June Updates and Announcements

Announcements

See Dr. Steve Harper and his wife Jeannie perform “Cowboy for My Jesus” for the Florida graduation. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZED0UEA0JtU

Win FREE BibleWorks Software - Complete this Refer-a-Student form, http://www.asburyseminary.edu/alumni-elink/refer-a-student, between now and November 22, 2010, and your name will be entered into the drawing to win free BibleWorks Software.

Alumni Directory - The Asbury Seminary Alumni Office has partnered with PCI (publishingconcepts.com) to develop our alumni directory!  Over the next several months, PCI will be collecting data to make this directory the most complete and accurate directory possible.  Please work with Asbury, PCI and your fellow alumni to make this project a success!

Alumni World Café – Orlando, FL August 16, 2010 – The World Café is an event that will be held in Orlando, FL to help develop Asbury Seminary’s strategic plan.  We have heard from faculty, staff and students.  Now we want to hear from you.  Alumni are a very important part of the seminary, and we would love to hear what you have to say about where Asbury is going.  The Alumni World Cafe will be held in the Harper Room of the Florida Dunnam campus and will be facilitated by Dr. Kandace Brooks.  Be looking for more information about this event this summer through email.

Doctor of Ministry Open House - Florida Dunnam Campus - August 19, 2010 - Are you ready for the next step? Asbury Seminary is offering a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) in Transformational Innovation on the Florida Campus, located in Orlando.  “Twenty-first century ministry demands all the innovation we can muster,” said Tom Tumblin, Dean of Asbury Seminary’s D.Min. program. “The Florida D.Min. will immerse pastors in creative ministry ideas as they explore how God would use them in new ways.” The cohort model provides ministry leaders a way to retool and reengage their passion for ministry. Pastors and leaders are able to maintain their vital ministries at home while studying at Asbury Seminary.

MOVE! with the Wilmore campus as we kick off the fall semester with retreat and revival like you've never seen before. It's a family affair and we'd love for you to be here! September 13-16. You won't want to miss this! Watch for more details coming soon on the Lifelong Learners section of Asbury's website. Come on home...and MOVE!

Alan and Debra Hirsch to be Speakers at Kingdom Encounter 2011 - Alan and Debra Hirsch will be the keynote speakers for Kingdom Encounter 2011 held January 31-February 2, 2011 on the Florida Dunnam campus.  Alan Hirsch is a leader in the missional movement – a movement that in Hirsch’s own words “represents a significant shift in the way we think about the church. As the people of a missionary God, we ought to engage the world the same way he does—by going out rather than just reaching out. To obstruct this movement is to block God's purposes in and through his people.”  Hirsch and his wife Debra are partners in life and ministry, and together will be the key speakers at Kingdom Encounter, a three day conference that is designed to allow participants significant contact and engagement with the keynote speakers.  It is anticipated that Asbury will offer a three-credit hour class in conjunction with Kingdom Encounter, a practice that was very successful during the February 2010 event.  Further information and online registration for the event will be forthcoming.  Contact Dr. Kandace Brooks, Director of Community life (kandace.brooks@asburyseminary.edu) for more information. 

Updates:

Dr. Irv A. Brendlinger (M.Div. 1969) recently published The Call to Authenticity, A Handbook of Hope for the Church by Emeth Press.  It is his third book, following Social Justice Through the Eyes of Wesley and To Be Silent ... Would Be Criminal.  He is currently the Professor of Church History and Theology at George Fox University in Newberg, Oregon.

Chaplain Ronald L. Smith (M.Div 1979) retired from the U.S. Army as Chaplain in 2008 from Fort Benning, Georgia and will retire from the North Alabama Annual Conference in June 2010. Presently, he is working with soldier families and hospital ministry, residing in Columbus, GA. He has been married to Debra for 33 years and has two daughters and one granddaughter.

Dr. Mark A. Maddix (M.Div. 1991) coauthored with Dean Blevins, Christian Discipleship: Dynamics of Christian Education (Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press, 2010).

Rev. Dr. Peter J. Bellini, III (M.Div. 2000, PhD 2008) in 2008 moved as senior pastor from Higher Ground UMC to Westville UMC in Westville, Ohio. He has published two books - Truth Therapy - Xulon Press 2009 and Participation: Epistemology and Mission Theology - Emeth Press.

Rev. Brian T. Hurley (M.Div 2006) was recently recognized by the Association of Professional Chaplains as a Board Certified Chaplain, a national certification in health care and institutional chaplaincy.  He continues to serve as a staff chaplain at Lakeland Regional Medical Center in Lakeland, Florida.

 Debra K. Meyer (M.Div. 2007) is working with the Lausanne team organizing the 12 Cities 12 Conversations Gatherings as preparation for the third Congress in Cape Town this October.  They will be are holding a Conversation Gathering on June 16 at 6:30 pm at Summit Church (pastored by Isaac Hunter, Asbury alumnus) in Orlando, FL.  For more information about the history of Lausanne and this year's Congress go towww.lausanne.org. For more information about the Gathering Event coming up in Orlando please see www.12cities12conversations.com.  Each of the Gathering Events focuses on a topic (TBD for Orlando) identified as an obstacle to the Gospel reaching the entire world.  Please visit these sites for more information.