Seabury's next step

We celebrate Gary's new position as rector of Christ Church Cranbrook, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan where he began his ministry (and, in a small world moment, where I was baptized....though not at the same time!). The executive committee is meeting today to continue their work of discerning the transition as well as the search process. We'll share more information as it is available.

Debt Free

Wow, for the first time since my arrival over 4 years ago, we are debt-free. What a concept. What an incredible freedom. Travel light...take nothing for your journey.... Seabury Next, here we are.

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

Theory U, adventuresome bishops and flexible vision

I just got off the phone with Tom Brackett who recommended the book Otto Sharmer's book Theory U, among others. I'm ordering it now....it is exciting to participate in this ongoing, creative, expanding network of faithful people across the church who are open to dreaming, listening, hoping and making possible. We're meeting to talk further and with others before joining the anglimergent gathering of bishops, Diana Butler Bass, Phyllis Tickle and many others in Chicago at the end of the month. This is an incredibly exciting time to be the church--to find new ways to listen and to learn, to grow and to dance. Diana Butler Bass and I spoke yesterday about a whole host of things including the need for those writing and speaking and working in this great emergence to come together for time to talk and listen, pray and have space. She is excited about Seabury's willingness to imagine a new model of faculty--she hopes for a core faculty with enough flexibility built in that one can remain engaged in their work in the field yet have a strong sense of connected community to foster creative reflection on and education/formation of the church.

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.

faculty updates from Gary Hall

Change is a daily event at Seabury. As we move forward with ambitious and exciting plans to reform what seminary means to us, to our faculty and staff, our students and the Church, many pieces are coming together to form a new whole. The Joint DMin program with our partner Church Divinity School of the Pacific is a reality. The announcement has been made to the Church and the world at large, and we are in the process of reviewing our first applications. We’ll welcome our first students in June 2009. Partnerships and strategic alliances with academic leaders such as Northwestern and Garrett are in final stages, with completed agreements just weeks away. And our first lecture for the spiritually and intellectually curious – both clergy and lay – was a gratifying success. More info about the event and a link to the video lecture is included in this month's Seabury Update email.

As the definition of our mission shifts, so does the shape of the faculty that will deliver on that mission. A traditional faculty with academic and theological leaders will evolve into a team of full and part time faculty. The concept of tenure will become long term contracts. Faculty will comprise an alliance of academic professionals – some from Seabury, others from CDSP or Northwestern University or Garrett as well as expert field practitioners– each respected for his or her accomplishments in an area particularly suited to our new offerings.

With change comes not just eager anticipation but sorrow. Many of the academic and theological leaders who have built Seabury’s reputation for excellence will be taking the next step in their outstanding careers. Ruth Meyers will join the faculty of CDSP in one of the Church’s and the nation’s most prestigious appointments – the Hodges-Haynes Professor of Liturgics. John Dally will move to a faculty position at Garrett as Visiting Associate Professor of Preaching and Missional Leadership – a role shaped specifically for John that will allow Garrett to take advantage his considerable gifts. Letters from John and Ruth and Gary's response. As we continue to develop creative and collaborative partnerships, we will remain in relationship with both Ruth and John as well as their new colleagues and communities.

But balancing our sorrow is the knowledge that the team that has guided much of our transition remains in place. Academic Dean Ellen Wondra has worked beyond tirelessly to mold the curriculum for the Joint DMin program with our partners at CDSP. Elizabeth Butler has driven the process of creating and realizing our vision for the new seminary. And Mark Miliotto has ensured that we stand on firm financial ground as we develop our plans. We all owe thanks to those who move on and those who will remain.

Gary Hall

Dean and President

Traces of the Trade reflections

Today the Seabury community set aside phone calls, classes and other work to watch the movie Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North and reflect together with each other and author Katrina Browne. The movie itself is powerful, beautiful, inspiring, painful and challenging. A film I would encourage everyone to take the time to see and to share. The afternoon was spent sharing together in small groups around a series of questions such as 'if I work for or worship with a community whose endowment depends heavily on money made by slaveowners, how might I choose to address that history?' and 'what practical steps can I take take in my own sphere of influence to help the Episopal Church and the larger church writ a new chapter?' Interspersed with the open and heartfelt sharing about the film's message and impact on us personally came sobering insights from John Dally about the painful facts of the Episcopal Church's history, the terrible truth of slavery existing even into the 1950s in this country and the reality of slave camps across the world today consisting primarily of women and children who pick our coffee or cocoa or make our clothes. I'll post more of this information and the links in the next few days. Right now I find myself reeling--from the powerful impact of the thoughtfulness and necessary discomfort raised by the film and the facts, from the open and honest conversation of the participants today and from wondering within my heart how today will impact the rest of my life. I give thanks for the ministry and life of Newland Smith, in whose honor so many gave to fund Anti-racism work at Seabury.
what can you and I do? what can places like Seabury and other communities of faith and learning do?

Phyllis TIckle and twittering

well, I've entered the twittering world while covering Phyllis Tickle's Great Emergence conference at Seabury. Great group (130 today) despite terrible weather. talking about mixed economy churches--traditional and a branch that is emergence or alternative worship. Have to be careful as it won't work in the same worship space...but it can be done....check out #ticklesw on twitter to follow

twittering Phyllis TIckle at Sebury

we had the graduate session this morning, but we're currently in the 1st session of Phyllis Tickle's great emergence conference. Great crowd. all sessions will be posted online in the next few days! to follow on twitter enter #ticklesw

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.

Did you know out of 350,000 parishes less then 5% are multiracial?

As President Obama said nearly a year ago, the most segregated hour in America is on Sunday morning. Seabury alum Phoebe McPherson is developing a documentary based on her thesis entitled: Racial Reconciliation and Church Membership Development: A Model for Leadership Education to Support the Development of a Multiracial Congregation. You can see a brief promo for The High Road: A Journey Across America's Colorline by going to the website which I've linked for you. Find out more, including ways to help make this important topic more visible--what would happen if all of us were to make changing this reality one of our goals?

Demi Prentiss facilitates Lay Ministry nationally

One of the ways I'm eager to use this blog is to celebrate the work, life and ministry of our alums and of those doing exciting work in the world. Read about Demi Prentiss, a graduate of our Congregational Development program, and her new ministry in the larger church! Way to go Demi!

Phyllis Tickle talks about Seabury

In this brief video, I'm interviewing Phyllis Tickle, author of The Great Emergence, at the Great Emergence Conference in Memphis, TN December 4-6th, 2008. She speaks about this moment in time and Seabury's exciting role in theological education.

bird by bird

While many of our students are writing their GOEs (General Ordination Exams), I am writing my first blog…and at the moment, I can’t decide which is worse. The angst of taking the GOE’s is a clear memory from 12 years ago, and I certainly don’t envy all those Episcopal ordination candidates who are on day 4 out of 4. At the same time, once GOE’s are over, they are over, which is a very good thing and truly something to celebrate. On the other hand, crafting my first blog is merely a beginning, which implies the necessity of returning to the writing tablet (so to speak) early and often (a bit like Chicago politics perhaps?). I confess (another reminder of the turning/returning necessary in life) that this reality has prompted me to procrastinate on the task at hand for some weeks now. At some point, however, you just have to begin doing it, ‘bird by bird,’ as Anne Lamott said in her delightful book of the same name. And so today is the day.

The impetus to blog in the first place is emerging out of the transformative work we are doing at Seabury-Western Theological Seminary. Having done the very difficult work this spring of deciding to sunset, over the next two years, one of our signature programs, the residential Master of Divinity, we are engaged in the creative work of shaping a new future in theological education. That future is informed in no small part by the work of Phyllis Tickle and others around the Great Emergence that this time in history is a hinge moment, a time of monumental shifts that are political, social, religious, economic, and cultural, affecting all of us whether we're aware of the larger movement or not. Some characteristics of this brave new world include a deep hunger for learning balanced with a profound respect for and integration of the heart, the belief that truth is discovered in community, through conversation and the integration of many voices rather than passed down through a hierarchy and also a deeply incarnational understanding that belonging and community holds more value than believing certain things and behaving in certain ways. Traditional seminary structures were designed in a different age and time, responding to very different needs than we experience today. One might say they were created to hold at bay the reality of the Great Emergence. That doesn't mean there isn't great value in the traditional seminary experience, and yet there is also a great deal to be gained by freeing ourselves of the 'givens' and finding new ways to live faithfully God's call to us. As a result, we at Seabury are opening ourselves to a new way of being present in the world and the church. We are working together with others to meet the deep hunger for the creative, beautiful, unending narrative of God's love for us.

My desire to blog, as it turns out, stems not from the conviction that I have much to say that is worth hearing but that forging our new path isn't possible without the participation of others. The Seabury Blog provides a more fluid and real time way to invite the voices of others interested in the questions of theological education in the Great Emergence. I am eager to join together with others who are asking questions and exploring new ways of being faithful, to build together effective ways of meeting the vast needs. I will be posting more about the ongoing work we are doing and always invite the dialogue with the larger community to help shape and form where we going and how we journey.

I dedicate this opening blog to all those finishing their exams (hooray!) today, and to the creative work engaging us all.....bird by bird.