wfn.org | News of Theological Institutions

[PCUSA.NEWS@pcusa.org]

1-July-1997 
97259 
 
    News of Theological Institutions 
 
    by Alexa Smith 
 
SAN ANSELMO, Calif.--The Rev. William H. Creevey has been appointed as 
interim chaplain and visiting professor of ministry at San Francisco 
Theological Seminary effective Sept. 1, following the retirement of Howard 
Rice.  Creevey comes to San Anselmo from Portland, Oreg., where he was 
pastor of First Presbyterian Church for the past 12 years.  He has also 
served parishes in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., Sacramento and Seattle. 
Creevey also served on SFTS's board of trustees from 1980 to 1991. 
 
RICHMOND, Va.--Forty-seven students were awarded degrees during the 185th 
commencement exercises of Union Theological Seminary in Virginia, held June 
1.  The Rev. Ross Mackenzie, director of the Department of Religion at 
Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, N.Y., delivered the commentement 
address.  The service was held at the Ginter Park Presbyterian Church. 
 
ATLANTA--Columbia Theological Seminary's Alumni/ae Association presented 
its Distinguished Service Award to William A. Adams, '56, and Don L. 
Wilson, '65, at the seminary's annual alumni/ae meeting, held in April. 
Adams has served as executive presbyter and stated clerk of the Presbytery 
of Greater Atlanta for 24 years.  He was chair of Columbia's board of 
trustees, moderator of the Synod of Georgia and pastor of two Georgia 
churches.  Wilson has served since 1965 as pastor of First Presbyterian 
Church of Byhalia, Miss., though he sometimes has ministered in five 
churches on any given Sunday.  He served as stated supply of the Greenfield 
Presbyterian Church, an African-American congregation in Waterford, Miss., 
for 17 years, carrying out a reconciling ministry to both whites and 
African-Americans there and in his own community. 
 
AUSTIN, Texas--The board of trustees of Austin Presbyterian Theological 
Seminary has elected Academic Dean and Jean Brown Professor of Homiletics 
and Liturgics Robert M. Shelton as the eighth president of the seminary, 
effective June 1.  In addition to his administrative duties, Shelton has 
served as acting president of Austin Seminary since the July 1996 
retirement of former president Jack L. Stotts.  "Bob's dedication to the 
seminary and its larger family of friends, graduates, trustees and churches 
is undeniable and documented by two and one half decades of service," said 
the Rev. Louis Zbinden, pastor of First Presbyterian Church in San Antonio, 
Texas, and chair of the Presidential Search Committee.  "His knowledge of 
seminary faculty, his considerable skills as an educator, his dedication to 
training and equipping students to serve the local church and his keen 
desire to position the seminary to move to the next level of excellence 
prompted us to ask him to become our president."  Shelton earned the B.A. 
from Maryville College, the B.D. from Memphis Theological Seminary, and 
Th.M. and Ph.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary.  He served churches in 
New Jersey and Tennessee before joining the faculty of Memphis Theological 
Seminary in 1969. 
 
LOUISVILLE, Ky.--Eighty-one degrees were conferred during the May 18 
commencement exercises at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, 
held at Harvey Browne Memorial Presbyterian Church.  Dr. James H. Costen, 
retiring president of the Interdenominational Theological Seminary in 
Atlanta, delivered the address, "Ministry: Is It Worth the Effort?" 
Fifty-one students received the master of divinity degree, 16 received 
master of arts degrees in marriage and family therapy, five received master 
of theology degrees, two received master of arts in religion degrees, two 
received master of arts in Christian education degrees and five were 
awarded doctor of ministry degrees.  Four students received dual degrees. 
 
RICHMOND, Va.--Gay Mothershed, vice moderator of the 208th General Assembly 
(1996), gave the address "Perfume Is in the Air" during commencement 
exercises at the Presbyterian School for Christian Education.  Thirty-seven 
degrees were conferred. 

------------
For more information contact Presbyterian News Service
  phone 502-569-5504             fax 502-569-8073  
  E-mail PCUSA.NEWS@pcusa.org   Web page: http://www.pcusa.org 
  mailed from World Faith News <wfn-news@wfn.org>  

--