Newsline: Bethany Seminary grants 16 degrees at 107th commencement

From CoBNews <CoBNews@brethren.org>
Date Thu, 24 May 2012 12:57:30 -0500

Newsline: Church of the Brethren News Service, News Director Cheryl 
Brumbaugh-Cayford, 800-323-8039 ext. 260, cobnews@brethren.org

Bethany Seminary grants 16 degrees at 107th commencement

(May 24, 2012) Elgin, IL --Bethany Theological Seminary held its 107th 
commencement the morning of May 5, in Nicarry Chapel on the Bethany campus in 
Richmond, Ind. Approximately 150 were present to celebrate the achievements of 
16 graduates.

Nadine S. Pence, director of the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in 
Theology and Religion in Crawfordsville, Ind., gave the commencement address. 
Pence also previously held the position of professor of theological studies at 
the seminary. Entitled "Border Crossings," her comments drew on the scripture 
texts John 21:1-14 and Acts 10:34-48, recounting the period
between Christ's resurrection and Pentecost.

"You are a border crosser...someone who stands between the places of your 
life--in the gaps and interstices of life--and who will work to know the people 
and contexts to which you are called, and the vocation you are to serve among 
them," she said. "We are called, as Christians, to live as border crossers, 
testifying to the presence of the Spirit, to the presence of the Christ when he 
appears among us."

President Ruthann Knechel Johansen addressed the gathering with appreciation 
for both the contributions of faculty and staff to the success of the graduates 
and the graduates' own personal and academic gifts. "I mention with gratitude 
an amazing array of attributes that our faculty and
ministry placement supervisors have identified in the students we honor today: 
deep thinking, compassionate hearts, impressive scriptural knowledge, 
self-confidence, wonderful wit and humor, humility, strong relationality, 
teachable spirits, and commitments to social justice."

Professional accomplishments by the faculty also were noted, among them the 
promotion of Tara Hornbaker to professor of Ministry Formation; the completion 
of a doctor of ministry degree from Columbia Theological Seminary by Amy Gall 
Ritchie, director of Student Development; and the promotion of Julie M. 
Hostetter to executive director of the Brethren Academy for Ministerial 
Leadership.

Special music was performed by Community of Song, a men's ensemble from the 
Richmond, Ind., and Dayton, Ohio, areas. Music for the ceremony consisted of 
organ-piano duets by Nancy Faus-Mullen and Jenny Williams.

An afternoon worship service, planned and led by the graduates, also took place 
in Nicarry Chapel. Class members Andrew Duffey, Rebekah Houff, and Jeanne 
Davies reflected on the themes in the scripture text Ephesians 4:1-16: unity in 
the Spirit through the bond of peace, the bestowing of spiritual gifts, and the 
contributions of all to the body of Christ. Each new graduate was given a 
blessing by members of the faculty to mark the conclusion of their years at 
Bethany.

Seven graduates received master of divinity degrees: Jeanne Davies of Elgin, 
Ill.; Andrew Duffey, Westminster, Md.; Brandon M. Hanks, Hatfield, Pa.; Rebekah 
L. Houff, Palmyra, Pa.; Katie Shaw Thompson, Grundy Center, Iowa; Parker 
Ammerman Thompson, Grundy Center, Iowa; Matthew Wollam-Berens, Middlebury, Vt.

Seven graduates received master of arts degrees: Jerramy D. Bowen, West Milton, 
Ohio; Benjamin Wil Harvey, Ann Arbor, Mich.; Nicolas Miller Kauffman, Goshen, 
Ind.; Jiae Paik, Seoul, South Korea; Aaron Russell Shepherd, Richmond, Ind.; 
Vivek A. Solanky, Valsad-Gujarat, India; Dennis John Richard Webb, Naperville, 
Ill.

Two students received certificates of achievement in theological studies: Diane 
E. Mason, Unionville, Iowa, in absentia; Linda S. Waldron, Clayton, Ohio.

Graduates' future endeavors include pastoral and congregational ministry, 
further graduate study, and social service. Bethany Theological Seminary was 
founded in 1905 and is the graduate school and academy for theological 
education for the Church of the Brethren.

The Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination committed to continuing 
the work of Jesus peacefully and simply, and to living out its faith in 
community. The denomination is based in the Anabaptist and Pietist faith 
traditions and is one of the three Historic Peace Churches. It celebrated its 
300th anniversary in 2008. It counts some 123,000 members across the United 
States and Puerto Rico, and has missions and sister churches in Nigeria, 
Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and India.

(Jenny Williams, director of communications and alumni/ae relations for Bethany 
Seminary, contributed to this release.)

># # #

>For more information contact:

>Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford
>Director of News Services
>Church of the Brethren
>1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120
>800-323-8039 ext. 260
>cobnews@brethren.org