Julian DeShazier (Trustee) was ordained in the United Church of Christ and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) on October 6 at University Church in Chicago. He has served as Senior Minister of University Church since November 2010. He graduated from the Divinity School of the University of Chicago with his Master of Divinity in 2010. His father, Robert M. Franklin (former resident), who is President Emeritus of Morehouse College, preached at the 10:30 am worship service; Ozzie M. Smith Jr, Senior Minister of Covenant United Church of Christ, preached at the 3:00pm ordination.

Cheryl Jackson (House Scholar) is now the Transitional Minister of United Christian Church of Country Club Hills, Illinois, effective October 1.

Congratulations to Andrew Packman (Current Scholar) and Sarah Rohde, who were married September 28, 2013, in the chapel at the Lutheran School of Theology (LSTC) in Chicago. Sarah, a 2013 MDiv graduate of LSTC, is now Associate Pastor of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in St. Charles, Illinois. Andrew continues his studies as a PhD student in Theology; he is also a founding pastor of Root and Branch Church.

Julian DeShazier (Trustee) is part of the documentary, The Cross is Still Burning, which was broadcast in Chicago on September 22. The documentary follows the journey of a charred KKK cross burned 50 years ago when civil rights activists tried to desegregate churches in Jackson, Mississippi. Today, part of the cross stands in a sculpture in First United Methodist Church, Chicago Temple, inspiring people of faith who continue to march in solidarity for racial justice.

Dean Kris Culp (1982) gave the Seventh W. A. Welsh Seminar on the topic of "Vulnerability, Resistance, and Transformation" on Saturday, September 21, in Dallas as part of Brite Divinity School's Stalcup School of Theology for the Laity. The seminar explored the complexity of "vulnerability," looking at it theologically and in biblical and historical perspectives as well as in contemporary life.

Alexis Vaughan (2009) was ordained at her home congregation, United Christian Parish, Reston, Virginia, on September 14. Joan Bell-Haynes (1995) is the Senior Minister there; Lari Grubbs (Trustee), Regional Minister of the Capital Area, officiated. Dean Kris Culp (1982) and Cynthia Lindner (1978; Trustee) were among the participants. Emily and Ken Brooker-Langston (1985), Rob Wilson-Black (1991), and Adrienne Martin (former resident) joined in celebration. Alexis has just been called as the Associate Minister of Westmoreland Congregational United Church of Christ in Bethesda, Maryland.

We are saddened to learn of the death of Richard N. Johnson (1959) on September 4, 2013, in Oklahoma City. He retired from Putnam City Christian Church in Oklahoma City, where he held a long pastorate. He was born in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. After graduating from Transylvania University in 1956 and receiving his BD from Yale Divinity School, he entered the Divinity School as a Disciples Divinity House Scholar. While he was at DDH, he had the opportunity to study at Bossy, Switzerland, where he met and married his spouse, Virginia (Ginny). He is survived by Ginny and by their daughter, Michele (Ted Uhlig) and two grandchildren.

Andrew Langford (Current Scholar) is serving as the part-time interim minister at Lakeview Church of Christ. He has been working in this congregation for the last six years. He is a PhD student in Bible.

Thandiwe Gobledale (2009) was ordained on August 24 at First Christian Church, Greensboro, North Carolina, where she served as a ministry intern and where Lee Hull Moses (2001; Trustee) is the Senior Minister. Thandiwe's parents, Tod and Ana Gobledale (1975), were there from London, England, where they serve as co-pastors. Cynthia Lindner (1978; Trustee) was among the participants. Thandiwe is now serving as a Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) resident at Advocate Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn, Illinois.

Congratulations to Kyle Rader (Former Resident) and Verena Meyer, who were married August 17 at Rockefeller Chapel and continued celebrations with a reception at DDH. Vy Nguyen (2004) was the best man and Ian Gerdon (Former Resident) was one of the groomsmen. Bethany Lowery (2006) and Bonnie Osei-Frimpong (2005) served as communion ministers. The ceremony was conducted in both English and German.