Harvey Elected COB President
Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey (M.Div. ’99) has been elected president of the Council of Bishops of the United Methodist Church. Harvey, who is area bishop of the Louisiana Conference, was elected at the bishops’ meeting at Lake Junaluska Assembly on Nov. 6.
Harvey was the recipient of the 2018 Perkins School of Theology Distinguished Alumnus/a Award and one of the first graduates of Perkins’ Houston-Galveston Extension Program. Read the story here.
BU Dean Announces Departure
Boston University’s School of Theology will lose its dean at the end of this academic year, when Mary Elizabeth Moore (B.A. ’66, Ph.D. ’67) hands off the leadership baton. Moore’s 11-plus years as dean saw increased funding for faculty research, reaccreditation by the Association of Theological Schools and the addition of new degree and certificate programs, including in Latin American and ecological studies and a Ph.D. in theological studies. Moore is also a professor of theology and education. Moore earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Southern Methodist University and another master’s and a doctorate from Claremont School of Theology. Read the story here.
Churches Forgive Medical Debt
Two congregations in Northwest Oklahoma, both led by Perkins alums, are teaming up to tackle $4.5 million in medical debt affecting families in need in their communities. The Reverend Jeff Hinton (M.Div. ’15) of Okeene United Methodist Church and the Reverend Emily Robnett (M.Div. ’17) of New Hope United Methodist Church, along with their congregations, are aiming to purchase a total of $4.5 million in medical debt. The churches are working with RIP Medical Debt, a Rye, N.Y.-based nonprofit that uses donations to purchase bundles of medical debt from debt collection agencies for pennies — sometimes less than a penny — on the dollar, and then forgives the debt. “What we have are people who are afraid to go see the doctor,” Robnett said, “because they are afraid it will cost them more than they can afford, which is often the case.” Read the story here.