Alumni News
Rev. Dr. Ronald A. Johnson, Sr. (’06) committed to engaging Black History at Baylor University
The following is an excerpt from The Wacoan article by Susan Bean Aycock, “Baylor University’s Dr. Ronald Angelo Johnson expands historical narratives to recognize critical contributions of Black Americans,” published in their February 2025 issue. Click here to read the full article.
“'Dr. King was a Baptist preacher and the 
first Black man that I knew of who had a Ph.D.. I chose Boston University School of Theology because that’s where he went. When I was writing my dissertation, married with two children, I remembered from his book that he wrote his dissertation at the kitchen table in the early morning while he was pastoring. I wrote my dissertation while I was pastoring. He really showed me a pathway to education, to a life as an educated Black man, in ways that I had not seen before.'
...
As his passion for historical inclusion fuels his writing, Dr. Johnson wants to teach not just under-acknowledged Black contributions but their relevance in understanding modern government, politics and race relations. And he doesn’t soft-pedal what he believes to be a mandate for all responsible citizens.
'It’s not the role of the historian — or diplomat, pastor or chaplain — to tell people what they want to hear,' he said. 'Questioning our leaders at municipal, state and national levels remains the responsibility of every American citizen, regardless of party affiliation,' he continued. 'Great moments in our nation’s history — the American Revolution, the Progressive and Civil Rights eras, the Black Lives Matter movement — have been about people demanding answers from their leaders.'"
Nori J. Henk, PhD (’02) featured in Azuza Pacific Faculty Interview
The following is an excerpt from the Azusa Pacific University article by Jacqueline Guerrero, “Faculty Friday: Nori Henk ’00, PhD, Pursues Academic Excellence and Spiritual Growth,” published on February 7, 2025. Click here to read the full article.
“After graduation, Henk knew she wanted to 
continue learning about all of her academic interests. 'Part of me wanted to be a teacher, but I didn’t know if I could do it,' she said. Henk applied for an MA in Theological Studies at Boston University, School of Theology in order to gain a scholarly understanding of the church. One of her professors was renowned sociologist of religion, Peter L. Berger, who wrote Henk a letter of recommendation that opened many doors for her. She went on to get her PhD in Sociology at Loyola University Chicago and taught there as an adjunct professor for two years before moving back to California.
...
'I’ve always enjoyed learning, and that’s why I have pursued additional education,' she said. 'Each degree represents different parts of my intellect and who I am. Ethnic studies allows me to tap into history, philosophy, and the arts which is such a rewarding pathway.'"
Dr. Wesley J. Vesey (STH ’54, GRS ’61)
The following obituary was originally published by Snyder Funeral Homes and can be found here.
Wesley James Vesey died peacefully in his 
sleep on February 16, 2025. He was born on October 30, 1927, in Jamestown, Ohio, and grew up the youngest of three children. His father served as a United Methodist minister and during his childhood the family moved to different parishes in small Ohio towns -after Jamestown came West Carrollton, Lebanon, Celina, and Bowling Green. He seemed to live the ideal childhood with his sisters Margaret and Evelyn, and his adventures provided the subject for many stories told over the years to children and grandchildren. He served in the army from 1946-1947 before beginning his freshman year at Bowling Green State University, and finishing his bachelor’s degree at Ohio Wesleyan in 1951. He obtained his divinity degree at Boston University School of Theology in 1954. Memorable overseas educational experiences included studies at New College, Edinburgh, and the University of Göttingen in 1954-55. He married Phyllis Thompson, after meeting her while pursuing his degree at BU. Together they shared love and life for nearly 70 years and raised four children. He seemed destined to follow the same path as his father after finishing his divinity degree and taking the pulpit in two Massachusetts parishes, in Sagamore from 1956-1960, and Medford from 1960-1963. In 1961 he managed to complete a PhD from BU, quite an accomplishment with family and parish responsibilities consuming his time. Perhaps Ohio beckoned once more and he found that his talent for preaching could translate to teaching in the college classroom, and in 1963 he moved the family to Alliance, Ohio, where he was professor of religion at Mount Union College for 27 years until his retirement in 1990. He rode his bicycle to campus on most days since his family of six had only one car. In addition to his professorship, at various times during his tenure he served as department chair, chaplain, and interim dean. He received the Great Teacher Award at Mount Union in 1974 in addition to other distinguished teaching awards throughout his career. Travels over the years took him to four continents, and academic sabbaticals and educational trips expanded his knowledge of his subject which he applied creatively in the classroom.
He enjoyed camping, gardening, simple carpentry, tinkering around the house, and creating things with his hands like electronic gadgets and mantel clocks from kits. He was fastidious, and had the most organized tool bench ever, which doubled as an at-home office. When he wasn't marking student papers, he would most often have a book or scholarly journal in hand, but rarely, if ever, fiction. He kept a detailed diary, and was a prolific letter writer, and one could often hear his manual typewriter tip-tapping away from the basement. He had a legendary sweet tooth for ice cream and baked goods. He loved the study of languages, both ancient and modern. He was also known for his sense of humor and silliness, which his children and grandchildren took great delight in. Using a cliche he himself often employed, he was a gentleman and a scholar.
He had many years of active retirement in Prescott, AZ, before returning once again to Ohio, where he spent his remaining years in his former college town of Delaware.
He is survived by his wife, four children, seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
Now his story has ended, but the stories and the histories that he told in the pulpit, the classroom, and at family gatherings will be remembered for many years to come and assure that his legacy will remain with us.
Visitation will be held on Saturday, March 1, 2025 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Snyder Rodman Funeral Center, 101 Valleyside Dr., Delaware, Ohio. A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. at the funeral home on Saturday following visitation. Memorial contributions can be made in Wesley's memory to Heartland Hospice, 6500 Busch Blvd #210, Columbus, OH 43229 or to Powell United Methodist Church, 825 Olentangy St #1, Powell, OH 43065.
BUSTH announces Faculty Publications and Presentations for February 2025
The School of Theology is pleased to announce the following faculty publications and scholarly presentations for February 2025:
- Alejandro Botta
-
“Joshua, Introduction, Study Notes, and Excursuses,” The Westminster Study Bible. New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition. (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2024), 297-333.
-
- Filipe Maia
-
“John Wesley and the Political Economy of Enclosure,” Methodist Review 17 (2025): 29–56.
-
- James McCarty
- Presentation: Interfaith Harmony Week Speaker: “How We Heal: Lessons in Organizing for Justice Across Difference,” Keynote Lecture, Center for Interfaith Dialogue, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, February 3, 2025.
- Presentation: Respondent, “Living in Accord with Human Dignity: Weaving Restorative Justice and Active Nonviolence During Large-scale Violent Conflict,” Chicago, IL, Society of Christian Ethics, January 2025.
- Steven Sandage, et al
-
Sandage, S.J., Stein, L.B., & Vanderbeck, J. (2025). Burnout among spiritual leaders and mental health professionals: A relational spirituality model of care. Journal of Spirituality in Mental Health. DOI: 10.1080/19349637.2025.2461452
-
- emilie m. townes
-
Presentation: The Second Annual James H. Cone and Emilie M. Townes Annual Lecture at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary delivered by Reverend Dr. Walter Earl Fluker, “Congregating, Conjuring and Conspiring at Crossings: James H. Cone, Emilie M. Townes, and the call to Wake Up Running”, February 13, 2025.
-
Presentation: "Shadowboxing the Ridiculous," University of Pennsylvania, The American Academy of Religion American Lectures in the History of Religion, Philadelphia, PA, February 19, 2025.
- Presentation: "Colored Orneriness as Critical Companion to US Democracy," Temple University, The American Academy of Religion American Lectures in the History of Religion, February 20, 2025.
- Presentation: "Premeditated Indifference: Facing (In)Justice with the Power of Hope," Palmer Theological Seminary, The American Academy of Religion American Lectures in the History of Religion, February 21, 2025.
-
- Claire Wolfteich
-
“Sabbath, Contemplative Time, and Liturgical Listening,” Journal of Moral Theology, vol. 13, Special Issue 2 (2024): 206-216.
-
Minister of Children & Families, Full/Part-Time, UCC: Falmouth, ME
A vibrant, progressive, and Christ centered Church seeks an enthusiastic person to direct and coordinate our Faith Formation program for children and families. The Minister of Children and Families position is an approximate 30-40 hour a week position with flexible hours and working location during the week (in person Sunday mornings!) and an option for reduced summer hours. The compensation for this position is $50,000 total package.
About Us:
The Falmouth Congregational Church, UCC, is a dedicated, open minded, welcoming, and growing Christian community that embraces both the traditional and the new. We are located in the seaside town of Falmouth, Maine, a growing suburb fifteen minutes from the city of Portland. In the last five years our church has welcomed a new minister and several new staff members, learned how to worship and gather in a variety of innovative ways and seen substantial growth in our children and family ministries. We seek someone to continue to expand our programing for young families while integrating the program into the wider life of the church.
Our congregation has an open heart for children and youth; we host one of the largest Easter egg hunts in the state each year, sponsor a large and active Boy Scout troop, and have a variety of events and programming for all ages. Once a month we host an intergenerational worship service integrating our church school children into worship and worship leadership such that our entire congregation learns, worships, and takes Holy Communion as one.
The majority of our staff are parents of young children. Our Pastor is a former preschool teacher and the mom of two under five. Therefore, we deeply understand the importance and challenge of this children and youth centered ministry.
This year the church has undertaken a substantial renovation of the Kids Church’ classrooms with new flooring, large windows, additional bathrooms and a stair lift.
Job Description:
As the Minister of Children & Families you would be responsible for the overall direction and coordination of our Faith Formation program for children and families in consultation with the Pastor. You would select and shape the curriculum for our church school, support our youth confirmands, lead youth centered events, and oversee church school volunteers and nursery staff. On most Sundays you will be the lead teacher in the Sunday School classroom(s). Depending on your interests and gifts you can determine whether you will occasionally empower others to teach Sunday school so that you can provide worship leadership. Pastor Amelia is also willing and interested in doing “ministry swaps” in order to give more opportunities for you to fill the pulpit. If of interest to you, your work in this position could potentially lead to a future associate pastor position.
You would work to keep our parents/caretakers aware of the program’s teachings so that they can support them at home. While this role would be focused on youth and families, we are committed to integrating our community across the generations. To this end you would participate in multigenerational Sunday worship services and could expect to be involved in worship leadership, including preaching up to once/ month if you so choose. You would also initiate creative ways for children and youth to participate and lead worship. This position includes the joy of creating and leading programs that support families with young children.
You would represent our congregation at community events and invite new families to come to our church through community presence, planning and implementing outreach events, and providing related publicity. You would continue to implement and oversee best practices and policies for the mutual safety and care of all participants, including Safe-Church (Abuse Prevention) policy. You would identify and coordinate volunteers to lead and support programs where needed and support them with training and preparation. You would work with the Pastor and Office staff to publicize Faith Formation/ Church School events and resources to the congregation by such means as emails, newsletters, and social media. As a fully engaged and highly valued member of the staff, you would attend weekly staff meetings and have regular in person meetings with the Pastor and other staff.
Preferred Qualifications:
● Experience with children in classroom settings, such as traditional academic settings, church programs, summer camp, or similar settings
● Familiarity with basic tenets and traditions of Christian faith and a curiosity and love for expansive theology
● Commitment to teaching the Gospel in a way that transmits God’s love for all and joy at the world (eg this should be meaningful and fun!)
● Comfortable leading open and developmentally appropriate conversations with compassion across differences and diversity
● First AID & CPR certified by the beginning of the church school year
● Position is a mandated reporter under Maine state law and must pass state and federal background check
Time Commitment: Approx. 25-30 hours, flexible schedule, opportunities to work remotely during the week.
To apply, please contact the Search Committee electronically, C/O officemanager@falmouthcongregationalchurch.org attaching a resume, cover letter, and two references. Must pass a background check.
Falmouth Congregational Church is an Open & Affirming United Church of Christ. We welcome both congregants and staff of all backgrounds, races, genders, national origins, and sexual orientation. To learn more about the church, its mission and our work in the community, please visit our website at www.falmouthcongregationalchurch.org.
Associate Pastor of Community Life, Full-Time, TFAM: Ann Arbor, MI
We are a thriving, LGBTQ-affirming, non-denominational church that was planted over a decade ago in Ann Arbor, MI. Weekly attendance is about 150, including approximately 40 kids between preschool and fifth grade. We share a building with an Episcopal Church and a Reform Jewish Synagogue and have an additional 30-55 computers that join us live on Sunday mornings via Zoom; we’ve integrated the online and in-person congregations and host an annual “Zoomie weekend” where online congregants meet in Ann Arbor to worship with the local church. We are excited to find an associate pastor who can help tend the life of this growing community.
Associate Pastor of Community Life Job Description:
- preach every 4-6 weeks
- input on big picture sermon series and spirituality shaping
- oversee newcomer welcome system—including tracking, meeting with, and tending new attendees
- help with planning and administration of church wide events
- oversee youth group (recruit, train, tend teachers; event planning; curriculum, pastoral care)
- teach or oversee two 3-6 week classes per year
- pastoral care
- weddings and funerals, when needed
- hospital visits, when needed
- attend staff meetings
- attend and help administrate Sunday services (including managing the setup team)
- assist with baptisms (planning, certificates, etc.)
- some volunteer coordination work
- liaison with online-only congregants
- some administrative work
- serve as backup when lead pastor is out
Pay: $52,000-$54,600 annual (housing allowance available)
Benefits Stipends: The church adds 12% of your base salary to your paycheck to help offset insurance needs.
Paid Time Off: The position includes 22 days of paid time off.
Church: Blue Ocean Church Ann Arbor
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Website: a2blue.org
Denomination: TFAM (The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries)
Director of Children, Youth & Family Ministries, Full-Time, UMC: Steamboat Springs, CO
Position Description:
The Heart of Steamboat United Methodist Church of Steamboat Springs, CO (“Heart of Steamboat”) is seeking a full-time (40 hours/week) Director of Children, Youth & Family Ministries. This person will lead a team of volunteers, as well as paid nursery workers, to promote and nurture the faith formation in our children and youth (birth - 12th Grade) and their families.
Duties:
The Director of Children, Youth & Family Ministries will lead the way in creating and sustaining a place where…
• Children and youth experience the love of God
• The learning environment is safe, inviting, and effective
• Parents are provided with guidance on how they can be involved in and reinforce the lessons and activities their children experience
• Volunteers are recruited, trained, and celebrated
• The congregation is informed and engaged in our common ministry with children and youth
• People collaborate and work as partners in the ministry of the whole church
Responsibilities:
In the administration of the above duties, the Director of Children Youth & Family Ministries can expect to…
• Administer and supervise core programs and events (Sunday School, VBS, etc.)
• Evaluate, determine and augment curriculum and resources as necessary
• Recruit, train, and lead team of nursery care workers and volunteers in our ministries with children, youth and families
• Create and administer necessary budgets, supplies, and resources
• Serve as the liaison connecting families with church resources, programs, and support
• Communicate the work of the children, youth and family ministries throughout the congregation and community
• Participate in staff meetings, seasonal planning meetings, and Sunday worship; and work collegially for the spiritual health of the entire congregation
• Lead the Children & Youth Committee to vision, design, and support ministry
• Oversee and coordinate the seasonal planning for children, youth and family ministry events and programming; coordinate special events and intergenerational all-church events
• Conduct and implement Safe Sanctuaries training with all teachers, leaders, care providers, and volunteers
Qualifications:
The person we are looking to hire for this position will…
• Have a vibrant and growing commitment to Jesus Christ and an ability to communicate that faith effectively to others
• Exhibit a passion for ministry with children and families, and the role the congregation can play in the development of both
• Have a Bachelor’s degree
• Have two or more years (preferred) of experience in leadership role in Children and Youth and/or Family Ministries
• Be knowledgeable and supportive of the United Methodist Church and its theological tradition and polity
• Have an inclusive theology, and be welcoming of all family types
• Exhibit strong organizational, management, and leadership skills
• Communicate effectively with individuals as well as with large groups of all ages
• Work well with and in teams
• Demonstrate familiarity with social media platforms to enhance ministry
• Thrive in the ever-changing needs and environment of a vibrant congregation
This position reports to the Lead Pastor
Full-time, exempt
Salary: $65,000 - $75,000 (depending on experience)
Start Date: August 1, 2025
Contact: HR@heartofsteamboat.com
Professor Emeritus Walter E. Fluker (’88) announces Digital Version of The Papers of Howard Washington Thurman
Martin Luther King, Jr. Professor Emeritus of Ethical Leadership Walter E. Fluker ('88) is pleased to announce the digital version of The Papers of Howard Washington Thurman, a comprehensive five-volume documentary edition, is now live and freely accessible to the public. This significant milestone has been made possible by the collaborative efforts of The Howard Thurman Papers Project (HTPP) at BUSTH, the Center for Digital Editing at the University of Virginia, and an extensive team of editors, researchers, advisors, and generous funding institutions. This invaluable resource is available to the BUSTH community and beyond, and is accessible at https://thurmanpapersproject.org/.
Founded in 1992, the Howard Thurman Papers Project is dedicated to preserving and promoting the extraordinary legacy of Howard Thurman, whose works span over six decades. With a collection of around 58,000 items—ranging from correspondence and sermons to unpublished writings and speeches—the project has made Thurman’s vast contributions more accessible to scholars and the public.
"The idea of a digital edition of the printed volumes began in the spring of 2016 when I served as MLK Professor from 2010 to 2020," says Prof. Emeritus Fluker. "In fact, it was through the Boston University Center for the Humanities that we received our initial grant for the digitization of the five-volume edition in 2017."
Fluker adds that "[n]one of this would have been possible without the generous financial and material support from the following contributors: Boston University School of Theology, the Boston University Center for the Humanities, the Howard Gotlieb Archival and Research Center, the Lilly Endowment Inc., the Louisville Institute, the Henry Luce Foundation, the Pew Charitable Trusts, the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and a timely gift from the family of Virginia Scardigli, a close associate of Howard Thurman and former secretary of the Fellowship Church."
BUSTH Associate Dean Bryan Stone to lead SMU Perkins School of Theology as new Dean
The following is an excerpt from the article “SMU Names New Dean of Perkins School of Theology,” published on February 6, 2025 by SMU Perkins School of Theology and featuring Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Bryan Stone. We wish Dean Stone well in this next chapter!
Bryan P. Stone, an innovative educator, researcher and bridge-builder, is the new Leighton K. Farrell Dean of SMU’s Perkins School of Theology. He joins SMU from the Boston University School of Theology where he is associate dean for academic affairs and the E. Stanley Jones Professor of Evangelism. A 1992 SMU Ph.D. graduate in Religious Studies, Stone is returning to SMU to lead his alma mater June 1.
A Reflection on Black History Month
I remember the walls of my third-grade classroom in Durham, North Carolina. It was 1963 and I was one year away from discovering that White folks lived in Durham—that was how strict the color line was in even this more liberal area of North Carolina. My teacher, Mrs. Carter and lined the upper part of the classroom walls with Black exemplars—Frederick Douglass, W.E.B. Du Bois, Mary McLeod Bethune, Ida B. Wells, Martin Luther King, Jr., Jesse Owens, Charles Drew. From their high perch near the ceiling, it felt like they were watching over us as we learned. Rather than being imposing, I felt like they were angels watching over me and my classmates, encouraging us on in our studies and applauding us for our successes while casting a side-eye at our misbehaviors. They were both comfort and standard bearers for us. Folks we should both respect and seek to emulate. This was, as I look back now, my teacher’s response to all the negative and vile images we saw about folks who looked like me on the southern news. This was also the age of Jesse Helms who was an executive at WRAL-TV who did nightly editorials about the northern Negroes (his pronunciation was more akin to niggras) and communists trying to stir up the happy lives of the good colored people of North Carolina who were just fine with color lines, inability to vote, unequal educational systems, third tier health care, and living segregated lives.
The amazing promise of living in a country that declares, “We the people,” must be our moral guide as we take up the challenge of a democracy that calls us to our better selves.
These memories come back to me in 2025 as I read about all the ways the federal government is either ignoring Black History Month or outright seeking to cancel it because it represents a threat to the tranquility of those who either cannot or do not believe in recognizing the rich diversity that makes up the cultures of the United States. Yes, plural cultures, not a singular one. And it is not just reading these things that gives me pause, it is feeling deeply that a call to right-sizing the US narrative means erasing the history and lives of those who have stood firm in saying that our lives matter—black, brown, beige, the poor, women—all the ways that we show up in creation as signs of the expansiveness of God’s creation. Now is the time that we must take our places as the exemplars did in my third-grade classroom. However, we are now doing so in our larger society, and we must stand firm in the belief that narrow constricting views of what it looks like to be an American, to be patriotic, to love our country is not what we should embrace this month or any month. The amazing promise of living in a country that declares, “We the people,” must be our moral guide as we take up the challenge of a democracy that calls us to our better selves.
– emilie m. townes, Martin Luther King, Jr. Professor of Religion and Black Studies