Alumni News
Reverend Kate Wilkinson (’08) Shares About Officiating LGBTQ+ Weddings in Provincetown
The following is an excerpt from Boston Globe’s article “LGBTQ+ couples used to flock to Provincetown to say ‘I do.’ Do they still?” by Esha Walia, published on June 30, 2024. Click here to read the full article.
"Summertime used to be prime wedding season for the Rev. Kate Wilkinson, a minister at an oceanside chapel in Provincetown.
When Massachusetts made history in 2004 as the first US state to legalize gay marriage, Provincetown became one of the most sought-after destinations in America, and the world, for LGBTQ+ couples to wed. And Wilkinson’s Unitarian Universalist Meeting House was a popular venue. She’d sometimes officiate at three weddings a weekend, and up to 20 a year, mostly crammed into the summer. She had to hire four wedding chaplains.
That all changed in 2015, when the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. That year, the number of LGBTQ+ weddings that Wilkinson officiated dropped to nine. Ever since, she’s done about five a year.
Most wedding vendors would bemoan such a large drop in customers. But in Wilkinson’s eyes, it’s actually a positive turn of events.
“People have started to get married in their home states and their hometowns,” Wilkinson said. ”It’s a wonderful reason to lose wedding business.”
The federal legalization and increased acceptance of same-sex marriage in the United States has meant that Provincetown wedding businesses, which have long catered to this industry, are facing more competition — and that LGBTQ+ couples have far more options."
Sister Antoinette “Ann” LaForest (’86,’92)
This obituary was originally posted by Mid Hudson News and can be found here.
Sister Ann Laforest, OCD, of the Carmelite Monastery in Beacon, New York, peacefully passed away on Friday, July 12, 2024, at Ozanam Hall of Queens Nursing Home, in Bayside, NY where she had been a resident since October 2019.
Sister Ann of Jesus (Antoinette Laforest) was born on June 19, 1933 in Washington, DC, the daughter of Alfred and Eva (Dent) Laforest. She attended St. Teresa’s grade school in Anacostia, DC, and one year at Holy Angels Academy in Fort Lee, NJ. After graduation from St. Cecelia’s high school, Sister Ann worked in the offices of The Times Herald. She entered the Carmelite Monastery in Saranac Lake, NY in May 1954, and on May 10, 1956, made her profession of vows.
Sister received a B.A. Degree from SUNY Empire State College where she studied music and was a member of several singing groups. In 1968 she spent a year in Africa on the Carmelite missions.
Sister Ann was skilled in many areas and generously shared her gifts with community and friends. In particular, she contributed her musical abilities to the liturgical life of the community.
Sister Ann spent several years studying scripture, theology, ethics, psychology and pastoral care at Boston College and Boston University. She earned a Masters Degree in Sacred Theology from Boston University. During that time, she received certification as Director of Religious Education in the Boston Archdiocese. She assisted in directing adult education programs in Catholic parishes and worked as an assistant teacher in a Montessori School. Sister loved working with children and was a live-in Nanny while living in Boston.
When Sister Ann returned to community, she immersed herself in the life of the community, describing herself as a “full-time volunteer”!
Sister Ann has been a caring friend to many throughout her life. She especially sought ways to better the lives of those suffering from injustice and discrimination.
Sr. Ann was deeply devoted to St. Thérèse and studied her life and writings in depth. Her book Thérèse of Lisieux: The Way to Love was published by Sheed & Ward in 2000.
Sr. Ann was predeceased by her parents and siblings Aubin, Stephen, William, and Frances Laforest Kieffer. She is survived by her loving sisters Mary Alciere, Virginia Uliana (Al), Celeste Fatora, and by many nieces and nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews whom she loved dearly. Until her death, she was a beloved presence in the lives of her dear ones.
Friends may call at the Monastery from 8:45 to 9:45 a.m. on Friday, July 19. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in the Monastery Chapel by Fr. Richard G. Smith, pastor of St. Joachim-St. John the Evangelist Parish in Beacon, at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, July 19. Burial of Sister’s cremated remains will follow at St. Joachim’s Cemetery, Beacon, NY.
To send a personal condolence please visit www.riverviewbyhalvey.com.
Funeral arrangements are under the care of Patrick J. Halvey of Riverview Funeral Home by Halvey, LLC.
Ms. Carol J. Park (’65)
This obituary was originally posted by Wujek-Calcaterra & Sons, Inc. and can be found here.
Carol J. Park, 86, after a life dedicated to music, service to others, and advocacy for human and civil rights, passed away peacefully after a long illness on June 30, 2024, in Clinton Township, Michigan. Born to Baptist missionaries, Dorothy and Fred, in Assam, India, Carol’s early life and that of her family would be challenging.
After a short stay back in the States from India, continued missionary service took the family once again overseas to the Philippines where they were interned in a civilian POW camp during World War II’s Japanese occupation of the islands for three years. This early experience greatly impacted and shaped Carol throughout her life. Upon liberation from the camp near the end of the war, the family later settled in Colorado, USA.
Carol was a gifted musician who began playing piano before the age of five. Her love of music brought her to The University of Colorado, where she studied the organ and earned a Bachelor of Music.
With her family’s missionary roots, her mother a medical doctor and her father a Baptist minister and educator, Carol’s path would take her to Boston University School of Theology, where she received her Master of Divinity. Her love of music remained her ministry and she served as organist and choir director in churches of many denominations throughout her life and well into her retirement where she had worked in community relations for several organizations advocating for those with developmental disabilities and mental illness.
Carol’s legacy is woven through the fabric of Detroit, a city she loved dearly. While not an ordained minister, Carol was one of the first two female chaplains ever to serve the Detroit Corps of Chaplains with the Detroit Police Department starting in the 1970s. Carol’s service to the police corps and the city of Detroit was an immense sense of pride for her. Her chaplaincy and work as a certified counselor also included life-long advocacy for civil, women, and reproductive rights.
Carol was fiercely independent, intelligent, and witty. Carol greatly loved her grandchildren and was very proud of their accomplishments and more importantly the people they have become. She loved to walk and would often walk miles to the bank just to deposit a check. She was an avid reader and always had a book or several going at once. She loved word games and enjoyed destroying her children, even at a young age, in Scrabble. She was quick-witted and she loved a well-placed pun and relished when it received a groan in response. That wit never left her even into the late stages of her illness.
Predeceased by her parents, Carol's spirit is carried forward by her children, Steve (Rhonda), Amy (Chris); her grandchildren, Julian, Aidan, Marion (John), Rob, and Brendan; and her brother Bob (Mame), and their children Rick (Jeri) and Bobbi.
Family visitation will be held on Thursday, July 11, 2024, from 2:30 PM to 8:00 PM at Wujek-Calcaterra & Sons, 36900 Schoenherr, Sterling Heights, MI. The service to honor and celebrate Carol's life will be held on Friday, July 12, 2024, with a 9am memorial gathering at St. Blase Catholic Church, 12151 15 Mile Rd., Sterling Heights, MI followed by the memorial service at 9:30am, with a luncheon to follow.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Carol’s honor may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association (act.alz.org) or Center for Reproductive Rights (reproductiverights.org).
Carol's life was a testament to her life of service to others, the lives she influenced, and the love of music she shared with so many. Her presence will be deeply missed, but her legacy will bloom eternally in the hearts of those she has left behind.
Reverend Dr. Ross J. Miller (’59)
This obituary was originally posted by Riverview Cemetery Funeral Home and can be found here.
The Reverend Doctor Ross James Miller, 89, of Portland, Oregon, died on January 8th, 2024. A life-long scholar, Dr. Miller graduated from Kansas State College, Manhattan, Kansas, with a music education degree, before pursuing graduate studies at Boston University School of Theology, Boston, Massachusetts, Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley, California, and Claremont Graduate School, Claremont, California, where he earned a PhD in Church History in 1971.
As an ordained United Methodist minister, Dr. Miller served 41 years as a United Methodist/ecumenical pastor with churches and campus ministries in Idaho (First Methodist Church/Wesley Foundation, Pocatello), California (Wesley Foundation, University of California, Riverside), Ohio (United Christian Fellowship, Bowling Green), and Oregon (Trinity United Methodist Church, Eugene, and First United Methodist Church, Portland). He was dedicated to building community wherever he landed.
Throughout his life he engaged with the great social issues of his time: racism, civil rights, poverty, homelessness, economic justice, war, academic freedom, environmental stewardship, and gay rights. An enthusiastic rock climber, hiker, camper, sometime bee- keeper, and gardener in his spare time, he loved being outdoors. Ross was a devoted flute player from age 11 on. That he worked his way through theological seminary playing flute with the Boston Symphony was an amusing, though untrue, rumor. Music, however, continued as a dominant factor in his life, as was reading scholarly works (alongside the funny papers), and relaxing/entertaining with friends and relatives.
He was a loving partner to his spouse, Nancy, for 66 years, an amazing father to their son, Nathan, and daughter, Dana, and a goofy, entertaining, grandfather to his grandchildren, Woodrow and Grace. Dr. Miller also leaves behind his sister, Beverley Lawrence, a violinist, with whom he shared a special bond of music.
Ross had a great (some would say corny) sense of humor, loved life, and positively impacted all who knew him. In retirement, he continued work with the Holocaust Memorial Task Force. He and Nancy participated in their neighborhood environmental group and served with others in the Beaverton area to cofound Viva Village, one of ten intentional Villages in the Portland area whose programs and services enable older adults to age well in their homes.
Children and Youth Ministries Coordinator, Part-Time, UMC: Reading, MA
Children and Youth Ministries Coordinator.
Coordinate the delivery of church-sponsored educational ministries for children and youth through grade 12 with the assistance of church volunteers, and the possibility of a paid nursery worker, and with the support of the Senior Pastor and the church’s lay leadership and committees.
Support a welcoming and inclusive approach to all families with an initial focus on young children.
Old South, in Reading MA, is a progressive and very long-standing congregation within the New England Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. We are a Reconciling Congregation, meaning we are welcoming and affirming LGBTQIA+ people. Old South’s mission statement is that “As disciples of Jesus Christ we welcome all, experience God, transform lives and act justly.” Our church is home to the Reading Food Pantry and the Christian Cooperative Preschool.
This is an approximately quarter-time position (8-13 hours a week, depending on the season). Work on-site Sunday mornings is foreseen as 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 m. September through June, and 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. July through August. It is envisioned that 8-10 hours per week September through June will be needed for planning and prep, with much less in the summer months. Planning and prep are hybrid work. This is an exempt-level job and at-will employment.
Contact
Email pastor@oldsouthumc.org or office@oldsouthumc.org with the header "Attn: SPRC: Job Application” or 781-944-2636
Attach your resume please.
Additional Information: oldsouthumc.org
Marthinus “Inus” Daneel, 1936 – 2024
The Center for Global Christianity and Mission (CGCM) and the Boston University School of Theology (BUSTH) announce the passing on July 29, 2024 of CGCM co-founder Marthinus "Inus" Daneel, who was a noted theologian, author, and professor. Dr. Daneel grew up in Zimbabwe, was a self-professed "nomad" and adventurer, was a renowned and respected researcher, and a dedicated activist. Dr. Daneel served as part-time Professor of Missiology at BUSTH from 1997 until his retirement in 2012.
“Dr. Daneel was a deeply spiritual man and a scholar activist [before his time],” says his spouse of almost 30 years, William Fairfield Warren Distinguished Professor Dana L. Robert.
Reverend Ted W. Bowman (’68) Delivers Association for Death Education and Counseling 2024 Keynote Presentation
Reverend Ted W. Bowman ('68) delivered one of the 2024 keynote presentations for the Association for Death Education and Counseling. His presentation was entitled "Narrative Power: Finding Words for Living, Dying, Death and Bereavement."
To learn more about Rev. Bowman's presentation, click here.
Reverend Jack Amick (’06) Shares about UMCOR’s Work
The following is an excerpt from the Michigan Conference of The United Methodist Church article “UMCOR Changes Hearts and Transforms Lives” by Kay Demoss, published on June 25, 2024. Click here to read the full article.
"The Rev. Jack Amick grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan. “My eyes were opened to the world as a child in Dixboro United Methodist Church,” he recalls. Amick remembers Dixboro’s “farm widows, who ministered with healing by potluck and casseroles.” And there were “professors and folks from the University of Michigan who led Bible studies with participants seeking understanding in radical, non-binary ways.” In addition, he “heard people who traveled around the world and who shared slideshows
about international things.” Amick’s mother “would drive halfway up the state and meet Pastor John with Christmas packages” for Kewadin Indian Mission UMC. Amick says all that “imbued me with a sense of mission at a very early age.”
The Dixboro experience — “old-school mission full of relationship” — was great preparation for his future role as director of Global Migration for the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). Jack left the Detroit Conference in 2013 to begin his ministry with UMCOR. He remains “proud to be connected with Michigan,” a conference that is “way forward” in its support of the work of the General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM)."
Reverend David Watkins (’86)
This obituary was originally posted by Scranton Times-Tribune and can be found here.
The Rev. David Watkins, 77, of Mechanicsburg, passed away peacefully on May 26, 2024.
Born on May 4, 1947, David was the son of the late David Watkins and Sylvia Holliday Watkins. He graduated from Lackawanna Trail High School in 1966, was a United States Army veteran during Vietnam, earned an associate's degree from Keystone College in 1971, and received a bachelor's degree in speech pathology and audiology from 
Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1975. In 1980, David entered the ministry and received a Master of Divinity from Boston University School of Theology in 1985.
David dedicated his life to serving God and others as an ordained United Methodist pastor. His pastoral journey included devoted service to several congregations including St. Matthew's, Epping Community Church, Leona/Wetona/Big Pond United Methodist Church, Calvary UMC, Mount Zion UMC and Aldersgate UMC. Throughout his ministry, David was known for his passionate leadership, deep faith and genuine care for his hundreds of parishioners. His sermons and community involvement left an indelible mark on all who had the privilege of knowing him.
In his free time, David loved to help others and spend time with his family. As often as possible, he would support his grandsons in their education at Holy Name of Jesus and Bishop McDevitt High School and their athletics such as soccer, ice hockey, football, lacrosse and wrestling. David was also a season ticket holder and loyal fan of the Hershey Bears.
David is survived by his beloved wife of nearly 54 years, Linda Watkins, and their cherished family: daughter, Sara Watkins Musti, son-in-law Stephen Musti, and grandsons, Nolan and Spencer Musti. He is also survived by his three siblings, Sylvia "Cookie" Roberts; Susan Frantanduano and her husband, Eric; and Phyllis Matz and her husband, Rick; along with numerous nieces and nephews.
David's legacy of love, faith and service will continue to inspire and guide those who knew him. He will be fondly remembered for his warmth, wisdom and unwavering dedication to his faith and family.
Reverend Kurt F. Herber (’78)
This obituary was originally posted by Cremation Society of New Hampshire and can be found here.
Kurt Frederick Herber, born 10-21-1946 in Newton, MA, to Roland and Barbara (Egan) Herber, was a graduate of Natick High School, class of 1964. He attended Wentworth Institute of Technology (ASEE), Lowell Technological Institute (B.S.), Boston University School of Theology (M. Div.).
He was ordained in the Massachusetts Conference of the United Church of Christ in 1980. He specialized in professional interim ministry, being among the first group certified by the Interim Ministry Network. His further training included family systems theory and crisis intervention, which he applied to the institutional church, especially following clergy misconduct. He served United Church of Christ, United Methodist, and Disciples of Christ churches in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine for over thirty years.
Kurt’s greatest love was his family, especially his two sons, Jotham Matthew of Peterborough, NH, and Darius Mark of Bourne, MA. He is also survived by his wife of 51 years, Barbara Herber of Gilford, NH and his daughter-in-law Carolina Posada of Peterborough, NH.
Condolences can be sent to the Herber Family at 11 West Ridge Drive in Peterborough, NH.
Donations can be made to the American Heart Association at https://www.heart.org/en/or the Nature Conservancy at https://www.nature.org/en-us/