Heisey and seminary dean offered the commencement addresses in the absence, due to illness, of Fuller Seminary professor Dr. Erin Dufault-Hunter.

The end of late night studies and of commutes to and from Harrisonburg or Lancaster, Heisey said, also marks the beginning of “living with a new intensity the question of what this education is good for?”

Heisey gave several examples of those who “grow into God’s mission in a new time and place…drawn by God into frightening places before them, singing God’s praises…We go forth from here,” she said, “because we have been called to sing that great old and new hallelujah chorus in tunes and rhythms we don’t know among people who may not choose to join us.”

The salutation offered by graduates Sarah Payne and Andrea Yoder summarized the class of 2017 as “a group of Mennonites, of Methodists, and miscellaneous, in some ways, a collection of contradictions … yet an assembly of mature practitioners, discerning communicators, wise interpreters, and transformational leaders. We are fierce followers of Jesus, seekers of the Spirit, children of God.”

View photo albums of and .

The class comprised those in study for three years to some who labored for eight years, each nurtured by faculty, peers, family, friends and church communities.

For Payne, pastor of Sherando United Methodist Church in Stuarts Draft, “the goal of seminary studies was to pursue wholeness, to learn good boundaries, and to learn ‘what is Christian hope,” she says. “The seminary experience has helped me find a measure of wholeness that can deal authentically with my story in the greater narrative of Christ’s life, death and resurrection.”

Yoder, who serves as worship pastoring intern at Eastside Church in Harrisonburg, came to seminary “because I felt called,” she said. “I didn’t know when I began what the end-goal would be.�� My goal in coming to seminary and pursuing a degree was simply obedience to the Holy Spirit.”

The experience, she says, “has been revelatory for me, allowing me to grow more and more fully into who God has created and called me to be. No matter what my vocation becomes after seminary, I will step into it with a far great awareness of who God is, who I am and the role that I’ve been called to play in God’s redeeming work in the world.”

King, giving his last address as seminary dean, offered a complementary address to that of Heisey, sharing the personal stories of two students giving of their gifts amid personal loss and wounds.

“This is why we need seminaries,” he concluded. “This is why we need the graduates, all with their own stories of abiding in Christ, heading into a world at the edge. I fear the future. I also dare hope students like these will raise the rafters of new homes—personal and institutional, academic and spiritual, economic and environmental, denominational and congregational, human and divine—for which in times like these we so yearn.”

Class of 2017

Master of Divinity degrees were conferred to the following graduates:

Dale T. Humphries, Waynesboro, Va.

Phil C. Kanagy, Harrisonburg, Va. (with recognition for excellence in practical theology);

Jacob R. Kave, Harrisonburg, Va.

Carlos H. Madrid, Grottoes, Va.

Julie D. Nitzsche, Stanardsville, Va.

Sarah E. Payne, Staunton, Va.

George F. Ryan, Round Hill, Va. (with recognition for excellence in theological studies);

Stephen K. Wilcox, Harrisonburg, Va. (with recognition for excellence in theological studies);

Andrea K. Yoder, Harrisonburg, Va. (with recognition for excellence in Biblical studies);

A Master of Arts in Religion degree was conferred to Audrey Ann Kanagy, of Lancaster, Pa., with recognition for excellence in historical and pastoral theology.

Certificates in Ministry Leadership were earned by Dwight Groff, Kinzers, Pa.; Hardaye Ramjit, Macedonia, Ohio; and Nancy Sims, Sugar Grove, W.Va.

These changes come with the March 13 retirement announcement of , current vice president and dean of Eastern Mennonite Seminary and the School of Graduate and Professional Studies. King’s tenure, which included oversight of programs offered at the Harrisonburg campus and Lancaster (Pa.) site, will end June 30, 2017.

Dr. , provost, will become interim dean of the seminary. Dr. , associate dean of the School of Graduate and Professional Studies, will move into the school’s interim dean position.

President shared her support for the new appointees. “Fred has an excellent track record in positioning units at 91����Ƶ to thrive, including our Lancaster site. His understanding of the higher education landscape, market forces, and budgetary realities will be a real asset as we discern together leadership direction for our seminary. I’m also pleased that Sue will step into this new leadership role, as she’s provided capable direction for the graduate school as associate dean for nearly a year.”

Dr. Huxman noted that 91����Ƶ’s founding as an institution of Anabaptist education began in 1917 with a “Special Bible Term.”

“These changes symbolize our unique position as we enter our second century,” said Huxman, noting 91����Ƶ’s during 2017-18. “While we are ready to look boldly into the future regarding fruitful and dynamic seminary-university partnership at 91����Ƶ, we want to make sure this envisioning both honors our legacy and includes our valued church constituency before recruiting the seminary’s new leader.”

Dr. will continue in her role as the seminary’s associate dean, which she has held since August 2016. “We are grateful for her continued, able leadership of the day-to-day operations which she already manages so very well,” Huxman said.

91����Ƶ’s graduate programs, which serve more than 400 students, continue to thrive, Huxman said. “The addition of the Doctor of Nursing practice program in January 2018 shows that our extensive and diverse graduate programs are in demand, preparing developing leaders to transform their communities and workplaces.”

Both Huxman and Kniss praised King’s leadership over the past seven years. “We are deeply indebted to Michael’s careful tending to the growth of a vibrant community of scholars at EMS,” Huxman said.

A significant development was the approval of the seminary in 2012 by The United Methodist Church (UMC) to . This partnership with Wesley Theological Seminary earned renewed quadrennial approval in 2014.

King has also supported EMS’s unique new academic offerings. Since 2014, several seminarians have earned dual degrees, opting to meld master’s of divinity studies with complementary coursework in 91����Ƶ’s distinctive programs in , or .

Additionally, King has hired and supported a diverse group of young faculty members “who brought outstanding teaching and scholarly gifts while enhancing the gender, racial and denominational diversity of the seminary faculty,” as well as “expanded collaboration between the seminary and the broader university,” said Kniss.

***

Eastern Mennonite Seminary, formally established in 1965, is the graduate theological division of 91����Ƶ, located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Linked to Mennonite Church USA, the seminary also trains candidates for ordination in the United Methodist Church and serves students of all denominations with a variety of academic degree and certificate programs. The seminary has been accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada since 1986. As an Anabaptist seminary, EMS has special emphasis in peacebuilding, biblical studies, spiritual formation and theology.

91����Ƶ’s School for Graduate and Professional Studies serves more than 400 students in 11 programs at the Harrisonburg campus and in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Those programs include biomedicine, counseling, healthcare management, education, interdisciplinary studies, MBA, nursing and organizational leadership. Graduate degrees in conflict transformation and restorative justice are offered through 91����Ƶ’s world-renowned Center for Justice and Peacebuilding. A collaborative MBA program, with online and hybrid courses, is available to students around the world in conjunction with Bluffton University, Goshen College and Canadian Mennonite University (Winnipeg, Manitoba). 91����Ƶ’s first doctoral program in nursing practice begins in fall 2018.

Participants include��, emeritus professor of peace theology; , now vice president of and the School of Graduate and Professional Studies;�� history professor and department chair; archivist and seminary professor ; and , executive director of the .

The film gives a historical account of reformer Martin Luther’s life, the revolutionary act of his 95 theses, and the theological impact on Christianity. Key questions raised by the filmmakers are “Did the Reformation go too far?” and “Can the unity Jesus called for ever be achieved?”

“It gives a good overview of the 16th century Reformation in an interesting and engaging way,” says Grimsrud. “There is helpful attention paid to present-day relevance of that event.”

The 91����Ƶ representatives primarily speak on Anabaptist history, specifically its role in and reaction to the Reformation. Other featured experts include university and seminary faculty, theologians and clergymen.

“Certainly, and appropriately, the bulk of the film focuses on the mainline Reformation – Lutherans and Reformed – and the Catholic response. But the Anabaptists do get lengthy and respectful attention,” says Grimsrud.

Byler was tapped primarily to talk about “the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding as a contemporary Anabaptist expression of engaging the world,” he said. “Mohan’s emphasis on the tendency of denominational bodies to stress their differences rather than commonalities is an important challenge in this new season of polarization.”

91����Ƶ’s featured experts and their talking points

• Grimsrud gives an introduction Anabaptist history, including Menno Simons’ early life as a Catholic priest and brother’s involvement in the small, violent “Munsterite” faction of Anabaptism.
• Sprunger explains historical context as to the political subversion of adult baptism. “It was a movement of the people,” she says in the film, peasants and artisans forming separate congregations with distinct personalities.
• Byler and King round out Anabaptist perspectives on nonviolence, a literal interpretation of the Sermon on the Mount and humanization of “the enemy.”
• Yoder contributes bonus material to the film about conscientious objectors in World War I and intra-church dynamics among early Anabaptists. He explains that the Anabaptist’s Reformation was “radical” in the sense that it was “going back to the root,” both to emulate the purity of early Christianity, and to excise the corruption resulting from the conflation of church and state.

The three-hour series is available on DVD and online streaming at

“Will we survive?” asked King. “I believe yes. Here we are despite millennia of catastrophes. But will our lives, communities, institutions, structures, countries, planet be recognizable?”

King’s convocation address, titled “After the boxes are packed,” encouraged listeners to think about the signs of hope found in the midst of fear. Drawn from the third chapter of Lamentations, King noted that both fear and hope are found in our landscape today, just as for the writer in Lamentations.

Reflecting on the death of his mother-in-law this summer and his own parents’ death in 2010, King discussed the boxes left behind by these elders and the ways that small gestures brought hope in the midst of the grief he experienced.

King asked, “Knowing others will someday be left with nothing but our boxes, which fragments of ‘the Lord as our portion’ do we hope they find there?”

For faculty, staff and some students, this convocation highlights the 2016-17 school year as one��of many transitions. This year King will be combining his role as seminary dean with a new role as dean of graduate and professional programs. Professor�� has begun as associate dean, replacing Professor��, who held the role for six years. [Read more about this administrative��transition.]

Denominational fluctuations have caused seminary enrollment to fall to a national low and EMS is not immune to these changes, King said.

And yet, he added, there are signs of hope. This year’s incoming class includes pastors, counselors, educators and many others seeking to follow God’s call to seminary and ministry in various contexts.

For example, Pablo Hernandez, from Honduras, is resuming studies at EMS after five years away. Hernandez needed to return to his home country after his first year to attend to family members with health issues. He has finally returned to complete his degree, bringing his family with him.

“Pablo’s return to EMS to study is just one of the many signs of hope I see in our students,” said , associate director of admissions, development and church relations. “Other students have moved across the country, entered a career in retirement, or simply took the next important step in God’s call.”

Convocation concluded with faculty, staff, new and returning students reflecting on the question: “If ‘you can’t take it with you’, if our labors of love eventually wither away, in what do we place our hope?”

Proposals from tenured faculty are selected by the Faculty Status Committee, comprised of chair Fred Kniss, provost; Deirdre Smeltzer, undergraduate dean; Michael King, dean of the School of Graduate and Professional Studies and of Eastern Mennonite Seminary; and five elected faculty members who have professor status.

, professor of philosophy, during fall 2016. Early will use his sabbatical to begin working on a book that will build upon claims originating with Dr. Nancey Murphy about the tension between “conceptions of biology that highlight competition and a vision of human life guided by love and peace.” Early cites deep interest and relevant reading in this subject over the past couple of years as the starting place for his writing.

, professor of teacher education, during spring 2017. Smeltzer Erb will focus on scholarship and professional development activities. She plans to engage in activities aimed at supporting the development of beginning teachers and subsequent production of a scholarly article, engagement with an innovative public middle school program, and extension of her personal knowledge of instructional technology.

, associate professor of economics, during spring 2017. Leaman will work on a book project, co-authored with two local business leaders. His book subject will be identifying and analyzing the process of designing and building a climate-neutral residential home. The process and book connects with Leaman’s deep personal convictions around sustainability, links to his classroom teaching, and will become a hands-on learning opportunity for students.

, professor of theology at Eastern Mennoite Seminary, during spring 2017. Thiessen Nation will do extensive research and write several essays as preparation for a future book. Essay topics may include Bonhoeffer’s pacifist/conscientious objection beliefs in the context of Nazi Germany/World War II; the way in which virtue formation was the project of the seminary in Finkenwalde; and engagement with Bohoeffer’s book, Ethics, which will likely include a discussion of his notion of “two kingdoms.” He plans to visit several Bonhoeffer-related sites in Germany.

, professor of history, during spring 2017. Sawin will work on researching, editing and reissuing books by 19th century authors through a self-run publishing company, Emu Editions.�� Sawin will develop Emu Editions more fully: constructing its web page, developing a marketing program, and setting up a formal editorial board of other 19th-century literary scholars. The project will enable Sawin to provide 91����Ƶ students the opportunity to work on real publishing projects.

, associate professor of English, during both fall and spring semesters. White plans to outline and write at least three chapters of a book on the experience of Quakers in the Seven Years’ War and their subsequent embrace of pacifism. Out of this initial work, he anticipates giving at least one conference presentation, incorporating his learnings into the courses he teaches at 91����Ƶ, and contemplating connections between the Anabaptist and Quaker peace traditions. White believes this area of research aligns well with the 91����Ƶ mission.

At (EMS), both have received opportunities to engage the full range of their talents. , a professor at EMS since 1991, concluded six years as the seminary’s associate dean on June 15. , a faculty member in 91����Ƶ’s since 1999, will take over the position Aug. 15 while continuing to teach.

“I’ve always felt that my primary calling is teaching, although it took me a long time to get to it,” says Heisey, who didn’t pursue her doctorate until she was in her forties. “But I feel like I have a really strong experience background in administration, so I’ll be working from that. My friends tell me one of my biggest problems is not saying no.”

Heisey is former president of Mennonite World Conference and spent 15 years in leadership at Mennonite Central Committee. She also served three years as undergraduate dean at 91����Ƶ.

That journey, plus serving on many search committees over the years, underscored for her the importance of having women in the often male-dominated field of administrative leadership. The opportunity to bring that perspective to the seminary helped her to say yes when the call came.

Yoder is glad she did.

“I am delighted to see Nancy move into this role,” Yoder says. “To diversify the seminary leadership in this way, I’m delighted, and that it is Nancy adds to this delight because of the experience and leadership gifts she brings.”

Yoder continues part-time teaching

Yoder was half-time as associate dean and half-time teaching courses in pastoral care and counseling and leadership since 2010. He continues as part-time EMS faculty in 2016-2017, teaching two courses per semester. Some will be on campus and some will be hybrid courses or distance learning, a model he helped to pioneer at 91����Ƶ. (“He’s been the face of distance learning at 91����Ƶ for a long time,” says Heisey—who had Yoder for a class while completing her Master of Divinity at EMS.)

While he is eager to have more time “relishing the role of being a grandparent” and doing non-academic reading and additional congregational consulting work, Yoder has appreciated the experience of being associate dean.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed this work,” Yoder says. “I appreciate the diverse kinds of involvement required by the role. Any day is different. You never know what might come through the door or over the phone or by email. I’ve loved juggling all of that.”

A new team of administrators

Heisey, meanwhile, will spend three-eighths of her time in the seminary associate dean role after the transition, while continuing to teach about five courses per year with the remaining time. She already has been accustomed to balancing teaching with other tasks, as she has been serving as director of the 91����Ƶ Core Program. She will swap that duty for the intriguing new seminary responsibilities.

“I enjoy getting creative,” Heisey says. “A curriculum is defined, but a lot of students’ lives are not that defined. It’s a challenge to uphold academic credibility but also take student needs into account. I like working on that.”

Heisey will also be joined by�� and in a expected to actively link seminary and grad school programs. King, former vice president and seminary dean, will add to his portfolio leadership of the School of Graduate and Professional Studies. Cockley will be the graduate school associate dean.

Cohesiveness, responsive curriculum a ‘Gospel imperative’

Heisey’s joint responsibilities will also continue to strengthen the bridge between EMS, the Bible and Religion Department and the rest of the university, now a much more cohesive bond than in past decades. Yoder helped that process, serving as the first president of the newly formed Faculty Senate in 2006. The seminary has continued to be represented on that body ever since and has made other connections.

“We’ve come a long way,” Yoder says.

Looking ahead, both teacher-administrators see an important role for EMS even as the broader seminary world changes rapidly.

Yoder notes that recent hires have included two professors from the United Methodist Church–the seminary is an for training of candidates for UMC ordination–and students represent a wide spectrum of voices and backgrounds.

“It’s important to maintain a distinct identity as a Anabaptist-Mennonite seminary and at the same time have a warm and broad embrace of the diverse individuals interested in theological education,” he says.

Curriculum will also have to change to meet the needs of new students, Heisey adds.

“I’m very convinced that what is going to be needed for church leadership going forward is not going to look like what it has looked like,” Heisey says. “The models are not bad models, but the world around us is shifting and changing dramatically, while academic structures tend to move very slowly. So let’s get creative! What do Gospel-oriented communities need in their leadership? How do we facilitate that?”

If anyone can do it, though, Heisey is convinced that 91����Ƶ can.

“There are Gospel imperatives in which we are participating,” Heisey says. “This place is just really important.”

These changes, which focus on enrollment and graduate studies, including Eastern Mennonite Seminary, will take place beginning July 1, 2016.

“University leadership believes these internal changes will position us well to maximize efficiencies and build financial stability,” said Provost . “Rather than embarking on a national search for a new vice president of enrollment at the same time as we are moving through presidential transitions, we believe a better action is to leverage our internal strengths and to work with the tremendous leadership assets here on campus who have been an integral part of our strategic design process over the past several years.”

The restructuring will aid in focusing on the university’s first strategic priority: increasing traditional undergraduate enrollment to 1,200 by 2020, Kniss said.

91����Ƶ’s traditional undergraduate first-year enrollment for the 2015-16 academic year was its highest in several decades, while graduate programs recorded a 26.4 percent increase in enrollment. Total traditional undergraduate enrollment for 2015-16 was 945.

“As we approach our centennial year, 91����Ƶ continues to thrive and change,” said Kay Nussbaum, Board of Trustees chair. “Speaking on behalf of the Board of Trustees, we endorse these organizational changes, made with the goal of advancing our strategic objectives and creating more cohesiveness across our academic and administrative divisions.”

Key changes

The vice president for enrollment position has been expanded to include oversight over areas of undergraduate admissions and financial aid, as well as graduate enrollment.

In addition, connecting recruitment efforts across departments, this administrator will also oversee the athletics division and jointly oversee the marketing and communications department with the vice president of advancement.

, current vice president and dean of the School of Graduate and Professional Studies, will transition to this position.

A second structural change consolidates oversight of all graduate studies programs. , current vice president and dean of Eastern Mennonite Seminary, will add to his portfolio leadership of the School of Graduate and Professional Studies.

Two associate deans will support King. As was announced in the spring, , professor of Bible and religion, will become associate dean of Eastern Mennonite Seminary.

, director of adult learning programs in Harrisonburg and director of the MA in Organizational Leadership program, will move into the position of associate dean of the School of Graduate and Professional Studies.

“These leaders have already contributed to the shape and vision of the university, and we’re confident they will provide strong and dynamic leadership for 91����Ƶ’s mission in the years to come,” said Nussbaum.

“These structural changes will support 91����Ƶ’s vision of being a community��of learning by permitting greater collaboration and synergy across graduate divisions and between the academic, athletic and enrollment divisions,” said Kniss.

91����Ƶ, which celebrates its in 2017, is in the midst of a presidential transition. President retires June 30 after 13 years of service at the university. Interim President , former dean at 91����Ƶ and former president of Bluffton University, will play an active role in implementing the announced structural changes.

Incoming President , who starts Jan. 1, 2017, is supportive of the changes, Nussbaum said.

The program offerings will start at —A National Lutheran Community in Winchester, Virginia, in the fall of 2016. Participants will gain hands-on ministry experience through supervised learning opportunities as on-site chaplains. The Clinical Pastoral Education, or CPE, program is designed to help participants develop self and interpersonal awareness, conceptual knowledge and competence.

“As one of the few seminaries in the country hosting its own CPE program, we’re delighted that Eastern Mennonite Seminary is able to offer resources to a growing number of practicum locations—including The Village at Orchard Ridge,” said , seminary dean. “These hands-on CPE sites offer our students invaluable learning opportunities.”

, who directs the CPE and mentored ministry for the seminary, added: “NLCS is on the cutting edge of understanding what contributes to a purposeful and satisfying life in retirement, and The Village at Orchard Ridge is an excellent setting for equipping pastors, seminarians and lay leaders for effective ministry to seniors and their families. With the percentage of our population in their retirement years growing every year, it is essential that pastors understand the needs of seniors.”

Based in Rockville, Maryland, NLCS is a not-for-profit, faith-based ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s Delaware-Maryland, Metropolitan Washington, D.C. and Virginia Synods, serving people of all beliefs. NLCS provides seniors with a variety of lifestyle, residential and health care options through retirement communities and services in Maryland and Virginia. Other communities and services sponsored by National Lutheran include The Village at Rockville in Rockville, Md., The Legacy at North Augusta in Staunton, Va., The Village at Orchard Ridge and myPotential at Home in Winchester, Va., and The Village at Crystal Spring in Annapolis, Md., subject to Maryland Department of Aging approval.

The dialogue has grown as several graduate students recently focused their culminating research projects for their Master of Divinity degrees on veterans’ concerns. They include Matt Stearn, who looked at how Mennonite denominations can provide healing communities for combat veterans, and Methodist pastor and former combat veteran Darin Busé, who named spiritual trauma as another casualty of combat.

Though the topic is an unusual area of interest for a seminary in the historic peace church tradition, EMS dean Michael King says the timely and necessary discussion “plunges the seminary into one of the most critical issues of our day. There is a sense of really powerful mutual healing potential.”

[Read an account written by King and Busé, of the .]

In recent years, a small stream of veterans or those closely connected to veterans have found their way to both the seminary and to undergraduate programs at 91����Ƶ. Among them is Michael McAndrew, a U.S. Navy veteran earning dual degrees in conflict transformation and counseling. With a professional interest in serving veterans, McAndrew recently was to help finish his studies.

His activism, among other projects, has resulted in on campus to highlight veterans’ suicides.

Additionally, 91����Ƶ’s peacebuilding experts have over the years engaged with military communities. For example, “” is an adaptation for veterans and military families of Strategies for Trauma Awareness and Resilience (STAR) trainings by counselor Carolyn Yoder ’72.

[Read more from Yoder about common realities veterans face and nine suggestions for support, as well as veteran Mark Lauro’s with STAR ].

Such resources are a strength to draw upon, King says, as the seminary and its faculty move to offer support to this ministry.

“At one luncheon, I ended up at a table where everyone was a veteran,” King says. “We had a very good and intense discussion. They said they mostly felt welcomed here, but sometimes they struggled to be sure. At that point, I was increasingly convinced that this ministry was one we could learn more about, as well as support and explore with our students.”

Honoring the ‘veteran presence’ in his life

Matt Stearn certainly thinks so. Stearn grew up in the military-heavy Hampton Roads area of southeastern Virginia. His father was an Air Force veteran, and several family members worked at the Newport News Shipbuilding yards. Later, many of the members of the Baptist church where he worked were veterans.

“I’ve had a lot of veteran presence in my life,” says Stearn, who recently graduated with Master of Divinity and MBA degrees in April. “Having seen some of the ill effects of war and how veterans in some ways distance themselves from church made me want to take a closer look. Something happens to you when you have to take another person’s life. It changes people. How do we as a church respond to that?”

While he was raised in the Episcopal Church and later worked as a musician in Disciples of Christ and Baptist congregations, Stearn currently serves as director of music for Harrisonburg Mennonite Church and “definitely” considers himself a Mennonite. He says he values the anti-war tradition at the heart of Anabaptism, but it doesn’t need to exclude those who have served in the military.

“We really have a theology set up to heal these veterans and provide what they need,” Stearn says. “Mennonites are very good in working with the civilian victims of war, but how can we also recognize soldiers as victims? I think most combat veterans agree that war, by nature, is evil.”

His capstone project, titled “,” argued that traditional definitions of and treatments for PTSD miss the trauma of “moral injury,” in which feelings of guilt and shame arise from actions taken during the course of battle. Those actions are often at odds with personal ethics and can create mental and emotional dissonance in the aftermath.

“The various treatments for PTSD don’t treat soul issues,” Stearn says. “They cannot address the moral symptoms of war—only the clinical. Christian moral theology can offer a depth of context that clinical psychology cannot. We must develop a response that is theologically and clinically strong.”

With strength in both of those areas and the reconciliation and peacebuilding expertise of the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, 91����Ƶ is particularly well positioned to be an innovator and meet those needs, Stearn adds.

Healing and sharing

Darin Busé, pastor at Mount Zion United Methodist Church, sees similar potential. Busé joined the US Army at age 19, serving six years supporting and engaging in combat in Honduras, Panama, Saudi Arabia and Iraq. Afterward he embarked on a journey as a sous chef, restaurant manager, process engineer and farm manager before realizing a lifelong call to ministry about four years ago, when a friend led him to EMS. He has been a part-time pastor for two years.

On that path, though, his experience on the battlefield—trying to make sense of everything he had seen and done—continued to follow him.

“We experienced moral injury before it had been defined,” Busé says. “We didn’t feel like heroes, but we didn’t want to be villains. Many, many veterans isolated themselves—retreating inward or using alcohol or narcotics—and some acted out violently.”

The suicide rate, currently about two dozen a day according to recent statistics, is historically high among veterans. Busé says those figures may underestimate the problem.

“It’s tragic,” he says. “It’s unacceptable.”

He found a safe space to deal with his past at EMS, healing himself even as he sought to become one who could bring healing. In his first-year formation class, many of his experiences came up in the sharing, and the group would “unpack” it together.

“It became clear that I had been trying to make rational, things that were irrational,” Busé says. “It took framing things in a spiritual context for me to start bringing some order to what I had experienced, but it’s a lifelong process, and community is a huge part of that process. It takes a community that will listen and accept the brokenness and not judge you based on your mistakes.”

His capstone project, titled “H,” looked at some of those issues, naming spiritual trauma as another casualty of combat and pondering how one goes from “transgression to transformation.” Sharing the Good News, being open to veterans’ needs, and listening and offering friendship are ways that congregations can provide the necessary community and spiritual context that may lead to healing.

Self-identifying as a veteran at 91����Ƶ brought some challenges, Busé says, but also many blessings. He found that Mennonites have “an embedded language, a vocabulary, of peace and justice and reconciliation that other churches haven’t really teased out.”

“You navigate through the challenges, utilize the resources and try to keep opening up appropriate spaces for conversation,” he says. “I needed to find healing. EMS has done that for me, so I want to share that with others.”

Hear a podcast of Matt Stearn’s and Darin Busé’s .

Stearn, who serves as director of music at Harrisonburg Mennonite Church, hopes to work with a non-profit organization addressing direct social services after graduation. He worked at several other churches in other denominations earlier in his career and found they weren’t as engaged with community needs as he would have liked. Now he hopes to dive in to that need.

“I thought that combination of an MDiv and an MBA could open doors in working with a faith-based non-profit,” Stearn says. “It just seemed like a great fit.”

At the time he was seeking an academic program, Eastern Mennonite Seminary (EMS) was the only place in Virginia where he found that synergistic dual degree. Stearn focused on cross-cultural and community mission on the seminary side of his education, and non-profit and community entrepreneurial management on the business side. He says he found the interplay “enlightening.”

“It’s not just what makes good business sense, but also the theology and ethics of ‘This is why we do this,’” he says.

Three years after he started taking courses, Stearn joined 20 other seminary graduates in receiving his degrees. Fourteen students—including Stearn and Kathleen Chapman, who received a dual degree with the MA in Counseling program—earned Master of Divinity degrees, four earned the Master of Arts in Church Leadership, and three received .

Seminary dean says he was impressed by this year’s class.

“As I took in the many insightful capstone presentations by graduating EMS students, I was struck by the richness and range of topics addressed,” King says. “Students showed us what a seminary at the crossroads of the day’s key issues can look like as they brought scripture to bear on conflict in the church, sexuality, disabilities, racism, war and peace, healing for military veterans and the society that sends them into harm’s way and so much more.”

The class chose the “Abiding in Christ, Caring for All” as the commencement theme, drawing on John 15:5-9 and John 21:15-19. Linda Alley, who serves as seminary events coordinator and is , spoke at baccalaureate April 29 on “Call and Dwelling in Tenuous Times.”

“God is not a destination,” Alley said as she looked at the “abiding” themes in John. “God is home.”

John D. Roth, professor of history at Goshen College in Indiana, spoke at Commencement on “The Beauty of Holiness.” Roth, who also serves as director of the Mennonite Historical Library and editor of Mennonite Quarterly Review, told the graduates that God “determines the outcome of history,” and there is beauty in that awareness.

“This afternoon as you prepare to move into new settings, new assignments, and new challenges I want to encourage you to not to flinch from the painful, ugly realities of our world, our nation, or our church,” Roth said. “But I also want to challenge you to be attentive to the surprising power of beauty and its capacity to transform the world. . . . The task of the church—your task!—is to astonish the world with the beauty of the gospel.”

[View a photo album of the university’s undergraduate and graduate commencement ceremonies .]

“Are you always working?” she asked him. At that point, his answer was “yes.”

Now, after graduating in May and beginning to work as a part-time pastor at , Bucher knows the better answer: “No, I am not always working.”

Part of the reason he can now respond this way is his research for a capstone project titled “” The project has helped him determine how to balance a part-time ministry position with other work and family obligations.

“As an Anabaptist Christian, I want to speak and act against economic systems that force many to work at harmful levels,” said Bucher, who also earned a from 91����Ƶ’s . “I want us all to celebrate and minister from the counter-cultural idea of Sabbath rest. Researching, investigating the Biblical text, conversing with pastors, and reflecting on my own Sabbath practices proved to be a rich experience. I hope these public and private practices will serve as a personal rhythm and rule for ministry and as a model for the congregation and the community.”

Each capstone presentation presented by members of this touched on both the personal formation experienced within the students’ seminary journey, and the transformation they hope to bring about as leaders in ministry. The capstone requirement helps seminarians synthesize and integrate into their unique ministry setting the four guiding curricular principles that have formed the rich foundation of their learning: wise interpretation, mature practice, discerning communication and transformational leadership.

“A culmination of their education, their capstone project is a reflection of their learning, a practical resource to carry with them into ministry, and often an exciting expression of creativity,” says seminary dean .

Capstone Presentations

The following graduates presented capstone presentations for the 2014-2015 academic year.

Priyanka Bagh (Pune, Maharashtra, India) narrated a personal experience of transformation and movement by the power of love through four seasons or stages. Bagh is a graduate of the University of Pune and has an MA from Shreemati Nathibia Damodar Thackersey. She will return to India to work with children and youth in the mental health field.

Tracy Brown (Lancaster, Pennsylvania) looked at the congregational capacity of “.” In the light of recent unrest related to communities and policing, the research explored past and future work within Lancaster congregations to move towards justice and peace in the city. He plans to begin a doctorate in ministry degree at Lancaster Theological Seminary.

Gwendolyn B. Carr (Waynesboro, Virginia) explored “A Journey Toward Wholeness: Being Ushered Into the Presence of God with My Intellectually Disabled Friends and Family.” Her conclusions offered an understanding of the needs of persons with disabilities, promoting inclusive worship rather worship that is planned for or done to them. A member of Tinkling Springs Presbyterian Church, Carr plans to continue serving at Craigsville Presbyterian Church.

Seth Crissman ’09 (Harrisonburg, Virginia) is a frequent performer and worship leader at Eastside Church. The title of his project, exploring more private practice within the family and encounter with Scripture, was “Deep Love: Reflecting on God’s Love through the Eyes of a New Parent.” He will be working with Virginia Mennonite Missions to develop a kid’s club ministry.

Melissa Fretwell (Harrisonburg, Virginia) defined compassion out of her personal experience, training as a specialist in special education, and seminary preparation for ministry in her capstone project, “” Fretwell is a graduate of Bridgewater College, and holds a MEd and EdS from University of Virginia. She will pursue a residency in chaplaincy at University of Virginia.

Lori Friesen (Harrisonburg, Virginia) traced the formative impact of the seminary experience, highlighting the importance and practice of reflection, vision and commitment to mission, and the authority and interpretation of the Bible. She is a member of Hartville Mennonite Church. She has a 2-year degree from Hesston College.

Pete Geoffrion (Harrisonburg, Virginia) presented “” His capstone calls for holy conferencing across theological difference through gracious fidelity to Scripture, particularly in the United Methodist Church, engaging 1 Kings 2:1-3 as a case study. His bachelor’s degree is from James Madison University.

Nathan Grieser (Lancaster, Pennsylvania) looks at the ways in which privileged Mennonite churches in Lancaster are engaging people on the margins and asks whether these engagements are fostering mutual relationship and transformation. His project is titled “” Grieser is a graduate of Goshen College. He moves into a new role as executive director of The Shalom Project, a service-learning and intentional community for college graduates.

Lizzette Hernandez (Tegucigalpa, Honduras) researched multicultural Christian education, and challenged educators to develop as messengers who understand the different contexts in which faith develops and who transmit the good news in culturally appropriate ways. Hernandez, a retired physician, worships at Harrisonburg Mennonite Church and works with the Mennonite Hispanic Initiative.

Rosemary King ’65 (Harrisonburg, Virginia), in a presentation titled “” described the need for shelter as a matter of biblical justice and describes investigation into financial, legal, and architectural considerations as part of a local response. She will graduate in 2016.

Bradley Kolb ’09 (Harrisonburg, Virginia) proposed that the cultivation of imaginations that are captive to the Gospel and enchanted by the scriptures and the Spirit as key to Christian formation for adults in his presentation, “” Kolb begins as associate pastor at Grace Mennonite Fellowship this summer.

Audrey Roth Kraybill (Lancaster, Pennsylvania) explored . She holds a bachelor’s degree from Goshen and an MA in religion from Lancaster Theological Seminary. She is a member of Community Mennonite Church in Lancaster.

Luis Martinez (Harrisonburg, Virginia) proposed that , with illustrations from original artwork and chaos theory. Martinez is a pastor at Iglesia Discipular Anabaptista (IDA).

Bob May (Bergton, Virginia), who has worked as a UMC missionary, argued that : who is already doing what, what opportunities and partnerships are evident, and what does this particular missions group offer for this context? May, who has a bachelor’s degree from University of Virginia and a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University, plans to continue further graduate studies in the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding’s program in conflict transformation.

Gordon Meriwether (Culpeper, Virginia) explored “.” Pastor at The Greene Charge (UMC), Meriwether’s research dealt with dying, death and the afterlife with an emphasis on the pastor/chaplain’s ability to connect with the presence of Holy Spirit and the soul/spirit of the individuals involved in the journey. He also earned a MA in conflict transformation.

Nick Meyer ’08 (Kidron, Ohio) traced the struggle to forgive an impenitent offender, using the psalms of lament and a broader definition of hatred to mark turning points towards forgiveness in a project titled “”�� He is a member of Early Church and plans to volunteer as a prison chaplain.

Seth Miller ’07 (Harrisonburg, Virginia) presented research on “Engaging Confessional Theology in a Postmodern Context.” He is exploring pastoral ministry opportunities with the Mennonite Church.

Glenn W. Nofziger II ’02 (Stryker, Ohio) highlighted the role of effectively telling and listening to stories in enhancing self-understanding and providing pastoral care. His presentation was titled “” He is a member of Lockport Mennonite Church and is exploring pastoral ministry opportunities in the Mennonite Church.

Mike Souder (Mount Sidney, Virginia) described an ecclesiologically grounded plan for assimilating new members and caring for all members through a small group care structure in the large charismatic congregation. His presentation was titled “” A graduate of Pennsylvania College of Technology, he is associate pastor at Grace Covenant Church.

Anne Kaufman Weaver ’88 (Lancaster, Pennsylvania) presented research on“” Her project explored what factors and practices promote resiliency in female pastors as well as identifies the challenges and obstacles that exist in congregational and conference contexts. Weaver also has a master’s degree in social work from Marywood University.

Nelson Yoder ’81 (Narvon, Pennsylvania) examined four symbolic representations of Christian encounters with the Risen Christ from different time in church history and their application to congregational worship in a recent Easter season in his project, “” He is associate pastor at Ridgeview Mennonite Church in Ephrata, Pennsylvania.

Editor’s note: Information about educational history and future plans was provided by graduates on a voluntary basis.

On Saturday, April 25, he made one final trip to campus for the seminary’s commencement ceremony to celebrate the earning of two degrees: a master of divinity and a .

In contrast, Seth Miller, also a new seminary graduate, simply walked up the hill from the Maplewood Residence Hall, where he is residence director for 91����Ƶ undergraduate students. Miller came to the seminary after several years as a teacher at Lancaster Mennonite School and in public educational settings in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

And then there’s Kathryn Fenton, of Harrisonburg, who created��seven mixed media paintings based on the principles of Mennonite faith to partially fulfill thesis requirements for a . And Misty Wintsch, a Church of the Brethren pastor from Pennsylvania, whose ministry specialization project for her included studying about and performing funerals for the “unchurched.”

These are a fraction of the various stories that could be shared about this year’s graduating class of 33, the largest since 1988.

“There is sorrow in letting go of such a large and gifted class of graduates,” said , vice president and seminary dean. “Yet the very qualities that make it hard to see them go underscore the great gifts of ministry, leadership, and authentic relating they’re primed to share with the world.”

Twenty-five students received master of divinity degrees, with five of these also receiving dual master’s degrees in conflict transformation or . Four students received a master‘s degree in church leadership and four students received a master‘s degree in religion.

Additionally, nine students received .

Religious backgrounds and affiliations varied, including Mennonite, United Methodist, Church of the Brethren, Presbyterian, and non-denominational. The class includes students from India, Honduras, and Chile.

“It is challenging to do what you are going forth to do,” said L. Gregory Jones, PhD, professor of theology and Christian ministry at Duke Divinity School. His commencement address, “For Such a Time as This,” was based around the Biblical book of Esther and suggested that perhaps these graduates were prepared for just this moment in the church.

“God raises up people like you in order to do things you would never have done,” he said. Jones encouraged graduates to practice fasting and spiritual disciplines, hospitality and peacemaking – practices that will provide spiritual sustenance in challenging times.

“We have a responsibility to God who calls us to become what we are not yet,” said Lizzette Hernandez, class president, speaking to the ongoing journey that continues after commencement. “We respond to God so that we can minister, not to the church that is, but to the church that will be.”

Evans brings expertise in cultural analysis and interfaith and intercultural mission from a historical perspective. He earned his doctoral degree from Drew University in the history of U.S. religion. His studies provided the context for his dissertation titled, “A Methodist Melting Pot: Religion, Race and Nation in America 1909-16.”

“I am interested in the history of Christian missions because it is often a site for religious, racial, gendered, national and cultural conflict,” said Evans.

Preparing ministers for peacemaking

“EMS’ core value of provides a context for faculty to prepare future leaders in transformational ministry,” continued Evans. “Verbal and physical violence are becoming hallmarks of life in the 21st century.

“Future Christian leaders will need to have more than the ability to preach and organize local churches, they will need peacemaking skills that will draw people into authentic relationships that respect and embrace difference.”

Methodist with Mennonite background

As a United Methodist with ties to the Mennonite church, Evans is uniquely suited for the EMS community, which includes dozens of United Methodist students. As he contributes to a newly formed partnership with Wesley Theological Seminary, in Washington, D.C., Evans will also help EMS fulfill the training requirements of the United Methodist church.

Evans was a member of , a congregation, after graduating from Spring Arbor (Mich.) College in 2000. From 2002 to 2005, Evans worked for , conducting a process review and serving as peace and justice advocate. He received his master’s degree in the history of Christianity from Wesley Theological Seminary. Currently, he and his wife Faith co-pastor Boonton (N.J.) United Methodist Church. He is also a lecturer at Drew University in Madison, N.J.

African-American perspective

Evans said, “I teach and write from the perspective of a black male United Methodist in order to provoke and confront the assumptions that constitute the concept of normal personhood. By doing so, I hope students will be able to embrace their unique and diverse selves and encourage others to do the same at EMS and in their ministry contexts.”

, vice president and seminary dean, said upon Evans’ hiring, “We see rich potential for our community in adding David’s experience and exposure to both�� Mennonite and Methodist theology. In addition, we look�� forward to learning from the African-American perspectives David will intentionally draw on as he helps us reflect on mission, intercultural and interfaith matters.”

Evans, who begins his role August 15, 2012, added, “I describe my vocation as pastoral-scholarship. God has called me to a life in the academy, not simply to produce scholarship and instruct students, but also to mentor and guide students in their own vocation.”

Evans spoke in seminary chapel February 28. .

When the newest class at EMS gathered for orientation this week they ranged from age 23 to at least 65, or perhaps older than they’d like to admit. They are Mennonite, United Methodist, Presbyterian, Baptist and whole host of other denominations.

Some, like Daniel Miller and Matt Bucher, come from terms of service. Miller served for one year in Baltimore, Md., with Mennonite Voluntary Service. Bucher served for four years with Mennonite Central Committee in Egypt.

For others, seminary is a second or third career move. Julie Nitzsche is a part-time nurse at the University of Virginia Medical Center and the director of children and youth at Stanardsville United Methodist Church. Her daughter entered kindergarten as she began seminary.

“91����Ƶ two years ago I found myself moving away from nursing,” said Nitzsche. “I felt like God wanted me to do something different. I loved working for the church, especially with children. I thought seminary would be a way for me to learn to do that better.”

Brittney Conley was a physical education teacher at Spotswood Elementary near Harrisonburg:”As a part of the leadership team at RISE, a local United Methodist church, I learned that the way to connect my gifts with the world’s pain was through some type of ministry. I’m not sure what that ministry is yet, but I’m exploring it in seminary.”

Dale Detweiler was a carpenter for 35 years. “Seminary was a hunger God put in my heart,” he said. “I love the Word and I love the church. I wanted to learn how to walk with people in times when things seem dark and be a peaceful presence to them.”

Mary Marshall, a retired pastor in the United Methodist Church, said finishing her MDiv was part of her bucket list, one of the things she wanted to do before she dies.

“I am about a third of the way through my degree,” said Marshall, 68, who dropped out of seminary in 2005. “I figured if I take a class or two every semester for the next couple of years I should be able to finish.”

These are just a few of the 40 new students entering Eastern Mennonite Seminary this fall. They join 114 returning students. Thirty-nine students are enrolled at the EMS Lancaster extension, 17 are enrolled in online courses and 11 are enrolled in Clinical Pastoral Education.

Seminary dean Michael A. King, PhD, said he had overheard staff this week agreeing that the variety of new students makes this an exciting incoming class.

“The first student I encountered during orientation wondered about the wisdom of starting seminary so late in life,” King said. “I gave an impassioned homily on how valuable I found it to earn my own final degree later in life, when my graduate��studies could draw on decades of professional experience and bring my thinking up to date.

But King also sees the advantage of starting seminary not long after college. His younger advises seem “less laden with life baggage” and tend to “enter seminary with an extra spring in their steps, whether of body or brain.

“Put such contrasting stages, and all the phases in between, together as the incoming seminary class does and you have a fine mix.”

Eastern Mennonite Seminary is a graduate division of 91����Ƶ. For more information on the incoming class, or on taking classes at Eastern Mennonite Seminary, contact Laura Amstutz, admissions associate, at 540-432-4257 or email semadmiss@emu.edu.

After one year, what surprises you the most about being dean at EMS?
What surprises me most is that I am dean. I didn’t see it coming. Without fail what I hear from friends and colleagues is shock. I was a publisher and pastor who, 30 years ago, went to seminary to wrestle with faith questions, not to become a pastor. Now I’m a seminary dean? I still often pinch myself. I’m also hugely grateful, because matters of faith, theology, how we conceptualize and do church in fast-changing cultural currents, and how we form vibrant pastors, church leaders, and creative theologians are among my lifelong passions. Now I get to be in the midst of these issues every day.

What do you consider a major success in the last year?
A little over a year ago, I came close to burning down my house, due to��poor judgment��related to cleaning a fireplace (perhaps best left unexplained). That has given me a metaphor for��celebrating the first year’s success: new associate dean Lonnie Yoder and I didn’t burn down the seminary! Or then there’s one of my favorite and related stories. The departure of two key and superb seminary leaders, Ervin Stutzman and Sara Wenger Shenk, understandably created worries as to how the seminary would go on. So I was tickled the day a faculty member gazed around the seminary in some awe and said, “But teachers are still teaching! Students are still going to class!”

What do you wish you had done differently in your first year?
I founded my own publishing company in 1997 so have been a business owner for nearly 15 years and a middle manager before that as a Herald Press book editor. I had hoped that maybe when I got a chance to cast a business-savvy eye on the EMS budget I could spy ways to streamline costs.

I have been pleased to find that��business-honed skills help me manage EMS administrative responsibilities, but I’ve been disappointed to find no budget magic bullet. I’m��presiding over a budget too tight for long-term comfort. I’m grateful that our existence within a larger university contributes to our funding stability, giving us a firm foundation on which to ground efforts to enhance our financial strength.

What do you want people to know about EMS that they might not realize?
Maybe this:��Although free-standing seminaries have their own treasures, I’m pleased to have moved into EMS leadership at a moment of opportunity for this university-based seminary. Great��interdisciplinary possibilities have long existed at 91����Ƶ��among graduate and undergraduate programs.

We seem to have��reached a kairos moment for reaping that potential. EMS is in the thick of conversations across just��about every 91����Ƶ department with potential for cross-fertilization. We think and hope this can help plunge EMS into leading thought��currents of the day and link these currents�� integrally and excitingly with��theological and ministry-related training.

What��are your goals��for your leadership in the 2011-12 school year?
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention higher enrollment as a primary goal. But numbers are far from��everything. Jesus’ teachings ��that the last shall be first and the poor are blessed tell me that we need to be quite careful how we manage numerical goals or��we just replicate bigger-is-better, number-one-is-best consumerist culture. I put numbers first just in��awareness that if we have no students we have no revenue��and no seminary and if we have enough students we have good revenue to support the parts of a thriving program that require money.

I have to admit, though, the goals that most excite me go beyond money. Perhaps you notice them already, lurking in my comments on how we manage the potential tension between numbers and the gospel. I see that as a big issue in our culture. That points to one of my heartfelt goals, which is for EMS to find itself ever more deeply in the midst of the big issues and conversations of the day. A number of us recently had the privilege of participating in Pittsburgh 2011. There were countless big conversations unfolding there. Each one made me salivate and think, “Exciting, let’s see how we can get EMS into the thick of that!”