Alumni News
Rev. Dr. Robert R. Washer (STH ’48)
This obituary was originally published the Dignity Memorial and can be found here.
Robert “Bob” Ralph Washer was born May 31, 1924 to Margaret Alplanap and Ralph Thomas Washer in Scranton, PA. As a young man, he was active in sports and obtained the rank of Eagle Scout. After graduating from Scranton Central High in 1942, he received a scholarship to Duke University where he graduated with a degree in Sociology in 1945. Before entering Boston University School of Theology, he attended a summer program at the University of Oslo. While in Europe, he visited Zermatt, Switzerland where he climbed the Matterhorn.
After graduating from Theological Seminary, he became an associate pastor for the First Methodist Church in Long Beach. Later, he moved to serve as minister for the First Methodist Church in Garden Grove until 1968. In 1953, while visiting Yellowstone Park, he met Dawn O’Brien. Dawn was studying to be a teacher at Baylor University. Bob, entranced by this lovely, smart young woman, took it upon himself to make sure she got a teaching job near him in California. The couple married in 1954, and eventually had four sons: David, Drew, Greg and John. Bob had many inspiring moments in his life. In 1966 he oversaw the completion of building the beautiful Garden Grove United Methodist church, which still has one of the largest pipe organs in California. Because of his strong convictions, he answered the call of Martin Luther King, Jr. and traveled to Selma to join the Freedom March.
Balancing their commitment to service and to their family, Bob and Dawn, who were adventurers at heart, took a three-month trip around the world. Bob and two other ministers were invited to spend a week with Albert Schweitzer at his hospital in Lambarene, Gabon.
Upon their return, Bob helped establish an endowment at Chapman University which has helped hundreds of students over the years. For his efforts, Bob received an Honorary Doctoral Degree from Chapman. After serving the Church for 20 years, Bob decided to spend more time with his family. He and Dawn chose Corona del Mar as their new home and moved in 1968. Later Bob bought a motel, expanded the property, and created the Sandpiper Motel in Costa Mesa. Bob was an avid tennis player and was a member at the Balboa Bay Club for many years.
He continued to serve the community and was proud of his work with such organizations as the Newport Harbor Exchange Club and their support of The Prevention of Child Abuse Services. Bob and Dawn continued their love of traveling and he later took up lawn bowling. Bob was an enthusiastic and committed gardener and had a reputation for growing the best tomatoes! Bob died peacefully at home with family present on January 8, 2022. He was preceded in death by his granddaughter, Phoebe, and his loving wife of 65 years, Dawn. He is survived by his four cherished sons, six grandchildren, and two great-grandsons.
Captain Robert W. Hodges, USN (STH’61)
Captain Robert W. Hodges, USN (STH'61) passed away on 9/22/2012.
Senior Pastor, Full-Time, Baptist: Washington DC
Riverside Baptist Church, located in the Southwest community of Washington DC, is seeking a full-time Senior Pastor to lead a multi-generational congregation of 60-100 active members. We are seeking an experienced Pastor who is equipped to effectively lead our church to function as a New Testament church as understood through historic Baptist principles, such as autonomy of the local church, the priesthood of believers and soul freedom. Applicants are asked to forward a cover letter and resume to PastorSearch@riversidedc.org. no later than Monday, February 28, 2022.
Rev. Robert K. Buckwalter (STH ’63)
Robert K. Buckwalter, 86, passed away on January 15, 2022 at Piper Shores Retirement Community. He was born in Leola, PA on August 8, 1935, the son of Paul and Daisy Buckwalter.
Robert received his B.A. degree from Dickinson College in 1960 and his theology degree from Boston University in 1963. He was also awarded a graduate theology degree from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, CA, when he was the pastor of the Japanese American Ethnic Church in Alameda, CA. He served as pastor of Congregational Churches in North Adams, Belmont, and Williamstown, MA and finished his career as Chaplain of Williams College, retiring in 2000.
While at Dickinson College, Bob met the love of his life, Kristin, who died on February 15, 2020. They were happily married for 60 years and raised three daughters. Kris and Bob spent most of their married life in the Berkshires of Massachusetts.
Robert was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He was enlivened by the varied interests and talents of his family and was open-minded about their life choices. When he turned 80, his grandchildren gave him an award for being a truly progressive octogenarian.
In his ministry, Robert advocated passionately for civil rights, human rights, and equality. He was civically engaged and sought to create strong and thoughtful communities.
Bob had a quick wit, broad knowledge from daily newspaper perusal, and an appetite for good conversation and debate. Everyone who knew Bob appreciated his warmth, laughter, and generosity. He appreciated beauty in visual art, music, books, landscapes, gardens, rocky shores, and a good meal. He was creative and meticulous - always fixing, building, and designing things wherever he lived. Bob was a lover of Boston sports, especially the Red Sox, although his all-time favorite player was Stan Musial, the icon of the St. Louis Cardinals and the reason Bob's grandchildren knew him as "Stan."
For more than 25 years, Bob and Kris enjoyed family vacations on the Maine coast, which influenced their decision to retire to Piper Shores in 2010.
Robert is survived by his daughters, Deborah Booth and her husband Richard from Hudson, MA, Elizabeth Buckwalter and her husband Andrew Greenberg from Cazenovia, NY, and Sarah Madden and her husband William from Huntington, MA; six grandchildren, Rachel (Booth) Webb and her husband, Jim, Hannah Greenberg, Luke Madden, Emily Booth, Leah Greenberg, and Patric Madden; and one great-grandson, Oliver Webb.
Robert's family is grateful to the many wonderful friends and neighbors Bob and Kris had throughout their married life including their time at Piper Shores. Also, they want to thank the staff at Piper Shores, the Wellness Center of Piper Shores, and Hospice of Southern Maine for their compassionate care and support.
Due to COVID restrictions, the family will have a celebration of Robert's life at a later date.
Online condolence messages can be submitted at the Chad E. Poitras Cremation and Funeral Service website, www.mainefuneral.com
Rev. Joe E. Casto (STH ’59)
This obituary was originally published by the Dayton Daily News on Jan 23, 2022 and can be found here.
CASTO, Joe Edward, 87, passed away peacefully Thursday, January 20, 2022, at Laurelwood Assisted Living in Dayton, Ohio. He was born in Nitro, West Virginia. He married Mary Frances Ferrell and they had 3 children: Susan, Jeff and Lisa. They also adopted a son named Paul. Joe received a Psychology degree at West Virginia University. He then attended seminary at the Boston University School of Theology and became ordained in the United Methodist Church. He pastored churches in Bellbrook, Columbus, Cincinnati, and Dayton, Ohio. He was the pastor of St. Paul United Methodist Church on Huffman Avenue in Dayton and was an interim pastor for David's Church in Kettering before retiring. He worked for Planned Parenthood and Wright State University in the years following retirement. Joe was an avid bicyclist. In 1993 at age 59, he rode solo across the United States from Oregon to Virginia. He also loved to dance especially ballroom and salsa. Joe's motto in life was "I hope you dance". Joe is preceded in death by his parents, Nancy Margaret Casto and Mott Casto, his brothers Wayne Casto and Kenneth Casto and by his son, Paul. He is survived by his sister, Margaret June Higginbotham, his ex-wife, Mary Fogle, his children Susan Baker and her husband Evan, Jeff Casto and Lisa Kriewall and her husband Mark, his grandsons Jeremy Purnhagen and Avery Howell and two great-grandchildren Bentley Bell and Trilby Purnhagen. Joe's family wishes to thank the staff at Laurelwood Assisted Living, particularly the Third Floor staff, for their kind care during his time living there. On Saturday, January 29, 2022, there will be a visitation at noon and a memorial service at 1:00pm at Tobias Funeral Home on Far Hills Avenue in Kettering, Ohio. In lieu of flowers, you may donate to the Alzheimer's Association of Dayton, Ohio. Alz.org/dayton.
Music Minister, Part-Time, Episcopal: Natick, MA
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Natick, MA is seeking a Music Minister to join our spirit-filled and inclusive faith community. Our mission statement, “Welcome in love, worship with joy, grow in faith, work for justice, seek and serve Christ in all persons” speaks to our call to honor all people locally, nationally and globally. We celebrate and support all in their spiritual journey through our many ministries. The Music Ministry at St. Paul’s plays an important role in our worship services and in creating a sacred space to honor and praise God through music and song.
Our ideal candidate for Music Minister:
Loves God, music, and church, and joyfully offers their gift of music alongside our faith community.
Enjoys collaborating and working with church staff, lay leadership and volunteers.
Engages our congregation in connecting, worshiping, and praying through music - whether from the pews or in a choir.
Is energized and equipped to join us in creatively reinvigorating our music program within the realities of a church impacted by the global pandemic.
Uses their knowledge and experience to plan music to complement the liturgy of the weekly service while incorporating a broad variety of musical genres from traditional to praise, and Taize to gospel.
Skillfully plays piano and organ, and adeptly leads well-planned rehearsals with children’s and adult choirs using their in-depth knowledge of the voice to guide choristers.
Is able to use or learn the available technology (i.e. Zoom, GarageBand, etc.) to optimize the possibilities of a hybrid church and subsequently a hybrid music ministry.
Qualifications
Minimum of two years choral directing experience required. Additional experience preferred.
Proficiency in both organ and piano.
Experience and interest in leading spiritual and religious music in a variety of genres.
We encourage our candidates to join us for worship to learn more about the St. Paul’s community by visiting our YouTube channel.
We offer:
A flexible 15-hour a week position
Access to the church, organ, and pianos for practice
Compensation commensurate with experience
A collaborative work environment
A supportive and involved parish
To apply:
Send cover letter and resume to MusicMinisterSearch@stpaulsnatick.org by February 22, 2022.
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, or any other demographic category.
Per Diem Chaplain, BIDMC: Boston, MA
Join a dynamic spiritual care and education department as a per diem chaplain 1 night per week and 1 weekend per month. Additional hours may be available as needs change within the organization. Interfaith model-responding to the spiritual care needs of patients, families and staff
A chaplain provides non-judgmental spiritual care to BIDMC patients, families, and staff regardless of faith tradition. Chaplains are responsible for: spiritual assessment, timely documentation in the online medical record, communication with other members of the care team, on-call coverage, and occasionally presiding at community events at the medical center. Must have energy for teamwork and outreach.
Chaplain, Part-Time, Chaplains on the Way: Waltham, MA
Chaplains on the Way (COTW) is a small interfaith nonprofit, based in Waltham, Massachusetts, which works with and for people experiencing housing deprivation. Our primary function is to serve as chaplains to people who are unhoused: we build trusting relationships, offer spiritual companionship and accompaniment, and support community. We also run a breakfast program and help to facilitate meetings of the Waltham Community Leadership Group (WCLG), a grassroots collective, founded by COTW in 2018, which is led by people without homes.
Chaplains on the Way is an equal opportunity employer. We value every kind of diversity, including diversity of racial, gender, and sexual identity, lived experience, faith tradition, and belief.
All Chaplains on the Way staff are currently paid $25 per hour or the equivalent in annual salary.
Position Summary:
The chaplain will join the current chaplain and Executive Director, Jill Gaulding, in carrying out COTW’s mission. We are seeking an experienced chaplain with a passion for the intersection of chaplaincy and social justice. Experience with non-profit organization work will be a plus. This position will be part time, 16 - 24 hours per week, depending on the candidate and fit.
Chaplaincy: Roughly 12 hours per week is spent in chaplaincy, generally two or three days a week, 4 - 6 hours per day. This involves four parts:
- Offering individual chaplaincy at sites around Waltham, including outdoors, inside the Community Day Center, and inside our breakfast program space; plus occasional work supporting community members in settings such as hospice.
- Helping to lead group practices, including meetings of the WCLG, weekly interfaith services, and memorials.
- Supporting community members with ad-hoc meetings, phone calls, or text messages.
- Providing occasional accompaniment to medical appointments, court dates, and the like.
Non-profit organization work: Depending on the skills and experiences of the applicant, somewhere between 4 - 8 hours per week would be spent on administrative, fundraising, or other organizational work. This could include social media, newsletters, grant writing, etc. The exact shape that this part takes will depend on specific fit between the experiences of the applicant and the needs of COTW; job title may vary accordingly.
Required Skills and Experience:
Chaplaincy related:
MDiv or equivalent (in progress or completed)
At least one unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)
Experience working with several of the following:
- People and communities experiencing poverty
- Homelessness or housing instability
- Incarceration / re-entry
- Mental health
- Substance use disorders
- Trauma-informed care
- De-escalation
- Restorative Justice
- Political organizing
- Group facilitation
- Mediation and conflict resolution
Non-profit experience:
Ideally, at least two years of experience with some aspect of non-profit work, such as fundraising, grant writing, development work, social media communications, etc.
Excellent written and oral communication skills
How to Apply
The application process is rolling and start date is negotiable. If interested, please send a cover letter and CV to Jill Gaulding at jill@chaplainsontheway.org
Campus Minister/Director, Full-Time, UMC: Glen Allen, VA
The Virginia Conference Learning Ministries Office in partnership with the Board of Higher Education and Campus Ministry announces the job opening for the University of Virginia Wesley Foundation Campus Minister/Director. A successful candidate for this position will be a creative and visionary leader who provides pastoral and relational care, relates well to students, and crafts a nurturing and welcoming environment for all whom they encounter. Resumes are being accepted now and will continue to be accepted until February 28, 2022. Submit your application with cover letter, resume, and three references to Rev. Nickie Moreno Howard, Associate Director of Learning Ministries at learning@vaumc.org. Learn more at www.vaumc.org.
Pastor, Full-Time, UCC: Yorkville IL
Full-time settled pastor
Yorkville Congregational United Church of Christ
409 Center Parkway
Yorkville IL 60560
Yorkville Congregational United Church of Christ, located in a fast growing suburban area about 50 miles west of Chicago, is looking for a full-time settled pastor. While we cherish our 188 year history, we are open to new opportunities in worship and in service to the community. As an Open and Affirming church, we warmly welcome all.
Our active congregation values our worship services and music ministry; service to people in times of hardship; spiritual nurturing of children and adults; identifying and responding to local, national and worldwide needs; our time of fellowship; acting as good stewards of the environment; direct and open communication; the Bible as Holy Scripture and a guide for life's journey; and our local church autonomy.
Missions which our church and its members support include the community food pantry, area homeless shelters, programs to assist refugees, local non-profit agencies, and environmental projects.
We are seeking a pastor who is:
- Engaging
-Welcomes all church members and guests.
-Develops worship services and classes that show how Christ’s teaching remains relevant in our lives today.
-Demonstrates good communication skills. - Energizing
-Inspires members to grow their faith, serve God to the fullest, recognize needs in the church and community, and develop new ministries where needed.
-Works with the full-time Christian Education Director in creating programs to grow the knowledge and faith of youth and adults. - Empathetic
-Provides counseling, comfort and pastoral visits to those who are sick, grieving or homebound.
Duties will include preparation and leadership of Sunday worship services and special worship programs; development of Bible study and classes; pastoral care and counseling in collaboration with lay people; participation in community outreach activities; participation in strategic planning and vision planning; attendance at lay leadership meetings; administrative oversight and staff supervision.
The time commitment will be 40 to 50 hours weekly.
Qualifications:
Master of Divinity degree and some ministerial experience. The ability to work with lay leaders and church members of all ages.
Primary skills include a commitment to lifelong spiritual development, the ability to do leadership development, recognition of social justice needs, encouragement of mission and outreach work of the church, and communication.
Benefits:
Our church pays a salary, housing allowance and pension contributions in accordance with United Church of Christ guidelines.
Contact info:
Search Committee Chair Deanna Bazan
search@yorkvilleucc.org
630-803-0514
Local church profile sent at candidate request.