Alumni Link

Towel and Basin Award Winners!

Published Date: June 8, 2018

The Towel and Basin Award is an award presented by the Alumni Department of Asbury Seminary to a graduating student who has shown throughout their time at the Seminary a loving attitude, and caring actions toward others. Their example has proven that they have a heart to serve the people around them. This prestigious award allows students, staff, and faculty to recognize someone who has displayed a servant’s heart in our community, and in all areas of life. Through this person we in this academic community have been able to reflect upon the heart of Christ and how embodying Christ’s heart can impact our world. 

The Kentucky Campus Towel and Basin award winner is Lindsey Runyan! She is passionate about community, prayer, liturgical renewal, and spiritual formation.

During her time at Asbury she left for a year to join the Community of St. Anselm, an ecumenical quasi-monastic community overseen by the Archbishop of Canterbury in London, England. She has brought her experiences back to Asbury in powerful ways rhythms of prayer and community life. Over the past years, she has been an incredible leader and servant on Asbury’s campus, serving on the Chapel Team, in the Advancement Office, and most recently serving as the Intercultural Resident Assistant for Single Housing on-campus. Upon graduation Lindsey plans to continue her passion for ancient rhythms in contemporary culture by teaming up with other Asbury graduates to plant Evergreen Church in Ann Arbor, Michigan and begin applying to PhD programs.

The Florida Dunnam Campus award winner is Patricia Roberts-Orlando!  Read about her Asbury journey here:

I wanted to come to Asbury Seminary in the Fall of 2011 right after I graduated from the University of Central Florida. The only challenge I faced was getting a pastoral letter of recommendation. You see, I was not in a leadership position and I had not shown any inclination to lead. I knew the desire of my heart was to know God through the formal study of his Word at Asbury Theological Seminary but after discussing it with my husband we both came to the very sane conclusion that my desire for the knowledge did not provide strong enough evidence for a positive decision to pursue the program considering the monetary expense of an MDiv degree. I let the desire go for lack of a pastoral letter of recommendation.

For two years, I continued working as a part-time high school guidance counselor, worked my personal garden and continued serving in the church. During this time my desire to serve in the church increased and I found myself needing to find a church that provided more meaning of the liturgy. Through a series of events I found myself going to an Episcopal Church. I had what I can only describe as a Holy Spirit encounter and as I was leaving the priest asked me to come to her office the next morning. I did go and after a few minutes of visiting she told me she had the impression that God was calling me to walk toward ordained ministry, that I should go to Asbury Theological Seminary to take classes toward my Master of Divinity and that she would write me a letter of recommendation! You can imagine my heart. I was stunned, excited, and emotional all at once as my desire came flooding back into my heart. This was the summer of 2013.

I called my husband to tell him what had just happened and asked him what he thought. The cost was the same as it had been two years earlier but now the obstacle that I had placed before me was gone. My husband told me to drive directly to Asbury Florida Dunham and apply, which I did and four weeks later I was sitting in my first class at what five years later I call the place God brought me to for equipping; a sacred campus that has lit a fire in my soul that will burn for eternity and will testify to the goodness, mercy and providence of a righteous, love filled God.

I joined the UMC in Spring 2014, became a certified candidate for elder in the United Methodist Church in 2015 and was hired as a Fresh Expression minister in 2016. At that time I found out that I had been given a full scholarship that would fund the rest of my education at Asbury. I had been going part time so that we would not have debt when I finished. God’s provision made it possible for me to dedicate myself fully to completing the degree sooner.

The impact of the academic education is sure, but I would be remiss if I did not include the faculty, fellow students and staff on campus as primary contributors to my spiritual and personal growth. My time as Chapel assistant weaved me into that fabric of our worship community and provided me the sacred space to forge lasting and impactful relationships. Serving our community is a highlight of my time at Asbury. Being an intern for The Office of Faith Work and Economics program helped to open my eyes to the ministry possibilities outside the walls of the institutional church. That coupled with my position as a Fresh Expression Minister as Asbury UMC in Maitland has influenced the trajectory of my ministry as I finish my formal education. I will be “taking to the streets” to bring the good news of the gospel just like Wesley but in a 21st century way. I am excited for the new beginnings but so grateful the fabric of my life is intertwined with Asbury’s rich theological heritage. I know with certainty that cloth is well made and lasting.

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