Category: January 2023

Bishop Michael McKee (M.Th. ‘78) did not languish in retirement for even a moment. On Jan. 1, he retired as episcopal leader of the North Texas Annual Conference, and on the same day, became dean ad interim of Perkins School of Theology. He will serve until a permanent dean has been named.

McKee steps into the deanship following Dean Craig C. Hill’s planned retirement as dean on Dec. 31, 2022. The announcement of McKee’s interim position was made Aug. 10 by Elizabeth G. Loboa, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs for Southern Methodist University.

McKee had served as Bishop of North Texas since his election by the South Central Jurisdiction in 2012. He was also a member of SMU’s Board of Trustees, but is stepping down during his interim deanship.

McKee said that he looked forward to returning to campus and giving back to his alma mater.

“In many ways, the person I’ve become, I owe to the theological education I got at Perkins,” he said. “I want other people to have that kind of experience.”

Before the announcement of Hill’s retirement, McKee had been appointed to serve as Bishop in Residence at Perkins. He has actively participated in Perkins’ Internship Program, mentoring nearly a dozen students over the years. A few years ago, he was honored for having mentored more students than any other mentor pastor.

“Even then, at the age of 50, serving as a mentor was formative for me,” he said. “It helped me realize that you must be a lifelong learner to be a leader in the church. And that the church is so privileged to have a theological institution like Perkins in its midst.”

Eno Afon had heard of Perkins long before she relocated to the U.S. from Nigeria. When she landed in the Dallas area, enrolling at Perkins for her seminary education was an easy decision.

“There were so many attractive things about Perkins,” she said. “Perkins is endowed with a lot of prestigious professors, and the academic program and the internship program are both excellent.”

Now, as a first-year M.Div. student at Perkins, Afon also appreciates the flexibility that Perkins. She’s interested in youth ministry.

“With my training in Perkins, I’m not restricted to the pulpit,” she said. “Everyone is gifted differently. My interest is in helping youth, especially those affected by addiction, all kinds of addiction. I’m concerned about the over-dependence on technological gadgets. That’s a major source of destruction for the youth. I want to see if there’s a way I can help.”

Afon manages to juggle her full-time studies along with an already busy schedule. She is a licensed local pastor, serving at Wesley United Methodist Church, a predominantly African congregation in Arlington, Texas, where she’s an active volunteer, a member of the choir and assistant to the pastor.

A wife and mother, Afon also works full-time at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth as a patient safety assistant. At Perkins, she’s active in the International Students group; recently, she volunteered with the group at Genesis Women’s Shelter and visited the Stockyards in Fort Worth.  She also volunteers when she can at Mission Arlington as a counselor.

“All this has been a challenge,” she said. “I would love to do more.  The ministry is wide, so the giftedness is much, so I try to, as much as fitting where I know I can fit in.”

Afon is a lifelong Methodist. In Nigeria, she attended the Methodist Institute of Theology.

How does she stay grounded throughout all this? “Praise, prayer and studying the word of God,” Afon replies.

“When I wake up in the morning, because I get out of bed, I’m doing my prayers,” she said. “I read a daily devotion, usually one by Charles Stanley of In Touch Ministries.”

Every Wednesday, Afon partakes in fasting. “This is a self-discipline that helps me seek the face of God and to be able to intercede for others,” she said. “As a prayer leader in my church, this helps me when other people bring their problems to me. We take it to the Lord together in prayer.”

Her favorite Bible verse is John 8:32: “And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” (NRSVUE)

“The truth does not change,” she said. “Even if you cover the truth, eventually it comes out. Jesus Christ is the truth. Stick to the truth, so you don’t have anything to fear. That passage keeps me going, keeps me focused, keeps me on the journey of my faith.”

Dreams also factor heavily in Afon’s spiritual life; a dream played a pivotal role in her call story.

Years ago, when she was working as a flight attendant for Bellview Airlines in Nigeria, she had a dream about an aircraft in trouble. She prayed over and over the dream. On October 21, 2005, Afon completed her shift; the next day, the same aircraft crashed on October 22. The Boeing 737-200 airliner nose-dived at high speed just a few minutes after take-off, killing all 117 people on board.

“Before, I had been careless in spiritual life,” she said. “I went into things I’m not supposed to do. That experience led me to stay focused on my journey with Christ. It brought me back to the way that God has a purpose for my life.”

When she’s not busy with school, work, family or church, Afon loves to cook. She loves making two Nigerian specialties: eba, a staple made from fried grated cassava flour, and egusi, a melon soup made with meat and seafood as well as akara (bean fritters), mushrooms, and greens.

“The most joyous hobby I have is feeding people with good food,” she said.

Anthony Everett to Lead Siloam Project

Anthony Everett (M.Div. ’08) was recently appointed to the Baptist Seminary of Kentucky (BSK) staff as coordinator of the school’s Siloam Project, effective Dec. 15. Everett is a human rights advocate, public theologian and congregational coach/consultant. Previously he served as executive director of Mission Behind Bars and Beyond, a Louisville, Ky.-based organization that advocates for formerly incarcerated individuals as they seek to build a new life beyond prison walls. At BSK, he will provide leadership for an initiative to accelerate the seminary’s congregation-centered approach to theological education. Funded by a nearly $1 million grant from the Lilly Endowment, the Siloam Project also will develop a network of “learning churches,” which will inform and help shape BSK’s approach to contextual theological education. Read a Baptist News Global story on Everett’s new appointment here.

Remembering E.P. Sanders

The influential New Testament scholar E. P. Sanders (M.Th. ’62), who devoted his career to promoting more accurate and sympathetic understandings of early Judaism, died November 21 at age 85 in Durham, North Carolina. While studying at Perkins, he was encouraged by William R. Farmer (then the senior New Testament scholar at Perkins) to study Hebrew abroad. Contributions from a Methodist church and a synagogue, Temple Emanu-el in Dallas, allowed Sanders to study in Israel.  “I felt overwhelmed by their generosity, and I especially vowed that the gift from Temple Emanu-el would not be in vain,” he later wrote. From the late 1970s to the early 1990s, Sanders published a series of books, including “Paul and Palestinian Judaism,” “Jesus and Judaism” and “Judaism: Practice and Belief 63 BCE–66 A.D.,” exploring the relationship between early Judaism and early Christianity.

“In his work and personally he forcefully called on fellow scholars to reject caricatures of Judaism and to immerse themselves more deeply in ancient Jewish sources,” wrote Mark A. Chancey, professor of religious studies in Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences at Southern Methodist University, in a Religion News Service opinion piece. “Few … would question the impact of his demand that representations of Jews and Judaism be fair and accurate and not grounded in negative stereotypes. Especially at a time when antisemitism in America and elsewhere is on the rise, his presence will be sorely missed.” Click here to read Chancey’s tribute to Sanders.

Obituary: The Rev. Dr. Randy Mays Fitzgerald

The Rev. Dr. Randy Mays Fitzgerald (M.Th. ‘76) passed away on December 21 at age 70. Services were held December 26 in Palestine, Texas, with the Rev. Ken McEachern officiating. Fitzgerald started preaching at 18 years old and pastored numerous United Methodist churches in the East Texas area. He is survived by his wife Karen; and family: Jack & Lauren Dunaway, Liberty and Finley; Jamie & Bryan Duke, Rylan, Kinley and Jameson; Tiffany Gulledge, Peyton and Preslie. In lieu of flowers the family asks that memorial gifts be made to Samaritan’s Purse, P. O. Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607. Read the obituary here.

 Obituary: The Rev. Michael Head

The Rev. Michael “Michi” Thomas Head (M.Div. ‘90) of Geismar, La., died December 22 at age 62. He was serving as senior pastor at New Life Community United Methodist Church in Luling, La., at the time of his death. Previously, he was senior pastor at Jefferson UMC in Baton Rouge and Maguire UMC in West Munroe. He also served the United Methodist Foundation of Louisiana in various roles since 2012, most recently as the Chairman of the Board. A funeral was held at Jefferson United Methodist Church on December 28.  Read the obituary here.

Obituary: The Rev. Carr Dee Racop, Jr.

The Rev. Carr Dee Racop, Jr. (M.Th. ‘58) passed away on December 22 at the age of 91 in Plano, Texas. During his career as a minister, Racop was appointed to several United Methodist churches, including one in College Mound, Texas, and several in Arkansas including Bearden, Sheridan, Gurdon, Portland, Ashdown, Sherill and Little Rock. He also spent several summers leading Camp Tanako in Hot Springs, Ark. During his career in ministry, Racop was passionate about youth ministry and advocated for change regarding social issues, including civil rights. After he retired from the ministry in 1997, he held positions in Arkansas state government and with H&R Block. A memorial service will be held on January 14 at Trinity United Methodist Church in Little Rock. Read his obituary here.