Date: November 24, 2025
Saturday was an important but difficult occasion. Without going into details, we were hosting the funeral of a young man. The family hoped to hold the service outside in the Chapel Garden, but the weather looked unreliable. As a result, we prepared a rain plan in the north transept of the Chapel. If the service took place outside, we needed chairs set up, a microphone and speakers, and a clear sense of logistics for movement in and out of the garden.
I asked Jeremy and James to arrive at 9:30 a.m. The funeral was not scheduled until 12:15 p.m., but they turned up early (Associate Dean Shawn has trained them well). They monitored the weather, moved chairs, met the family, and served as perfect hosts—anticipating challenges and preparing for them with care. In the end, the service was held outside. And for forty-five minutes, the Chapel Garden was filled with tears for a life lost far too young.
Thank you, Jeremy and James. You were outstanding.
The Very Rev. Ian S. Markham, Ph.D.
Dean and President of Virginia Theological Seminary and the President of The General Theological Seminary.Â