> Higher Education and Campus Ministries 

Martin Methodist student tabbed for UMC internship (Press release, 4/24/12)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | Martin Methodist College
Contact: Grant Vosburgh (email, 931.363.9815)

Junior from the Congo to serve as Ethnic Young Adult intern for summer 2012

PULASKI, Tenn. – Junie Nkonge, a junior at Martin Methodist College, has been selected to serve as an Ethnic Young Adult (EYA) intern with the General Board of Church and Society for the summer 2012.

A native of the Democratic Republic of Congo, she will join approximately 12-15 EYA interns in growing in faith through community, service and worship. According to the General Board of Church and Society (GBCS), these components will involve the following:
• The community portion of the experience includes living in community with the other EYA interns and “meeting together on Fridays for seminars that explore issues concerning our church, our government, and how ethnicity and faith inform our views.”
• Interns will serve with long-term GBCS non-profit, non-governmental partners whose work and ministry is focused on addressing a specific social justice concern.
• The worship component of the summer will involve visiting a variety of UM churches in the D.C. area, as well as midweek devotions.

Nkonge’s home church is Jerusalem United Methodist Church in the Congo, and she currently attends First United Methodist Church, Pulaski.

She transferred to Martin Methodist after earning her associate’s degree from Lon Morris College in Jacksonville, Texas. She plans to graduate from Martin Methodist in spring 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems.

“I am honored to have received the opportunity to go and explore faith and social justice issues this summer in Washington, D.C.,” Nkonge said. “I believe that social justice is important because it emphasizes human beings’ rights, their dignity and equality. As Christians, we should all be committed to social justice to promote unity, peace, and love for the glory of God. ‘Fight injustice throughout the world.'"

“I expect to return with a great dedication to working with and in support of marginalized group in society. I can’t wait,” she said.

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> TNUMC.org: Extension Ministries

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Eden Seminary professor tells MMC ‘words can create worlds’ (Press release, 2/14/12)

Martin Methodist College
Contact: Grant Vosburgh, Dir. of Communications (gvosburgh@martinmethodist.edu)

Dr. Leah Gunning Francis speaks at annual Convocation on Religion and Race

PULASKI, Tenn. – As a young girl, she heard the adage that “sticks and stones may break your bones, but words can never hurt you,” but as she grew into adulthood, Dr. Leah Gunning Francis learned that was not completely true.

“Even as a child I knew there was something illogical about that familiar refrain, but it was not until adulthood that I came to understand how sticks, stones and names have the power to hurt the body and bring sullenness to the soul,” she said. “Fortunate for me, my childhood world was filled with words of affirmation, hope and love, so the occasional zinger from a peer didn’t do too much damage, I don’t think. But what about people whose worlds are dominated with negative and dehumanizing words. What kind of world has been created for them?”

Gunning Francis was the keynote speaker at Martin Methodist College’s annual Convocation on Religion and Race, held Jan. 24. As assistant professor of Christian education at Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis, she is a passionate teacher, drawing on her marketing experience, pastoral leadership and academic training to creatively equip graduate students for transformative leadership in congregations and society.

But standing at the podium in the Curry Christian Life Center on the Martin Methodist campus, just eight days after the national holiday celebrating the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, she had a single focus and a powerful message: words and the different types of worlds they can create.

“Ask any advertising executive, seventh grade English teacher, psychologist or speechwriter, and he or she will elaborate on the nature and scope of the power of words, and the meanings we attach to them,” she said. “Words can persuade, influence and inspire. Words can heal. Words can hurt. Words can empower. Words can oppress. It is no wonder the writer of (the biblical book of) James cautions us to listen more quickly than we speak, so that our actions and words might correspond with God’s idea of righteousness. We can bless and praise God, yet curse those who are made in God’s image? My brothers and sisters, the writer goes on to say, this ought not be so.”

Once that truth is established, she told the Martin Methodist students, faculty and staff assembled for the convocation, a larger question comes into focus.

“So instead of diminishing the effects of words with the sticks and stones logic, what if we took seriously the claim that words create worlds, and ask ourselves, ‘What type of world are your words creating?’ In our classrooms, are our words subtly reinforcing antiquated patterns of exclusivity, subjugation and indifference? Or do they open the way for the classroom to become a sacred space where critical thought, exchange of ideas, and construction of new realities can take place without diminishing or devaluing anyone in the room? What about our common spaces on campus and out and about town? Do our words create a world that is conducive and healthy for all people, or only a select few?”

Dr. King, she reminded the audience, dreamed of a different world than the one facing the United States during the civil rights movement of the 1950s and ’60s, and he chose his words – both those he said and those he chose not to say – carefully, with the hope that his words would help create that world.

“What if we, through our words, embodied the type of world we long for, hope for?” Gunning Francis asked. “What if we, like King, mustered the courage to dream a world where love was the order of the day, and peace and justice were inextricable bedfellows? We may not be about to always influence discourse in the public square, but what worlds do our words create in our homes, among our friends, on this campus, in this town?

“Are our words creating a world where God’s tenets of faith, hope and love can take on flesh in ways that transform us, and the world we inhabit? Or do they regularly contribute to the promulgation of indifference, prejudice or even despair? Do we believe that our words have the power to create a pattern of action that inspires a new reality?” she added.

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> A.N.O.W.: Advocacy, Religion & Race
> TNUMC.org: Extension Ministries

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Project Transformation Tennessee launches this summer (from The Connector, Jan. '12)

Program will address void with college-aged students

As a teen, Keller Hawkins loved youth group at Nashville’s Belmont UMC, but experienced a spiritual void once she became a college student.

“I was so consumed with school and studying and being on the varsity swim team,” says Hawkins, 19, now a sophomore at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Wash. “I just got wrapped up in college life.”

Fortunately, she recognized the void and, for the first summer after her freshman year, sought out an internship with Project Transformation to reinvigorate her faith and feed her mission-minded inclinations.

“I needed to be able to give my heart to something significant,” Hawkins says of the United Methodist-supported ministry. “I didn’t really know much about Project Transformation, but the experience far surpassed my expectations.”

Today, Hawkins is considering seminary and a ministry vocation, thanks in part to her Project Transformation internship last summer in Texas. However, her more immediate plans are to apply to intern this summer with Project Transformation Tennessee.

The Nashville-based nonprofit organization will launch this May modeled after Project Transformation Texas. Tennessee leaders are actively recruiting 32 college-age students from Tennessee and beyond for its first class of interns.

The interns will live on the campus of Belmont University and commute each day to operate free eight-week summer day camps for children in four underserved Nashville neighborhoods. The camps will be held at Ernest Newman United Methodist Church, Nancy Webb Kelly United Methodist Church, Sixty-First Avenue United Methodist Church, and Tulip Street United Methodist Church.

“Project Transformation offers a structure for serving low-income children and youth, connecting churches with their neighborhoods, and helping other area churches partner in a new and relevant ministry. But most importantly, it’s about giving young adults an opportunity to develop as principled, knowledgeable and Christ-centered leaders, right at the time when they are trying to discern how they want to invest their lives,” says Courtney Aldrich, executive director of Project Transformation Tennessee, who interned for three summers with Project Transformation Texas.

The interns will plan and operate the camps four days a week; hear speakers and attend ministry exploration outings every Friday; and participate in worship with their camp site churches on Sundays. They will receive room and board and a $1,500 living stipend. The inaugural program runs May 26-July 28, with time off each week from Friday afternoon
to Saturday evening.

“I’ve told church leaders that, if you want to help your young adults, get them to do Project Transformation,” says the Rev. Vona Wilson, associate pastor at Franklin First UMC, which has sponsored four college students in the last four years at Project Transformation Texas.

Wilson says Project Transformation helps churches to fill the significant void in ministries that resonate with young adults.

“For the most part, the Church is missing and losing its young adults, especially its college-age students. This generation does not respond to the traditional model, where we ask our young adults to sit inside our walls, in a classroom or in one hour of worship on Sunday mornings. This generation is about making a difference in the world. What Project Transformation does is to show our young adults that, if you’re a leader and a Christian leader, you’re going to make a difference in whatever field you choose,” says Wilson, vice president of the leadership team for Project Transformation Tennessee.

Hawkins left last summer’s internship wanting to make a difference with her life. Her experience was enriched by living and working for 10 weeks with nine other interns on her team and by attending Friday ministry exploration outings such as visiting the Perkins School of Theology in Dallas. But mostly, she was transformed by interacting daily with about 100 children, grades 1 through 6, in Denison, a small town in rural North Texas.

“It wasn’t just working with these interns and these kids, but it was working with them every day and really getting to know them,” she says. “The kids were amazing, and I learned a lot of things about myself and where I want to go in life. On the last day of camp, it was so hard to say goodbye. I was sobbing. I came to love the children so much.”

Hawkins says Project Transformation is for anyone who is open to experiencing transformation and being part of transformational experiences for others.

“If you want an experience that really changes you and helps you become more aware of the world around you, then definitely apply for Project Transformation,” she says of the new Tennessee ministry. “What better time than when you’re still in college and your summer is a wide-open slate. It’s something you can put your whole heart into.”

> Jan. 31 is the priority deadline for submitting internship applications to Project Transformation Tennessee. To learn more, visit www.pttennessee.org.

 > VIEW internship posting on TNUMC.org CAREERS page

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Black College Fund, leaving a legacy for generations (Press release, 12/12/11)

View as Web Page UMC Giving Facebook

Dear Friends, Every family strives to leave a legacy for generations to come. Interwoven in the legacy of The United Methodist Church is the success of Black College Fund institutions and the students they serve. We are grateful for your continued support that creates opportunities for students to access quality education. Your contributions to the Black College Fund provide resources needed to sustain the 11 historically black colleges and universities. Each institution is equipped to provide practical educational experiences that prepare students for meaningful careers. Faculty and staff members translate their own passion and commitment to excellence in education by creating relevant, challenging and innovative programs. At our colleges and universities, students embark on lifelong journeys as they explore their calling and commitment to leadership, mission and ministry. Our institutions nurture students who are motivated and inspired to achieve success. As students find supportive learning environments, they begin to understand the importance of using their skills to make a difference for others. Bethune-Cookman University student volunteers, for example, offer free tax service to members of the community. Bridget Sisney, a student at Dillard University, pursues her dream of helping children with health disorders through a career as a pediatric geneticist. Having grown up in the foster-care system, Deborah Denzel helps youth experiencing foster care through a mentoring program at Bennett College. Claflin University will train students interested in forensic science in its new lab that also supports the work of local law enforcement. These examples demonstrate how students are encouraged to be in service and to find ways to combine their life experiences and their education to make a worthwhile impact in communities around the world. The more than 16,000 students of the Black College Fund institutions value your support as they strive to achieve their educational goals. They appreciate your prayers and financial gifts. Your continued investment in their education will ensure the sustainability of our United Methodist family legacy. With humble thanks and gratitude, Cynthia A. Bond Hopson, Ph. D., Assistant General Secretary     www.umcgiving.org  |  Privacy Policy |  Contact Us United Methodist Communications, 810 12th Ave S., Nashville, TN 37203

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Messy worship spells "Community" (from TNUMConnects 11/16/11)

by Adam Kelchner, Co-Campus Minister, Belmont Wesley Fellowship

When was the last time your hands got dirty or messy in worship? For the students and co-campus ministers of Belmont Wesley Fellowship, that question is easy to answer. Tuesday night, November 8! That's when we covered our hands in paint to give color and life to a blank canvas - well, an almost a blank canvas.

Before our communal arts and crafts experience began, we spelled out the word COMMUNITY in painter's tape on the blank canvas. When the tape is removed, our unique and individual handprints colorfully dsplayed the word "Community: on our canvas.

Throughout the evening's worship, students shared stories about the difficulty of being vulnerable with classmates in a high-caliber academic setting. Other stories emphasized how it is difficult to have deep friendships in a culture where Facebook and Twitter emphasize relationship quantity. Then we told one last story: the story of Jesus breaking bread with his disciples. Perhaps by telling this story, time and time again, we might all find ourselves a bit more willing to call one another by name for community's sake.

In the breaking of the bread and the sharing of the cup, we become one in Christ and one with one another.

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Students and participants speak about Exploration 2011 (from TNUMConnects 11/16/11)

Exploration 2011 in St. Louis was a time for many to explore God's calling, ask tough questions, and to dive deeper into their faith. The General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, the event's coordinating body, brilliantly set up a weekend full of engaging worship, powerful speaking, and small group workshop sessions.

Over twenty-five students from around the TN Conference, including a majority from Martin Methodist College, traveled and participated in the events. Another participant we ran into while in St. Louis was Claremont School of Theology student Angela Hawkins. A native of the TN Conference, Angela is currently going through her ordination process. Although leading a small group, we were able to take a moment to chat with her about Exploration:

TN UMC: Is this your first Exploration?
AH: "I went to an Exploration a long time ago at Paris Landing!"

TN UMC: How does the 2011 experience compare to the previous one?
AH: "I am certainly a lot further along into the process than I was at that time, but I came into this experience hoping that I could provide some of the same encouragements that were provided to me then. However, I feel that in some ways we never stop wresting with the call and where the Spirit is leading, so in that sense this has been a similar experience."

TN UMC: Has this experience shaped your interpretation on God's calling on your life?
AH: "This has been a huge affirmation that I am in the right place. This has also encouraged me to think beyond my upcoming graduation date and just meeting the requirements - this experience has allowed me to dream big."

TN UMC: Would you suggest Exploration to a young person that is discerning God's call?
AH: "Absolutely! Regardless of what we end up doing, I think we're all called to something. Being in a place where other people are around you who also realize that call can be very encouraging."

TN UMC: How would you encourage a young person to pursue God's calling on their life?
AH: "I think it's different for every person - to go where the Spirit leads. Part of the beauty of being United Methodist is that we have a lot of people in place to help us figure that out - to be the presence of the Spirit for us, to guide us, to give us available information, to help us network and put us in contact with other people."

TN UMC: If you were to speak at an Exploration, what would you be passionate about sharing to future leaders of the church?
AH: "I liked Adam Hamilton's emphasis on the need for young adults in ministry. I also liked his message on the spirit of the times and that young people aren't looking for a condemning church. I feel we need more voices saying that. I love our church, but I think we have a great need to think outside of the box - outside of the church. To do things that no one has thought of before, which may not look like things we have done in the past. We need visionaries."

TN UMC: As you have been going through the ordination process, what has been a key scripture that you have held onto?
AH: "I always liked Jeremiah, the fire in his bones - not ever letting up. (Jeremiah 20:9)"

TN UMC: What questions do you have for God this weekend?
AH: "What can I do for You, God, in THIS moment?"


> Check out images from Exploration 2011 (click preview image below:)



Want to hear what others have said? Meet Carlos and Olivia and read about their experiences as they were happening at Exploration 2011:
> CLICK HERE

Check out more news from Exploration 2011:
> CLICK HERE

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Meet Carlos and Olivia, Exploration 2011 (Web story, 11/12/11)

With it being almost one day into Exploration 2011 in St. Louis, we thought we would take an opportunity during a break to find a little more about why students are here. We ran into Carlos from Martin Methodist College and Olivia from the University of Missouri. Take a moment to get to know them:

CARLOS LUIS | student, Martin Methodist College
TNUMC: "What were your expectations for Exploration 2011?"
CL: "I went to the last one, Exploration 2009, so I knew a little about what to expect."

TNUMC: "Did you come to St. Louis knowing your specific calling from the Lord?"
CL: "No. I am still discerning what my calling is from God."

TNUMC: "After one day, how do you see this conference shaping your calling and/or your faith?"
CL: "I'm not certain that I am actually called into full-time ministry, but am open to what the Lord may have in store for me in the future. I just want to be His vessel - what ever He wants me to do!"

TNUMC: "Do you have any questions for God this weekend?"
CL: "Nothing specific. The thing is, I am not worried about my calling. I am completely at peace with what ever God has for me. I am relying on the Holy Spirit's leading in my life."


OLIVIA STELLA | senior Human Development/Family Studies, University of Missouri
TNUMC: "What were your expectations for Exploration 2011?"
OS: "To be challenged. I want God to reveal any comfort zones that I may have so I can live into the possibilities that He has for my life"

TNUMC: "On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your interest in working in ministry?"
OS: "Nine."

TNUMC: "Did you come to St. Louis knowing your specific calling from the Lord?"
OS: "I came to Exploration 2011 wanting to have a better understanding for God's call on my life."

TNUMC: "After one day, how do you see this conference shaping your calling and/or your faith?"
OS: "So far, this conference has helped me realize that I am not alone. It's comforting to know that there are hundreds of other people like me that are thinking the same way. This also has me more excited about the possibility of going to seminary!"

TNUMC: "Do you have any questions for God this weekend?"
OS: "Like Adam Hamilton said last night, sometimes I wonder why God doesn't SHOUT things to me instead of a whisper?! I have also been pondering the question, 'What is stopping you from exploring my calling?,' and have found that a lot of time the answer is 'me.'"

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TN UMC students arrive in St. Louis for start of Exploration 2011 (Web story, 11/12/11)

ST. LOUIS, Missouri /TN UMC/ - Over twenty students from Martin Methodist College in addition to a handful of future leaders from the Conference gathered on a chilly morning in Pulaski, TN to embark on an exploration. The students, ranging in age from 18-26, were eager to jump on the bus and make the trek to St. Louis, MO for Exploration 2011.

> Jump to images from Day 1, November 11

Sponsored by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, Exploration 2011 provides a chance for young leaders to explore the call to ordained ministry through worship, prayer, workshops, networking, and small groups. You can follow up-to-the-minute news and track the conference via social media through GBHEM's website (CLICK HERE).

Kicking off last night, November 11, over 600 young people from across the United Methodit connection gathered for the first time to hear the opening adress from speaker Adam Hamilton. Rev. Adam Hamilton is the founding pastor of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kan.

Among many other recognitions, Adam has received the B’nai B’rith award in Social Ethics, the Denman Award in Evangelism, and the Circuit Rider Award for excellence in church leadership. He was named Distinguished Evangelist of The United Methodist Church by the Foundation for Evangelism, and he was named one of the “Ten People to Watch in America’s Spiritual Landscape” by Religion and Ethics Newsweekly.

Via Twitter, here's how some in the TN Conference reacted about Adam's message:
@radcliffejack said - "only 950 pastors under age 30 in UMC. How true is this for other denominations?"
- "Wesley held together the evangelical personal gospel and the social implications of the gospel. Love God and others."

@katie_dobbins said - "This speaker rocks! :) "
- "Let's go knock some holes in the darkness."

Other featured speakers for the weekend include Bishop Robert Schnase, Rev. Shalom Agtarap, Bishop Robert E. Hayes, Jr., Rev. April Casperson, and Rev. Juan Huertas.

Images from Day 1, November 11:

L to R: Row 1 - TNUMC students gather at Martin Methodist College for Exploration 2011, Descending upon St. Louis, MO, TNUMC students participating in the opening worship session for Exploration 2011; Row 2 - Students from all of the country gather at Exploration 2011 to worship and explore their calling, Worship leader Markk Miller's band, TNUMC Dir. of Young People's Ministry Brad Fiscus addressing students at Exploration 2011

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New Wesleyan campus ministry at Belmont University (from TNUMConnects 10/26/11)

Tennessee Conference, The students of Belmont Wesley Fellowship at Belmont University have great cause to celebrate! Belmont Wesley Fellowship has received formal approval from the university administration recognizing the new campus ministry as an official Faith Development Organization. Belmont Wesley Fellowship is now the newest campus ministry in the Tennessee Annual Conference.

As one student remarked, "This is as exciting as Christmas morning." We, the students and co-campus ministers, are thankful for the support of area churches and church leaders across the Tennessee Conference. We look forward to new and continued relationships of support as Belmont Wesley Fellowship serves the Belmont University community.

For more information, please contact Adam Kelchner (adam.kelchner@gmail.com) or Nancy Hawthorne (nhawthorne@westendumc.org).

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Lebanon native Daniel Tribble receives Gift of Hope scholarship (Press release, 9/12/11)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, The United Methodist Church
September 12, 2011

Lebanon Native Daniel G. Tribble Receives Gift of Hope Scholarship

Daniel G. Tribble, a member of Lebanon First United Methodist Church, received a $1,000 Gift of Hope Scholarship, awarded by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry.

Tribble, the son of John and Leigh Ann Tribble is currently attending Tennessee Technological University this fall after graduating this past June from Lebanon High School.

The Karen Layman Gift of Hope Scholarship is awarded to about 250 undergraduate students who have been active and full members of The United Methodist Church for at least three years, have a 3.0 grade point average, and have demonstrated strong leadership in The United Methodist Church, said Allyson Collinsworth, director of the Office of Loans and Scholarships at the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry.

The United Methodist Church, through the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry’s Office of Loans and Scholarships, awards about $3 million in scholarships each year to undergraduate, graduate, and seminary students through more than 50 scholarship programs. Nearly $2 million a year is distributed in loans to college students who are members of The United Methodist Church.

“Our scholarship programs further the mission of the church by increasing the access to higher education with the goal of developing principled Christian leaders for the church and the world,” Collinsworth said.

A member of Lebanon First United Methodist Church his entire life, Tribble was an active participant with the youth group, and regularly assisted with leading worship and teaching Sunday School as a member. He has served as the Cumberland District youth representative at the Tennessee Annual Conference for four years. During his senior year of high school, Tribble was the Youth Representative of the Conference Council on Youth Ministry, representing nearly 5,000 United Methodist youth in the Middle Tennessee area.

To learn more about United Methodist loans and scholarships, visit www.gbhem.org/loansandscholarships. To donate online to United Methodist Student Day, which supports the scholarship and loan programs, visit www.umcgiving.org/studentday.

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Asbury Theological Seminary received $13 million donation (from TNUMConnects 7/28/11)

ASBURY THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY RECEIVES $13MILLION DONATION TO FUND SECOND PHASE OF FAMILY HOUSING COMPLEX

Donation Provided by the Bill and Carol Latimer Foundation

WILMORE, Ky. (July 25, 2011) – Asbury Theological Seminary announced today that it will be undergoing additional construction of 50 new family housing units in the North Phase of the Ellsworth and Janet Kalas Family housing complex, also know as Kalas Village, thanks to the generous donation of $13 million provided by the Bill and Carol Latimer Foundation.

In addition, the Foundation will assist Asbury Seminary in constructing a community center designed to promote relationships and community formation among the married students who attend the Seminary. The housing units will be designed to accommodate families of various sizes and built to substantially conform to the current family housing that was dedicated on May 16, 2011. Asbury Seminary will use the net income from the family housing units to fund student scholarships.

President Timothy C. Tennent said, “Asbury Theological Seminary remains deeply committed to providing quality residential theological education. The support we have received from the Latimer family has truly been a blessing from God. I would like to thank the Latimer’s for their generous donations over the past two years that will enable Asbury Seminary to continue to advance forward in its global mission.”

Parties interested in making private donations towards Asbury Seminary’s ongoing commitment to residential theological education or for continuance of campus improvements and academic resources may visit www.asburyseminary.edu for information on how they can help Asbury Seminary maintain its mission as a community called.

About Asbury Theological Seminary:
 With multiple campuses, Asbury Theological Seminary is an interdenominational graduate school of theology committed to serving the global Church by teaching the unchanging truth of historic Wesleyan Christianity through the most dynamic means available. Asbury Seminary offers a variety of degrees, including the master of arts, master of divinity, master of theology, doctor of ministry and doctor of philosophy  in intercultural studies, biblical studies. Total current enrollment nears 1,600 students, representing 93 denominations and 47 countries. For more information, please visit www.asburyseminary.edu.
 

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Institute to Focus on Educating Leaders for Ecological Responsibility (from TNUMConnects 3/16/11)

Preparing the next generation of moral, Christian leaders to deal with ecological challenges of the twenty-first century will be the focus of the 2011 Institute of Higher Education in Sante Fe, N.M., June 15-17.
 
Speakers include Robert K. Musil, a senior fellow and adjunct professor at the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies, School of Public Affairs at American University. He teaches about climate change, energy, and American environmental politics. Musil is the past executive director and CEO of Physicians for Social Responsibility, which won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1985. Musil was the group’s director of policy and programs from 1992–2006.
 
Dr. Musil is the author of Hope for a Heated Planet: How Americans are Fighting Global Warming and Building a Better Future (Rutgers University Press, 2009).
 
The Institute is sponsored by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry’s Division of Higher Education. Presidents, vice-presidents, campus ministers, chaplains or directors of Church Relations, academic deans, faculty, and student development personnel of the United Methodist-related schools, colleges, and universities are invited.
 
“The goal of the Institute of Higher Education is to help United Methodist- related schools, colleges, and universities find creative and effective ways to engage their students in addressing the critical challenge of ecological sustainability in the twenty-first century,” said Dr. Mark Y. A. Davies, one of the organizers of the event. Davies is co-founder of Oikos, Inc., and dean of the Petree College of Arts and Sciences and Wimberly Professor of Social Ethics at Oklahoma City University.
 
Davies said that with 7 billion people on the planet and estimates of a population topping 9 billion by the middle of the twenty-first century, the need to live in a way that is sustainable is more imperative than ever.
 
“Given the pressing need for a more sustainable way of life, higher education possesses a moral responsibility to prepare students to become leaders for ecological responsibility,” Davies said.
 
Registration is now open for the 2011 Institute, with the theme “Pedagogy for Planet Earth: Educating Moral Leaders for Ecological Responsibility.”
 
Those attending will spend time discussing the resources necessary to network ideas regarding the moral and political global ecological community. They will take these ideas and resources back to the college campuses where these leaders will provide information and tools necessary for students to take responsibility about the ecology in their communities.
 
For more information about this event, please contact Shelly Norman at snorman@gbhem.org. To learn more about the education work of GBHEM, visit www.gbhem.org/education.

> CLICK HERE to read at Higher Education an Ministry website
 

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