Author: Diane Riggs

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September 30, 2026
Alums Church Community Relationships Faith Formation Legacy UCC

United Celebrates Largest New Class and Highest Enrollment in Its 65-Year History

Enrollment Has More than Tripled in Ten Years For the second consecutive year, United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities (United) is thrilled to welcome its largest-ever incoming class of degree-seeking students. With 85 new degree-seeking students, the seminary is celebrating a total fall term enrollment of 288 degree-seeking students and 7 certificate students, representing the largest total enrollment in United’s history. The seminary’s 65th academic year features: 25% year-over-year enrollment growth and a staggering 239% increase over fall 2016; 163 Master of Divinity (MDiv) students, an increase of 42% year-over-year; 63 Master of Arts (MA), Master of Arts in Leadership (MAL), and Master of Arts in Ministry (MAM) students; 62 Doctor of Ministry (DMin) students. Public theology, social transformation, interreligious engagement, and theology and the arts comprise the four foundational pillars of United’s curricula. They are unique among seminaries and divinity schools rooted in Christian traditions, cultivating an educational environment that practices ecumenism, religious pluralism, and social justice. The MDiv in Interreligious Chaplaincy is United’s largest degree program, with 73 students enrolled for the fall term. The concentration’s interfaith emphasis sets the school apart among its peers, drawing students from diverse backgrounds and faiths. Reflecting the program’s flagship status, the seminary marked a new milestone on July 1 when it welcomed Dr. Ginger Morgan as associate professor for Pastoral and Spiritual Care and program director for Interreligious Chaplaincy. United’s considerable ten-year growth can be credited to its leading-edge academic offerings, widely accessible distance education, and accomplished faculty. The seminary is a bold witness for the common good, preparing innovative leaders for myriad vocational and professional outcomes. From rural congregations to the city hospital’s ICU, United students and alums equip their communities for justice and peace. Mason Mennenga (’22), director of Admissions, leads a passionate and creative staff, all of whom are current students or alums. He reflects, “United’s growth in enrollment over the last number of years and our record for this year is truly a remarkable achievement in theological education. We’re showing what’s possible for progressive theological institutions!” Dr. Hillary Vamstad, director of Student Services, adds, “We’ve created an environment where students feel more than just a number, and I think students see that through the admissions and onboarding process. Feeling seen, heard, and supported while pursuing a seminary education is an important component to United’s growth.” Growth in student enrollment underscores the need to increase the number of core faculty members to continue to provide the quality of education for which United is well-known. Dr. Kyle Roberts, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean, shares, “We are undertaking two faculty searches this year, which include an additional faculty role focused on Ministry Practices. This is a specialty we have been needing for some time on our core faculty to ground students in the practical elements of ministry leadership, such as preaching and liturgy, religious education, institutional leadership and administration.” Rev. Dr. Molly T. Marshall, who is beginning her final year as United’s beloved president, asserts, “I believe United’s remarkable growth is due to our progressive and relevant curriculum, our theological hospitality, and our accessible educational delivery.” She continues, “We delight in creating space (perichoresis) for everyone who desires formative theological education, a distinctive pursuit among seminaries.” United looks ahead to a historic 65th year of progressive theological education, and we give thanks for the students whose vocations, traditions, and unique perspectives enrich the life of our seminary. About United Founded by the United Church of Christ (UCC) as a welcoming, ecumenical school that embraces all denominations and faith traditions, United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities has been on the creative edge of progressive theological thought and leadership since it was established in 1962. Today, United continues to educate leaders who, through the eyes of faith, engage in the dismantling of systems of oppression, explore multi-faith spirituality, and push the boundaries of knowledge. Media Contact Nathanial Green (he/him) Director of Marketing and Communications press@unitedseminary.edu • 651.255.6138 Admissions and Enrollment admissions@unitedseminary.edu

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July 2, 2026
Alums Church Community Relationships Faith Formation Legacy UCC

St. Mark’s UCC Gifts an Endowed Scholarship to United

United graduates have an impact on United in countless ways. President Molly T. Marshall notes that they are, in fact, our letters of recommendation. They embody the educational experience they had at United in the work they pursue, in how they live out their faith traditions, and in the impact they have in the world.  We see this in myriad ways. There is the alum who is a recurring donor and the alum who creates a legacy gift to support future students. There is the alum who introduces President Marshall to a new donor. And there is the alum who sees another person’s interest in theological education and encourages them to pursue a degree at United. Recently, we have seen up close the impact of the work of Rev. Jennifer Jaimez (’98). Jennifer’s first call was to St. Mark’s UCC in Bloomington, Minnesota, which was founded in 1954. Jennifer served at St. Mark’s for 28 years and, like other pastors, she had a significant influence on members and the broader community. St. Mark’s also had an impact on United. During Jennifer’s ministry, eight students from United completed nine-month internships at St. Mark’s. As interns, these students were part of a learning community that helped them hone skills in teaching, preaching, counseling, and administration. The congregation, along with Jennifer, mentored and encouraged them. They have all gone on to do a multitude of things: serving in nonprofits, rural churches, city churches, and more. St. Mark’s investment in United students had a significant impact.  As for many congregations, the pandemic was difficult for St. Mark’s. Three years ago, they made the painful decision to complete their ministry and intentionally repurpose their assets while it was still their choice. In addition to supporting the Minnesota Conference UCC and the Bloomington Housing and Redevelopment Authority, they made a significant gift to United. A relationship that began with mentoring interns grew into a newly endowed UCC scholarship. The St. Mark’s endowed scholarship will provide financial support for UCC students who wish to attend seminary. This gift creates an enduring legacy for St. Mark’s and will provide support for future students. As the gift was announced, their moderator, Cindy Russell,  said, “This gift will defray the cost of seminary education. Support for future leaders of the church remains important as the church continues to evolve into new ways of being the church.”  This spring, we have been blessed to establish several new endowed scholarships in addition to the one from St. Mark’s. Estate gifts from Joanne* (’82) and Thomas* Rohrict, and Elden* (Yankon, ’55) and Norma* Zuern have created a lasting legacy and investment in United. A recent gift from George (Mission House, ’55) and Joyce Schowalter will allow them to see, while they are living, the impact of scholarship support. Currently, 57 percent of scholarships are covered by generous gifts and endowed scholarships. The other 43 percent is paid out of United’s annual budget. Each scholarship gift, each new endowed scholarship, or gift to an already endowed scholarship, helps us expand offerings to our students. We don’t want financial limitations to become a barrier for students who feel called to attend United.  Your scholarship gifts supported Jennifer while she was a student. Her experience at United, along with the skills she has learned along the way, helped her shepherd St. Mark’s for more than two decades and through the difficult decision to complete their ministry. Your gifts to United continue to make this happen. We give thanks for the lasting legacies created by these and many other faithful donors.  __________________________ * Deceased

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June 25, 2026
Activism Alums immigration justice Liberation Theology

Alum Rev. Todd Lippert (’03): Living a Public Ministry

As Rev. Todd Lippert was growing up, his life was dominated by two constants: music and church. Both of his parents were music teachers. His dad was the high school choir director, and his mom was the elementary school music teacher. Though his family had been Baptist for generations, they ended up attending a United Church of Christ (UCC) church where his mom was hired to play the organ. It was also much closer to home than the nearest Baptist church.  “I always took Christian faith very seriously,” Todd asserts. “The church was a sacred and holy place to me.” In seventh grade, Todd remembers talking to his father. “I was at the bottom of the stairs talking to my dad at the top of the stairs. And that was when I said for the first time, ‘I wonder if I might want to be a pastor someday.’”  But, Todd adds, “the idea was really terrifying to me,” so he put it out of his mind. At the University of Iowa, he pursued a music degree. During a philosophy class toward the end of college, a professed atheist professor began asking some of the same questions about faith that Todd was confronting. “I was wrestling with whether I was a Christian or not.”   Deciding on Seminary The turning point came one Sunday morning after graduation when Todd and his wife were at church. At the time, he was selling Yellow Pages ads and contemplating an MBA. “I hated it,” Todd confesses. “I was miserable.” Watching the preacher at First United Methodist Church in Iowa City, he thought, “Maybe I could do that, and maybe I need to pay attention to this call to ministry that keeps bubbling up.” United was the first UCC seminary that came up on the computer, and when Todd visited, “it felt like home for me as soon as I arrived.” Since his wife was doing graduate work at the University of Minnesota, they moved to the Twin Cities.  “At United,” Todd recalls, “I had the space to figure out how Christianity was meaningful and how this faith fit together for me.” Professors who welcomed and encouraged his questions were key to his faith formation, and the “liberation theology that moved through the curriculum, with its focus on justice, was extremely appealing to me.”  Todd was also inspired by his classmates. “I saw the student body deeply engaged in the political and social questions of the day.” At United from 2000 to 2003, Todd experienced the Bush v. Gore lawsuit, 9/11 terror attacks, Minnesota senator Paul Wellstone’s tragic death, and the Iraq war launch as he was earning his MDiv.    Public Theology Justice-seeking activism, Todd asserts, “really cemented my understanding that the body of Christ is about bringing the realm of God into being wherever it is. And that was something that would have to make my life better and make my community better.” Since graduating, Todd has worked as a UCC pastor, a Minnesota state legislator (2018–2022), a community organizer with ISAIAH, and a community minister with Creekside Church. The clergy organizing work during Operation Metro Surge was especially impactful and reconnected him with United. Todd went through “nonviolent direct action training with Dr. Rita Nakashima Brock, one of the authors I read.” He also worked with Rev. Dr. Carolyn Pressler, his former Hebrew scripture professor.  United, notes Todd, equipped him “to be able to understand what is going on in our world, and in our communities, and I had the tools to get better and better at that, reading the present through a biblical and theological lens.” He is extraordinarily proud of the way the church showed up in Minnesota and grateful for United. “I really want,” Todd concludes, “the love-your-neighbor values of the church to be a force in our public life, not an afterthought. I want it to be a force in our political life.”

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June 17, 2026
Academics African Spirituality Anti-racism Black Liberation Theology Community Healing justice

Rev. Dr. Tim McGregor (’26) Finds Hope for Healing in Exploratory Theology

Rev. Dr. Tim McGregor (’26) has been a chaplain, pastor, and church planter for years. How did he find this well-trodden path? Tim says his mother introduced him to Christ. “She was very devout,” he explains. Unfortunately, she was also very sick, so Tim spent more time in hospitals than in church as a child. Still, he recalls one incident during communion when he was 11. Tim shares that he “had a very out-of-body experience with the divine while I was in church, and it touched my soul.”  Tim grew up and pursued a BA at Tuskegee University. While there, he experienced another out-of-body experience when he was robbed at gunpoint and stabbed. “At that point,” he reflects, “I decided to rethink some of my living and some of my decisions. It reignited my spiritual walk.”  As he changed the way he lived, Tim felt a spiritual nudge. Others observed that they “saw the calling” on his life. And dreams about preaching began to recur. “Before I ever preached a sermon, I dreamed I was preaching…in the same church where I ended up preaching later on.”   Christian Theological Seminary Though Tim identified as National Baptist, he decided to attend Christian Theological Seminary (CTS) in Indiana—a progressive school aligned with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). It helped that Dr. Edward Wheeler, an ordained Baptist minister whom Tim knew when Wheeler worked at Tuskegee, was CTS’s president. During a United chapel service this March, Tim described his experience at CTS as “quite grueling,” but also that he “learned a lot.” As he clarified more recently, he had to “let go of a very fundamentalist perspective,” and that sort of deconstruction was difficult. “It was a crucible situation,” Tim asserts.    Chaplaining and Church Planting After earning his MDiv in 2003, Tim spent years in Mississippi and Texas planting churches and working as a hospital chaplain. Since returning to Minnesota, he’s been a chaplain at Regions Hospital, Abbott Northwestern, and the Minneapolis VA Medical Center, and pastored at Family Bible Church. He suspects that the time he spent with his mother in hospitals likely inclined him toward hospital chaplaincy.  When he decided to pursue a DMin, Tim reviewed his options. Only United, he found, had the interreligious chaplaincy program and liberal ethos that made his MDiv work transformational. Plus, he could attend onsite or online as his schedule allowed. “It was a great benefit,” Tim attests, “to do both.”   United and Nat Turner  Tim credits Dr. Jessica Chapman Lape, former director of the Interreligious Chaplaincy program, with positively shaping his education. Her theological knowledge and emphasis on her African American heritage impressed him. Dr. Munjed Murad’s Comparative Theology course elevated Tim’s intercultural acuity. Munjed is an assistant professor of World Religions and Intercultural Studies, supported by the Johnson-Fry Endowment.  Tim describes his dissertation, “The Exploratory Theology of Nat Turner and Its Effects on African and African American PTSD,” as “a labor of love.” Why Nat Turner? “I appreciate his passion and his desire to live and fight for the rights of his people,” Tim explains, “and his willingness to do so in the name of his religious beliefs.” In addition, “I’m always interested in people that…have been misunderstood or written off as villains.”  Shepherded with vital support from Rev. Dr. Andrew Packman (assistant professor of Theological Ethics and Formation), Tim’s dissertation studies Nat Turner, his traumatic experiences as a slave, and his burgeoning theology. It also traces links to the moral injury, trauma, and PTSD endemic to military service, especially for African American veterans.  Tim wants to “understand more about…how to be an asset to my community.” He feels that “United was a really good place for that” and is a rich resource for “clergy…and spiritual caregivers” who are going to help us “keep pressing toward better understandings.” Tim is grateful for United’s role in honing his academic and spiritual voice.

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May 20, 2026
Activism Community leadership Legacy VOICES

The Barnabas Society: Transformative Legacies Lead to Transformed Lives

Since its inception in 1962, United has been sustained by faithful supporters who believe in transformative theological education. This support—from one-time gifts, to recurring contributions, to stock designations—makes the seminary’s work possible. One group of dedicated donors, members of United’s Barnabas Society, views their commitment to progressive seminary education as extending for a lifetime and beyond. The Barnabas Society recognizes those who have included United in their estate plans. This group of donors is named after Barnabas, an apostle introduced in Acts 14, who provided financial support to his fellow apostles with proceeds from the sale of his land. These gifts typically reflect donors’ values— principles that are aligned with the seminary’s mission, vision, and values. Legacy gifts ensure these precepts are practiced in the classroom and realized beyond the institution’s walls. Gifts can include income-return gifts and beneficiary designations—financial support that expresses the donor’s philanthropic intent while providing long-term stability for United’s mission—and the legacies of their generosity live on in endowed scholarships, faculty chairs, lectureships, and seminary programming.  Now in its 35th year, the Susan Draper White Lecture is a beloved annual event that draws leading feminist theologians to the seminary. It was named after the grandmother of United alum Rev. Cil (Priscilla) Braun† (’83), who, with other donors, endowed the lectureship series. Cil and her husband, Jack, the Barnabas Society through a legacy gift that helped support the newly established Wilson Yates Chair in Theology and the Arts. Cil’s legacy has spanned decades, and her generosity has informed, inspired, and continued to support United students. In 2021, United celebrated the creation of a tenure-track faculty position. Rev. Dr. Andrea Johnson (’17, ’23) and David Fry committed $1.75 million to endow the Johnson-Fry Chair in World Religions and Intercultural Studies, held by Dr. Munjed M. Murad. As an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister, Andrea sought to strengthen the seminary’s commitment to Interreligious Engagement, saying, “While we are grounded in our Christian heritage, more and more we are educating leaders in religions other than Christianity. And we need all our religious leaders to be deeply responsive to the realities of religious and spiritual diversity.”  An alum and trustee, Andrea knows how United impacts its students and their communities, sharing, “I was transformed by the education I received at United, and [I] am passionate about supporting its future.”  At Fall Convocation in September 2024, Dr. Demian Wheeler, director of Advanced Studies, was formally installed into the newly endowed Sophia Chair in Religious and Theological Studies. Former trustees Keith Bednarowski and Dr. Mary Farrell Bednarowski, Professor Emerita of Religious Studies (1976–2004), who funded the Chair, have been part of the United community for nearly 50 years. In an interview for the Winter 2024 Issue of VOICES, Mary reaffirmed her commitment to United, saying, “I have a very deep faith that this full-of-life seminary will persist and flourish for many, many years. Keith and I want to be part of that flourishing.” The Barnabas Society is growing. In 2026, trustee Therese Pautz and her husband, David Graham, committed to a legacy gift. Reflecting on their decision, she writes, “We support United because it equips spiritual leaders and community healers.” She continues, “Those vocations are essential to every civil society, especially in times of conflict.” Therese and David will be formally welcomed into the Barnabas Society later this year.  These are just a few shining examples of the cadre of faithful supporters who have made legacy gifts and transformative commitments. Their support for the sustained life of the seminary reflects their values and belief in the importance of United’s mission in our ever-evolving world.  To discuss a legacy plan, contact Rev. Dr. Cindi Beth Johnson, Vice President for Advancement, by email at cbjohnson@unitedseminary.edu or by phone at 651.255.6137.

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April 15, 2026
Activism leadership Legacy VOICES

A Legacy of Generosity: President Marshall on Patricia Shield Ayres

A friend of mine for more than 40 years, Patricia Shield Ayres, is known for her integrity, kindness, leadership, and generosity. Born as an only child into a Texas family with interests in oil and cattle, she prevailed upon her father to allow her to attend Wellesley College in Boston. He wanted her to go to the University of Texas, but she promised she would study economics if he allowed her to go to her preferred school. Remarkably, she has maintained friendships with six of her classmates (now all in their 90s). They called themselves the “sizzling six.” Reflecting on that title, Pat said: “We didn’t sizzle then and certainly not now.”  Though she decries the “sizzle” moniker, Pat has made an indelible impact in her community. She has been a leading voice in Texas for the support of children, a demonstration of her progressive Christian values. The Shield-Ayres Foundation, founded in 1977, is based on a 6,600-acre ranch, 5,300 acres of which her parents purchased in 1938, that lies just 22 miles from the heart of Austin.  Through the foundation, now co-run by Pat’s children, Bob and Vera, the ranch hosts El Ranchito summer camp for urban children and youth. It is an opportunity for them to learn about the many forms of conservation the foundation practices, see what it’s like to be immersed in radically different environs, and experience the unique spiritual joy of what Pat calls the “tapestry of nature.” It is a generous way to use the family’s land.  I came to know Pat when the two of us were involved in voicing our opposition to the hostile takeover of the Southern Baptist Convention by fundamentalist forces. Her strong convictions about religious freedom and liberty of conscience led her to support movements that resisted the eroding of Baptist identity. Her unwavering support for the leadership of women in the Baptist ecology naturally drew us together.  Pat has become a generous donor to United. A member of the Joshua Society—a group of friends and alums who have given cumulative gifts of $50,000 or more—she has invested in our mission with interest and joy. When I delivered the Joshua statuette to her a couple of years ago, she absolutely loved the celebratory image of the raised shofar and anticipated the walls that are tumbling down at United.  This spring, we will welcome Pat into our Esther Society for donors who have given cumulative gifts of $100,000 or more. Her commitments to justice align with United’s clear call to construct a beloved community here and beyond the seminary.  I am delighted at the depth and similitude of our beliefs, and having Pat’s stalwart support of this good seminary. For her abiding dedication to eco-justice and conservation, her philanthropic generosity, and her unequivocal support for religious freedom and the rightful equality of women, I give heartfelt thanks.

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April 9, 2026
Faith gratitude interreligious chaplaincy VOICES

Called beyond the Corporate World: Why Rev. Catherine Duncan (’10) Chose Chaplaincy

An ordained UCC minister, integrative spiritual consultant, author, and public speaker, Rev. Catherine Duncan found her calling through pivotal life-and-death struggles. Her cancer diagnosis around age 10, she recalls, “threw our family upside down.” It was a frightening and lonely experience; though she felt her parents’ love, they said little about her condition. “I felt like I was on a tightrope between life and death. And out of nowhere, I just started to pray.” Catherine adds, “Not long after, this profound feeling of peace, some presence, flooded my body. I knew I was going to live, and knew I wasn’t alone.”  Looking back, Catherine notes that she found faith through that early trauma, but it didn’t instantly translate into a spiritual career. Instead, the youngest of six followed her father and siblings—many of whom were attorneys and executives—into a corporate career. After college, she found an “incredible job” with Time Magazine. It was a position Catherine loved, but she admits, “my heart was feeling restless.” A CHANGE OF HEART During a corporate trip in her mid-thirties, Catherine survived another near-death experience while whitewater rafting. A month after the harrowing episode, she began listening closely and asking herself, “Where is God calling me?” Her faith gave her the courage to walk away from her corporate career, much to everyone’s surprise. “My husband,” she confides, “was really supportive.”  After more praying, journaling, and consulting work, Catherine’s girlfriend suggested she might want to study theology. The same friend mentioned a program at St. Catherine University in St. Paul. When she received the material about St. Catherine’s theology and spiritual direction programs, Catherine recalls, “My body started physically shaking…I knew this was the right path.” At St. Catherine’s, she earned a Master’s in Theology and became certified as a spiritual director. Catherine then worked with City House co-founders Tim Allen and alum Rev. Jim Dodge† (’79) to support people on the margins. “I was doing in-depth spiritual direction with the unhoused and in homeless shelters,” Catherine explains, “and I loved it.”  LEANING INTO THE NEXT CHAPTER In the early 2000s, another significant life event opened the doors to the next chapter of Catherine’s life. Her mother-in-law was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer, and Catherine was invited to accompany her through the final days. “She had this glow about her,” Catherine shares, “as she surrendered and let go. It was so beautiful. It was life-changing to witness someone so fully.” Catherine’s proclivity to work with people one-on-one, her burgeoning interest in chaplaincy, and a desire to become ordained in the UCC made her seek out a seminary. This time, she chose United. Catherine credits Rev. Dr. Clyde Steckel,†  Professor Emeritus of Theology (1970–1995), for creating a customized degree program that didn’t negate her previous master’s degree. Steckel also supported Catherine through her ordination. “You can see how important Clyde was on my path,” she observes. She remembers other professors with gratitude as well. Dean Richard Weis† and Rev. Dr. Jann Cather Weaver (Associate Professor Emerita of Worship and Theology and the Arts), she notes, were exemplars of faith, grace, and empowerment. Dr. Sharon Tan’s ethics course coincidentally enabled Catherine to serve more effectively as the ethics lead for Hennepin County Medical Center during her time at United. United, Catherine asserts, “brought all of my education together in affirming I’m on the right path, and deepened my understanding of the United Church of Christ and my next steps.” She continues, “I can’t think of anything but positive things to say about every class, professor, and my experience. I just felt supported.” Fundamentally, she also believes that United’s emphasis on openness, inclusivity, CPE, and ecumenical understanding is key to effective chaplaincy.  Now, as the author of Everyday Awakening: Five Practices for Living Fully, Feeling Deeply, and Coming into Your Heart and Soul (2023), Catherine is using what she’s learned to support others. She has been interviewed on television and in print, hosts a podcast, and offers her valuable integrative spiritual consulting services. It’s a calling she accepts with gratitude. ______________ † Deceased

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March 26, 2026
Activism Community Relationships Ethics Interreligious justice News Releases

United to Honor Jackie Baugh Moore and Julie Strathe Baugh with Doctors of Humane Letters (honoris causa)

Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States, March 26, 2026 — In celebration of their leadership in social justice, ecumenism, and interreligious engagement, United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities—with unanimous support from its faculty and board of trustees—will confer Doctors of Humane Letters (honoris causa) upon sisters Jackie Baugh Moore, President of the Eula Mae and John Baugh Foundation, and Julie Strathe Baugh, Vice President, during its 64th Commencement Exercises on April 26, 2026. The faculty noted that the values guiding the family’s foundation are closely aligned with United’s inclusive values. The Board approved the recommendation of the faculty at its November meeting. Established in 1994 by Sysco founder John Baugh and his wife, Eula Mae, the Baugh Foundation has awarded tens of millions of dollars to organizations that share its Baptist ethos and tradition. Jackie and Julie are the daughters of Barbara “Babs” Baugh— the daughter of John and Eula Mae—who became President of the Baugh Foundation in 2007. After Babs died in 2020, Jackie was appointed President, and Julie became Vice President in 2021. Both sisters serve in roles outside of the Foundation that reflect their interests and the Foundation’s long-standing connections to prominent Baptist institutions. Jackie has served on the Baptist Joint Committee, the board of Baptist News Global, as a trustee of Mercer University, and was named as the 2025 Distinguished Alumni by the Baylor Line Foundation, an independent alumni association. Julie is the chair of the board of the Interfaith Alliance, has served on the Strategic Advisory Board for Good Faith Media, and was also an executive board member for Perkins School of Theology. As leaders of the Baugh Foundation, Julie and Jackie have sharpened the organization’s progressive vision and funding priorities, directing grants toward justice, inclusion, and equity initiatives. The Foundation prioritizes nonprofits working in six categories: meeting basic human needs, faith-based higher education, inclusivity initiatives, social justice and advocacy, arts and enrichment, and faith-based journalism. At times, their support for progressive causes has faced resistance. In 2025, Baylor University rescinded a Baugh Foundation grant awarded to the Center for Church and Community. The funds supported evidence-based research into the impacts of disenfranchisement of women and LGBTQ+ people in congregations in an effort to “nurture institutional courage and foster change.” In a statement, the Foundation decried the University’s decision and asserted that the decision “disserves Baylor students, faculty, and the broader Christian community.” The Foundation also reaffirmed its “commitment to supporting progressive, inclusive, and justice-oriented work.” While proudly Baptist in its heritage, the Baugh Foundation shares with United a steadfast dedication to social justice, ecumenism, and interreligious engagement. The Foundation’s belief in the transformative potential of theological education has extended to the seminary through its support of United’s contextual education programs and, more recently, endowed scholarships.  Decades of substantive work by myriad organizations, academic institutions, and progressive initiatives can be credited to The Foundation’s material contributions to the common good. This is owed no doubt to Jackie and Julie’s faithful stewardship of the Foundation’s mission and the path paved by their forebears. Rev. Dr. Molly T. Marshall, president of United, has a personal connection with the Baughs. President Marshall shares her Baptist roots with the Baugh family and was a dear friend of Babs. On the opportunity to honor Jackie and Julie’s faithful support of progressive theological education, President Marshall reflects, “These dear friends have extended the foundation’s priorities to key issues of our day—LGBTQ+ equity, interfaith engagement, and support of progressive theological education. It is a privilege to honor them.” United is eager to celebrate the graduating class of 2026 along with Jackie and Julie on Sunday, April 26, at 3:00 PM CT, at Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis, MN. Details, including onsite and online registration, can be viewed here. About United Founded by the United Church of Christ (UCC) as a welcoming, ecumenical school that embraces all denominations and faith traditions, United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities has been on the creative edge of progressive theological thought and leadership since it was established in 1962. Today, United continues to train leaders who, through the eyes of faith, engage in the dismantling of systems of oppression, exploring multi-faith spirituality, and pushing the boundaries of knowledge. Contact Nathanial Green (he/him) Director of Marketing and Communications press@unitedseminary.edu • (651) 255-6138 Admissions and Enrollment admissions@unitedseminary.edu

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March 19, 2026
Black Church Black Liberation Theology Public Theology VOICES

Living into the Promise of the Sims Scholars Initiative

“The Sims Scholars Initiative,” recently asserted Rev. Dr. Gary F. Green II (associate professor of Pastoral Theology and Social Transformation and director for Racial Intelligence Systems), “has surpassed my expectations, and expanded my hopes for what this program can become.” Launched in February 2024 and made possible through a generous donation from former trustee Dr. Frank Sims and his wife, Robyn, it is designed to address racial inequities in society and to educate and prepare leaders who wish to constructively engage issues confronting Black spiritual communities. Gary oversees the Initiative.  SIMS SCHOLARS WEIGH IN  Elwyn Young, a scholar in the cohort that started in 2024, describes the Initiative as a “rare and precious opportunity.” Though she began the program apprehensively, Elwyn’s experiences in classes and with her professors have transformed her perspective and outlook. Dr. Demian Wheeler’s “Invitation to Theology: Truth, Goodness, and Beauty” course and her classmates, Elwyn attests, created “the best start that I could have been exposed to coming into seminary.” She is equally excited about the other professors and courses she encountered. It is not just the kindness and support, Elwyn explains, each of her five professors has imparted “a feeling that they desire us all to succeed.” Naryn Carter, another 2024 cohort member, notes that “mentorship [in the Initiative] is genuinely multi-layered—peer mentorship within the cohort, guidance from faculty and staff, and wisdom from [alums] and doctoral students.” “I’ve been grateful,” she continues, “to connect with and learn alongside some amazing people— relationships I truly don’t think I would have formed without the program.”  Akwése Nkemontoh, a member of the second cohort, was drawn to the Sims Scholars Initiative due to the mentorship aspect as well as other key features. “I had been searching for a space,” she recounts, “where I could be mentored and truly challenged to think more deeply, where I could show up as all of myself and engage the intersections that I’m most curious about,…and where I could always come back to my faith and connection with God as the one leading it all.”  DISTANCE LEARNING OPTION ADDS VALUE  As a second cohort member, Akwése can also take advantage of the new distance learning feature (first-year scholars were local to the Twin Cities). “I’m grateful that the Sims Scholars program opened up to distance learners,” she opines, “…because it makes this kind of transformative educational experience so much more accessible, making its reach and impact greater. It has already done so much to affirm where I’m at right now and where I’m hoping to go.”  “After only one semester,” Akwése adds, “I can say this program truly has been a gift and has helped me to honor and author my own voice in ways that feel different from academic spaces in the past.” She expounds, “At its heart, this program is designed to engage multiple forms of intelligence and to create ‘play space’ to bring out our most imaginative, co-creative selves.… The fact that I’m surrounded by other Black leaders is also amazing and rare, especially in academia. And the fact that all these other leaders…are passionate about the intersection of faith and social transformation is just wow.”  HOPE FOR THE FUTURE When she looks into the future, Naryn is thrilled by the ways in which the Sims Scholars Initiative provides “tools to widen the aperture of our souls and to do deeper, more impactful work in our communities and the world.” In addition, she posits, “We are being compassionately equipped to lead in ways that many previous and even current leaders have not [been]. I’m excited not only about the knowledge I’m gaining, but about the embodied excellence of how this learning is happening.” As Akwése phrases it, “We’re here to grow, to be challenged and to challenge, to be held and to hold. We’re here to develop our voices as the powerful healers, lightbearers, and agents of change we are.” For his part, Gary concludes, “Our shared learning experience was deeply transformative and clarifying for the kind of beacon United can become for Black religious scholarship. I am excited to see how things continue to develop!” This article is featured in the Winter 2026 Issue of VOICES. Read this issue and our other publications here. >

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December 17, 2025
Alums Community Entrepreneur

Lauren Busey (’07) Ministers to a New Beloved Community at Pickledilly Skokie

Lauren Busey (’07) grew up in the Lutheran church,  earned an undergraduate degree from Luther College, and thought she would probably attend a Lutheran seminary. Then, at a Luther College women’s retreat, Rev. Dr. Christie Cozad Nueger (’80)— Professor Emerita of Pastoral Counseling and Pastoral Theology (1992–2005)—was the featured speaker and knew Lauren’s campus pastor. “So,” Lauren remembers, “we just kind of got to talking, and within a couple of weeks, I was enrolled at United.”  United “was a good fit,” Lauren asserts. She found a welcoming community of fellow students and treasured professors. Those who had the greatest impact include Rev. Dr. Jann Cather Weaver (Associate Professor Emerita of Worship, and Theology and the Arts, 2001–2012), Dr. Marilyn Salmon† (Professor Emerita of New Testament Theology, 1989–2014), and Dr. Carolyn Pressler (Professor Emerita of Biblical Interpretation, 1990–2020).  After seminary, Lauren accepted a call back home in Evanston, Illinois, at the church where she grew up, Trinity Lutheran Church. Despite being a bit apprehensive about serving as the director of Faith Formation at her home church, Lauren found that the parishioners were warmly welcoming and supportive. She’s been there ever since and notes that the flexibility of the position allowed for a positive work-life balance. Lauren and her wife are raising two children. Just this year, however, Lauren, along with her wife and two business partners, embarked on a new venture—and in February 2025, the four co-owners opened a new state-of-the-art pickleball court in Skokie, Illinois. Dubbed Pickledilly Skokie, the new indoor space features 11.5 courts under high ceilings, lockers, a lounge area, and a pro shop. Plus, the venue is in the same complex as Sketchbook Brewing Company and has abundant free parking. So what happened? “I think my wife would say that I’ve always been the big idea person,” Lauren explains. Usually, she continues, Amy “nods and smiles and keeps on going,” but this time she agreed with the idea. Both Lauren and Amy are avid pickleball players, and Lauren says she found that the activity was much more of a “community-based sport.” Community was the key. As Lauren stated in a July 18, 2025, interview for Ryan Glatzhofer’s The Locals: Stories of Courageous Entrepreneurs, “One of the things that has always been a passion of mine is bringing people together.” Going a step further, she said more recently, “One of our pillars is that this is a safe space, and we are welcoming here.” How did United prepare Lauren for entrepreneurship? “United was really helpful to me in expanding my worldview and my understanding of diversity and not assuming you know where people are coming from.” As for the connection to ministry, Lauren asserts, “We’re still grounded in the same way of taking care of people,  and loving people, and meeting them where they are.” __________________________ † of blessed memory

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