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GROUNDBREAK
with us! | |
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ALL NBTS ALUMNI
are encouraged to join us.
WEDNESDAY
July 31 at 11am
Refreshments and Remarks at the
Gardner A. Sage
Library,
21 Seminary Place,
New Brunswick, NJ
Followed by a Groundbreaking Ceremony on the site of our new seminary building.
RSVP by July 29 via email
or call
Director of Development
Cathy Proctor at
732-789-3742.
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| HOME AGAIN IN 2013. Alumni gathered in the Gardner A. Sage Library |
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Preparing for change
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The landscape is about to change at NBTS. On May 20
the Seminary announced the sale of about 5 acres,
slightly more than half its property. The purchaser
is New Brunswick Development Corporation
known as DEVCO which will develop the property
on behalf of Rutgers University.
As Dr. Mast explains, "The Seminary retained almost
half its property in order to build a new campus
that is technologically smart and environmentally
green." NBTS anticipates its new seminary building
and campus will be ready for the fall semester
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Alumni joined Dr. Mast for a dinner in the Library
during homecoming weekend. Alumni from honor
classes, Rev. Len Kalkwarf, Rev. John Itzen,
Rev. Lou Springsteen (Class of 1953) and
Rev. Roland Ratmeyer (Class of 1963)
celebrated their 60th and 50th anniversaries of
graduation from NBTS.
Rev. Mary Gibbs-Lowe and Rev. Rita Lipford
(Class of 2012) were on hand when Dr. Mast invited
everyone to the groundbreaking
ceremony which will be held July 31 at 11am.
"We hope all alumni in the area will join us," says
Dr. Mast. "This is a major event for the Seminary
and it's going to take real teamwork to build a
new future together."
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Many alumni and community members have been sending in their cherished memories of the homes, buildings and structures on our old campus that were so important on their paths to ministry.
Our faculty joined in a prayer litany of thanksgiving for all these cherished structures which served so well.
You can find the litany and more information about |
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Ordinations
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"It's just interesting how God brought us
together and guided us on our journey,"
Johnson said. "It's an exciting ride, and I've
loved having her by my side."
"The journey has been amazing," Rosario
said. "God has an amazing sense of humor."
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NBTS classmates tag team in the
Last November, as moderator of the
presbytery, Ida Rosario (Class of 2012)
presided over Glorya Johnson's
(Class of 2009) ordination service.
This Spring the tables turned
as Johnson as the current moderator
presided over Rosario's ordination
service. Read more on
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Rev. Megan Thomas (NBTS)
was ordained to the transitional
diaconate in the Episcopal Diocese of
New Jersey at Trinity Cathedral,
Trenton this June. This photo shows
three NBTS alumni
Rob Olson (M.A., 2004), Megan,
and Joanne Van Sant
(Class of 2010) at the ordination,
says Megan, "I am very excited to read
about all the changes at the Seminary."
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Rev. Roberta Arden (Class of 2013) was ordained at United Church of Spring Valley, NY on June 30. She has been a member at UCSV for six and a half years. "I am NBTS' oldest graduate in 2013," she says proudly. "I am RCA and past retirement age in the RCA, so the RCA will only ordain me as Minister of Word and Sacrament to Special Ministry. I am to be ordained as a chaplain and have a part-time call to an assisted living facility in Manhattan known as Carnegie East because part of the call is to do Sundayservices at the facility complete with the eucharist. I could not do that without ordination. I also work two days a week for the New York City foster grandparent program, training the FGP's in dealing with other peoples' children who often have special needs."
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Alumni events
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Dr. Henry P. Davis, Jr. (Class of 1988),
simultaneously celebrated his 40th Pastoral Anniversary and
Retirement in July 2013. He has served as the Pastor of St.
Paul Baptist Church in Atlantic Highlands, NJ since
July of 1973.
Under his leadership, 12 individuals have been called to ministry,
8 of whom are now pastoring including his son,
Dr. Henry P. Davis III (Class of 1988),
who pastors the 3000-member
1st Baptist Church of Highland Park, Maryland.
Davis is author of the book, "A New Members Program for
African American Baptist Churches." He shares his life with his
wife, Dolores Ryan Davis. |
Rev. Ron Sanford (Class of 1977) accepted a call to become the pastor of Faith Reformed Church in Cedar Grove, Wisconsin beginning July 1, 2013.
Mrs. Mary Ingram (Class of 2013) lives in Burlington Township, NJ and works as a Reading Specialist for the New Brunswick Board of Education. She and her husband Michael Ingram celebrate their first wedding anniversary on August 18.
Rev. Abby Norton-Levering (Class of 2004) has been named the Albany Synod Ministry Coordinator. To take this position, she tendered her resignation from the position of Classis vice president, to which Rev. Peggy Funderburke (Class of 2006) has been elected. Classis president is Rev. James Brumm (Class of 1987).
Peggy writes, "I have also agreed to serve on the Personnel Committee for the Regional Synod of Albany. And, am voting delegate to this year's Gen. Synod in Pella! There is, of course, my continuing work in Bethany Reformed. Come September, I will have been here 6 years and it still feels like a honeymoon! My cup overflows with blessings! But what I really need are your prayers - that my heart be open to new understandings, my mind be open to new challenges,
and my hands be open to work at any task that our Lord leads me to do."
Rev. Dr. Stephanie A. Salinas (Class of 2002), in May 2013, earned a D.Min. in Preaching through the Association of Chicago Theological Schools Doctorate of Ministry in Preaching, in conjunction with McCormick Theological Seminary. Her thesis is entitled, "Right-Sized Preaching: You're Not That Special, and Yet..." Salinas is the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Bangor, Maine.
Rev. Martha Bonsal Day (Class of 2013)
published an article, "The Old Story No Longer Fits", in the Journal of Religion, Disability & Health, Volume 17, Issue 2, 2013.
Dr. Dierdre L. Thomson (D.Min. Class of 2013) resides in Tennent, NJ and is currently pastor of Rossmoor Community Church.
Ms. Lynn Berg (Class of 2010) resides in Highland Park, NJ and serves as Librarian for Technical Services at NBTS.
Rev. Kenneth L. Walsh (Class of 1983) resides in Hyde Park, NY and serves as
the Minister of First Congregational Church in the United Church of Christ.
He writes, "In September, 2013, I was received into the United Church of Christ, after 28 years of ordained service in the RCA. I now pastor the First Congregational Church of Albany, New York."
Leah Ennis (Class of 2013)
announced her engagement
to Chuck Dunlap, son of
Gregory Dunlap
(Class of 2005).
They are planning
a wedding in July 2014. |  |
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Inspiration
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A mission story from Char and Dave Alexander (Class of 1980):
"One recent Sunday Dave skipped church to attend graduation at Chin-li University, South Taiwan. Several students whom Dave had taught in the night school during 2011 and 2012 received degrees. One among them, a single woman in her 40s who uses "May" for her English name had a special word for him. A year ago, when Dave was preaching in the town where she lives, he invited the whole class to church. The others had things to do, but May came. Though it was her first time ever to be in church, she met someone there whom she already knew. At graduation, as Dave congratulated her on finishing her degree and gave her a gentle hug in recognition of the prizes she had won, May said quietly, 'I've continued to go to that church.'
Invitations are easy to give. It's a wonder that we don't issue more of them. People come into churches because they are invited, and any of us can be the 'person they already knew' who makes them feel welcome enough to come back."
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Giving thanks for lives lived in our midst
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Lois Speckman, widow of pastor H. Eugene Speckman (Class of 1964),
died July 2. Lois and Bud, as he was known, served the congregation at Six Mile Run Reformed Church in Franklin Park NJ for 22 years. Bud Speckman died in 1998. Condolences can be sent to their daughter, Alison Mandelbaum, at 237 Irving Ave, Providence, RI 02906.
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Please keep us current about your contact info and position! Update your profile with NBTS.
The NBTS Alumni Newsletter is a publication of the New Brunswick Theological Seminary Development Department. Please share your news--ordinations, books, daily inspirations, concerns, and PHOTOS--with the community at communications@nbts.edu.
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