By Jenny Williams
The inauguration of Jeff Carter as Bethany
Theological Seminary’s tenth president was the central event of the
seminary’s spring 2014 board of trustees meeting, held March 27-30 at
the seminary campus in Richmond, Ind. (The link to view the
inauguration online is at
www.bethanyseminary.edu/webcasts.)
In addition to several action items and reports from departmental
committees, the board also devoted time to discussing issues presented
by each committee pertaining to the operation of a seminary like Bethany
in today’s social and cultural climate.
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Photo courtesy of Bethany Seminary
Inauguration of Jeff Carter as president of Bethany Seminary
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Presidential inauguration
On the morning of
Saturday, March 29, nearly 170 people attended the presidential
inauguration service in Nicarry Chapel. The theme chosen by Carter was
“Can I Get a Witness?” a reference to 1 John 1:1-2: “The Word that gives
life was from the beginning, and this is the one our message is
about.... The one who gives life appeared! We saw it happen, and we are
witnesses to what we have seen.” Guest speaker Thomas G. Long, Bandy
Professor of Preaching at Candler School of Theology at Emory
University, spoke to this theme with an address entitled “Faithful
Witness: Engaging the Senses.”
Long is widely known and respected
in the field of homiletics, having also taught preaching at Princeton,
Columbia, and Erskine Seminaries. The author of numerous books and
articles on preaching and worship as well as biblical commentaries, he
has served as senior homiletics editor of “The New Interpreter’s Bible”
and is an editor-at-large for “Christian Century.”
A number
within the Bethany community took part in the service, offering prayers,
instrumental and vocal music, scripture reading, and introductions. Dan
Ulrich, Wieand Professor of New Testament Studies, presented a “Witness
of Bethany Theological Seminary” incorporating both historical and
philosophical perspectives. Board chair Lynn Myers led the commissioning
of the president and was joined by trustee, student, and faculty
representatives in the laying on of hands. The gathering also heard
statements from representatives of the Church of the Brethren,
Manchester University, and the neighboring Earlham School of Religion.
Those
gathered for the event attended a celebratory lunch following the
service, and members of the Bethany community joined the board for an
inaugural dinner that evening.
Board activity and actions
Carter opened the board’s general session with an overview of
objectives to help Bethany meet current challenges. Emphasizing the
value of what Bethany has to offer, he focused on continued
strengthening of recruitment and retention strategies, balancing the
needs of residential and Connections students, and increasing the
accessibility of the seminary’s programs. The board also viewed
comparative data from peer schools of similar size and programming,
including enrollment and acceptance rates, student body demographics,
faculty, cost of education, giving, and investments.
To help the
board engage in current issues specific to each area of the seminary,
questions for discussion were brought by the committees for Academic
Affairs, Institutional Advancement, and Student and Business Affairs:
What can Bethany do to prepare people for bivocational ministry? How do
we communicate the concept of stewardship and habitual giving to younger
generations? How can we use current resources to further our mission
without hurting long-term strategy? Common discussion themes were the
importance of building relationships, whether with new educational
partners or millennial donors, and of creative and thoughtful planning.
Two faculty appointed to endowed chairs
Among
the board’s action items was the opportunity to recognize the
contributions and achievements of longtime faculty members with new
appointments to endowed chairs.
Dawn Ottoni-Wilhelm, in her 16th year at Bethany, was named the
Brightbill Professor of Preaching and Worship. The Alvin V. Brightbill
Endowed Chair of Ministry Studies was established by Bill and Miriam
Cable in 1982 to honor the 45-year tenure of Alvin Brightbill in
teaching church music and speech.
Scott Holland, in his 15th year at Bethany, was named the Slabaugh
Professor of Theology and Culture. Established in 1985 by Bethany
alumnus and longtime Brethren pastor Foster Myers, the Warren W.
Slabaugh Endowed Chair of Theological Studies honors a “master teacher”
who taught at Bethany for 40 years before serving as interim president
in 1952-53.
Budget, graduates, officers, committee chairs approved
In addressing items that appear on each spring’s agenda, the board
approved the list of potential graduates for the current year, providing
all academic requirements are met.
The board approved officers and committee chairs for the 2014-15
academic year: Lynn Myers, chair; David Witkovsky, vice chair; Marty
Farahat, secretary; Jonathan Frye, chair of the Academic Affairs
Committee; Miller Davis, chair of the Institutional Advancement
Committee; Greg Geisert, chair of the Student and Business Affairs
Committee and the Audit Committee; and Paul Brubaker, chair of the
Investment Committee.
The board approved the seminary’s budget for the coming academic
year. The 2014-15 budget is $2,649,240, a negligible increase from the
previous year. Following discussion of current endowment policy and the
seminary’s financial position, the board suspended the stabilization
fund policy for the coming academic year, requesting Bethany’s
administration to recommend revisions. The policy was established to
help ensure financial security in the leaner years during relocation to
Richmond.
A revision of the articles of organization of the Brethren Journal Association also was approved.
Departmental reports and activities
The Academic Affairs Committee reported that with the resignation of
Malinda Berry, assistant professor of theological studies and director
of the MA program, these roles within the faculty will be reviewed
before a new search is begun by the end of 2014. Berry noted that
current MA students are pursuing a variety of topics for study, with
equal numbers choosing the traditional thesis option and the new
portfolio option. The Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership
introduced Carrie Eikler as the new coordinator of TRIM and EFSM and
continued to highlight the success of SeBAH-COB, the Spanish-language
ministry training program in cooperation with the Mennonite Church. The
board also heard from visiting staff member Donna Rhodes, director of
the Susquehanna Valley Ministry Center, regarding changes in personnel
and class formats and Bethany faculty involvement in teaching. The
center has a goal of making its partnership with Bethany and
Elizabethtown (Pa.) College more explicit to constituents.
The
Institutional Advancement Committee noted that with the four-year
Reimagining Ministries campaign drawing to close this June, while the
initial dollar goal has been reached more work is needed in building
relationships with new donors. Conversations with individuals and groups
around the denomination will continue for the next few months. Current
giving numbers are positive, with the total of $2.25 million for
calendar 2103 as the highest in the past eight years. Giving to date for
fiscal 2013-14 is comparative with recent years and higher than a year
ago due to a large grant from the Lilly Endowment Inc. Month-to-month
annual fund giving has kept pace with or exceeded amounts in recent
years; however, the 2013-14 goal of $900,000 is higher as part of the
Reimagining Ministries campaign. A new website design, coordinating with
Bethany’s new admissions materials, has been in process during the
current academic year. The board saw sample pages of the new look, which
was expected to go live within the next month.
The Student and
Business Affairs Committee focused on issues of balancing resources for
current mission priorities--such as enrollment--with long-term financial
viability. Brenda Reish, executive director of Student and Business
Services and treasurer, gave an orientation to the seminary’s financial
practices and goals and the breakdown of its assets. This included a
historical overview of investment return and endowment draw and their
relationship to the operating budget. Tracy Primozich, director of
Admissions, and Amy Ritchie, director of Student Development, spoke to
the importance of engaging with both prospective students and those in
the Connections program. Calling out persons with gifts for ministry who
can connect with the distinctives of a Bethany education falls to
mentors and leaders in the church as well as to Bethany staff. Those who
commit to follow this call as distance learners are at a higher risk
for withdrawal without the benefit of community support and involvement.
The
Institute for Ministry with Youth and Young Adults task team reported
on progress since its formation last year. Charged with developing the
potential of the institute, it has reviewed programs, the plan for
sustainability, staffing, and the advisory board structure. A three-year
plan has been established to manage finances, maintain staffing, and
develop additional activities or events. Advisory board terms and
membership and a procedure for communication with the board of trustees
have been formalized. The mission of the institute was clarified as
helping church leaders minister to young people through educational
programs that relate to Bethany’s mission--a purpose that differentiates
it from other programs within the Church of the Brethren.
-- Jenny Williams is director of Communications and Alumni/ae Relations for Bethany Theological Seminary.
Source: 4/22/2014 Newsline
