President's eUpdate
Thursday, May 26, 2016
Dear Saint Paul Community,
I extend greetings from Saint Paul School of Theology as we celebrate 2016 graduates on the campuses at Church of the Resurrection and Oklahoma City University. Commencement is certainly a celebration, but also a nostalgic time teeming with memories of classes, worship, and events. Commencement is, at the same time, a glimpse at the promise living in the potential of each graduate to bring a fresh and transformative ministry to the church and the world.
The commencement in Leawood celebrated the last of the African Doctor of Ministry cohort graduates. Kazadi Musau Betty graduated from the cohort called Children and Poverty in a Globalized Economy. Her praxis thesis is titled "Created in the Image of God: Street Children and Economic Poverty in the Democratic Republic of Congo." Anderia Lual Arok participated in the cohort on Global Health and Wellness, and wrote his praxis thesis on "Being My Brother's Keeper: Toward a Theology of Reconciliation among the Lost Boys of Sudan." The two cohorts especially included students from Liberia and DRC.
At General Conference in Portland, Liberian Bishop John Innis (an alumnus of Saint Paul School of Theology, MDiv, 1988) delivered the Distinguished Theological Education Award to Saint Paul School of Theology acknowledging the work of the seminary in equipping leaders for the African context. The plaque said, "for the invaluable contributions to the Theological Education of Disciplined Leaders for the Liberia Annual Conference of the The United Methodist Church." Saint Paul is in the process of exploring the future of theological education in Africa.
The Doctor of Ministry program in Korean Wesleyan Spirituality and Congregational Renewal, under the leadership of Young Ho Chun, honored two graduates. Hon Seon Kyoung from Seoul developed a praxis thesis entitled "A Wesleyan Model of a Congregation that Incarnates the Servant Leadership: Working with the 'Young Adult Group' of the Cheon-Ho First Methodist Church," and Seo Jea Dong from Incheon-City wrote his praxis thesis about "A Renewal Model of the Congregation through Revitalizing the Life Together in the Eucharistic Pattern." Dr. Chun continues this great work with Korean-speaking doctoral students and is now recruiting the next cohort class.
The global reach of Saint Paul dares to expand the ethos of both social holiness and personal holiness to Africa and South Korea. We are a seminary dedicated to praxis expressing love of both theology and ministry practices. Dare we hope that the church is renewed and the world transformed by this call to praxis?
We invite you to pray for students and faculty-as we will pray for you-and to tell others about Saint Paul. We are thankful for all your gifts to us, and in return hope you know that you are always a welcome guest here.
Dr. Nancy R. Howell, Acting President
Saint Paul School of Theology
howellnr@spst.edu
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Special Events
Friday, May 27, 2016 at 4:00 p.m.
2016 Commencement - Oklahoma City, OK
Saint Paul: Oklahoma City University, W. Angie Smith Chapel
For further information please contact:
Tracy Miller, tracy.miller@spst.edu
Register online: www.spst.edu/special-events
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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