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09508
June 18, 2009
Seminary news
SAN ANSELMO, CA — Elizabeth Liebert will become the first Roman Catholic sister named as dean of a Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) seminary this summer when she takes over the position at San Francisco Theological Seminary (SFTS).
With more than two decades of teaching experience at the 138-year-old seminary, Liebert will replace the Rev. Jana Childers, who will step down June 30 after nearly eight years as dean.
“We are particularly pleased to be attaining a historic ecumenical milestone,” SFTS President Phil Butin said. “Dr. Liebert's deanship is a sterling example of SFTS's thoroughgoing commitment to ecumenical theological education.”
“This seems to be the call of God in this moment and time,” Liebert — professor of spiritual life at SFTS and a member of the doctoral faculty at Berkeley’s Graduate Theological Union — said. “I have some gifts that I hope will be helpful.”
Liebert, a pastoral theologian with a special interest in Christian spirituality, holds degrees from Fort Wright College of the Holy Names, Gonzaga University and Vanderbilt University. She has authored many books, including the best-selling The Way of Discernment: Spiritual Practices for Decision Making (Westminster John Knox 2008).
AUSTIN, TX — Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary has appointed the Rev. K.C. Ptomey as the Louis H. and Katherine S. Zbinden Professor of Pastoral Ministry and Leadership, effective July 1, 2009. Ptomey will teach pastoral ministry, church administration, congregational leadership, stewardship, and liturgy.
Ptomey most recently served as pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Nashville from 1981 to November 2008. He has also served churches in Collierville, TN, and Henderson and Arlington, TX.
Ptomey is a graduate of Rhodes College, Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, and McCormick Theological Seminary, where he earned a D.Min..
He has served extensively at all levels of the PC(USA), , including the boards of trustees of Schreiner College in Kerrville, TX and Rhodes College in Memphis; the alumni board of Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminaryege, committees and leadership posts in Grace and Middle Tennessee presbyteries; and currently as a member of the General Assembly’s Committee on Theological Education.
The Louis H. and Katherine S. Zbinden Chair at the seminary was endowed by First Presbyterian Church, San Antonio of San Antonio in 2002 in honor of their long-time pastor and his wife.
LOUISVILLE — The 2009 Worship and Arts Conference co-sponsored by Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s will be held July 22-25 on the seminary’s campus here.
The conference, “Borders and Beyond,” offers pastors, worship leaders, liturgical artists, church members and seminarians ideas and inspiration for creative approaches to worship planning and leadership. The program includes lectures, workshops with professional artists and creative worship experiences.
In her keynote lectures, “Glorifying the Stranger,” Sara Miles will lead participants into liturgical practices that break down boundaries to create new communities. She is founder of The Food Pantry and the director of ministry at St Gregory of Nyssa Episcopal Church in San Francisco.Her memoir, Take This Bread: A Radical Conversion, illuminates the connections between daily bread and the bread of heaven, and shows how feeding strangers is at the core of both worship and service.
Workshops in liturgical arts will be offered by Marie McCanless, visual arts; Jennifer Thalman Kepler, drama; Kimberly Bracken Long, writing; Harry Pickens, music; and Judith Rock, dance.
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