Alumni News
The 2026 FASPE Fellowship Opens Application
The following is an excerpt of an article from the FASPE published in November, 2025. Click here to read the full article.
The FASPE Fellowship is accepting applications from students, emerging religious leaders, clergy, and professionals for the 2026 cohort.
Fellowships at Auschwitz for the Study of Professional Ethics (FASPE) offers fully funded, two-week programs for emerging leaders in Business, Law, Medical, Journalism, Clergy, and Design & Technology. This intensive fellowship examines how individual professionals in Nazi Germany leveraged their expertise to enable the regime - examining their decisions, motivations, and behavior - not just to study the past, but as a framework for understanding ethical responsibility today.
In an era of rapid technological change, polarization, and complex ethical challenges, the next generation of professionals needs more than technical expertise—they need moral courage. FASPE creates space for ethical reflection and intentional professional formation, preparing Fellows to navigate the ethical challenges that will characterize their careers, to make good use of their professional influence, and to become ethical leaders in their fields.
The FASPE Clergy & Religious Leaders Fellowship Experience:
- Two weeks in Germany and Poland (Medical, Clergy & Religious Leaders, and Journalism program: June 19 - July 3, 2026)
- Daily seminars at sites of historic significance
- Interdisciplinary dialogue with Journalism and Medical fellows
- Led by expert faculty combining scholarship and practice
- Fellows join a lifetime network of 900+ ethical leaders across professions
- Fully funded —all costs covered including airfare, hotels, meals, and materials
Students wILl join alumni who describe FASPE as "life-changing," "transformative," and "one of the most powerful experiences" of their lives.
Visit the website for detailed information and guidelines to apply
Interim Pastor, Part Time, Eliot Congregational Church of Roxbury: Roxbury, MA
The Eliot Congregational Church of Roxbury is currently searching for an interim pastor (part time).
The Interim Pastor will be responsible for worship leadership through biblically based preaching, administering communion, pastoral leadership through pastoral care, visiting the sick, officiating burial services, and providing leadership stability that guides the church through transition to a new pastor. This management is essential to ensuring a smooth bible based spiritual environment receptive, prepared for and welcoming to a new minister and new members.
Additional Information
Part position with negotiable salary.
To apply: Interested applicants should submit a resume and references to:
Pastoral Search Committee
Eliot Congregation Church of Roxbury
Fields.b@comcast.net
Spiritual Grounding Pastor, Full Time, Plymouth Congregational Church: Belmont, MA
Members of Plymouth Congregational Church have a strong, shared sense that our community is welcoming, caring, and open to all. We wish to continue on our path of inclusiveness and caring for each other by welcoming those who are new and those who wish to renew ties with us. We would like to draw people, including singles and families in all configurations, into the church to experience the love we have to share.
While we have an experienced lay leadership and are committed to being a teaching parish, we would like to partner with a pastor who provides spiritual grounding and guidance with leadership for more programming.
Areas of particular interest are furthering Called to Care and pastoral care/senior care, small groups in various forms, and continued support for children’s and youth ministry.
Additional Information
Minister of Music Sabbatical Replacement, Part Time, United Parish: Brookline, MA
The United Parish in Brookline is currently searching for a Minister of Music Sabbatical Replacement.
Term: April 6, 2026 - June 28, 2026 (includes one week of transitional overlap; Minister of Music will begin sabbatical on Sunday, April 12, 2026)
The Minister of Music oversees the music ministry of the United Parish, enhancing the congregation’s engagement in the life of the Christian faith. The Minister of Music supports the five ministry directions of our church and is the primary music leader of
the United Parish, serving as song leader, choral director, teacher, conductor, organist, and pianist, according to the needs of worship and the overall music programming.
Directly Supervises: Handbell Choir Director and Choir Section Leaders
This is a temporary position. 30 hours a week through May 17, 2026; 25 hours a week through June 28, 2026. (Can be negotiated)
Minimum Qualifications:
● Advanced training and education in organ/piano performance, choral conducting,
singing, and music education.
● Broad knowledge of sacred music repertoire for all ages and ability, as well as the
ability to find new repertoire.
● Professional experience in running a sacred music program.
● Ability to work with and teach a wide variety of people with varying levels of talent.
● Basic knowledge of audio systems and recording techniques.
Salary: Competitive salary commensurate with experience.
How to Apply: Please send a cover letter and resume to jobs@upbrookline.org.
About us: United Parish in Brookline is a vibrant, ecumenical, open and affirming congregation in the United Methodist, American Baptist, and United Church of Christ traditions. Located in the heart of Coolidge Corner, the church is home to around 35 community groups and a volunteer-run thrift shop, Thrifty Threads. Learn more at upbrookline.org.
Additional Information
A Letter from the BUSTH DEI Office: Our Community is Our Song
In a now classic Latin-American folk song, adapted from an original poem by Horacio Guarani, Merces Sosa sings: "Si se calla el cantor, calla la vida. Porque la vida es ella misma un canto.” If the Singer is silent, life is silent. Because life itself is entirely a song. In the context of the "School of the Prophets," as we sometimes call ourselves, these verses resonate deeply: they metaphorically speak to justice and equity as conditions for a life worth living.
Our community is our song. STH faces many challenges. We thrive, however, in our communal living. The lively worship service, the weekly shared meals, and the synergy among various groups and associations to advance our prophetic voice. Even classrooms become expressions of our singing together.
It has become a trope to say we are living in challenging times. It is important not to minimize current dangers, especially as they affect the most vulnerable among us most harshly. Despite these challenges, STH flourishes with a vivid communal life that is truly global, prophetic, engaged, courageous, and sensitive.
Looking back, our community has made impressive strides in meeting the needs of diverse backgrounds. I arrived at STH in 2019 when our current academic Dean was the DEI director. Thanks to the work of the DEI office (with Sangwon Yang first, and Nicolette Manglos-Weber and Andrew Kimble ('19) later at the helm), our school "sings better": we had a beautiful community back then, and we have a more prosperous, more diverse, and more caring community now.
Despite the attacks on DEI efforts and other financial constraints, STH remains committed to supporting diversity because we understand it is the only way to strengthen our community. Community-building requires a set of structures that facilitate gathering, a set of processes that empower us all, and the creation of opportunities to reach across differences in the midst of tensions and celebrations.
On this front, the DEI director's role is both challenging and straightforward. It is simple because, in the end, the office's primary role is to enhance the school's life in a way that celebrates difference. It is also complicated because we are living in a world where difference is equated with threat. Our role as a community grounded in solid theological and religious beliefs should start from a place of trust, from a commitment to appreciate our differences for what they really are: sparks of divine presence.
The first DEI event of this academic year is a celebration of the global community we are. Please join us on December 3, 12:15-2:00 pm for a conversation about the differences and commonalities that bring us together in this place!
- Luis Menéndez-Antuña, Associate Professor of New Testament; Director, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
Prof. Wesley Wildman featured in BU Today for Conversation on Church Closings
The following is an excerpt from BU Today’s article “Why Might a Record Number of Churches Close this Year” by Rich Barlow, featuring Professor of Philosophy, Theology, and Ethics Wesley Wildman, published on November 14, 2025.
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Most of the soon-to-be-defunct churches, per Axios, will be mainline Protestant, , although Catholic churches have also shuttered. The immediate reason: surging “nones”—people with no religious affiliation—especially among Gen Z and millennials: 44 percent of 18-to-29-year-olds have no affiliation.
But deeper forces are at play, Boston University’s Wesley Wildman says. Funded by the John Templeton Foundation and the Norwegian government, he has researched secularism’s effects on religious groups, immigrants, and culture, and how nonreligious people conduct meaningful rituals. “Our demographic research built computational social simulations validated against past trends in several nations,” he says. “These simulations were able to match past periods of religious change and project forward to the end of the 21st century.”
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Office Administrator, Part Time, Eliot Church of Newton: Newton, MA
Eliot Church of Newton, an open and affirming congregation of the United Church of Christ, seeks a reliable and detail-oriented Office Administrator to support the daily life and ministry of our active, lay-led congregation. Working closely with the Pastor, staff, and volunteer leadership, the Office Administrator keeps Eliot’s operations running smoothly through strong organization, clear communication, and consistent follow-through. This position requires a professional presence in the church office four to five days per week at approximately twenty-five hours per week.
-Weekly production of the church bulletin and newsletter
-Maintenance of church calendars and coordination of building use and rentals
-Communication with staff, tenants, vendors, and volunteers to ensure timely and accurate information flow
-Preparation and distribution of materials needed for worship, events, and Sunday services
-Support for volunteer leaders with projects, orders, and communications
Secondary Responsibilities
-Record keeping, including reports, directories, and other church documents
-Coordination of vendors, deliveries, and outside service providers
Tertiary Responsibilities
-Occasional assistance with special events, church wide celebrations, or other projects as requested
-Key Skills and Qualifications
-Strong ability to manage weekly, time sensitive responsibilities such as bulletin production, newsletter distribution, rental coordination, and worship logistics with accuracy and reliability
-Demonstrated initiative and follow through, including clear and timely communication with staff, volunteers, and lay leadership
-Proven capacity to prioritize mission critical tasks while balancing routine responsibilities and occasional special projects
-Ability to learn and apply Eliot Church’s organizational structure, culture, and workflows efficiently and respectfully
-Excellent professional communication skills with staff, volunteers, tenants, callers, and walk in community members, including tact and diplomacy
-Ability to work collaboratively with multiple stakeholders in a small staff, lay-led church environment
-Ability to maintain operational continuity through thoughtful planning and coordination during peak church activity periods
Hours and Compensation
-Approximately twenty-five hours per week, on-site at the church. Starting pay is approximately twenty-five dollars per hour.
Additional Information
To view the full job description and further information
https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=5bfc0d3fd1ca9a7c&from=shareddesktop_copy
To apply please send a cover letter, resume, and three references to:
Email eliotchurchhiring2025@yahoo.com
Any questions or inquiries should also be sent to this email address.
Rev. Haley Berg Hansen (’22) is Member of UMC’s General Board of Church and Society (GBCS)
The following is an excerpt of an article from The General Board of Church and Society (GBCS), published on November 10, 2025. Click here to read the full article.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — November 10,2025 — The General Board of Church and Society (GBCS) of The United Methodist Church recently convened its Advisory Team for Justice and Peace for a three-day retreat on Capitol Hill, where faith leaders from across the United States gathered to discern, dream, and design the Church’s next steps toward justice-rooted action.
“It is always humbling and encouraging to be reminded that the work of mercy, justice, and peace is actively being practiced and pursued throughout our Connection,” said Advisory Team member Rev. Bích Thy (Betty) Nguyễn of the Mountain Sky Conference. “I hope that what comes next from this retreat is the opportunity to continue the work of deepening the Connection within each Jurisdiction; to contribute to the work of mutual learning, resourcing, and empowering United Methodists to love boldly, serve joyfully, and lead courageously in the area of justice.”
In 2026, each U.S. jurisdiction will host a Justice and Peace Gathering, inviting clergy and laity alike to:
- Engage in training and dialogue around faith-based advocacy and community organizing,
- Explore how United Methodists can respond to pressing social issues through policy and practice,
- Build networks of collaboration that extend the Church’s witness for justice, peace, and compassion.
“The world needs the witness of a church that doesn’t just talk about justice but practices it — together, in every jurisdiction, as one body” said Bishop Julius Trimble, General Secretary for GBCS. “These events are a call to action — an invitation for United Methodists to reimagine what it means to be a people of justice and peace in this moment in history.”
For more specific information about the 2026, U.S. jurisdiction Justice and Peace Gathering, contact Amber Gaines, Engagement and Development Manager, General Board of Church and Society againes@umcjustice.org
To stay informed about upcoming jurisdictional gatherings and to access training and resources from Church and Society, visit www.umcjustice.org and subscribe to our newsletter.
About the General Board of Church and Society (GBCS)
The General Board of Church and Society is the social justice and public witness agency of The United Methodist Church. GBCS equips people of faith to live out the Church’s Social Principles and engage in faithful advocacy for peace, justice, and liberation.
Media Contact:
Jeffrey Corey
Senior Executive Director of Communications
General Board of Church and Society
jcorey@umcjustice.org
202-488-5630
Director of Music & Worship Arts (DMWA), Full Time, Blacksburg United Methodist Church: Blacksburg, VA
Blacksburg United Methodist Church seeks a full-time Director of Music & Worship Arts (DMWA) to join our team to lead the continued growth of our music ministries and creative worship arts. The DMWA will equip people to serve and lead in worship so that we engage spiritual seekers—that they will connect with God and the community of faith. Successful candidates will hold undergraduate or graduate degrees in music and/or sacred music, in addition to experience in choral conducting. Visit blacksburgumc.org/job-openings for a complete position description. Apply by submitting a resume, cover letter, and three professional references to Matt McHugh, DMWA Search Team Leader, at MattMcHugh@BlacksburgUMC.org.
Blacksburg United Methodist Church is a Christ-centered, outward-focused, forward-thinking community of faith. Through worship, service, study, and fellowship, the church strives to grow disciples who live out its mission of love and service to all people. Services and children/youth programming are held on Sundays at 8:30am, 9:30am, and 11:00am. The church is located at 111 Church Street, Blacksburg, Virginia 24060, with parking at 202 Lee Street. To learn more, visit blacksburgumc.org or find the Blacksburg UMC Facebook page.
BUSTH announces Faculty Publications and Presentations for November 2025
The School of Theology is pleased to announce the following faculty publications and scholarly presentations for November 2025:
- Timothy Adkins-Jones
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"Hoodies and Holy Disruption: Black Protest Preaching and Multicultural Congregations" Religions 16, no. 11: 1366. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16111366
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- Christopher B. Brown, G. Sujin Pak, Rady Roldán-Figueroa
- Award: 2025 John Tedeschi Prize for Reference by the Sixteenth Century Society given to The Oxford Handbook of the Bible and the Reformation (Oxford University Press, 2024) which included contributions from these faculty members:
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Rady Roldán-Figueroa, “Roman Catholic Exegesis from the Spirituali to the Jesuits,” 317–328
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Sujin Pak, "Marie Dentière (c.1495–1561),” 481–493.
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Christopher B. Brown, “Martin Luther’s Biblical Hermeneutics,” 291–304
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- Award: 2025 John Tedeschi Prize for Reference by the Sixteenth Century Society given to The Oxford Handbook of the Bible and the Reformation (Oxford University Press, 2024) which included contributions from these faculty members:
- Eunil David Cho, et al
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Snarey, John R., Eunil David Cho, and Shelby L. Hall. 2025. "The Genesis of William James’s Psychology of Religion: From ‘The Principles of Psychology’ to ‘The Varieties of Religious Experience’" Religions 16, no. 11: 1404. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16111404
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- Rebecca Copeland
- Presentation: “Hagar’s Stories,” First United Methodist Church (Morristown, Tennessee) October 5, 2025.
- Lecture: The Willson Lectures: “The Ambiguity of Empire,” “Confronting Guilt, Overcoming Shame: Sin and Repentance as Good News,” and “Bad Gardeners?: Reconsidering the Agricultural Parables,” Oklahoma City University (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), October 9, 2025.
- Podcast: "Wicked Problems and Unoriginal Sin,” Biologos, Language of God Podcast, October 16, 2025
- Robert A. Hill
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Bay State Road: After Twenty Years (Eugene, Oregon: Wipf and Stock, 2025) ISBN: 979-8-3852-5211-4
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The Charm of the Chapel, 75th Anniversary Edition. Author: Daniel L. Marsh. Original Copyright: 1949, Boston University Press. Editor: Cristin Nelson. Contributors: Robert Allan Hill (Forward), Daryl Healea. Photography: Bob O'Connor.75th Anniversary Edition, Copyright 2025, Boston University Marsh Chapel. Printed by Pilgrim Press.
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- James McCarty
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Presentation: “The Search for a Justice that Heals: A Theo-Ethical Analysis,” Peace and Justice Studies Association, Philadelphia, PA, October 10, 2025.
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- Rady Roldán-Figueroa
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Presentation: "Historia de la Orden de Predicadores en México (siglos XVI-XIX): Los dominicos en las Antillas,” Instituto Dominicano de Investigaciones Históricas, Querétaro, México.
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Presentation: "What does Conciliarism Have to Do with Late Medieval and Early Modern Synodalism? And What Do Both Have to Say About the Current Crisis of Institutions?” Symposium on Conciliarity, Boston College (September 19-20, 2025).
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- Claire Wolfteich
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“‘Easter Disciples’: Theopoetics, Vocation, and the Mystical Life.” In David Pocta and Amanda Kaminski, eds., Resurrection in the Age of Uncertainty (forthcoming, Paulist Press, 2025).
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Presentation: “Practical Ecclesiologies and Lay Vocation: Theological Frameworks and Case Studies from the Creative Callings Research Project,” Ecclesiological Investigations International Conference, September 19, 2025, Thessaloniki, Greece.
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