The director of The Butterfly House, Ms. Juanita Sanchez, sent Dr. Judy Fentress-Williams (who is currently overseeing The Butterfly House while Vice President Ballou is on sabbatical) and me the good news: “The Butterfly House is now the only center in the Northern VA area with a certified Nature Outdoor Classroom!” The award comes from […]
In the next few commentaries, I shall share some of the major decisions of the Board of Trustees. However, today, let me give you an overview. This was the first Board meeting held on the campus since the pandemic closed everything down. As a result, it was their first opportunity to see the impact of […]
I am not entirely sure how many veterans we have at the Seminary. I think among current students, there are six or so. I know among our alums there are many veterans who came and studied at the Seminary and are now in ministry. On this important day, November 11, we do pause and remember […]
Today we have the Business Meeting of the Board. It is the culmination of the visit of the Board to the campus; and it has been a rich and important time together. The highlight was the formal opening of the library, which took place yesterday. Discussions around the nature and needs of our library have […]
This afternoon the Board of Trustees will have a plenary. There are two major items of business. With our ATS Accreditation visit looming in 2023, we have the honor of having the Executive Director of the ATS, Dr. Frank Yamada, zooming into our meeting. It will give us an opportunity to learn about the state […]
This week the Board of Trustees is on the campus. The work of the Board is important, and we stand ready to support them as they do their work. The Board meeting coincides with an article written by Amanda P. Bourne and the Rev. Melody D. Knowles, Ph.D., in the prestigious journal Anglican & Episcopal […]
From time to time, I find myself in a debate within the community about “whether we are doing too much?” Indeed the Strategic Plan that will come to the Board of Trustees next week will include an invitation to the Seminary to teach the skills of “self-care” and healthy habits of living. There are basically […]
This morning I will host a formation group in my home. To make the moment of hospitality a little easier, Lesley, my wife, has taken Maddie, the delightful puppy, away for the day. So Maddie will not be bouncing around participating in the work of formation. I am blessed with a fabulous formation group; they […]
Every institution has a magazine. Often the focus is special guests or recent events on the campus or news of alums. This is, of course, all good. However, from time to time, it is worth pausing and having the magazine focus on the core work of the school. Our task as a graduate school and […]
Perhaps it is just me, but I think the continuing half-life under the shadow of the pandemic is exhausting. Things are much better than they were. We are singing in chapel; we are enjoying the Flamingo; and classroom lectures are face-to-face. Grandparents are seeing grandchildren again. And even some travel is happening. But every single […]