"Substantial retrenchment" at Asbury Seminary
Posted March 22, 2007
To all who Love Jesus Christ and Asbury Seminary,
God has blessed our community in so many ways in recent months, ranging from the Amos grant that is underwriting our new Ph. D. program in biblical studies, to the recent historic Tuesday when we were able to host Father Raniero Cantalamessa, preacher to the papal household. But as you know, we are also compelled to deal with some significant challenges, one of which is a large financial deficit. This will mean substantial retrenchment in the coming days as we attempt to deal with our financial shortfall in a responsible fashion.
Perhaps it is providential that we walk through these wilderness days in the season of worship we know as Lent. In the wake of last semester’s leadership change and in light of this semester’s challenges, sound leadership compels us to leverage these days of Lent as a serious call to prayer with fasting, repentance and the reconciliation of broken relationships. We are calling on the members and friends of the Asbury Seminary community to respond with the following practices:
• FAST & PRAY—Choose to fast at least weekly and preferably join with others at a designated time and place to pray together for the seminary.
• READ—the common Scripture text and prayers provided by our Community Scripture Reader.
• WORSHIP—together through heightened Chapel participation in these days.
• CONFERENCE—with members of the seminary community, particularly seeking to mend broken relationships and reconcile past conflicts with forgiveness.
You will note these are the classic "means of grace" as we understand them in our Wesleyan tradition. We will be well served to remember this will only remain our tradition in a meaningful fashion as we are faithful to practice them together.
Let us remember these admonitions from Scripture:
"Even now," declares the Lord, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend your heart and not your clothing. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. Who knows? He may turn and have pity and leave behind a blessing"—Joel 2:12-14a
"The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song." Psalm 28:7
With Gratitude,
The President’s Leadership Steering Team
Asbury Theological Seminary
March 15, 2007