Church is an elected body of professionals in higher education created by the General Conference to determine which schools, colleges, universities and theological schools meet the criteria for listing as institutions affiliated with The United Methodist Church.
In addition to Dr. Watson, there were five additional new members elected to The University Senate of The United Methodist Church: J. Cameron West, president of Huntingdon College; Albert Mosley, president and dean of Gammon Theological Seminary; Laceye Warner, executive vice dean of Duke Divinity School; Bishop Larry Goodpaster, resident bishop of the Western North Carolina Annual Conference; and Beth Downs, director of Clergy Excellence, Virginia Conference.
|
|
|
United Hosts Lecture Series |
|
|
 Alumni/ae, staff, students and friends participated in a two-day event at United October 16 and 17, celebrating with fellowship, recognition and learning.
The J. Arthur Heck Lectures featured reunion lunches and the Alumni/ae Banquet, as well as lectures on “Christians and Disability: Renewing the Church and Healing the World” from Dr. Amos Yong, a J. Rodman Williams Professor of Theology at Regent University School of Divinity in Virginia Beach, VA.
Tuesday, October 16 was marked with the Decades Reunion Lunches with the classes of ’42, ’52, ’62, ’72, ’82, ’92 and ’02, as they gathered for food and fellowship and a presentation by Dr. Tom Dozeman on “Holiness and Ordination: The Tension Between Prophet and Priest.”
October 16 also featured the Annual Alumni/ae Awards Banquet, which included a United Sound Reunion Concert and recognition of the reunion classes, as well as the induction of the class of 1972 into Eckels Society. The banquet was also the site for the presentation of the special awards: The Effective Ministry Award to the Revs. James H. and Billie Ann Maynard (1977), the Distinguished Alumnus and Alumna Award to Bishop Gregory G.M. Ingram (1991) and Episcopal Supervisor Jessica Kendall Ingram (1994) and the Outstanding Doctor of Ministry Alumna Award to Bishop Allyson D. Nelson Abrams (2005).
The events continued through Wednesday with lectures by Dr. Yong. Dr. Yong’s lectures concentrated on Christians and disability, and before his first lecture of the day, Dr. Yong noted his connection to Theology and Disability – his younger brother, Mark, has Down’s Syndrome.
“I grew up with Mark, and as you would imagine, there were a lot of complications with his life growing up,” Dr. Yong said. “I took care of him. My parents were ministers in the church and oftentimes they would go about their ministry and their business and I would be the one who would stay home and take care of Mark.”
Dr. Yong noted when he finished his dissertation in Boston, he sent his parents a copy of his dissertation, when his mother suggested he write a book about Mark.
“That was the seed that was sort of planted, and a few years later when I was looking toward my first sabbatical at the time, I began looking into the possibility of writing something theological about disability and reflecting a little bit on my brother’s life and so on,” said Dr. Yong. As I began to look at literature, I realized there was a lot of material out there on ministry, on ministry to people with disabilities, but there was quite a bit less in terms of theological reflection, particularly in terms of trying to think systematically through the issues.”
 Dr. Yong’s first lecture, “The Bible and Disability: Redeeming an Ableist Hermeneutic,” was followed by a question-and-answer session with Yong and lecture attendees. He also joined Chapel, where he spoke on “Saved from Shame and Stigma: Shortness of Stature and the Gospel in a Disabled World.” Dr. Yong’s second lecture, “Theology and Disability: Healing an Ableist World,” was in the afternoon and was also followed by a question-and-answer session. Following the Q&A, United hosted a panel discussion on Dr. Yong’s book, The Bible, Disability and the Church: A New Vision of the People of God, featuring responses by Dr. Sarah J. Melcher, Ph.D., Xavier University Department of Theology, and Dr. David Watson, United’s Academic Dean and Vice President for Academic Affairs.
At the end of the day, Dr. Yong participated in a book signing at Cokesbury Bookstore at United.
Dr. Watson recommended Dr. Yong and his work, especially noting his connection with Dr. Yong’s book, Theology and Down’s Syndrome, as well as the book featured in the panel discussion.
“Amos Yong is one of my favorite theologians, and I am really excited we have him here today with us,” said Dr. Watson.
To watch the lecture series, visit our Livestream channel.
watch video
|
|
New Name and New Partners in Non-Degree Programming |
|
|
|
United is pleased to announce that the Institute for Applied Theology, the lifelong learning component of the school’s non-degree programming, has changed its name to the School for Discipleship and Renewal, effective October 1.
“The new name identifies more clearly what the former Institute does in terms more familiar to both laity and clergy,” said Dr. Peter Bellini, Director of Non-Degree Programs. “It also captures the ‘church renewal’ emphasis that is a feature of our theological education and life at United.”
The working vision for United’s non-degree programs is “Renewing, Retooling, Refueling…Refreshing the Church for the mission of Jesus Christ to make disciples for the transformation of the world.” Along with existing programs, courses, and events that help to renew the Church, there are two new emerging ministries, the Hispanic Christian Academy and a partnership with Aldersgate Renewal Ministries.
The Hispanic Christian Academy, under the leadership of Iosmar Alvarez ‘11, offers a basic theological course of study in Spanish for Hispanic laity and clergy. The Academy, which is headquartered in Lexington, KY, and operates out of multiple sites, will be offering hybrid and online courses later this year in partnership with United.
Aldersgate Renewal Ministries, affiliated with the General Board of Discipleship of the United Methodist Church, is also partnering with United to offer its Methodist School of Supernatural Ministry series in hybrid format. The first class in the series is being offered this Fall and will culminate on December 1 with the Holy Spirit Seminar, a practicum of praise and worship, teaching, prayer, laying on of hands and ministering in the gifts of the Holy Spirit with Terry Teykl. Aldersgate and United share a common interest to renew the church for the mission of Jesus Christ.
We invite you to visit the Lifelong Learning area of the website for more information. |
|
A Christian seminary affiliated 