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CONTINUING EDUCATION Presented by: Hood Theological Seminary

Table of Contents ABOUT HOOD THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

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THE PURSUIT OF ADVANCED EDUCATION: A FULL-TIME PASTOR’S PERSPECTIVE 4 Since earning my Master of Divinity, my calling and vocation have taken me into Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE); police chaplaincy in the Atlanta Police Department; Biblical Studies instructor of both Old and New Testament at the Westminster Schools (Atlanta); counseling in a mental health center (Sumter, SC); and to full-time pastorates in South Carolina, Virginia and presently, North Carolina.

Over the course of my career in ministry, I felt the need and desire to re-tool and re-equip myself for service in the present age.

By Rev. Dr. Clay L. Barrow

IT WAS JUST FIVE WORDS

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I remember sitting in a one-week intensive class, watching a video by photographer Dewitt Jones. He talked about his travels for National Geographic and how the scenes he captured and the people he met impacted his perspective on the world.

Jones talked about an interview with a life-seasoned woman known for her weaving. When he asked her what she thought about when she was weaving, the five words came.

Five words that have stayed with me and changed me.

When I weave, I weave.

By Rev. Kristina “Kris” Mares

NeighborHOOD. SisterHOOD. BrotherHOOD. We are HOOD.

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NEW CHAPTER! Coming in December 2017

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About

Hood Theological Seminary

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or more than a century, Hood Theological Seminary (HTS) has been dedicated to theological preparation for leadership in the various ministries and vocations of the Christian church. This graduate and professional school sponsored by the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church (A.M.E. Zion) and approved by the University Senate of The United Methodist Church.

The Seminary bears the name of a renowned A.M.E. Zion bishop, James Walker Hood, who inspired others in the denomination to join with him in creating an institution for the training of Negro youths for the Christian ministry. In 1879, those pioneers created the Zion Wesley Institute in Concord, NC. Three years later, by invitation of the citizens of nearby Salisbury, they relocated the Institute to this city. The Institute was chartered by the State of North Carolina in 1887 and renamed Livingstone College in honor of Dr. David Livingstone, the Scottish physician and explorer of central and southern Africa.

HTS obtained independence from Livingstone College in 2001 and, in the fall of 2005, officially relocated to its present site at 1810 Lutheran Synod Drive in Salisbury. The new campus provided much-needed room to grow. With strong support from church, alumni and community, Hood Theological Seminary is poised for a bright second century with the mission to prepare women and men for bold and creative leadership for the Christian church in a diverse world.

Today, the seminary is a thriving, spirit-filled community of all ages, from all walks of life, representing many different denominations and backgrounds. Students enjoy flexible schedule options, a world-class faculty, hybrid course options, and an accessible campus location.

HTS offers the Master of Divinity (M.Div.), Master of Theological Studies (MTS) and Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) degrees. Students who have completed 18 hours in the M.Div. program have the option of declaring up to 2 concentrations in the following areas: biblical studies, church history, theology and social ethics, preaching and worship, pastoral care and counseling, and/or Christian education. Students pursuing the D.Min. may choose one pf 4 specializations: Pastoral Theology and Care, Leadership Ministry, Clinical Pastoral Education Supervision, or Community Advocacy and Social Justice Ministry.

For more information about HTS, its graduate programs, faculty, and how to apply or make a donation, visit our website at www.hoodseminary.edu.

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3) Hood has a diverse student population, representing not only those of the Wesleyan traditions, but also the congregational churches and denominations. It is in this type of environment that I learn the most.

The pursuit of advanced education: a full-time pastor’s perspective

By Rev. Dr. Clay L. Barrow Since earning my Master of Divinity, my calling and vocation have taken me into Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE); police chaplaincy in the Atlanta Police Department; Biblical Studies instructor of both Old and New Testament at the Westminster Schools (Atlanta); counseling in a mental health center (Sumter, SC); and to full-time pastorates in South Carolina, Virginia and presently, North Carolina.

Over the course of my career in ministry, I felt the need and desire to re-tool and re-equip myself for service in the present age.

I first heard of Hood Theological Seminary (HTS) and the quality of its Doctor of Ministry program from Dr. J. C. Evans, a dear friend and retired AME pastor, and one in the first class of the D.Min. Program in 2003. Two years later, I had the good fortune to meet Dr. Albert Aymer, president of HTS, and to learn more about the school and the program.

Though my interest was stoked, I felt I needed more experience in the pastorate before I could fully engage in a D.Min. program.

My interest in pursuing the D.Min. experience in the field of ministry, and the opportunity to enroll, finally culminated in 2014 when I had the chance to meet Dr. Vergel Lattimore, HTS President Elect. Based on our conversation, I was certain that Hood was the ideal seminary for me and that now was the time. My concerns were addressed and resolved: 1) I found the cost of each semester to be the most reasonable and affordable option in comparison to other programs in North Carolina and beyond.

2) The classes were taught by a denominationally diverse faculty who had graduated from some of the leading and most prestigious doctoral programs in the fields of philosophy and theology.

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4) The schedule for the D.Min. Program was the most pragmatic and appropriate for my schedule as a full-time pastor, husband and father.

After having this dialogue with President Lattimore, I turned in my application within one week, and enthusiastically read my acceptance letter when it arrived.

In “Core I: Re-visioning Ministry,” taught by Bishop Staccato Powell of the AME Zion Church, I was further convinced that now was the right time and Hood was the right place for me as he challenged the cohort to re-vision the Church and its missio Dei. I began reading materials and books that pushed my notions of ministry. The resources, the class interaction, and the feedback from the cohort confirmed the angst that I felt regarding my desire to re-tool myself for ministerial service, and validated some of the ideas I had relating to the move of the Church.

In my first Winter Intensive, I was challenged by Dr. Dora Mbuwayesango to sharpen my exegetical skills in the class, “The Nature of God in the Old Testament.” These two classes impacted and altered my preaching where the exegesis of the text is “cleaner,” and my challenge to the congregation has greater depth of vision and sustainable energy to capture the idea.

“All three classes and instructors stretched my vision, my mind, my heart and my soul.”

In the Spring Semester, I took “Core II: Personal Transformation for Effective Ministry,” taught by Dr. Vergel Lattimore, where he invited us to engage ourselves. These three courses in the first year in the program had the greatest impact on my journey at Hood. Bishop Powell taught me how to capture the vision for something new, while Dr. Mbuwayesango challenged me to drill down in my exegetical work instead of basing my writings and reflections on inductive or deductive rationales and assumptions. Dr. Lattimore forced me to look within my soul and psyche to see myself, and to see myself in my work.

All three classes and instructors stretched my vision, my mind, my heart and my soul. As a result, I opened to new and great possibilities as I prepared for Core III. I have seen significant changes in my pastoral counseling and pastoral services as a direct result of the D.Min. Program and my professional project, Implementing a Pragmatic Model for Teaching Pastoral Care and Crisis Counseling to Candidates in the Western North Carolina Board of Examiners of the AME Church — a project which completed my specialization in Pastoral Theology and Care. This specialization in the D.Min. program is designed to provide educational opportunities for caregivers and clinical practitioners who seek advanced theoretical and theological reflection on the contemporary practices of pastoral care and counseling.

My pastoral care has changed in that I have found that I am more present with my parishioners during their crises and in fellowship. The D.Min. program at Hood Theological Seminary has brought out the best in me, for which I am thankful and more useful in Kingdom building.

Rev. Dr. Clay L. Barrow is pastor of Clapp’s Chapel AME Church, Whitsett, NC and an Itinerant Elder in the Western NC Conference of the 2nd Episcopal District of the AME Church. He holds a B.A. in Psychology and Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1993), a Master of Divinity from Candler School of Theology at Emory University (1996), and a Doctor of Ministry from Hood Theological Seminary (2017). Hood Seminary is fully accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada.

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CONTINUING EDUCATION

It was just Rev. Kristina “Kris” Mares M.Div., summa cum laude, 2015 Pastor, Mt. Tabor United Methodist Church, Salisbury, NC Coordinator of Missional Engagement, Uwharrie District of The UMC

What I learned at Hood Theological Seminary that day, and have continued to keep as a practice since then, was to be fully present in the activity I was doing at the time. No more multi-tasking. No more trying to listen in class, while texting a friend, while making a grocery list. No more watching a movie with my kids, while reading for class, while checking social media.

When I study for seminary, I study.

When I have coffee with someone, I listen.

I remember sitting in a one-week intensive class, watching a video by photographer Dewitt Jones. He talked about his travels for National Geographic and how the scenes he captured and the people he met impacted his perspective on the world.

Jones talked about an interview with a life-seasoned woman known for her weaving. When he asked her what she thought about when she was weaving, the five words came. Five words that have stayed with me and changed me.

When I weave, I weave.

As a chronic multi-tasker, those words hit me straight in the heart and gut. While attending seminary at full-time status (9 credit hours a semester), I also pastored a small rural church, volunteered with a local moms organization, was married and parented five children. My life as a seminarian was busy. My husband also traveled four days a week for work, so weekend family life was on me. I was a great multi-tasker. But those five words...

When I weave, I weave.

Here was a woman who had lived life twice as long as I had. She was an “expert” in her field. And at the time of the interview, she was caring for a sick family member. She had a lot going on, too! But those five words…

When I weave, I weave.

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When I am with my family, I play.

When I weave, I weave.

Those five words changed my approach to seminary, pastoring and life. Living with the wise words of the weaver, helped me graduate seminary with honors. The class schedules, with weekday and weekend options, paired well with pastoring and family life. The low tuition rates (and scholarship opportunities) allowed my family to pay cash for the training I needed to be a better pastor and administrator.

The professors understood that although students were in seminary to learn and be challenged, we also needed to care for our families and our congregations and ourselves.

I remember one instance when I did not “weave” very well. I had a preaching project due, and one of my children became ill. Several doctor appointments invaded my time to study and prepare. I emailed my professor, and he said I would still present on the appointed day. I wasn’t ready, and my mind was with my child, not on preaching for class.

I got up and completed the task. Poorly. It was painful.

That professor held me accountable for the assignment and kept the class on schedule so that all could have their opportunity to preach.

At the end of that class session, he pulled me aside and told me to take another week, perfect the sermon and delivery, and let him know when I was ready to try again. Grace.

Accountability and grace permeate the campus of Hood Theological Seminary. It is a place that held me accountable to a higher standard of preaching, pastoral care, theological understanding and ministerial practice. And even though life was busy and hard, Hood was a place where I found a deep sense of grace. But those five words...

When I weave, I weave.

C o n t i n u i n g E d u c a t i o n – H o o d T h e o l o g i c a l S e m i n a r y • CHURCH EXECUTIVE

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NeighborHOOD. SisterHOOD. BrotherHOOD.

We are HOOD.

Hood Theological Seminary is a graduate and professional school that provides theological preparation for effective ministry in a diverse society. Our programs can help you to pastor a local congregation, serve in a specialized ministry such as Christian Education or Counseling, explore theological questions for personal enrichment, lay a foundation for a PhD program elsewhere, or retool yourself for more senior church leadership.

Academics The Seminary offers three graduate degree programs, one of which is directed toward practice in the ordained ministry of word, sacraments, and order. Another provides flexible theological education for purposes other than the ordained ministry. The third provides preparation for the attainment of the highest degree in the practice of ministry.

Each of these programs accentuates a ministry to the total person and seeks to foster a dynamic relationship among the many disciplines and competencies that undergird effective Christian ministry.

• Master of Divinity • Master of Theological Studies • Doctor of Ministry

AFFORDABLE TUITION, SMALL CLASS SIZE,

Gifted Faculty

DIVERSE, SPIRIT-FILLED

Community

FLEXIBLE SCHEDULES FOR

Working Professionals > Request information > Apply online > Check out Hood Seminary on Twitter and Facebook

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