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Graduate
ministers at New York City will never be the same
again. We will never be the same again,” said Joe “We had fifteen people who lived or worked in or around the WTC area,” he said. “What involved me directly with the WTC tragedy was Yanis Woroski’s effort to get a Bible Study group, which eventually would become a church, started in the Twin Towers.” Woroski had worked with O’Neal in the church at Columbia University. Woroski and five others met each Tuesday and Thursday for Bible study and fellowship in the towers, and so Tuesday, September 11, was a Bible study day. “I would go down on Thursdays to join the group and help with the studies,” said Joe. “As far as we know at this time, all six perished in the collapse of the towers. All six would have been in the towers that morning.” Following the tragedy, Joe and his co-workers tried to contact their friends and church family by phone or email to make sure they were safe. They also volunteered at “ground zero,” working side-by-side with other rescue workers in the rubble. “There is just no way to describe how it was,” said Joe. “Television only shows part of the scene. How do you get a pile of rubble 50 acres wide and 20 stories high in a camera lens and get the full impact? To be there and have all of it hit you is a totally different experience. It was a month before we could sleep all night. Every time I go into a high-rise building or see a plane fly over, something inside cringes. “Since September 11, we have spent most of our time helping supply the rescue effort, ministering to those who grieve over the loss of someone and helping with whatever needs they have, and attending memorials for the dead and missing. Churches in North Carolina, Virginia, and here in the city have collected loads of supplies for the rescuers that we delivered.” One church that delivered support was First Christian Church of Mountain City, Tenn., which is pastored by Dwayne Dickson (MDiv ’99). The congregation earmarked one Sunday’s offerings for the recovery efforts in New York City. Dwayne and his wife Beth, along with another couple from the church, personally delivered the gift to Joe O’Neal and spent time with him at “Ground Zero” observing the activity there. “We felt very fortunate to share in Joe’s work in New York,” said Dwayne. “The people of New York are in such need of spiritual guidance, and Joe seems to have a special ability to reach the hurting.” Although recovery efforts in New York City continue, Joe says that they do not need donations of material goods or food because they have already been overwhelmed by them. Monetary donations can be sent to Church of Christ Mission, PO Box 1971, New York NY 10025, earmarked for World Trade Center Relief. Rudberg recognized for 30 years of service Jerry Rudberg, Director of
Development– Western Region for Emmanuel School of Rudberg, who is based in Eugene, Ore., began his work of recruiting and fund raising for Emmanuel in 1970. In great tribute to his efforts, 30% of Emmanuel’s students and 30% of Emmanuel’s gift income comes from west of the Mississippi River. Jerry has been diligent in encouraging churches in the Northwest to include Emmanuel in their annual mission budgets. He has been active in helping churches in the Northwest call Emmanuel alumni to their ministerial staffs. And he has been aggressive in recruiting students to Emmanuel to further their ministerial preparation, part of which is accomplished through annual scholarship banquets held in the Northwest to raise funds for students who come to Emmanuel from the region. Through those efforts, students from the Northwest receive full tuition for the first two years of their studies at Emmanuel. Rudberg was one of the first students to receive a degree from Emmanuel, earning the Master of Religious Education in 1970. He was then immediately employed by the seminary to cultivate interest among churches and friends in the Northwest. Jerry Rudberg has the unique distinction of having served on the Emmanuel staff longer than any other employee. He has spent his entire ministry carrying out the mission and purpose of Emmanuel School of Religion. Emmanuel owes a great debt of gratitude for the tireless and sacrificial work of this servant of Christ and His Church.
Not long after the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, I left for Poland to fulfill a teaching responsibility with the Christian Bible Institute and TCM. Although airport security was tighter than ever, the flight was eventless. Being in Warsaw just ten days after the September 11 devastation proved to be a comforting experience. The Polish people were profuse in their concern for the people of the United States. Even before leaving for Poland I had read where Poles were saying, “Today we are all Americans.” Both at the church in Warsaw where I preached on Sunday morning and with the 25 students in my Apologetics-Ethics course there was a strong sense of solidarity with their American brothers and sisters. It was not until I returned to the States that I discovered that one of the heroes of United Flight 93, Todd Beamer, was the son of David and Margaret Beamer, good friends of Emmanuel School of Religion. In fact, the name Beamer appears on one of the cottages in the Emmanuel Village thanks to David and Margaret’s generosity. Todd Beamer was the man who talked with the GTE operator when Flight 93 had been taken over by terrorists. The operator informed him that two planes had already crashed into the World Trade Center towers, and thus he and his traveling companions realized what was going to happen to Flight 93. After praying the Lord’s Prayer and the Twenty-Third Psalm with the operator, she heard him say, “Are you guys ready? Let’s roll.” In the ensuing struggle, the plane crashed in a Pennsylvania field rather than reaching the target intended by the terrorists. The courage of the Beamer family has been a model for all of us. As I was preparing to write this article, I saw Todd’s wife, Lisa, on television preparing to take the same United route from Newark to San Francisco as a tribute to her husband and as a symbolic statement. She wanted to punctuate President Bush’s statement that we must not give into the fear of terrorism. Lisa is the mother of two boys and she is expecting Todd’s third child in January. In due time an appropriate memorial to Todd Beamer will be placed in the Emmanuel Village. Already Lisa has started the Todd M. Beamer Foundation to assist children who lost parents in the terror attacks and to fund after-school programs to help young people “grow up into the kind of person Todd was —someone who can make courageous and moral decisions.” Information about the Todd M. Beamer Foundation can be found online at www.beamerfoundation.org. Emmanuel
Village Update Work In recent months the lawns have matured, the grounds have been landscaped, and a substantial number of trees have been planted in the Village. A new sidewalk provides a way to the “Cross of the Risen Lord” on Phyllis’s Green, and new benches near the cross provide a place to sit and contemplate this beautiful work of art. And the Village is now encircled with a water source to allow plants and grass to be nurtured. In the near future we hope to add more park benches, begin the construction of a playground area, and put some more finishing touches in place to complete Phase I of the Emmanuel Village. In building the Emmanuel Village, Emmanuel wanted to provide housing for students while at the same time cultivate a better sense of community for our students. The new Emmanuel Village community is growing, and relationships are building as our students grow closer together as a result of sharing their lives in the Village. Students and their families have found strength in the community, which has given much help during the stress that accompanies birth, death, the rigors of academic study, the troubles that come with ministerial life, and the realities of our students living in a place far from what they had always known as home. We look to the future when the Thompson Community Center may become a reality in Phase II of the Village. The Community Center will enable Village residents as well as other Emmanuel students to come together in more casual settings. There will be a fireplace living room for meetings and fellowship, as well as a recreation/fitness center. Phase III of Village construction will include additional cottages for student housing. Emmanuel is indeed thankful for those who have made the Emmanuel Village possible. It is a wonderful tribute to those saints who believe in the mission and purpose of Emmanuel School of Religion. Blowers continues involvement with Stone-Campbell Encyclopedia project For
the past seven years, Emmanuel professor Dr. Paul M. Blowers has Blowers represents the Christian Churches/Churches of Christ on the project’s three-member general editorial team, which originally included Dr. Douglas Foster of Abilene Christian University and a member of the a cappella Churches of Christ, and the late Dr. Anthony Dunnavant of Lexington Theological Seminary and from the Disciples of Christ branch. Dunnavant was replaced by Dr. Newell Williams of Christian Theological Seminary. The Encyclopedia will include entries on important persons, themes, events, and institutions from the 200-year history of the Stone-Campbell Movement, and will be the first such project of its kind. Its aim is to give not only a straight account of facts and data, but also an interpretation of the significance of the Movement. As a general editor, Blowers has an important role in the creation of the work, selecting appropriate article entries, appointing writers, and editing written articles. A group of senior consultants and other editorial board members have helped guide the project. Blowers said that he and the other two general editors are also writing their “fair share” of the article entries. Eerdmans Publishing will publish the volume. Blowers expects that it will be in print in 2004. “Our hope is that this will be the major reference work for all persons interested in the various aspects of the history of the Stone-Campbell Movement,” Blowers said. “We hope as well that it will expose many beyond the bounds of the Stone-Campbell churches to the rich history of our tradition and its many legacies.” Women at Emmanuel, Part
2: In the first installment of our series, we met four women who are currently studying at Emmanuel and learned some of their reasons for choosing this seminary for their graduate theological education. In the conclusion of this series, we will hear from women who have earned their degrees at Emmanuel and learn how their ministries have benefited from an Emmanuel education. APRIL ALFORD “really felt called to children’s ministry,” even though she started her graduate education with a counseling career in mind. When a local church had an opening for a children’s minister while she was a student at Emmanuel, April heeded the call and found that she loved ministering to the littlest ones in a congregation. April, who received the M.A.R. in 1996, now serves as full time children’s minister at Avoca Christian Church in Bristol, Tenn. She oversees Wednesday and Sunday programs for children from birth to sixth grade, and also supports the children outside the church at school and community activities. “I feel that I serve as an advocate for the children, helping their voice to be heard in the church,” April said. “Emmanuel gave me a good basis for my ministry in Christian education,” said April, who received her undergraduate education at Auburn University. “The counseling courses I took will help anyone in ministry.”
She received the M.Div. from Emmanuel and was jointly ordained by two churches in her home state of Oregon. While she served in a satisfying children’s ministry, Ruth longed for a hospital chaplaincy position. And so she began training toward certification as an ACPE Supervisor while serving as a chaplain at St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma, Wash. Now an ACPE Supervisory Candidate, Ruth continues to work toward full certification, which she hopes to attain within the next two years. She has been endorsed by the Chaplaincy Endorsement Commission of the Christian Churches/Churches of Christ. Ruth, who received her undergraduate degree from Northwest Christian College, recently became the Manager of Clinical Pastoral Education at St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center in Pueblo, Colo. “God has allowed me to serve others and develop ministry partnerships in some exciting contexts,” she said. “Now, God continues to challenge and bless me. Without the M.Div. degree, many of these experiences would have been unlikely, if not impossible. I am convinced that it was no mere ‘coincidence’ that led me to consider pursuing graduate theological training at Emmanuel. It was a journey that has led to a Promised Land of ministry and growth opportunities, and I am so thankful!”
“The integrity of the Biblical teachings and the power of the conviction that Unity is imperative in Christianity drew me to study for four years at Emmanuel,” said Judith. She then returned to Luther Seminary to finish her degree, after which she was called to serve a Lutheran parish in Minnesota. She was ordained in October of 1996. Today Judith specializes in intentional interim ministry, working with congregations to help them prepare for their next permanent pastor. “I am utilizing my master’s degrees in counseling and business administration, my four years of education at Emmanuel, and my master’s in divinity from Luther Seminary to help churches heal and prepare to move forward to do the work of the Lord,” said Judith. “Women bring different perspectives to the power of the gospel and to ministering to the poor and wounded of the world,” she said. “My ministry is much broader and deeper because of my four years at Emmanuel. The Lord directed my going to Emmanuel, even though it wasn’t for the reasons I thought at the time.” Judith currently serves with the Saint John Lutheran Church in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Basics of Ministry: Shepherding
Envoy: What is shepherding and why is it important in ministry? Jones: The ministry of shepherding is all about relationships. That means shepherding is the biblical task God has assigned leaders to help believers and seekers to develop God-honoring, maturing relationships with God through Jesus Christ, one’s family, fellow church members, scripture, and non-believers. Envoy: What makes a good shepherd? Jones: I believe a good shepherd is one who has developed a close relationship with the Good Shepherd. A shepherd is a person who has a servant leadership attitude. It is someone who realizes that people are more important than programs, but creates programs that emphasize the development of God-honoring relationships where needs are met. Envoy: How does Emmanuel prepare students to be better shepherds? Jones: First, we are committed to the model of the Good Shepherd — Jesus — in all we teach and do. Second, we are committed to teaching students what the Bible has to say about shepherding. Both the Old and New Testaments give solid teaching on the subject. Third, we teach students how to minister to church members through ministry related classes like Dr. Jack Holland’s pastoral care and counseling classes. Fourth, we require all M.Div. students to go through our Supervised Ministerial Experience Program, which I direct. It helps integrate what students learn in the classroom with practical local church experience where they are supervised by an experienced shepherd/minister. Fifth, we do our best as faculty members to model shepherding by shep-herding students and one another. Sixth, we try to help students identify their own gifts, talents, experiences and personalities so that they are able to confidently develop God-honoring ministries and relationships. Envoy: How has shepherding a congregation changed in recent years? Jones: Churches have traditionally looked to the Pastor as the Shepherd. The minister was the person who did the calling, pastoral care, and ministering. In recent years there has been a more balanced understanding and approach that calls for all members of the Body to be shepherds, and the Pastor is a leader-shepherd among shepherds. Other changes involve the “how” of shepherding. In the past, visiting someone’s home was the key method used. In America these days the shepherding task is more readily accomplished through meetings at coffee shops or other places, telephone calls, or email exchanges. These changes can be used effectively as long as one remembers the priority of building the relationship. |
O’Neal (MAR
’85), who for the past 25 years has worked planting churches and
campus ministries at the major universities and colleges in New York
City.
Religion, has
been recognized for 30 years of service to the seminary.
continues
in the development of our student housing complex, the Emmanuel
Village. All 26 cottages are occupied by students and their families,
and a waiting list of students who want to move into the Village
continues to grow. This indicates that the Village has met an
important need for our students and that more cottages are needed in
the future.
worked as part of the team creating the Encyclopedia
of the Stone-Campbell Movement, a joint venture of scholars
from the three branches of the Stone-Campbell tradition.
RUTH
SCHULENBERG “fell in love with hospital chaplaincy,” when
enrolled in her two required units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)
at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Johnson City during
her studies at Emmanuel.
JUDITH
HAZEN is a native Minnesotan who was raised in the Lutheran
church. She felt called into the preaching and teaching ministry, but
abandoned her pursuit of the call when she met strong opposition to a
woman in the preaching ministry. “Twenty five years and two masters
degrees later, that sense of calling had not left me, so I enrolled in
a Lutheran seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota,” said Judith. While
there, she discovered the Restoration Movement churches.
An
interview with Dr. Tom Jones, Associate Professor of Christian
Ministries and Director of Supervised Ministerial Experience
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