Alumni Link
Alumni Council Meeting
Published Date: October 3, 2016
By: Rev. Carolyn Moore, Master of Divinity 1998, Newly Appointed President of Asbury Theological Seminary’s Alumni Council
It is my great privilege to lead the Asbury Alumni Council in this season. Taking the reins from such spiritual leaders as Tom Harrison and Steve Wood is both humbling and gratifying. These men have done marvelous work moving our alumni community to new places. I am grateful for the strong foundation already laid.
Your alumni council recently met for two days on the Asbury campus, and focused on these three initiatives:
1. Estes Chapel Renovation: Who doesn’t have a great memory of encountering the Holy Spirit in Estes Chapel? This great and historic room holds the memories of 10,000 alumni who have had their spiritual grounding there while in seminary. Today, our chapel continues to serve as the heartbeat of the campus community even as it continues to feed our alumni community through its online presence.
Estes is in great need of renovation. The roof and windows leaking, and the paint is peeling. The technology needed to extend the reach of Asbury to the ends of the earth is woefully outdated. It is time for a “re-do”, so the ministry of the chapel can continue to reach the whole world with solid Wesleyan teaching and preaching.
In the brochure that casts a vision for the renovation of Estes, I note, “No other room on campus bears the heart and soul of the ‘Asbury experience’ like Estes Chapel. No other hour in the day captures the spirit of Asbury’s vision to spread scriptural holiness like the Asbury chapel service. No other classroom exposes students more directly to what church can be; and no other campus effort has more potential for reaching from Wilmore to the ends of the earth with a fair account of the gospel. What happens in Estes Chapel is absolutely NOT meant to stay in Estes Chapel!”
Our Alumni Council is challenging our 10,000 alums to give at least $100 each toward the renovation of Estes. Together, we can raise the funds needed to make Estes a vibrant worship center for generations to come. Plan to be an active part of this work in the days ahead.
2. Mentoring: Back in “the day,” most folks who applied to attend seminary were accepted, assuming minimal requirements were met. Today, the seminary is positioning itself to train up only the most gifted and anointed of young spiritual leaders. In 2016, Asbury accepted about 67% of all student applications received. This percentage reflects the seminary’s commitment to excellence. The average age of students living on campus is also much younger, meaning that Asbury is now producing a stronger leader with more years of potential service ahead.
As alums, you and I know of course, that simply offering these students the academic courses to graduate isn’t enough to see them into a successful, long-term ministry. They need solid, mature mentors with life and ministry experience to guide them beyond knowledge and into wisdom.
Toward that end, our alumni council has agreed to partner with the student leadership team on campus to develop organic (not programmed) mentoring relationships with students who seek them out. If you are ready to think about building your legacy by pouring into the next generation of leaders, please be in touch with Tammy Cessna in the alumni office so she can make that connection with a student.
3. Prayer: Maybe the most exciting thing that has happened on Asbury’s campus in recent years is the resurgence of prayer. Since launching a full day of prayer for all students, faculty and staff last year, a movement of prayer has emerged across the campus community that is rich and vibrant. We on the alumni council are asking, “How can we plug into this movement of prayer?” How can we extend what is happening on campus to alums around the world, so that prayer that feeds a Kingdom vision is happening globally and around the clock? Toward that end, the alumni council has a vision for developing a 24-hour Global Day of Prayer in cooperation with the Office of Community Life at Asbury. We want to see alums in every country praying for a great awakening, crying out to God for the sake of a lost and hurting world. Please watch for details as they emerge so we can join together in praying for the Kingdom to come.
It is a great honor to be called a graduate of Asbury Theological Seminary. We’ve been given a treasure in both the theology we’ve been taught and the community to which we belong. What we’ve been given is now ours to guard and pass on. As Paul said to Timothy, “Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you” (1 Timothy 1:14).
This is our charge. May we be found faithful in the work.
10-5-16
Best wishes to the Council and to you, Carolyn. WE will be praying for you.
If I can help in any way with the mentoring through Equipping Lydia, I am happy to. We regularly have students do mentored ministry with us. Great idea!!!!
Also …. Love the focus on prayer.
Thank you Carolyn, for your encouraging words. The life-changing memories and blessings of Estes Chapel and ATS, still ring true in our lives. (And don’t forget Luce Prayer Chapel–a place of transforming prayer and surrender.)
John (’69) and Ann (’68) Van Valin