April 17, 2009

Dear Alumni/ae,
 

Professional clergy are in constant danger of being so consumed by their congregational duties that ministry in their local neighborhood is minimized or neglected altogether. The demands of the institution press upon the pastor with a vengeance. This often leaves the pastor, as well as the congregation, unengaged and isolated from their wider community. This drift toward an inward focus must be deliberately resisted.

In the 1940s Dietrich Bonhoeffer noted, "The church is only the church when it exists for others." Among other things, he suggests: "Clergy must live solely on the freewill offerings of their congregations, or possibly engage in some secular calling" (Letters and Papers from Prison). This proposal is radical, yet every pastor should consider the spirit of Bonhoeffer's words and choose to engage the neighborhood. The possibilities are many: serve as a police or fire chaplain, join a service club, meet regularly with other ministers, get involved in community efforts, serve the poor.

This month's AlumNews, in the Alumni/ae in Action story and Council Corner below, highlights two pastors who are choosing to intentionally engage in their neighborhoods and are making a difference in the name of Jesus.

Kurt Fredrickson
Director, Doctor of Ministry Program
Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministry

ALUMNI/AE IN ACTION

Healing in Community
Charles Morgan (MSMFT '08), who balances pastoring a church with service in a mental health center, helps others build relationships of accountability and authenticity. Read more at www.fuller.edu/page.aspx?id=6887.

COUNCIL CORNER

A Curious Path
Alumni/ae Council member Philip Carlson (ThM '93, MDiv '87), who is both physician and pastor, reflects on what it means to be bivocational. Read his reflection at www.fuller.edu/page.aspx?id=6888.

FULLER NEWS

Alexis Abernethy Offers Inaugural Lecture
"Relational Conflict, Worship, and Transformation" was the topic of an inaugural professorial lecture given by Professor of Psychology Alexis Abernethy in a special service. Read more at www.fuller.edu/news-and-events/news/abernethy-lecture.aspx.

Fuller Receives Major Grant from Kern Family Foundation
A new $500,000 grant will allow Fuller to pursue three projects: expanding Hispanic leadership, experimenting with congregation-based MDiv education, and enhancing educational technology. Read more at www.fuller.edu/news-and-events/news/kern-grant.aspx.

Warren Brown Interdisciplinary Team Receives Grant to Study Virtue
The Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences awarded a $200,000 grant to Professor Warren Brown and his interdisciplinary team for a research project on the nature of virtue and moral action. Read more at www.fuller.edu/news-and-events/news/brown-grant.aspx.

Juan Martinez Leads "One City, One Story" Discussions
Fuller participated in Pasadena's One City, One Story program with bilingual lecture events exploring religious themes in the book The Hummingbird's Daughter.Read more at www.fuller.edu/news-and-events/news/onestory-recap.aspx.

Luncheon Honors Fuller Women through the Generations
Alumna Miriam Notehelfer (MRE '59) and Professor Marianne Meye Thompson (MDiv '78) spoke about past, present and future at the annual Fuller Women's Legacy Award Luncheon. Read more at www.fuller.edu/news-and-events/news/womens-luncheon.aspx.

Fuller Professors Lead Dinner Dialogues on Women's Theologies
A series of dialogues, led by Fuller professors Carolyn Gordon, Desiree Segura-April, Mignon Jacobs and others, considered different women's theologies. Read more at www.fuller.edu/news-and-events/news/women-dialogue.aspx.

Faculty and Staff Honored for Fuller Service
"Many Members, One Body" was the theme of a convocation held to honor faculty and staff for their years of service to the seminary. Read more at www.fuller.edu/news-and-events/news/faculty-staff-awards09.aspx.

UPCOMING EVENTS: CONTINUING EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES

Brehm Center Labs
The Brehm Center is offering two "lab" courses Spring Quarter, open to all for a fee: A Finale Lab, offering instruction on the music notation software program, and a Vocal Masterclass. For details and to register, visit www.brehmcenter.com/education/non-degree-programs.

Ministry Enrichment Seminars
Spring Quarter Ministry Enrichment Seminars, open to all alumni/ae, will include Boundaries and Burnout: Building Your Ministry Without Breaking Your Back; Congregations as Emotional Systems: Implications for Pastors and their Families; and Legal Issues in Church Employment and Real Estate. For details, visit www.fuller.edu/current-students/resources/field-ed/ministry-enrichment-seminars.aspx.

UPCOMING EVENTS: PASADENA AND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Film Screening of The Ordinary Radicals
Fuller's Brehm Center, Arts Concerns Committee, and Reel Spirituality will cosponsor a screening of the film The Ordinary Radicals on Saturday, April 18, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Read more at www.brehmcenter.com/event/2009-04-18-screening-of-the-ordinary-radicals-/.

Arts Fest 2009
The "Ordinary Radicals" screening kicks off Fuller's annual Arts Festival, to be held Saturday, April 18, to Friday, April 24, with exhibits, music, community canvas, and written offerings on the theme "Writing on the Wall." For more information, email artsconcerns@gmail.com or call the Brehm Center at 626-304-3789.

"Preaching and Culture Making" Symposium
This symposium on Monday, April 20, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., will bring together some of today's greatest preachers, including Lloyd John Ogilvie, James Earl Massey, Ken Fong, and others, to discuss the future of preaching. Read more at www.fuller.edu/news-and-events/news/preaching-ogilvie.aspx.

"Man of La Mancha" Production
The Brehm Center will be putting on a lush production of the musical "Man of La Mancha," with full band, on Friday- Monday, April 24-27, at locations in La Canada and Laguna Beach, California. Request your tickets now and read more at www.brehmcenter.com/article/man-of-la-mancha-2009/.

Hispanic Church Studies Events
The Hispanic Church Studies Department will host Spanish-language chapels on Thursday, April 30, and Thursday, May 28, at 10:00 a.m. each day in the Hispanic Center's Student Lounge. For more information, contact hisp-ministries@dept.fuller.edu or 626-584-5586.

President's Pastors' Breakfast
President Richard J. Mouw will host a Pastors' Breakfast on Thursday, May 7, from 8:30 to 10:00 a.m., with Professor of Family Studies Cameron Lee speaking on "The Challenges of Ministry: Stress in Pastors' Families," followed by a tour of the new Hubbard Library at 10:00 a.m. Read more at www.fuller.edu/event.aspx?id=6671.

Conference for Recent MDiv Graduates
"Now What? The First Years after Seminary: A Conference for Recent MDiv Graduates" will be held Thursday-Friday, May 7-8, in Payton 101. Seminars will include such topics as Conflict, Vocational Discernment, and Spiritual Life and Busyness. Cost is only $10. The conference is now on Facebook! Read more at www.fuller.edu/event.aspx?id=6569.

Cardinal Mahony at Fuller
Cardinal Roger M. Mahony will speak at Fuller's all-seminary chapel service on Wednesday, May 13, at 10:00 a.m., followed by a time for questions and discussion at 11:00 a.m. Read more at www.fuller.edu/page.aspx?id=6892.

Dedication Ceremony for New Hubbard Library
A ribbon-cutting dedication ceremony will be held Monday, May 18, at 10:00 a.m., followed by a reception at 11:00 a.m., to celebrate the opening of the new David Allan Hubbard Library at Fuller's Pasadena campus. Read more at www.fuller.edu/DAH-Library-Dedication.aspx.

Additional Events
To see additional upcoming events for alumni/ae and the larger community, visit www.fuller.edu/about-fuller/news-events/calendars/default.aspx.

UPCOMING EVENTS: FULLER'S REGIONAL CAMPUSES

Fuller California Coast:

Theology Reading Group
Theology Reading Groups will meet Wednesday, April 29, and Wednesday, May 27, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. each day in the Ray S. Anderson classroom, to discuss Theology of Hope.Read more at www.fuller.edu/event.aspx?id=6650 and www.fuller.edu/event.aspx?id=6808.

Sacred Space
This time for students and spouses to gather in worship, prayer, and conversation will take place Friday, May 1, from 6:15 to 9:30 p.m. Professor Peter Hintzoglou will draw us into conversation through his topic, "Hearing God's Call Amid the Noise." Read more at www.fuller.edu/event.aspx?id=6809.

Conversations on Culture
Fuller California Coast Director Mike McNichols will speak on "A New Paradigm for Evangelism in the Emerging Culture" on Thursday, May 14 from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. in the Fuller Irvine classroom. Read more at www.fuller.edu/event.aspx?id=6810.

Fuller Northern California:

Northern California "Doing Church" Conference
Fuller Professor of Church Growth Eddie Gibbs will be one of the speakers at the Renewal Project's Ninth Annual "Doing Church" Conference, to be held Friday-Saturday, May 8-9, in Pleasant Hill, on "The Shaping of Things to Come: New Ministry Opportunities in Times of Crisis." Cosponsored by Fuller Seminary Northern California. Read more at www.renewalproject.org/DC9/home.html.

Fuller Northwest:

Movie and Discussion Night: The Decalogue
The Decalogue is Krzysztof Kieslowski's critically acclaimed, ten-part series originally made in 1988 for Polish television. Fuller Northwest is hosting a screening of Part One, with a post-screening discussion led by Dr. Jeff Keuss, on Sunday, April 26, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Read more at www.fuller.edu/event.aspx?id=6551.

Alumni/ae Gathering with Scott Cormode
A dessert gathering for alumni/ae and friends will be held in Bellevue, Washington, on Wednesday, April 29, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., with Scott Cormode, Fuller's Hugh De Pree Associate Professor of Leadership Development, speaking on "Leading God's People." Read more at www.fuller.edu/event.aspx?id=6874.

Fuller Southwest:

Eddie Gibbs at Community Church of Joy
Senior Professor of Church Growth Eddie Gibbs will be preaching at Community Church of Joy, in Glendale, on Saturday, April 25, at 5:00 p.m., and Sunday, April 26, at the 8:15, 9:35, and 11:15 a.m. services. Find details on the church at www.joyonline.org/.

Alumni/ae Gathering in Phoenix
Fuller Southwest Director Tom Parker will host a gathering for alumni/ae and friends, with President Richard J. Mouw and Associate Vice President for Alumni/ae and Church Relations Mary Given, on Saturday, May 2 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Read more at www.fuller.edu/event.aspx?id=6662.

Fuller Texas:

Film Screening: Purple State of Mind
Fuller Texas will sponsor a screening of the documentary film Purple State of Mind, by Fuller Associate Professor of Theology and Culture Craig Detweiler, on Monday, May 18, 6:30 p.m., at the River Oaks Theatre, 2009 West Gray, Houston. Dr. Detweiler will lead a post-screening discussion. For details and tickets ($10), call 281-854-2142 or email fullertx@fuller.edu. Read about the film at www.purplestateofmind.com/.

BOOKS OF NOTE

Scott Cormode, the Hugh De Pree Associate Professor of Leadership Development, recommends the following books "that answer questions I often get from pastors":

First question: Why do the members of my church board always seem to be talking past each other? To answer that, I'd recommend Governance as Leadership, by Richard Chait et al. The book describes the three tasks of a board (the fiduciary task, the strategic task, and the generative task). People talk past each other because the board tries to do all three tasks at once. Separating the tasks will make for smoother conversation.

Second question: What is a good book to read about conflict? The best simple book that I know on conflict is Getting Past No, by Willliam Ury, which offers ways to turn confrontation into cooperation. The best part is Chapter 4, describing how to win an argument without making the other party lose face.

BULLETIN BOARD

Family of Faith Network Conference
This conference for church leaders, sponsored by the Boone Center for the Family and the National Association of Family Ministers, will be held June 18-20 at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. Over 30 sessions will cover a range of topics that integrate biblically based teaching with family ministry techniques. Read more at family.pepperdine.edu.

Renovare Conference in San Antonio, Texas
A conference on "The Jesus Way: Recovering the Lost Content of Discipleship," organized by renewal ministry Renovare, will be held June 21-24 in San Antonio, Texas, with such notable speakers as John Ortberg, Eugene Peterson, Max Lucado, Dallas Willard, Richard Foster, and many others. Read more at www.renovare.org/journey_events_2009ic.htm.

Churchwide Gathering of Presbyterian Women
The National Association of Presbyterian Clergywomen invites all Presbyterian women to come to the 2009 Churchwide Gathering to be held July 11-15 in Louisville, Kentucky. Read more at www.pcusa.org/pwgathering/.

Chinese Baptist Church Seeking Pastor
Nashville Chinese Baptist Church in Tennessee is seeking a Chinese pastor with pastoral experience, MDiv or equivalent, and fluency in Chinese preaching and English communication. Candidates may email Dr. Samuel Fung, Chair, Pastoral Search Committee, at samuelfung@bellsouth.net; or visit the church's website at www.nashvillecbc.org.

Subscribe to Theology, News and Notes
Theology, News and Notes is published twice a year for alumni/ae and friends of Fuller Seminary. To read past issues of the magazine, visit documents.fuller.edu/news/pubs/tnn/2009_spring/. If you do not currently receive the magazine and would like a free subscription, please send an e-mail with your current postal address to alum-alumni@dept.fuller.edu.

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Comments and ideas? E-mail us at enews@fuller.edu, call the Alumni/ae Office at 626-584-5498 or write Fuller Theological Seminary, Alumni/ae and Churches Relations Office, 135 North Oakland Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91182.