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Volume
38, No. 1 [back] FACULTY & STAFF UPDATE
Goodbyes Over the summer the Seminary community said goodbye to two beloved administrators. Melissa Johnson, director of Admissions & Student Life, and Chaplain Dave Bennett.
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Melissa Johnson ‘01 accepted a call to serve the Palmer Moravian Church as pastor for Spiritual Formation and Outreach, a congregation in Easton, PA, where she had initiated and was providing leadership for their contemporary worship program. During her six years as director of Admissions & Student Life, the FTE increased by 20%; and through her advocacy, the depth and breadth of the Seminary’s ability to provide scholarship assistance increased significantly. Melissa played an instrumental role in helping students discern their calls and navigate their academic life as they moved from prospect to alumni. As the rules governing financial aid, admissions, and student rights continued to became more stringent, she and Ann Gibson effectively met the requirements imposed by accreditating bodies. Her calm, insightful demeanor and her pastoral presence will be missed by students and faculty alike, but she assures us she will be back as she looks forward to joining “the ranks of supportive alum and continuing education attendees!”
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At the 2008 Eastern District Synod of the Moravian Church, Dave Bennett ‘88 was elected President of the Eastern District, which encompasses 54 congregations in 6 states and Ontario. Called to serve our campus in 2002, Dave made incredible contributions as chaplain of both College and Seminary. At the Seminary his creative worship leadership, artful preaching, problem-solving ability, pastoral care, and good humor will be remembered by all. Dave began serving as Eastern District President in mid-August. With his office in Bethlehem and a seat on the Seminary’s board of trustees, we look forward to a continued, but new, connection with Dave.
It is never very easy to say goodbye to staff or faculty members, but it is rewarding when alumni, faculty and staff of the Seminary are sought after for leadership roles in the larger church. Melissa and Dave, we thank you for the lasting impression you’ve had on this community and continue to look forward to the fruit of your leadership.
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Hellos We welcome Jill Peters and Marcia Theadford, two former students who have joined the Moravian community!
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To help the Seminary incorporate a missional focus in its programs and curriculum, Jill Peters ‘07 was contracted to serve as Missional Leadership Developer from May through December 2008. Jill knows the culture of the Seminary and thinks systematically about congregations. In 2007 she completed both an MATS at Moravian and a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Philadelphia Biblical University. She has considerable experience as a consultant to congregations particularly in matters of mission development, leadership development, and congregational change. She also runs her own private business. Jill will be working out of the Continuing Ed office for ten hours/week and will oversee several projects, including “The Effective Church,” a new series of continuing ed offerings for congregational leaders. She will also work with local judicatories to enable the Seminary’s Continuing Ed department to serve as a resource for Lay Pastor training and will work with our faculty to develop a certificate concentration/focus in Missional Leadership.
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On July 28th the Rev. Marcia Theadford joined the staff as the Director of Vocation & Enrollment. Chosen from a field of 28 well-qualified candidates, Marcia (pronounced “Mar-see-a”) brings over 15 years of experience in admissions, student services, and financial aid, most recently serving as Advising/Career Link Specialist at Northampton Community College. Her work at NCC focused on embracing and speaking to factors of diversity, addressing sensitive socioeconomic and family issues affecting student life, maintaining academic standards and policies, enhancing student retention, and handling other administrative responsibilities related to student and institutional life. She has a Master of Education degree from Texas Christian University, focusing on educational administration and supervision. Marcia’s ordination and service in the Southern Baptist Association of Mission Churches, combined with her time in the MAPC program at Moravian, give her in-depth understanding of the expectations and demands of both congregational and counseling ministries. From her time as a student here, she also brings a deep appreciation for the Seminary’s role as the denominational seminary for the Moravian Church and as a regional seminary preparing people for leadership in a variety of ministries.
We welcome Jill and Marcia and look forward to their leadership in these new positions.
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