DMin's and a new director for Dmin announced

It's been a great June with 50+ DMin and other students on campus the past two weeks. Class G is finishing their third 3 week residency while Class H, the first of the joint Seabury-CDSP classes completed their first residency. The refectory was crowded and the energy high. During the week, we were able to announce our new hire!

The Reverend. Dr. M. Susan Harlow, an experienced theological educator and ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, has been hired as the Director of Congregational Development and Professor of Practical Theology at Seabury-Western Theological Seminary in Evanston IL. The Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees unanimously approved her selection at a meeting on Tuesday at the seminary.

According to the Very Reverend Gary Hall, Dean and President of Seabury, Dr. Harlow was chosen from a field of 12 candidates based on her teaching, administrative and leadership abilities. “Susan Harlow is exactly the right person to lead Seabury’s work in Congregational Development in the years ahead,” he said. “She brings vision, experience, and theological depth to the task of continuing Seabury’s ministry as a leader in the building of effective faith communities in the Episcopal Church and beyond.”

As Director of Congregational Development, Dr. Harlow will oversee the Doctor of Ministry in Congregational Development and Doctor of Ministry in Preaching programs at Seabury. She will also be Professor of Practical Theology.

Seabury-Western has just begun a new joint Doctor of Ministry in Congregational Development with the Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley CA. The school also participates in the Association of Chicago Theological Schools Doctor of Ministry in Preaching program.

From the early 1990’s until 2003, Dr. Harlow was Associate Professor of Religious Education and Associate Dean for External Affairs at Meadville/Lombard Theological School in Chicago. She has extensive experience in congregational studies and community organizing.

Most recently, Dr. Harlow has been an adjunct professor at McCormick Seminary in the Ecumenical Doctor of Ministry Program, a collaborative program of McCormick Theological Seminary, the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago, and Catholic Theological Union.

Dr. Harlow received her bachelor’s degree from Hollins College and a Master in Divinity from Andover Newton Theological School. She was awarded the Th.M. (Master of Theology) degree from Harvard Divinity School and an Ed.D. from Columbia University Teachers College in conjunction with Union Theological Seminary. She was a member of the Steering Committee of the Committee on Curriculum Research and Theory of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. and of the Constructive Theology Working Group of the American Academy of Religion. She has also represented the United Church of Christ on various councils and committees

Director of DMin programs wanted

Today I received this link from USA Today on outlining the seminary economic woes facing so many institutions, even prior to the market dropping in the fall/winter. While that is indeed sobering, Seabury faced into this reality a year or so ahead of many others, forcing us to change the way we do our mission pretty dramatically. An important part of that work has been and continues to be clarifying our highest values--that we hold mission above property, agility and relevance as well as academic excellence as some examples. We are searching for a Director of DMin programs in Preaching and in Congregational Development. We're excited about this work and the way forward. More later.

Our newly announced Doctor of Ministry in Congregational Development with Church Divinity School of the Pacific went out via press releases this week. We are very excited about continuing to provide church leadership with the tools they need to be more effective in today. It's been picked up by Episcopal News Service and Living Church among others. Online applications will be available by the end of this week. Meanwhile, we're inviting all DMin in Congregational Development alumni/ae to share their stories and the benefits they and their communities have experienced through this program. All are invited to make available their projects, thesis, and the other outgrowths of their work so that the opportunity to learn, grow, and share may continue to expand.