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Alumni
NBTS Alumni share their latest joys, concerns and inspirations, ordinations, new books below and we also use this space to give thanks for lives lived in our alumni community. This information appeared first in the NBTS Alumni Newsletter for February, 2013. Sign up by completing your profile.
The Alumni community has contributed a total of $7,950 for the Alumni Scholarship Fund. "This amount translated into scholarships for 8 deserving seminarians in 2012-3," says Betty Rucker, Financial Aid/International Student Coordinator .
Because many seminarians today attend NBTS while juggling work and family, your contributions make a world of difference, as the students below wrote in to explain.
"While I attend NBTS as a full-time student, I also serve as the Associate Minister of the Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, Edison, NJ. . . I am also a volunteer Advocate for the NJ Office of the Institutionalized Elderly Ombudsman Program. It is not always easy to juggle ministry and school, that is why I am so grateful for the assistance I am receiving from you. Through the support of the Alumni Scholarship I will be able to achieve my academic goals while at the same time minister to the many needs in our community. The Alumni Scholarship will enable me to make a difference in so many meaningful ways." - Sharon D. Johnson.
"I am presently a Junior in the Masters of Divinity program and I pray that I graduate in May, 2015. While attending NBTS in New Brunswick as a part-time student, I'm also working full-time for U.S. Healthworks in Jamesburg, NJ to assist with my tuition. The symphony of husband, father, employee and student isn't always easy to conduct and I sincerely appreciate receiving such a generous award. Through the support of the Alumni Scholarship, I can focus more on achieving my goal of the completing the Masters program; I can be who God has called me to be and support others in a meaningful way just as the Alumni Scholarship has done for me." - Jerrold W. Smith, Jr.
We encourage everyone to become a proud supporter of the New Brunswick Theological Seminary Alumni Scholarship Fund, and help the next generation of students. 100% of the money raised goes directly to offset tuition for NBTS students. Make your gift today.
Alumni Spotlight
 | This month NBTS had a wonderful visit with The Rev. Fred (class of 55) and Doris Mold, The Rev. John DeVries (class of 55) and his son The Rev. Mark DeVries, associate pastor of First Presbyterian in Nashvile TN.
Mark received a grant from Lilly as part of the Clergy Renewal Program. As part of that grant Mark was traveling with his father and visiting places that were significant to his father, including parishes he served and NBTS where it all began. Read more about the Lilly grants at: http://www.lillyendowment.org/religion_cts.html
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Ordinations
The Rev. Glorya Johnson (Class of 2009) was supposed to be ordained on November 4, 2012. However, Hurricane Sandy had other ideas. "I postponed the date and was ordained on November 18th at the Westhampton Presbyterian Church in Westhampton Beach, New York. I am Temporary Supply Pastor for the Yaphank Presbyterian Church in Yaphank, NY," explains Johnson.
The Rev. Scott Williams (Class of 2006) was ordained on December 2, 2012, at Christ's First Presbyterian Church in Hempstead, New York where he is the pastor.
Both Revs. Johnson and Williams were ordained by the Presbytery of Long Island to the Ministry of Teaching Elder (formerly Minister of the Word and Sacrament) in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
The Rev. Jennifer Reece (Class of 1987) was ordained by the Episcopal Bishop of Maine on November 11, 2012 to serve as the priest of the Parish of St. Anne's in Calais, Maine.
Rev. Reece writes that she sees this as a reaffirmation of her ordination
by the Classis of Schenectady in September, 1987 . . . "My journey out of the RCA and into the Episcopal church has been a long and sometimes tedious one, but I believe it's the path Jesus has called me on as I follow him and I am thrilled that I will once again be serving a parish and sharing the ministry of word and sacrament with the good people of St. Anne's, Calais. Calais is a town on the Canadian border, about 100 miles from my mother's house in Lamoine (near Bar Harbor). My call is not full time and will involve traveling between my mother's house and my new field of ministry. I will be dividing my week between the two places. It is a good call, as it means not too much disruption for my mother. She is doing very well, as sharp as ever mentally, but suffering greatly from arthritis . . . My move is not a throwing off of the Reformed tradition I love, but an expansion of it into another tradition whose emphasis on sacrament, prayer, and the inclusion of all people are helping me come home to God in a new way."
The Rev. Eileen Vizcaino (Class of 2008)
Eileen was ordained a Teaching Elder - Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church, USA, on July 23, 2012, at the First Presbyterian Church of Matawan.NJ. She was installed as Chaplain to College Students at The Church of the Covenant, Cleveland, Ohio on September 16, 2012, where she began as an intern and has worked since August, 2007.
And this weekend . . . First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens invites everyone to celebrate the ordination of Sharon Chamberlayne (Class of 2005), Julia Presley (M. Div. 2005, D.Min. 2007), 4pm. Saturday, Feb. 16, 771 Somerset Street, Somerset, NJ.
New Books
The Rev. William Powell Tuck, Th.D. (Class of 1965)
"I have recently had the following books published:
Modern Shapers of Baptist Thought in America, published by the Baptist Center for Heritage & Studies, Richmond, VA in which he studies 24 different Baptists including Frank Stagg, Walter Shurden, Billy Graham, Jerry Falwell, W. A. Criswell, Rick Warren, Jimmy Carter, Gardner Taylor and others;
A Pastor Preaching: Toward a Theology of the Proclaimed Word (Nurturing Faith Publisher);
Journey to the Undiscovered Country: What's Beyond Death; The Church Under the Cross (both published by Energion Press); and
The Pulpit Ministry of the Pastors of River Road Church, Baptist, editor (Nurturing Faith Publisher)."
 | Rev. Coleman is a pastor in Trenton.
The Rev. William E. Coleman (Class of 2000)
"I published my first book Community Renewal Thru Rejuvenation of the Soul and
I am working on a follow-up second book." |
Daily Inspirations
Rev. Douglas Brown (Class of 2011)
"Currently living in Asbury Park, I am a church start leader and pastor of Asbury Park Community Church, A United Church of Christ congregation. We are currently working towards full worship celebrations starting September 2013. Since the Hurricane, we have been actively building an ecumenical cooperative food pantry and kitchen with Shiloh Baptist Church here in Asbury Park. Great things are stirring. Find us on Facebook, Twitter @AsburyComChurch and also at http:// www.asburyparkpossibility.org "
Reverend Joanna Tipple (Class of 2005)
"I grew up and spent time in many of the areas that Sandy hit. On Nov 4th, I brought a car load of donated supplies to be distributed to those in need. I spent time with friends giving thanks that most of them were not as hard hit by the storm as many others but also in prayer for and
with everyone about what had happened. And I will say that neither words nor pictures reflect the depth of devastation that I saw. To the degree that I wanted to do more I have organized a benefit relief concert with all proceeds and donations going toward making the holidays a happier time than it otherwise might have been. I thought I would share this you, it is my contribution to the continued efforts -
brought to fruition by the support of the band, the owner of the country club and others who are contributing as well...Also hope to have a silent auction. Peace & blessings."
Rev. Julia Presley (M. Div. 2005, D.Min. 2007)
Will be ordained this coming weekend, see notice above. Plus, she says,"I am honored to let the alumnae/i know I was named a 2012 Honoree for the Woman of Achievement from the Central Jersey Alumnae Chapter of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority at a brunch on December 1, 2012."
Rev. Michael Durning (Class of 2011)
"I arrived here at Zion [Bible College, Haverhill, MA] in January of 2012. Marie and I worked as Campus Ministers at Rutgers in New Brunswick for 12 years. I am the Director of Christian Service here. We have a network of approximately 35-40 churches that we relate to, where our students worship and Juniors and Seniors do internships. I oversee our relationship with those churches and our internship program.
Rev. Angela M. Battle (Class of 2010)
"I am ministering at Mount Zion AME Church in New Brunswick. I work with the Women's Ministry and Economic Development Ministry."
Rev. Dr. Earl C. Johnson (D.Min. 2009)
"I was recently nominated the president of the oldest black political organization in Raleigh, NC, the Raleigh Wake Citizens Association. I received the NAACP award as the pastor of the year, for North Carolina. And my church, Martin Street Baptist Church, is one of the fatest growing churches in the Raleigh/Durham area. I have also been active in both school reform in Wake County and in local elections, and have been quoted in the Washington Post, CNN and local newspapers."
Giving Thanks to Lives Lived in Our Midst
The Rev. Elliott Hobbs (Class of 1996), the pastor of St. Paul AME Church in Rockville Center and a graduate of our New York campus, died in November, 2012.
Mrs. Ruth L.S. Dickson, the widow of The Rev. Robert Dickson (Class of 1943) her husband of 57 years, who predeceased her, died in April, 2012.
Mrs. Eleanor Meury, the widow of The Rev. Edward Meury (Class of 1942) who pre-deceased her in August, 1987, died in August, 2012.
Mrs. Flora McMartin Wing, widow of The Rev. Donald Wing (Class of 1961) who predeceased Flora in 1987, died in December, 2012.
The Rev. Warren D. Bull (Class of 1954), who served churches in Hempstead, Poughkeepsie, Walden and the Niskayuna Reformed Church, NY for 26 years, died in January, 2013.
Keeping in touch with alumni is very important to us. Whenever you change your address, phone, email, position and church, please update your profile. It will subscribe you to the monthly NBTS Alumni Newsletter. You can use the profile to share updates, your new books, ordinations. Or you can email directly to communications@nbts.edu or Alumni Communications, New Brunswick Theological Seminary, 17 Seminary Place, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1196.
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