Preaching and Martin Luther King, Jr.

Yesterday evening we commemorated the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the evening eucharist on campus. The preacher was my friend and colleague from Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, Dr. Richard Stewart. He weaved together the life of King with the baptismal call to be prophetic in ministry. I was intrigued by his working with three Martins: Martin Luther, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Trayvon Martin. This set the tone as we prepare for Holy Week.

New Publication

I am feeling calm now. My book, Daniel Alexander Payne: The Venerable Preceptor of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, is scheduled to be released on August 16, 2012. It is published by University Press of America. I hope it contributes to the literature on Payne. I know it is a different age in publishing as it is being published in paperback as well as in eBook form. For more information you can get more details and order at: https://rowman.com/Action/Search/UPA/strobert (ISBN -978-0-7618-5867-6 (paperback);978-0-7618-5868-3 (eBook) or www.amazon.com.

A church's past and present ministry

I just received an e-mail from Pastor Keith Hayward a former student who graduated from Gettysburg Seminary in May 2011. While studying at Gettysburg Seminary he was a pastor in the Philadelphia area. He is now on Long Island, New York and serving Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church. The local news station produced a segment on the congregation as it celebrates 200 years of ministry.My prayers are with Pastor Hayward and the congregation. If you have time click onto the following: http://fios1news.com/longisland/node/11333

Lenten Projections

The church enters into the Lenten season with Ash Wednesday this week. I try to enhance my faithlife by incorporating something different for the season such as more reflection time, surveying or in-depth study of one of the Gospels, reading theological and religiou education texts, etc. At this time, I'm thinking about the theology of the cross. This is prompted by my reading of The Cross and the Lynching Tree by James Cone.It took me a few days to get throught it; not because of the length (it is a short treatise)but because it could be a meditation. I had to stop often to reflect on the words and images that Cone describes. I wonder what others anticipate during this segment of the church year?

An Educational Legacy

This afternoon the faculty were invited to a reception at the home of Dick and Jane English.They were gracious hosts...They live in the house that was the first site of Gettysburg Seminary and Gettysburg College. The students, who attended were seniors, shared their thoughts about being students at Gettysburg. The ministry of teaching demonstrated by the life and service of Samuel Simon Schmucker continues to this day.

Payne Publication

Daniel Alexander Payne The Venerable Preceptor of the African Methodist Episcopal Church is scheduled to be released in August. To get a brief description and pre-order a copy of this work please follow the following: http://rowman.com/ISBN/9780761858676

Payne Birthday

Last Saturday (February 11) was the birthday of Daniel Alexander Payne, the 19th century African American educator, ecumenist, and bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. I continue to be amazed, encouraged, and challenged by his life. I would appreciate any reflections that you might have about this remarkable person of the church.