McCormick Herald

Hip, hip, hooray! It's almost inauguration day!

2012-01-30T15:15:00.007-06:00

Hip, hip, hooray!

It's almost inauguration day!

The McCormick Theological Seminary Board of Trustees cordially invites you
to the inauguration of McCormick's tenth president,

the Rev. Dr. Frank Yamada
on 8-9 February 2012.

Check out the schedule of events &

RSVP TODAY!!!!!

For more information, visit: http://mccormick.edu/inauguration.

Changes to Community Meals!

2012-01-30T14:54:00.004-06:00

Photo Credit: marchorowitz, flickr.com

Dear McCormick Community:

The Seminary celebrated a wonderful semester of successful community building during fall term. In preparation for the 2011-12 academic year, the Office of Student Affairs scheduled weekly worship services for 12:15p.m. followed by weekly community meals during fall semester. To make that possible, the Office of Academic Affairs offered to supplement the food costs during fall term. Business offices closed from noon – 1:30 pm and the start time of afternoon courses was structured around the worship events so that everyone would have an opportunity to join in the fellowship of community meals following the service. We wanted the broad base of our community to receive nourishment for both their bodies and their spirits.

Given what OSA had budgeted for 2011-12, we had originally planned to return to an every-other-week community meal schedule during spring term. However, during fall semester, as many as 80 of us -- students and their families, faculty and staff as well as, trustees and other guests -- attended both weekly worship and weekly community meals. This is a 20% increase in attendance from last year and we are overjoyed by the growth. In response, we have amended our worship calendar to continue offering community meals after worship on a weekly basis during spring term. This poses a challenge, as it is far more than we had budgeted. So, we will need your help as a community.

Photo Credit: drp, flickr.com

Beginning with the first community meal during spring term, we will have donation baskets on the serving tables and we hope that you will feel led to contribute something to the cost of weekly community meals. In addition, if any of our student groups would like to co-sponsor a meal, they can easily work with Alicia and Christine to arrive at suggested donation. If we have a surplus at the end of the year, we will contribute any of the money that remains in this line item to one of the food pantries here in Hyde Park.

We ask that you bring the same energy and participation to worship and to community meals as we gather around the Lord’s Table and the meal tables during spring term. Let us continue to break bread together!

Grace and peace,

Alicia Rhine and Christine Vogel

In My Queue...

2012-01-30T14:53:00.000-06:00

Photo Credit:
Pink Sherbet Photography, flickr.com.

I have seen two films that are worth bringing to you in this review. The first is nominated for several Oscars this year and the second is simply an amazing film. The first is "The Help." This film is an on-screen adaptation from a book bearing the same name. Being from the south, I can attest to the truth in this depiction. The second film is The Vernon Johns Story. This had been in my Netflix DVD Queue for almost a year when it arrived last week. It is a striking depiction of the life of Rev. Vernon Johns (played by James Earl Jones). I know many people who suffered the types atrocities depicted in this film and the scars that it has left on them. This film brings those atrocities to audiences who haven't had the same interactions as me. An important marker of an era that cannot be forgotten, this film is truly a MUST SEE.

AND Check It Out: Free L.E.A.D. Conference for Seminarians!

2012-01-30T14:51:00.002-06:00

L.E.A.D. (Leadership, Education and Development) for the Whole Church

will be held on Saturday, March 3, 2012 at

First Presbyterian Church La Grange.

It is FREE to students.

AND there is a FREE bus leaving from McCormick and coming back to McCormick.

AND there are 30 workshops on an amazing variety of topics,

AND President Frank Yamada is our guest preacher (and workshop leader)

AND Ken Sawyer and Daniel Rodriguez are teaching

AND there's worship, music, a bookstore, Ten Thousand Villages will be there, continental breakfast, lunch and even childcare.

There are a few workshops that pertain only to Presbyterian elders and deacons. But most of LEAD is for ALL denominations. Last year almost 400 people attended from 80 churches in Chicagoland and McCormick.

AND, I’ll say it again -- IT’S FREE!

There is online registration (students should select --"I'll pay later by check" -- they will NOT have to pay!) or they can email their information to me.

BUT THEY MUST "RESERVE" A SEAT ON THE BUS WITH ME (EMAIL OR PHONE) BY 2/25 to guarantee a seat.

AND you're interested in going?

Then, contact:

Photo Credit: Stuck in Customs, flickr.com

LEAD 2012 Mission Planning Team

c/o The Rev. Grayson Van Camp

125 N. Park Boulevard

Glen Ellyn, IL 60137

Home: 630.858.6844

Cell: 630.471.4643

Have You Heard About the Herald?

2012-01-30T14:50:00.000-06:00

<p>&amp;lt;a href="http://www.7is7.com/otto/countdown.html?year=2012&amp;amp;amp;month=05&amp;amp;amp;date=05&amp;amp;amp;hrs=12&amp;amp;amp;ts=24&amp;amp;amp;tz=-360&amp;amp;amp;min=00&amp;amp;amp;sec=0&amp;amp;amp;lang=en&amp;amp;amp;show=dhms&amp;amp;amp;mode=t&amp;amp;amp;cdir=down&amp;amp;amp;bgcolor=%23CCFFFF&amp;amp;amp;fgcolor=%23000000&amp;amp;amp;title=Countdown%20To%20Graduation"&amp;gt;Countdown To Graduation&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;</p> What does this mean?

That's easy... It means that we need new editors for The Herald for the 2012-2013 academic year!

Interested in becoming an editor? Email herald@go.mccormick.edu for an application!

Robert Harris, McCormick Class of 1963

2012-01-30T14:47:00.000-06:00

Robert Andrew Harris, born August 6, 1930 in Trenton, New Jersey to Howard I. and Miriam A. Harris, no longer living, died of natural causes at the Vermont Veterans’ Home in Bennington, VT on Monday, December 26, 2011 at the age of 81. Robert Harris was previously married to Mitzi Dews Kennedy of Lancaster PA, and Patricia Skaggs Hopkins of Salt Lake City, UT and is survived by two sons and three daughters: Myra Lou Harris of Silver Spring, MD; Lisa Harris of S. Newfane, VT; Laurie Harris of Doylestown, PA; R. Andrew Harris of S. Newfane, VT; and Mark Christopher Harris of Keene, NH – all children of his first marriage to Mitzi Kennedy. He is also survived by his brother Albert E. Harris of Cincinnati, Ohio, and five grandchildren. Mr. Harris retired in 1994 from nearly 22 years of service to the State of Pennsylvania, most of them with the Department of Aging. He received a Masters of Music Ed. from the University of Michigan in 1952, taught music in the Michigan Public Schools, and played clarinet with the Northeastern PA Philharmonic Orchestra, the Murray (Utah) Symphony Orchestra, and the Sylvan Wind Trio, Lancaster, PA. Robert Harris also attended McCormick Theological Seminary, received a Masters of Divinity in 1963, and was pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Celina, OH, and Minister of Neighborhood Concerns at North Presbyterian Church in Cincinnati, OH. Robert A. Harris performed two years of military service, 14 months of that in the Korean War. He was a member of the Unitarian/Universalist Congregations of Columbia, MD and York, PA during his retirement. These accomplishments only begin to express the depth and breadth of his talents and interests. A memorial service will be held sometime this year - to learn more please contact his son R. Andrew Harris by writing to P.O. Box 35, South Newfane, VT 05351. Mr. Harris requested that instead of flowers memorial contributions be made to the American Friends Service Committee, 1501 Cherry Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102, (215) 241-7000, afsc.org, or Greenpeace, USA, 702 H Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001, (202) 462-1177, greenpeace.org. Robert Harris leaves behind many loved ones who will miss his unique perspective on life.

Biggest Loser Team: Have Fun & Be Healthy!

2011-12-10T22:08:00.001-06:00

Photo Credit: hidden side, flickr.com.

Have you struggled with weight loss and need a group of friends to keep you accountable and give you support?

We are NOW building a Biggest Loser Team.

It will begin January 2, 2012 with a weigh-in and photo @ McCormick.

We will work hard for 4 months: January, February, March, & April 2012.
If you are interested in signing up, contact Melvina Stemley at mstemley@go.mccormick.edu.

This is an open invitation for all McCormick students!

Need Something To Do Over the Break?

2011-12-10T21:42:00.000-06:00

Need something fun to do this holiday season? Looking for Chicago's finest festivities? Then you've come to the right place! Read on to learn about upcoming events at McCormick and in the larger Chicagoland area. For questions about these events and outings, contact McCormick's Residential Life.

HOLIDAY EVENTS December 2011 - January 2012

Christmas Study Break at Kimbark

Tuesday, December 13, 9:00PM

Great holiday snacks and drinks, conversations AND yes – we will be signing Christmas songs!

“Crossroads – One Girl's Tragedy becomes another”

Sunday, December 18, 3:30PM

“Crossroads – One Girl's Tragedy becomes another”: A musical dance production presented by The Sammy Dyer Performance Arts Program located at the Gary Comer Youth Center (7200 S Ingleside, Chicago). A delightful musical dance production featuring: Drama, Tumbling, Tap, Modern and Jazz dancing from the Sammy Dyer School of the Theatre Performing Arts Program. Free tickets are available – first come, first served with International students as a priority. Drivers are needed to help car pool (mileage will be reimbursed if you help with car pooling). For more information and to RSVP, please contact Tabitha Clark at 773.947.6309 or Diane Sinish at 773.947.2950 by Monday, December 12.

Photo Credit: bookgrl, flickr.com

Zoolights at the Lincoln Park Zoo

Wednesday, December 21

Zoolights at the Lincoln Park Zoo: Holiday entertainment, family activities and of course, animals. Admission is free! Residence Life will provide sub sandwiches, chips and non-alcohol drinks. We plan to meet in the lobby at 1400 bldg at 3:45PM; leaving promptly at 4:00PM. Drivers are needed to help car pool (mileage and parking fees will be reimbursed if you help with car pooling). Please contact Tabitha Clark at 773.947.6309 or Diane Sinish at 773.947.2950 to RSVP by Wednesday, December 14.

Art Institute of Chicago

Wednesday, December 28

Art Institute of Chicago: It’s not the holidays in Chicago without a trip to the Art Institute! From beloved tradition like the Holly Days to new favorites like the decorated Thorne Miniature Rooms are decked with festive finery. And we can visit the picture book exhibition “Animals Around the World”, create a paper animal sculpture and enjoy an interactive family gallery walk. We plan to meet in the lobby at 1400 bldg at 12:30PM; leaving promptly at 12:45PM. Drivers are needed to help car pool (mileage and parking fees will be reimbursed if you help with car pooling). Please contact Tabitha Clark at 773.947.6309 or Diane Sinish at 773.947.2950 to RSVP by Monday, December 19.

Free days at the Chicago Museums

Everyday: Free Admission @ Oriental Institute Museum. Closed: Dec 24, 25, and Jan 1.

December 4, 5 and 7: Free General Admission @ Field Museum.

December 4, 11, 18: Free General Admission @ DuSable Museum of African American History.

January 16: Free General Admission @ Chicago Historical Society

January 12, 13, 16-20, 23-27, 30, 31: Free General Admission @ Museum of Science and Industry.

January 9, 10, 15-19, 23, 24, 30 and 31: Free General Admission @ Shedd Aquarium. Also: Dec 4 and 5: If you have a Bank of America/Merrill Lynch ATM, credit or debit card, along with photo identification, will receive one free all-access admission ticket.

Below are other Christmas and special events taking place in Chicago area. You are welcome to click on the following link to see the website for all Christmas/Winter events:

Photo Credit: sciondriver, flikr.com.

Chicago Botanic Garden Wonderland Express

November 25, 2011-January 1, 2012

Chicago Botanic Garden1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe, IL. Take a magical trip to a winter wonderland of twinkling lights and holiday beauty at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Outside, 750,000 lights sparkle and welcome you and your family to the Garden's wonderland. Inside the Regenstein Center, a 10,000-square-foot exhibition of miniature trains winds over bridges, under trestles, past waterfalls, and through more than 80 mini-replicas of Chicago's favorite landmarks. On select dates (see website) you can have breakfast or supper with Santa, hot chocolate with Mrs. Claus, or a Hanukkah dinner and concert. (Closed Christmas Day.)

Millennium Park Ice Skating

December 1, 2011-March 14, 2012 (weather permitting)

Millennium Park McCormick Tribune Ice Rink, Chicago. Located on Michigan Avenue between Washington and Madison Streets, the Millennium Park Ice Rink draws more than 100,000 skater annually. The rink is open to the public every day of the week and skating is free. Skate rentals are available.

Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light

December 1, 2011-January 9, 2012

Museum of Science & Industry, 57th Street and Lake Shore Drive, Chicago: The Museum halls will be decked, holiday singers and dancers will fuel the festivities, and the sparkle of dozens of decorated trees will greet you at this year’s Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light. The Museum’s grand tree takes center stage in the Rotunda, while more than 50 trees beautifully decorated by members of Chicago’s ethnic communities to represent global cultures adorn the Museum's Main Level.

Christkindlmarket Chicago

December 1-24, 2011

Daley Plaza, 50 W. Washington Street, Chicago: See, taste and hear the holiday cheer. Experience a traditional holiday market, based on the century old markets in Germany, in the heart of downtown Chicago. This free event features German and International vendors who display hand crafted ornaments, toys and unique gifts as well as traditional German foods, sweets and beverages.

Photo Credit:
Lichfield District Council, flickr.com.

A Christmas Carol

December 1-31, 2011

Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn, Chicago: Charles Dickens’ classic story, the exceptional actors and the miraculous stagecraft have made A Christmas Carol a beloved Chicago tradition. Every year, audiences look forward to the “Bah Humbugs,” the arrival of the ghosts, the music and dancing and Scrooge’s joyful discovery of life and love. Whether this is your first or your 31st visit to A Christmas Carol, this timeless play will put the magic in your holiday season!

City Hall Holiday Concert Series

December 1-17, 2011

City Hall Lobby, 121 N. LaSalle Street, Chicago: Get into the holiday spirit while listening to the classics sung by children's choirs from throughout the city. The City Hall Holiday Concerts are held every weekday from noon to 1 pm. The concerts take place in the west end of the City Hall lobby near the LaSalle Street entrance. The concert series truly exhibits the talents of children from all over Chicago and warms the hearts of the audience. Admission is free

Winter Wonderland Festival

December 2, 2011-January 8, 2012

A child’s holiday dream-come true! Festival hall is transformed into a winter wonderland. Ice skating rink, rides, games, craft corner, musical carousel, create a cookie, etc. General Admission is free. Activity Wristband purchase is required to participate in rides and attractions.

In My Kitchen

2011-12-10T16:51:00.001-06:00

By: Joe Medearis

Ok, so this week I finished all of my finals. I did not have the chance to perform my duties as "Film Reviewer for the Masses." Instead of a review, I am going to share one of my favorite tools that I use in Cooking. In case you didn't know, Cooking is one of my passions.

Any great Cook or Baker will tell you that a great recipe is the easiest way to really enjoy working in the kitchen. But, how do you get really great recipes? I wondered that myself, until Holly and I were trying to plan our first Valentines Day. We had decided to stay in and cook. In order to do that we needed some recipes worth staying in for.

Our Menu:

French Market Squash

http://www.food.com/recipe/french-market-yellow-squash-casserole-208968

Bourbon Steak

http://www.food.com/recipe/bourbon-steak-9849

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

http://www.food.com/recipe/garlic-mashed-potatoes-209475

Molton Chocolate Cakes with Irish Cream

http://www.food.com/recipe/molten-chocolate-cakes-with-irish-cream-210218

Food.com is the website that I go to whenever I need inspiration for dinner and it is where I have gotten some of the best items on our menu. When you are hungry this Christmas and when you get tired of that same old spiral-cut ham, you have a place to go to for new and fun recipes.

Principle, Practice, and Social Teaching

2011-12-10T16:50:00.001-06:00

Announcing a biennial for-credit course for seminarians, General Assembly: Principle, Practice, and Social Teaching @ 220^th General Assembly in Pittsburgh, PA, June 29-July 7, 2012.

For more information, please visit our webpage for seminary students and download the course flier and registration form: http://gamc.pcusa.org/ministries/seminaries/students/.

Deacon Prayer for Advent

2011-12-05T00:08:00.001-06:00

Photo Credit: Per Ola Wiberg ~ Powi, flickr.com.

By: Ken Crews

Gracious and Glorious God, we are familiar with the seasons of the year. We survive the winter so that we may be renewed each spring, only to thrive in the warmth of the summer’s sun and await the beauty of fall colors.

And now we bask in the joy and hope of the season of Advent, a season not bound by time or temperature. We give you thanks for this season of anticipation and abundant praise for the salvation that is offered by the life and death of your only begotten Son.

We ask now that the hope and joy of this Advent season will transform into comfort and strength as we also celebrate the ending of one academic season and the imminent beginning of another. Please allow the hope of salvation to comfort us during the challenging seasons of life, and the joy of Christ’s birth to embolden us to learn and share the glory of your Word with the world during this Advent season, and always! Amen.

A Conversation with Archbishop Desmond Tutu

2011-12-05T00:04:00.002-06:00

Rev. Dr. Janet Edwards, a progressive Presbyterian Minister and blogger in a conservative part of the country, reached out to Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu after he wrote a letter in support of the Presbyterian Church (USA) opening ordination to LGBT candidates for ministry.

Here’s an excerpt from their conversation:

Rev. Edwards: What can we do to foster dialogue and build bridges with people with different views on inclusion?

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu: I think we should try to show that exclusion impoverishes us and inclusion enriches us all. When our Anglican Church here in South Africa voted to ordain women as priests and bishops we discovered how we had been horrendously impoverished by the previous exclusion. We have been wonderfully enriched by the inclusion of women. Equally we would be and are impoverished where we exclude persons from the life of the church and society based on their sexual orientation. Many of those who would be excluded are wonderfully gifted persons. We are the poorer for excluding them. I know from personal experience. When I was incumbent Archbishop two of my chaplains were gay. The one went on to be Dean of Cape Town and the other a diocesan bishop, both hugely gifted.

The full conversation can be found at: http://timetoembrace.com/a-conversation-with-archbishop-desmond-tutu/.

Please note: The content of this article is taken from a piece by Rev. Dr. Janet Edwards. It is being published with permission from Rev. Dr. Edwards.

Shop Fair Trade this Holiday Season!

2011-12-05T00:04:00.000-06:00

Photo Credit: IMs BILDARKIV, flickr.com.

LSTC will be hosting a fair trade fair with handmade products from around the world that support small artisans and farmers! They will be featuring products from Lutheran World Relief/SERRV International, Equal Exchange, BeadForLife, and small artisans in Rwanda. Stop by and pick up some Christmas presents for your loved ones while supporting people around the world who benefit directly from your purchase.

LWR and SERRV work with artisans from around the world, helping people and small cooperatives sell their products for a fair price, and helping them improve the conditions of their lives through their work. These products are all sweat free and support both the artisan and Lutheran World Relief from their purchase.

Photo Credit: IMs BILDARKIV, flickr.com.

SERRV also makes Divine chocolate, a product of Ghana and Germany which produces ethically grown and produced chocolate products. Equal Exchange is a coop based in Boston, MA that imports, roasts, and sells coffee and tea from growers around the world. Coffee is one of the world's most traded commodities, and all too often grown in conditions that are not environmentally sustainable, and also sold to buyers at prices that cannot sustain the life of the farmers. Equal Exchange works directly with growers to cut out middle men who take profits away from them. Various teas will also be offered from Equal Exchange. BeadForLife is an organization that works with women from Uganda who make beads out of paper and turn them into jewelry. Kendrah Fredrickson will also offer items from artisans from Rwanda. All these products support ethical and fair standards of living and wages for the people that produce them.

Stop by the main lobby of LSTC next week and pick up some gifts for people that help others!

Shop during the following times:

Dec. 6: 11:30a-4:00pm
Dec. 7: 2:30pm-6:00pm
Dec. 8: 9:00am-12:30pm
Dec. 9: 10:00am-2:00pm

In My Queue

2011-12-05T00:03:00.000-06:00

By: Joe Medearis

So, this week in the queue is Michael Douglas in Solitary Man. I had never heard of this film until it popped up in my Instant Watch. So, I put off doing my homework for a few minutes and watched it. In this film Douglas plays a disgraced businessman whose ethics and choices come back to haunt him. This film is poignant and deeply disturbing. This film is a must watch. It will make you think about love, lust, money, marriage, friendship, and loyalty. This is one of the best films that I have seen all year.

In case you missed the Advent service...

2011-12-04T20:07:00.022-06:00

In case you missed McCormick's Advent worship service, here is the video that Sergio Centeno shared during his reflection on Isaiah 40: 1-2, 9-11. Melva Lowry and Stephanie Levan also shared reflections.

Isaiah 40:1-12, 9-11(Translation from The Common English Bible)
Comfort, comfort my people! says your God. Speak compassionately to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her compulsory service has ended, that her penalty has been paid, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins!

Go up on a high mountain, messenger Zion! Raise your voice and shout, messenger Jerusalem! Raise it; don't be afraid; say to the cities of Judah, "Here is your God!" Here is the LORD God, coming with strength, with a triumphant arm, bringing his reward with him and his payment before him. Like a shepherd, God will tend the flock; he will gather lambs in his arms and lift them onto his lap. He will gently guide the nursing ewes.

"Here we breath, struggle!, Here we stand in hope, We are people walking in the light of the LORD. You can buy my happiness. Let's go walking. let's go drawing our future in hope. We are people walking in the light of the LORD."

Session Summary from November Meeting

2011-11-27T03:42:00.002-06:00

Greetings, McCormick! We hope you had a terrific Thanksgiving!

As you know, our meetings are open to the community. During our November meeting, we met at 4:00pm to discuss the Wage Theft event that we held with Interfaith Worker Justice and Arise Chicago on November 16th, the announcement of Frank Yamada’s inauguration February 8-9th, the sale of the Kimbark building, updates to our session bylaws, and heard concerns from our student body. Then, we adjourned to celebrate the Taste of Global Community event in the lobby. It was really great!

Don’t forget that our Advent Worship service is coming up on Saturday, December 3rd starting at 4pm. Join us for kids’ activities, worship, and a community meal!

Our next session meeting will be Monday, December 5th. We hope to see you all there in the Buchanan Lounge at 4:00pm!

Blessings to you on this Advent season!

Jon Philips

McCormick's Advent Worship Service

2011-11-27T03:40:00.001-06:00

Top Ten Things to Make With The Leftover Turkey

2011-11-27T03:38:00.002-06:00

Photo Credit: Dot D, flickr.com

By Joe Medearis, Holly Medearis, & Family

10. Jello Mold w/ Turkey
9. Turkey Muffins
8. Turkey Pancakes
7. Turkey Smoothies
6. Turkey Cake
4. Chocolate Covered Turkey
3. Turkey-Bacon Fudge
2. Turkey Ice Cream
1. Turkey Sandwich

In My Queue: The Muppets

2011-11-27T03:37:00.002-06:00

By: Joe Medearis
Wait! This film isn't available through Netflix! I know... But, this is the only film that I have seen this week. It was a very good film. I was pleasently surprised at the concept and the plot. This is most likely because of the new life that Jason Segel has breathed into the project. This was also the first time that I ever laughed at one of Fozzie's jokes. Even the stars who made cameo appearences were more famous than recent Muppet films. Even though I still have no idea who the giant blue Muppet is (See Poster-Top Right), I highly recommend that you go and see this!

Embracing the Culture (ETC)

2011-11-13T23:54:00.002-06:00

Photo Credit: Moammadali, flickr.com

At McCormick, we live in a community of communities. Although the opportunity to listen to, learn from, and on the best of days, laugh with, one another occurs in the classrooms and hallways, deeper relationships and friendships are built not around books but over meals and through conversations and shared experiences. As such, the Korean American Student Association (KASA) would like to invite you (students, faculty, and staff) to participate in “Embracing the Culture” (ETC), an initiative that seeks to build intentional and meaningful relationships between Korean students and their families and domestic persons and their families through pairing families/singles together to meet, eat, play, or just watch movies together on a monthly basis.

How it works:

You (Korean or American) volunteer to be partnered with one (Korean/American) person/family for the Spring semester, meeting with your partner once per month. The gatherings could be as simple as sharing a meal together, having a kids' play date at the local playground, or watching a movie. All we ask is that you commit to being intentional in your relationship with the other person/family and that you meet once per month.

Photo Credit: Hamed Sabir, flickr.com

Why it's important and more importantly, why it's fun:

The McCormick community encompasses people from many countries, communities, and backgrounds, including over 30 Korean students and their families. In order to move from talking about being cross-cultural to actually being cross-cultural, we need to spend time with one another. Making the commitment to talk, eat, relax, and play together allows us to not only build individual relationships but to also learn about persons' cultures, faith traditions, families, and communities of origin, especially people who you might not otherwise reach out to. Plus, cross-cultural cooking, movie nights, and play dates at the park = FUN!

How to learn more/sign up:

Contact Sangho Lee (slee1@go.mccormick.edu), Angela Ryo, (eryo@go.mccormick.edu), or Kristin Riegel at kriegel@go.mccormick.edu by Wednesday, November 30, 2011.

Peace,

Korean American Student Association (KASA)

In My Queue: Love and Other Drugs

2011-11-13T23:48:00.000-06:00

By: Joe Medearis
The film that was In My Queue this week was Love and Other Drugs. When I first watched the previews for this film, I thought that it had potential. I would like to congradulate the marketing team over at Fox Pictures. I say this because the trailer for this film was the most entertaining part of the film. This film had the potential to either provide a caustic criticism of the Prescription Drug Industry or to be a nice love story. Who knows it could have been both! Alas, this film as niether of this things. If I were to compare this to another film, the only film that comes to mind is Up In The Air with George Clooney. But, the important distinction between the two of these films is that Up in the Air is good. Up in the Air is a complicated love story and the film provides a thoughtful criticism of corperate America. The plot of Love and Other Drugs keeps moving but never develops beyond a surface level. Instead of acting, the film is filled with bedroom scenes. This film is correctly rated R. The funny thing is that when I put this film in the DVD Player I really wanted to like it. But I didn't. Don't waste your time with this one.

"For Such A Time As This"

2011-11-06T21:45:00.000-06:00

"For Such a Time as This" is a residency program through the PC(USA) Office of Vocation which offers recent seminary graduates the opportunity to serve as pastors in small, rural churches in need of pastoral leadership. Through the program, recent graduates serve as full-time designated pastors for two years, during which time they receive mentorship from experienced pastors, support from the presbyteries and synods, and the opportunity to further discern a call to small church ministries. In the Fall 2011, Rev. Sarah Ross '10, began her residency in the "For Such a Time as This" program at a small church in Missouri. This week, Sarah shares what her journey as a solo pastor in small town has been like so far.

Rev. Sarah Ross at her ordination in September 2011.
Photo courtesy of Sarah Ross.

I am now almost exactly 3 months into my ministry here at First Presbyterian Church of Pleasant Hill, and loving every minute (well, except for the budget meeting). Being a solo pastor in a small town is sometimes a bit of culture shock—I am getting used to being a local celebrity of sorts. So far my presence in town has merited two (yes, two) articles in the local paper. But it is also amazing to become part of this community. I loved going to the town homecoming parade and seeing how excited the kids from church got as they went by on various floats and saw me on the sidelines.

I feel like I have found the perfect call for me, but I'm not sure I would have considered a small-town Missouri church if it weren't for the For Such a Time as This program. I love my congregation, but being a solo pastor in a small town can be difficult and isolating. Through this residency program, I have a mentor (a pastor in a nearby town) who has been here for decades and knows more history of my congregation than many of my church members know themselves. I have two other colleagues in the presbytery who are doing the same program and struggling through the same issues that I have. We also had an orientation in Louisville with all the residents nationwide, and our group has an active facebook page where we ask each other questions and share ideas—about preaching, worship, pastoral care, and anything else that comes up. Having a group of peers to go to when I have a question like “I know the Book of Order says this, but here's what's really happening in my congregation.... what do I do?” is an invaluable resource.

If any Presbyterian students at McCormick are interested in small-church ministry, I would strongly encourage them to apply to For Such a Time as This. I would be more than happy to answer questions or chat with interested students. Feel free to e-mail me at sross@go.mccormick.edu.

Vagina Monologues Auditions

2011-11-06T21:42:00.000-06:00

VAGINA!!!

Do I have your attention? Good, because TOMORROW, Tuesday Nov. 8^th we are having a call-out meeting/auditions for the 2012 MTS and LSTC Vagina Monologues in room 101 of the MTS building from 4-6 pm. The Vagina Monologues is the theatrical expression of the dedication of men and women around the world to end violence against women and girls. Working to raise money and awareness since 1998 The Vagina Monologues gives a voice to the pain and injustice of rape, battery, incest, female genital mutilation and sex slavery. In this community of faith we are called to have awareness of and to take stand against injustice, domination, and violence. This is a no stress, no experience necessary, non-gender exclusive event and there is a place for you if you are interested.

If you are interested in being a part of Vagina Monologues but can’t make the meeting because you are one of those “plan ahead people”. No problem, just contact Sylvia Miller of Maureen Wilson and we’ll find a time that suits you.

E-mail: Sylvia at smiller@go.mccormick.edu or call (417) 844-8098 or Maureen at mwilson@go.mccormick.edu or (317) 410-2420

Come and be a part of the movement!

Called to Love and Serve

2011-11-06T20:45:00.001-06:00

By: Roberta Cook
On the subject of vocational call, Frederick Buechner, author of Wishful Thinking, suggests that “The place God calls you to is where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet."
But where this deep gladness and deep hunger meet are intersection points which form along a spiraling walk of life.

For me, this call has never been clear, and my passions seem to lead me into just as many muddy waters, dead ends, and even heart-breaks as they seem to inspire potential excursions into green pastures and still waters.
And so I attended the October 21^st seminar “Called to Serve, But Not in the Parish” with a hungry heart. I came deeply seeking a guiding connection, an interrupting beat, or unexpected voice which might reveal to me important next steps.

  Esteemed leaders gathered from rich traditions of ministry to help us glean insights into how we excavate the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives, describing gifts and talents and where they serve, sharing information about professional development, and revealing the connective beats and figures who carried them along the way. All of this was shared through panel conversations with a group of students so that we might begin to more fully realize our call and cull resources and tools for the journey.
  Revelations of personal forages with bigotry and ignorance, encounters with grief and dying, emergency room conflicts with religious tradition and medical practice, such anecdotes grabbed hold of me and kept a grip. These illustrations of faith, witness and discipleship in prisons, colleges, hospitals and even video studios began to illuminate how God’s light breaks into our consciousness and forces us forward less as who we were and more as his creatures.
  I found myself instinctively moving away from logically built sequences, or even passionate response. Call is birthed in silence and we form in community.
  Bits of conversation seemed to pave a way into a fuller sojourn. I remember a cacophony of voices arise from throughout the day, saying things like:
  “You have skills. Bring to the table what you have so others can bring their gifts.” “They don’t know me, but they’re willing to gird me in prayer.” “You enter folks’ lives when they are looking for God’s face”, “…loving people as they deserve to be loved…” “[We] help them be real with what they feel.”
  “Listen to the invitation” (Though sometimes you must “kick the door open.”)
People lost and treasured entered my mind. Faces met me and I conjured points of reconnection. I think about how lost loves, mentors and unexpected teachers formed me in encounter and made me new.
  I reflected on coming home the night before to a dark yet pregnant apartment, feeling the disparate puzzle pieces flailing before me.
  Questions in the room were raised. “How do we eradicate Empire from our hearts?” How do you find happiness?” “How do we face for which we are not equipped?”

I heard what I forgot I knew, and was strengthened in awakened knowledge of my fuller wisdom, born in stories of my parents and challenges on different paths.

“[Be] free to deal with enemies in a different way.” “Raise the right questions when you must.”

  We were reminded to live in strong community and to keep vivid transparency at play so that those checks and balances can reveal us to one another. Because only in community can we “be free to accomplish God’s will”.
  I found myself approaching Delois Brown Daniels, Vice President of Mission and Spiritual Care. I shared with Delois that both my parents were in healthcare and I was painfully aware of my limitations and of what life and death situations lie at the heart of service. Delois warmly held my hands, received my question and reflected back that my willingness, in the words of another panelist, “to go there with yourself” will bring others to me, and will lead me forward.
  Threads of conversation were woven together and I found myself feeling as if my story is connected into the lives of these students and professionals around me.
  I am deeply glad at heart and I turn to Proverbs 4:23 which reminds us, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

Deacon Prayer for the Week

2011-11-06T20:44:00.003-06:00

Photo Credit: Babasteve, flickr.com

Creator God,

In all that you do, you are amazing!

We thank you for the gift of life,

And all of the adventures that it entails,

And when we feel alone and burdened,

May we find comfort in knowing you are watching over us.

Gracious God,

Your generosity is overwhelming!

We aspire to be generous,

To care for those who are suffering with the injustice of today,

For those who are poor, sick, enslaved, and imprisoned,

To express our concern for those who are struggling,

For those who are faced with divorce, financial burdens, and pressures of society,

We desire to be a witness of our faith in you dear Lord,

Sharing the Good News,

And to live a life that is pleasing to you.

Merciful God,

Your forgiveness is incredible!

We come to you with our shortcomings,

Knowing that we are not worthy of your grace,

Yet, your mercy continues to pour out upon us,

And we express our gratitude for your forgiveness,

May we be living examples of your mercy and forgiveness,

In order to live into the commandment of loving one another just as you have loved us.

For all that you have done and continue to do,

We give thanks to you!

Amen.

In This Together

2011-11-06T20:39:00.002-06:00

Jon M. Phillips

All Saints' Day Community Worship - November 2, 2011

McCormick Theological Seminary

Photo Credit: Szagi, flickr.com

Let us pray:

Guide us, O God,
By your Word and Spirit,
that in your light we may see light,
in your truth find freedom
and in your will discover your peace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

This is the time of year that many Christian traditions remember those who have gone before us who make up the great cloud of witnesses known as the saints. Some of us celebrated Reformation Sunday last weekend, where we remember those saints who sparked a reformation by questioning, prodding, and expecting more. Many of us celebrated Halloween on Monday, or All Hallows Eve as it is traditionally known, commemorating the night before All Saints Day (or for some of us, our costume making and candy eating abilities). Some of us yesterday celebrated All Saints Day, where especially in the Roman Catholic tradition, those who have died and are now, as our text from Revelation states, part of that great crowd before the throne of God, are remembered. In the west, this tradition goes back to around the sixth and seventh centuries as a celebration of the martyrs. Today in the Roman Catholic tradition it is All Souls Day, where the faithful departed who are still undergoing purification are remembered. Yesterday and today also mark Dia de los Muertos for many in Mexico and around Latin America, a time when the life and memory of the dead are celebrated and honored. In this annual time of transition from summer to fall, harvest to scarcity, and light to the dark of winter, many of us throughout time have gathered together to remember those in our communities who are no longer with us, and also to remember those who have inspired our journeys of faith – the great cloud of witnesses whose lives are a testimony to God’s work in the world, and who are participants with the inbreaking of God’s great kindom.

In our text from Revelation today, we see a vision of this eschatological future: the innumerable saints, from all nations and cultures, races and ethnicities, and who speak every language gathered in white robes with palm branches in hand worshipping and celebrating God’s victory. The promises of God told to us by Isaiah in chapter 49, verse 10 that “they won’t hunger or thirst; the burning heat and sun won’t strike them, because the one who has compassion for them will lead them and guide them by springs of water” have been universally fulfilled. God, Godself will wipe away every tear in this fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles described in Deuteronomy 16. This scene can be seen as a witness against the beast, against the powers and principalities that take life. We see the saints. All of them. Celebrating victory through worshipping God. The struggle is over. The eschaton has come. Included in that great crowd are all those who have inspired us; our friends, our families, our mentors, and our heroes. The person sitting to your left, the person sitting to your right, and even you and I. We are all, eventually, part of the great crowd witnessed by John.

The saints we traditionally remember on this day are those who have died in our communities in the past year. We think of those we hold dear to our hearts, those who have been inspirations and beacons of God’s light. As we prepare to publically remember those close to us who have passed away in the last year, I invite you also to think of those saints who are rarely remembered: the homeless, victims of violence around the world, the poor and hungry, children whose lives have ended far too soon, those without hope, those who have been persecuted, and all of God’s children who are easily forgotten.

Let us know remember and honor those saints dear to us, as we read their names and light a candle for them.

Naming the Saints

Photo Credit: Uteart, flickr.com

The lights before us represent some of those saints loved by us who have passed away in the last year. We remember them and many others with a multitude of emotions and thoughts, yet we can find comfort in the words of Jesus in the Matthew text for today, from the Sermon on the Mount: “Happy are people who grieve, because they will be made glad” in verse 4. We see in this verse what we see throughout the Beatitudes – the now and the future. The now – “happy are,” and the future - “they will be.” The now is predicated on the future hope for God’s complete overturning of current conditions. Salvation – from hopelessness, grief, hunger and thirst, harassment, and for the humble, those who show mercy, those who have pure hearts, and those who make peace – is assured through the hope expressed in the now. We who experience these things are happy now, precisely because of the eschatological future expressed in each statement – because the kingdom of heaven is ours; we will be made glad; we will inherit the earth; we will be fed until we are full; we will receive mercy; we will see God; we will be called God’s children. Jesus promises that which we see fulfilled in the text from Revelation. Matthew’s two major themes of the ethics of righteousness and the indwelling kingdom of God are expressed in these promises.

When I look at these passages that explicitly point to “God’s agenda of eschatological transformation or justice,” as Warren Carter put it, I see a now predicated not only on the future action of God but also on the future action of the saints – of us. In remembering those who have died, I remember those whose lives were unequivocal in their witnessing the truth of God’s inbreaking kindom. I remember those who paid attention to the poor and suffering who Jesus named and promised justice to; those whose attention led to transformative action. I remember those who, with Jesus by their side, also stood up to imperial power, destructive relationships, disease, environmental destruction, sexual violence, and oppression based on race and culture, sex and gender, orientation, class, and education. Not only do I remember these saints who stood as beacons of God’s light in a dark world, but also I look around and I see the need for so many more. I see a world that needs all of us to be in this together – to struggle together to be part of God’s solution in a world where children go hungry not only across the globe, but down the block. I see a world where 30,000 children or so die every day simply because of a lack of fair distribution of plentiful resources like food and water and medicine. I see a city where in the past 3 years 263 children have been killed in violent acts, and yet our city’s administration is more interested in spending police resources enforcing park curfews on those who dare to cry for economic justice. I see so many terrible, ugly, destructive things. Yet, I also see so many amazing, inspirational, talented people who God can and is using to overturn such powers. Christ calls us not only to remember saints past, but to be saints – saints that overturn structures of oppression. Together, not only can we experience Jesus’ promise of eschatological fulfillment, but we can, and need to be part of getting us all there from the now, to the future. Let us not simply remember those who are dead, let us be people who will be remembered not only by future generations, but by our neighbors who need us to step up and be in this together. Amen.

In response, I invite you as you are so moved to come forward during this song and light a candle for a saint you hold in your heart.

Blessing and Charge

Photo Credit: *Kicki*, flickr.com

Go forth friends, and be the saints for those around you now, and for those who will come.
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord be kind and gracious to you.
The Lord look upon you with favor
and give you peace.
Amen.

The Samuel Robinson Shorter Catechism Memory Exam and Award

2011-11-06T20:07:00.000-06:00

Through the generous provision of Saumel Robinson, ten monetary awards can be given each year to the ten members of the student body who are entering the ministry and who best pass the memory examination of the Shorter Catechism of the Westminster Standards.

The exam will be offered on Tuesday, December 6, at 12:30 in room #101. Please send an e-mail to Anna Case-Winters letting her know of your intent to take the exam.

2011 Food Drive

2011-11-06T20:01:00.000-06:00

In My Queue

2011-11-06T20:00:00.000-06:00

By: Joe Medearis
So, this week In My Queue is Unstoppable with Denzel Washington. First things first, my father in law works for a major Railroad Company and is a certified Engineer. So, in light of that I saw several things immediately that should not and or would never happen under normal circumstances. But, also there were some aspects that were dead on. The most striking of them was the treatment of the workers by the company. But, as for the film itself it had all the aspects of the action-thriller that it was advertised as. It also had the neccesary family struggle backdrop that is normally included (Along the same lines the Die Hard series). Denzel Washington plays his normal role as the righteous dissentor that is always vindicated in the end. It provides moments which display the stupidity of both the "Corperate mindset" and of the mindset of the "average person". This is especially apparent when the unmanned train packed with enough explosive chemicals to level a several mile area draws hundereds of people to look on as it passes. Because of Denzel Washington, I am going to call this film a must see. Next week In My Queue is Love and Other Drugs!

Deacon Prayer

2011-10-30T21:35:00.004-05:00

Photo Credit: Xerones, flickr.com

By: Shelley Donaldson
Creator God,

You made us in your image. Yet we too often forget that. We allow ourselves to be consumed by the world and the things of it, and we forget that you are not of this world. Help us to remember that the things of this world are temporary, but you are changeless and permanent and that in you we seek our strength.

Sustainer God,

We often forget that we are more than just smart phones, more than just calendars, and more than just people who sit in meetings and classes all day long. We are your people. Nothing came about without you and nothing can be done without your hand in it. Remind us of this when we allow ourselves to become so overwhelmed with our schedules and classes and our other things, that we begin to forget that you are the God that gives us life.

Redeemer God,

Refresh us. Refresh us when we forget to take a break, when we forget that our relationships need mending, and when we simply need to take care of ourselves. Refresh us so that each day we begin, we are reminded of your constant love and that all that we do is in your name.

Amen.

An Open Invitation to my McCormick Family

2011-10-30T20:51:00.003-05:00

Photo credit: elycefeliz, flickr.com

By: Ryan Wallace
This year, I'm doing my field education at a not-for-profit called Protestants for the Common Good (PCG). It’s a remarkable organization, and quite honestly, I think it would be difficult for me to overstate the importance of the work PCG does. Our mission is to look at public policy issues from a Christian perspective, advocate social reforms that will serve the common good, and educate and involve churches throughout this process. We work on a wide range of policy initiatives, from environmental laws to tax reform, health care justice to systemic racism in drug offense sentencing. One reform that I’ve spent a lot of time on lately is a proposal to raise the minimum wage in Illinois. Did you know that a full-time minimum wage worker only makes about $17,000 a year before taxes? Can you imagine trying to raise a child or two on that salary?

At this point, I’m sure you’re starting to wonder why I’m telling you about my field site. Well, here it is. PCG is having a 15 year anniversary celebration and they’d like to invite you to come—yes, you! There will be lots of food and drink, it’ll be a great opportunity to network with some amazing people from all over the state, but more than anything, it would be a chance to learn about how this organization has put Christian faith into action in the public square. The celebration will take place this Sunday, November 6 at 4pm at Saint Pauls United Church of Christ in Lincoln Park. Tickets are normally $75 a person, but because PCG would love to have some seminarians there (and they know seminarians aren’t exactly the wealthiest bunch of people), they want to give us the chance to come for anything between $0-75, whatever you feel you can afford. The bottom line is that they don’t want anyone to be deterred by the cost. So if you’re interested in what PCG is doing but don’t feel like you can afford to pay anything at the moment, they want you to come anyway.

If you have any questions or you’d like to register to come to the celebration, please email me this week at rwallace@go.mccormick.edu. And if you’re interested in learning more about PCG, I encourage you to check out our website and/or our blog. I’ll be posting a new blog piece on why we should raise the minimum wage in the next couple days, and I would love to start a conversation about it at McCormick to consider how we might support the campaign as a community.

An Ode to Kate Turabian

2011-10-30T20:46:00.001-05:00

In the Spirit of Paper Writing Season we have a Poem!

How you've changed my life so greatly.
I've benefited from you lately.
Before you there was only MLA.
I still can't handle APA!
Periods, commas, and parenthesis...
They fill my dreams and fantasies.
Your book, with me I always keep.
For without you I'd lose much sleep.
Within this poem's a lesson learned.
Cite your sources or you'll get burned!

-Joe Medearis

In My Queue

2011-10-30T20:46:00.000-05:00

By: Joe Medearis
Ok, so I lied about the film that is in my queue this week! I recieved Unstopable in the mail on Tuesday and it is still unopened. But, I did watch the latest installment in the Pirates of the Caribbean series this week. So, I will offer my humble review of it. When it came out it recieved terrible reviews and was widely panned as a weak attempt to cash in again on a winning concept. I did not see this reflected in the film that I watched. It was just as good as any of the previous films. I say just as good because there are some that may not have liked any of them. If you fit into this category then don't expect anything different from this film. But, if you liked the other films then you should love this. Johnny Depp is back as his unmistakable Jack Sparrow. Added into the mix is Penelope Cruz as a former flame. In a race to find the "fountain of youth" they come up against the same type of obstacles that one should expect. Perhaps the only scene that is problematic for me is the scene in which the Spanish Explorers (last to the fountain) arrive and declare their reasons for making the quest. A typical depiction of the religious as redicuolous zealots permeates this film. Along these same lines, the most surprising aspect for me was the interaction with the issues of mortality. But, this deeper philosopizing is only a subtle undertone. It is everything that you should expect from a wide-release blockbuster. Sorry that you didn't get your Denzel fix! But, up next week in the queue is (with any luck) Unstoppable.

Deacon reflection and prayer

2011-10-23T21:07:00.003-05:00

By: Lora Burge

This is most of a poem I wrote a few years back. I offer it as a reflection and prayer after Wednesday’s community worship service:

It’s late. I’m here in bed

Where a million thoughts

Flow through my head.

Work, obligations, friends

Papers, books to be read,

I wish your plan as more than a thread.

But why does it haunt me? Why can’t I sleep?

My heart is still broken,

I still want to weep.

I’m so tangled in this society.

My frustrations are an ever-growing heap.

I struggle to find hope and my faith is hard to keep.

This spiritual gash inside me

Why won’t it heal?

It’s been over a year and the hole has no seal.

The infection remains and painful it feels.

With Central America in my mind,

My heart constantly reels.

Can there ever be healing?

Will a scar one day form?

On this broken heart, so lost and so torn.

Will a peace be restored

After it’s weathered the storm?

Can this turmoil ever be overtaken by the calm of the norm?

And then it hits me, as I lay here in my bed.

“My child, there will be no healing:

I’ve gifted you with truth instead.”

“You will have no scar

To show off to your friends.

For this was not my sole purpose and end.”

“I’ve privileged you with the truth,

And with it a responsibility.

Seek justice and peace, for these will be your legacy.”

God,

We pray for those who don’t have enough water, food, shelter, safety, hope.

We pray for those who have too much money, power, greed, material things.

Teach us how to seek justice and peace, love mercy, and walk humbly with you and the rest of the world around us.

May your will be done.

Amen.

Update from the Student Session

2011-10-23T21:06:00.007-05:00

David Weasley of the Night Ministry spoke to
the Student Session about faith, leadership, and service.
Photo Credit: deliriousfish, flickr.com.

By: Jon Philips

Greetings, McCormick! As you probably know, your student session meets once a month, usually the first Monday of the month. Starting this year, our meetings are open to the school. On October 3rd, we gathered for business at 4:00pm, then opened our session to the wider community at 4:30pm with pizza and a talk by David Weasley of the Night Ministry on how faith communities can include service in their congregational lives.

During the business portion of our gathering, we unanimously approved our Peacemaking group to work with Interfaith Worker Justice to present a panel discussion on wage theft here at McCormick the week before Thanksgiving. We also held a discussion on a topic that probably many of us can relate to - scheduling conflicts. The session will put together a calendar to attempt to help coordinate student group events and meetings. In other news, several of us will take a look at the current session by-laws and update them to bring before session next month, Crop Walk is coming up in October (contact Kristin for more information), and we discussed student concerns regarding the Kimbark sale/lease-back.

Our next meeting will be Monday, November 7 at 4:00pm in Buchanan Lounge! We hope to see you all there! Happy fall!

Top 10 Bad Ideas for Halloween

2011-10-23T21:06:00.006-05:00

By: Holly Medearis

Happy Halloween!
Photo credit: jomudo, flickr.com.

10. Handing out leftover candy from last year's Halloween.
9. Eating last year's Halloween candy.
8. Handing out toothbrushes as treats.
7. Dressing up like Charlie Sheen.
6. Using duct tape as mummy wrapping.
5. Trying to dress up a pet cat.
4. Scaring your roommate or significant other (they know where you sleep...)
3. Dressing up like Snookie from Jersey Shore
2. Being Snookie from Jersey Shore
1. Swallowing a quarter, or other change, while at the Halloween Party.

Mission Trip!

2011-10-23T21:06:00.004-05:00

This is much more than an announcement!

This is an opportunity to get out of the books and to live our Theology!

Sign up today!

In My Queue: Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

2011-10-23T21:05:00.004-05:00

By: Joe Medearis

Considering the current climate I was certain that Gordon Gekko was the last character that I wanted in a film that I was watching. But, as I watched this film for the second time (I admit that I saw it in theatres), I realized that Gekko had been transformed from the character presented in the orginal. In this film Gekko is portrayed as a prophet that fortells of the danger that is facing Wall Street. When I saw this film the first time it seemed more hard hitting and cutting edge. But, on the second time around it simply leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. This has nothing to do with the Acting or Directing! Instead, it has to do with the fact that Wall Street got away with it. In the end Gordon Gekko is "redeemed" but does not give up his principle ideal that "Greed is Good" to atain this redemption. Is there a good way to be a capitalist? Can we as a country justify standing idly by while billionaires continue the same actions portrayed in this film? This film certainly raises it's share of questions. Another of which is: Who hired Shia LaBeouf? Seriously... Was the kid from Two and a Half Men all booked up? Anyway, next week in the queue is Denzel Washington in Unstoppable.

McGear is Here!

2011-10-23T21:05:00.000-05:00

Hey, you! Yes, you McCormick!

Guess what? You can now sport cool new McCormick clothing! Prepare for the winter by ordering your long-sleeve t-shirts today!

Pan African Student Organization (PASO)

2011-10-16T22:26:00.002-05:00

By: Darice Wright
PASO stands for Pan African Student Organization and its membership is made up of students of African, African-American and Caribbean heritage. The organization’s goals are to provide a space for fellowship and networking among student members; sponsor activities that contribute to the breadth of McCormick’s social, cultural, spiritual and civic identity; provide advocacy for members within Student Session and with the seminary administration; disseminate information to members to assure that they stay engaged in a full range of campus activities; and encourage our members to participate in all aspects of McCormick community life.
In my role as moderator, I hope this year to help foster an atmosphere within PASO where we truly embody the meaning behind PASO’s logo:

NKONSONKONSON

This is the symbol of unity and human relations. It is a reminder to contribute to the community, that in unity lies strength.

However, I realize that for many members of PASO who are commuter students and part-time students, juggling seminary, work, family and often ministry in their home congregations, it can be overwhelming and the need to focus can often force one into isolation just to get all the work done! The problem is that in isolation you can also start to feel alone. For this reason, I think it’s particular important for PASO to be intentional about community engagement and take some responsibility for one another while on this seminary journey. There was a Swahili word I learned in Jennifer Ayers’ ethics class that sums up PASO for me and that’s ubuntu, "I am what I am because of who we all are."

Deacon Prayer for the Week

2011-10-16T22:26:00.000-05:00

By: Deanna Drake
I was recently blessed to see Chicago's great gospel singer, Mavis Staples, live on stage at a concert festival. She ROCKED! and her songs definitely sung to the soul. I wanted to share the song, "You're Not Alone," the title track off her newest album. This was a collaborative effort with other Chicago great, Jeff Tweedy from my favorite band Wilco. In the craziness that is the second half of the semester, and with a lot of the hard stuff happening outside of school, this song is my prayer for you today. I hope it lifts you up and brings you hope!

"You're Not Alone"

Source: lyricshall.com

You are not alone, I'm with you, I'm lonely too, What's that song, Can't be sung by two.

A broken home, A broken heart, Isolated and afraid, Open up this is a raid, I wanna get it through to you,You're not alone.
You're not alone, Every night, I stand in your place. Every tear, On every face, Tastes the same.

A broken dream, A broken heart, Isolated and afraid, Open up this is a raid, I'm gonna get it through to you, You're not alone.

An open hand, An open heart, There's no need to be afraid, Open up this is a raid, I wanna get it through to you, You're not alone.
I wanna get it through to you, You're not alone.
I'm gonna get it through to you, You're not alone.

What Do You Know About Breast Cancer

2011-10-16T22:25:00.003-05:00

Photo Credit: Scott Meis Photography, flickr.com.

By: Melvina Stemley
I dedicate this article to my mother Constance Saunders who died in 1997 at 58 years old.

She was diagnosed with Breast Cancer at 56 years old and battled with Breast Cancer for two years. R.I.P. MOM!

Breast Cancer is an uncontrolled growth of breast cells. Usually Breast Cancer either begins in the cells of the lobules which are in the milk producing glands, or the ducts, the passages that drain milk from the lobules to the nipple. These cancer cells invade healthy cells and can make their way into the underarm lymph nodes. If these cancer cells get into the lymph nodes they then have a pathway into other parts of the body.

Monthly self breast examinations are important. Check for lumps, masses, abnormal dimpling of the nipples, swelling of the breast, nipple discharge other than milk, nipple pain, redness, scaliness, or thickening of the nipple or breast skin, or skin irritation. These signs DO NOT have to be breast cancer. It could possibly be infection or irritation of the breast. Check with your doctor if you have any of these signs. Lumps will NOT always be palpable.

Mammogram is an x-ray of the breast used to help diagnose healthy and unhealthy breast conditions, some which may or may not be cancerous. Breast Cancer IS NOT always identified by self examination, sometimes it may show up in an xray.

About 1 in every 8 women in the US (12%) will develop invasive Breast Cancer over the course of her lifetime. Breast Cancer affects MEN and WOMEN. Breast Cancer is NEVER anyone's fault. Breast Cancer IS NOT a death sentence.

Take precautions to lower your risk of Breast Cancer!

(Stay tuned next week for more info. on breast cancer.)

Information taken from: www.BreastCancer.org and www.AmericanCancerSociety.org.

God's Surprising Wonders: Association of Presbyterian Church Educators Annual Event

2011-10-16T22:25:00.001-05:00

God’s Surprising Wonders

February 1-4, 2012

Grand Rapids, Michigan

This annual gathering of the Association of Presbyterian Church Educators and pastors is a wonderful opportunity for seminarians to see the passion and commitment of the church to Religious Education. This conference includes plenary presentations, a variety of workshop opportunities, resource displays, and a lunch gathering of McCormick alumni. This years leadership includes John Bell and children’s author, Rabbi Sandy Eisenberg Sasso. If you are interested in going, you can go to APCEnet.org and get the publicity booklet.

Cost for this Conference is $330, plus $33.00 membership fee for one year.

There are a limited number of scholarships available to cover this fee. If you want to apply for one of the scholarships, please complete the conference registration worksheet available on the website and leave it with in the box outside Lib Caldwell’s office. so that she can write a reference letter for you. The application deadline for scholarships is November 1, 2011.

This is a great year to take advantage of this event since it is within driving distance of Chicago. If you have questions, contact Lib. Scholarships pay for the registration and membership fees. You are responsible for travel and hotel. Scholarships are available on a first come, first serve basis so if you would like to go, return your conference registration to Lib asap!

The Association of Presbyterian Church Educators has established the Val Murphy Scholarship. Up to two scholarships are awarded each year, providing a maximum of $1,000 each. This award is intended to assist deserving persons with lodging, meals, registration and travel for the Annual Event. First consideration is given to racial ethnic persons working in the field of Christian education who have a focus in Christian education in their degree program. Second consideration is given to Christian educators in the field and third consideration is given to theological education students with an interest in Christian education. Application forms for the Murphy scholarship are available at www.apcenet.org.

In My Queue: The Lightning Thief

2011-10-16T22:25:00.000-05:00

By: Joe Medearis
So, I got the chance to watch this film over reading week. I am not really sure what to say about it. It was a generally good film. One of the most devastating things that I note about this film is their abuse of Pierce Brosnan. I feel comfortable stating that he was far and away the best Actor in the production and was cast in a minor supporting role. I haven't read the book, but I imagine that it would have to be better. I do feel like I am being overly harsh in this review, but this film had unmet potential. Next week we have Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps in the Queue! There is nothing like Gordon Gekko to take your mind off a mediocre adaptation from a children's book.

The ABC's of CPE Applications

2011-10-03T09:41:00.001-05:00

This week we have a special re-print for all of you McStudents out there who need to start looking into Clinical Pastoral Education! Shelley Donaldson shares her experience in applying for CPE below.

Very recently I discovered the joy that is preparing your application to send out for Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE). [Note: I say joy in irony. Complete irony.]

Now, if you’re an MDiv student and you’re Presbyterian Church (USA), you will more than likely have to do this. If you don’t you might want to talk with your Presbytery. CPE is something that is invaluable. For reasons that I can’t explain yet, but I trust my colleagues when they ALL tell me this. It’s not only for others, its for yourself. You delve into who you are as a person, pastor, etc. I’ve already discovered this in the application process. You have to tell who you are. Not just who you are, what you’re made of. And that means letting it all hang out there in the most graceful way possible. Scared yet? You should be. Excited at all? Well, you should be that too.

Right now, I’m only in the process of applying for CPE. It’s hard. And there’s a lot of writing involved. I cried a bit when I did it. Ask me why. Maybe I’ll tell you.

So, I realized how confusing it can be, so I thought I should share what I’m learning with all of you. It’s a very confusing process in my opinion, unless you know exactly what you are doing. And honestly, I don’t. Let’s start at the beginning.

1. There are different places to do CPE. Hospitals are the most common places that I know of to do them, but there are Urban CPE’s as well. Or own JC Cadwallader did the Urban CPE program here. Once you figure out where you want to do CPE, you’re on the right road. First, where are you going to be for CPE, and I mean this as in State. For instance, I’m planning to do mine here in Illinois since I have my apartment here and my dogs. Figure out where you’re going to be.

2. Next, head to the APCE website. Once there, head to the Directories on the side of the page and click on the Accredited Centers. Then from there you can pick the region and state you are looking at. Once you’re there, you need to know what to look for. Here’s an example: Say you click on the North Central area and you click on Iowa. You’ll be taken to a list where all of the accredited places will be listed. Here’s what you’ll find on each entree.Iowa Methodist, Lutheran and Blank Children’s Hospital (PLACE), 1200 Pleasant St, Dept of Pastoral Services, Des Moines, IA 50309-1406. (ADDRESS) (2) Phone: (515) 241-6411; Fax: (515) 241-3422; PROGRAMS: CPE (Levels I and II), Supv. CPE Offerings: W-Sp-Su-F-Yr-E Stipends: Yr Application Fee : $0. Supervisor(s): Lyle B. Greiner, Robert W. GreenNow, where this can get interesting is with the Offerings section. W denotes winter, Sp is Spring, Su is summer, F is Fall, Yr is year-long and E means extended.

3. You need to know which one you will be doing. Many people choose to do CPE, if they are still in seminary, during the summer. I am applying for the extended. Not all of them will offer the times you might want. For example, not all hospitals that I looked at are doing extended, so I had to cross them off my list.

4. Once you’ve figured out the area, the places and the time amounts you are going to do, you need to get the application. This is the really fun part. Head to the Membership, Fees & Forms section on the side menu and then click on the forms. From there you can download the CPE application. Or, I’ve been so kind as to place it here. Thank me later. Now, the individual websites might also have this, but this one is good for wherever you send it.

5. Fill out the application and write, write, write.

6. After sending off your applications and fees (if they apply), you wait. Now, if you don’t hear back in a reasonable amount of time, then call them. Ask why you haven’t been contacted yet. You never know.

7. Interviews! You’ll have to do these face to face unless otherwise arranged between you and the interviewer. Go to them, dress nice. Eat some breath mints. Eat before you go so your stomach isn’t churning (then eat the breath mints!). Be polite but be honest. Have I missed anything?

I think we’re good. This is just the beginning but these basics will help get you off the ground as far as applications go.

(First Published: 1-10-2011)

Tips for Interfaith Organizing

2011-10-03T09:40:00.001-05:00

By: Melvina Stemley

General Tips for Developing an Action Plan For Interfaith Organizing
(adapted from the IFYC's Interfaith Leader's Toolkit)

Photo credit: aflcio, flickr.com

1. Build a steering committee or core group of leaders. This requires in-person meetings and relationship building.

2. Network and get to know your community: Who are your allies? What resources do they have? (churches and community groups, etc)

3. Decide on an event: try to pick an issue or topic that reflects shared values and common ground. Why kind of event would be most effective in your community or church. (The event should be engaging and draw people in)

4. Use storytelling as a tool: to engage the religious diversity in the room and start dialogue. What's your story? Why is it important to you? How does it connect to your religious or philosophical beliefs? What texts from your faith tradition inspire you?

Photo credit: Omar A., flickr.com

5. Keep a record of your planning and logistics to use as a reference for future events.

6. Make time for your own self growth and the growth of your core team. Make relationship building and dialogue a priority in your meetings,and consider having smaller dialogues with just the leaders. Get to know your own story better and the story of your team members.

Speak up and get involved!

Think, pray and plan effective programs to assist others as we work together within our faith community for a better today!

Support Interfaith Workers and make a difference!

In My Queue

2011-10-03T09:38:00.000-05:00

By: Joe Medearis
Wow! What a treat My Neighbor Totoro was. If you are a fan of any of famed Japanese Filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki's films, then you will absolutely love this one! What I love most about Miyazaki is the way he weaves his tales almost effortlessly. This one doesn't only belong in the Queue, it belongs in your DVD collection! Next week Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief is "in my queue," so stay tuned!

An Excerpt of “It’s in the Blood” sermon

2011-10-03T09:36:00.000-05:00

Veronica is a senior Master of Divinity
student at McCormick Theological Seminary.

Written and Preached by Veronica M. Johnson
September 28, 2011

Gospel of Mark 3:20-21, 31-35, NIV

²⁰ Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. ²¹ When his family^[a] heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”

³¹ Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. ³² A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.”

³³ “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked.

³⁴ Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! ³⁵ Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

…So Mary and her other sons go to check up on Jesus, because they are concerned… and because they care… But they don’t get very far. For when Jesus is told that his mother and brothers are outside looking him, he says

³³ “Who are my mother and my brothers?” ³⁴ Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! ³⁵ Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

Jesus, the consummate teacher, has a crowd around him…and when told that his mother and his brothers want to see him, Jesus makes a decision to use this as a teachable moment. And so when he says that my mother is the one who does God’s will, he wasn’t dogging his mother. He was affirming his followers. When Jesus said, “Here are my mother and my brothers,” Jesus was affirming their attendance… and grabbing their attention. And what better way to get their attention… and our attention… than to seemingly give us precedence over his own mother and brothers! And when Jesus said, “whoever does God’s will is my brother and my sisters and my mother,” he was calling his followers to action. In essence, Jesus was saying, I’m glad you are here… for following me around and sitting at my feet is the first step… and doing the will of God is the next step.

And people still crowd around Jesus … in churches and seminaries across this world… And in this text Jesus is affirming their and our attendance… and calling us to action! Jesus is saying, “I’m glad you’re here… now I’m calling you to action. For those who do God’s will… they are my brothers and my sisters and my mother.”

Let’s take it a step further. Notice, Jesus didn’t say, those who do God’s will are my cousins…. He said they are my brothers and sisters and mother. That’s the immediate family. And what’s the significance of the immediate family? Consider the King family, the Rev. Dr. M. L. King, Jr.… fourth generation Baptist preacher/pastor, his daughter Bernice King, a powerful preacher in Georgia, and his sons Martin III and Dexter King continuing the fight for freedom and justice… Consider the Marsalis family… Ellis Marsalis and his sons, Wynton and Brandford Marsalis… all world renowned Jazz musicians… Consider the Bush family… George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush, Jeb Bush… the family which held the power of this country in their hands for many years… Consider the Jacksons and consider the Kennedys and ….. Even consider the Johnson family, my family… my husband a musician, a math whiz and a bowler… and my son, seemingly born a musician and a math whiz and a bowler… with mannerisms and facial expressions just like his dad…, and both my son and my daughter, with interests and abilities and likenesses of both of their parents… Consider your family… the vocations and interests and passions and likenesses that have passed down automatically, often without intention…

There’s something about the power of genetics… something about what’s passed down in the family blood… that makes us take on the attributes and interests and passions and likeness of our family. Jesus says, those who do God’s will are my brothers and sisters and mother. Those who do God’s will, do so, because it is in the blood!

… And when you have the blood of Jesus... you’ll help a brother out! When you have the blood of Jesus, you’ll help a sister out! When you have the blood of Jesus, you’ll help the children out. When you have the blood of Jesus, you’ll do the will of God… When you have the blood of Jesus, you’ll seek justice, walk humbly and love mercy. And you’ll do it, without intention! You’ll do it, because it comes natural. You’ll do it… because it’s in your blood. What blood?

The blood that Jesus shed for me,
way back on Calvary;
the blood that gives me strength
from day to day,
it will never lose its power.

It reaches to the highest mountain,
it flows to the lowest valley;
the blood that gives me strength
from day to day,
it will never lose its power.

The blood, will give you strength to feed the hungry…

The blood will give you the strength to clothe the naked…

The blood will give you the strength to visit the sick…

The blood will give you the strength to go to the prisons… and it will never lose its power… it will never lose its power…

The blood that gives me strength, from day to day… it will never lose its power!

Pissyboots

2011-09-26T09:52:00.008-05:00

By: Amber Ellington
Have you ever met someone truly inspiring, who changed your life forever? Well, this isn’t one of those stories. This summer I completed my first unit of Clinical Pastoral Education at a retirement facility with a dementia/Alzheimer’s unit. Although some of my residents suffered from severe cognitive impairment, I found them to be warm and receptive to my presence as their summer chaplain. That was until I met CH.

CH was an elderly African American woman with cognitive issues, who happened to have served as a Colonel in the United States Air Force. You know this woman had to be “tough as nails” in her day to achieve such ranking as an African American female in the military. I was all smiles the first time I approached CH and told her I was going to take her in her wheelchair to talk to her. CH’s response to my sweet, unassuming approach? “You aren’t taking me anywhere… I’m not talking to you. Kiss my @$$!” I still tried talking to CH, which produced little to no results. I continued to greet CH and smile for the next few weeks, although I received nothing but four-letter words in return. My favorite was the time I smiled and said, “How are you doing today, CH?” And she responded with, “How much are they paying you to walk the streets?” Our relationship continued this way for the majority of the summer… until things changed.

I never gave up on being kind to CH or trying to talk to her. One day she was having her nails painted in the activity room. I walked up to her, smiled, and greeted her like always. She slowly looked up from staring at her nails, and with the sweetest, kindest smile she said, “Well hello, dear. How are you doing today?” WHAT?!! This was one of the rare moments where the real CH was shining through her dementia. We talked about her favorite color (as she was having her nails painted purple), but I felt the need to leave the conversation quickly before she turned mean again. Two weeks later, after having several pleasant interactions with CH, I saw her sitting in the activity room with many other residents. I walked in and said in my most cheerful voice, “Hi, CH!” She slowly raised her chin from her chest, scrunched up her face, scowled and said, “Oh, pissyboots!!” I knew right then that the old CH was back. She remained this way until the last day when I told her thank you for letting me see her this summer. I got a little smile from her and then ran from the room before she could say anything ugly- just so I could leave on a good note.

So friends, the next time you get back that essay from IBS or that reflection paper from Reformed Tradition and there isn’t the best grade on it, just scrunch up your face and say “Awww….Pissyboots!!” -

Interfaith Organizing

2011-09-26T09:52:00.007-05:00

Photo Credit: Zé.Valdi, flickr.com.

By: Melvina Stemley

I attended the Interfaith Conference on September 18, 2011, sponsored by the Council For A Parliament of the World's Religions. The conference was held at the Islamic Foundation Mosque, in Villa Park, Illinois.

This conference was a training for interfaith organizing and provided information to help make a difference in our communities and churches. Interfaith organizing is a starting point for building bridges within our churches and communities. This conference gave me valuable information about interfaith organizing and about how to help provide effective communication between Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhist, Hindus, and people of other faith traditions.

This conference educated me, informed me, guided me, motivated me, and connected me to many people of other faith traditions. I am motivated and inspired to share what I have learned with others. I am a justice worker! I will engage in positive relationships and help others try to find their cause for justice, causes which they are willing for stand and fight for.

Stay tuned next week for tips for Interfaith Organizing!!!! To learn more about the Parliament of Religions, visit www.parliamentofreligions.org.

In My Queue

2011-09-26T09:52:00.006-05:00

By: Joe Medearis

Wow... Sometimes after you watch a film you think "I was completely wrong about how I prejudged this film." This is not one of those times. This film was contrived at best. The only thing that was worse than the plot was Pattinson's accent. As if the plot wasn't bad enough throughout the entire film already, the writers of this "masterpiece" decided it was kosher to lean on one of the greatest tragedies of our age to prop up a weak film. Rotten Tomatoes brings this one in at 27% on the Tomatometer. I would argue that number is way too high. Do not watch this film. Next week in the Queue My Neighbor Totoro!

Interested in Urban Ministry? Join the conversation

2011-09-26T09:51:00.001-05:00

Photo Credit: moaksey, flickr.com.

The McCormick Urban Ministry program is beginning an electronic conversation about the dynamics of ministry in urban settings. Be a part of it @ http://mccormickurbanministry.wordpress.com/.

Sermon: A Song in the Morning

2011-09-26T09:51:00.000-05:00

McCormick Seminary Community Worship

21 September 2011

Sharing God’s Word

Isaiah 35:1-10 (Common English Bible), Read by: Ted Hiebert
Philippians 2:1-13 (Common English Bible), Read by: Robert Cathey

"A Song in the Morning"

Poem by Amir Gilboa (1949, 1950); translation by Marcos Roca

Hebrew & English read by Prof. Sarah Tanzer:

Suddenly a man wakes up in the morning
he feels he is a nation and begins to walk
and to all he meets on his way he calls out ‘Shalom!’
In front of his face wheat rising between the cracks in the pavement
and lilac trees shower down rich fragrance on his head

The dew drops are sparkling and the hills are a myriad of rays
They will give birth to a canopy of sunlight for his wedding
And he laughs with the strength of generations in the mountains,
and the shamed wars bow down to the ground,
to the glory of a thousand years flowing concealed.

A thousand young years in front of him
like a cold brook,
like a shepherd’s song,
like a branch.

Suddenly a man wakes up in the morning
He feels he is a nation and begins to walk,
and he sees that the spring has returned
and the tree that has shed its leaves
is turning green again.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sermon: "A Song in the Morning"

By: Rev. Dr. Robert Cathey

In 2011 –11, I spent a sabbatical year traveling in the Middle East to Israel, the West Bank, Lebanon, and Syria to discover the theological significance of this region for Christians, Jews, and Muslims. And I wanted to understand the violent conflicts in the holy lands of this historic region that become played out in conflicts between religious leaders here in America. I went to the Middle East to write a book. But I soon found the peoples and religions of the region and the friends I made in Beirut and Jerusalem were writing on me, writing on my heart. When I returned to Chicago, I found I had a new “Song to sing in the Morning.”

Along with studies in Beirut with Christians, I studied in Jerusalem for four weeks at the Hartman Institute of Jewish Studies. My favorite professor was Melila Hellner-Eshed, an expert on Jewish mystical texts and an activist for reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians. This summer Melila led a group of Christian scholars into a study of the ‘Poetics of Peoplehood.’

‘Poetics of Peoplehood’ means that ancient and modern Israel began to walk together as a people or nation through their songs and poems before what we call a state existed in constitutions and treaties. Poetically we learn to dwell as a people before legal institutions codify our relationship. In other words, love songs come before marriage promises and pre-nuptial agreements. The poem we just heard Sarah Tanzer read in Hebrew and English was where our study of ‘poetics of peoplehood’ in Jerusalem began. It resonated with me deeply for many reasons after my months in both Lebanon and Israel.

During my sabbatical I encountered the spirit of this poem in Jerusalem and in Tel Aviv among many Israelis. But that was not all this poem that became an Israeli national song came to mean for me.

I felt the spirit of this song also among the Christians of Lebanon and Syria. When I was living at the Near East School of Theology in Beirut, one weekend we took an incredible field trip to the Qadisha Valley in northern Lebanon with a Maronite priest. Beginning from the top of a mountain we climbed down steep trails to find tiny monasteries, churches, and homes built into the sides of cliffs in the early middle ages. Thousands of Maronite Christians lived in the treacherous Qadisha Valley for centuries to avoid submission to their Muslim overlords who controlled Lebanon and Syria. In these tiny cave homes and churches the idea of a free and independent Lebanon was born, but not fully realized until the 1940s.

I felt the spirit of Gilboa’s song in the uprising in Syria that broke out this spring. I found the spirit of this song in the city of Nablus on the West Bank among Anglicans, and in the stories pouring out of Tahrir or Liberation Square in Cairo last winter, and from Tunisia, and Libya, and all across the Middle East.

I felt the spirit of this song in Bethlehem in the West Bank in the form of a longing for freedom, nationhood, and economic security. When I crossed through the check point for the first time between suburban Jerusalem and Bethlehem, Charlie Asmar, my cab driver, turned to me suddenly and said, “Bob, we are about to enter an open air prison.” He pointed toward Bethlehem and included all the occupied Palestinian territories.

That one quiet moment of protest came from Charlie, an Israeli Arab Christian, who has a nation and identity papers that allow him to drive all over the West Bank. But his extended family and friends in Bethlehem lack the same freedoms and struggle to survive economically in an historic Christian town where Christians have become a minority population, many leaving Bethlehem to look for peace and security elsewhere in the world, some in Chicago.

In the Scriptures today we have heard two Songs in the Morning. Isaiah 35 is a lyrical poem of cosmic and national redemption for Israel that is linked to the homecoming of the exiles in Isaiah chapters 40-55. But my Christian friends in Lebanon would quickly point out that the triad of desert, dry land, and wilderness are matched by the triad of abundance: Lebanon, Carmel, and Sharon. Lebanese Christians are emphatic: they also dwell in a holy land of God named and celebrated in Scripture. And they are convinced Jesus and the apostles also traveled through their land, making it holy by their presence celebrated in countless icons, hundreds of churches, and place names like Qana in the Bekaa Valley.

In Philippians 2 Paul expresses the poetics of peoplehood by quoting an early Christian hymn in verses 6 – 11. The apostle is proposing a way for the believers in Christ to live together in community that will mirror the path of Jesus through the world. Before there was theology or a creed there was a song in the morning, a poem that communicated a new way of being human in God’s cosmos.

Amidst the conflicts of the Middle East and the birth pangs of new regimes that are emerging out of the Arab Reawakening, I wonder, what would it mean to “adopt the attitude that was in Christ Jesus” in this both beautiful and violent region of the world?

I will leave you with two stories, one from Beirut and one from Tel Aviv.

The first story came to me from Johnny Awad, a Presbyterian ruling elder and Prof. of New Testament at the Near East School of Theology or NEST in Beirut.

When Johnny was a student at NEST some years ago, one of his teachers was McCormick’s former Dean Robert Worley, Rob Worley’s father. Dean Worley had flown into Beirut to teach an intensive course in Christian education at a very difficult time in the city’s history regarding security for US citizens in Lebanon. Americans were warned to stay off the streets in Hamra, the neighborhood surrounding the American University of Beirut and NEST. Dean Worley was able to get from the airport in Beirut to NEST safely. The school’s administration decreed that he was to stay on campus for his entire time in Beirut. So Dean Worley taught his course and then would stand down at the entrance to NEST everyday looking out into the streets of Beirut he knew so well from his previous years of teaching and living in Lebanon. One day after class, Johnny said to Dean Worley, “Let’s go out for a coffee. We’ll walk silently together through the streets. No one will figure out you’re an American if you remain silent. I know a coffee shop where we can sit in the back and talk quietly. Then we’ll walk silently together back to NEST.”

Dean Worley said yes and was joyful to be walking through the streets of Beirut again. They went to the coffee shop, had a long conversation, teacher and student, Presbyterian and Presbyterian, then walked quietly back to campus.

Johnny told me when we was older he realized how dangerous this simple act of hospitality was at the time. He said he shouldn’t have exposed Dean Worley to the risk on the street. But what he remembered was there was one American Presbyterian from McCormick in Chicago who was willing to walk with him through the streets of his city despite the danger. And although Johnny himself was shot at in the Lebanese civil war, he has committed his life to teach in Beirut regardless of what happens politically. But he said it still helps if some Christians from other nations come from time to time and walk with him in the streets of Beirut even just for a cup of coffee and some conversation.

On the Friday before 9/11 Sunday, Barbara and I had the privilege of meeting a woman named Robi Damelin from Tel Aviv. A few years ago her son, David, was serving in the Israeli Defense Force. He was shot and killed by a sniper at a checkpoint between Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Two years later the sniper was caught. In the meantime Robi had become part of a group of bereaved Israeli and Palestinian families who had lost someone in their immediate family to the ongoing conflict. The group has chosen a path of reconciliation rather than revenge, and works to create a framework for peace between their two peoples.

When Robi Damelin heard that the sniper was in jail, she knew that she faced a true test. It took her four months before she wrote a letter to the parents of the sniper. Two of her Palestinian friends delivered it. Here is part of what she wrote:

“This for me is one of the most difficult letters I will ever have to write. I am the mother of David who was killed by your son…

What makes our children do what they do? They do not understand the pain they are causing. Your son having to be in jail for many years and mine who I will never be able to hold and see again or see him married, or have a grandchild from him. I cannot describe to you the pain I feel since his death….

After your son was captured, I spent many sleepless nights thinking about what to do, should I ignore the whole thing, or will I be true to my integrity and to the work that I am doing and try to find a way for closure and reconciliation. This is not easy for anyone and I am just an ordinary person, not a saint. I have now come to the conclusion that I would like to try to find a way to reconcile. Maybe this is difficult for you to understand or believe, but I know that in my heart it is the only path that I can choose.

I give this letter to people I love and trust to deliver. They will tell you of the work we are doing, and perhaps create in your hearts some hope for the future. I do not know what your reaction will be, it is a risk for me, but I believe that you will understand, as it comes from the most honest part of me. I hope that you will show the letter to your son, and that maybe in the future we can meet.

Let us put an end to the killing and look for a way, through mutual understanding and empathy, to live a normal life, free of violence.”

Someday when the Robi Damelins, Charlie Asmars, and Johnny Awads of the world are listened to and finally understood in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Hebron, Ramallah, Beirut, Damascus, Cairo, New York, and Washington, DC there will be justice and peace in the Middle East. Until that day, “Adopt the attitude that was in Christ Jesus….” Adopt the attitude that is in Robi Damelin and all the brave families and communities in the Middle East that are choosing the path of costly reconciliation rather than revenge.

And may it be so among us here as well! Amen.

The Girlfriends' Clergy Companion

2011-09-19T10:15:00.003-05:00

By: Kristin E. Riegel

To be a religious professional is a unique and challenging experience. Now add to that, being young, female, and newly ordained. In The Girlfriends’ Clergy Companion: Surviving and Thriving in Ministry, Rev. Amanda Riley and three other clergywomen take on the issue of what it means to be a young, female clergyperson and the common difficulties that often arise, both personally and professionally.

Although the book offers life lessons for ministers of all ages and genders, Riley states that the book seeks to offer support for young female religious professionals and to let them know that they are not alone in their experiences of awkward bar conversations, receiving comments about their earrings during communion, and trying to balance work, friends, and family.

“Especially for young clergywomen, I think a lot of us start out and we all have our own experiences and we don’t how different things can be depending on our contexts,” stated Riley. “There is something very unique about the experience of being clergy, and for us, being young women clergy. It’s just helpful to have other people to share the journey with.”

According to Riley, developing a group of friends as well as colleagues has an important source of support for her throughout her ministry.

After graduating from McCormick Theological Seminary, Riley took her first call at the First Presbyterian Church in Ann Arbor, MI as part of Lilly-endowed two-year residency in parish program. After finishing her residency and taking a second call in mid-Michigan, Riley reached out to young clergywomen in the Detroit and Huron presbyteries.

With no planned bible studies, worship services, or agendas, Riley and what eventually became a group of three other women and her, began meeting regularly to discuss their experiences in and outside of the church. While on a retreat at the end of their first year of meeting together, one group member suggested sharing their experiences and lessons learned with the larger public.

Rev. Amanda Riley, one of four co-authors of
The Girlfriend’s Clergy Companion:
Navigating Life in the Parish with Style and Grace.

Despite Riley’s initial hesitation about writing a book, she was soon persuaded and by the end of the retreat, the book’s title had been chosen, its chapters outlined, and the collaborative writing process had begun.

“[We wanted to communicate] a sense that they [young clergywomen] are not alone in the uniqueness of the journey that they’re walking,” said Riley. Riley acknowledges that the book does not address all issues that religious professionals will face and that authors’ common demographic—all white, young, heterosexual, Presbyterian women—greatly influences how their perspectives on and experiences in the parish.

However, Riley emphasizes that the book is for more than just young clergywomen. “All of the authors and I believe that there are life lessons that are applicable to anyone in ministry regardless of age or gender.”

-----------------

Amanda Riley and other authors of "The Girlfriend’s Clergy Companion: Navigating Life in the Parish with Style and Grace" will be speaking at McCormick Theological Seminary on October 6th from 6:30 – 8:00pm. The event will include a discussion of the book, a Q&A with Amanda, and time for networking with other religious professionals. To learn more about this event, contact Christine Vogel.

Make a Joyful Noise Unto the Lord

2011-09-19T10:14:00.001-05:00

Singing is the primal form of prayer and praise to God…

Singing together is the very essence of being in community….

To sing is to pray twice (attributed to St. Augustine)…

McCormick is certainly a singing community. It is such a joy for me to serve as musician here where the choir and the congregation so passionately lift their hearts and voices in song. God has passed out a diversity of musical gifts—they’re not all the same. Each of us is called to use the breath and voice that God has given us. Everyone is encouraged—even expected—to offer up their voice with the congregation in worship.

Anyone who feels a special passion for music and song is invited to be part of the choir at McCormick. The primary role of the choir is to empower the voice of the congregation in worship. Persons in the choir are not those set aside with special musical gifts; instead they are the ones who have a fervor for deepening the divine connection in music and song. How glorious it is to join with sisters and brothers singing together in prayer and praise! Abstract principles like “harmony” and “unity” become incarnate in the voice of the choir. It’s a foretaste of heaven.

Empowering individuals and communities to claim and express their voices and musical gifts is the most blessed ministry I can imagine. There is nothing more gratifying than creating an opportunity for a colleague to express her/his God-given talent. Then to draw together the voices of the choir—whether that that be in a rhythmic African chorus, a soaring Latin tune, a haunting Asian melody, or a lush classical Western hymn—is truly to get a glimpse of the face of God.

As the term and academic workload progress in the coming weeks, keep in mind that one of the best tonics for your soul and spirit is to give an hour a week to sing with your choir colleagues. Join us!

Mark Bowman

worshipalive@comcast.net

www.enlivenworship.com

In My Queue

2011-09-19T10:14:00.000-05:00

I was debating whether or not I had the time to watch this film. In the end I decided that I needed to just sit down and do it. This film was a real treat. The premise of this film is advertised in the trailer, so you tend to come into the movie with expectations. But unlike The Pledge, which has a similar premise, this movie takes you through a wide range of emotions. To say that I was amazed by this movie is a bit of an understatement. But, I am now marking the days until I can take the time to read the book that it is based on. This movie is worth every bit of the two hours that it will take for you to watch it. I am slightly ashamed to admit that the next film in my Queue is Remember Me. Join me next week as I review this cinematic masterpiece!

Chicago Reformed Theology Meetup Group

2011-09-19T10:13:00.001-05:00

Dear McCormick community members,

At McCormick we often refer to our four distinctive marks: Ecumenical, Urban, Cross-Cultural, and Reformed. But what does the 'Reformed' mark refer to? What is Reformed theology? Is it only for Presbyterians? Or does Reformed theology make a distinctive contribution to many churches, Christians, and societies, secular and sacred?

For the discussion of Reformed theological texts, ideas, and practices, I am forming a new informal reading and discussion group, the Chicago Reformed Theology Meetup Group. This group is open to any McCormick student, Hyde Park cluster students, ACTS students, and others from Chicago who want to read and discuss Reformed theological texts, both historic and contemporary.

This group is free for users: no tuition, fees, or textbooks to buy. No grades or oral exams to pass. What you need is interest to read and think critically about some classic and contemporary texts by Reformed theologians that have the potential to change our lives.

Our first meeting is announced below for September 22 at 5 p.m in Third World Cafe on 53rd Street in Hyde Park. You can RSVP on Meetup.com's website where the group is organized.

Email Bob Cathey for a brief text to read before the first meeting about contemporary interest in Calvin's theology by members of a new generation.

If you can't make the first meeting, not to worry. The Chicago Reformed Theology Meetup Group is free to travel around the city and suburbs to other coffee shops, pubs, restaurants, churches and homes that offer us meeting space. We will do some organizing of calendars, texts, and topics at our first two meetings this fall, open to revision as we go along. I envision this group meeting once every two weeks, but not in December when everyone is quite busy!

Looking forward to finding out what interests you in Reformed theology: creeds, confessions, catechisms, Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, Schleiermacher, Barth, Charlotte von Kirschbaum, Reinhold Niebuhr, H. Richard Niebuhr, Letty Russell, G. Wilmore, Moltmann, Bill Placher, W. Brueggemann, et al??? So many good texts, and so little time!

Faithfully, Bob Cathey 773.947.6323 office

Matthew 20:1-16: Sermon by Ed Bird

2011-09-19T10:12:00.000-05:00

Missed worship on Wednesday? Bummer.

No fears though, we've got you covered. Here's the message (preached by Ed Bird) you missed!

This lesson from next Sunday’s Gospel (Matthew 20:1-16, Laborers in the Vineyard) might at first glance suggest there are two kinds of people in the world. Those of us who have done a bit of study or heard any sermons on it know that it is about God’s unlimited grace. But I want to talk about what I see as the underside of God’s unlimited grace, and why it’s needed. We need God’s grace for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is that in this case there aren’t two kinds of people but one. We all struggle with being self righteous. We see it in the Church… a WHOLE lot. We see it everyday everywhere else, too.

Let’s talk about Jerry and Jess and their story of self righteousness gone amuck. Jerry and Jess are a couple of people I have known since grade school. In the 5^th grade, Jerry and Jess became the best of friends. They made Frick and Frack look like oil and water. They were tight; they got in trouble together, cut up in church together, had the same friends and went to each others houses for birthdays and holidays. When Jess rode his bike into oncoming traffic, Jerry was on the handlebars. When Jerry fell off his bike and bumped his noggin, Jess gave him some ice (it was a popsicle really, but still….) Once I heard Jerry say “ah” and Jess say “choo.” You would always see them together, in class, at parties, on their bikes, and especially in the principal’s office. You would have thought they shared a kidney; they almost did, once, but that’s another sermon.

Jess and Jerry stayed tight throughout grade school, junior high, and high school. They took their shenanigans to new levels in high school. In 12^th grade, their petty crimes and fast living got them in trouble, real trouble. As always in these sorts of affairs, the details are murky: some have forgotten; some won’t tell; and for some, the statute of limitations hasn’t quite run out.

But the best information is that Jess and Jerry and some other high school hooligans had done their (best): B.E.S.D: Breaking. Entering. Staying. Drinking.

And with BESD came SAM. Serving alcohol to Minors. Jerry was by no means the only clown in that circus. But he managed to take the fall and helped the others slip away. Jess opted out of the punishment sector of the affair. Jerry went away for a little while.

Jess on the outside waiting for Jerry’s return was like coffee looking for a cup. Jess looked like “French” waiting on “fries”. But one day soon Jerry would be a free man, and the so-called Powder Puff gang would ride again.

But things don’t always play out like we think they will. Things changed for the two of them when they got back on their horses of hijinks. Don’t get me wrong: the delinquency rate went up when they reunited. But something happened to make a change. It would be far too simple and misogynistic to say that Jess and Jerry fell out over a woman.

But fell out they did. Jess committed a horrible fraud on a good, kind and wonderful person; Jerry couldn’t go there and in undoing what Jess had done, Jerry swooped in to save the day. He sold Jess out to make better the harm Jess had caused. Jerry did a very good thing.

Jess, of course, didn’t see it that way. Jess sucked on that sweet, syrupy, self-righteousness you can savor when you feel betrayed. Jess thought he hadn’t asked for much but at least a little honor among thugs. He didn’t realize his actions had broken that code. He felt right, he felt betrayed, he was immeasurably resentful, and no one was ever going to take that away from him. Humans like to hold on to that self righteousness, that woundedness and that righteous indignation. No one was going to take that sweet resentment from Jess, not even God Almighty.

Other troubles soon arose for Jess that took his mind of his resentment of Jerry. Jess found himself neck deep in turmoil for several years. Blessedly, Jess took a hint from a friend that the Hound of Heaven was after him.

Jess soon found faith in his life, and a life in his faith. Jess found Jesus and jumped headlong into a gentler, sweeter life. A life of active faith was everything Jess needed and more. He began to live out his love for God trying to be kind more than he was mean, seeking justice more than his just due, and trying to be gracious rather than grinding his teeth. Jess’ life with prayer brought great passion for his life; he felt blessed in good times and bad.

Not long into his spiritual journey, Jess found himself at a point where he felt called to act. It wasn’t an easy matter. Jess saw suffering he thought he could and should alleviate. He saw in a hurting human being a chance to offer a balm and even better to prevent further harm. Jess thought his faith life was begging him to act to end a pattern of pain in the life of a Child of God. What was unique was that the person hurting was suffering at the hands of Jess’ former friend, Jerry. Jess could end this suffering not only for this one person but several with a few kind words. Jess heard the call of faith, and the counsel of his friends in faith, to stop a bad thing.

What Jess didn’t hear was the voice of a dear friend whom he had loved and nurtured for the whole of his adult life, quietly and unbeknownst even to himself. He spoke gently and convincingly in Jess’ ear. His name isn’t important really, but he had several: Resentment, Bitterness, Self Righteousness. Jess had fed and nurtured him in his feelings about Jerry. And he let the years go long nurturing his grudge. Resentment had been lifting weights all these years that Jess had silently nurtured him and he became huge and strong. He had been given a new name: Revenge. Revenge was not just strong but sweet; and of course, not just sweet but smart.

Revenge can piggy back on the voice of God, even mimic the voice of God when it whispers into the ear of the faithful.

Jess convinced himself that God was calling him to act. He told himself and maybe believed that “Vengeance was the Lord’s” but maybe he heard only “Vengeance IS my Lord”. At any rate, he acted.

Jess did what he felt he was called to do. He worked to soothe the suffering of a person, and to end that harm from the hands of another. Jess ripped the veil off of a villain, he told himself. And somewhere inside, Jess savored what he swore he wouldn’t: the deliciousness of a payback, almost perfectly fitting as an eye for an eye, and given the divine stamp of approval because he did it out of conscience in the name of his new found God. He realized this mostly in hindsight, many many years later.

I wonder how often I do this, what Jess did? Sure the story may be a bit more dramatic than most of our run of the mill day to day actions. How often do I find ill in others and say to myself “Tsk, that’s just pitiful. I’m glad I’m not like that.” How often am I a late worker in the vineyard feeling smug about the disgruntled early worker, saying how pitiful it is that they feel mistreated and I hope they get over it soon, not really meaning it but just feeling good because I think I’m on the high road? Meanwhile I don’t even acknowledge that I am getting something I really don’t deserve. How often am I an early worker, or the older brother of the Prodigal Son, glaring resentfully at children of God because God’s love and God’s grace falls heavily on them too? How ready am I to be jealous because God is generous? How not humble am I when I feel certain that other people are less pleasing to God? How off is my faith when I think so much about fixing other people in the name of my God? How unfaithful am I when I’m busy thinking about you and not busy thanking my God, not grateful that-- like rain --God’s grace falls on my enemies and my friends alike?

There’s an epilogue to Jess and Jerry’s little saga. Jess confided in me as he was growing in his faith that he began ever so slowly to realize over the years that his actions of kindness and interrupting malice so long ago weren’t just about doing right. He acknowledged as some might as they gain wisdom in life that he probably did a decent thing in some ways: there were people who remained grateful to him for his payback-laden act of kindness. Still he knows now as he never has before that he used his faith to rubber stamp a “stick it back to ya,” that this was at least part if not most of his motivation, even if he did not see it or chose not to see it at the time.

Jess and his wife recently had been working on a deal to buy their dream home. They were having to cut, scrimp, save, beg, borrow and steal to make it work. But sadly, it wasn’t working. They tearfully concluded that no matter what they did, their dream home, their first home, was just a few dollars out of their price range. They were heartbroken. They were working up the courage to call the realtor, when their phone rang. Their realtor called them.

She didn’t have the details, but the owner, Mr. Brown, had for some reason come way down on the price into a range far below the value of the home. The new price was not only one Jess and his wife could afford, but could pay much more easily and with fewer sacrifices, though many sacrifices they still would have to make. Jess and his wife thanked God earnestly for favor they had not earned.

It’s funny this story relates to the vineyard in one way: the grapevine is alive and well no matter who the laborers are. Through that grapevine, Jess and his wife began to get bits and pieces of information that humbled them deeply.

You see, Mr. Brown, the owner, the seller of the house they wanted to buy wasn’t a person they knew. But he had come to know of them. Jess didn’t know they had a mutual acquaintance.

Re-enter Jerry, Jess’ former friend. When Jess and Jerry parted ways, Jerry went to work on his career in earnest and he was now a successful businessman. He had a lot of friends in town, and one of his best friends was Mr. Brown, the homeowner Jess and his wife hoped to buy from. Jerry unintentionally found out who Mr. Brown’s buyers would be and learned of the hardship they were experiencing. For reasons unknown to Mr. Brown, and really for no known good reason, Jerry negotiated secretly with Mr. Brown to bring down the price. When Jerry couldn’t get it to where he figured Jess could afford it, Jerry offered money from his own pocket to subsidize the rest. Jess didn’t know this; the realtor didn’t know this; Mr. Brown didn’t know Jess and Jerry knew each other, much less their history of friendship turned sour and the sweetness of self righteous retribution.

Jess and his wife were shocked. Astonished. What would have been, could have been and by some accounts SHOULD have been years of resentment and bitterness and acts of vengeance had been folded ever so gently into one almost anonymous act of grace.

Jess wept. He soon got the nerve to face Jerry, who was still not a religious man by the way, who would have been dead right for hating Jess for having quite seriously “paybacked him” many years earlier. Jess worked through near-traumatic shock, which had only barely begun to morph into gratitude, and could only stammer the words, “Thank you”. He started to say “Im so sorry for…” before he collapsed into tears.

Jerry smiled at Jess. Not condescendingly. Not self righteously, not even righteously and for sure not religiously.

Jess said “I don’t deserve this; I haven’t done you a kindness or even called you a child of God.”

Jerry said, “Jess, I didn’t do it because you deserve it or to teach you a lesson. I sure didn’t do it for your God.” Jerry went on: “I did it because I love you.”

Grace comes in all sizes, shapes, and colors. Grace is most amazing when it comes from where you don’t expect it. Grace is most powerful when you know you don’t deserve it.

Lord, we know you are the landowner of the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of earth. May we learn to labor in the vineyard graciously and gracefully and gratefully alongside one another; so that the kingdom of Earth may bear the Kingdom of heaven, so the visible world can be palpably pregnant with the invisible Power of your grace . In this we pray through your son. Amen.

The Person, the President: An Interview with Frank Yamada

2011-09-12T09:27:00.003-05:00

By: Kristin E. Riegel
On July 1, 2011, Rev. Dr. Frank Yamada became McCormick’s tenth President. Last week, The Herald sat down with President Yamada (or, as he prefers, Frank) for a heart-to-heart about the challenges, joys, and unexpected surprises of being McCormick’s president. Read on to hear what he had to say.

President Frank Yamada preaching at
McCormick's 182nd convocation.

The Herald (TH):

First question, Mr. President, can I call you Mr. President?

Frank Yamada (FY): (laughs) You can call me Frank.

TH: Describe a typical day as President. What is it that you do?

FY: A typical morning would be either going out and meeting with some folks—donors or trustees—or meeting in committees and talking about how to strategically move us forward and process what we’ve been doing. Oh, and answering a ton of emails.

TH: Do you get workers’ comp for carpal tunnel [from typing]?

FY: No, no workers’ comp for carpal tunnel…or, at least, as far as I know.

TH: Thinking back to last year, when you were being interviewed as a presidential candidate, I remember a promise about community meals . . . something about how you would personally be catering the meals to ensure the highest quality cuisine here at McCormick. Am I remembering this correctly?

FY: I would be happy to cook for the community meals.

TH: You realize this is on-record right?

FY: I understand that. I can’t do that all of the time because again, part of my job is to go out and to tell the good story of McCormick to anyone who will listen. But one of the ways I enjoy community life is to cook for people. So yeah, if there’s an event where we can figure it out for that to happen, I’d be happy to do it, but not regularly. I cook enough for my own family.

TH: You mentioned sharing the good story of McCormick with the world. What of “the world” would you like to bring to McCormick?

FY: The majority of the world’s Christians don’t live in the U.S. anymore. The majority of the Christians live in the Global South, Asia, Africa, Central and South America. We are a lot of things and we do a lot of things well but what we are not, and most institutions in North America are not, is dynamically international in their [our] culture and in the way they [we] think. We think that we’re hosting guests when we’re having international students . . . If there’s a way for us in the next decades to change our DNA, whether it’s through partnerships with other seminaries internationally or sending students abroad or sending faculty here and there, I think it would be all the better for us. My hope is that we can somehow get ahead of the curve of what’s already happening in the rest of the world because that’s where the Spirit of God is moving in the church. I think we have something substantial to contribute to that conversation because we have a great history to learn from.

McCormick students listening to President Yamada
preach at McCormick's convocation on September 7, 2011.

TH: A few weeks ago, you sent out a letter to the larger McCormick community in which you discussed your first 40 days as President. It’s now been over 60 days. What’s been the greatest challenge so far?

FY: I think the challenges are for theological education in general. We’re in a shifting environment. That means that finances are always troubling, that means that you’re dealing with students who have increased debt and are going off into the church and there aren’t a lot of jobs. Something has to change in the way we do things. Something has to change in the way the church imagines and trains its leadership. So those are some of the macro challenges that I think we all face . . . Personally, because these things are very exciting to think about, I have had more sleepless nights in the last three months than I think I’ve ever had.

TH: Other than the lack of sleep and restless nights, what else has been unexpected about being president? Have there been surprises or things that you weren’t necessarily anticipating?

FY: I thought this was going to be a really lonely job when I took it on. I had heard from other friends who had taken on this position that this is a lonely job because everyone works for you. Quite literally, you’re the boss of everybody, and I worried about that. But what I found, at least one of the great rewards of my first three months, is that I’ve been able to work with some really great people, especially staff and the board of trustees. Those are circles that I didn’t have as much contact with as a faculty person. One of the things I’ve learned is that there’s a lot of responsibility put on a president, but it’s not a lonely job.

TH: You’ve spoken about your relationships with staff and faculty, so this question is more focused on you and the McCormick student body. What do you want students to know about you as a person and as a President?

FY: Well, I think the students already know about me as a person; or at least that’s what it suggests to me when they read my facebook posts, and then read them out loud at Feast of Fools . . . One of the things I loved to do as a faculty person was to be an advocate for my students. One of the great joys of being President is that I feel like I’m actually in the position, a better position, to be an advocate for students. And I love to be an advocate for our [McCormick] students because they are great leaders and they need to have their voice heard in the church.

TH: As a follow up question, what do you not want students to know about you as President?

FY: Well, if I didn’t want them to know, I wouldn’t say I guess.

TH: It’s kind of a trick question. You don’t actually have to answer.

FY: No, it’s ok. I guess I don’t want students to know that in a not too distant past, I was actually the quarterback for our seminary football team that used to compete in an intramural league at Northwestern. I don’t want them to know that because if we started a flag football team that competed with the U of C [University of Chicago], one, I don’t want to play quarterback and two, I wouldn’t want to have to miss it and I don’t know if I could make the commitment.

TH: And if that flag football league were to start, would you at least be willing to on occasion be willing to make an appearance as a cheerleader or mascot? Perhaps you could dress up as Herald the Ram?

FY: The ram? No, no. Actually, another thing I don’t want them [students] to know about me as President is that I drive a two-door hatchback Yaris. Usually when people hear I’m President and then see my car they go, “ehhh, that car doesn’t look so presidential.” So I don’t need anyone else making fun of my car.

TH: Do you have a name for your car?

FY: I’m going to have to come up with a name for my car. It certainly has a complex because it’s supposed to be bigger than it is and more presidential [than it is]. But I love my car and am going to keep my car.

TH: Ok, Mr. President, I mean, Frank, last question of the interview—do you have any big party plans for President’s Day in February?

FY: President’s Day in February? I mean, no, those are U.S. presidents. This is nothing like that. I hope to take the day off just like the rest of the nation and hope that my staff and students will do the same, as long as we don’t have an event planned.

TH: Maybe there will be an event planned, like a surprise President’s Day party. I guess you’ll have to wait and see.

Please note: This interview was edited for content and length.

McCormick Herald

Hip, hip, hooray! It's almost inauguration day!

The McCormick Theological Seminary Board of Trustees cordially invites you to the inauguration of McCormick's tenth president,

the Rev. Dr. Frank Yamadaon 8-9 February 2012.

Changes to Community Meals!

In My Queue...

AND Check It Out: Free L.E.A.D. Conference for Seminarians!

Have You Heard About the Herald?

Robert Harris, McCormick Class of 1963

Biggest Loser Team: Have Fun & Be Healthy!

Need Something To Do Over the Break?

In My Kitchen

Principle, Practice, and Social Teaching

Deacon Prayer for Advent

A Conversation with Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Shop Fair Trade this Holiday Season!

In My Queue

In case you missed the Advent service...

Session Summary from November Meeting

McCormick's Advent Worship Service

Top Ten Things to Make With The Leftover Turkey

In My Queue: The Muppets

Embracing the Culture (ETC)

In My Queue: Love and Other Drugs

"For Such A Time As This"

Vagina Monologues Auditions

Called to Love and Serve

Deacon Prayer for the Week

In This Together

The Samuel Robinson Shorter Catechism Memory Exam and Award

2011 Food Drive

In My Queue

Deacon Prayer

An Open Invitation to my McCormick Family

An Ode to Kate Turabian

In My Queue

Deacon reflection and prayer

Update from the Student Session

Top 10 Bad Ideas for Halloween

Mission Trip!

In My Queue: Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

McGear is Here!

Pan African Student Organization (PASO)

Deacon Prayer for the Week

What Do You Know About Breast Cancer

God's Surprising Wonders: Association of Presbyterian Church Educators Annual Event

In My Queue: The Lightning Thief

The ABC's of CPE Applications

Tips for Interfaith Organizing

In My Queue

An Excerpt of “It’s in the Blood” sermon

Pissyboots

Interfaith Organizing

In My Queue

Interested in Urban Ministry? Join the conversation

Sermon: A Song in the Morning

The Girlfriends' Clergy Companion

Make a Joyful Noise Unto the Lord

In My Queue

Chicago Reformed Theology Meetup Group

Matthew 20:1-16: Sermon by Ed Bird

The Person, the President: An Interview with Frank Yamada

The McCormick Theological Seminary Board of Trustees cordially invites you
to the inauguration of McCormick's tenth president,

the Rev. Dr. Frank Yamada
on 8-9 February 2012.