Book Launch at H.R. MacMillan Library: The Blaikie Report: And Insider’s Look at Faith and Politics

On Friday, February 10^th at 2 pm, VST is pleased to host a launch of the latest book by author Bill Blaikie; The Blaikie Report: An Insider’s Look at Faith and Politics. Bill Blaikie was ordained to the ministry of The United Church of Canada in 1978. In 1979 he was elected to Parliament; he was re-elected eight times, and retired from federal politics in 2008 as the Dean of the House of Commons. Over the years, Blaikie was the NDP critic for health, environment, foreign affairs, and trade; served as House Leader and Parliamentary Leader; and, in his last term, was the first New Democrat to be Deputy Speaker of the House. In 2009 he was elected to the Manitoba Legislature and served as Minister of Conservation until October 2011. He is currently an adjunct professor in theology at the University of Winnipeg, and Director of the Knowles-Woodsworth Centre for Theology and Public Policy.

This event is open to the general public. There will be light refreshments served, and an opportunity to meet and speak with the author.

Shannon Lythgoe at 604-822-9427 or email shannonl@vst.edu

Please RSVP to Shannon in the Communications Office if you are planning on joining us for lunch, at 604-822-9427. There is no charge for the lunch, but we need to know numbers for our catering service!

Look forward to seeing you there!

For more information on Karen Armstrong’s visit to the Lower Mainland in March 2012, see
http://www.sfu.ca/armstrong

Karen Armstrong Book Club for the UBC Campus
Where: Iona Pacific Inter-religious Centre, 6000 Iona Drive, Vancouver School of Theology
Time: Wednesdays from 5:00-6:30pm
Dates: February 15th – March 21st
Cost: Free to all participants
Contact: Farha Khan, Iona Pacific Intern
Email: farha@interchange.ubc.ca

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Vancouver School of Theology

January 6, 2012

VANCOUVER SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY DECLARES FINANCIAL EXIGENCY

On January 4, 2012, the Vancouver School of Theology was directed by its Board of Governors to declare a state of financial exigency. VST takes this step with regret, but with recognition that it is essential as plans continue for the long term viability of the school.

It is important to recognize that financial exigency is not bankruptcy or insolvency. Rather, as the Association of Theological Schools states in its guidelines, “Financial exigency is declared when an institution needs to take extraordinary action to reduce expenditures and preserve resources.”  The declaration of financial exigency is a formal necessity that will allow the Board of Governors to take the difficult steps that will restore the financial health of the school so it can continue its task of educating leaders for the church and world. To use metaphorical language, it is not the equivalent of canoeing over a waterfall.  It is realizing in enough time to change course that a waterfall lies ahead. Declaration of financial exigency is an academic administrative mechanism to enable a school to make necessary changes in a time of financial stress. It has been used by a number of colleges and schools in recent years.

The Board of VST has taken a number of steps over the last six years to improve the financial situation of the school. The effects of the financial downturn in 2008-09, the loss of funding by the United Church of Canada in 2011 and the decrease in funding from the Anglican Church of Canada have, however, combined to increase significantly the challenges faced by the school.

In all other respects, VST remains in excellent condition. Student enrolment has rebounded from a dip during the 2008 world financial crisis, and VST now has the largest student cohort it has ever experienced. Moreover, these students are of very high quality and report significant satisfaction with their VST education. As well, the dedicated Trust Funds that pay for the bursaries supporting these students remain healthy.VST works hard to bring in a huge portion of its annual budget through its housing operation. As well, there continues to be active development work at institutional level of the school.

RESTRUCTURING PROGRAM

In partnership with the administration of the school, the Board of Governors of VST is continuing to proactively address this issue through further staff reductions, institutional restructuring and new forms of partnerships. As well, fundraising towards the realization of four Endowed Chairs in core areas of denominational study has been initiated. These include the David Somerville Chair in Spirituality and Social Action (Anglican), the Chair in Pastoral and Public Leadership (United Church), the Chair in Indigenous Studies, and the Iona Pacific Chair in Inter-religious Studies.

While Vancouver School of Theology has indeed been affected by the strain on the global economy, as have countless other institutions and agencies, and is restricted in its ability to access government funding available to other educational institutions, confidence remains high that VST will weather the current financial strictures through a combination of good fiscal management, development and fundraising initiatives.

Contact:                 Shannon M. Lythgoe

Communications, Marketing and Recruitment Associate

Vancouver School of Theology

6000 Iona Drive, Vancouver, BC

Canada, V6T 1L4

shannonl@vst.edu

604-822-9427

Read Perspectives here: http://issuu.com/vst_calendar/docs/perspective_fall_winter_2011

Read Compass here: http://issuu.com/vst_calendar/docs/compass_fall_winter_2011

We wish you and your loved ones a blessed Christmas and holiday season!

REVEREND ROBERT (BOB) BURROWS

By Action of the VST Board of Governors, the degree of Doctorate of Divinity honoris causa, will be conferred on the Reverend Robert Alastair Burrows, at the VST convocation ceremony on Monday, May 7th, 2012.

Robert (Bob) Burrows was born on September 1, 1934 in Scarboro, Ontario. He graduated from Victoria College in 1956, Emmanuel College in Toronto in 1959 and was also ordained to the United Church of Canada Ministry in 1959. Bob and his wife Joan were married in 1959 and moved to St. Andrews, Scotland for a year, where Bob pursued post-graduate studies (on scholarship) and Joan taught school.

Bob served as minister and captain of the United Church mission ship, the Thomas Crosby IV, based at Ocean Falls from 1960-62. After two years, the Board of Home Missions transferred him to Alert Bay where he learned to pilot the Cessna 170 float plane George Pringle. In 1966, Bob was appointed Assistant Superintendent of First United Church in Vancouver; he became Superintendent/Minister in 1968 and continued his ministry there until 1974. From 1984 to 1999, after a number of years working in the private and public sector, Bob spent many years in pastoral ministry at Shaughnessy Heights United Church, Wilson Heights United Church and St. David’s United Church, finally returning to First United Church in the Vancouver Downtown Eastside in 2007.

Bob has written two books pertaining to United Church history: Healing In the Wilderness (2004), the story of the United Church Mission Hospitals across the country, and Hope Lives Here (2010), the 125 year history of First United Church in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.

Vancouver School of Theology congratulates the Reverend Robert Burrows on his achievement of the Doctorate of Divinity honoris causa.

REVEREND GARY PATERSON

By Action of the VST Board of Governors, the degree of Doctorate of Divinity honoris causa, will be  conferred on the Reverend Gary Paterson, at the VST convocation ceremony on Monday, May 7th , 2012.

Before entering theological studies, Gary completed his Masters in English Literature and spent two years on staff at U.B.C. as a Sessional Lecturer, teaching first and second year English. Following this was a couple years of study in Boston. Gary was ordained in 1977 in B.C.

Since 1979, Gary has lived in Vancouver, serving first as minister in Marpole, then as a Provincial Staff Person, responsible for Congregational Growth, local social justice issues and for Youth and Young Adult Ministry. In 1989 Gary accepted a call to serve at First United Church in the Downtown Eastside. From 1993 until 2004 he ministered at Ryerson United Church in Kerrisdale. Since February 2005 Gary has been at St.Andrew’s-Wesley United Church in downtown Vancouver.

Some of Gary’s passions include the dialogue between Science and Religion, the ongoing search for fresh imagery and metaphor and new language to talk about God, and the Biblical demand for justice and loving one’s neighbour. He dreams about a church where people of all colours, gender, sexual orientation and ethnicities can come together to worship, to learn and grow and to find new energy to love God and serve their neighbours.

Vancouver School of Theology congratulates the Reverend Gary Paterson on his achievement of the Doctorate of Divinity honoris causa.

REVEREND MARGARET MULLIN

By Action of the VST Board of Governors, the degree of Doctorate of Divinity honoris causa, will be conferred on the Reverend Margaret Mullin, at the VST convocation ceremony on Monday, May 7th, 2012.

Rev. Margaret Mullin is an ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. She is of Ojibway and Irish/Scottish origins. She follows both Christian and Aboriginal Traditional Spiritual ways. The rich teachings and Spiritual ceremonies of her ancestors, European Christian and First Nations, have informed her theology and they shape her way of being.

Margaret was given her Aboriginal Spirit name – ‘Thundering Eagle Woman’ – by her maternal great Uncle Dan, the last hereditary Chief of Sand Point First Nations in Northern Ontario. After eight years of instruction with her Aboriginal Elders, Margaret was presented with an Eagle Staff by Audrey Bone and Stella Blackbird, Traditional Spiritual Elders and Medicine Women, in 2008.

Margaret is currently the Executive Director of Winnipeg Inner City Missions, The Presbyterian Church in Canada Inc. [WICM]. She received a YMCA-YWCA Woman of Distinction award for her ground breaking work in the inner city of Winnipeg in 2007. While working in an inner city mission for the past 11 years, Margaret has developed a passion for the plight of the poor, for the plight of Canada’s First Nations People and for the challenge of promoting Healing and Reconciliation between the Church and Canada’s First Nations People.

Vancouver School of Theology congratulates the Reverend Margaret Mullin on her achievement of the Doctorate of Divinity honoris causa.

http://vst.library.vst.edu/screens/opacmenu.html

Theolog represents the collections of the:

• Dr. John Micallef Memorial Library,
• John Richard Allison Library, and the
• VST H.R. MacMillan Theological Library.

These three libraries are supported by four theological colleges:

• Carey Theological College,
• Regent College,
• St. Mark’s College and the
• Vancouver School of Theology.

The four colleges are independent institutions that formed a consortium to list all their library holdings in one joint catalogue. Combining the library collection records in this way means that a search of the catalogue will access over 200,000 records ensuring a quick and easy review of materials in all three libraries.

Students, faculty and staff at all four colleges have borrowing privileges at the consortium libraries. Though the libraries work together and seek to streamline systems the libraries represent independent institutions and have their own registration, library cards, and borrowing privileges (loan rules).

To mark this change, and the addition of St. Mark’s College to the catalogue consortium, a new catalogue interface has been implemented with an updated look.  The catalogue still functions about the same.  You may even notice some functional improvements along with the simplified appearance.

Many people at the Allison Library (Regent & Carey), at VST and at St. Mark’s have been involved in bringing about these changes and making everything happen.  There will still likely be a few things that need to be ‘tweaked’ and adjusted; thanks for your patience in the transition.  This is a great improvement for all our library users: welcome St. Mark’s College!

In all things we give thanks to God.