PTS Board Meeting

Today was the final day of festivities for the Board of Directors @ Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, and my first meeting with the board.

While much of the board’s work is approving the recommendations of the administrators, these two days gave me a chance to see the work of the board first hand and to see PTS from a whole different side.  I have to say that while I was excited about the future of my alma mater prior to the board meeting  my excitement grew steadily throughout the meeting, and much of it has to do with the leadership of our new president Bill Carl.

Last year when Bill began his term I was skeptical (to be honest) because I couldn’t really get a sense of where Bill was leading the seminary and what his agenda was.  It seemed to me that at first he was trying to make friends with everyone (which I couldn’t blame him, that’s what you need to do).  On Tuesday night Bill presented his vision and I have to say I was impressed.  Like most vision-related stuff I would nuance some words here and there, but Bill seems content to lead Pittsburgh Seminary in a natural and Spirit-led direction toward a model of seminary education that is “missional” in nature.  One might say that Bill is looking to guide Pittsburgh toward being a “missional seminary”.

There are of course challenges and issues ahead, but I think good things are going to happen at PTS.

My First Vacation Day!

Today is my first official day of vacation since I started @ HPC on July 1st. How am I spending such a day? At the board of directors meeting of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary for my first of six board meetings across my three year term.

Another church is thinking different in Pittsburgh…

Great article this morning about another church in Pittsburgh that is “thinking different” in their approach to ministry http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06256/721297-51.stm

Another common link – this one also involves a Pittsburgh Seminary graduate

Semi-major announcement…

… Renee will be starting seminary (part-time in the fall) @ PTS.

David Bailey in Concert @ PTS

David M. Bailey, Singer/Songwriter will be in concert at Pittsubrgh Theological Seminary on July 14th @ 7pm.  I’ve seen David in concert twice and any show with him is well worth it.  This one is especially so because it’s free.  For more info on the show go here.  For more info on David go here.

Done

Done.

That’s right, done.

Today I handed in my last two assignments for m seminary career. I have one more paper that I need to turn in on Monday to a professor, but that is sitting on my computer awaiting the print button. For the next week and a half I can relax and enjoy myself as my time in seminary wraps up. It is literally hard to believe that I am finally finished with my work here. At the same time I can getting more and more excited about what’s coming next.

This weekend is also my last weekend at Northmont UPC. I’ve been a part of the Northmont community for about three years. I started there as a volunteer my first year of seminary and have served on the staff for the past two years. There are some incredible people there who have helped me along the way and given taught me things that I will never forget. There is also a incredible groups of kids whose lives I had the privilege of being apart of for the past three years and who I will miss dearly.

But, times-are-a-changing and new challenges and opportunities are coming. I graduate on May 25th, then Renee and I get married on June 3rd. We close on our town house on the 15th, take our honeymoon from June 21st – 25th. Then my first Sunday at Hampton is July 2nd and I’m being formally introduced on July 9th. Then Renee and I are off to Tennessee as part of Hampton’s Senior High Mission Trip. It will be a whirlwind two months, but an exciting two months.

PTS Board

At its annual meeting yesterday, the Board of Directors of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary elected yours truly to be the Senior Class representative to the board for the next three years.