This obituary was originally posted by Harrell Funeral Home and can be foundhere.
Reverend Joyce Marie (Nunn) Whetstone, 79, of St. Kolbe Drive, Holyoke, MA, departed this life on Monday, June 6, 2022, at East Longmeadow Skilled Nursing Home in East Longmeadow, MA. Born in Birmingham, AL, she was a daughter of Willie Nunn Sr. and Ziphia (Hall) Nunn.
Reverend Whetstone had been active as a United Methodist minister in the New England area for over thirty years, serving as Pastor or Interim Pastor at Wesley United Methodist Church in Springfield, MA, Arlington Heights United Methodist Church in Arlington, MA, Hatian Community United Methodist Church in Mattapan, MA, St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in New Bedford, MA, Burnside (New Covenant) United Methodist Church in East Hartford, CT, Greenwood United Methodist Church in Dorchester, MA, and most recently, Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church in East Hartford, CT. She was a member of the Pastors Council of Greater Springfield and the Black Pastors Council of the United Methodist Church and was the 2007 recipient of the Wilbur C. Ziegler Award. She also traveled extensively, to Haiti, Africa, Jerusalem, Germany, London, and France.
Pre-deceased by her parents, and brother Emmitt, Reverend Whetstone is survived by three children, Silesia Dana (Whetstone) McKenzie and Keith Brian Whetstone, both of Springfield and Kevin James Whetstone of Haverill, MA; two brothers, Willie Otis Nunn Jr. and Ronnie Ray Nunn, both of Atlanta, GA; a sister, Celestine Lucille Lyles of Springfield; eight grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends.
The process was at times arduous and refining for an academician whose scholarship centers on how and why humans, as individuals and in groups, make meaning through religion and spirituality and whose work frequently commingles with computational social science and the ethics of new and emerging technologies. (His undergraduate degrees are in mathematics, physics, and computer science.) Last academic year, Wildman’s Data, Society & Ethics class at CDSworked onwriting an ethical blueprint for the academic use of artificial intelligence chatbotssuch as ChatGPT.
In his debut novel, Wildman tackles the problem of suffering through the lens of a fictional family that is enduring a traumatic event. He sat down to write it nine years ago while on sabbatical, with the hope of reaching a wider audience than he does with his headier nonfiction volumes.
First Church Amherst--a forward-thinking, justice-seeking, longtime open and affirming,
anti-racism, and Earth covenant congregation-- is looking for an energetic, creative,
faith-filled person to help us renew and rebuild our ministries for youth, families, children
and college students.
This position comes with flexibility, health insurance premium support, and an amazing support team of dedicated church members.
Part-time, 20 hours/week
Salary: $22,000 to $24,000 depending on experience
Flexible schedule outside of Sunday mornings and a weekday staff meeting
This position is now vacant. The search committee will screen and interview candidates until the position is filled; then this ad will be taken down.
To apply, submit a cover letter, a résumé, and the names and contact details of three referees. (The search committee will not contact your referees without your permission.) Send your application materials by email to firstchurch_amherst@comcast.net. Please put “Search Committee: YFMT Director” in the subject line.
Vision/Mission of the Minister to Children and Youth Community Church of Providence (American Baptist Churches, USA) is a diverse and inclusive congregation in Providence, RI. Our vision for this position is to provide a foundational and enriching environment for our children and youth, enabling them to experience Christ’s love, grow in their Christian faith and discipleship, and discover opportunities for Christian service within the church and in the broader community.
Description of Position The Minister to Children and Youth will be responsible for: Organizing and conducting weekly Sunday Children’s ministry activities for children and youth ages 4-18 (e.g., Children’s Sermon, Sunday School) Planning periodic activities for children, youth, and their families as desired by the congregation, including opportunities to fellowship, explore the community/nature, lead in worship, and give back in service Planning a weeklong summer program for children and youth and facilitating their participation in annual summer camping opportunities Leading occasional retreats for youth and/or families, as well as partnering with the Pastor to coordinate intergenerational service trips The Minister to Children and Youth is expected to: Maintain regular communication with parents and families and the congregation, publicizing events in a timely manner Engage in regular outreach and publicity to the broader community Communicate with other church ministries and committees in order to facilitate collaboration Provide content to the Church Office Administrator for the church website, Facebook page, and Sunday bulletin Ensure background screening for all adult volunteers with children and youth Set-up and maintain attractive spaces and classrooms for Christian Education Facilitate fundraising opportunities for children and youth in advance of retreats, camping, and service trips Adapt all programs and ministries as needed in coordination with the Pastor and the needs of the congregation
Schedule, Supervision, and Review This is a part-time position to include 15-20 hours per week. The Minister to Children and Youth will report to the Pastor and the Staff Relations Committee, participating in twice-monthly staff meetings with the Pastor. The Director will submit weekly hours to the Pastor and participate in a semi-annual review process arranged by the Staff Relations Committee.
Presence at the church is required on Sunday mornings and in-person at youth and children’s ministry events. Other planning and preparation may be completed remotely in consultation with the Pastor.
Compensation $24 per hour Two weeks of unpaid time off are provided with advance notice for providing Sunday morning coverage, with any additional needs for time off to be approved by the Pastor.
To Apply Please send a resume and cover letter to Rev. Sarah Reed Jay at ccop.srj@gmail.com. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.
First Baptist Church in Newton is a welcoming and affirming congregation affiliated with the American Baptist Churches of Massachusetts and the Alliance of Baptists. The Children’s Faith Formation Teacher serves as a Christian role model that guides children in their Christian faith development. The Children’s Faith Formation Teacher teaches a class of multi-age children each Sunday morning as scheduled, in accordance with the mission and vision of the congregation, and the goals, objectives, and policies established by the pastors and church leadership.
Specific Responsibilities and Expectations • Implement designated lesson plans for the children as determined by the Pastor of Faith Formation and the Arts. • Prepare for the session early in the week in order to have time for personal reflection on the scripture focus, ask questions, and acquire the materials needed. • Understand that the children will remember the relationships formed in the classroom far longer than the content presented and experienced, and cultivate an atmosphere of belonging and belovedness. • Arrive by 9:30 in order to allow enough time to set up the classroom, gather supplies, and warmly greet the children as they arrive. Stay until 12:00 to finish the lesson, clean up, and spend time with families during fellowship hour. • Incorporate volunteers for classroom activities. • Adhere to all safe conduct policies established by this congregation’s leadership. • Learn the name of each child as quickly as possible. • Establish and nurture a Christian community of welcome, care, and covenantal cooperation in the classroom. • Oversee regular leadership opportunities for the children in worship, in cooperation with the pastoral staff. • Monitor classroom supplies and materials alert the Pastor of Faith Formation and the Arts to items needed. • Include the children in your prayers. • Share your passion for teaching and your love of God with the children!
Reports to: Pastor of Faith Formation and the Arts and Senior Minister
Work Schedule and Time Requirement: Sunday mornings, September to June each year. 5 hours per week including preparation time and Sunday morning responsibilities.
Skills and Qualifications • High school diploma or equivalent • Experience working with children and youth. • Commitment to the Christian faith • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills • Understanding of the basic Bible stories • Must be available Sunday mornings • Commitment to inclusive and expansive theology
Optional Skills and Experience • Teaching experience • Song-leading • Visual arts • Drama/acting • Storytelling
$20/hour
To apply please send a resume and cover letter to Rev. Daryn Stylianopoulos, Pastor of Faith Formation and the Arts, daryn@fbcnewton.org.
“If you care about systemic oppression, you need to start caring about fat people.”
Anastasia Kidd(STH’04,’18) issues that challenge in her newly published book,Fat Church: Claiming a Gospel of Fat Liberation(Pilgrim Press, 2023). Kidd, a minister in the United Church of Christ and a lecturer and director of contextual education at the BU School of Theology, declares war on popular notions about people who are fat, a word she embraces (and thatBostoniatherefore uses in this interview).
“This grant, awarded [the] second year in a row, will allow me to continue working on my third book,” says Prof. Menéndez-Antuña. “This book seeks to understand the crucial role that enslavement played in the formation of the New Testament Canon. Many students are surprised to learn that enslaved people are ubiquitous in the New Testament, sometimes explicitly present, many times hidden in the text. My goal is to explore to what extent enslavement informed some theological ideas.”
According to the CBA website, their grant program was established in 2020 to “promote Biblical Scholarship by providing financial assistance to CBA Full Members for specific projects that advance this goal.”
The following is an excerpt fromThe Association of Theological School’s Colloquy Onlinearticle “Of peer review, kinship, and the right use of gifts” by Barbara Mutch, featuring Assistant Professor of New Testament Shively T. J. Smith, published Summer 2023.
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For Shively Smith, assistant professor of New Testament and director of the PhD program at Boston University School of Theology, serving as a peer reviewer is an expression of her commitment to the work of theological education and an act that connects her to the larger landscape of theological education across North America. She sees peer review as a “friendmaking process” in which peer reviewers find ways to listen and share across institutional locations and professional experiences to help one another live out their respective missions and values.
When Trading Futures was published, Prof. Maia spoke with head librarian Dr. Amy Limpitlaw about his research and intellectual journey that prompted his interest in this topic.
The Connectional Table (CT) of The United Methodist Church is seeking a Connectional Ministries Intern for 10-15 hours a week for the academic year. The CT is where ministry and money are brought to the same table to coordinate the mission, ministries, and resources of The United Methodist Church. An intern’s responsibilities would be tailored to fit their interests and skills, potentially including:
• Planning, executing, and attending board and committee meetings
• Participation in project management related to evaluation, the budget, advocacy, legislative campaigns with in The UMC, and other projects
• Communications, including writing, content creation, and editing
• Help with the theological grounding of the CT’s work through leading devotions/spiritual practices or writing
• Research
An intern would also have the opportunity to attend United Methodist General Conference in 2024 with the CT staff.
The right candidate would be knowledgeable about United Methodist polity, adaptable, and motivated. We are happy to work with the requirements of an interested student’s academic institution to ensure academic credit is received. The Connectional Ministries Intern would also receive a stipend.
