“You see, they may have lost the abilities so highly prized at Yale, but they absolutely knew when you cared and when you loved,” 
writes Akivah Northern ‘08 M.Div. of her experiences as a hospital chaplain in an acute Alzheimer’s unit, “They taught me the language of the deep heart and to respect that language. They taught me to just be with another human being with no expectations.” Online on The Santa Barbara Independent, Dec. 1.
“Staff and faculty at the Yale Divinity School opened their wallets the most often,” concluded a study by Yale School of Management Professor Barry Nalebuff on the annual workforce giving campaign among Yale staff. The campaign is part of a university-wide initiative which allows Yale staff to give a portion of their paycheck directly to the United Way to support initiatives in New Haven. 20.15% of the YDS staff gave an average contribution of $71.44. Online in the New Haven Independent, Dec. 2.
“While a student at Yale, I was given more green lights for creating and engaging in community service than I could have imagined,” said Kara Scroggins ‘13 M.Div. upon receiving a 2013 Yale-Jefferson Public Service Award for her work mobilizing the YDS community for outreach, “The body of collective wisdom in the Yale community, coupled with the enthusiasm of my peers and the willingness of the administration to provide resources, nurtured my passion for service and harnessed my energy in fruitful ways.” Online on Yale News, Nov. 25.
“I am impatient with the narrative of decline,” said Martin Copenhaver ‘80 M.Div., who was recently appointed the next president of Andover-Newton Theological School, “Yes, this is a challenging time for faith communities and, yes, in many settings there are fewer people and fewer dollars. But is that to be the story of our time? No. God is doing a new thing and we need to catch up with what God is doing.” Online on ants.edu/news, Nov. 21.
“The 50th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy today might well remind us how cataclysmic events in history are occasions for motivating society to take very progressive steps forward,” wrote A. Ralph Barlow ‘59 B.D., ‘64 S.T.M. in a commentary for The Providence Journal, “This recollection ought to be encouraging right now as the country goes through severe disagreements over such issues as national health care, immigration and the role of government in our lives.” Online, Nov. 22.
Howard University Emeritus Professor of Philosophy William A. Banner ‘38 B.D. died peacefully on October 14, 2013. He is survived by his children, Anne Banner Beesecker and William P. Banner; his sister Helen Rainey and many cousins, nieces and nephews. Services will be held on Saturday, October 26, 2013 at 10 a.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church, 7005 Piney Branch Rd. NW, Washington, DC. Online on The Washington Post, Oct. 20.
“When I decided to complete my graduate studies at divinity school, it was not because I felt a call to traditional ministry,” wrote Charlotte Elise Collins ‘10 M.A.R. in an article entitled “Eleven Myths about Going to Seminary,” “What I did experience was an overwhelming desire to study in a place that would provide me with opportunities to explore the ways in which my academic interest area (religious ethics) moved off the page of a text book and into real life while allowing my deep rooted passion and commitment to community service and social justice to flourish and grow.” Online in The Huffington Post, Nov. 22.
Retired Presbyterian minister Ben Martin ‘58 M.Div. died on November 17 in Creve Courer, Missouri. He was known for working tirelessly in Kirwood, MO to improve race relations. “His commitment to social justice was profound and carried those of us who worked with him above the anger, ignorance and fear in today’s all-too-often partisan and divisive climate,” said Kirkwood resident Jane von Kaenel in his obituary. Online in The St. Louis Post Dispatch, Nov. 20.
“The word you hear is, corporations don’t care, young people don’t care, but that’s not the narrative we see. People want to help their fellow human beings, particularly those in trouble,” said Bill Golderer ‘96 M.Div., pastor of Broad Street Ministry in Philadelphia which has transformed a once-empty church building into an engaged community, “Where this church once was a jewel of architecture, it is now a jewel of humanity.” Online on Philly.com, Dec. 5.
“Most of us draw a distinct line marking those whom we will serve, forgive, or love from those whom we simply will not,” said Whitney Edwards ‘07 M.Div., a former prison chaplain and the new rector of Christ and Holy Trinity Church in Westport, CT, “I have not found any place better suited to confront such prejudices than a prison. I met people stripped of the pretenses and habits which often distracted them from knowing who they really are.” Online in WestportNews.com, Dec. 5.
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