Congratulations to Michael Le Chevallier (2008; former DDH resident) and Katharine Mershon, 2017 recipients of the Divinity School's Prize for Excellence in Teaching.

Kristel Clayville (2001) was ordained to ministry at Bridgeport Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Frankfort, Kentucky on Saturday, May 20. Cynthia Lindner (1978) preached. Mandy Burton, Dean Kris Culp (1982), and Allison Lundblad (2012) participated in the service. Greta and Ryan Gilbert (2004) were also there to join the celebration. Rev. Keith McAliley, senior minister of Bridgeport Christian Church, composed a song especially for the occasion, which he and three additional vocalists performed. Ms. Clayville, who is a professor of religion, has completed an MA degree as well as an extended CPE residency. She anticipates receiving her PhD in Religious Ethics this summer.

Joan Bell-Haynes (1995) was installed as Executive Regional Minister of the Central Rocky Mountain Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) on April 23 at First Christian Church, Loveland, Colorado. 

We extend sympathy to Edward H. Kolbe (1956) on the death of Mary Ruth Kolbe, his beloved wife of 55 years. She died on March 27, 2017 in Arlington, Texas under hospice care. She was 79. Born in Seymour, Indiana, she received a Bachelor's degree in nursing from Indiana University, and a Master's degree in nursing from the University of Nebraska. She taught nursing on the community college and university level in Indianapolis, Indiana; Warrensburg, Missouri; Lincoln, Nebraska; Corvallis, Oregon; and retired from Tarrant County College in 2002. She also worked as a director of nurses in nursing homes. In Warrensburg, she helped to start a Planned Parenthood clinic; in Bedford, Indiana, she helped to start a Girls Club. She has been an active member of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) her entire life, most recently, of First Christian Church in Arlington. She is survived by her husband; their children, Ruth Cooper (Brian), Charles Thornton-Kolbe (Jennifer), and Tom (Laura Salem); six grandchildren; a brother and two sisters. More here. 

Raymond Williams (1960) was inducted into the Martin Luther King Jr. Collegium of Scholars at Morehouse College on March 30 in the annual convocation in King Chapel to commemorate the anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.

Judith Guy, Disciples Divinity House Scholar, and candidate for ordination in the Christian Church in Illinois and Wisconsin, writes about the universal church and what "church" means to her. Her reflections have been published on the CCIW website. 

Brandon Cline (1999) was ordained on March 28 during the chapel service of Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth, Texas, where he is the Senior Major Gifts Officer.

On Sunday, March 26, Danielle Cox (2012) was installed as Senior Minister of First Christian Church, Texas City, Texas. She had previously been serving as Transitional Minister.

With sadness and gratitude for her life, we remember Deirdre Louise Jackson Jones (2007). She died March 23, 2017, in Chicago. She was 46. Born in Des Moines, Iowa, on October 27, 1970. As she would later narrate in story-telling events, she battled and triumphed over cancer as a teenager. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University (Transportation Logistics) in 1994. She made her home in Chicago, marrying Lewis Jones in 2003. They have three young sons, Lawrence, Lance, and Logan, who was born just last summer. Deirdre and Lewis were founding members of the Family of Hope Christian Church in Blue Island. She was a benefits administrator for Aon Consulting before beginning MDiv studies at the Divinity School in 2007 as a Disciples Divinity House Scholar. She later transferred to Chicago Theological Seminary, where she was a student at the time of her death. In addition to her husband and their sons, she is survived by her mother, Beverly Webster (Fred); father, Bernard Jackson (Sheila); and three siblings, Kendal, Aldan, and Tonya (Duncan). Services were held in Des Moines on April 1 and at Park Manor Christian Church in Chicago on April 22.

On March 23 at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, Kris Culp (1982) participated in a public seminar with other members of the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches. The event was hosted by The Very Revd Prof. Iain Torrance, Pro-Chancellor of the University. It brought together seven theologians and ecumenists from around the world. They discussed their current work on theological foundations of "Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace" and how the WCC theme can inform the churches’ work for Christian unity.