Garry Sparks (Current Scholar) presented his work on interreligious dialogue between Christian theology and Mayan spirituality at Eureka College on October 28. He spoke at the W.E. Garrison Theology Colloquium, which was organized by Bill Wright (1995), Assistant Professor at Eureka. Sparks, a Theology PhD candidate, was selected as the Divinity School's Mellon Dissertation Fellow this year.

Jennifer Kottler (1999) writes about social justice on the “God’s Politics Blog” (blog.sojo.net) and at www.huffingtonpost.com.

Ed Kolbe (1956) has worked with Kairos Prison Ministry in Texas for ten years.

Tod and Ana Gobledale (1975) have sent reflections from London for Remembrance Day (11/14) and Armistice Day (11/11) in the United Kingdom on the occasion of the seventieth anniversary of the Battle of Britain and the Blitz. Click here to read the reflections, see photos, and join their prayer for peace and justice.

Bonnie Carenen (2005) serves with the Church World Service in Jakarta, Indonesia. During the week of October 24, Indonesia suffered devastating flooding, an earthquake and subsequent tsunami, and volcanic eruption. Church World Service (and the Disciples Week of Compassion working with CWS) mobilized to respond to the need. Her report from this "supermarket of disaster" was circulated by Week of Compassion.

David Vargas (1971; trustee) has announced that he will retire as President of the Division of Overseas Ministries and Co-Executive of Global Ministries in August 2011. He has served in DOM for 27 years; before that he served in the Division of Homeland Ministries (now Disciples Home Missions), including from 1992-93 as the first National Pastor for Hispanic Ministries prior to the appointment of a permanent National Pastor. He earned a B.A. degree in history from the University of Puerto Rico and a Master of Divinity degree from Evangelical Seminary of Puerto Rico, and then studied the History of Christianity at the Divinity School of the University of Chicago as a Disciples Divinity House Scholar. In 2003, he was awarded an honorary doctorate degree by the Evangelical Seminary of Puerto Rico.

Michael Swartzentruber (2007) was ordained October 16 at the Community Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of Lincolnshire, Illinois, where Michael served during his MDiv studies.

Longtime friend of the House, Jean Ervin, died September 23, 2010, in Chicago. Sympathy to Don Ervin and their family. A retired Chicago Public School system teacher, Jean provided exemplary volunteer service to University Church, to the Disciples Peace Fellowship, and in many community organizations. A memorial service was held at University Church, Chicago, on October 16.

Samuel C. Pearson (1951) has edited Supporting Asian Christianity’s Transition from Mission to Church: A History of the Foundation for Theological Education in South East Asia, which was published by Eerdmans this fall. The volume traces the efforts of one North American foundation to train an indigenous leadership and to nurture theological scholars in China and Southeast Asia.

House Scholar Andrew Packman is serving on the Council of Theological Students of the Global Ministries of the UCC and Disciples of Christ. They met October 7-10.