Saint Paul School of Theology for Tuesday, July 28, 2015 "President's eUpdate--Faculty Chairs and Installations"

Saint Paul School of Theology for Tuesday, July 28, 2015 "President's eUpdate--Faculty Chairs and Installations"

President's eUpdate
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Dear Saint Paul Community,

I'm writing this on Sunday, July 26, 2015, and thinking about where I was last Sunday. Derrek Belase, Class of 2007, has been the Dean of the Oklahoma Conference MissionU (formerly called the Cooperative School of Christian Mission). He invited me to preach at 8:00 a.m. and again at 6:00 p.m. It was such a delight to see Derrek's leadership and enjoy another session of the best Christian Education experience available in the United Methodist Church. For over 30 years I've read and taught and quoted from the study materials prepared by United Methodist Women to study current issues impacting society: Spiritual Growth, a geographic area and a justice issue. This year the geographic area is Latin America and the justice issue is the Church and People with Disabilities.
I am pleased to announce the appointment of three current Saint Paul Faculty to fill Endowed Chairs beginning July 1, 2015. We will have installation services for each of the faculty. I invite you to be present for the installation service which will be at 11:00 a.m. in Wesley Chapel at Church of the Resurrection and plan to stay for lunch. RSVP as lunch reservations are required.

Dr. Jeanne Hoeft has been named to the Franklin and Louise Cole Chair in Town and Country Ministries. A gift from the estate of Franklin and Louise Cole in 2009 led to the naming of the chair for Town and Country Ministries which has been an historic commitment and focus of theological education at Saint Paul. Dr. Hoeft's teaching and scholarship in the area of rural ministries with a focus on pastoral theology and pastoral care is praised across the Heartland. If you haven't discovered her book, Practicing Care in Rural Congregations and Communities,now is the time! Dr. Hoeft's installation is on Tuesday, September 22, 2015.

Dr. Nancy Howell has been named to the Oubri A. Poppele Chair in Health and Welfare Ministries. In 1978 Saint Paul School of Theology was chosen by the Health and Welfare Division of The United Methodist Church to receive an endowment from the estate of Miss Oubri A. Poppele. Miss Poppele completed medical school in the 1890s, but she never worked as a doctor. She was a life-long Methodist and stipulated that part of her estate go to a United Methodist seminary in the United States. Dr. Howell's teaching and scholarship in the area of religion, theology and science have prepared her to help Saint Paul revision health and welfare ministries in theological education for the 21st century. Dr. Howell's installation is on Tuesday, November 3, 2015.
Dr. Angela Sims has been named to the Robert B. and Kathleen Rogers Chair in Church and 

Society. The holder of this chair maintains a commitment - through teaching and scholarship - to address societal issues and promote social justice. Dr. Sims' teaching and scholarship in the areas of church and society, ethics, and Black Church studies are noted and quoted frequently in religious news platforms. Dr. Sims spent 2 years interviewing African Americans who grew up with the fear and experience of lynchings. She is recognized as the national theologian on matters related to lynching and narratives. Dr. Sims' installation is on Tuesday, March 1, 2016.
Currently we have the following faculty appointed to endowed chairs:
Dr. Mike Graves: William K. McElvaney Professor of Preaching and Worship
Dr. Israel Kamudzandu: Lindsey P. Pherigo Chair of New Testament Studies
Dr. Hal Knight: Donald and Pearl Wright Professor of Wesleyan Studies
I am a

lso pleased to announce that Dr. Young Ho Chun has been namedthe Director of Asian Studies and the Korean Doctor of Ministry Program. We are grateful for Dr. Chun's continuing relationship with Saint Paul.
We are preparing to welcome the next class of students to Saint Paul. I invite you to hold the students, faculty and staff in your prayers as we anticipate the 2015 Fall semester.
On the journey with you--

Rev. H. Sharon Howell, President
Saint Paul School of Theology
sharon.howell@spst.edu
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