This has been a busy summer. I finished Commencement in May and then I was preaching on Bishop Channing Moore Williams at Rikkyo University in Tokyo on the Saturday afternoon. I attended the Association of Theological Schools biannual in Atlanta and then the General Convention of the Episcopal Church in Louisville, KY. For our students, […]
I love the voices that emerge during the summer when different departments write the commentary. I have learned so much. From the wisdom of alumni, insights from members of the Board of Trustees, to understanding how the library works to plans for facilities, I have enjoyed them all. These commentaries form part of the archival […]
I applied to VTS after meeting Dr. Lisa Kimball at a Christian formation conference. As the only MDiv student not seeking ordination, I definitely felt out of place when I arrived. But in early December I found myself sitting in front of a roaring fire in Scott Lounge next to my classmate Maurice Dyer as […]
It may seem contradictory that the department of Lifelong Learning has more remote employees than any other department (9) and one of the most attractive, purpose-built campus spaces to anchor our work. Since the summer of 2020 we have occupied the NE corner of the lower level of the Addison Academic Building where floor to […]
“Give me a firm place to stand and a lever and I can move the Earth.” – Archimedes Over the course of my ministry, I have increasingly become convinced that the future of our Church hinges on what this generation chooses to do (or not do) when it comes to faith formation. We need formation […]
In 2022, Virginia Theological Seminary received a one million dollar, 4-year grant from the Lilly Foundation, Inc. that, along with various other grant initiatives, would be housed in the Lifelong Learning department. The purpose of this grant, which they called the Mutual Ministry Initiative (or MMi, for short), was to study models of “mutual ministry” […]
About a year ago, I was packing my bags and mapping out my route down the Mountain (aka Sewanee, TN) to the Holy Hill (aka VTS, Alexandria, VA). I had been researching continuing education programs at other seminaries and trying to better understand the various ministries of Lifelong Learning. “Connect, nurture, and highlight communities of […]
Welcome to VTS! Here’s how to leave. Holy Hill is a fantastic place to live and learn, and I hope all y’all incoming students are enjoying campus life. But it’s important to balance seminary life with touching grass, especially since we are so blessed with world-class offerings at our fingertips. Residential seminary is wonderful, but […]
One of the biggest reasons I wanted to be student body vice president was because of its focus on organizing community-wide events that emphasize fellowship and fun. I firmly believe that one of the biggest benefits of residential seminary is the chance we have to gather together in-person and celebrate different seasons of the school […]
With move-in day a week in the past and August term in full swing, it’s natural for new students to feel overwhelmed both with the change of environment and the number of expectations suddenly placed upon them. When reflecting on my own August term experience, tried-and-true clichés come to mind like “drinking from a firehose” […]