The ministry of David Vargas (1971; trustee) was celebrated on July 11 at the General Assembly of the Christian Church, meeting in Nashville. Since 2003, he has been the President of the Division of Overseas Ministries and Co-Executive of Global Ministries. He is retiring after 28 years of service with DOM. Bishop Medardo Gomez of the Lutheran Church of El Salvador made a surprise appearance to honor him.

Yvonne Gilmore (2001) preached at the Downtown Presbyterian Church in Nashville during the General Assembly and performed a spoken word piece during the HIV/Aids healing service. She is the founding pastor of New Song Community Church, Columbus, Ohio. Read the sermon she preached in March in the Chapel of the Holy Grail here.

Trustee Holly McKissick, senior and founding minister of Saint Andrew Christian Church, Olathe, Kansas, preached the opening worship of the General Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), meeting in Nashville, Tennessee, on July 9. The General Assembly theme, "Tell it!," is based on Deuteronomy 6.1-12, which was also the text for her sermon.

Jennifer Kottler (1999) became the Associate Pastor of Park Avenue Christian Church in New York City on July 1. She previously served as Director of Policy and Advocacy at Sojourners. More here.

Congratulations to Dennis and Lana Landon on the birth of their first grandchild, Harrison (Hank) Hoyt Landon, who was born on Saturday evening, June 25. Hank, parents, and grandparents are doing fine.

Chris Dorsey (Current House Scholar) has been named the 2011-12 Faculty Fellow at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan. Until March, he was the Vice President for Marketing and Development at Chicago Theological Seminary. A PhD candidate in Theology, he is writing on traditional medicine in Senegal with a focus on exploring the hermeneutics of healing.

Congratulations to Matt Rosen (2003) and Della Hoffman who were married at their home in Washington, DC, on May 28.

We are saddened by the death of K. Everett Munson (1940; Honorary Trustee for Life) on May 22, his 95th birthday. He became a member of the Board of Trustees in 1966, and served as president from 1975-77 and 1986-89. For thirty-six years he was minister of First Christian Church of Maywood, Illinois, and a beloved and influential teaching pastor for many House Scholars. He was esteemed in the community and in Chicago and Illinois churches. Bill Crowl (1962) officiated at the service, held May 26 in Monmouth, Illinois. More here.

Paul Matheny (1978) is the author of two new books, Contextual Theology: The Drama of our Times (Pickwick Press) and The Theology of Christian Churches, a textbook for seminarians, pastors and lay ministers serving in Asia. It is published by New Day Publishers in the Philippines. Both books are intended to be resources for theological formation programs around the world. Paul teaches at Union Theological Seminary in Dasmariñas, the Philippines (near Manila). He and his wife, Mary Nebelsick, have served there since January 2001 as mission co-workers of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

Rebecca and Michael Swartzentruber (2007) returned to Chicago for Rebecca's graduation from the Illinois College of Optometry on May 21. Her commencement was held at the University of Chicago's Rockefeller Chapel.