Author: 46779326

Four hundred years ago, there was something in the water.
It was us.
Kidnapped from the mother continent…
There was something in the water that caused the lynching of black and brown bodies…

Peer into the water.
Do you see it?
Looks like mass incarceration.
Looks like children in cages.
Peer into the water.
Do you see it?
Looks toxic water in Flynt.
Looks like nine black bodies bombarded by bullets in a Bible study.
There’s something in the water.

These stirring words of lament, written by the Rev. Dr. Michael W. Waters, opened a January 12 virtual conversation on racial justice.

Co-sponsored by Perkins School of Theology, the online event featuring Waters and former congressman Beto O’Rourke marked the launch of Waters’ new book, Something in the Water: A 21st Century Odyssey (Chalice Press).  Leah Gunning Francis, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty at Christian Theological Seminary, moderated.

Waters is a civil rights leader, pastor and an alumnus of Perkins, where he earned a Doctor of Ministry in 2012 and Master of Divinity in 2006. He is founding pastor of Abundant Life African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church in Dallas, Texas. O’Rourke, who wrote the forward to Waters’ new book, represented Texas’s 16th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 2013 to 2019.

“As I journeyed over the last year, I was struck by the multiplicity of brutalities and horrors that had been visited upon these shores and that continue to be visited every day,” Waters said. “If we tried to quantify the numbers of lives crushed due to the realities of white supremacy … even mentioning those names, it pales in comparison to the number individuals who’ve actually suffered. Unfortunately, we don’t know many of the names of our ancestors who were enslaved. The women and men sexually assaulted over generations.

“It demands something of us. It demands a righteous and active response. We are called to bring about justice.”

O’Rourke expressed gratitude for Waters’ words, adding that he wanted his children to hear them, and for the call to action in Waters’ “profoundly powerful” book.

“There is this comfort that many of us have taken in this idea that progress is inexorable and inevitable and will happen of its own accord – as if there’s no participation required of us to bring it about,” O’Rourke added. “As Waters points out in his book, people unwittingly twist MLK’s words when they say ‘the arc of the moral universe bends toward justice’ as if we can just sit back and wait for it to happen. No. It requires action of all of us.”

O’Rourke reflected on the events of January 6, when protesters stormed the Capitol in Washington, D.C., as a sign of the lingering hold of white supremacy.

“When current commentators say, ‘This is not America,’ let’s be honest with one another and admit, that this is America,” he said. “There’s some agency in admitting the truth and our responsibility to change America for the better for everyone. Reading this book, I left with more energy that I started with. ‘Action’ is the word I take from this.”

Waters noted that inequality and oppression were built into the design of Dallas, with redlining and terror campaigns that kept Black citizens poor and separate, in the southern part of the city. In the early 20^th century, one out of three men in Dallas was a member of the KKK.

“It is a history not known by many persons within the city,” he said. “In 2018, the Urban Institute said Dallas was the most racially inequitable, most racially segregated city in America. The dividing line is I-30. If you live below I-30, you see the disparity there.”

Waters says that the disparities are evident in the obvious differences between the northern and southern sectors of the city.

“Dallas is a microcosm of America,” he said. “As challenging as you think things are in America, it’s much worse, when you look at the impact of white supremacy.”

O’Rourke noted that the U.S. has suffered more than 20 percent of the deaths in the world during the pandemic, and that a disproportionate portion of the more than 433,000 who’ve died were Black, Native American and Hispanic.

“El Paso is the hardest hit city in the U.S.,” he said. In a city that is 85 percent Mexican American, “We have so many people dying … that we had to call in the National Guard to move dead bodies. I would prioritize those communities hit hardest to get the help they need. It’s literally a life and death issue.”

Still, he added, it’s important not to despair.

“The antidote to despair is action,” O’Rourke said. “We must move, we must act, we must meet this moment.”

Waters closed the event with prayer: “Dear God, teach me to pray with my feet. That I might become a drum major for justice, till the walls come tumbling down.”

In addition to Perkins, co-sponsors of the event included the Interdenominational Theological Center; Dallas Black Clergy; Lone Star Justice Alliance; Faith Commons; DC Corrections; Abundant Life A.M.E.; and The Christian Recorder.

Read more about Waters and his book at https://chalicepress.com/pages/waters-michael-w

As a spiritual psychologist, Jana Rentzel sees many people whose spirits are troubled, buffeted by the usual challenges of life as well as the events of the past year — the pandemic, political turmoil, racial injustices.  Having graduated from the Perkins Certificate in Spiritual Direction program in 2019, Rentzel says, she’s better equipped to help.

“The program allowed me to become much more skilled in understanding and addressing a client’s current orientation in terms of their own spiritual journey and helping them clarify their spiritual goals and apply them to their everyday lives,” she said.

Those interested in working in spiritual direction — the art of accompaniment and guidance of others in their spiritual journey — are invited to apply for the next cohort of the Perkins Certificate in Spiritual Direction program, which begins in April. Registration is now open; deadline for submission is February 28.

“Spiritual directors are trained to listen, pray, and ask questions in a fashion that encourages directees to discern the movement of the Holy Spirit in their lives,” said Ruben Habito, director of the program. “They ask the kind of questions that nurture the growth of wisdom, using the tools and values that have been sharpened over two millennia of prayerful observation.”

“I am heartily convinced that spiritual direction is crucial in meeting the needs of individuals who seek to lead a more fulfilling and meaningful life,” Rentzel added.

New Cohort

The non-credit, continuing education program trains graduate students, lay people and clergy, and is offered in a user-friendly, non-traditional format to accommodate their busy lives.  Training courses take place in eight weekend sessions held in April, August and December over a period of three years. (New cohorts begin in April and August only). Participants receive a certificate of completion after all required courses and training have been successfully fulfilled.

Rentzel, a PhD spiritual psychologist in private practice for more than 25 years, enrolled after observing growing public interest in spiritual growth. Often, she said, struggles with other names have a spiritual component.

“The main difference between spiritual direction and psychotherapy is that you are bringing in that higher power,” she said. “With this work, there are three people involved – the client, the spiritual director, and God or the Holy Spirit, who is the true counselor. You’re helping the client cut right down to the root cause, to get past whatever is obscuring them to be free to love, to care, to accept differences, and to really find joy.”

A key tool of spiritual direction is mindfulness meditation, Rentzel added.

“Meditation increases our deeper awareness and our ability to stay centered in our innermost core,” she said. “When we do that, we’re not coming from fear, we’re coming from love. We’re just in a more centered place within ourselves and within our truth. We can stay open, keep our heart open, because we know there is a divine purpose and a divine plan.”

Deep Roots

Rentzel thinks that the kind of spiritual work that spiritual directors nurture could help address many of the issues of incivility, hatred and polarization that have troubled so many of late.

“Spiritual direction is essentially getting at the deep root cause of our issues – whether they’re manifesting as anger, fear, or racial hatred,” she said. “Those are things that are beleaguering our country and our world right now.”

Approaching conflicts from a spiritual context allows people to have more compassion, Rentzel added, and that gives them more freedom from feeling threatened and defensive.

“In our human mindset we rarely have that broader perspective,” she said. “We see life as a duality. We become very defensive and things escalate. That’s so much of what’s happening in the world today. Each side has its own stories. The truth lies somewhere way beneath and beyond.”

The Certificate for Spiritual Direction program was initiated in 2010 under the leadership of Dr. Frederick Schmidt, with a grant from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations. Initially a two-year program, the curriculum was expanded in 2016 with additional practicum sessions. To date, more than 300 students have earned certifications.

New cohorts begin each year in April and August, with students progressing together over the course of three years of coursework. Students study throughout the year, reading books, writing papers and attending online classes, then gather on campus for eight weekend class sessions during the three years. Students are encouraged to meet regularly with a spiritual director at least six months before beginning the program and to continue to meet at least monthly while in the program. The program is ecumenical and works within a Christian framework

“It’s open to all spiritual seekers,” Habito said. “Anyone who can understand and appreciate what is offered through the Christian perspective is welcome.”

Rentzel believes many people can benefit from the program.

“To anyone desiring to realize their full, God-given potential and to help others do the same, the Perkins training in spiritual direction is a must,” Rentzel said. “Whether they apply their training by practicing as a spiritual director or simply use their comprehensive new skills to enrich the lives of those in their current sphere of influence, this program will add great depth and height of meaning to every endeavor.”

Why do Protestants tend to shy away from Mary, the Mother of Jesus? And what might they be missing as a result? Attendees will have the opportunity to examine these questions at the Perkins Summit for Faith & Learning, which takes place online March 19-20.

Dr. Jeanne Stevenson-Moessner, Professor of Pastoral Care and Pastoral Theology, will teach a daylong class on “How Do We Solve A Problem Like…Mary?” It’s one of five offerings taught by Perkins faculty as part of the virtual event.

For a preview of the course, we talked with Stevenson-Moessner; here are excerpts.

Q. Your course title is “How Do We Solve a Problem Like… Mary?”  What is the problem?

Her invisibility. She was rather invisible in my upbringing in the church as a Protestant. The only time she popped up was in the crêche at Christmas, or at the foot of the cross, and then at Ascension.

Q. The course description talks about her “apparent passivity and helplessness.”  Is there another way to view Mary? 

Often, Mary is seen wringing her hands at the foot of the cross or fainting into the arms of John the Disciple. Or we read the Magnificat, her psalm of praise, as a declaration of acquiescence. These are images of passivity and blind acceptance. Even in the crêche, Mary is portrayed as just sitting there and staring at the baby. We see that in Christmas pageants and in some art and renditions. I think these are inaccurate stereotypes.

Consider that, if someone is going to accept what God has given them – like bearing a child out of wedlock – it takes strength. You have to be a strong woman to survive in the role of pariah or outcast.

In the Magnificat, Mary identified with a vision, in which people who are oppressed are lifted up and made important. It’s very similar to what we do on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. We remember that God is with those who are oppressed. It’s right there in the Magnificat, a central text for the liberation movement.

As we approach the Lenten and Easter seasons, consider that Mary was actually there at the crucifixion. Think it what it took to be able to stand there and watch that. Just as it takes strength to be able to sit in a waiting room for a sick child, or to identify a child in a morgue. How do you go on? That takes a huge amount of hope, faith and courage.

One of the terms the Catholics have for her is a “woman of valor.” Passivity and helplessness are not accurate descriptions of Mary, the Mother of God. We need to remember that the Council of Ephesus in 431 A.D. ruled Mary to be the Mother of God. Not just the Mother of Jesus; the Mother of God. That is in the tradition of our churches. That’s huge.

God is omnipotent.  God could have chosen to live amongst us in a myriad of ways – yet God chose to be born in the body of a woman. God became flesh (Jesus of Nazareth) in the body of a woman, Mary. Using Mary as she embodies incarnational theology not only elevates the status of Mary but of women in general. The Incarnation underscores the importance of the women’s body, even in cultures that objectify, degrade, and devalue it.

Mary as God-bearer makes her blessed amongst women. I never heard that growing up Methodist and Presbyterian. I want to make sure we can connect with Mary, see her tenderness, her wisdom, the guts to stand at the foot of the cross and watch her child die.

Q. Protestant Christians tend to shy away from Mary. Why?

I think Protestants have reacted to the Catholic and Greek Orthodox emphasis on Mary and Mariology. For fear of “worshipping Mary,” we’ve done very little with Mary. We’ve undervalued her and rendered her invisible.

Q. Tell us about how you personally became interested in Mary and how your view of her has changed over time. 

My children attended a Catholic school during the time we lived in Dubuque, Iowa. When my son was in 7^th grade, he had an illness and was hospitalized for a month at Mayo Clinic; that required me driving several times a week for five hours on one-lane Highway 52’s snowy, icy roads to Rochester, Minn. One of the nuns at the Catholic school, Sister Carmen, knew I was anxious about the drive. If the conditions got really bad, she said she’d go with me. But if not, she advised me, “Take Mother Mary with you.” She encouraged me to allow Mary, mother of God, theotokos, to accompany me.

I really respected Sister Carmen but did not know what she was talking about. Her suggestion did not fit my limited Protestant experience. But I would do anything for my kids, so I tried her suggestion.  I “took Mary with me.”  I played uplifting music, I sang, and I enjoyed not being alone.  Sometimes, I drove more cautiously because of the deer. Sometimes I drove a little slower because of foggy conditions or the late hour. But I never drove with fear, and I never drove alone

I came to realize that I could embrace the fierceness of Mary.  I did not make that journey by myself. Because I had the awareness of an accompanying presence, I can honestly tell you, I did not drive alone. Although I cannot rationally explain the experience, it changed me.

Q. Who should take this course, and what can participants expect to take away?

I hope they will have a new perception of Mary. When we contemplate the austerity of Lent and the horror of crucifixion, they will remember that Mary was involved in all this.  Every time they say the Apostle’s Creed – which reminds us that Jesus was “born of the virgin Mary” – they will have a new view of Mary. They will see her as a woman of valor, someone who knew what it meant to suffer, yet stay the course. Someone who is part of the “cloud of witnesses” that Hebrews 12:1-2 tells us about. A tough, fierce woman who is no stranger to grief, who is a role model of tenderness and mercy.

Registration is now open for the 2021 Perkins Summit for Faith & Learning, March 19-20. This year’s event will take place virtually. Visit this link.

With COVID-19 still a threat, worship leaders are urging increased caution in observing Ash Wednesday on February 17. An ecumenical team has produced a six-page guide to reduce health risks as Christians mark the start of Lent. The guide draws on a range of experts, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Among the contributors were Dr. Mark W. Stamm, Professor of Christian Worship, and alums Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong (M.S.M. ’86) and Brian Hehn (M.S.M. ’12). Lisa Garvin, SMU’s new chaplain, is also a contributor.

Click here to read the guidelines.

If just one word describes what brought Lindsay Bruehl to Perkins – at the age of 40 – it might be “trauma.” But that’s not the last word in her story.

In 2016, Bruehl says, her life fell apart. The presidential election, combined with some personal difficulties, sent her into a tailspin of negative emotions and left her struggling with the Christian beliefs she’d believed most of her life.

“I did not recognize the world I was in,” she said.

That triggered a spiritual quest which led Bruehl, unexpectedly, to a pastor on Twitter named Jonathan Martin of The Table, a Pentecostal church in Oklahoma City.

“I heard scripture in a new way,” she said. “I started asking questions. I started listening to a ton of podcasts. I wanted to hear everything: people from all faiths, people with no faith, people of color, people who had had different experiences in the church.”

In the Bible, she said, she discovered portrayals of pain she’d never recognized before. “I just fell in love with the Bible,” she said. “I wanted to live it, not just hear it.”

Her search eventually led her to her current church home, Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas.  Dr. George Mason, the church’s senior pastor, raised the possibility that Bruehl might be called to ministry. And that eventually led her to Perkins. Bruehl started full-time in 2019 and is now a second year M. Div. student.

The timing was fortunate, because Perkins had just launched the Baptist House of Studies, a program to nurture Perkins students from the Baptist and other Free Church traditions. Bruehl was offered a position as Baptist House Assistant, assisting the director, the Rev. Dr. Jaime Clark-Soles.  Mason is Lead Advisor to the program. Jonathan Martin, the Twitter pastor, joined the Baptist House of Studies Board of Visitors.

Attending seminary was a significant midlife pivot for Bruehl, who spent many years working in the oil and gas industry. Her undergraduate degree from Oklahoma State University is a Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in finance.  Now, she hopes to become a Baptist pastor who can serve from a trauma-informed approach.

“There are a lot of people who are traumatized by church,” she said.

At Perkins, Bruehl said, she’s rediscovering the divine feminine.  Having grown up in the Church of Christ tradition, she says, women’s roles in the church were limited and undervalued.

“When we don’t value women, we don’t value wisdom, justice or truth,” she said. “How we think about the kingdom of God is how we should be living right now. Everyone is invited to participate. Not just men.”

In addition to her work in the Baptist House of Studies, Bruehl is serving as a representative in the Perkins Student Association. To keep herself grounded, she turns to yoga and meditation. Studying and reading Greek have also become an unexpected form of meditation. Family life keeps her busy, too; Bruehl has a daughter, 14, and a son, 12; her husband is a teacher in the Sachse, Texas school district.

Recently, Bruehl preached her first sermon, via Zoom, to Pulaski Heights Baptist Church in Little Rock, Ark., and received her first paycheck for a preaching assignment. She jokes that she plans to frame it.

The sermon focused on two stories from the Bible: the Exodus and the road to Emmaus.

“Both are stories that start with anxiety, but God shows up,” she said. “Both Moses and the disciples wanted to quit, but they saw God or Jesus and went back to work. Moses went back to work on the Ten Commandments, and the Disciples went back to Jerusalem.”

Those are stories that resonate with Bruehl in the path that brought her to Perkins.

“I feel like the spirit led me here,” she said. “The spirit is still working and leading me. We can go to God, and God will pursue us. We are never out of the reach of God.”

New Book

Congratulations to Perkins student Nerissa Grigsby, who published a new book, R.E.B.E.L. Faith 30-Day Devotional: Real, Empowered, Bold, Encouraged, Living in the Word, on December 26. This 30-day devotional aims to encourage readers through good times, challenging them where they are comfortable and motivating them to to achieve all that God has ordained for their lives. The book is available at Amazon.com.

Fighting Hunger

The Rev. Dr. Lael Melville, a Perkins alum and current D.Min. student, and her husband are fighting hunger during the pandemic, as co-founders of the Melville Family Foundation. The organization aims to enhance economic stability, food security and academic excellence for children in the southern sector of Dallas. The Foundation is a supporter of the North Texas Food Bank (NTFB). In 2020, NTFB provided more than 118 million meals to North Texans experiencing hunger — a 40 percent increase over 2019, reflecting significant impact that the COVID-19 pandemic had – and continues to have – on food insecurity. Read an interview with Lael on the NTFB website here.

The Rev. David L. Semrad

The Rev. David L. Semrad, a United Methodist minister and community advocate known for his commitment to education and civil rights, died January 6 at a Houston hospital at age 78.  He earned a Master’s in Theology at Perkins and a Doctor of Ministry (D. Min.) at St. Paul’s School of Theology in Kansas City, Miss. Semrad served as the Associate Pastor of First United Methodist Church in Great Bend, Kan; Director of United Methodist Campus Ministry at the Ecumenical Campus Center at Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kan.; and Director of United Methodist Campus Ministry in San Antonio from 1978 until he retired in 2008. He ministered to college students and people from all walks of life, and befriended international students from around the world by being a host family with his wife and daughters. A cultivator of relationships and devoted community action leader, he participated in such community organizations as San Antonio Communities Organized for Public Service (COPS) and Metro Alliance. Former San Antonio mayor Henry Cisneros said Semrad “was a significant force in the evolution of the best San Antonio we’ve ever had.” Read his obits here and here.

The Rev. Patrick Alton Hudson

Patrick Alton Hudson (M.Th. 1959) of Dallas, Texas, died on November 28, at the age of 87 from Alzheimer’s and the coronavirus.  Patrick served as a senior pastor in the United Methodist Church, serving congregations at St. Philips UMC in Garland, Texas, and First UMC Hutchins. He received his law degree from the University of Texas at Austin, served as Director of the Dallas Legal Aid Society and was in private practice for 20 years. Read the obituary in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette here.

Marietta Norwood 

Marietta Norwood (M.S.M. 1998) died December 13 at River Haven Nursing & Rehab in Paducah, Ky. An accomplished musician, she sang for several years in the Dallas Symphony Chorus, and in later years, worked in many churches as both an organist and choral director.  Her remains will be interred in the columbarium at the Dallas Ft. Worth National Cemetery next to her husband, James. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made to First Christian Church, 111 N. 5th Street, Murray, KY 42071. Read her obituary here.

The Rev. Wayne C. Odom

The Rev. Wayne C. Odom (M.T.S. 1955; D. Min. 1976) died December 17 at the age of 90. Before retiring, Odom served churches throughout the Texas and North Texas Conferences. In the last few years of his ministry, he served at Oak Lawn UMC and First UMC, Grand Prairie, retiring from FUMC Grand Prairie. Odom is survived by his wife, Carolyn Odom, 4120 Kirkwall, Plano, TX  75093.

The Rev. Dr. Norman Grigsby

The Rev. Dr. Norman Wesley Grigsby (M.Th. 1957) died December 20 at the Veterans Administration Community Living Center after a prolonged illness.  He served Methodist churches in Texas and New Mexico.  In 1985 McMurry College, Abilene, Texas, awarded Norman a Doctor of Divinity degree recognizing his accomplishments as a church leader and excellence in local church growth.  He is survived by his wife of 70 years, VonDell, of Amarillo. Memorials can be made to the endowment fund of St. Paul UMC, Amarillo, Texas, or a charity of your choice. Read his obituary and sign the guestbook here.

Cindy Perkins

Cynthia K. “Cindy” Perkins, 60, of Bloomington, Ill., died December 26 at Heritage Health Care, Gibson City, Ill.  Perkins earned a Master’s in Religious Education in 1983 at Perkins and a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Vocationally she served as a Consecrated Deacon in Christian Education in the United Methodist Church.  Read her obituary here.

Charles Evans Cole

Charles Evans Cole, age 85, died December 23 at his home in Santa Fe, N.M. While an undergraduate at Yale Divinity School in 1961, he participated in early demonstrations against Woolworth’s in solidarity with black students in sit-ins in the South. He received a master’s degree in ethics from Perkins School of Theology in 1965. In 1986 he became a staff member of the General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM) of the United Methodist Church. After retiring in 1999 he continued working for GBGM as a consultant for several years, editing a seven-volume History of Mission of The United Methodist Church. Read his obituary here.

The Rev. Dr. Joseph Andrew Fowler

The Rev. Dr. Andy Fowler died January 5. He earned his B.D. (1963), S.T.M. (1964) and D. Min. (1970) degrees at Perkins. Fowler served as a missionary for more than 30 years in Malaysia, primarily with the Iban Methodist Church. He also served as Peace with Justice Educator in the North Texas and Central Texas Annual Conferences and as Conference Secretary for the Board of Global Ministries, Central Texas Conference. He is survived by Monica, his wife of 60 years; two children, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Read his obit here.

The Rev. Betty Stone

Betty Charlene Stone died on December 29 at her daughter’s residence in Oklahoma at the age of 85.  She received her bachelor’s degree in ministry from Southern Methodist University. She served churches in Oklahoma, beginning with a dual appointment at Thackerville United Methodist Church and at Lebanon United Methodist Church. Her last pastorate was at Mill Creek United Methodist Church, and when it was closed, she retired from active church ministry. Read her obituary here.

Dr. Howard Lynn Ramsey

Dr. Howard Lynn Ramsey, 90 of Georgetown, Texas, passed away January 24 due to complications related to COVID-19.  He is survived by his wife, Merrill S. Ramsey, three children and three grandchildren.  Ramsey held a Ph.D. from Columbia University as well as his degrees from SMU and Perkins. He was a lifelong educator and teacher of adult Sunday school. Ramsey had a distinguished career as a professor at Lycoming College, professor and dean at McMurry College and dean and vice president of academic affairs at Kentucky Wesleyan College. He changed careers later in life, and he became an executive at Owensboro National Bank.  Read his obituary here.

Lenten Webinar

Two Perkins alums were recently featured in a webinar series from Amplify Media, “A Season of Reflection: Lenten Studies to Prepare for Easter’s Celebrations.” The series highlighted Susan Robb (M.Div. 2006), author of Seven Words: Listening to Christ from the Cross, examining the last words of Christ on the cross; and Adam Hamilton, (M.Div. 1988), discussing Words of Life: Jesus and the Promise of the Ten Commandments Today, which brings modern eyes to the most important set of ethics in history.   Watch the series here.

Adapting to COVID

After Hurricane Harvey struck Faith United Methodist Church in Galveston, Texas, the Rev. Johnnie Simpson Jr. (M.Div. 2017) advocated for audio and visual upgrades during the rebuild, including better microphones, recording equipment and cameras as well as was software for live streaming and graphic presentation. When the pandemic hit, the church was prepared, Simpson said. He was featured in a story in the Galveston County Daily News about how COVID-19 affected local churches; read it here.

Crossroads Exec Retires

Jay Cole (M.Div. 2002), Executive Director of Crossroads Community Services in Dallas, will retire on March 15. Cole has served since 2001, when he helped First United Methodist Church Dallas open the agency. Crossroads Community Services seeks to ensure that all people in Dallas County have ready access to nourishing foods. Benaye Wadkins, Cole’s successor, will assume her new role as President and Chief Executive Officer on March 1, 2021. Read the story in Park Cities People here.

Anthony Everett

The Rev. Dr. D. Anthony Everett (M.Div. 2008) has been named executive director of Mission Behind Bars and Beyond (MB3) in Louisville, Ky. He becomes the first African American to lead the organization, which works to lead inmates into re-entry to the workforce. Everett, a current member of the Perkins Executive Board, is an ordained elder and was previously associate director of New Church Development for the Kentucky Conference of the United Methodist Church. He often is referred to as a “criminal justice minister.”  Read the story here.

Hermans-Webster at PSR

The Rev. Thomas G. Hermans-Webster (M. Div. 2016) will serve as Assistant Professor of United Methodist Studies at Pacific School of Religion (PSR) beginning July 2021.  Hermans-Webster is a Ph.D. candidate in Constructive Theology and Theological Ethics at Boston University School of Theology, a lifelong United Methodist and an ordained elder in full connection in the North Alabama Conference. Read the story at the North Alabama conference website here.

Miller-Yow to Lead Grant

The Rev. Ronnie Miller-Yow (M. Div. 2006) will serve as Assistant Project Director for a new $1 million grant made by the Lilly Endowment, investing in Philander Smith College to strengthen ministries in Black and small churches in Central Arkansas. Philip L. Pointer, Sr., is Project Director.  The grant is part of Lilly Endowment Inc.’s Thriving in Ministry, an initiative that supports a variety of religious organizations across the nation as they create or strengthen programs that help pastors build relationships with experienced clergy who can serve as mentors and guide them through key leadership challenges in congregational ministry. The grant period at Philander Smith College will run from December 2020 through December 2025. Read about the grant here.

Roller Derby Pastor

Strapping on her skates and heading into the rink for a roller derby match, she becomes “Slaydie Hawkins,” number 23 on the Spindletop Rollergirls team. The rest of the time, however, everyone knows her as Rev. Sadie Brink (M. Div. 2017), senior pastor at Silsbee FUMC. Roller derby, she says, provides an outlet for camaraderie, for promoting health and for evangelism, far outside her church walls. Read her story from the Texas Annual Conference here.