Disciples Divinity House

In Autumn 2013, Yvonne T. Gilmore became Associate Dean of the Disciples Divinity House. During these past seven years, she has invested intellect and imagination in DDH, in fact, she has exemplified critical thinking and vision for the DDH community and the wider church. She has also exemplified gratitude as she worked with family to bring the Teresa M. Gilmore Fund into being and with donors, especially younger alumni/ae. Among DDH students, she fostered camaraderie and conversation, shared worship and work, as she collaborated to arrange Chapel worship and Monday programs. Grants from the Oreon E. Scott Foundation and another from Reconciliation undergirded the “Constructive Theologies Project” and allowed her to partner with Cynthia Lindner and the Divinity School to sponsor several alumni/ae retreats. She has also worked with Disciples organizations across the country as an anti-racism trainer, and been a featured preacher and speaker at many events. With alumna Rebecca Anderson’s expertise and collaboration, they developed several “DDH StoryHour” events. Most recently, another grant from the Oreon E. Scott Foundation is allowing her to partner with Sandhya Jha for a new project entitled, “Living Justice: An Anti-Racism Practicum.” These are substantive initiatives that have shaped the House and its future.

At the end of November, she will conclude her work as Associate Dean in order to take on a new challenge and opportunity as Interim Executive Secretary of the National Convocation and Associate General Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). We are already missing Yvonne Gilmore's style, spark, humor, insight and vision. Our consolation is that she has important work to do there, and, even more, we know she will always be a DDH alumna, and in that sense (and surely in many other ways), she will always be part of “the House.”

When her grandmother, Teresa Gilmore, died—who is remembered in the new fund—Yvonne wrote these words about her. They also apply to Yvonne herself: "She outgrew straight lines before I ever learned to describe them / she was an epic hymn sung in rounds worth repeating." The work of DDH and its students has been enriched and strengthened through the extraordinary companionship of Yvonne Gilmore—and by an epic hymn to move us as we go.