“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” […]
This week, members of Student Government have been asked to write the Dean’s Commentary. As the Student Body Chaplain, I have the privilege and honor of being able to focus on the spiritual life on campus. For new students and returning students alike, I recommend taking full advantage of the spiritual resources available to you […]
Before I came to VTS, I was a lay minister who met clergy from all the various Episcopal seminaries. I always noticed that there was something different about people who had graduated from VTS: they all seemed to like each other after graduation. They supported each other. They spoke fondly of their time at VTS […]
Social media is an excellent platform for reaching a large audience. High-quality content is essential when posting on social media platforms, as content quality can make or break a post. Poor content can cause a post with valuable information to be overlooked and skipped. Examples of poor content include blurry, dark images with bad lighting, […]
There is more to the work of Communications than simply keeping people informed about what is happening on a day-to-day basis. At a deeper level, strategic communications is about fostering a deep understanding of VTS’ mission and values. Storytelling is a central part of this work, illustrating how our core values, such as being Episcopal, […]