Disciples Divinity House

Alumnus Rolland G. Pfile died August 19, at home in Indianapolis, where he had been in hospice care. He was 74.
pfileThroughout his ministry and during an era of significant social change, Rolland Pfile provided prophetic leadership and critical support for other prophets. After serving congregations in Lone Pine and LeMoyne, Pennsylvania, he was called to be the executive secretary of the Department of Church in Society in the Division of Homeland Ministries (DHM) of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), where he provided leadership from 1974-91. Together with staff members Gerry Cunningham, Garnett Day, JoAnne Kagiwada, Julia Brown Karimu, Ian McCrae, and Jennifer Riggs, Church in Society led the church as it addressed racial and economic justice, peace, religious liberty, refugee resettlement, and divestment in South Africa, among other issues. Fellow alumnus Tom Quigley, a leader in ecumenical ministry who often worked with Church in Society during those years, recalls that Rolland "... modeled for many of us the importance of addressing the most pressing issues facing the human community in systemic ways and as a normal and expected part of the church’s ministry."

Later he served interim ministries in Illinois, Indiana, and St. Petersburg, Florida, and, for two years, in Indiana regional ministry. His service to the Disciples Divinity House included as convener of DDH's centennial celebration and campaign committee (1993-94).

Mr. Pfile received his BA from Bethany College and entered the University of Chicago Divinity School as a Disciples Divinity House Scholar in 1960. He received his BD degree in 1964. In 1961 he met Leverne Barlow at the Divinity School, where she, too, was a graduate student---although not a Disciples House Scholar because women were not admitted to the House in those years. (In the mid-1970s, she became one of the first women elected to DDH's Board of Trustees.) Roland and Leverne married on September 2, 1963; their 50th wedding anniversary would have been in two weeks. They raised two children, Angela and Kenneth.

In 2011, Angela Pfile and her spouse, Doug Job, who met at the Disciples Divinity House when they were both Scholars and who married in DDH's Chapel of the Holy Grail, decided to honor her parents by establishing a named scholarship fund at the Disciples Divinity House. In October 2012, a service at Downey Avenue Christian Church in Indianapolis, Rolland and Leverne's home congregation, recognized their leadership and the creation of the scholarship fund.

Rolland Pfile is survived by his spouse Leverne, by their two children and their partners, by one grandchild, and by two brothers. A memorial service will be held at Downey Avenue Christian Church on August 24 at 2:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Rolland G. and Leverne B. Pfile Fund at the Disciples Divinity House (information here) or to Downey Avenue Christian Church. Messages may be sent to the Pfile family at 5406 University Avenue, Indianapolis, 46219.