Professor Melanie Jones to Keynote Richmond Hill Clergy Conference

Professor Melanie C. Jones will serve as keynote speaker at the Clergy Conference at Richmond Hill on October 17, 2019. Melanie C. Jones is Instructor of Ethics, Theology and Culture and Director of the Katie Geneva Cannon Center for Womanist Leadership. …

Dr. Yust leading workshop on “Drama, Intimacy & Vulnerability: Spiritual Challenges of Digital Culture” in Philadelphia

…Will Be Done,” November 14-16, 2018, in Philadelphia. REGISTER TODAY for this national conference that seeks to explore critical issues of mission engagement, discipleship and church transformation facing Christians today. Dr. Yust is the Josiah P. and Anne Wilson Rowe professor of Christian Education and director of the Master of Arts in Theological Studies program at Union Presbyterian Seminary.   …

Alumni luncheon at Massanetta Springs

Alumni Director Rev. W. Clay Macaulay invites you, your family, and friends to come to our Alumni Luncheon at the Bible and Church Music Conferences held at Massanetta Springs Conference Center in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The Rev. Anna George Traynham (M.Div. ’14), associate pastor, Central Presbyterian Church, Atlanta, is speaking. Her address is entitled: “Dangling Feet: Leading From a Chair That …

Sip and See the Charlotte Campus

Sip on holiday spirits. See the Seminary’s Charlotte campus. Meet our new VP/Dean of Students Lisa McLennan. Make some new friends. Learn about the Seminary’s positive impact on the church and region. The campus is located at 5141 Sharon Road, directly behind Sharon Presbyterian Church. Please rsvp by December 5 to Mary Ellen Vernon at mvernon@upsem.edu or 980-636-1661. …

Professor Melanie Jones to Present at Society of Christian Ethics

Professor Melanie Jones will be a presenter at the Society of Christian Ethics in Washington, DC, on January 9-12, 2020. Melanie C. Jones is Instructor of Ethics, Theology and Culture / Director of the Katie Geneva Cannon Center for Womanist Leadership at Union Presbyterian Seminary. …

Budgeting 101

…you still deserve to treat yo’ self [1], because seminary is stressful and time consuming and you can’t do your best work if you never take a break to recharge. If you budget for these occasions, you won’t feel guilty about spending the money (guilt isn’t good for self-care). Loans: Unsure how much you’ll need to borrow in loans to …

Resident Congregational Care job description

Former trustee Anne E. Treichler remembered

Union Presbyterian Seminary has recently learned of the passing in Naples, Florida, of Anne E. Treichler, former trustee and member of the President’s Advisory Council. She served on numerous committees at Presbyterian Woman, presbytery, seminary, and PCUSA Pension Board. Mrs. Treichler, 92, was a life-long member of Williamsburg Presbyterian Church. Her love of theology prompted her to establish the Anne …

Union Seminary awarded grant to map children’s faith formation

…said project director Karen-Marie Yust, Josiah P. and Anne Wilson Rowe Professor of Christian Education. Scholars and reflective practitioners have noted the rising religious illiteracy and incoherent faith of families, even among households that are religiously affiliated, as well as the breakdown of denominational identities and the decline of middle-sized congregations as options for affiliation. Weak support from denominational offices …

Divine Correction

…in Job is a reminder that the disciplining of God is a blessing for each of us as children of God. God, I thank YOU for loving me enough to use your rod of correction, but you never leave me damaged and bruised, because your healing hand soothes me with healing balm and covers me with Your love. Thank YOU! …

Returning to a Place I Never Knew: Historical Perspectives on Spain

…heathen. Columbus is also known for eradicating whole tribes of indigenous peoples, spreading disease, promoting slavery, and exacting tyranny against Spanish colonists. He used his Christian faith and his study of the Bible to support his actions and he wanted all of the indigenous peoples he encountered to be converted to Christianity. As the indigenous populations were decimated, more Europeans …

A Prayer of God’s protection, deliverance, and safety

…Your Word is our defense, our shield and our protection around us. Because we dwell in Your secret place, we shall not be afraid of the spiritual dangers or demonic tactics and attacks of Satan; nor shall we be afraid of the plots of the wicked (people) that he would influence and use to fight against us. We shall not …

Sharing the Quiet: Strengthening Intergenerational Relationships

…across generations for we live in an era of time when all generations are both learners and teachers. Living our lives forward in today’s world helps to bring in the next generation for, ‘I am because you are and you are because I am.’ *Patricia Turner Olds, M.A.C.E., Union-PSCE ’05; D.Ed. Min., Columbia Theological Seminary’16. Kamryn Sierra Olds, teenaged granddaughter. …

India travel seminar: Observing faith formation practices

This is post 6 of 11 in the series “India travel seminar” India travel seminar begins India travel seminar: Religious and cultural diversities India travel seminar: Deep care & kindness India travel seminar: A dream fulfilled India travel seminar: Spirit of the Sikhs India travel seminar: Observing faith formation practices India travel seminar: Andhara Christian Theological College India travel seminar: …

Visiting the Akrofi-Christaller Institute (ACI)

…God was already here.” He went on to say, “Christianity isn’t popular here because it is seen as more “civilized” but because it answers spiritual questions that all humans have. We use our culture and identity to interpret the Bible and make it relevant to our contexts.” During our visit to Akropong, we had the opportunity to see the historical …

The “Holy Music” Beneath Our Feet

…grace and provision in the world. This forced idleness and the overflowing sensations rising from my feet centered my mind and prepared my heart for prayer and praise. It both humbled and elevated me as I saw our place within God’s world. To use the language of the theologian Friedrich Schleiermacher, the practice revealed the infinite within the particular, the …

Student Spotlight: Dana Purdom digs deep

…at Union has shown Purdom that pastoral ministry is not the only use for a seminary degree. “It opened my eyes to the many different paths that can be taken,” she says. Dana encourages her fellow students to “cultivate your relationship with God. Seek him, dig deep, passionately, he will show up for in ways you can’t even imagine. This …

Hurricane Harvey: A small picture of how horrible it is

…of Houston.   Rev. Jacqueline M. Hannan (M.Div.’94) We are in the midst of it all right now but let me see if I can offer a small picture of this event. First, let me say that what you may have seen in the news is accurate but gives only a small picture of how horrible it is in the …

The Sprunt Lectures

…“These lectures will be devoted to helping Christians rethink the nature of life together as creatures. Christianity in the west suffers from a defective doctrine of creation that has been plagued with both the racial condition and a horrid understanding of place. Together these problems have rendered the doctrine useless – it does no significant work in shaping the way …

APCE 2018: Boundless Hospitality

…their space. Jesus noticed Zacchaeus, called him down, and visited his house that day. In what ways do we notice, go, and visit others? Similarly, the first set of Thursday workshop selections offered a wide array of tools and ideas for expanding hospitality within educational ministry. Dr. Karen Marie Yust led an extended workshop entitled Welcoming the Future: Reframing Christian …