Winter 2012

Ins ide :

�“Be my witnessin Jerusalem, Judea, Samariaand to the endsof the earth.”Page 10

�“Master, howmany times doI forgive onewho hurts me?” Page 4

� Reflecting onthe life of Dr. Ronald V. WellsPage 16

Plus :

News and updates

on what CRCDSalumni/ae are doing

2011 Scholarships

awards and importantremembrances

Baptist Missionary

Training School

Scholarship profilesand updates

Bullet in of the Colg ate Rochester Crozer D iv in i t y School

Faith. Critically engaged.

A newpage...

On the Cover:Photo taken from the 2010 Trip to IONA in Scotland. The retreat is sponsored and organized by the Gene L. Bennett Program for Life Long Learning at CRCDS.

CRCDS: Faith. Critically engaged. is a quarterly publication of Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School 1100 Goodman Street, Rochester, New York, 14620.

PUBLISHER: Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School (CRCDS)

EDITOR: Christopher White

DESIGN:MillRace Design

PRINTING:St. Vincent Press

You've just opened

...in the story of Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School.

This is a new launch of The Bulletin that aims to bring toour readers engaging writing and thoughtful insight fromthe many different faces that shape our school and themission that drives us as a theological seminary. We thinkthis matters at a time when reality presents so many pitfallsand challenges to people throughout the world.

We hope you like it.

Winter 2012

Join theconversationonline! We’re connecting with alumni/ae,friends old and new, supporters,congregations and communitiesacross the country online. Join usin this journey - follow us on Twitter(@crcds) and connect to our Facebook page atwww.facebook.com/crcds.

A Modest Proposal 4

Out in the World 6

Faculty Preview 7

BMTS Scholarship Recipients 8

“Who will be a witness for my Lord?” 10

Remembering Dr. Ronald V. Wells 16

In Memoriam 17

Scholarships & Gifts 18

CRCDSFaith. Critically engaged.

4

Dr . Stephan ie L . Sauvé

A Modest Proposal

One day recently when I was speaking to our younger son Andrew on the phone he said, “Are you o.k? You seem down to me.”I said, “I’m fine. Just busy.”

“Are you sure?” he pressed. “Is there someone bothering you that I need to beat up?” Notthat he would ever “beat up” anyone; he is more likely to crush someone with one of his bearhugs. So it was sweet, but we raised Andrew like that. Yet, he is shaped and honed by otherforces and voices. Andrew, like the rest of us, lives in a world where conflict is escalated and

not contained.

After that phone call, I got to thinking about what our world would look like ifconflicts were contained rather than escalated. In my musings, a poster

from the 60s came to mind. The poster proclaimed “a modest proposalfor peace,” which was simply that all the Christians of the world

would stop killing each other. I thought that maybe it is time foranother “modest proposal” in this post 9/11 era, in this era ofreacting rather than responding, in this era of multiple conflicts(Read: wars!). Maybe it is time for a new modest proposal forall people of faith, in this era of religious pluralism, when wehave only begun to appreciate that there are many true faiths,not just one. And maybe this modest proposal could beoffered as an alternative spiritual practice.

Barbara Brown Taylor, in her book An Altar in the World,invites the reader to claim new ways of being spiritual. In this

work, Brown Taylor offers spiritual practices for people who are“longing—for more meaning, more feeling, more connection,

more life.” (xvi) Brown Taylor elaborates on our vulnerability tothis longing for more and the frantic search to satiate this desire.

She asserts:

No one longs for what he or she already has, and yet the accumulated

insight of those wise about the spiritual life suggests that the reason so many

of us cannot see the red X that marks the spot is because we are standing on it.

The treasure we seek requires no lengthy expedition, no expensive equipment, no superior

aptitude or special company. All we lack is the willingness to imagine that we already have

everything we need. The only thing missing is the consent to be where we are. (xvii)

For me “being where we are” means holding fast to what is essential to our lives, speakingtruth and seeking to be more connected to that which is core to life, which requires that weconfront the forces that are keeping us from being connected.

I know that, for some, the words “confront” or “confrontation” are scary. We get anxiouswhen we hear them. But isn’t that what Jesus calls us to do in Chapter 18 of Matthew?

5

We are called to confront the person who has hurtus. We are not to go and beat them up. Or haveanother do it for us, as my son offered to do forme. We are not to escalate the situation by inflict-ing some kind of pain. We are not to harm whenwe have been harmed. As people of faith we areto “go and tell them— and work it out between thetwo of you.” (Mt:18:15b)

If that does not work, we are to engage a processof accountability by inviting another to help us heareach other; another who will witness the interactionto help us to keep it honest and to listen to eachother. And if we can’t sort it out, then take it to thecommunity, building in more accountability. Now ifthat does not work, well then, what will? This teach-ing attributed to Jesus, challenges us to start again.

How many times? Peter was brave enough to raisethat question:

"Master, how many times do I forgive one who hurtsme? Seven?" (Mt 18:21) Jesus replied, "Seven!Hardly. Try seventy times seven.” (Mt 18:22) I wouldargue that if we engaged in this process of con-fronting, with an intent to contain as many asseventy times seven times, then we might get prettygood at it. We might just stop spreading the hurtaround. Further, we might just stop inflicting moreand more pain.

So let me suggest that a modest proposal for thisseason and time, in this post 9/11 era; in this eraof reacting rather than responding, in this era ofmultiple conflicts and wars! Let me suggest amodest proposal that is simply this: May all peopleof faith come to confront hurt and contain ourresponse by engaging in a process that movestowards forgiveness.

The forgiveness that I am inviting is not the kindof forgiveness of our childhoods, where we are toldby a well-meaning adult to say we are sorry, kissand make up, and then go play; although this hasits merits. But I am inviting the kind of forgivenessthat “seeks not so much to be understood as tounderstand,” as Reinhold Niebuhr invites in the“The Serenity Prayer.”

This is an uncomfortable invitation to confront hurtand contain our response, by engaging in a processthat moves towards forgiveness. It’s not easybecause it requires us to take a risk: we may bewrong about another person. We may feel hurt byone who never intended to hurt us. What is evenscarier is that we might confront someone who doesnot care, or does not have the capacity to care, thatthey may have hurt us. There are people who twistinformation hoping to feed our anxiety.

Therefore, part of embracing this invitation to aprocess that moves towards forgiveness is to beinformed. To seek knowledge and truth before weconfront. Finally, we need to invest time, as muchtime as it will take as we keep engaging the processover and over again, engaging in a practice thatJan Richardson calls “with-craft.” She describes it as

the art of organizing one’s life resources around a

commitment to be with a person, group, organiza-

tion, cause, particularly when being with them calls

for cleverness, ingenuity, and improvisation in the

face of divisive outside forces. […] Being with does

not mean being without conflict, without struggle,

without pain […]. When conflict, struggle and pain

arise, it means moving through them with integrity,

with one another, with something deeper, with

feeling, with hope, with desire, with dreams, with

imagination, with wisdom, with memory, with aware-

ness, with strength, with grace, with compassion and

love. (Sacred Journeys, 288)

To do what Richardson suggests takes commitment,faith, engaging our intellect and seeking and speak-ing truth. Further, it requires the sacrifice of some ofour most precious commodity: time.

I realize that there are easier ways to live. And yet,I know, that we live in a world that shows the stresscracks of our current way of life; pain, bloodshed,fear and ignorance seem to be the norm. ThereforeI offer this modest proposal, to people of faith, nomatter what your faith may be. In truth, for me thisis more than a proposal. It is my prayer.

It is my plea. May all the people of faith confronthurt and contain our response, by engaging in aprocess that moves towards forgiveness. May wedo so seventy times seven times. Or as many timesas it takes until the hurting and hating stop. Andpain is no more.

“Master, how many times do I forgive

one who hurts me? Seven?” (Mt 18:21)

Jesus replied, “Seven! Hardly. Try seventy

times seven.” (Mt 18:21-22)

Updates ,

news and notes

from CRCDS

alumn i / ae

Irene J. Magana (BMTS ’39)Still lives at Atherton Baptist Homes, but hasmoved to assisted living.

Everett L. Perry (CRDS ’41) Everett, celebrated his 100th birthday thispast June!

Kenneth V. Dodgson (CRDS ‘48)Ken received was one of CRCDS’sDistinguished Alum of the Year during the2011 Alumni/ae Reunion.

Elena Briones (BMTS ’50)Elena and her husband, Moses, celebratedtheir 60th wedding anniversary in June.

Adeline Kopf (BMTS ’51)Adeline is going on a cruise in January withher sister-in-law, three brothers, sister andher niece. She also recently became a greatgrandmother to Adam Edward.

Francis E. Stewart (CTS '52)Francis recently published hisautobiography, From Iowa Cornfields toFernwood. The book is available atAmazon.com. Francis gifted copies of hisbook to the CRCDS library.

Charles Mercer (CRDS ’55)Charles (father of Pat Hernandez CRCDS’87) is involved in ministry in Moscow,Russia and is interested in refugeeresettlement issues. He currently houses arefugee from Sierra Leone and is helpinghim get refugee status.

Susan K. Soria (BMTS ’58)In October, Susan retired from her jobas Music Director at Morgan Park BaptistChurch in Chicago. She will continue towork as the church secretary for a whilelonger. “ I am in my 51st year on staff at thechurch and can't believe it. It has been awonderful 52 years in several capacities,volunteer plus paid.”

Carrol A. Turner (CRDS ’59)Carroll and his wife Joyce were castmembers of the Reader’s TheatreProduction “The Cocktail Hour,”written by A.R. Gurney.

Ada P. Walker (BMTS ’61)Ada keeps busy volunteering and teacheschildren’s church each Sunday.

John S. Savage (CRDS ’62)John (first person enrolled in CRCDS D.Min. Classes) has written three books.The most recent one was published byAbingdon Press is titled Your Spiritual IQ. He teaches regularly and has taught inCanada (20 years at Toronto School ofTheology) as adjunct professor in theircontinuing education department. He isalso a fulltime consultant/trainer.

Dale Robison (CRDS ‘64)Dale served Underwood Baptist Church inWauwatosa, WI for seven years. He wasgranted a graduate history fellowship andhe earned a Ph.D. from Marquette Universityin American religious history.

His dissertation on religious reform"Wisconsin and the Mentally Ill," waspublished in 1976 by Arno, The NewYork Times press. He served UnitarianUniversalist congregations for 30 years. Helives with his wife, Tara Gray, in Las Cruces,NM where Tara is a well-known facultydeveloper at New Mexico State University.He was influenced by Winthrop Hudson.

Lawrence E. Witmer (CRDS ’63)Larry and his wife, Peg, spent 5 days inLondon, seeing lots of famous sites. They also took a bus tour through Englandand Scotland.

Phyllis A. Chaffee (CRDS ‘64)Phyllis Chaffee (Henry CRDS '64) waselected to the Board of Trustees of BangorTheological Seminary, with campuses inBangor and Portland, ME. Over the lastseveral years she has co-led the FinancialCampaign at Immanuel Baptist Church,Portland, Maine to raise money to restoretheir stone tower and support their mission.

Tony M. MacNaughton (CTS ’67)Tony and Jane MacNaughton will celebratetheir 40th year of service to Hildale ParkPresbyterian Church in Cedar Knolls, NJ.

Kelly Grimsley (CTS ’71)Kelly has retired from First Baptist Churchin White Plains.

Joseph R. Kutter (CTS ’71)Joe and his wife, Peggy, welcomed theirgranddaughter, Gretchen Ruth Kohl.

Edward L. Wheeler (CRDS ’72)On June 30, 2011, Christian TheologicalSeminary (CTS) named Edward PresidentEmeritus after 14 years of leadership.CRCDS also recognized Edward as a 2011Distinguished Alumnus.

Larry R. Baird (CRDS ’75)Larry has been appointed as full elder toGrand Island Trinity UMC as of July 1, 2011.

Dwight Webster (CRDS ’79)In May of 2011, Dwight completed therequirements for a Ph.D. at the GraduateTheological Union (GTU) and the PacificSchool of Religion in Berkeley, CA.

Garth E. Brokaw (CRDS ’80)Garth Brokaw, who has led Fairport BaptistHomes Caring Ministries for the last 21years, has retired. In December, 2010 thenew assisted living community at FairportBaptist Homes was officially named the"Garth E. Brokaw Assisted LivingCommunity." The wing was named forGarth to honor his dedicated work atFairport Baptist Homes to bring about thecompletion of the assisted living wing.

Sinnathamby Thevanesan (CRDS ’81)Sinnathamby retired this past May afterserving The United Methodist Church for30 years.

Randolph Bracy (CRDS ’82)Randy has announced he will retire inDecember 2012 from The New CovenantBaptist Church of Orlando, Florida.

K. Wayne Butler (CRDS ’82)Wayne Butler has been appointed toSuperintendent of the Niagara FrontierDistrict of the United Methodist Churches.

Susan S. Shafer (CRDS ’82)Susan has been appointed Senior Pastorat Asbury United Methodist Church ofRochester, NY.

Barbara Lacker-Ware (CRDS ’84)Barbara is working at Wilson CommencementPark in Rochester, NY as a Grants Writer.

Mary Lynn Gras (CRDS ’85)Mary Lynn retired from pastor at FirstPresbyterian in Utica, NY. She movedto the Pittsburgh area to be closer toher grandchildren.

William A. Mudge (CRDS ’89)William was appointed to the UpperNew York Area Cabinet as the AdirondackDistrict Superintendent this past July.

Sherri Rood (CRDS ’96) Sherri was officially welcomed as theCornerstone United Methodist ChurchDistrict Superintendent during a Serviceof Welcome on Sept. 17 at the ChristUnited Methodist Church in Olean, NY.

Outin the

World

6

Wilfredo J. Baez (CRDS ’98)In July, Wilfredo and his wife, Marcia,began serving the United Methodist Churchof North Chili, NY.

Natalie Hanson (CRDS ’99)Natalie has completed her years of serviceas Niagara Frontier District Superintendent.She has been appointed as full elder toJamestown Christ First United MethodistChurch effective July 1, 2011.

Rodney D. Mileha (CRDS ’99)In July, Rodney was appointed full elder toEast Randolph United Methodist Church.

Lawrence Hargrave (CRCDS ’00)Lawrence is Interim Pastor of OutreachMinistries at Asbury First United MethodistChurch in Rochester, NY.

Allen P. Weaver III (CRCDS ’00)Allen is producing a novel and film calledSpeedsuit Powers.

George F. Nichols (CRCDS ’01)George is Coordinating Senior Pastor atLincoln Memorial United Methodist Churchand Metropolitan United Methodist Churchin Buffalo, NY.

Leonard Griffin (CRCDS ’02) Leonard was the facilitator at the AnnualSession of the South Carolina Baptist E & MConvention. This year’s topic focused onthe challenging issues facing new or youngpastors as they seek to serve in efficient andeffective pastoral ministry.

Adrienne L. Phillips (CRCDS ’04)Adrienne was honored earlier this month asthe 2011 National Trends Award recipientof the Rochester Chapter of the The Links,Inc. The award recognized her contributionsas a change agent for positive communitydevelopment and outreach, with specialfocus on the development of the FridayNight Youth Café at West Avenue UMC.The Links is a national service organizationof professional African American women.This past June, Adrienne said goodbye toWest Avenue Methodist Church, where shewas pastor, to assume the pastorate ofChrist United Methodist Church, north ofSyracuse, NY.

Bonnie Bates (CRCDS ’05)Bonnie received her Doctor of Ministry thispast May from CRCDS. Her dissertation titlewas “Navigating the River of Grief.”

Vera E. Miller (CRCDS ’05)Genesee Baptist Church, where Vera hasbeen pastor for over 15 years, is celebratingits 140th anniversary this year.

Jill Bradway (CRCDS ’06)Jill received her Doctor of Ministry this pastMay from CRCDS. Her dissertation title was“African American Females and the ImagoDei: Reclaiming God’s Vision of Wholeness.”

Melany J. Silas (CRCDS ’06)Melany founded a theatrical company,MJS Productions. She wrote and producedher first original show, "Black Girls Anthem."Her show sold out six shows and then re-opened at Nazareth College Arts Center.She is also going to launch her show onan East Coast tour. To learn more visithttp://www. black-girlsanthem.com.

Ann Kemper (CRCDS ’07)Ann was appointed as full elder to CovenantUnited Methodist Church in Rochester, NY.

Patricia L. Walz (CRCDS ’08)Patricia was ordained at the United MethodistChurches Annual Conference this past June.

José A. Claudio (CRCDS ’10)José was ordained this past May as pastorof Iglesia Unida de Cristo el Nueva Camino,believed to be the first "open and affirming"Hispanic congregation in New York State.

Beth Shiela Malone (CRCDS ’11)Beth was appointed part-time pastor toNunda United Methodist Church and WestSparta United Methodist Church this past July.

Barbara Zelter (CRCDS ’11)Barbara is working full-time in a facultyposition in the graduate program for socialwork at North Carolina State University inRaleigh. She is responsible for findingstudents internships within social justiceorganizations.

Dr. Gay L. Bryon

Faculty Preview:An Abstract from

Dr. Gay L. Bryon's

Forthcoming Paper

(Emb)Racing the Bible:

Pedagogical Challenges,

Curricular Opportunities

Theological educators are nowfostering dialogues, projects andpractices that are designed toacknowledge the challenges andopportunities resulting from the shift-ing racial and ethnic demographicclimate in the US and Canada.As well-intentioned as these effortsare, most of the scholarship focuseson the contemporary experiences ofunderrepresented minorities, currentinstitutional concerns or practicalclassroom scenarios, leaving Scrip-ture courses, which have long beenthe backbone of theological educa-tion, beyond the scope of criticalengagement. In this article I arguethat the existing scholarship onteaching and learning in general,and among biblical scholars in par-ticular, does not adequately addressthe specific challenges that arisewhen questions about race andethnicity are exposed in Scripturecourses. Therefore, based on myown classroom experiences, Idevelop a pedagogy of (emb)racingthe Bible that seeks to bridge thegap between theoretical readingsand practical applications of ancientand contemporary discourses aboutrace and ethnicity.

7

SAVE THE DATE !

Alumni/ae Reunion Days:

April 25-26, 2012

CRCDS alumni/ae are invited to the Hillfor this special event to see what’s new atthe School, to share recent stories and toremember old ones. It’s a time for thewider CRCDS community to cometogether and recall the mission and visionthey continue to share.

The full schedule of events will be available soon. We are looking forward to seeing you again.

Greetings to all BMTS Alumnae

and BMTS Honorary Alumni!

CRCDS is pleased to announce the

2011-12 Baptist Missionary Train-

ing School Scholarship Recipients.

Bronwyn Evans

Bronwyn, an American Baptist, is in herfirst year. Her vocational goal is pastoralcounseling and spiritual care, havinghad a career as a psychotherapist. Shereceived her Bachelor's Degree in SocialWork from Cornell University and herMaster's Degree in Social Work fromMarywood University. Bronwyn is nostranger to the Baptist Missionary TrainingSchool. She is the daughter of GraceNorton and David Evans.

Bronwyn writes, “It is with great joy thatI have received this scholarship. It feelshard to convey to you the significanceof this support from such an outstand-ing group of women. I know this to betrue as I am the daughter of GraceNorton Evans. Over the years I havehad the opportunity to attend BMTSgatherings either at biennials or atCRCDS. This allowed me the opportunityto meet many of you. Thank you forsupporting me as I embark on my educational journey.”

Denise Lynn Bell

Denise, an American Baptist, is asenior working towards a Master ofDivinity degree. Prior to attendingCRCDS, she received her degree fromRochester Institute of Technology,Rochester, New York with a Master ofBusiness Administration. Her voca-

tional goal is pastoral counseling. Herformer career was college careercounseling. Denise is currently in a vol-unteer position as Pastor of theRochester Institute of TechnologyGospel Fellowship; her congregantslovingly call her “Pastor Dee.”

Denise is also the Founder of SWEETTEA, a new outreach ministry forwomen in crisis. "This Scholarship willpermit me to concentrate on obtaininga high-quality theological educationwhile reducing the financial stress,”she explained. “I am thankful for thegenerosity and support evident inColgate Rochester Crozer DivinitySchool’s mission of training leadersin ministry, like myself. This scholarshipis making it possible for students likeme to follow the calling in my life.”

JaCon Canese Washington

JaCon is a senior pursuing a Master ofDivinity degree; she is on the AmericanBaptist ordination track. She is Presi-dent of the CRCDS Baptist StudentAlliance, and is Vice President of theCRCDS Black Student Caucus, as wellas an Associate Minister at GeneseeBaptist Church under Rev. Dr. VeraMiller (who received her M.Div. &D.Min. from CRCDS).

Prior to attending CRCDS, she receivedher Bachelor of Arts degree fromColgate University in Hamilton, NY witha double concentration in Sociology/Anthropology and English/Theatre. Hervocational goals include pastoral/evan-gelistic ministry as well as pastoral

counseling. Sheespecially hasa passion forengaging thehearts, mindsand spirits ofchildren andteens through thecreative integra-tion of Christianityand the Arts.

Before relocating from Syracuse, NY,JaCon enjoyed a dual career as a radioannouncer for a Christian radio station,and as a Youth Program Coordinatorfor a community-based organization onthe south side of Syracuse. JaCon said,“I am appreciative of your generosityand faithful commitment to providingscholarships to students like me. I am asenior now and I am so excited aboutmy ordination, graduation and ministry.Thank you all for your support.”

8

Enabl ing women for m in istry for over 130 years

The Baptist Missionary Training School Journey Continues...

David Evans ’53,

Bronwyn Evans,

Grace Norton Evans ’52

9

The entire CRCDS

community is

grateful for the

Baptist Missionary

Training School

Scholarship Fund.

Scholarships like

this are important

as they provide

direct tuition support

to women attending

CRCDS.

BMTS Alumnae—keep in touch!Betty Musselman Johnson ’57, BettyJuner Choate Murray ’53, Susan HallSoria ’58 and Betty Anderson Warren’53 gathered for lunch in Aurora,Illinois this past June. They werejoined also by Paul Johnson, BillMurray and by Betty’s niece Jane.Betty Warren said, “We had a great,great time chatting and reminiscing.”

Do you have something you

would like to share with the

CRCDS community? Email LisaBors at Lbors@crcds.edu or call herat (585) 340-9647 with your news,stories, updates and whatever elseyou'd like to share with theBMTS/CRCDS community.

BMTS graduates at luncheon

in Decatur, Illinois this past

October. Top row: Nancy BakerDunbar ’51, Betty Anderson Warren’53, Dorothy Stoddard Klyn ’53Seated: Joan Devening Criswell ’51,Zintka (Polly) Smith Bilyeu ’53

10

"Who will be awitness for my Lord?"

As we stand at the beginning of anotheracademic year this might be a good time to ask ourselves a simple but stubborn question:what is it that any of us views as the goal,the objective or the end result of theologicaleducation?

What is it that we or any other theological school are set out to pursueor accomplish? Is your work as students limited primarily to classes andpapers, and then to grades and graduation? Are those of you on thefaculty focused solely on syllabi and on individual scholarly pursuits? Arethose of us within the ranks of administration and staff concerned mostlywith finances, facilities and the forms that seem to stare at us from ourcomputer screens? Why are we here on this place so affectionately knownas “The Hill?” More importantly, what does our being here have to dowith the God we love and the church(es) we serve?

The very first graduating class of potential preachers faced this very sameset of questions. In Acts 1: 6-8 Peter, James, John and the other disciplesof Jesus had finished all their course work. School was over and the teacher,the master teacher was about to send them forth into the world to com-mence their ministries. Three years earlier they had been called from theirwork as fishermen, tax collectors and other sundry assignments to beginan apprenticeship with Jesus that would equip them to carry his messageto the ends of the Earth. In our verse for today their graduation ceremonywas wrapping up and it was time, at least in the mind of their teacher, forthem to begin the work for which they had been so carefully trained.

However, something quite surprising happens in this passage. The discipleshave one more question for Jesus. There is one more thing they want to

know and they take advantage of what was meant to be their final moments with Jesus to getthe answer. Here is what they asked of their soon departing teacher: Lord, will you at this time

restore the kingdom to Israel?

That sounds like an innocent question on first hearing. However, everything about that ques-tion was wrong from the point of view of Jesus. There are four fatal flaws with this questionin Acts 1:6. First, it shifts responsibility for taking action away from themselves to someoneelse. Rather than asking Jesus what he might want them to do now that their training was over,all they could think to ask was, “Lord, what are you going to do next?”

Pres ident -elect McMickle ' s message to the incom ing and

return ing students , faculty and staff for Fall Convoc at ion

2011 at the Samuel Colg ate Memor ial Chapel

Dr. Marvin A. McMickle

11

Their course of study did not result in their feelingany urgency to undertake any ministry of their ownand on their own. After three years of involvementin the original Master of Divinity program all theycould do was wonder aloud what Jesus was goingto do next. It was not as if Jesus had not doneenough already. He had already performed onegreat miracle after another. He had already uttereda string of memorable parables that had comfortedhis friends and confounded his enemies. He had

already transformed a Passover meal into the Lord’sSupper. He had already died on the cross as theultimate atonement for the sins of the world. Hehad already been raised from the dead to becomethe “first fruits of them that are asleep.” Yet afterdoing all of that and more the only thing this grad-uating class could do was ask him what he wasgoing to do next.

Second, not only did they wonder what he wasgoing to do next, but secondly they wonderedwhen he was going to do it. “Will you at this timerestore the kingdom to Israel?” It was as if they didnot want to wait a moment longer. They wantedhim to take the desired action at once. That mustresonate with our instantaneous society whereeverything is expected to be delivered sooner ratherthan later and where miracles like music areexpected “on demand.” We have been made tobelieve that we can pray for something and then getan answer “at this time.” We actually believe thatwhen we preach sermons people should do exactlywhat we have said “at this time.” We have no senseof patience or waiting or long suffering. Lord, wewant what we want, and we want it now!

The third and fourth points merge together. Whateverit was they were expecting of Jesus, it had nothingto do with a fresh vision of the future. The futurethey envisioned was defined by the past status ofIsrael under David and Solomon; a kingdom whichthey hoped would be restored by Jesus. Take usback to the good old days when we were in charge. It reminds me of a woman who was speaking at a

Tea Party convention in the summer of 2010 whosaid through tears and grief, “I want my Americaback.” This white woman made her appeal for areturn to a more familiar country on the day afteran African American president named BarackObama had nominated a Hispanic woman namedSonia Sotomayor to the United State SupremeCourt. That was not her version of America. Shewanted something to be restored again.

Doubtless, she was more in line with former U.S.Senator Trent Lott who once stated that the goldendays of America were best defined by Mississippiin the 1950s. I do not know what Trent Lott had inmind about Mississippi in the 1950s, but all thatcomes to my mind is a 14-year-old boy from myneighborhood in Chicago named Emmett Till whowent to visit his family in Money, Mississippi in 1955.He was accused of whistling at or speaking improp-erly to a white woman. For that offense he wastaken from the home where he was staying in themiddle of the night. When he was finally located,he had been beaten and tortured, shot in the headand thrown into a river with the motor of a cottongin wrapped around his neck with a piece of barbedwire. The men who confessed to his murder weretried by an all-white, all-male jury in Mississippi thatfound those men not guilty after deliberating for allof twenty minutes.

That is the problem in longing for a past that doesnot include everybody. The disciples asked Jesus if

he was going to restore the kingdom to Israel. They had no interest in what might happen toEgypt. They showed no concern over the Greeksor the Ethiopians or the Samaritans. They did nothave a world view that saw all people and allnations as having equal worth in the eyes of God.They were like the character in the film Head of

State that is running for the office of President ofthe United States against an opponent played bythe comedian Chris Rock. This character that isportrayed as a conservative Republican says overand over again, “God bless America and nowhereelse.” In response to that mantra, Chris Rockresponds, “How about God bless Americaand everybody else?”

We have no sense of patience or

waiting or longsuffering. Lord, we

want what we want, and we want

it now!

One can only wonder what Jesus must have thoughtafter hearing this question from his disciples. Wasthat all they had garnered from their theologicaleducation; how to ask questions about a future thatasked nothing from them and offered somethinglimited only to them? Was that the sum total of theirperspective? Just to be sure, Jesus delayed his returnto heaven long enough to give one more lecturethat would serve as a post-graduate program for hisstill ill-equipped pupils.

Lesson number one from Jesus was profound: “Donot do anything until the power of the Holy Spirithas come upon you.” This must come as a shockto us today, because some of us might actuallythink that our own intellectual prowess coupled withthe refinements of a theological education can fully

equip us for the work that awaits us in the Churchand in the world. Let me disabuse you of that notionright away. Success in ministry depends upon some-thing more than a degree in theology and theassociated skills of hermeneutics, homiletics andexegesis. While those skills are certainly importantand necessary, none of those things or all of themtaken together will be enough for those engaged inthe service of the Church. Success in ministry dependsupon being anointed with something more than adegree from CRCDS; as much as we hope you willall achieve that goal. We who have walked this roadahead of you understand all too well that those whowould serve in the ministry of the Church need tobe strengthened, undergirded and empowered bythe Holy Spirit of God.

It was the Spirit of God that empowered the ministryof Jesus, and Jesus understood that it would be thatsame Spirit that would be needed by these disciples.

Indeed, the Book of the Acts of the Apostles couldjust as easily be called the Book of the Acts of the

Holy Spirit. Saul of Tarsus had received a qualitytheological education in the tradition of his earlyyears, but it was the anointing of the Holy Spirit thattransformed him into both an author and an evan-gelist that extended the gospel throughout greatparts of the Roman Empire.

Martin Luther had a doctorate in theology, but itwas the Holy Spirit that enabled him to say, “HereI stand, I cannot do otherwise.” Martin Luther King,Jr. earned one of his degrees at Crozer TheologicalSeminary; now part of CRCDS. Nevertheless, it wasthe power of the Holy Spirit that emboldened him tosay, “Despite the difficulties of today and tomorrow Istill have a dream.” We cannot award you the powerof the Holy Spirit in the same way that we can awardacademic degrees. What we can do is remind our-selves like Jesus reminded his disciples that you willnot last long in the ministry unless and until the HolySpirit has come upon you.

It is important to say that this is not a call to anyPentecostal religion, whether Assemblies of Godor Church of God in Christ. The power of Pentecostdoes not belong to Pentecostals any more thanbaptism belongs to Baptists. The power of the HolySpirit is needed by everyone who would be involvedin the service of God.

That point being made, Jesus then gave them theassignment for which they had been in training forthe last three years: “Be my witness in Jerusalem,Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth.” Letthat phrase serve as our guide for the balance ofthis sermon: be my witness. There are at least threeways by which that word could inform us in our work.A person could be a witness in a fairly passive andinactive way by simply witnessing or paying attentionto what is going on around them. That is at least astart. There are some Christians that do not evenseem to be paying attention.

Millions of people in this country are living in poverty,unable to afford medical insurance and choosingevery day between paying for heat, food or pre-scription drugs. This is going on in the richest countryin the history of the world, and most people are socaught up in a theology of personal salvation andpersonal prosperity they are not even paying atten-tion to the suffering of others. The v ery least we cando as servants of God and preachers of the gospelof Jesus Christ is to be a witness that pays attentionto what is going in the world around us. I agreewith Cornel West when he observes that the role ofprophetic beings is to stir up in us the courage tocare.1 Caring cannot begin until we begin to witness,to see what is really going on in the world today!

“How about God bless

America and everybody else?”

12

Dr. Barbara Holmes

spoke at the 2011

Howard Thurman

Lectureship on the

CRCDS campus.

13

There is a second way to understand this phrase“be my witness,” and it involves what it means to bea witness within the context of a court of law. In thatsetting a witness is someone that has taken an oathand promised to tell the truth, the whole truth andnothing but the truth. If we take that understandingof the word then many more possibilities open upfor the work you and I have been called to do. Nowwe can understand a witness to be someone that iswilling to tell the truth whether or not people arewilling to listen to that truth. That is what the prophetsof the Old Testament did; they witnessed to the truthrevealed to them by God. They declared God’sdesire for justice and righteousness. They spoketheir truth to people in power who were the causeof the problems and who had the power to changehistorical circumstances.

Cornel West comes to our aid again when he helpsflesh out the full effect of truth-telling by the peopleof God. West says that “prophetic beings have astheir special aim to shatter deliberate ignoranceand willful blindness to the sufferings of others andto expose the clever forms of evasion and escapewe devise in order to hide and conceal injustice.”2

In other words, our job is not just to see what is going on in the world around us but also to challengeourselves and others to take whatever steps arerequired to end the suffering and the injustices thathave come to our attention. It is my hope and prayerthat when you finish your course of study at CRCDSthat you will not only have the courage to care aboutthe people and problems all around you, but thatyou will be bold enough to shatter deliberate igno-rance and willful blindness and shed God’s lighton this corrupt and callous world in which we live.

That brings us to the third and far more importantmeaning of being a witness for the Lord. The Greekword for witness is marturia which is the basis forour English word "martyr." Could it be that Jesuswas challenging those disciples to be willing to risksomething for the sake of the truth they were beingsent forth to declare? Could it be that in order tobe a witness for the Lord you and I must be willingto lose something we value; a job, a relationship,the friendship of those who profit and benefit fromthe status quo? Perhaps Jesus was reminding themof what he had just endured himself. He was freshfrom the grave with the memory of crucifixion stillfresh on their minds. Maybe the reason the discipleswanted to know what Jesus was going to do next isbecause they did not want to do anything similar towhat Jesus had done that might result in their suffering or death.

Who will be a witness for my Lord? Who will risksomething for the sake of the gospel? Who is willingto endure any loss, suffer any inconvenience, foregoany personal gain or bear any burden of consequencefrom people in power all in the name of being faith-ful to the truth as we understand it? Those disciplesknew then as surely as we know now that Jesus said,“If any one would come after me, he must deny him-self and take up his cross and follow me. For whoeverwants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loseshis life for me will find it” (Matthew 16: 24-25).

We have all studied the lives of people who sufferedand even died for the cause of God’s reign on earth.We know that Jeremiah was thrown into a cistern.We know that John the Baptist was beheaded. Weknow that Martin Luther was excommunicated. Weknow that John Bunyan was imprisoned in a jail inBedford in England. We know that many of the mostglorious chapters in the history of the Christian Church,from the Protestant Reformation to the modern civilrights movement were written in the blood of thosewho suffered and sometimes were martyred for theirfaith and their faithfulness. We admire what theyendured, but are we willing to walk in their footstepsand take to the extreme what it means to be awitness for the Lord?

The last thing Jesus told his disciples was wherehe expected their witnessing to take place: inJerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of theearth. Jesus seemed to be operating with a sensethat God’s interests were not limited to one com-munity, or one nation, or one group of people.God was challenging those disciples to have asense of vocation that left them open to servingwherever God’s sovereign reign extended.

I remember my last week in Seminary when a fewof my classmates gathered in a student loungewhere we began to talk openly about what wehoped would happen after graduation. Some saidthey wanted to serve churches in Texas or Georgiaor Illinois. Others hoped to earn a Ph.D. and teachat Harvard or Yale or come right back to Union

...be bold enough to shatter deliberate

ignorance and willful blindness and

shed God’s light on this corrupt and

callous world in which we live.

1 Cornel West, Democracy Matters: Winning the Fight Against Imperialism, Penguin Press: New York, 2004, p. 114.

2 West, p. 114.

14

Seminary in New York. Finally, one student said hewas willing to go wherever God sent him. Afterhearing that statement, the rest of us felt ashamedfor having given God such specific instructionsabout our career plans. We were impressed by thewillingness of our classmate to go wherever he wassent. That is until we realized that he was not reallythrough talking. After a very long pause he contin-ued by saying, “So long as it is no farther souththan Baltimore and no farther west than Pittsburgh.”Since we were at that moment seated in New YorkCity that preacher was actually giving God as manyrestrictions as everybody else. Who will be a witnessfor the Lord wherever the Lord sends us?

Are any of us prepared to go wherever the Lord sendsus, or are we determined to conduct our ministrieswithin a cocoon of self-imposed comfort? Jesus toldthem to be his witness in Jerusalem, which representsthe community and the city in which our church or

ministry is located. It may be true about our ownseminary that we spend too much time in the splen-did isolation of this high hill on which our buildingsare standing, and not spend nearly enough timeengaging with the people and problems just beyondour walls. Too many Christians, like too many semi-naries and divinity schools, do all of their work insideof their own walls and with little real interest in whatis going on in the very communities in which theyare located.

Notice that no sooner had Jesus challenged themto engage with their local community in Jerusalemthen he pointed them beyond their local settings,and called upon them to be his witness in Judea.This was a call to be a prophet to the nation. Thereare some people who will be assigned to ministrysettings where prosperity and stability are the orderof the day. During my 24-year ministry in Cleveland,Ohio, I was always amazed by people who lived inthe prosperous suburbs that showed no interest insuffering going on just 15 minutes or 5 miles away.However, there are also some serious problems inour nation, and Jesus wants us to lift up our headsfrom our local pre-occupations long enough tofocus on the larger, national agenda.

There are more than two million people crammedinto prisons in this country at a cost of $25,000 peryear, per prisoner. What could we do as a nationin terms of drug rehabilitation, public education,repairing the national infrastructure, affordablehousing and work-force development if we couldfind a better way to solve our social problems thansimply locking people up that might be better servedby out-patient drug treatment programs at one-fourth the cost of incarceration? At the same time,we have been spending $15 billion per month onwars in Iraq and Afghanistan over the last nineyears. This nation would not have a budget deficitif we were not throwing our money away into warswe can never win at the cost of human lives we didnot have to lose. These are just some of the issuesin our nation for which God needs somebody tobe a witness.

Much to their surprise, Jesus then told them tobe his witness in Samaria. Thatis where “those people live.” Itdoes not matter where you go inthis world; there are always somepeople within the communitythat are viewed pejoratively as“those people.” Maybe they aredefined by their ethnicity, theirsocial class, their sexual orienta-tion, their social and/or politicalviews or the neighborhood inwhich they live. There always

seem to be “those people.” Some of us may havea recent history of treating others as if they werenothing more to us than “those people.” Some ofus have had a recent history of being treated as ifwe were nothing more than “those people.”

I recall my junior year in high school when I hadone of my more memorable experiences of beingtreated like a Samaritan, like one of “those people.”I was going to see my high school guidance coun-selor concerning for my plans after graduation. Howsurprised I was when she told me that I should notaspire to going to college because, in her mind, I did not have the brain that would make me suc-cessful in higher education. I went home, believingwhat she had told me, and told my mother that shecould stop saving for my college fund, because theguidance counselor had already told me that I didnot have the brain for college-level work.

My mother was not easily dissuaded, and so shejust shrugged off what I had just said. She told in nouncertain terms that only three people could deter-mine whether or not I would go to college and thatthe guidance counselor was not one of them. Shesaid that she had a vote because she was mymother and she was voting yes. She said that I had

She said that I had a vote because it was

my life and she was telling me that I was

voting yes. She said that God had a vote

and that God had already told her that

God’s vote was yes.

a vote because it was my life and she was tellingme that I was voting yes. She said that God had avote and that God had already told her that God’svote was yes. Therefore, on the strength of thatunanimous vote I should go on to college despitethe guidance counselor.

Somehow and without a brain I finished college infour years. I finished my theological training in threeyears; all with no brain. Then I earned two doctoraldegrees: a D. Min. and a Ph.D. On the day I wasawarded the D. Min. from Princeton my motherwalked up to me and said, “Where is the guidancecounselor who told us that we do not have a brainfor college level work?” All that my guidance coun-selor saw was a black male, from a broken home,living in an inner-city neighborhood. All she sawwas one of “those people.” She wrote me off andreached conclusions about my life based solely onwho I was and not what I could become. She couldnot imagine that I would be standing here as thepresident of a divinity school with a Ph.D. behindmy name.

The sad thing is that all of us are guilty of lookingupon some group of people as “those people.” Allthey have to do is be sufficiently different from us,always using ourselves as the standard of what isnormal and acceptable, and we look down uponthem as “those people.” The Samaritans were cer-tainly “those people” in the eyes of Jews in the firstcentury; and yet here is Jesus sending his disciplesto be witness in Samaria. The goal of theologicaleducation is to make us all sensitive to and respon-sive to those in our society that others are willingto pass by, overlook and ignore. Even if it costs usthe friendship of some people whose support orendorsement we would like to have, our challengeis to be God’s witness in Samaria.

Notice finally that Jesus challenges us to be his wit-nesses unto the ends of the earth. We cannot limitour focus to the people and problems that are withinour immediate vicinity. Nor can we be so nationalis-tic that we cannot or will not think about globalissues and global problems. One of the things wehope you learn in seminary is that God is sovereignover the whole of Creation. God is not the privateproperty of any one nation, and God has no regardfor one nation above any others. As much as we inthis country talk about “American exceptionalism,”God is unimpressed. God does not smile fromheaven or nod in consent when we sing “God BlessAmerica.” That might make sense for a Russianimmigrant named Irving Berlin who fled oppressionin one country and found opportunity in another.The song that makes more sense is the one thatsays, “He’s got the whole world in his hands.”

In a world divided by Muslims and Christians andJews battling for power and preeminence we arecalled upon to be God’s witness. At a time whenterrorists are strapping on suicide bombs and NATOforces are dropping “smart bombs,” we are calledupon to be God’s witnesses to the ends of the earth.

While U.S. corporations out-source jobs from thiscountry so they can maximize profits, all the whilepaying foreign workers less and by lowering environ-mental protection rules as well, we are called uponto be God’s witnesses in the whole world.

Understand that it may not always be popular to beGod’s witnesses. Someone in the government mightrebuke you. Someone in your own congregationmay condemn you. Someone in your denominationmight oppose you as you seek to pursue a career inministry. I cannot guarantee that any of those thingsmay not happen. All I can do is assure you that ifyou and I are willing to stand up and speak up andbe God’s witness in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria andunto the ends of the earth, we may be blessed some-day to hear our God say about our service, “Welldone, good and faithful servant.” As we beginanother academic year, let us keep clear what webelieve is the true goal of this enterprise. It is notabout grades and graduation. It is not about bookspublished and articles written. It is about being awitness for the Lord throughout the whole of God’screation in the blessed hope that the God who sendsus will one day review our service in God’s nameand say, “Well done.” With that challenge and thatpromise looming before us let our work for thisacademic year begin.

One of the things we hope you learn

in seminary is that God is sovereign

over the whole of Creation. God is not

the private property of any one nation,

and God has no regard for one nation

above any others.

Want to watch Dr. McMickle's sermon

at the 2011 Opening Convocation?

Use your smartphone to scan this code, or typehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNncHV2BBNQdirectly into your browser.

15

Colgate Rochester

Crozer Divinity

School remains

ever grateful

for Dr. Wells’s

leadership,

guidance, friend-

ship and steadfast

support of the

CRCDS mission.

16

Alumnus and Past Pres ident of Crozer Theolog ic al School

Remembering Dr. Ronald V. Wells

In November of last year, Colgate RochesterCrozer Divinity School lost a treasured memberof its family when Dr. Ronald V. Wells died atthe age of 95 in Schenectady, New York. Born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1913, Dr. Wells initially prepared for a career in farming atIowa State University. Early on in his studies, however, he experienced a call to ministry andafter two years, transferred to Denison University, graduating in the Class of 1935. Whileat Denison, Dr. Wells had a fortuitous meeting with the president of Crozer TheologicalSeminary and decided then and there he would attend Crozer. Soon after arriving on theChester campus in 1935, he met his future wife, Patricia Woodburne, daughter of the lateCrozer faculty member A. Stewart Woodburne. The two were married in 1938 in the samehouse they would later occupy upon their return to Chester in 1962.

A pastor, academic and activist

During his studies at Crozer, Dr. Wells served as a student pastor to a small church north ofPhiladelphia. Upon graduation, he was called to his first full time pastorate at First BaptistChurch in Somerville, New Jersey where he simultaneously completed a Ph.D. in Philosophyat Columbia University. In 1942, he moved his family to Bridgeport, Connecticut where heserved at First Baptist Church for five years. His time in Bridgeport was marked by his effortsto sponsor Japanese-Americans, allowing them to move out of the internment camps in theWest to find work in the Bridgeport area. Dr. Wells also played an integral role in the found-ing of the Greater Bridgeport Council of Churches.

Leader in the Colgate Rochester-Crozer merger

In 1947, Dr. Wells was called to pastor First Baptist Church of Ames, Iowa, where he oversawthe building of a new church facility while also serving on the faculty of Iowa State University.In 1952, he left Ames to become the Associate Director of the American Baptist Board ofEducation and Publication, where he raised over $7.5 million for American Baptist colleges.

In 1962, Dr. Wells returned to his beloved Crozer as President, serving the school at a criticaltime in its history. He was instrumental in creating a college of nursing at Crozer and workedtirelessly to chart the course of Crozer for the future. Responding to the challenge of decliningseminary enrollment and mounting costs, Dr. Wells led the initiative to secure the Crozer legacythrough the 1970 merger with Colgate Rochester Divinity School, bringing each school’s richtradition of scholarship and commitment to social justice together into one new school inRochester, New York.

In Memoriam

Rocelia Christenson Motley BMTS ‘32

Doris Terry Schwab BMTS ‘35

Ronald V. Wells CTS ‘38

Sadie McCallum Aldrin BMTS ‘39

Beth Whisman Christiansen BMTS ‘40

Dorothy Taylor Ellmore BMTS ‘41

John R. Schroeder CTS ‘42

Franklin W. Young CTS ‘42

Paul O. Madsen CRDS ‘43

Mae Samples Roeder BMTS ‘43

Hugh B. Chittenden CRDS ‘44

Douglas W. Passage CRDS ‘45

Elizabeth Montomayor Mascarenas BMTS ‘46

Mary Ailes Miles BMTS ‘46

Robert C. Hathaway CRDS ‘48

Edmund Fetter CRDS ‘49

Edward H. Rybnicek CRDS ‘52

Lloyd H. Yost CRDS ‘53

Laurel L. Malcomson CRDS ‘57

Howard C. Adams CRDS ‘58

Jerry C. Freiert CRDS ‘58

G. Todd Roberts CRDS ‘58

Richard D. Crooks CRDS ‘61

Dorothy Woodard Randall BMTS ‘61

Charles Burge CTS ‘62

Norman W. Schanck CTS ‘62

Dennis E. Norris CTS ‘65

Raymond L. Graves CRDS ‘69

Thomas E. Diamond CRDS ‘71

James A. Flurer CTS ‘72

Alfred Hayden CTS ‘72

Drew Marshall CRDS ‘84

Melba C. Meyer CRDS ‘84

Kenneth A. Dodd CRDS ‘93

Agnes Jurima Morrison BMTS ‘95

17

"Blessed with vision to see the opportunities

for innovation"

Dr. Wells served as president of Sioux Falls College inSouth Dakota and as a fundraiser for Marts and Lundywhere he raised $150 million for the Presbyterian MajorMission Fund. He is the author of two books, Three

Christian Transcendentalists and Spiritual Disciplines for

Every Day Living, which sold almost 10,000 copies.

He is predeceased by his wife, Patricia, in 2009.

Upon his death, his son Robert wrote, “He was a tall,handsome man whose hair remained dark until the end.He was blessed with vision to see the opportunities forinnovation his work brought him. Fortunately his energyand enthusiasm matched his vision, a fact demonstratednot only by his innovations, but also by five honorarydegrees from Brown and Colby, among others. He wasa man of few hobbies, satisfied by his work and his family.He died well-beloved by family and friends.”

Today, Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School (CRCDS)remains ever grateful for Dr. Wells’s leadership, guidance,friendship and steadfast support of the CRCDS mission.We continue to thank God for the life of this remarkableservant and for his lasting impression on the ColgateRochester Crozer legacy.

Dr. Wells and wife Patricia

First CRCDS Annual Walk-a-thon

Rev. Gordon Webster, Chairperson for the Interfaith Forum of Greater Rochester, andMarango Muyubira, a member of Lake Avenue Baptist Church, chat with President-electMcMickle at the First CRCDS Annual Walk-a-thon this past September.

First Rev . George

and Dor is Haddad

Scholarsh ip

Announced

Colgate RochesterCrozer DivinitySchool is proudto announce thefirst recipients ofthe Rev. Georgeand Doris HaddadScholarship.

Raymond H. Allen

Raymond is a first year studentenrolled in the Master of Divinityprogram with a goal of becominga full-time pastor. He also hopesto one day teach theology at thecollege/university level. Raymondcurrently serves Bethany BaptistChurch in Niagara Falls, NY as apart-time minister.

Shelley Lynn Peters

Shelley is a first year student atCRCDS, working toward her Masterof Divinity degree. She is a member

of the UnitedMethodist Churchand is currentlyfocused onpre-paring forordained ministrywith a particularinterest in chap-

laincy work. Before arriving on theHill, Shelley was employed as aregistered nurse.

About the Rev. Georgeand Doris HaddadScholarship The Scholarship was established in 2010 through a generous giftfrom the estate of George and

Doris Haddad.Rev. Haddadwas a memberof CRDS Classof ’38 whorecalled his

days on The Hillas some of thebest of his life.Through theirgenerous gift,George and Doriswill enable currentand future CRCDS students, likeRaymond and Shelley, answer the callto ministry while decreasing the loadthey carry from educational debt.

All of us in the CRCDS communityoffer our congratulations toRaymond and Shelley and oursincere and heartfelt thanks toGeorge and Doris Haddad for theirgenerosity in providing support forthe future generations of church andcommunity leaders.

Scholarships&Gifts

18

CRCDS gratefullyacknowledges agift from the estateof our belovedBaptist MissionaryTraining SchoolClass of '32alumna andHorizon Societymember, RoceliaMotley and herhusband, Brunson.

Rocelia and Brunson were unwaveringsupporters of the Baptist MissionaryTraining School (BMTS) and CRCDS.In 1983, they established the Roceliaand Brunson Motley Scholarship Fundof the BMTS to provide support forCRCDS students, particularly Baptistwomen pursuing theological degrees.They also provided significant finan-cial support for both the BMTS Chairand the BMTS Scholarship. Now,by remembering the School in theirestate plans, Rocelia and Brunsonhave provided a generous gift of$190,000 in general support of themission of CRCDS. We thank Godfor the lives of Rocelia and Brunsonand continue to give thanks for theirgenerosity in support of the CRCDSmission and the legacy of the BMTS.

The Horizon Society is the plannedgiving society of CRCDS. Societymembers have chosen to includethe school in their estate planning,providing future support for CRCDS.Remembering the school in yourestate plans is an important way ofproviding for the CRCDS missionand the legacy of the schools it rep-resents. Through estate planning,Horizon members are able toprovide for loved ones while alsoproviding essential financialresources that enable a promisingand thriving future for CRCDS and its mission of providing intelligent,learned and socially consciousleaders who transform the communities they serve.

Your Gift

Would you like to

make a gift to CRCDS

through your estate?

If you would like more informationon this important opportunity orif you would like to speak withsomeone about the possibility ofincluding CRCDS in your estate,please contact Tom McDade Clay,Director of Development andAlumni/ae & Church Relations at(585) 340-9648 ortmcdadeclay@crcds.edu.

19

Rocel ia and

Brunson Motley

Make Generous

G ift to Hor izon

Soc iety

2012

Distinguished

Alumni/ae Award:

Call for

Submissions

Do you know a CRCDS alumnusor alumna whose pastoral work,ministry, impact on his or hercommunity or life achievementsought to be recognized by ourlarger community?

Please consider submitting anomination for the 2012 Distinguished Alumni/ae Award.

Submissions can be made to Tom McDade Clay (phone: (585) 340-9648email: tmcdadeclay@crcds.edu).Please include your candidate’s full name and an up-to-datemeans of contact.

Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School

1100 Goodman Street

Rochester, NY 14620

(585) 271-1320

www.crcds.edu

Follow us: @crcds

Like us: facebook.com/crcds

Non-Profit Org.

US Postage

PAIDRochester, NY

Permit No. 1588

“...we are called upon

to be God’s witnesses to

the ends of the earth.”