Welcome to the Center
Recently, James J. Annarelli, Ph.D., Vice President for Student Life, Dean of Students, at Eckerd College made the following announcement:
Dear Friends,
I am pleased to announce that Doug McMahon, Interim Director of Campus Ministries and Chaplain, has accepted permanent appointment to that position, effective August 1. In addition, Eckerd alumna Elizabeth "Libby" Shannon '05, has accepted appointment as Associate Chaplain. Libby earned her Master of Divinity degree from Columbia Theological Seminary and is a candidate for ordination as a Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (USA). Mona Bagasao, who has served as Director of Religious Life and Senior Chaplain, has accepted an appointment in the Program for Experienced Learners where she will continue her excellent work with students in an advising and teaching role.
During the coming year, the College will be reviewing and evaluating alternatives for configuring the Center's full-time staff positions to ensure that the changing spiritual needs of our students and broader campus community are met most effectively. Until this review process is complete, the two full-time professional staff positions in the Center will be the Director of Campus Ministries/Chaplain position and the Associate Chaplain position.
Please join me in offering congratulations and support to Doug, Libby, and Mona as they assume their new campus roles.
Best regards,
Jim
Presbyterians Meet in Minneapolis
The 219th General Assembly (2010) of the Presbyterian Church (USA) met July 3-10 in Minneapolis, MN. Over 700 commissioners from all of the Presbyteries around the country and about 200 advisory delegates gathered to seek God's will in the important decisions facing the church and to worship God together.
Our new Associate Chaplain, Libby Shannon '05, was present at this year's assembly and provides the following report from Minneapolis where she attended the assembly only days before returning to Eckerd College.
Every two years for 10 days Presbyterian nerds—like me--from all over the world and our entourage descend on some poor unsuspecting city for worship, fellowship, and most importantly decision making. We make up the General Assembly (GA), the governing body of the Presbyterian Church (USA), Eckerd's covenant partner denomination. This year, Minneapolis, Minnesota played the role of outstanding host to the 219th General Assembly (GA) and I got to be there.
On the first night of GA we thanked our outgoing Moderator, Bruce Reyes-Chow and Vice-Moderator Byron Wade for their service and then we promptly elected a new Moderator, Cynthia Bolbach and Vice-Moderator Landon Whitsitt. The work of the GA ranges from the non-controversial, like approving new seminary presidents and votes to support Christians in war-torn nations, to the hot-button like Israel/Palestine, LGBT issues related to marriage, clergy, and pension, and a faithful response to the recent Arizona immigration law.
The GA celebrates the diversity found within the Presbyterian Church (USA). In addition to an equal number of elders and ministers who conduct the work, there are also hundreds of Advisory Delegates that include Young Adults- many as young as 16, Theological Students, Ecumenical partners, and Missionaries from all over the globe. The GA also draws exhibitors, advocates, lobbyists, and observers who choose to be present in body and spirit. In nearly every case, regardless of the outcome of the Assembly, these faithful women and men remain committed to the vitality and future of a church that has been declared dead by secular culture and perhaps that's the miracle of GA.
We come to GA for so many different reasons but are united not only by our love for Christ's church, but also our commitment to the future of the Presbyterian Church (USA). General Assembly isn't always easy. We discuss difficult topics and often frustrate one another. Inevitably, on most days, nearly half the people in the room are unhappy with the final vote. But with energy, passion, creativity, and love they do their best to discern the will of God and to commit themselves to do the work of Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. It was, as always, awe-inspiring, and makes me proud yet again of my own connection to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and to Eckerd College, a college in covenant relationship to the Presbyterian Church (USA).
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