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Stepping into
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WINTER 2022
Conversations
Engaging in Difficult Dialogue A Theologian's Perspective p. 3
Preaching on Contested Conversations Participating in the Search for Truth p. 6
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WINTER 2022
ADC TODAY
14
EDITOR
contents
COVER STORY
Stepping into Courageous Conversations An Interview with Visionary Leader and Community Advocate, Rev. Dr. Lennett J. Anderson
Shawna Peverill SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS
FEATURES
Lennett Anderson, Spencer Boersma, Stuart Blythe, Carley Lee,
03
Danny Smith REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS
A Theologian's Perspective 06
John Campbell, Catherine Cole, Anna Robbins, Harry Gardner,
COVER CREDIT
On the cover: Lennett Anderson Photo by: Nicole Lapierre GRAPHIC DESIGN
Alivelihood Branding & Design
Preaching on Contested Conversations Participating in the Search for Truth
Eveline DeSchiffart, Karen Padovani, Trisha Urquhart
Engaging in Difficult Dialogue
STORIES
08
Same Great Story, Reimagined Creating ADC's New Brand
24
Give it a Try! Walking with Others in Their Call
27
Rev. Dr. Rhonda Y. Britton Receives the 2021 Alumni Award
alivelihood.me PRINTING
DEPARTMENTS
Rocket Printed in Canada
02
President's Message
ADC Today is produced and distributed
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Today's News
once a year to Acadia Divinity College
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Faculty Updates
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Our Graduates
on our website.
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Class Notes
Available online at
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We Remember
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ADC Advancement
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PRESIDENT'S
message
Transformation with a Simple Conversation
WE
DON’T LIKE DIFFICULT conversations. We don’t even know where to start a difficult conversation let alone navigate a healthy disagreement. We avoid them because we fear they will lead to conflict. Perhaps we have avoided them for so long that we have lost the art of the difficult conversation.
That is not surprising considering how the internet has taught us to engage one another. It has taught us to malign and discredit those with whom we disagree. It divides and polarizes people rather than encourages dialogue on important issues. It has not taught us to listen, to empathize, or to pause to reflect before vocalizing our feelings. It has not taught us to sit together in a space of unknowing or indecision while we wrestle with discernment in the Spirit. For Baptists, the church ought to be the place where the mind of Christ is discerned as we wrestle with the Spirit together under the Lordship of Christ. Sometimes, instead, it is a place of passive aggression or silent avoidance. When difficult conversations don’t happen in the church, we think we have preserved unity, while winners and losers are identified and discussed in the parking lot. Yet, Christians have been having difficult conversations throughout history. As C. Christopher Smith notes in his excellent book1 on the practice of difficult conversations, Jesus’ own approach to disagreement was conciliatory, and suggests the possibility of ‘virtuous disagreement’ where “our unity and mission in Christ supersedes the ways in which we disagree.” We can learn how to have healthy conversations, and good leadership is key. Where “authoritarian leadership is quick to punish and exile; healthy leadership, in contrast, acknowledges disagreements, facilitates conversations about them, and holds the community together while disagreements are discerned in the light of Jesus’ way, the wisdom of Scripture, and the traditions we have inherited as a particular community of God’s people.”
In this edition of ADC Today, you will read how Lennett Anderson confronted municipal officials on a matter of injustice by having a difficult conversation with the mayor about racism. Spencer Boersma challenges us to embrace the very real disagreements Christians have about the faithful interpretation and application of Scripture, and Stuart Blythe lends helpful advice on how to preach into difficult conversations.
We can learn how to have healthy conversations, and good leadership is key. As those who follow Jesus Christ, we have little to fear from a conversation. A conversation doesn’t always have to lead to a decision or division. It begins with recognizing the other as a human being who bears the image of God as a starting place of affirmation, and a point of mutual commitment to love and truth. Gospel transformation can begin with a simple conversation.
DR. ANNA ROBBINS, ’93, ’97, is the
President, the Dr. Millard R. Cherry Professor of Theology, Ethics and Culture, and the Director of the Andrew D. MacRae Centre for Christian Faith and Culture of Acadia Divinity College, as well as the Dean of Theology for Acadia University.
1
2
C. Christopher Smith, How the Body of Christ Talks: Recovering the Practice of Conversation in the Church, Brazos Press, 2019.
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AD C TODAY
Engaging in
Difficult
Dialogue
A Theologian's Perspective
by Dr. Spencer Boersma, Assistant Professor of Theology
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“P
ASTOR, I HAVE BEEN ADDICTED to drugs for years.
How do I believe hard enough to make it go away?”
“Pastor, no one knows this, but I am intersexed. I was born with both genitals. Why did God make me this way?”
“Pastor, I shot someone when I served in the military. He was just a young kid with a gun. How can I live with myself?” “Pastor, my son fell away from faith when he got older, and he recently passed away. Is my son in hell?” These are all questions I was asked while pastoring a small church in Northern Ontario. I must confess, I felt deeply unprepared for these questions. But in today’s world, the church has been pushed to the margins where it no longer can hide behind easy answers. In this context, you can’t avoid having difficult conversations with yourself, your church, or your theology. Sooner or later someone else will probably make you have that discussion.
But in today’s world, the church has been pushed to the margins where it no longer can hide behind easy answers. What stops us from having these conversations? First, many refuse to have difficult conversations because they feel threatened. Why is this? We are justified by faith. However, in popular evangelicalism, I fear that this phrase has come to mean “justification by beliefs”: I know God chose me for salvation because I believe the right things. The problem with this is that justification by beliefs ends up sounding a lot like justification by intellectual works: God loves me because I have the right ideas in my head. However, as soon as we scrutinize our beliefs, any uncertainty we may feel about them translates into uncertainty about our salvation. For many, this leads into a kind of fight or flight response, where thinking about any anomaly to their faith paradigm is seen as a threat. 4
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ADC TODAY
The second obstacle is our assumptions about how we read the Bible. The Bible is our authority in our faith, but how each passage is to be interpreted and how it applies to our life today requires a much more complex inquiry. Yet, for many of us and our churches, the Bible is read daily or on a Sunday morning in a matter-of-fact way that gives the impression that every page is
If God is the God of truth and love, God is pleased that we ask difficult questions and refuse simple answers. easy to understand and immediately applicable. Moreover, this implies that we can read the Bible in isolation: all a person needs in their walk with Jesus is “me and my Bible”. Yet, the history of modern Christianity is in part the tragic story of believers assuming this, then seeing other believers read the same texts in different ways. Because in this view one cannot doubt the certainty of their reading of the Bible, they must dismiss the alternative interpretation as either ignorant or evil. If we lament why we are in a secular, postmodern world, we have no one else to blame than our persistent tendency to see our ideas of faith as infallible and another’s ideas about faith as dangerous. Let me attempt to address these barriers. First, faith is about trust. It is about trusting who God is. If God is the God of truth and love, God is pleased that we ask difficult questions and refuse simple answers. God also is not the kind of God who abandons us when we struggle to understand the hard truths. God is the God who has died for us when we have gotten things wrong. That kind of love means we can trust that there are no questions in which God is not listening or walking with us. Now, don’t get me wrong: faith does involve thinking rightly, truly, and biblically about subjects. However, as I have learned, there is no shortcut to this process. While I would insist that good education helps immensely, you cannot just read a book, take a course, get a degree, or sign a doctrinal statement and conclude
that you’re good. Wrestling with an untamable God in a complicated world (where Scripture reflects both these realities in a profound ways) – this journey is inescapably lifelong and unpredictably bumpy. Thus, in this untidy activity of discernment and discipleship, certain answers that were taught in the time of the Bible, might be ironically unfaithful to the deepest contours of Scripture if we try to apply them directly today. For instance, Christians have had to learn difficult lessons as we contended with things like the abolition of slavery, the Copernican revolution, or the formation of democratic governments (all things that are not found in the literal teachings of Scripture, but that we hold are in congruence with its principles for our modern context). The age we live in confronts us with its own challenges and opportunities. While Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever, our faith and our thinking have no such guarantee. So, we can listen, learn, and love in messy but marvelous ways, or our faith can die a comfortable, sleepy death, anesthetized by the many conversations it refused to have. If we understand this, the Word of God will refuse our trite readings, propelling us out of our comforts and conventions, and into places where, as Baptists have always held, the Spirit may pour forth new light.
DR. SPENCER BOERSMA
is the Assistant Professor of Theology of Acadia Divinity College. From 2013 to 2018, he served as Lead Pastor of First Baptist Church of Sudbury, Ontario. He earned his ThD in 2017 from Wycliffe College, University of Toronto.
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Preaching on
Contested
Conversations
Participating in the Search for Truth by Dr. Stuart Blythe, John Gladstone Professor of Preaching and Worship
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P
REACHING INVOLVES A REGULAR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION to the ongoing,
sometimes contested, conversations taking place in a congregation’s life. These conversations, both formal and informal, can be about internal relationships, our life together and in relationship to God and Jesus Christ. Or such conversations can be about external relationships, that is, our life as Christians in relation to broader social trends, ideas, and values. At times, for a pastor or a people, the issue is clear and what is required is a prophetic word, or what Frank A. Thomas calls a “Dangerous Sermon”. This is a sermon that seeks to name the issues and address them from the perspective of faith. Such sermons are more than a loud rant against some disliked idea. Instead, they As preachers come to preach on involve the speaking of truth to power by those living amid the situations contested issues, we should be clear being addressed. These sermons may about how we think a sermon will rub against certain conditions and contribute to wider conversations. circumstances, people, and opinions within the congregation. They may also irritate people, principalities, powers, and views beyond the congregation. These sermons require courage and agitate response that preachers will need to survive. Prophetic preaching, however, is not the only preaching response to contested issues. Preaching has a variety of purposes. As preachers come to preach on contested issues, we should be clear about how we think a sermon will contribute to wider conversations. We should be clear on what we believe we can achieve through the sermon. To be sure, a preacher may seek to offer a “this is the way that it is, and we will say no more about it!” sermon. However, this type of approach is seldom successful and often problematic on several levels. Fortunately, as preachers, we have more to contribute. We can helpfully offer a biblical or theological perspective on a matter. I have known pastors who have invited speakers from various perspectives beyond their own to come and speak on the same issue. These sermons can provide the material for further congregational discussion in meetings and small groups.
At times, our preaching can be the proclamation of truth. It can, however, also participate in the search for truth.
Just as importantly, in our preaching, we can address Christian thinking and decision-making. We can build up the congregation in its unity while it negotiates differences. Some of the best preaching on complex matters may never directly address the issue but instead may address the people having the conversations, reminding them of their nature as the people of God. This is the strategy of saying, “Yes, this issue matters and because it matters, let us address it in a Christian way.” At times, our preaching can be the proclamation of truth. It can, however, also participate in the search for truth. This involves its role in reminding people that we all live under the Lordship of Jesus Christ and encouraging correct ethics and practices of discernment.
DR. STUART BLY THE is the
John Gladstone Professor of Preaching and Worship of Acadia Divinity College and also serves as Director of Doctoral Studies, Director of Simpson Lectures, and Dean of The Sarah Daley Nickerson Chapel. Dr. Blythe lectured at the Scottish Baptist College and served as Rector at the International Baptist Theological Study Centre in Amsterdam before moving to Wolfville.
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SAME GREAT STORY, REIMAGINED Creating ADC’s New Brand
ADC
HOLDS A UNIQUE PLACE in the lives of
our students, faculty, and beyond that can be deeply personal – a source of identity and belonging. Evolving a visual identity requires a delicate balance of being forward-looking while recognizing the role of the past. This is especially true for ADC.
Our new visual identity honours the past through our heritage and legacy, engages the present through cultural engagement and diversity, and envisions the future with innovation and creativity.
Our former logo had been with us since 1968 and served us well. But as our story has evolved and deepened, we needed a new look to better communicate our heritage, our current context, and our future. To do this, we took the elements of our existing logo and reimagined them. After a comprehensive discovery and design process, we invited members of our community to participate in user testing. The result is a new logo that is both practical and a beautiful artistic representation of our identity. Through its creative design, the mark honours the past through our heritage and legacy, engages the present through cultural engagement and diversity, and envisions the future with innovation and creativity.
For more information and access to logos and resources, visit ACADIADIV.CA/OUR-STORY/OUR-BRAND
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The symbols of our story
Weaving all the elements together is a cross, symbolizing Christ. The interconnectedness of the lines speaks to cultural engagement and diversity. At the centre of the mark is an open book, simultaneously representing the Bible (held as true), and an academic book (a source of knowledge and study). It is open to signify accessibility and open-mindedness. It locates the Word at the heart of ADC.
CROSS BOOK BOOK ICHTHYS & ACADEMIC STUDY INWARD REFLECTION JESUSBIBLE OUR SAVIOR BIBLE & ACADEMIC STUDY
Within the woven cross is the ichthys, representing discipleship. It faces both inward into the book (reflection) and outward toward the wider world (engagement). The mark is embraced by a circle, which speaks of the transformative change within the world, and is also an echo of the former logo’s circular silhouette. The circle is not fully closed, and the openings invite engagement and inclusivity. The inner-circle around the cross is the Christian community surrounding ADC.
ICHTHYS CIRCLE CIRCLE CIRCLE WAVES DISCIPLESHIP OUR COMMUNITY & WORLD OUR COMMUNITY & WORLD BAPTISM & EAST COAST The waveform of the crossbars represent water, which tells the story of OUR COMMUNITY & WORLD
baptism, but also locates ADC on the Canadian East Coast, surrounded by ocean. The chevron breaks the frame and invites engagement with the world beyond. The vertical strokes of the cross lean inward at the top, to make a path leading forward. The letters A, D, C are woven into the design – it's who we are.
PATH MOVING FORWARD
ADC WHO WE ARE WI N TER 2022
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TODAY'S
news
Acadia Divinity College Receives $1.25 Million Grant Through Lilly Endowment Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative
Acadia Divinity College has received a grant of CDN$1.25 million (US$980,526) from Lilly Endowment Inc. to help establish a Futuring Lab, a dynamic space to conduct research on trends and developments that will impact the future life of the church, as well as experiment with new approaches to theological education. The project is being funded through Lilly Endowment’s Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative. It is a three-phase initiative designed to help theological schools across the United States and Canada as they prioritize and respond to the most pressing challenges they face as they prepare pastoral leaders for Christian congregations both now and into the future. “The time is ripe for ADC to undertake this project,” says Dr. Anna Robbins, President of Acadia Divinity College. “The world is changing so rapidly that, in order to thrive, church leaders and their congregations must be able to see ahead and imagine alternative futures for Christian ministry.” For the full article, visit ACADIADIV.CA/LILLY-ENDOWMENT
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ADC Celebrates 10-Year Accreditation Renewal In June 2021, Acadia Divinity College was granted a 10-year renewal of accreditation by the Association of Theological Schools (ATS). ATS highlighted ADC’s leadership, resources, institutional integrity, and culture of collaboration as distinctive strengths. As part of the self-assessment and peer-review, ADC faculty and staff reflected on the strengths and areas for development in diversity, global awareness and engagement, planning and evaluation, educational modalities and policies, student services, governance, and institutional resources. Input also came from churches, alumni, and students. This produced a set of recommendations for action and informed the College’s strategic priorities for the next 5 to 10 years. “ADC is wellequipped to not only meet the challenges of the day, but to lead in maximizing opportunities for the creative development of theological education,” says Dr. Anna Robbins. “We have the strength of our historical roots, in church and university. Out of that tradition, we intend to continue in a spirit of engagement and innovation.” For the full article, visit ACADIADIV.CA/ACCREDITATION-RENEWAL
Acadia Divinity College Honours Rev. Dr. Harry G. Gardner On November 4, 2021, the Board of Trustees of Acadia Divinity College conferred the honour of President Emeritus on Rev. Dr. Harry Gardner. “In conferring this title on Dr. Gardner, we recognize his distinguished service as President, where he consistently went beyond the normal duties and responsibilities of the role,” said President Rev. Dr. Anna Robbins. “There is no doubt that he has had an extraordinary impact on the life of Acadia Divinity College.” Dr. Gardner is the first ADC alumnus to become President of ADC, graduating with a Master of Divinity in 1977. He occupied the Abner J. Langley and Harold L. Mitton Chair of Church Leadership teaching in pastoral ministry, leadership, and spiritual formation. He oversaw the expansion of research through Centres of Excellence, increased endowments, led a building project for a renewed facility, and completed a successful capital campaign including fully funding an academic chair. Through his service with national and international bodies, he ensured students and alumni were at the leading edge of theological education. His passion for the development of each student ensured confirmation in their personal calling and preparation to serve as Christian leaders. For the full article, visit ACADIADIV.CA/PRESIDENT-EMERITUS
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TODAY'S
news
SIMPSON Lectures 1
Generous Gift Honours the Legacies of Friendship and Chaplaincy A chance meeting on the Acadia University campus on a sunny afternoon in September 1954 led to a lifetime friendship between Bob Jones (’63) and Paul Wilson (’58). In a world where relationships are often transient, and despite lives that unfolded in different directions in different parts of the world, their friendship grew and flourished over 67 years.
2
During their years together at Acadia, Bob and Paul sang in the Acadia Quartet, with Dr. Charles Taylor, a professor at Acadia and Bob's mentor, often joining them on their road trips. Being the oldest member of the Quartet, the group often looked to Bob for guidance. And on the rare occasions it was needed, Bob was the voice of reason, bringing peace and tranquillity to the group. Dr. Paul Wilson, along with his wife Linda, are honouring this friendship and recognizing Rev. Bob Jones’ service as a chaplain in the Canadian Armed Forces with a US$50,000 gift to establish an endowed fund in support of the Charles J. Taylor Centre for Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care at Acadia Divinity College. This gift also recognizes Dr. Taylor for his contributions to theological education. For the full article, visit ACADIADIV.CA/REV-ROBERT-JONESENDOWMENT-CREATED PHOTOS: 1 Acadia Quartet left to right: Bob Jones, George
Mollins, Rev. Charles Taylor, Paul Wilson, Weldon Burlock 2 Bob Jones 12
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AD C TODAY
with
Dr. Helen Noh
SIMPSON LECTURES 2021
Caring for People with Mental Health Challenges and Promoting Well-being in Church Congregations With mental health education a strategic priority of the College, the 2021 Simpson Lectures focused on mental health in churches and communities. In February 2021, Dr. Helen Noh, Associate Professor of Counselling Psychology at Tyndale University, focused on the journey we take with those struggling with mental illness and the church’s ministry of healing and hope. Rev. April Yamasaki presented the seminar “Self-Care While Caring for Others”. The Lectures were virtual, with more than 2,000 joining online. Sessions are available at ACADIADIV.CA/SIMPSON-2021
2021
ZEMAN ACBAS
with
HAYWARD
Lecture
Dr. Gary White
Lectures
with
Dr. Anna Robbins
ZEMAN LECTURE 2021
HAYWARD LECTURES 2021
30th Anniversary Celebration
The Ethics of Nostalgia: Dystopia, Agency and the Future
The Acadia Centre for Baptist and Anabaptist Studies celebrated its 30th anniversary in September with the theme “Making History.” The Centre recognized the family of Dr. Jarold Zeman, its founding director, and hosted the Zeman lecture by Dr. Gary Waite, “The Use and Misuse of Dutch Anabaptism by Opponents of English Baptists, Independents, and Quakers, c. 1560-1660.” A digital exhibit was launched on Baptist and Anabaptist Treasures of the Acadia University Archives and Special Collections, as well as an oral history project. The Centre also hosted a stimulating panel discussion on “Do Denominational Labels Matter in Today's World?” To view recordings, visit ACADIADIV.CA/ACBAS/MAKE-HISTORY
The 2021 Hayward Lectures in October featured Dr. Anna Robbins, President of Acadia Divinity College and Dean of Theology for Acadia University. Dr. Robbins explored the significance of personal and collective nostalgia in contemporary culture and impact on Christian ethics. In this time of cultural change and instability where people often lack hope and long for a “past that never was”, the lectures considered the dystopian displacement of the church, the impact of such nostalgia on agency and responsibility, and how our view of the nostalgic future impacts our moral formation and actions. Watch the lectures at ACADIADIV.CA/HAYWARD-2021
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13
Stepping into
Courageous Conversations
An Interview with Visionary Leader and Community Advocate, Rev. Dr. Lennett J. Anderson
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A D C TODAY
by Carley Lee, ADC Communications Specialist
IT
WAS SUNDAY MORNING when Rev. Dr. Lennett J. Anderson knew things
needed to change. He stood in his office preparing for the service at EBC: The Meeting Place in Upper Hammonds Plains, Nova Scotia, where he has served as Lead Pastor since 1999. Through the window, he watched two senior church members prepare to cross the street from the parking lot to the church. THE CATALYST
With Bibles in one hand and purses in the other, the two ladies stepped onto the seemingly clear Pockwock Road. In what felt like slow motion, a car blurred past, horn blaring, barely missing the seniors as they stumbled back, startled. It was a narrow miss. Later that same Sunday, as the doors to EBC Kids opened, children streamed out onto the increasingly busy street with no awareness of the potential danger that awaited them. You see, there was no crosswalk between the growing church and the parking lot. There were no signs notifying drivers that children might be in the street, or that pedestrians may be crossing. In fact, there weren’t even two separate lanes in front of EBC: The Meeting Place – there was only a passing lane, allowing for even greater speed through the area. “Why wait until tragedy struck?’ Lennett asked. ‘I wanted to be proactive, not reactive.” That week he contacted his local councillor and immediately received a response: his concerns would be reviewed by a Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) traffic analyst. Lennett was encouraged by this positive step forward, but the response from the traffic analyst felt like a huge step back. The report explained that speed limits are determined by engineering principles and that motorists will drive at a speed they deem appropriate. Further, putting in restrictions that weren’t warranted could cause danger to drivers. Danger to drivers. How could the safety of motorists be placed above the safety of pedestrians?
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AN INVISIBLE LINE
BECOMING SOLUTIONISTS
“From Hammonds Plains Road to White Hills Run is the predominantly white community,” Lennett explains. “From White Hills to 1625 Pockwock Road is the African Nova Scotian community. It’s the same street. Similar homes, similar sidewalks, similar families. So why the inconsistency in speed limit?”
When the mayor visited the church along with several HRM staff members, Lennett knew another courageous conversation needed to happen.
It was as if an invisible line divided the two communities. It took everything in Lennett to respond calmly to the traffic analyst’s report. Not only did the report disregard the safety of pedestrians, it also dredged up memories of police speed checks unfairly targeting Black Nova Scotians, as proved by a Human Rights Commission report in 2019. But Lennett didn’t let his emotions rule his reply. “There are no words to describe my profound disappointment,” he wrote. “I will communicate to the residents of Upper Hammonds Plains that there will be no response to their concerns, and I will explain your justification for no action.” There was no response for several days. When HRM finally replied, they requested a meeting so that they could better understand the concerns of the community. Before the meeting took place, Lennett was due to speak at an event at Dalhousie University. It just so happened that the mayor was also in attendance, seated at the same table. “We can so often talk ourselves out of opportunities to have courageous conversations,” Lennett says, reflecting on the moment. “But we can’t let fear hold us back.” During dinner, Lennett seized the opportunity to passionately express his concerns, even going as far as drawing a diagram on the mayor’s napkin to illustrate the inconsistencies of the speed limit and the dangers presented to the community of Upper Hammonds Plains. Moved by Lennett’s tenacity, the mayor agreed to a site visit.
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He took the time to educate HRM staff by breaking down the long and difficult history between the municipality and the Black Nova Scotian community, specifically in Upper Hammonds Plains. He told the story of the first all-Black volunteer fire department created in the 1960s because other predominantly white fire departments wouldn’t respond to calls in the Black community – Lennett’s father was one of the founding members. He painted a picture of the expropriation of land in 1974 for meagre compensation to bring drinkable water to the white community while completely bypassing the Black community. Lennett took a step of faith, speaking candidly of the historic and ongoing discrimination experienced by Black Nova Scotians – truths that many of the HRM staff had never heard before. It took an emotional toll to regurgitate the long history of mistrust. “But I don’t want to take the posture of a victim,” Lennett says. “I didn’t want to live in my history in that moment. I wanted to live in the present and ask How can we be solutionists?”
I didn’t want to live in my history in that moment. I wanted to live in the present and ask How can we be solutionists? HRM chose to partner with Lennett and the wider community of Upper Hammonds Plains as solutionists to bring positive change. Today, as you drive down Pockwock Road, you’ll notice new reduced speed signs. You’ll see concrete borders put in place in front of the church to give the illusion that the now doublelane road narrows, encouraging motorists to slow down. And you’ll see a marked crosswalk stretching proudly between the parking lot and the front doors, allowing congregants to safely enter EBC: The Meeting Place.
FAITH OVER FEELINGS
Perhaps, like Lennett, you are on the brink of a courageous conversation. His advice? Manage your emotions. “Don’t underestimate the role that fear can play,” he says. “Fear limits us. Faith launches us. Fear restricts; faith releases.” Lennett believes that faith needs to be our foundation and our motivation as we step into courageous conversations. “Even when I don’t understand my current situation, I believe that God will open doors that no human can close, and close doors that no human can open. But I have to trust that he is the divine strategist. A SHIFT IN PERSPECTIVE
But what do we do when both sides of the conversation believe God will open their door? When both sides are confident and filled with faith that God will make a way for their perspective? “The Bible says we need to fight for unity,” Lennett reminds us, “especially in divisive situations. Allow time for God to adjust your vision. Don’t jump from emotion to action.
In a safe, loving atmosphere, we should be able to engage in courageous conversations, not as opposing forces, but in community with one another.
OWN YOUR VOICE
Quoting Congressman John Lewis (1940-2020), Lennett implores that we embrace getting into “good and necessary trouble”. Good and necessary trouble is what happens when we break the silence – when we are moved by compassion, when we seek the Lord’s perspective, and when we act. If we are to ‘Do the Two’, love for God and love for our neighbour requires us to look at the systems and structures that cause harm to our neighbours. “You’re an ambassador of the Most High!” Lennett says. “God has entrusted these courageous conversations to you – seize them and own your voice.”
Above all, Lennett encourages us to ‘Do the Two’ – to love God and love your neighbour. “We need each other,” he says. “As iron sharpens iron, we sharpen one another. I can’t be so caught up in my ‘Holy Huddle’ that I’m not concerned for my neighbour.” THE POSTURE OF HUMILIT Y
In this age of ‘cancel culture,’ many are reluctant to embrace courageous conversations because of the potential for misunderstandings. “The challenge is not to speak in ignorance,” Lennett says. “Create a space where you can listen so that you can understand. In a safe, loving atmosphere, we should be able to engage in courageous conversations, not as opposing forces, but in community with one another. Fear of saying the wrong thing is valid, but take the posture of humility and educate yourself. Then break the silence.”
REV. DR. LENNETT J. ANDERSON
is the Senior Pastor of EBC: The Meeting Place, Upper Hammonds Plains, NS, where he has served since 1999. In addition to his pastoral responsibilities, he serves on the faculty of Acadia Divinity College as Lecturer in Leadership and Racial Justice. He is also a retired commissioned officer in the Canadian Forces where he served as Unit Chaplain for HMCS Scotian.
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FACULTY
updates
Rev. Dr. Stuart Blythe Promoted to Full Professor In November 2021, Rev. Dr. Stuart Blythe was promoted to Full Professor. He joined ADC in 2017 as the Associate Professor in the John Gladstone Chair of Preaching and Worship, bringing with him a wealth of experience in preaching and research in the practice of homiletics. He also serves as the Director of Doctoral Studies, the Director of Simpson Lectures, and the Dean of The Sarah Daley Nickerson Chapel. Dr. Blythe’s keen interest in preaching was sparked in his teens. With a twist on the phrase from Eric Liddell, the Scottish runner portrayed in ‘Chariots of Fire’, Dr. Blythe says “When I preached, I felt His pleasure. Preaching was my first call to ministry and remains central to my calling.”
When I preached, I felt His pleasure. Preaching was my first call to ministry and remains central to my calling. Dr. Blythe has integrated his passion for preaching with his background in higher education and his study of the learning process. He has raised the profile of homiletics in the ADC curriculum. The Chair of Preaching and Worship is named after The Rev. Dr. John N. Gladstone (1921-2005), the highly regarded Senior Minister at Yorkminster Park Baptist Church in Toronto, ON. Widely recognized for his vibrant and distinguished preaching, his compelling sermons provided hope to those who were struggling or felt broken. Dr. Blythe is intent on preserving their legacy by exploring Rev. Gladstone's use of language and how elements of his sermons can be translated into our present context.
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Rev. Dr. Matthew Walsh Promoted to Associate Professor In July 2021, Rev. Dr. Matthew Walsh was promoted to Associate Professor of Biblical Studies with tenure. “One of the things I’m most passionate about is wrestling with difficult questions”, says Dr. Walsh. “A journey of faith doesn’t always have easy answers. There’s a lot of reward in the search and in seeking after God.”
One of the things I’m most passionate about is wrestling with difficult questions. Dr. Walsh started studying at ADC when his pastor, the late Rev. Dr. Andrew MacRae, former principal, encouraged him to consider ADC. In 2005, Dr. Walsh earned a Master of Divinity, followed by a Master of Arts (Theology) in 2006. He later earned a PhD from McMaster University in Religious Studies. Shortly after, he joined the ADC faculty, teaching Old Testament, Hebrew, and Biblical interpretation. Dr. Walsh is leading the way in his field. He has published and presented widely at international conferences. Of note are his monograph Angels Associated with Israel in the Dead Sea Scrolls: Angelology and Sectarian Identity at Qumran published in 2019. And, his essay “Sectarian Identity and Angels Associated with Israel: A Comparison of Daniel 7–12 with 1QS, 11QMelchizedek, and 1QM,” published as part of the Dead Sea Scrolls, Revise and Repeat: New Methods and Perspectives in 2020. Dr. Walsh is an active member of the Society of Biblical Literature, the Canadian Society of Biblical Studies, and the International Organization of Qumran Studies. An ordained Baptist minister, he has served several congregations. He is also the Dean of Students at ADC. Through his teaching, Dr. Walsh loves to instil in his students a deep appreciation for history and Biblical languages. This, he believes, helps the Bible come alive. Continued on page 26
OUR
graduates · FALL 2020 & SPRING 2021
ADC’S 60 TH ANNUAL COMMISSIONING SERVICE
Calling for Strange Leaders in Strange Times
ON
MAY 7, 2021, MORE THAN 1,400 GUESTS
watched online from around the globe, as Acadia Divinity College held its 60th Annual Commissioning Service. President Anna Robbins commissioned the Class of 2021, “You have been called to a noble, holy, and demanding task to serve in Christian ministries in the world. By faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and by the help of his grace you will find strength and courage.” Each graduand reaffirmed their commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord and pledged to seek first the will of God in their lives and the sphere of service he appoints. Prior to opening in prayer, Rev. Dr. Terry LeBlanc, Founding Chair and Director of NAIITS: An Indigenous Learning Community, and the ADC Advisor on Indigenizing Theological Education, welcomed all to Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq people. Rev. Dr. Brian MacArthur, Chair of the Board of Trustees, then extended congratulations to the Class and his delight that, as the church continues to face many challenges, “the mission of God in church and world will move forward as you serve the One who has called you.”
steadfast hope for the future. ADC, he stated, has equipped them well to all that God is calling them in these strange times. Rev. Dr. Gary Nelson then delivered the Annual John Gladstone Sermon. A Canadian Christian leader, he is the former President and Vice-Chancellor of Tyndale University, the former General Secretary of Canadian Baptist Ministries, and an Honorary Doctor of Divinity recipient of the Class of 2020. Dr. Robbins highlighted that Dr. Nelson has quietly “opened doors for those leaders prone to marginalization – younger, women, ethnic minority – to give them an opportunity to engage their leadership skills, to experiment, to stretch their wings, and to shine.” Dr. Nelson’s message was “Living Faithfully in the Age of the Impossible”. He prayed that the love of the graduates would abound in knowledge and imagination, that they would discern what is best and live it, and that they might witness to the radical nature of the love of Jesus. “How we serve and how we love will be remembered long after our worship songs and our sermons and our theological debates lose their lustre,” he said. “Walk in his love.”
On behalf of Acadia University, President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Peter Ricketts commended the graduating students for embodying the Acadia motto: In pulvere vinces, In dust we are victorious. “Dust yourselves off,” he said, in reference to the challenges of the past year, “for you are victorious.” Noting that the current pace of change has accelerated at warp speed and revolutionized ministry contexts, Rev. Dr. Peter Reid, Executive Minister of Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada, stressed that the opportunity for missional engagement is exciting.
Rev. Dr. Malcom Card, the recipient of an Honorary Doctor of Divinity degree of the Class of 2021, was recognized for his life and leadership as a Baptist missionary dedicated to deepening relations of reciprocity and mutuality within the Global South.
In his Reflections of a Graduand address, Jeremy Vincent, a graduate of the Master of Divinity Program, spoke of ADC’s preparing the Class of 2021 to be “strange, peculiar, type of Christian leaders.” He explained that the strange times in which we live require leaders who are strange in their confidence in the power of the Holy Spirit, their belief in the Church, and their
Academic awards included the President’s Award to Jeremy Vincent, The MacRae Prize to Doctor of Ministry graduate, James Rempel-Bekkers, and current Master of Divinity student, Mike Poworoznyk, received the Special Service Award.
For those who earn Acadia Divinity College Diplomas and Certificates, the Commissioning Service is also a graduation ceremony. This year marked the inaugural ADC Certificate in Lay Leadership, presented to Martha Ross, the first graduate of the program.
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OUR
graduates · FALL 2020 & SPRING 2021
DOCTOR OF MINISTRY
1
HELEN CHAN
GREG JONES
JAMES REMPEL-BEKKERS
TERRY ZAICHKOWSKI
SUSAN DEMONT
CINDY ELKERTON
ENOCH JEONG
YURIY MARK
MARYN ANDERSON
MASTER OF ARTS (THEOLOGY)
EVAN COLFORD
MASTER OF DIVINITY
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SHÂN MULFORD
JONATHAN SCARPUZZI
MARGARET TOTTEN
JACK BETTERIDGE
ANDREW CONRAD
JOE GOSBEE
PAUL HATFIELD
KIRK MACLEOD
T YRONE MCKENZIE
ANDREW PORTER
A D C TODAY
BACHELOR OF THEOLOGY
2
AJAY RAMANUJAM
JEREMY VINCENT
DEREK THORNE
SARAH BILL ARD
ALYSSA DYKEMAN
SEAN INGLIS
JAMES MACLELL AN
3
MATTHEW HOLMES
NICK HYATT
VICTORIA HYATT
GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN CHRISTIAN STUDIES
MARK MCEWEN
KEEGAN PERRY
EMILY TARDIFF
CERTIFICATE IN LAY LEADERSHIP
Congratulations 2020 & Spring and blessings for what's next!
T YLER PROUDE
ACADEMIC AWARD RECIPIENTS
1
JAMES REMPEL-BEKKERS Recipient of the MacRae Prize
for the best Doctor of Ministry thesis
to all our Fall 2021 graduates,
SUNGKEUN JUNG
2
JEREMY VINCENT Recipient of ADC President’s Award
and Acadia University Silver Medal in Theology 3
VICTORIA HYATT Recipient of Acadia University
Bronze Medal in Theology
MARTHA ROSS
WINTER 2022
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CLASS
notes
1976 · MORLEY SHAW has retired after sixty years in ministry. 1977 · HARRY GARDNER. On
Share the Joy of Your Journey!
1 2001 · LIZ JOHNSON has received
a |call to East Preston United Baptist
Volunteer of the Year Award for her
Church, NS.
giving to organizations throughout
November 4, 2021, the Board of
2010 · KRISTEN PRICE and her
the Annapolis Valley.
Trustees of Acadia Divinity College
2009 · JOYCE ROSS has accepted
the 2021 Port Williams Representative
husband, Jacob, have completed their
conferred the honour of President
2003 · SARAH SCOTT has been called
ministry at Lifepoint Church, NB. Kristen
Emeritus on Rev. Dr. Harry Gardner.
as the Spiritual and Religious Care
accepted a call as the Associate Pastor
Chaplain at the newly constructed
of NextGen and Connecting Points at
Valley Hospice located in Kentville, NS.
Kennebecasis Baptist Church, NB.
Research Professor of Theology at
2004 · JODY LINKLETTER was ap-
2010 & 2014 · PAUL WORDEN
Tyndale University in Toronto, ON.
pointed to the faculty of Acadia Divinity
completed his ministry at First Baptist
He recently published his fifth book,
College as Lecturer in Next Generation
Church, Truro, NS and has been called
Contemplating God with the
Ministry, effective July 1, 2021.
to Wittenburg Baptist Church, NS.
Great Tradition.
2005 & 2006 · MATTHEW WALSH
2011 · As grandparents, JOHN
1984 · TRENT CLEVEL AND-
was promoted to Associate Professor
MCNALLY and his wife, Catherine,
THOMPSON has retired to Saint
of Biblical Studies with tenure, effective
are delighted to share the news of the
Andrews, NB, after 28 years at Fort
July 1, 2021, of Acadia Divinity College.
birth of their first grandchild, Joanna
1983 · CRAIG A . CARTER retired from teaching and was appointed
Massey United Church, Halifax, NS.
Catherine McNally, on June 30, 2021, to Nathan and Grace McNally.
1990 · KEVIN VINCENT and his wife, Sandra, received the 2021 Distinguished
2012 · ALLISON TRITES was granted
Alumni Award at Crandall University,
Board Member Emeritus of Crandall
Moncton, NB.
University, Moncton NB. Allison received an Honorary DD from Acadia University.
1993 · RON FORD has completed his ministry at Sonora, Port Hillford, and
2013 · TARA ALBERT was ordained at
Port Bickerton Baptist Churches, NS
Middle Sackville United Baptist Church,
and has retired.
2
1995 · ROBERT MACCORMACK has completed his ministry at Wittenburg
NB on October 24, 2021.
2 2008 · WARREN CL APHAM and
Baptist Church, NS.
SARAH CL APHAM (2009) welcomed
1999 · DANIEL WALTON, a chaplain
another son, Ezekiel David, born on
with the Canadian Armed Forces,
July 21, 2021. Sarah has been called
received the General Service Medal
to St. Luke’s Protestant Chapel, CFB
for his time in Kuwait in 2019.
Gagetown, NB. 2008 · CINDY DOCKENDORFF has started the podcast ‘CEO Pastor’. She says, “We strengthen and support church leaders by helping them interpret and implement management
3
ideas and principles in their unique ministry contexts.”.
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3 2013 · JOEL MURPHY and his wife
2008 · CHAD BOLTON AND AMANDA
K ATHLEEN, an MAT student at ADC,
BOLTON (2009 & 2011) welcomed their
welcomed their first-born, Adley-Jo
second son, Theo, on April 12, 2021.
Elizabeth, on August 22, 2021.
Have you had a significant event in your life this year that you would like to share? Typical updates include ministry changes, wedding and birth announcements, special awards, publications, and more. Photos welcome!
2014 · DUSTIN DAY has completed his
2018 · SPENCER CONWAY was
ministry at True North Baptist Church,
ordained to Christian Ministry at
NB and is working with Youth Impact.
Rock Church, Lower Sackville, NS,
2016 · STEVE BAKER has been called
on September 5, 2021.
to Milton Baptist Church, NS.
2018 · TAMMY GIFFEN has been
If you are part of the alumni of ADC and would like to update us on your news, please email Trisha Urquhart at trisha.urquhart@acadiau.ca
ordained at Groundswell Church in Truro, NS on November 14, 2021. 2018 · DANIEL MANSVELT was
5
ordained at Hillside Wesleyan Church in Dartmouth, NS, October 6, 2021. 2018 · STEVEN PATTERSON has completed his ministry at Brunswick
4 4 2016 & 2020 · EVAN COLFORD
and K AYL A COLFORD (2016 & 2018) welcomed their first born, Elias Lynwood, on May 1, 2021. Pictured is Elias and his trusted friend, Farley. 2016 · NATASHA DAVIDSON was ordained at Springhill Baptist Church, NS on October 24, 2021. 2016 · LINDA DEMONE has accepted
5 2021 · ANDREW CONRAD and
his wife, Arielle, welcomed their firstborn, John Abel Wilde, born on
Street Baptist Church, Fredericton, NB.
October 4, 2021.
2018 · JOSH SMITH and his wife,
2021 · ANDREW PORTER was
Lauren, welcomed their daughter, Essie,
ordained at Forest Hills Baptist Church
Esther Natalie on December 9, 2021.
in Saint John, NB on October 3, 2021.
2018 · RUTH TONN has completed
2021 · JEREMY VINCENT was ordained
her ministry at First Baptist Church
at Groundswell Church in Truro, NS, on
in Truro, NS.
November 14, 2021.
2019 · DAVID HAWKESWORTH was
Current Students
ordained at Weldon Baptist Church,
EMMA BATUMBYA has accepted a call
NB on September 19, 2021.
to serve as Associate Pastor at Regal
2020 · HANNAH BARTLETT was
Heights Church in Dartmouth, NS.
ordained on September 26 at
a call to serve at Uniacke Baptist
Cornerstone Baptist Church
Church, NS.
in Cornwall, PEI.
2016 & 2019 · CHRISTOPHER DIOTTE
2020 · WAI-CHUNG (RACHEL) KWAN
was ordained at Forest Hills Baptist
has completed her ministry at Midland
Church in Saint John, NB on
Baptist Church, NB and has accepted
October 3, 2021.
a call to serve at Fundy Seaside Baptist
2016 & 2021 · JOE GOSBEE was
Church, NB.
ordained at Cambridge United Baptist
2020 · DEBBIE SIMMONDS was
Church, NS on October 17, 2021.
ordained at East Preston United
2017 · SHARON WHITE has completed
Baptist Church in East Preston, NS
her ministry at Rossway Baptist Church,
on November 7, 2021.
NS, November 21, 2021.
2020 · ANDREW SUTHERL AND was
2018 · TIM CARRUTHERS serves
ordained at Birch Cove Baptist Church
as Manager of CU Serves and
in Halifax, NS on November 7, 2021.
Undergraduate Student Life and
2021 · JACK BETTERIDGE is working
Transformation at Crandall University
as the General Manager for Habermehl
in Moncton, NB.
Contracting in Bedford, NS. He is also
6 6 HANNAH GRACE FREEZE and her
husband, Jake, welcomed their second child, Ruth Susan Freeze, on November 13, 2021; a sister for Freddie. RAPHAEL ILUYOMADE has accepted
a call to serve as Lead Pastor at New Beginnings Ministries in Dartmouth, NS.
involved with Aaron Ministries.
WINTER 2022
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23
GIVE IT A TRY! Walking with Others in Their Call
by Dr. Danny Smith, ’04, ’19, Lead Pastor, Middleton Baptist Church
“G
IVE IT A TRY.” Those words were instrumental in my call to pastoral ministry.
I remain grateful to this day that somebody was willing to take a risk on a seventeen-year-old with such a simple phrase: “Give it a try.” It didn’t matter that I had been sensing this call for less than a year – just give it a try!
Throughout my ADC education in both the Master of Divinity and later the Doctor of Ministry programs, “Give it a try!” was a consistent theme. Now, I make a point to speak those words often. In the seventeen years I’ve served as lead pastor at Middleton Baptist Church (MBC) I’ve had the privilege of walking alongside many individuals as they “gave it a try”.
Many of them have received that call while part of our congregation. Others have arrived at our church because they perceived that MBC would be a safe space to develop their call. Some have completed their ADC Mentored Ministry requirements with us, and a few have stayed and served as MBC staff. In fact, over the past 15 years, most of our permanent pastoral staff positions have been filled by someone within our own congregation or by someone with a close association to our church. EMBRACE THE FIVE FACTORS
As I reflect on my own call to ministry and MBC’s willingness to walk with others in their own call, I can identify five factors that I think are essential for churches and mentoring pastors to consider. 1. The “I See In You” Factor
This is the wisdom of a church and a pastor to identify in others a call to ministry, sometimes even before that person senses the call themselves. It’s the ability to fan the flame of that call and it’s the desire to walk with them in discerning and preparing for it. 2. The Grace Factor
In my journey at MBC, I have been a beneficiary of an environment of grace. I was confident the church genuinely wanted me to succeed, and I experienced first-hand the ways the church made this possible through positive affirmation, constructive feedback, and strong leadership support. 3. The Risk Factor
In an environment of grace, risk becomes possible. I love when ministry students see our church with a fresh set of eyes and say to me, “I think we should try this.” My response? “Give it a try!” Some of our greatest ministry successes in the past few decades have begun as initiatives from students who have served and been mentored in our church. The risk is always worth it.
If you know someone who’s discerning their next steps, we invite you to tap them on the shoulder and share ADC’s Viewbook with them. 24
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4. The Kingdom Factor
For a church and a pastor to take the time, money, and energy required to invest in mentoring requires a Kingdom mindset. The mentoring church will most likely not be the longterm beneficiary of the investment in the life of the ministry student, but the local church doesn’t exist to build its own kingdom – it exists as an instrument of God in building His Kingdom.
HOW THEN SHALL WE LIVE?
5. The Faith Factor
Racism & The Church
Churches need to create an environment where ministry students continue to develop a deeper love for Jesus and His church. They need a space to grow and develop spiritually so that they have the fortitude to lead the church that might one day be entrusted into their care. BE WILLING AND DETERMINED, NOT PERFECT
Rev. Dr. Rhonda Y. Britton and Rev. Dr. Lennett J. Anderson
with
You do not have to be the perfect church for this to be successful. All that is required is a willingness to love and embrace someone with the fire of God’s call in their heart, and the determination that your church can make a Kingdom difference by this simple act of love and hospitality. Few things in ministry give me greater joy than to see tiny sparks of a call in someone’s life, and then to have the privilege and joy in helping fan those sparks into flames that eventually lead that person, by God’s grace, to go out and do great things for God’s glory!
PLEASE JOIN US FOR THE 2022 LECTURE SERIES
February 15-17, 2022 ABOUT THE SIMPSON LECTURES
DR. DANNY SMITH began
ministry at Middleton Baptist in 2001, as the Youth Pastor while studying at Acadia Divinity College. The next year he took on the role of Associate Student Pastor. In 2004, Danny was called by Middleton Baptist
The Simpson Lectures provide an opportunity for distinguished scholar-practitioners to reflect with our community on effective ministry practices for our current cultural context. The three-day program takes place in mid-February and includes lectures, daytime seminars, and worship experiences. The lectures were established and endowed by Mr. Gerald Simpson of Deer Island, New Brunswick.
Church to be their Lead Pastor.
ACADIADIV.CA / VIEWBOOK
For more details visit
ACADIADIV.CA /SIMPSON-2022
FACULTY
updates Continued from page 18
Rev. Dr. Jody Linkletter Affirmed as Lecturer in Next Generation Ministry The Board of Trustees has affirmed Rev. Dr. Jody Linkletter’s many years of experience as Lecturer in Next Generation Ministry with an appointment as administrative faculty member. She also serves as the Associate Director of Doctoral Studies and Academic Assistant to the Academic Dean. Dr. Linkletter graduated from ADC with a Master of Divinity in 2004, and with a PhD from the University of Warwick in 2011. Dr. Linkletter’s ministry experience includes serving in the Youth and Family Department of the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada (CBAC).
Other ADC Faculty Updates
WE
Dr. Danny Zacharias, Associate Professor of New Testament Studies, participated in leading the Canadian Baptist Ministries Service of Remembrance & Reflection during a webinar in observance of the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30th. Dr. Melody Maxwell, Associate Professor of Christian History, received funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada for the “Atlantic Baptist Stories” project. Dr. Dorothy Hunse, Assistant Professor of Pastoral Care, produced a webinar for the Youth Worker Community on caring in situations of loss and grief. Dr. Spencer Boersma, Assistant Professor of Theology, published The Psalm of Vengeance, the God who Listens, and How I Learned to Forgive My Mother's Abuser in Priscilla Papers.
remember
1967 · PERLEY TIDD passed away
1988 & 2011 · JEFFREY LUTES passed
2002 & 2019 · LEON TEAL passed
in December 2021. He was in ministry
away suddenly on July 16, 2021. Jeff
away suddenly on August 13, 2021.
for 66 years serving several churches
was the President and Founder of
Leon pastored the Church of the
in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick,
International Harvesters for Christ
Nazarene in Middleton, NS, Stettler,
and Ontario.
Evangelical Association, CITA, CJLU
AB and Trenton, NS. Leon was one
& CIOG Christian radio stations.
of the first volunteers at the Northeast Nova Scotia Correctional Facility in New Glasgow, NS.
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REV. DR. RHONDA Y. BRITTON (’13) RECEIVES
THE 2021 ALUMNI AWARD A Transformative Impact on Ministry in Church and Community
IN
RECOGNITION OF HER Christian leadership
and commitment to social justice, Acadia Divinity College presented the 2021 Alumni Distinguished Service Award to Rev. Dr. Rhonda Y. Britton (Doctor of Ministry ’13) on November 24, 2021. The ADC Alumni Distinguished Service Award honours graduates of ADC whose gifts for ministry have contributed significantly to the Christian Church in Canada or throughout the world. In presenting the Award to Dr. Britton, President Anna Robbins recognized the transformative impact of her ministry in church and community. “We are deeply grateful for Rhonda as an alumna who challenges our students and graduates to take up the cause of justice in the community as an essential part of what it means to share the good news of Jesus.” Dr. Britton is a trailblazer – the first woman pastor of New Horizons Baptist Church in Halifax, NS in its 200-year history; the first woman of colour to be President of the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada; and the first ordained woman to serve Second United Baptist Church in New Glasgow, NS. To each role she inspired others to meet the challenges in addressing deep-rooted social issues and embrace the opportunities for our churches in the community.
Dr. Britton is a clear example of how we are to take action to confront injustice in our communities. Over the years she has led boycotts, organized street marches, fought legal battles and created award-winning faith-based programming to address the injustices she encountered. She has even led her own congregation in changing their name from Cornwallis Street Baptist in recognition of the violence and mistreatment of Indigenous peoples in Nova Scotia by Edward Cornwallis. The chosen name, New Horizons Baptist Church, reflects the new vision and mission for the church into the future Dr. Britton’s community roles are many including a Moderator of the African United Baptist Association of Nova Scotia, Chair of the Richard Preston Centre for Excellence, and a member of Corrections Canada’s Interfaith Committee on Chaplaincy. Her ministry has extended to communities beyond our shores with invitations to teach and preach in South Africa, Asia, and South America.
We are deeply grateful for Rhonda as an alumna who challenges our students and graduates to take up the cause of justice in the community as an essential part of what it means to share the good news of Jesus.
With this award, Acadia Divinity College acknowledges and joins with Dr. Britton in the pursuit of justice and reconciliation in church and community.
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ADC
advancement
May I Have a Word with You? CONSIDERING ESTATE PLANNING
by Dr. Harry G. Gardner, Consultant to the President, Development, ’77
A
FTER THE BIRTH OF OUR FIRST CHILD, my wife and I wrote our initial wills. We believed it was an important step to take at that time.
Recently, I was surprised to learn that more than half of Canadians do not have a will. But since the beginning of the pandemic, will writing has increased significantly. (See legalwills.ca/blog/will-survey) For various reasons, people can be uneasy to discuss their will and estate plans. However, I believe part of being faithful stewards of all God has entrusted us is determining how our resources will be allocated after our life here has ended. Paul reminded the Corinthians that “each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor. 9:7).
CONSIDERING ESTATE PLANNING
An individual usually prioritizes their family in the development of an estate plan. But what is often missing are the churches, ministries, and charities that a person has supported throughout their lifetime. Convinced of its mission, many of you are generous supporters of Acadia Divinity College. You may have already taken steps to designate a bequest to the College. But, if not, may I ask you to prayerfully consider this? The reasons for estate gifts are many. A person is often impacted by the sacrifice of someone who entered Christian ministry, so their bequest will help reduce the cost for students also preparing for ministry. Others establish bursaries or scholarships, but they want to use their estate to further contribute to these funds. Your motivation to support ADC could arise from the impact a professor had, and you want to support an academic (teaching) chair. Or you may be interested in the focus of one of the 28
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Centres of Excellence at ADC. (Visit the ADC website for more information at acadiadiv.ca/centres)
You can give confidently to Acadia Divinity College knowing that its alumni are faithfully serving Christ as pastors, chaplains, educators, and missionaries across Canada and around the world. You can give confidently to Acadia Divinity College knowing that its alumni are faithfully serving Christ as pastors, chaplains, educators, and missionaries across Canada and around the world. ADC also has the highest affirmation of its accrediting body, the Association of Theological Schools. Your gift will help ensure that future Christian leaders will receive excellent theological education for service in this ever-changing world. My wife and I have updated our wills several times since having a family and we have included ADC in our estate plan. Would you, too, consider supporting ADC in this way? I would love to talk with you!
President Emeritus, DR. HARRY G. GARDNER continues to serve the
mission of the College as Consultant to the President, Development. He works with President Anna Robbins to build healthy relationships with churches and individuals who support the work of the College. While serving as ADC President from 2008 to 2019, he occupied the Abner J. Langley and Harold L. Mitton Chair of Church Leadership.
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