November 19, 2009 

Dear Alums,

Three weeks ago I was delayed in an airport long enough to browse a bookstore. On the magazine rack I discovered a special issue of the Harvard Business Review honoring the late business leader Peter Drucker on the centennial of his birthday. The cover read, "What Would Peter Do?"

Fuller trustee emeritus and Honorary Alumnus Max De Pree was friends with Peter Drucker, and they periodically consulted with each other on management issues. Both of them were influential to me. The Harvard Business Review articles affirmed that Peter would surely have anticipated last year's financial market collapse, as he was always ahead of the pack in identifying the systemic flaws in business management theory and practice. I do believe, however, that one systemic issue in our culture--greed--is best addressed by the gospel message of Jesus Christ. As alumni/ae of Fuller Seminary, spreading this good news is your chosen profession.

As I approach my retirement from the seminary, I have been reflecting on the best management theory and practice Fuller may need to maintain in the years to come. Two thoughts come to mind:

First, Fuller is represented in thousands of churches and ministries and communities by you, our alumni/ae. You are impacting the world not only through your professions, but in the innumerable ways you volunteer your time--one example of which is related in the Alumni/ae in Action story about Elissa Ruiz, below. For your many ministries I remain deeply grateful. I encourage you, as alumni/ae, to pray for, advise, and support Fuller. You can continue to help us best prepare men and women for ministry.

Second, John 15 reminds us of the need to abide in Christ in all we do. With due regard for the lessons learned from our management successes and failures, the only lasting goal is to abide in Christ. This is my prayer for all of you and for Fuller Seminary.

May God bless you in all the ministry you do in Christ's name--both in and outside of your workday.

Lee Merritt
Vice President for Finance
Honorary Alumnus, 2008

ALUMNI/AE IN ACTION

Reaching Out to Spanish Speakers with Therapy
Elissa Ruiz (MSMFT ’08) shares her counseling and ministry skills in multiple ways, much of it on a volunteer basis through her Hispanic church. Read her story

COUNCIL CORNER

Giving and Receiving
Al Jepson (MDiv '58), past chair of Fuller’s Alumni/ae Council, reflects on his experience as a member of the council for the past six years. Read his reflection

FULLER NEWS

Missiology Lectures Feature Bishop Graham Cray
Bishop Graham Cray, leader of the "Fresh Expressions" missional church movement in the U.K., spoke on "re-imagining the church" for this year's Missiology Lectures. Read more

Nicholas Wolterstorff Delivers Inaugural Brehm Lecture
"Just Art: The Place of Arts in the Ethical Formation of Christian Disciples" was the topic as Yale professor Nicholas Wolterstorff and artist Marcia McFee both spoke. Read more

"Jubilate! An Ancient-Future Concert Mass" Premieres at Fuller
An original mass composed by Edwin M. Willmington, director of the Fred Bock Institute of Music at Fuller, debuted in a "stunning" performance. Read more

Symposium Offers Challenge and Connection for Asian American Church
Jonathan Tran, ethics professor at Baylor University, delivered two challenging lectures at a two-day "Asian American Leadership Equipping Symposium." Read more

Marsha Snulligan Haney Given Top Alumni/ae Award
Missiologist Marsha Snulligan Haney (PhD '94, ThM '90) received the Distinguished Alumni/ae Award and School of Intercultural Studies' Alumna of the Year Award. Read more

Speakers Call on Churches to Care for Returning Military
At a pastors' luncheon psychologists David Foy and Kent Drescher, with retired Army Chaplain Ronald Sparks, spoke on the needs of returning military servicepersons. Read more

Luncheon Discussion Focused on Women's Networking
Writer, speaker, and women's advocate Carolyn Curtis James spoke on ways women in ministry and other professions can better network and learn from one another. Read more

Fuller Student Appears on Larry King Live
Fuller student and decorated Marine veteran Jake Diliberto participated in a discussion on television's Larry King Live on the issue of sending U.S. troops to Afghanistan. Read more

Travis Research Institute News
Facebook: The Travis Research Institute now has its own Facebook page! Become a fan and receive updates on student and faculty accomplishments, upcoming CE events, and more. In the works is a space for conversation and feedback about how TRI can play a role in connecting alumni via Facebook. Access the TRI Facebook page
Annual Report: The TRI 2008-2009 annual report, detailing research accomplishments during the past year, has been released. Read the report (PDF, 1.69MB)

UPCOMING EVENTS: CONTINUING EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES

Leading and Managing Your Ministry
January 25-29, 2010
Author and pastor Leith Anderson will teach this seminar offered by Fuller's DMin program for continuing education credit. Read more on this and other courses

Integration Symposium
February 17-19, 2010
"Psychology Of, With and For the Poor" is the focus of the School of Psychology's next Integration Forum, featuring lectures by Fuller's 2008-2009 Distinguished Alumnus John Fantuzzo with Charles L. Howard and Saul and Pilar Cruz. Read more

UPCOMING EVENTS: PASADENA AND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

"Approaching Eden" Art Exhibit Continues
An exhibition featuring selected pieces of artist Patty Wickman on a biblical-garden theme will be at the Hubbard Library through November 23. Read more

North Korea in Cinema
November 19        7:00 p.m.
Deface and Kimjongilia, two award-winning films examining the challenging situation in North Korea, will be screened, followed by discussion with the filmmakers. Read more

A Conversation with Brian McLaren
December 5        7:30-9:00 p.m.
Author and missional church leader Brian McLaren will discuss the future of the church with Fuller faculty members Ryan Bolger and Barry Taylor. Read more

Worship Conference: Gordon MacDonald, Tommy Walker
February 13, 2010        8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
The Brehm Center's "Forming Hearts, Creating Art" worship leadership conference will feature author Gordon MacDonald and musicians Tommy Walker and Diane White-Clayton. Read more

Additional Events
To see additional upcoming events for alumni/ae and the larger community, visit Fuller's website.

UPCOMING EVENTS: ACROSS THE U.S.

Alumni/ae Breakfast in New Orleans
Monday, November 23        7:00-8:30 a.m.
President Richard J. Mouw will speak at this breakfast held in conjunction with the Society of Biblical Literature annual meeting. Professor Joel Green and Associate Vice President Mary Given will host. Read more

UPCOMING EVENTS: FULLER'S REGIONAL CAMPUSES

Fuller Northern California:

Chap Clark in Danville
January 15-17
Professor and Vice Provost Chap Clark will speak at Community Presbyterian Church in Danville, offering a Parenteen seminar and preaching at Sunday services. Watch for details here

"Discover Fuller" in Sacramento
January 27, 2010        7:00-8:30 p.m.
Invite your friends to learn about Fuller's Sacramento campus at this casual event with students, professors, and staff members available to answer questions. Read more

"Discover Fuller" in Menlo Park
January 28, 2010        7:00-8:15 p.m.
This event for prospective students will be held in Menlo Park, with professors, students, and staff available for discussion in a casual atmosphere. Invite your friends. Read more

Chap Clark in Saratoga
January 29-31
Professor and Vice Provost Chap Clark will speak at Saratoga Federated Church in Saratoga, offering a Parenteen seminar and preaching at Sunday services. Watch for details here

Fuller Northwest:

Fuller Supper Club: Persia/Iran
November 19        6:00-8:00 p.m.
First in a new series of quarterly supper clubs for alumni/ae and students, this event will feature Pastor Mansour Khajehpour speaking on Persia/Iran—history, current events, and state of the church. Read more

"Lighting the Way" Breakfast
December 4        7:00-8:30 a.m.
What will it take to carry Fuller Northwest into a bright new future? Learn more at this fundraising breakfast offered by the new Fuller Northwest Advisory Council. Read more

Fuller Southwest:

Preaching with Passion Conference
January 19-21, 2010
The next Lloyd John Ogilvie Preaching with Passion Conference will be held in the Phoenix area, at Paradise Valley Presbyterian Church. A golf tournament will follow the conference. More information: lreynolds@fuller.edu

Fuller Southwest Alumni/ae Gathering
January 21, 2010        7:00-8:30 p.m.
Save the date for this gathering of alumni/ae and friends in Phoenix. Watch for more details here

WHAT ARE FULLER FACULTY READING?

J. R. Daniel Kirk, assistant professor of New Testament, offers the following reading recommendation:

This fall I read Free for All: Rediscovering the Bible in Community by Tim Conder and Daniel Rhodes (Baker, 2009). I picked up the book because I've gotten to know Tim Conder through my years in North Carolina and my participation in emergent church conversations; but also because it is important for me as a New Testament professor to hear how people are trying to integrate Scripture into the life of the church.

Conder and Rhodes tell an intriguing story about how they read Scripture together in community. Their Sunday morning Scripture lessons are the product of several group meetings over the course of the week and are much more engaging than the one-way communication that typifies most sermons. This model bears striking resemblance to suggestions one sometimes finds in academic circles that reading in community is how "Theological Hermeneutics" should work.

But a more general reason why I commend this book is that Conder and Rhodes are trying to create a model for engaging Scripture that addresses the discrepancies between the ways we have traditionally "done church" and the post-Christian social realities of twenty-first century America. Even where I don't agree with their solutions, I find their assessments of the problems to be acute and their proposed ways forward to be thought-provoking.

Subscribe to Theology, News and Notes
Theology, News and Notes is published twice a year for alumni/ae and friends of Fuller Seminary. To read past issues of the magazine, visit documents.fuller.edu/news/pubs/tnn/2009_spring/. If you do not currently receive the magazine and would like a free subscription, please send an e-mail with your current postal address to alum-alumni@dept.fuller.edu.

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Comments and ideas? E-mail us at enews@fuller.edu, call the Alumni/ae Office at 626-584-5498 or write Fuller Theological Seminary, Alumni/ae and Churches Relations Office, 135 North Oakland Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91182.