President's eUpdate
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
Dear Saint Paul Community,
In August 1970 I packed my car full and drove to Kansas City to begin my first year of seminary at Saint Paul School of Theology. I had never been to the campus or Missouri or Kansas. I had been accepted into the Master of Divinity degree program, awarded the Virginia Davis Laskey Scholarship, and simply knew Saint Paul was where I was intended to be.
The fat packet of information, application, financial aid forms, and guidebook was stuffed into my mail box in the student union at Austin College in Sherman, Texas. I took it on a cultural anthropology field trip to Anadarko, Oklahoma in the final semester of college and read every word on every page. There were so many themes that spoke to me: community; interdisciplinary core classes; common meals with prayer, a hymn, joys/concerns; chapel twice a week. It was the only application I submitted. I received my acceptance letter in late July. Orientation was several days long and included immersions in various areas of the metro area. It was my initial introduction to the action/reflection model of theological education we now call praxis.
Every fall I remember my first opening convocation and the fall semester of seminary. Friendships were formed that continue today. Every year I have prayed for the first year class, faculty and staff at Saint Paul. This fall I'm praying for our first year class, faculty and staff again and I invite you to join me.
During the last 14 months I've seen us live into a new curriculum designed around spiritual formation, interpreting the faith, growing in communion and serving the world. If you explore our website you'll find reflection groups, mid-degree and summative seminars (not quite the former credo!), practicums, and every student has to be in a ministry setting for 60 hours each semester. There are still some elements of the curriculum to be introduced: praxis learning centers is the most exciting one for me. Think about being in a Native American parish for a full semester which includes worship, Christian education and an opportunity to learn by listening. Then think about the same opportunity in a rural or urban or new church plant praxis learning center. I want to experience all of them.
The 57th Opening Convocation is August 25 at 11:00am in Wesley Covenant Chapel on the Resurrection campus. The 8th Opening Convocation is September 1 at 11:00am in Smith Chapel on the Oklahoma City University campus. If you can't be present, please hold us in your prayers. There is nothing quite like Opening Convocation at Saint Paul School of Theology: one seminary in two locations.
On the journey with you,
Rev. H. Sharon Howell, President
Saint Paul School of Theology
sharon.howell@spst.edu
STAY IN TOUCH
Saint Paul: UM Church of the Resurrection13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224 United States
(913) 253-5000
Saint Paul: Oklahoma City University
2501 North Blackwelder Avenue
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73106 United States
(405) 208-5757
Saint Paul School of Theology
4370 West 109th Street, SUITE 300
Overland Park, Kansas 66211 United States
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