Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary

Gwen Ann Gustafson-Zook

This research project explores the theological meaning in knitting for a small group of contemporary Mennonite women. Using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis, including a five-week focus group (Knitting Circle) and intensive interviews, the study validates knitting as embodied theological practice. This research expands understanding of “doing theology” to include making things as a means of embodied theology, thus adding breadth, balance, and substance to the experience of doing theology. The results of this study promote an understanding of lived theology that celebrates creativity and embodied practice as significant and realistic expressions of faith as well as a means of doing theology.

April Rae Gutierrez

“Embodied Spiritual Practices for Brown and Black Bodies Exploring Sabbath Rest” addresses spiritual formation, discussing an approach to Sabbath Rest for healing and restoration that is countercultural on personal and societal levels. Through a retreat, participants engaged in embodied spiritual practices that promote rest as a tool for spiritual formation and transformation that is rooted in decolonizing theology and spiritual practices. Working in collaboration with The Board of Young Peoples Ministry and the Hispanic /Latino Ministry of the Michigan Conference of the United Methodist Church, the retreat model was reviewed by the committees for use in the work of spiritual formation for Black and Latinx Young Adults. The implementation of this project and retreat shows that culturally relevant spiritual practices that honor Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) stories and spiritual practices may deepen the encounter with God and relationships with participants within the retreat setting.

Eric Pugh

In the United Methodist Church, the preaching of the deacon is an underdeveloped voice that should be included among all the other preaching voices in the church. The preaching voice of the deacon is grounded in their call to compassion, justice, reconciliation, and restoration, and is informed by biblical and historical contexts that affirm and confirm the value and necessity of such preaching. Naming and claiming the voice of the deacon as preacher requires deacons to understand themselves, their call to ministry, and the relevance and importance of their voice that calls attention to the need for justice in action as valid and necessary in our world today. The voice of the United Methodist deacon as preacher is a necessary voice in the local church and beyond for the advancement of social justice. This project thesis rests on the belief that for the United Methodist deacon, claiming their voice as preacher helps them more fully fulfill their call to ministry and live into their baptismal and ordination vows.

Jeryl Salmond

Like so many other congregations, small churches are suffering from declining membership, and many have closed their doors. This decline has caused many pastors to be concerned about their ability to survive. As a consequence, churches have focused on survival tactics which result in an inward focused church in order to safeguard their limited resources. This inward focus minimizes missional ministry and ignores the pain and brokenness of people in the community that surrounds the church. This issue is particularly impactful in the urban context, where social challenges are prevalent and evidenced by the visible amount of homelessness, hunger, and poverty in the community. This thesis investigates the utilization of preaching stewardship to encourage growth in missional outreach in a small urban church. The preacher must be intentional about developing and delivering sermons that demonstrate the symmetry between stewardship and outreach ministry. This project focused on a small urban church and seeks to demonstrate that preaching stewardship is influential in encouraging growth in missional outreach to offset the needs of the community beyond the church.

Pamela Rivera

The ongoing categorizing of African Methodist Episcopal churches by membership size and budget has promoted an unconscious practice of succession leadership. This injurious practice ends up impeding the participation of lower-tier churches and hinders the building of authentic Christ-like relationships. This project intends to introduce gospel hospitality as a spiritual value that invites all clergy and lay leaders to the table of relationships as equal advocates. The researcher used constructive narrative theology to collect and interpret the data that was generated through the project. The data concluded, ‘Gospel Hospitality is a Foundational Pillar for Unifying Clergy and Laity as A Collaborative Community.’

Tina N. Shelton

This project explores the role spiritual disciplines play in the lives of those going through transitions that involve loss or caring for loved ones. This involves inviting God’s presence through spiritual disciplines, learning and relearning strong Biblical characters, and sharing our own narrative stories with one another. Participants at South Elgin Community United Methodist Church took four to six weeks respectively to embark on a healing journey with one another and with God. There was growth and/or healing gained through this project. This growth and/or healing was measured by the new perspectives expressed and the new changes that came forth.

Kay F. Albury D.Min.

This project will focus on how preaching can develop a spirit of generosity in the life of the church. The purpose of this project is two-fold: First, the intent is to help a congregation re-examine the challenges that interfere with trusting God’s generous abundance of resources that are available each day. Second, this project will help the congregation discover and then utilize the resources that God provides each day. These resources reflect God’s justice and love. In order to accomplish these two tasks, the project will draw from the richness of biblical scripture, as well as prominent theologians and scholars, to show that preaching is a useful tool that can improve the level of generosity in the church and empower its members to fully live out their mission to extend God’s love and justice to the world.

Andy S. Manzano D.Min.

Many pastors and church leaders face the challenge of getting most of the congregants involved in some aspect of ministry. This thesis project focuses on the use of celebrative preaching as a homiletical design to address this challenge. It presents details of the project, the ministry context, the homiletical approach, plans, processes, survey responses, as well as the outcomes that ensued while seeking to resolve this issue. It also explores some of the factors that contribute to this predicament and provides relevant advice on how to address it. It is hoped that the information contained in this thesis can serve as a useful source to all who are interested in rectifying this dilemma.

Peggy Ann Gibson

With the declining of church attendance in generations younger than baby boomers, churches must shift their focus from maintenance to mission in order to avoid an existential threat. Reaching the younger generations will require a more personal approach than new programs and events. Overcoming skepticism and distrust are key factors in reaching the younger generations. The Five Thresholds Model will increase the confidence of young adults in the overall practice of evangelizing and, more specifically, in the practices of sharing their faith and inviting others to respond. The peer-to-peer evangelism training increased participants’ comfort level and confidence in sharing their faith with others.

Enid Medina Torres D.Min.

La Predicación Profética ante la Crisis Socioeconómica como Instrumento de Justicia para la Mujer en Puerto Rico

This paper presents research on how prophetic preaching can become a justice instrument in favor of women in Puerto Rico facing a significant socioeconomic crisis, with the purpose of it to lead social transformation and liberate women. God has called the Church to raise its voice for all those oppressed by power structures. particularly women, who I consider are the most oppressed. This project can become a significant contribution to prophetic preaching, as it convenes the Church to raise its voice against systemic oppression. Prophetic preaching is presented as an effective tool for a better Puerto Rico here and now. It is by means of prophetic preaching that the Church can become an active agent in fulfilling God’s mission and bringing about His kingdom.
This research followed a qualitative approach, using individual interviews with open-ended questions, as well as a four-sermon series. Six people from the local church participated as part of a focus group who supported the sermon preparation as well as their assessment. Results in this research showed inductive sermonary structures contribute to the process of Church members to not only recognize socioeconomic problems women face on a daily basis, but also to also feel compelled to work against them, guiding them to present concrete ideas in favor of socioeconomic justice for women.