Seminary graduates largest class in its history, concluding 201st academic year

Moravian Theological Seminary celebrated the conclusion of its 201st academic year with a commencement ceremony on May 10, 2008. A record-breaking twenty-four students received master's degrees and certificates, including thirteen Master of Divinity degrees, seven Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling degrees, two Master of Arts in Theological Studies degrees, and two Certificates in Theological Studies.

The commencement ceremony was held in Central Moravian Church in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, with President Christopher Thomforde presiding. Wilma Lewis, chair of the Seminary Board of Trustees, presented the Commencement Address entitled "What Lies Within You" (Read the speech here). Ms. Lewis is Managing Associate General Counsel for litigation of the congressionally chartered mortgage corporation, Freddie Mac, headquartered in McClean, Virginia.

Elected by her fellow seniors, Mary Kategile from Tabora, Tanzania gave the Graduate Address, "Marking the New Beginning" (Read the speech here). Mary, who teaches at the Teofilo Kisanji University (TEKU) in Mbewa, Tanzania, has completed 2 years of study at Moravian Theological Seminary earning the Master of Arts in Theological Studies degree. Through a partnership between her home institution and Moravian Theological Seminary, Mary is the second of four TEKU faculty members who will come to Moravian to earn their MATS degree in preparation of doctoral studies in Tanzania.

The 2008 honorary Doctor of Divinity degree was presented to the Rev. Wesley Granberg-Michaelson, general secretary of the Reformed Church of America, for his leadership in the church and a lifetime of advocacy and commitment to social justice and ecumenism. Throughout his 40+ year career he has served the world and the Church in far-reaching ways.

A fierce proponent of ecumenism, Granberg-Michaelson was among a core group of Christian leaders who, in 2001, sought to bring together all families of Christian expression in the US for the purpose of fellowship, unity, and witness. Their efforts launched the creation of Christian Churches Together (CCT), a gathering of all of the major Christian groups - Evangelical, Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Pentecostals, historic Protestant, and Racial and Ethnic churches. He has served two terms as chair of the CCT steering committee since his initial election in 2002. Today, CCT represents over one-hundred-million Christians in our country. He is also a member of the steering committee of the Global Christian Forum, a new worldwide ecumenical initiative gathering a diverse body of Christian churches and interchurch organizations to explore and address common challenges. Click here to read more about the Rev. Granberg-Michaelson.

The following are the 2008 graduates of Moravian Theological Seminary. Those receiving the Certificate in Theological Studies were Judith Marie Ganz (DeForest, Wisconsin) and Vicki Jens Page (Appleton, Wisconsin). Recipients of the Master of Arts in Theological Studies are Deborah S. German (Allentown, PA) and Mary L. Kategile (Tabora, Tanzania).

The Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling was presented to Harold Kyle Borowski (Warrington, PA), Nancy A. Lynch (Macungie, PA), Erin McLean (Easton, PA), Tara Camille Stephenson (Easton, PA), Lenore Edith Stine (Bethlehem, PA), Maisha Trineé Surgeon (Plainfield, NJ), and Elizabeth Ann Vega (Allentown, PA).

Recipients of the Master of Divinity were Bryant Bossler Brown (Spring Valley, PA), Cheryl Green Cottingham (Kernersville, NC), Douglas Ward Donigian (Bethlehem, PA), Joyce M. Donigian (Bethlehem, PA), Joseph Christopher Greene (Spartanburg, SC), Robert L. Hachtman, Jr. (Stroudsburg, PA), Anthony Earl Hayworth (Winston-Salem, NC), Michael W. Hedrick (Souderton, PA), Linda L. Leuser (Nazareth, PA), Suzanne Elizabeth Parker Miller (Clemmons, NC), Mark John Ortwein (Bethlehem, PA), Jay Daniel Petrella (New Philadelphia, OH), and Adam Spaugh (Wiinston-Salem, NC).