Date: March 7, 2025
As you can imagine, our alumni have a wide range of accomplishments in ministry, research, and pedagogy around the country and the globe. Outside of this range of work, alums are creative in how they express and share their faith with the broader community.
Rev. Jennifer Andrews-Weckerly (VTS, 2009) is the winner of a recent Dancing with the Stars competition in Williamsburg, VA. You can check out her performance here. Jennifer is the rector of Hickory Neck Episcopal Church but has a lifelong love of dance. In a recent post on her blog Seeking and Serving, Jennifer reflects on how God holds us much like a dance partner whom we need to trust: “God has proven to us time and again how God is holding us, caring for us, bringing us to the right places at the right time…And yet, every time something gets scary or unfamiliar, we yank that trust right back. But imagine the beautiful dance you could produce if you could reach out your hand and instead say, ‘Here I am. Send me.’”
In other news, Rev. Kevin Laskowski (VTS, 2017) just became a three-day champion of the popular quiz show, Jeopardy! In an interview with The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia, Kevin shared that being on the show built bridges between the worlds of pop culture and the Church: “I hope to continue using opportunities like this to show that priests are approachable and human. Curiosity and kindness can build bridges, and if my time on Jeopardy! inspired even one person to think differently about faith or clergy, it was worth it.” Like Jennifer, Kevin also serves in The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia. You can find him at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Centreville.
May these stories serve as a reminder to bring your whole self, your whole heart, and your whole spirit to the people you serve! Remember that God gave you your gifts for a reason. Let us celebrate these diverse gifts in community as well as discovering new ways to use them in the wider world.
The Very Rev. Ian S. Markham, Ph.D.
Dean and President of Virginia Theological Seminary and President of The General Theological Seminary