May 1, 2009

Kairos A Publication of the Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary Community Issue #181

Austin Seminary’s Athletic Dynasty Expands Beyond Flag Football

Austin, Texas (PDI). Austin Seminary’s sand volleyball
team won the championship game of the co-ed Austin
Sand Volleyball League at Carlos ‘n Charlie’s on Lake
Travis. This elite team of scholars finished the season
with only one loss, qualifying them for the playoffs.
They squeaked through to the championship game and
beat their Goliath-like opponents. Some believe that the
team name, “Divine Intervention,” aided their predes-
tined victory, while others attribute their going on to per-
fection to the spirited play of interdenominational team
members.

The championship team members were Rev. Chizason

Chunda, Ty Wood, Sarah Hegar, Heather Lee, José
Lopez, Brandon Miles, Jamie Peterson, Shane Webb,
and Melea White.

Plans for a tickertape parade on the driveway in front of

McCord are in the works. Details will be announced
once security and crowd control requirements are as-
sessed.

Elections Commissioner: Library Committee:

Kate Loveless Karen Cotton and Brian Plescher
Admissions Committee: Program of Study Committee:
Melanie Lange and Lindsay Hatch Mary Elizabeth Prentice and Jeff Saddington
Bookstore Committee: Student Life and Standing Committee:
Jenny Tucker Kristin Austin
Financial Aid Committee: Worship Committee:
Lori Gainer Clare Lozano and Mari Lyn Jones

Inside This Issue

© 2009 Austin Presbyterian
Chapel Schedule . . . . . . . . . . 2 Commencement Information . . . . . . . 3-4 Weekly Calendar . . . . . . . . 6 Theological Seminary
Announcements & Events . . . 2 What I Learned In Seminary Today . . . 5
 Issue 181 www.austinseminary.typepad.com/portal/kairos.html
Chapel Schedule
April 27—May 1
Monday: Service of the Word
Isabel Rivera-Velez, preacher
Tuesday: Service of Word and
Sacrament, Rev. David White,
preacher
Thursday: Morning Prayer Service
Student-led
Friday: Service of the Word
Jamie Peterson, preacher
Senior MDiv students preach in chapel on
Monday this week.
Backyard Spirituality with Michael Jinkins
On Friday, May 1, Dean Michael Jinkins
is hosting a gathering of students at his home,
7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. You're invited to come and
spend this May Day reflecting on and engaging
in spiritual practice that Michael has found
meaningful. Space is limited, so register your
interest soon by signing up at the McCord desk.
Contact Mari Lyn Jones for more information.
This is the third in a series of opportuni-
ties introduced by Still Small Voice for discuss-
ing and engaging in spiritual practices with a
faculty member.
Contemplative Worship
Reading Week
On Tuesday, May 12, Still Small Voice is
leading a contemplative worship service in the
chapel at 8pm. Contact Margaret Talbot for
more information.
New Kairos Editor!
The Kairos Editor for the 2009-10 School year will be Mary Elizabeth Prentice! Congratula-
tions, Mary Elizabeth. We look forward to your leadership and creativity.
Page 2
Commencement
Corner
Mark your calendars!
Baccalaureate
Sat., May 23
6:00 p.m.
Commencement
Sun., May 24
2:30 p.m.
Both Events Will Be Held At
University Presbyterian Church
See pages 3 and 4
for more information.
Student Volunteers Needed!
Student volunteers are needed Saturday,
May 23rd and Sunday, May 24th to assist with
the Anderson House Dedication Ceremony,
Baccalaureate, and the Graduation Commence-
ment Ceremony. Responsibilities will include
directing traffic, guiding Anderson House tours,
ushering guests, etc.
If interested, contact Chris Kreisher at
chris.kreisher@austinseminary.edu
Are You Good with Scissors?
Be a part of history! The Anderson
House Dedication Task Force is holding a lot-
tery drawing to select a Student Representative
(and their family) to participate in the Anderson
House Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on Saturday,
May 23rd. If interested, place your name in the
box located at the McCord Desk by May 5th.
The drawing will be held at Manna on May 6th.
Any questions, contact Chris Kreisher at
chris.kreisher@austinseminary.edu
 Issue 181 www.austinseminary.typepad.com/portal/kairos.html Page 3

DETAILED COMMENCEMENT INFORMATION

MEMORANDUM

To: Class of 2009, Board of Trustees, Faculty, Administrators, Staff and Students
From: Michael Jinkins, Academic Dean
Date: April, 2009
Re: 2009 Baccalaureate and Commencement Activities
Held at: University Presbyterian Church, 2203 San Antonio Street
Directions are provided at the end of this memo.

Regalia for Graduates

• Cap and gown pickup
• Caps and gowns will be available for pickup, upon receipt of the completed graduation checkout
form, from the Registrar=s office during the week of May 18 and until 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May
22nd (details to follow). Note that gowns will be wrinkled and will require pressing.
• Graduates can make arrangements for someone to pick up their regalia if they are unable to do
so.
• Cap, gown, and academic hood return (graduates are hooded during the commencement ceremony)
• All items are rented by the seminary and must be returned following the ceremony on the day
of graduation to the library at University Presbyterian Church.
• Failure to return regalia will result in a fine of $300 to cover the cost of the items, and a hold will
be placed on the graduate’s record.
Baccalaureate Service and Celebration of the Lord=s Supper
• Saturday, May 23, 2009, University Presbyterian Church, 6:00 p.m.
• All graduates are expected to attend the Baccalaureate service, and all other students are encour-
aged to attend.
• There is no academic procession at this service.
• Graduates and Faculty will not robe.
• There is no assigned seating.
• Childcare will be provided at the church during the Baccalaureate service for children age 6 and
younger only. Register childcare needs no later than May 15, 2009 with Mona Minjarez in the Busi-
ness Office.
Baccalaureate Preacher: The Rev. Dr. J. Andrew Dearman
Celebrants: The Rev. Dr. David Johnson and The Rev. Jacquline Saxon
Commencement Service
• Sunday, May 24, 2009, University Presbyterian Church, 2:30 p.m.
• All graduates are required to attend the Commencement service, and all other students are encour-
aged to attend. (To graduate in absentia, one must request permission in writing from the Academic
Dean).
• There is an academic procession at this service. Allan Cole will serve as marshal.
• Graduates and Faculty wear academic regalia, including caps.
• There is assigned seating for Trustees, Faculty, and graduating students.
• Childcare is provided at the church for children age 6 and younger only. Register childcare needs no
later than May 15, 2009, with Mona Minjarez in the Business Office.

Commencement Speaker: The Rev. Dr. Joseph J. Clifford, Senior Pastor,

First Presbyterian Church, Dallas, Texas

Continued on page 4
 Issue 181 www.austinseminary.typepad.com/portal/kairos.html Page 4

DETAILED COMMENCEMENT INFORMATION

Continued from page 3

Before the service — for Graduates and their Families

• Rehearsal (without robes) for graduates will be conducted in the church sanctuary at 1:15 p.m. Robes
and personal belongings can be left in Room 212 (the Youth Room) at University Presbyterian Church
between 1:00 and 1:30 p.m. The room will be monitored and locked.
• Families may gather in the fellowship hall or courtyard until rehearsal is finished, approxi-
mately 1:45 - 2:00.
• Immediately following this rehearsal, graduates will gather in Room 212 to robe and pose for the class
photograph.
• After the photograph, graduates will be lined up in processional order.

Before the service — for Trustees and Faculty

• The Board of Trustees and Faculty gather for instructions no later than 2:00 p.m. in Room 210 (the
room next to the Youth Room upstairs) at University Presbyterian Church.

Order for Commencement Procession

st nd rd th th
• 1 — Commencement Leaders; 2 — Marshal; 3 — Board of Trustees; 4 — Faculty; 5 — Class
of 2009.
• Entering the sanctuary from the rear:
• The Board of Trustees will sit in the front rows on the left (spouses sit in rows behind trustees)
• Faculty will sit in the chancel (spouses sit in sanctuary in rows behind trustees)
• Graduates will sit in the front rows on the right.
• An alphabetical processional list of all graduates participating in the Commencement ceremony will be
sent out prior to graduation.
*** Don’t forget to return your regalia to the church library after the service * * *
Reception
• All are invited and encouraged to attend a reception in the courtyard of University Presbyterian Church
immediately following the Commencement exercises.
Directions to University Presbyterian Church
• From IH-35:
th
• Take the Dean Keaton exit (26 Street) and drive west to Guadalupe Street. Turn south (left) on
Guadalupe Street and proceed to 22nd Street.
nd
• At 22 Street, turn west (right) and drive one block to San Antonio Street. The church is located
on the northeast corner of 22nd Street and San Antonio. San Antonio Street is one way going
north, and parking is in the University Co-Op Garage one half-block north of the church on the
west (left) side of the street, across the street from the church.
• From Mopac:
• Take the Windsor Road exit and drive east to Guadalupe. Turn south (right) on Guadalupe to
22nd St.
nd
• At 22 Street, turn west (right) and drive one block to San Antonio. The church is located on the
northeast corner of 22nd Street and San Antonio.
nd
• Note: If driving north on Guadalupe from MLK Blvd., a left turn on 22 is prohibited. Instead, from
MLK Blvd., go one block west of Guadalupe, turn north on San Antonio and continue to 22nd
Street.
Parking
• Free parking for Baccalaureate and Commencement is available in the University Co-Op Garage one
half-block north of the church on the west (left) side of the street, across the street from the church.
 Issue 181 www.austinseminary.typepad.com/portal/kairos.html
A Weekly Column Offering Musings, Insights, and Reflections on the Seminary Life
Placing My Attention
By Paul Dubois, MDiv Senior
There are times when I really don’t want to think
about things the world wants me to think about–the econ-
omy, torture, politics, swine flu, or even whether it should
be called swine flu. There are times when I really don’t
want to think about things that the church wants me to
think about either–my ability to articulate orthodox doc-
trine, justice and morality issues having to do with gender
or sexual orientation, or various strategies of growth as a
measure of the kingdom’s coming. There are times when
the local grief that I encounter is enough to overwhelm
me. Sometimes I think that by drawing me into the fear
about the latest car bombing, political maneuvering, or
ecclesiastical identity crisis, I am being severed from the
connection I have to myself and my immediate commu-
nity; that is, I am being severed from the more present
reality, and to those with whom God calls me to love.
Sometimes life comes at me with–and I’m not entirely sure
here–a passionate love or a vengeance.
I have had very few classes at seminary that have
been emotionally difficult. This past week’s Pastoral Care
class was the exception. While studying pastoral care of
children, we watched a video about helping children grieve
the loss of a parent. Both of my parents are gone now,
and I lost them both since I’ve been an adult. My oldest
sister died when she was 25; I was 14. Of the nine of us–
seven kids and two parents–three are now deceased.
One-third. All of a sudden that number seems huge. I’m
not going to go into the details of my emotions that day in
class, but they ran the gamut: anger, grief, envy, joy, sor-
row. The ache in my cheeks and neck from the pain was
tempered by the vision of a better way. There are many
ways that these losses I suffered were not grieved, or at
least not grieved in a healthy manner. My family had its
own particular set of dysfunctions. As Tolstoy opens Anna
Karenina, “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy
family is unhappy in its own way.” We were not a family of
grievers. We were not talkers. We were not huggers.
Now we do a little of that, but we’re scattered across the
country. Last night I talked about all of this with Susan,
not to gain her insight, but to let something escape. I see
how so much of that stuff has shaped who I am and how I
am in the world. Some of it has been overcome, but some
also flavors my being, as a gift. More than a little of it is
still painful. My attention turns to my wife and kids, and
wonder whether Tolstoy would say we are of the happy
kind or the unhappy kind. I worry about whether and how
they may suffer loss, which surely must come some day.
A relative of mine is in jail. He is winding down
the last couple months of a one-year jail sentence for
something he did 22 years ago. He and I have been writ-
Page 5
ing to each other, but he has written to me more than I
have to him. Yesterday I received a letter from him, and
he is fearful of what will happen once he is out, and he is
asking for help. His marriage is over. His father will not
take his own son into his home. I didn’t write to him for
the first five months or so of his imprisonment. But as I
prepared my senior sermon for chapel last fall–Matthew
25: 36-41, the sheep and the goats–I found myself con-
victed. Lord, when did I see you in prison and visit you? I
wrote simply to tell him that I have not forgotten him, that I
pray for him, and that I love him. All along I have written
to be a good pen-pal, but now I am asked to be more for
him, and I am afraid.
Yesterday my neighbor, Elsa Ramirez, introduced
me to a family from the church she serves in Industry,
Texas–two hours east of Austin. The family is grieving the
death of their young daughter this week following a very
brief but severe illness. Elsa had made several trips to the
church she serves this week–each trip being a four-hour
round-trip. And yesterday afternoon, Elsa and her hus-
band José were going to travel to the Valley to take the
little girl’s grandmother home. Elsa and José turned right
around and drove back to Austin–a 14 hour round trip–so
Elsa could be in class today. I have been amazed these
last two years at how hard Elsa works at serving her
sheep, her church, her God. Yet studying here has been
difficult for her because English is her second language.
Her people and God—the two are inextricably linked—
take priority over school, and that is surely the right rela-
tionship. Faithfully she marches on to the drumbeat of
God who calls her. The image of a World War I recruiting
poster comes to mind, how the troops marching gallantly
down the street seem to draw more and more volunteers
into the fight. Elsa’s faithfulness to her people draws me
into the parade, but I wonder whether I will have the cour-
age to shoulder the weapon, or to bear the full armor of
God. Sometimes it seems I make my religious vocation
too much about the mind, not enough about the body.
These were some of my experiences–what I felt–
this week. But then I listen to the news. This week the
television and internet caution me about breathing the air.
That we should have shut our borders. That one political
party has put us at risk for this pandemic, or that the other
party is not doing enough. If I’m afraid, that is good! Be-
cause I will stay tuned. The media also tell me–either in
celebratory or condemning fashion–about the change in
party allegiances of a federal Senator. I wonder, who was
he elected to serve, party or people? And I wonder, who
am I to serve?
And then I remember, “Oh, yeah... a few days ago
I asked God to mold me this week.” I guess it was a pas-
sionate love after all.
 Issue 181 www.austinseminary.typepad.com/portal/kairos.html
Monday, May 4th
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
12:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
8:00 – 11:00 p.m.
Tuesday, May 5th
8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
WEEKLY CALENDAR OF EVENTS
12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
4:15 – 8:15 p.m.
Wednesday, May 6th
MAY 4-MAY 10, 2009
8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
9:00 – 10:30 a.m.
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
12:00 – 1:15 p.m.
12:30 – 5:00 p.m.
12:45 – 2:30 p.m.
1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
1:00 – 2:30 p.m.
1:30 – 9:00 p.m.
2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
3:30 – 5:00 p.m.
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 7th
8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Friday, May 8th
8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
8:30 – 10:00 a.m.
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 9th
Sunday, May 10th
2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
3:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Submissions to Kairos: Email submissions to the editor, Paul Dubois, at Kairos@austinseminary.edu. Calendar events and room reservation
requests should be sent to Katherine Sweet at ksweet@austinseminary.edu or made in person at the McCord desk. Editorial decisions are based
on urgency, availability of space, and editorial guidelines. Deadline is Wednesday at 5:00 P.M. Submissions made after deadline must be
accompanied by a dunkel.
Do you have something to say to Kairos? Something to add… Something to refute?
If so, we’d like to hear. We are committed to dialogue.
Page 6
Worship: Service of the Word Shelton Chapel
Isabel Rivera-Velez, preacher
Spiritual Direction – Scott Quinn McCord 202
Acts 2:42 – Jose Lopez Knox Dining Hall
Doctor of Ministry – David Jones McCord 201
Ordination Exam Preparation Workshop – Jackie Saxon McMillan 210
Wedding Shower for Jose and Melissa – Jamye Dunlap Stotts Dining Hall
Doctor of Ministry – David Jones McCord 201
Service of the Word and Sacrament Shelton Chapel
Led by David White
Chapel Team: Laurel Dixon and Tracey Beadle
MSSW/MDIV Group – Nikki Stahl McCord 203
Reading, Writing, and Study Skills – Light German Knox Dining Hall
Doctor of Ministry – David Jones McCord 201
Administration Advisory Committee – Nancy Reese Trull Boardroom
Midweek Manna – Student Senate Stotts Dining Hall
Spiritual Direction – Jean Springer McCord 202
Corpus Christi – Scott Spence McCord 201
Church Ministry Department Meeting – David White Knox Dining Hall
Student Senate Luncheon – Jackie Saxon McCord 203
Hispanic Pastors Group – Alison Riemersma McCord 204
Korean Bible Study – In Hye Park McMillan 204
Spiritual Direction – Barbara Schutz McMillan 205
Event Planning Meeting – Renee Menke Knox Dining Hall
Senior Fundraising Day – Sarah Hegar Stotts Dining Hall
Special Educational Events Commission – Tim Lincoln McMillan 105
Insights Commissions – David Jensen Trull 115
Doctor of Ministry Commission – David White McMillan 105
Ordination Exam Preparation Workshop – Jackie Saxon McMillan 210
Hispanic Pastors Group – Alison Riemersma McCord 204
Student Led Morning Prayer Shelton Chapel
Call 2 – Gail Dalrymple McCord 201
Austin HR Management Association – Lori Rohre McCord 203
Still Small Voice – Margaret Talbot Knox Dining Hall
Spiritual Direction – Barbara Schutz McCord 202
Ordination Exam Preparation Workshop – Jackie Saxon McMillan 210
Hispanic Pastors Group – Alison Riemersma McCord 204
Spiritual Direction – Joe Berry McCord 202
Worship: Service of the Word Shelton Chapel
Jamie Peterson, preacher
No Events Today
Austin Girl’s Choir – Sara McClure Shelton Chapel
Veterans for Peace – Jack Prince McCord 203
Letters to the editor will be published.