Wesleyan Studies and United Methodist Programs

In 1985, the Divinity School initiated a program of United Methodist Studies, designed to provide opportunities for United Methodist students to learn more about the life and traditions of their denomination. Under the direction of Professor M. Douglas Meeks since 1998, the program offers students opportunities for:

• General and advanced courses in Wesleyan Theology
  
• Required courses for United Methodist ordination: Theology, History, Polity, and Evangelism
  
• Fellowship and spiritual growth
  
• Nurture and support in discipleship through Covenant Discipleship Groups
  
• Study of developments in church life through visiting speakers
  
• Innovative worship services
  
• Wesleyan immersion trips to England and internships in England and elsewhere
  
• Annual retreat

United Methodist Student Association. The UMSA meets about every three weeks during the academic year. These plenary meetings are designed: 1) to discuss the Wesleyan heritage in relation to the students' preparation for ordained and lay ministry, 2) to discuss matters of spiritual formation, 3) to meet with regional and national leaders in the UMC (including yearly meetings with the Bishop, a couple of District Superintendents, the chair of the Board of Ordained Ministry, and staff members of the UMC Boards), and 4) to work at deepening students' ecumenical awareness and involvement in the social and justice ministries of the church (these include meetings on health care and prison ministries, evangelism and UM media, congregational involvement in the community, and college chaplaincy). Throughout the year, facilitate programs for United Methodist students in the divinity school that allow an opportunity for learning, interaction, and dialogue with persons of various backgrounds in ministry. These lunchtime programs are generally well attended and greatly beneficial to those who attend. Programs this year have included:

• Harmon Wray, who heads Restorative Justice Ministries of the U.M.C. Harmon spoke on issues dealing with the death penalty and restorative justice.
  
• Erie Chapman, President and CEO of Baptist Hospital in Nashville. Erie is a divinity student as well as the chief executive at Baptist Hospital. He spoke on issues of healthcare and the poor.
  
• David Lowes Watson, director of the Office of Pastoral Formation for the Memphis and Tennessee Annual Conferences. Dr. Watson spoke on his work with the Office of Pastoral Formation, clergy colloquies, and covenant discipleship groups.
  
• Dennis Dickerson, professor of history at Vanderbilt University and official historiographer of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Dr. Dickerson spoke on the history of the A.M.E. Church and its founder, Richard Allen.
  
• Bishop William Morris, bishop of the Memphis and Tennessee Annual Conferences. Bishop Morris spoke on his episcopal ministry and addressed questions of students at the divinity school.
  
• Mark Forrester, United Methodist campus minister at Vanderbilt University. Mark spoke on his work in college chaplaincy.
  
• Dan Benedict, Carmen Lile-Henley, Vin Walkup and Susan Padgett spoke on worship, ministry with the poor, and various aspects of the ordination process.
  .

The 2002-03 Executive Committee of the UMSA includes Kaye Harvey (c.k.harvey@vanderbilt.edu), president, Paul Bonner (paul.b.bonner@vanderbilt.edu), vice-president, Tammy Broeckelmann (tamara.a.broeckelmann@vanderbilt.edu), secretary, and at-large members: Nancy Jenkins (nancy.j.jenkins@vanderbilt.edu), Andrea Murdock (andrea.l.murdock@vanderbilt.edu), and Michael Turner (michael.k.turner@vanderbilt.edu).

The United Methodist Programs Office Coordinators are Mark E. Reynolds (mark.e.reynolds@vanderbilt.edu) and Danny Rhodes (jonathan.d.rhodes@vanderbilt.edu).

United Methodist Boards and Agencies. Nashville is an important center for United Methodist boards and agencies, including the General Board of Discipleship, The General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, The United Methodist Publishing House, and United Methodist Communications. Here experts from all across world Methodism converge for the leadership of the church. These persons, who have acquired knowledge and insight vital to effective Christian ministry, are called upon for leadership roles in the Vanderbilt program. There is an annual dinner for United Methodist divinity students and the General Boards in Nashville. This is a unique opportunity to foster a relationship between divinity students and the officers and staff persons of the United Methodist General Boards, which opens up opportunities for dialogue, mutual cooperation in efforts in ministry, and internships.

The Divinity School is also located only a black away from the beautiful campus of The Scarritt-Bennett Center, a United Methodist Center for lay and continuing clergy education. An annual fall retreat for VDS United Methodist students is held at Scarritt-Bennett. This is only one aspect of the exciting developing relationship between The Divinity School and The Scarritt-Bennett Center. Under discussion are joint endeavors in worship, the arts, lay and diaconal education, and evangelism.

Covenant Discipleship Groups are designed to give students a regular setting for accountable discipleship and mutual support in spiritual formation. The groups meet for one hour each week and are organized around the students' actual experience of and accountability for acts of devotion, worship, compassion, and justice. The shape and theology of these groups are Wesleyan but are also adaptable to the main strands of the Christian tradition. Some non-Methodist students participate in the CD groups.
OPF Colloquies: The Office of Pastoral Formation is conducting several colloquies at the Divinity School this academic year. The colloquies are designed to bring together seasoned pastors, probationers, and Divinity School students around questions of transition into ministry and specific problems ministers face. From various perspectives the colloquies are addressing the question of pastoral "burn out," one of the principal foci of the OPF-Vanderbilt Divinity School Lilly Grant.

Morning Praise and Prayers: In fall 2001 the UMSA under the direction of Wade Griffith began a worship service on Thursday mornings at Scarritt-Bennett Center's Wightman's Chapel. This years coordinators are Sherill Sisler Clontz (sherill.s.clontz@vanderbilt.edu) and Tricia K. Gardner (patricia.k.gardner@vanderbilt.edu).

Unity Feast: Among the ecumenical endeavors in which United Methodist at VDS are involved is the annual Unity Feast with the Disciples of Christ students.

Wesley Heritage Immersion In England. In May 2001 Prof. Meeks led a group of 26 students in an immersion trip in England. The trip involved extended stays in Oxford, Bristol, and London and concentrated on the Wesley historical sites. British church historians and church leaders lectured on Wesleyan and Methodist history and the group visited sites of contemporary British Methodist ministries to the poor. The next immersion in England is projected for May 2003.

More detailed information can be obtained by contacting The United Methodist Programs Office Coordinators: Mark E. Reynolds (mark.e.reynolds@vanderbilt.edu) and Danny Rhodes (jonathan.d.rhodes@vanderbilt.edu).