Featuring Rev. Dr. Ruth Patterson, OBE

Friday, May 24, 2013 7:30 pm

UBC Old Auditorium, 6344 Memorial Road, Vancouver BC

This is a free event however tickets will be necessary to reserve your spot. Freewill offering will be taken.

Phone L’Arche Greater Vancouver 604-435-9544 for more information

Rev Dr Ruth Patterson OBE is a Presbyterian minister and is currently Director of Restoration Ministries, an interdenominational organisation seeking to promote peace, reconciliation and healing.  In 1976 she was the first woman to be ordained in Ireland. Throughout the height of the conflict in Northern Ireland she worked for fourteen years in ministry.  Her university experience includes Queen’s University Belfast where she received a BA in Spanish and Politics in 1965 and a Diploma in Social work.  In 1966 she was awarded a Commonwealth Scholarship to the University of Toronto where she received a Masters in Social Work.  She did her theological training in Edinburgh University and obtained First Class Honours in Ecclesiastical History.  In 2003 she was awarded an Order of the British Empire for her work in reconciliation.

Ruth has close links with Jean Vanier and has spoken at many events for L’Arche, Faith and Light and Faith and Sharing.  Her writings include A Farther Shore, Journeying Towards Reconciliation – a Song for Ireland, Proclaiming the Promise – Reflections on the God of Love and Looking Back to Tomorrow – A Spirituality for Between the Times. Her talk, “Pathways to Peace” will invite listeners to reflect on forgiveness and reconciliation, as a journey towards peacemaking both personally and in our world.  Presented in partnership with L’Arche Greater Vancouver.

The Reverend Dr. Richard R. Topping

Vancouver School of Theology is pleased to announce that it has appointed The Reverend Dr. Richard Topping as its new Principal. Through a rigorous process that resulted in applications from across North America, Richard Topping was chosen as the leading candidate for the position through unanimous choice of the VST Board of Governors. Dr. Topping will take up his position as VST Principal on July 1, 2013, and will be inducted in the Fall of 2013 at a date to be announced.

Dr. Topping received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Religious Studies from University of Waterloo, a Master of Arts in Theology and his Doctor of Philosophy from St. Michael’s University in the Toronto School of Theology. He took on a pastoral charge as Minister at Zion and Knox Presbyterian Churches in Muskoka, Ontario from 1993-1996 and at the Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul in Montreal, Quebec, where he was Assistant Minister from 1997-1999 and Senior Minister from 2000-2009. Dr. Topping also taught at Presbyterian College (2001-2009) in the Montreal School of Theology at McGill University in the areas of Preaching, Pastoral Theology, Introduction to Ministry and Church, Ministry and Sacraments. He has written or coauthored numerous documents for the Presbyterian Church in Canada and serves on the Church Doctrine Committee for the national Presybterian Church in Canada. He is the authour of Revelation, Scripture and Church and co-editor of Calvin @ 500.

Dr. Topping is currently on the faculty of VST’s partner institution, St. Andrew’s Hall, and will continue to teach in the areas of Reformation History and Theology, and Christianity and Culture. As part of the VST family for four years, he has demonstrated a dynamic leadership style, engages students exceedingly well and has earned the affection of respect of his colleagues on the faculty. He recently earned the 2012 ‘Just Desserts Award’ on the UBC campus for going above and beyond the requirements of duty in service to students. This is the first time a VST professor has received this student initiated and selected award.

Dr. Topping takes over the leadership position at VST from Acting Principal and Dean, the Reverend Dr. Stephen Farris.  In addition to his responsibilities as Dean of St. Andrew’s Hall,  Dr. Farris took on the VST Acting Principal position when the Reverend Dr. Wendy Fletcher left for sabbatical in January of  2012 and subsequently resigned her position as VST Principal in the Spring of 2012. Vancouver School of Theology expresses its gratitude to both Wendy Fletcher and Stephen Farris for guiding the institution with steady leadership and inspired vision over the past number of years, and looks forward with great anticipation to continuing to provide its students with excellence in theological education under the leadership of Dr. Richard Topping.

In this timely book, McFague recalls her readers to the practices of restraint. In a world bent on consumption it is imperative that people of religious faith realize the significant role they play in advocating for the earth, and a more humane life for all.

For those interested in purchasing the book, it is available on www.amazon.ca by clicking here.

VANCOUVER SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY ANNOUNCES MAJOR GIFT FOR CHAIR ENDOWMENT

It is with humble gratitude that the Vancouver School of Theology’s announces that a major gift of three million dollars has been confirmed. The donation was revealed at VST’s Chancellor’s Dinner on Wednesday, March 13^th, at the University Golf Club. This gift will be used to endow The Reverend John Ralph Butler and Elisabeth Letitia Baker Butler Chair of Homiletics and Biblical Interpretation.

In September 2012, Acting Dean and Principal Rev. Dr. Stephen Farris received a phone call from Reverend Laura Butler, a retired United Church minister, with the news that she and her brother, Reverend Ralph Butler and his wife Mrs. Wanda Butler, wished to endow a Chair in Homiletics at VST in memory of their late parents, Reverend John Butler and his wife Elisabeth Butler. Both Rev. John and Mrs. Elisabeth Butler were keen supporters of theological education, and the donation of their remaining fortune to VST to a Chair in Homiletics seemed a most fitting way to honour their life and legacy.

The Butler gift is the first endowed Chair at Vancouver School of Theology. The establishment of a Chair focusing on the discipline of homiletics at VST firmly places the school within the leading ranks of North American theological institutions offering advanced studies in the art of preaching. This three million dollar endowment by the Butler family represents the most significant gift in support of homiletics (teaching the practice of preaching) in North America.

Dr. Farris and representatives of VST’s Board of Directors have been working with the Butler family on the terms of the endowment for the past several months, and the first installment of the funds has been received, with the remainder to follow over the course of the next year. Once the entirety of the donation has been received by VST, the school will then start the process in determining who will be named to the Chair.

Judge Scow was also a former member of VST’s Board of Governors.

More details regarding Judge Scow is available here, including time and date of the memorial services.

Wednesday March 20th at noon, Chapel of the Epiphany, 6030 Chancellor Boulevard

A journey to explore, what is “Islamic music”? What defines a piece of music as “Islamic”?

What connection does this piece have to Islam?

This session will be an opportunity to understand the role of music as an expression of spirituality in Islam. The session will include a Whirling (Sema) Ceremony along with explanations. The session will assist in understanding how God/Allah can be experienced by Muslims. A Mystical Journey into Islam Using Music will be a meditative experience to assist in exploring your faith and relationship with God.

Please submit your nominations to us by February 20, 2013.

Along with your nomination, please provide us with some supporting documentations (letter of nomination and a resume) that will help us to interpret the reasons for your recommendation. The criteria that are applied in the selection of candidates for this degree are as follows:

“The degree is open to persons who clearly exemplify the values of the School. Such persons should also have made a significant contribution, though the integration of theology and practice of ministry in one or more of:
•    Theological scholarship
•    Ecumenical dialogue either within the Christian community or with other faiths/traditions
•    The life and ministry of the Christian community in Canada and/or in the world
•    Interdisciplinary scholarship involving theology and other fields.

Current faculty members would not normally be eligible for nomination.” To assist you with reflection on this request we are attaching a list of former recipients.  We would like to stress that selection of recipients is a confidential process, so that you should not reveal to a nominee that s/he is being nominated.

Nominations may be sent to the attention of Mavis Ho at: mavis@vst.edu

On behalf of  John McLaren
for the Nominations and Governance Committee of the Board.

Please join us to hear just-returned-from-sabbatical, Dr. Harry Maier speaking on “What I Did On My Sabbatical, or, Looking at Roman Art and Why it Matters.”

Bring a lunch if you wish, and join us on Monday, January 28th!