News from the Hill

VIRGINIA THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

Alexandria, VA July 2012

Inside this Issue

OWS Comes to VTS Commencement Photos Trayvon Martin Forum 6 8 11
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Message from the Dean

Inclusive Because We Believe

Virginia Theological Seminary OFFICERS

The Rt. Rev. James J. Shand Chairman of the Board Ms. Sissy Poland Vice-Chair of the Board The Very Rev. Ian S. Markham, Ph.D. Dean and President Mr. Timothy F. Sedgwick, Ph.D. Vice President The Rev. J. Barney Hawkins IV, Ph.D. Vice President Ms. Heather Zdancewicz Vice President, Assistant Treasurer & Assistant Secretary Dr. David H. Charlton Secretary/Treasurer

Campus Shots

Left: Dean and President of VTS, the Very Rev. Ian S. Markham, Ph.D.

nglicanism has always been a generous faith. When scholarly approaches to Scripture emerged, it was the Anglican tradition which engaged with these new approaches in a way that was faithful to the tradition. When the theory of evolution created havoc in the churches, it was the Anglican tradition that taught that science and Scripture are all part of the complete truth of God. When Christians agonized over the relationship of Christ to other religions, the Anglican tradition saw that the Christ of Johns Gospel can embrace the truths embedded in other faith traditions. The Episcopal Church has been the heir of this tradition. The emergence of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer and discernment over women priests and gay and lesbian clergy have drawn on this tradition. It has been a process of struggle, prayer, and careful listening to Scripture. Forming the Biblical argument for these developments has been the central work of the Church. Sometimes it seems that too often arguments for change have been made in opposition to the Bible not out of the Bible. Furthermore, proposed changes have been offered to core beliefs. For some scholars, the resurrection no longer needs an empty tomb; the Virgin Birth is questioned; the Trinity is simply a construct, which doesnt capture anything true about God; the Incarnation is viewed as a problem; and life after death is considered implausible. At Virginia Theological Seminary, we dont consider these changes either necessary or true. We believe good arguments can be made for the resurrection and Virgin Birth of Jesus, the centrality of the Trinity and Incarnation, and the reality of life after death. We are the seminary that believes. We are the seminary that includes because we believe, not despite our beliefs. We are the Seminary that welcomes conservatives, who worry about some of the recent innovations in the Church, and those liberals who think it important to explain the Biblical basis of any proposed development of our tradition. We have this conversation around a shared Trinitarian and Incarnational faith. This is the Anglican tradition at its best; this is the Episcopal Church being true to that tradition. Virginia Theological Seminary is determined to shape, form, and create leaders of congregations who understand and live in this tradition. We believe. q

BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Auguste J. Bannard (2016) Mr. David Booth Beers (2015) Mr. Julian M. Bivins, Jr. (2017) The Rev. Catherine M. Campbell (2014) Dr. David H. Charlton (2016) The Rev. Canon Thomas G. Clarke (2017) The Rev. Dr. Harold J. Cobb, Jr. (2013) The Rev. Carlotta A. Cochran (2014) Ms. Amy Curtis (2017) Dr. Lynwood D.I. Day (2013) Mr. W. Carter Doswell (2013) Mr. A. Hugh Ewing III (2013) The Rev. C. Neal Goldsborough (2015) Ms. Martha W. High (2014) The Rev. Angela S. Ifill (2016) Ms. Elizabeth Cabell Jennings (2014) The Rev. Allan B. Johnson-Taylor (2014) The Rev. R. Kevin Kelly (2013) The Rt. Rev. W. Michie Klusmeyer The Rev. Thomas M. Kryder-Reid (2017) Mr. James R. Lowe, Jr. (2013) The Rev. Dr. Andrew J. MacBeth (2017) Mr. M. Lee Marston (2014) The Rev. Troy D. Mendez (2017) The Rt. Rev. F. Neff Powell The Rev. Dr. Stanley W. Sawyer (2014) The Rev. Dr. William R. Shiflet, Jr. (2013) Dr. William G. Thomas III (2015) The Rev. Christine R. Whittaker (2013) The Rev. Dr. J. Douglas Wigner, Jr. (2014)

EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS
The Rev. Andrew T. P. Merrow The Rt. Rev. Shannon S. Johnston

Stay Classy 2012: Top, senior Stephen McGehee presented Dean Markham with a check for $7,015 from the Class of 2012 for the acquisition of an altar that will grace the new prayer garden in the restored ruins of the old chapel. Bottom, the VTS community gathered together to honor Meriwether Godsey employee Dennis Quivis (6th from the left) who, after 42 years of service, retired this past May.

FACULTY REPRESENTATIVES
Judy Fentress-Williams, Ph.D. The Rev. A. Katherine Grieb, Ph.D.

STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE
Grey Maggiano (13) Student Body President

News from the Hill is published three times per year (January, April, and July) for alumni and friends by the Office of Public Affairs, Virginia Theological Seminary, 3737 Seminary Road, Alexandria, VA 22304. Editorial comments should be directed to editor@vts.edu.
On the Cover: Middler Shireen Baker leads the processsion of graduates from VTS to Calloway Chapel at Episcopal High School. Photo: S. Shillinglaw.

News from the Hill July 2012

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Center for Anglican Communion Studies

An Interreligious Sojourn in England

Anglican Endeavours:

Thanks to them, I walked through the Muslim section of town, with its halal shops, Arabic language music, niqabattired women, and numerous mosques; met with local Christian and Muslim college students to learn what was on their minds; had conversations with a local college administrator and police officer about community social issues; dined with an artist who is creating a new Seven Works of Mercy series; and visited an Islamic school for boys. Our conversation topics ranged from social problems such as drug abuse, education (including Church of England schools with all-Muslim enrollment), social services, British politics, and the role of faith in the public square. I quickly learned that interfaith conversations in Blackburn are bound together with international and intercultural elements. Issues dividing Christians and Muslims there are centered around geopolitics and world events more than around theological differences, although the latter exist. I heard from Muslim students about drone strikes in Pakistan and I, in turn, inquired of them about freedom for Pakistans religious minorities. As Mrs. Anwar said, International events impact local communities. VTS and Blackburn Cathedral are collaborating on a conference to be held in November in Blackburn that will draw upon the teachings of Islam and Christianity and promote interreligious cooperation to address local housing, education, health, and poverty issues. As I write this, the latest news reports are about another foiled plot by an al-Qaida affiliate to bomb a U.S.-bound airliner. In todays world, the programs of the Building Bridges Seminar, Centre for Muslim-Christian Studies, and Blackburn Cathedral that lead to constructive interfaith engagement remain vitally important. Katherine Wood, M.Div. Associate Director Center for Anglican Communion Studies and Interreligious Affairs

VTS Alum to Head Cathedral Church in Jerusalem

The Rev. Canon Hosam Naoum (11) has been named as the new Dean of the Cathedral Church of Saint George the Martyr in Jerusalem. Naoum, 38, has served as the Canon Pastor of the Cathedral since 2005, and was the Acting Dean for three years (2007-2009). He did his first theological training at the College of the Transfiguration and Rhodes University in Grahamstown, South Africa, and then completed a Master of Theological Study degree at VTS in 2011.

Escuela de Liderazgo Welcomes Texas Artist, Playwright, and Poet

n a recent trip to England, I had the opportunity to connect with several inspiring individuals committed to Christian-Muslim dialogue. My journey began in London at the 11th annual Building Bridges Seminar, chaired by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Each year the Seminar includes public lectures and private sessions that bring together leading Christian and Muslim scholars for intensive study of sacred texts from both traditions. The Seminar annually focuses on a different theme common to both religions, with the proceedings published. This years Seminar explored Christian and Muslim concepts of death, resurrection, and human destiny in Scripture, tradition, and practice. Not surprisingly, Islam and Christianity each offer multiple views on these topics. Nevertheless, for both religions, dying well means living well, i.e. in relationship with God. At the Seminar, I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. John Chesworth from the Centre for Muslim-Christian Studies, an independent research organization in Oxford. His area of expertise is ChristianMuslim relations in East Africa. He has developed related courses at St. Pauls University in Kenya, and he spent time at Msalato Theological College, one of our partner institutions, earlier in his career. At a subsequent meeting in Oxford, we had a lively conversation about his experiences and shared thoughts about the 2014

interreligious conference VTS is planning in Tanzania. I remain grateful for his insights. I also visited Blackburn, a mid-sized city north of Manchester that is home to one of the largest Muslim populations in Britain. I spent two days there with the Rev. Dr. Shannon Ledbetter (VTS 94), Community Canon at Blackburn Cathedral, and Mrs. Anjum Anwar, MBE, a Muslim educator and the Cathedrals Dialogue Development Officer. She is the first Muslim in the world to be hired by a cathedral for such a position. Together they carry out extensive outreach programs to build trust and interreligious understanding in the Blackburn community, using sports, the arts, school partnerships, events for women and youth, public lectures, and conferences on human rights and other contemporary issues.

On the Holy Hill

You Know Youre a Dedicated Alum When...
The Rev. Patrick Greene (08), pictured right, shows off his latest tattoo, a replica of the 1881 Mission window above which read, Go Ye Into All the World and Preach the Gospel. According to Greene, It took about four sittings over the course of about seven months, probably totaling 10 to 12 hours of actual work. When Greene started seriously thinking about seminary, he decided that if he made it through to ordaination, he would have some stained glass work done on his arm. When his ordination date was approaching, he asked a friend who had designed a few of his other tattoos to start drawing up some stained glass options. After the chapel burned down he decided to get this window instead.

This past May, artist and poet Enedina Casarez Vasquez visited Escuela de Liderazgo, VTS school for Spanishspeaking lay leaders serving the Episcopal Churchs Spanish speaking congregations. A native of San Antonio, Texas, Vasquez is a visual artist, playwright, teacher, and poet who served as Poet-in-Residence for the San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD) from 1990-96. She is the author of Recuerdos De Una Nina (1979, Oblate Fathers Publishers), a collection of writing and artwork based on memories of growing up in San Antonio. Her Dia De Los Muertos Altar was included in Chicano Now: American Expressions, a 2001 traveling exhibit sponsored by Cheech Marin, The Smithsonian Institution, and Target Stores.

VTS Helps Finance Lopez Lomong Church in Sudan

Virginia Seminary has agreed to help Washington, D.C.-based Sudan Sunrise with the building of the Lopez Lomong Reconciliation Church in Kimotong, South Sudan. Named after Lopez Lomong, the most prominent Sudanese athlete at the 2008 Olympic Games, the church will be built in Lomongs village by Darfurian Muslims, once former enemies of the Southern Sudanese. Stated Tom Prichard (VTS 78), executive director of Sudan Sunrise, Virginia Seminary is helping these young Muslims proclaim their choice of peace and reconciliation as a way to express their rejection of the call to war along the religious fault line. Its truly an inspiration.

News from the Hill July 2012

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Special Forums

Honoring MLK

Occupy Faith: Leadership for the 100% OWS comes to Virginia Seminary

ship and property because, ultimately, everything belongs to the Lord. When asked about how an institution with a large endowment makes decisions on how to manage its money, the Rev. Barney Hawkins replied, The land and resources at Virginia Seminary belong to the larger purpose we manage our assets as trustees, stewards of the Seminarys ministry and mission but also mindful that we will bequeath this institution, strong and financially secure, to those who will come after us. Ministry and mission are always tied to vision and resources, and we must live for those who will come after us even if it sometimes means appearing less prophetic or faithful. The Rev. Jim Cooper described his role in OWS saying, Trinity is aligned with the themes of Occupy Wall Street and has been for a decade or so Our first relationship was with the healthy encampment when my wife and I and many parishioners would go out every day and have conversations and engage, bring food, celebrate, sing, and pray. Our buildings were available to any part of the community. Bishop Packard, who famously led the OWS charge on December 17, 2011 to jump the fence at Duarte Square Park in New York City property owned partly by Trinity Wall Street in order to set up a new camp, replied, Trinity and VTS are describing environments that are housed and self-contained its our property but the larger questions still stare at us What happened on Dec. 17 happened over a series of many, many meetings I felt be Continued on page 17...

irginia Seminary held an "Occupy Faith: Leadership for the 100%" forum this past May, featuring a panel of distinguished speakers that included the Rt. Rev. George Packard (VTS 74), former chaplain for the armed services, the Rev. James Cooper (D.D. 70), rector of Trinity Wall Street, Micah Bales (pictured), leader of Occupy Church DC, and the Rev. J. Barney Hawkins IV, Ph.D., vice president of Institutional Advancement at Virginia Seminary. Organized by the Seminarys Social Concerns Committee and VTS junior, Weston Mathews, the forum focused on faith and leadership responses to the Occupy movement. Many of the issues Occupy has brought to the forefront of our national consciousness, said Mathews, are the very issues that Jesus Christ brought to the world in the sermon on the mount. When forum moderator, Kyle Oliver (VTS 12), asked Micah Bales, a Quaker, what

drew him to the Occupy movement, Micah replied, The Occupy movement isnt something that I had on my radar screen at all I did not think of myself as an organizer or activist. But as I learned more about [it], I became increasingly convinced that God wanted me to be involved. He went to New York City and became involved for a while with Occupy Wall Street (OWS), came back to Washington D.C., and then became one of the organizers of Occupy DC at McPherson Square. Since then, dozens of organizations have sprouted, such as Occupy Faith, Occupy Church, and Occupy Our Homes, which offers foreclosure assistance. Added Bales, I read in the Hebrew Scriptures that the land doesnt belong to us we are actually tenants of the land. The Lord is our landlord and we owe and account to God for how we are going to treat the people on the land. We need to be really careful about strict ideas of owner-

MLK: Honoring the Legacy

irginia Theological Seminary commemorated the martyrdom of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. this April with a series of events designed to celebrate his life, death, and legacy. Organized by the Rev. Joseph Constant, director of Ethnic Ministries and Student Life and author of No Turning Back: the Black Presence at Virginia Theological Seminary, the commemoration began with a noon Eucharist at which the Rt. Rev. Wendell Gibbs, Jr., bishop of the Diocese of Michigan, preached and celebrated. Quoted Constant, This event is always meaningful because of its ability to remind us of our common journey and destiny as brothers and sisters in Christ. In the evening, following a lively community dinner, a keynote address on The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King among the Theologians was given by the Rev. Dr. Kelly Brown Douglas (pictured), associate professor of religion at Goucher College in Baltimore, MD. The audio of both Bishop Gibbs sermon and Dr. Brown Douglas talk can be found at www.vts.edu.

Photos: Susan L. Shillinglaw

News from the Hill July 2012

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Class of 2012: Commencement

Congratulations!

Above, clockwise from upper left corner: Daniel Cenci, recipient of the St. Georges Prize for study in Jerusalem, gets a hug from the Rev. Dr. Barney Hawkins; Master of Arts graduates Adolpho Moronta, Sonley Joseph, Florence Gee, and Joel Atong; Shirley Porterfield; Sara DAngio White on the steps of Addison; Anglican Studies graduate, Natividad Menjivar with M.Div. graduate, David Crosby; Andrew Terry, Cayce Ramey, and Kyle Oliver; Benjamin and Kendall Badgett; Audrey OBrien with Dr. Lisa Kimball; center, Brenda Sol receives her diploma from Bishop Shand. (Photos on both pages by Jim Said, B. Cayce Ramey, and Susan Shillinglaw.) News from the Hill July 2012

Above, clockwise from upper left corner: Terry Edwards, Bill Harris, the Rev. Dr. Allison St. Louis, the Rev. Dr. Tony Lewis, Dr. Judy Fentress-Williams, Melanie Mullen, Carrie English, and Jabriel Ballentine; David Crosby hugs good friend, Chuck McMillen; Shawn Strout; D.Min. graduates (back row) Randal Hehr, Adrian Dixon, Jeffrey Raymond, and Clarke French, (front row) Barbara Fisher, Rosemary Beales, Barbara Day, Sally Johnson French, and the Rev. Dr. David Gortner; Middler, John George, with graduate, Caleb Lee; Ginny Wilder, recipient of the Ford Chair, and Bishop Bud Shand; center photo, commencement speaker, Jim Wallis, president of Sojourners. News from the Hill www.vts.edu

Commencement 2012

Special Forum

Where Justice Rolls Down:

HONORARY DEGREE RECIPIENTS

The Trayvon Martin Case Discussed

n March 29, members of the VTS community came together to discuss their thoughts about the Trayvon Martin case. Earlier in the week, students wore hoodies to chapel in honor of the slain 17-year old. Led by the Rev. Joseph Constant, director of Ethnic Ministries and Student Life, the forum began with prayers and intercessions and a reading of I Corinthians 13 by middler Sharon Watts from the Diocese of Maryland. Constant then opened the discussion with a question about what was most worrisome about the case. Im worried, for both sides, about prejudgment, said Daniel Cenci, a senior from North Carolina. Its good that there will be an investigation but none of us were there. The media has placed judgments on both sides as to what their actions and motivations were. Its muddier than that. Carrie English, a senior from the Diocese of Florida, was an adult in the 60s during the tumultuous Civil Rights movement. I am also the parent of two AfricanAmerican sons who are both in their 30s, she remarked. My husband and I raised them with a tight hand because of our experiences from the 60s and because we knew what happened to young African American men on the streets of Jacksonville [Florida].We had to educate them on how to survive.

t the 189th Commencement this year, the Seminary conferred Doctors in Divinity, honoris causa, upon the Rev. P. Roger Bowen, Episcopal school leader and former director of Upper School at St. Stephen and St. Agnes in Alexandria, Va.; the Rt. Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, the Rt. Rev. Barbara C. Harris, retired suffragan bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts; Fr. Michael Lapsley SSM, South African Anglican priest and social justice activist; the Rev. Canon Louis C. Schueddig, president of the Alliance for Christian Media and "Day 1" in Atlanta, Ga.; and the Rt. Rev. Michael Louis Vono, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of the Rio Grande. Honorary degrees are awarded each year to recognize faithful and notable service and also creative and innovative leadership in parish ministry, in overseas missions, academia, and in ecumenical, social, diocesan, and national church ministries.

Stated Jabriel Ballentine, a senior from the Virgin Islands, We are a nation of laws its what you hear the politicians saying and when an incident happens, certain procedures are supposed to be followed. But for some reason, certain procedures are followed with one group of people and not with another group of people... The problem comes when one group in a Democracy cant trust their government to have their backs... justice demands that procedures are followed. An international Master of Arts student, the Rev. Joel Atong, from the Diocese of Mombasa, Kenya, questioned the churchs response to the issue and challenged the students to think more theologically about the case. As a church how do we deal with this situation? How do we deal with the issue of stereotypes? Annie Pierpoint, a junior from the Diocese of California, cautioned the group, When things like [the Trayvon Martin case] happen, even our responses get segregated. There are people who get mired in the apathy of this isnt my issue. To me, the Episcopal Church is the church that takes a stand, one that fully reflects the Gospel and takes into account what it is that Jesus tells us. Thats what our goal is not to be passive or apathetic.

At the end of the discussion, Dean Markham concluded: Its right and proper, as a community of faith who love the Lord Jesus Christ, that we take these moments and we actually think them through. The work of formation is that work of clarifying our dispositions, values, and attitudes and what we want to share with congregations and the impact we want to have in the public square as we help shape the society in which we live. As we look into Holy Week, continued Markham, we are reminded that we worship a God intimately and directly involved in the tragic. As a community we are praying for Trayvon and his family and remember before God the hurt and pain of all those who knew him. As we follow Christ to the cross, let us take the memory of Trayvon with us.

Pictured above (left to right): Junior, Annie Pierpont; middler, Michael Sie; junior, Katie McCallister; and senior, Carrie English. Pictured below, the Rev. Joseph Constant.

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News from the Hill July 2012

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Student News

Student Life

Student | Body | President

If we wait for the moment when everything, absolutely everything is ready, we shall never begin. - Ivan Turgenev

hether its because I have been packing and unpacking boxes for the past couple of weeks, or because I am ending one career as a seminarian and entering into my first call as a transitional deacon, I know that waiting for absolutely everything to be ready is a luxury I do not have. I would venture to say that waiting for everything to be ready is a luxury no one has in this day and age. We live in a time when waiting is not something we do well, waiting is not a part of our wiring, and waiting is not a practice we spend much time investing into on our own. Sure, we wait in line, we wait in traffic, we wait for the microwave to begin its final count down, but honestly, if given a chance to glide through these seconds, these moments of waiting, many of us would take up that offer in a heartbeat. Waiting. I think about that word and I think about times in my life where I would give anything to go back and visit, revisit, linger and wait just a little bit longer; times where I could soak up the moment just a little longer before beginning the next event so that I could immerse myself in the laughter of friends, the accent of my family, and the tender stares of wonder and joy from the children upon seeing the first firefly of the season. A few weeks ago we were treated to the text in Johns Gospel where Jesus teaches the disciples to abide in him as he abides in them, in us. When we participate in

this abiding we are able to produce fruit. Abide. Slow down. Linger. Wait. These are messages we dont hear very often in our day-to-day life. We are not necessarily waiting for everything to be perfect, rather taking a moment to truly see, with our hearts as well as with our eyes, the very nature of the world around us. Abide. Jesus is telling his disciples about abiding at a time when the message seems contrary to the timing. Jesus just finished the Passover Meal and is in the garden. Judas has already reached the soldiers and they are on their way to arrest Jesus. At this time it would seem appropriate for Jesus to be testing his disciples, making sure they were really ready for what was coming. Instead, Jesus uses this time to encourage them to linger, abide, rest and in the resting and abiding, let your life be transformed and changed.

I am writing this surrounded by unpacked boxes while slowly putting together rooms in my new home. I am eager to begin my new ministry at Trinity Parish and Old Swedes in Wilmington, Del., but I am also aware of how much change the last two weeks have brought with them. Im not waiting for everything to be ready in order to begin I am too excited to do that. I am, however, lingering and abiding in the moments that make themselves available to me to give thanks for the journey up to this point and to be grateful for the rest and abiding in Jesus through prayer. As we make a turn into Ordinary time in our liturgical calendar, we are encouraged through the readings to explore how to live out our Christian faith in our daily lives. Our attention is also drawn to the mystery of Christ not in one specific aspect but in all its aspects. Perhaps in the weeks ahead we can use our time of waiting, our lingering, as a time of abiding in Jesus. You dont have to wait for everything to be ready; you just have to be still. Abide. r - The Rev. Virginia Wilder Diocese of Western North Carolina

Age-Old Tradition: Senior Audrey OBrien signs her name to the bell tower in Aspinwall Hall, like hundreds of graduates before her, top left photo. Baby Greeks: This past May, thirteen students completed a journey they had begun in August and became the latest VTS students to complete First Year New Testament Greek. Besides the introductory course, they also spent a quarter reading samples from the Johannine writings, Mark, Paul, James, and the Didache. Standing in front of Addison are the 2011-2012 Baby Greeks with Teaching Assistants, Cayce Ramey (12, back row, left) and Elizabeth Locher (12, front row, left), and instructor Tony Lewis (VTS 72). The backs of their t-shirts (top right photo) exhibit Greek attitude and a familiar verb any student of Koine knows only too well! Final Friars Match: The middlers challenged the seniors to a final flag football match with middlers winning 26-18 (middle left photo). Book Worms: During National Library Week, head Librarian, Mitzi Budde (center) awarded M.A. student, Harvey Bales (far left), and M.Div. senior, Jo Belser (far right), the prize for the highest library circulations (below, left and right photos).

Pictured below: Virginia Wilder (center) with Chris Cole (far left) and Matthew Wright. All hail from the Diocese of Western North Carolina.

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Office of Alumni Affairs

Office of Alumni Affairs Planning is underway for the Fall Alumni Convocation, scheduled for October 2-3, 2012. It is preceded by Class Reunion activities on October 1. Around the theme of Designing the Sacred: Architecture Meets Mission, keynoters include Robert A.M. Stern, Michael Vergason, Judy Fentress-Williams, Ph.D., and Ian S. Markham, Ph.D. Visit www.vts.edu for more program details and to register. Another fall program highlight is the Thomas Dix Bowers Program in early November, featuring Barbara Brown Taylor, who will be giving a public lecture on Friday, November 2, at 7:30 p.m. Barbara Taylor is currently the Butman Professor of Religion at Piedmont College after having served several Episcopal congregations. She is the author of twelve books, including The New York Times bestseller, An Altar in the World. Her public speaking engagements are more limited these days so VTS is particularly honored and delighted that she will be with us this fall. More details are on the VTS website and in future monthly eNews publications. Also visit the website for information about VTS Regional Chapter activities, as we begin to schedule events and programs for the coming year. If you are interested in helping with those plans, please contact scbrown@vts.edu or 703-461-1711. The chapters are intended to provide another way we can help support the ministry of our alumni, their congregations, and the larger church. Please dont forget to let us know about new ministries, new contact information, or whatever else might be happening in your lives. We love hearing from our alums! With enormous thanks and blessings for your prayers and support of VTS! Shelagh Casey Brown Director, Alumni, Annual Fund, and Church Relations 703-461-1711 or scbrown@vts.edu Left: The Rt. Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde (88) preached at the Service for the Misison of the Church on May 16.

Alumni | Directors | Note

Class Notes
Please share your news with us! Write: Office of Alumni Affairs, 3737 Seminary Rd., Alexandria, VA 22304 E-mail: alumni@vts.edu Call: 703-461-1736 Fax: 703-370-0138 Email Address Changes to: mpotin@vts.edu

The Rev. Bret B. Hays , rector, St. Johns Episcopal Church, Gloucester, MA.

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The Rev. David Lynch, assistant for Families and Youth, St. James Wichita, Wichita, KS. The Rev. Chuck McMillen, bishops vicar, St. James - Union City, Union City, TN. The Rev. Henry McQueen, associate rector, Hickory Neck Episcopal Church, Toano, VA. The Rev. Audrey OBrien, assistant rector, Parish of the Epiphany, Winchester, MA. The Rev. Mary Ruetten Mackin, curate for Pastoral Care, St. Johns Episcopal Church, Roanoke, VA. The Rev. Kyle Oliver, digital missioner and Learning Lab coordinator, Virginia Theological Seminary, Alexandria, VA. The Rev. Cayce Ramey, curate, St. Albans Episcopal Church, Annandale, VA. The Rev. Lara Shine, associate for Mission, All Saints Episcopal Church, Omaha, NE. The Rev. Brenda Sol, associate priest for Pastoral Care & Young Adults, St. Michael and All Angels, Dallas, TX. The Rev. Leslie Nuez Steffenson, assistant to the rector, Grace Episcopal Church, Alexandria, VA.

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The Rev. Chris Duncan, rector, St. Pauls Episcopal Church, Katy, TX. The Rev. Beth OCallaghan, rector, St. Marys Episcopal Church, Lake Ronkonkoma, NY.

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s I write this update, were in the final weeks of the 2012 fiscal year, pressing hard to make our Annual Fund goal. By the time you are reading it, well already be launched into the 2013 fiscal year. The efforts for the VTS Annual Fund are always ongoing, as the need is always present. The Annual Fund is so essential to every aspect of Seminary life. As a significant piece of the revenue for our operating budget, it helps pay the bills of the daily operations of the Seminary. Perhaps not as exciting as special opportunities for giving such as the Chapel for the Ages Campaign, or endowing a faculty chair, or underwriting an international pilgrimage, it is vitally needed nonetheless. We need our alumni and friends who care about the vision and ministry of the Seminary to step forward and support the VTS Annual Fund. We give thanks for all of our current doners! If you havent contributed in the past, now is the time.

The Alumni Association Executive Committee (AAEC) elections took place in the early spring and we had a record number of ballots cast, more than in the prior five years. Were pleased to share the results of the election: AAEC Class of 2015: The Rev. Katharine Babson (92) The Rev. Kimberly Jackson (10) Dr. Marianne Ryan (11) The Rt. Rev. C. Cabell Tennis (64) The Rev. Troy Mendez (09) was elected as the alumni representative to the Board of Trustees. AAEC officers, as announced in the last issue of News from the Hill, are: President: The Rev. Andrew Merrow (81) Vice President: The Rev. Grant Ambrose (11) Secretary: The Rev. Blake Rider (04)

The Rev. Meredith Holt, rector, Grace Episcopal Church, Galveston, TX.

Keeping
In Touch
The Journal The Seminarys magazine for alumni and friends. Once per year, in the fall. News from the Hill The Seminarys newsletter for supporters of VTS. Three times per year, in January, April, and July. The eNews Email updates about happenings at VTS. The first day of each month. The Deans Commentary Daily Seminary updates from Dean Markham and other guest contributors. Daily, Monday-Friday. Alumni Convocation 2012 Annual conference for graduates of the Seminary. October 2 & 3. You can also find us on:

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The Very Rev. Robert C. Wright was elected Bishop of the Diocese of Atlanta on June 2, 2012.

The Rev. Benjamin Badgett, assistant rector, Christ Episcopal Church, Bowling Green, KY. The Rev. Dawn Campbell, assistant rector, St. James Parish, Lothian, MD. The Rev. Laura Cochran, associate rector for Family Ministries, St. Annes Episcopal Church, Reston, VA. The Rev. Christopher Cole, assistant to the Rector for Youth and Young Adult Ministries, Holy Innocents, Atlanta, GA. The Rev. Caleb Lee, assistant rector, St. Pauls Episcopal Church, Beaufort, NC.

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The Rev. Jennie Lou Reid, rector, St. Faiths Episcopal Church, Cutler Bay, FL. She was also elected as President of the Standing Committee and as Deputy to the 2012 General Convention from the Diocese of Southeast Florida.

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The Rev. Keith Johnson, priestin-charge, St. Philips Episcopal Church, Harlem, NY.

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On June 2, 2012, the Rev. Jeff Fisher was elected Bishop Suffragan for the Diocese of Texas. The Rev. Dr. Anne-Marie Jeffery, priest-in-charge, St. Peters Episcopal Church, Perth Amboy, NJ. The Rev. Jennifer McKenzie, priest-in-charge, Episcopal Church of the Epiphany, Herndon, VA.

The Rev. Shawn Strout, assistant rector, Christ Church Parish, The Rev. Elizabeth Locher, teacher, Kensington, MD. Msalato Theological College, The Rev. Andrew Terry, assistant to Dodoma, Tanzania. the Pastoral Director, Richmond Hill, The Rev. Leo Loyola, curate in the Richmond, VA. Windward Regional Ministry, St. The Rev. Ginny Wilder, associate Christophers Episcopal Church, rector, Trinity Episcopal Church, Kailua, HI. Wilmington, DE. The Rev. Shivaun Wilkinson, assistant to the Rector for Children, Youth and Young Families, St. Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church, Rockville, MD.

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The Rev. Jon Chip Graves, rector, Trinity Episcopal Church, Huntington, WV. The Rev. Lisa Beyer Graves, rector, St. Johns Episcopal Church, Huntington, WV.

Left: The Rev. Rob Wright (98), the first African-American to be elected Bishop in the Diocese of Atlanta, addresses his electors at the Atlanta Diocesan Conference on June 6, 2012. Photo courtesy of the Diocese of Atlanta. News from the Hill www.vts.edu

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Guest Article

PERFECT
IN EVERY WAY
by the Rev. Jimmy Grace (05)
he other day I was riding down a street in our neighborhood on a bike next to my six-year-old son, who had just learned to ride a two-wheel big boy bike all by himself. Riding down the street, the two of us smiled as the wind blew past our faces. This was certainly not an unusual sight in our neighborhood but it was for me. I never thought my son would ever ride a bike. My son, James, has autism. Autism for James means that his challenges involve those things that others take for granted dailyconversation, eye contact, concentration, empathy. For James first four years, he spoke very little, and my wife Marla and I wondered if he would ever speak. Speech has come for James, thanks to a lot of early intervention and schooling. His curiosity about the world never ceases to surprise me. It is remarkable to me how far James has come in only the first six years of his life. Before he was born, my wife and I went in for a 20-week ultrasound to learn if we were going to have a boy or girl. During the ultrasound, the radiologist spent what seemed to us a lot of time looking at Jamesespecially his brain. As I remember that day, another doctor came in and examined the images on the screen, and then began to explain to us what we already knew: something was not right. A part of James brain called the cerebellar vermis, the doctor explained, was smaller than the average size of a typical childs cerebellar vermis at this point. Although the doctor was unable to tell us to what extent this might affect him, both my wife and I were absolutely devastated at the

Resources for Including People with Intellectual Disabilities by the Rev. Kyle Oliver (11)

n March 26, Dr. Ralph Honderd gave a forum at VTS on ministry with people with intellectual disabilities. This is an area of our ministry of welcome in which so many churches have significant room for improvement. The good news Dr. Honderd shared is that there are people who can help. Friendship Ministries is an inter-denominational organization whose mission is to share Gods love with people who have intellectual disabilities and to enable them to become an active part of Gods family. As a part of that mission, they offer materials for sale and also maintain a suggested reading list. Similarly, CLC Network (Christian Learning Center) promotes the development of people with a variety of abilities and disabilities to live as active, integrated members of their communities. Their site also includes a reading list, as well as product offerings that range from books to Inclusion Awareness Kits and services such as church consulting and drama/dance. Both groups want to help your church take concrete steps to include people with cognitive impairments and to help support families lives of faith. Please consider reaching out to them. ... Occupy Faith, continued from page 6. that there was an injustice that needed to be confronted and I hoped that Trinity would allow other conversations to inform their sense of mission other than this closed environment that was presented to us. Cooper responded by pointing out how OWS had affected the greater community. Our congregation, our neighbors, the merchants who in the second and third months, were losing business, he said. They were frantic about their safely it was not a happy situation. The encampment had had its time and most are grateful that it concluded. At the conclusion of the forum, Oliver announced that the Social Concerns Committee, along with several anonymous donors, had raised $2,800 in honor of Occupy. The money will go to the rebuilding of the cathedral in Haiti. Concluded Mathews, [This] forum was an opportunity for VTS to engage the churchs complicity in structural sin and to examine how we can work as a body to seek and serve Christ in all persons and, in particular, to practice the kind of reconciliation The Episcopal Church needs for mission in a polarized world. q Pictured above, the Rev. Mike Angell, assistant rector at St. Johns Lafayette Square, asks a question.

news. The vision of a perfect birth of our first-born immediately was snatched from our midst that day, replaced with a hollow anxiety and dread to fill a now empty space. I remember days later at some point we were counseled to consider abortion. At this time I was finishing my final semester of seminary, and it is hard to remember a time when I felt more alone and frightened. I prayed. Our community at the seminary came over on Monday evenings to our home and prayed with us and for us and for James. It was odd that during a time of great anxiety and chaos that I felt so comforted by the Holy Spirit in a way that I never had before. Something beyond all reason informed me that all things would be well. James was born a week or so after I graduated from seminary, and soon after, we moved back to Houston to begin work at Epiphany, Houston. Since then we have welcomed two other boys into our family, both of whom are typically developing (i.e., rambunctious!). I have heard it said before that there is no such thing as a blessing without some blood being shed. I believe that to be true. In many ways James has blessed my life

he has certainly taught me more about love, humility, and the nature of God than any priest, bishop, or seminary professor. James entry into my life forced my heart to break and open in uncomfortable ways. But as I think about this experience, I wonder about God. It wouldnt surprise me if God has autism. Or Down Syndrome. Or multiple sclerosis. James is a sacrament of a paradox I was unaware of until his birththat disability often seems to be Gods greatest strength. q The Rev. Jimmy Grace serves as Canon for Christian Formation at Christ Church Cathedral in Houston, Texas. This article first appeared in the Diocese of Texas magazine, Diolog (June 2012, Volume 2, Number 2).

Honderd and his wife Carol assist seminaries as they prepare pastors to deal with families and persons struggling with intellectual disabilities. The couple have traveled by motor home for more than ten years and have visited hundreds of churches and organizations. They have also visited 80 seminaries and have many resources and much information to share. There are so many challenges facing pastors as they confront disability concerns in their churches, and with the increased prevalence of autism, this is becoming a huge issue for church families. For more information visit www.friendship.org. Some helpful resources include: Autism and Your Church by Barbara J. Newman Faith Alive Christian Resource, 2011 Acquainted with Autism: Ministering to Families Affected by Autism by Sheila Gosney Warner Press, 2009

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Guest Article

Office of Institutional Advancement

What the Chapel Means To Me

by John V. M. Gibson
Bishop Henry St. George Tucker officiated and I have always thought that he looked exactly like a Presiding Bishop should look. Later, I sang in the Chapel Choir each week while I attended EHS. I remember the stirring sermon Churchill Gibson gave at my graduation, the kind of graduation sermon we all should have! And later still, when my Mother lived at Goodwin House, I visited the Chapel as often as possible and Dick Hobson was always there. I cried at many Chapel services. I cried when the stained glass windows Mother gave to the Chapel were installed and I cried at the first funeral services for my parents, both held in the Chapel. I remember Bishop Phil Smith (retired, of New Hampshire) whom I wanted to give the eulogy when my Mother died. He hesitated to accept the invitation because his wife had recently died and he had just broken an arm, which he still had in a sling. But the morning of the funeral he said he would do it, and he gave a beautiful eulogy. So many wonderful memories. The Chapel in many ways was the center of my very special universe; it was the place I could always come back to from wherever I was temporarily living. The Chapel represented permanence and continuity, as I am sure it does to many. I remember being saddened when the old balconies were removed; part of me wondered how my Mother could wish to have the windows on the north side of the Chapel replaced with the stained glass windows that now celebrate my fathers ministry. But, as usual, Mother knows best. Things must change and change will be for the better. And so I celebrate the change and anxiously look forward to celebrating in the new Chapel and its new (and perfect) site. Thanks be to God.

Institutional | Advancement

y family lived at the Seminary (in the old Deanery) for a number of years, and the Chapel to me as a child seemed an extension of our front yard. The concept of private property didnt dawn on me for many years. At about age five, my older brother and I learned that the Nazis were bad and so we prepared various escape routes - one of which was underneath the Chapel. One Sunday we crawled through one of the grills and proceeded to discuss war strategies. Unfortunately, our newly-ordained father was preaching the sermon and could hear us speaking loudly to each other. He commenced to preach more loudly, hoping to drown out our voices.

BUDDY GRIETZ: GIVING IS HIS BUSINESS

Buddy Grietz has always been a generous man. As owner of Presto Valet, the dry cleaners located on Quaker Lane for the past 61 years, he has supported the spiritual leaders of the community by cleaning and pressing clergy garments free of charge. He has also supported local causes including breast cancer and local sports by passing the hat to his clients. Buddy is in the business of generosity. Still, it was a great surprise to the Rev. Barney Hawkins when Buddy offered to help raise money for the Seminarys new chapel. From April until June, if one of Buddys clients donated $25.00 or more toward the Seminarys new chapel, he would give them a one-time $10 credit toward their account. To date, Buddy and his team have raised more than $1,500 for the Seminary.
Left: Buddy Grietz, and his Vice President, Dianne Chatelain, collected more than $1,500 for the new chapel.

A Generous Faith
by the Rev. J. Barney Hawkins IV, Ph.D.
It is the freedom from idolatry of money that Christ offers the rich young man in the parable. Remember, it is not that money is inherently evil or that the possession of money as such is sin. The issue for the Christian (and ultimately, for everyone) is whether a person trusts money more than God and comes to rely on money rather than on grace for the assurance of moral significance, both as an individual and in relationship with the whole of humanity. - William Stringfellow A generous faith begets generous giving. Out of what we believe about God and Gods mission in the world, we believe the proper response is generosity a joyful giving of all we are and have. This is a deep root in the generous faith of Anglicanism. George Herbert, one of the architects of Anglicanism, wrote:Thou hast given so much to us. Give one thing more, a grateful heart. For individuals and institutions, we believe that our ministry and mission begins and ends with a grateful heart. This means that we do not talk about sacrificial giving; rather we talk about grateful giving to advance Gods mission in the world. This past Commencement reminded me anew: We go into all the world to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We believe we go out to serve because we are grateful. What else would send us to the four corners of the earth? So, we believe we must by Gods grace keep Virginia Theological Seminary strong and vital, a place of light for the whole world. We believe we have such a bold duty, such an awesome opportunity.

Above: The author, John Gibson (right), in front of the old Deanery with his brother, Bob, and sister, Margaret (Greta) Gibson.

At about age seven, I cut some daffodils on the south side of the Chapel and proceeded to sell my freshly-cut flowers to our neighbors, the Lowerys. In fact, I cut flowers all over the Hill, believing they were gifts from God and belonged to no one in particular. Later, at age nine, my father became the first full-time rector of Immanuel Churchon-the-Hill and worshipping God every Sunday in His temple was unavoidable. Missionary work became a strong interest and I would discuss with Ted Mollegen our views on who should receive our Sunday School tithes. One Sunday we learned that the offering would go to a recipient that we had not approved of, so we took matters into our own hands. When it came time to take up the collection, we simply walked out of the Chapel with the collection plates and hid the offering on the roof of our garage. Of course, my father was visited by a Seminarian shortly after the conclusion of the service and I fessed up. Some years later, I watched proudly as my father was consecrated Suffragan Bishop.

he Deans editorial in this edition of News From the Hill explores what we believe at Virginia Theological Seminary. Convincingly, he draws on the tradition of a generous faith within Anglicanism and the ways that the Episcopal Church is heir to this tradition. His clarity is helpful as we practice being Anglicans in the twenty-first century. He is right: there is more than one way to be an Anglican. As we raise money for the Annual Fund and the Chapel for the Ages Campaign, I wish to assert that we believe at Virginia Theological Seminary in giving and fundraising. We believe that money is not a dirty word. We believe that ministry and mission are always in conversation with money. We believe money, giving and fundraising are theological matters.

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News from the Hill is published regularly by the Virginia Theological Seminary, 3737 Seminary Road, Alexandria, Virginia 22304. Telephone: 703-370-6600. Please direct News from the Hill comments, questions or story ideas to Susan Shillinglaw at sshillinglaw@vts.edu. Send address changes or corrections to Michael Potin at mpotin@vts.edu.

VIRGINIA THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

2012 Alumni Convocation & Kreitler Lecture

Designing the Sacred:

Architecture Meets Mission
October 2-3, 2012
featuring: Robert A.M. Stern, FAIA Michael Vergason, FASLA, FAAR Judy Fentress-Williams, Ph.D. Ian S. Markham, Ph.D.

SA VE TH E D AT E!

and featuring:

The Dedication of the 1881 Chapel Memorial Garden