When my wife worked for the North American Committee for St. George’s College in Jerusalem, the end of the year was an important time. The mail would arrive: countless $10, $50, $100 gifts would pour in. For many friends of St. George’s, these modest amounts were all they could afford. But as each gift arrived, […]
Yesterday morning, it was impossible for me to be at Chapel. Given the schedule for my upcoming donor cultivation trip to Durham, NC, I knew that I would have to hold a Deanery construction meeting at 8 a.m. Feeling both guilty and sad, I headed to the Deanery first thing, where many important decisions were […]
With Thanksgiving now over, we have the journey to the end of the semester. This can be a busy time for many of us. The Annual Fund always anticipates an increase number of gifts towards the end of the calendar year; students are writing final papers; professors are bracing themselves for grading all those papers; […]
Today VTS joins the worldwide celebration of generosity that is Giving Tuesday by lifting our voices in support of the African American Episcopal Historical Collection (AAEHC), a joint project of VTS and the Historical Society of the Episcopal Church. Giving Tuesday aims to bring people around the world together through generosity in all its forms […]
Since 1862, the Episcopal Evangelism Society (EES) has financially supported Episcopal seminarians in their formation to serve Christ’s church. Like most Episcopal institutions, the EES mission has evolved, even pivoted, over the years. Today they award grants to seminarians, faculty, staff and their spouses and partners to implement ministry projects that will help develop the […]
This is the last commentary until after Thanksgiving. This is a lovely holiday. There is a simplicity in the occasion. We remember with gratitude the gift of living and life. Families and friends gather. Good food and fellowship are enjoyed. It is uncomplicated and precious. Everyone uses the occasion to list their blessings. So please […]
The gift of an autobiography is that it is an invitation into a life. It is holy ground, for a good biography really lets you in. One encounters the fears, hopes, aspirations of another person. It is an honor to be present. Our alumnus Kathleen Weaver Kurtz has written a holy biography. And as we […]
The trip to Memphis over the weekend was important. It was an opportunity to meet with various alums in an informal setting; we also had a visit with Bishop Phoebe Roaf – the vice-chair of the Board; and most importantly we connected with the artist of the extraordinary baptismal painting in Scott Lounge. The Rev. […]
The “all you can eat” buffet was good. But it is lovely having the full “order off the menu” back at 1823. Last night, my son Luke and I had dinner there. It was fun connecting with students, alums, and friends over the course of two hours or so. During the summer and at the […]
Last night, for the first time in two hundred years, the Seminary honored two students who had published four books together. Never before had there been a book launch for books written by seminarians. Molly Jane Layton and Garrett Ayers worked together on the four-volume A Student’s Companion to the Daily Office in Greek and […]