This Week on the Hill: Dr. Brent Ray’s memorial service, Classes begin with increased safety measures
“This Week on the Hill” is a weekly roundup of campus news, announcements, and events from Southwestern Seminary and Scarborough College.
What God has done this summer
The summer of 2020 has been a difficult one, but God has not stopped working. This week, for our final episode of Ministry Now Season 1, we sat down with several Southwesterners to hear what God has been doing through their ministries this summer.
Ministry Now is a resource from Southwestern Seminary, helping you live your calling in an ever-changing ministry landscape.
Ministry Now will be returning for Season 2! Stay tuned for more episodes this fall.
Announcements
8-week courses for Fall 2020
There’s still time to register for 8-week courses this fall! Additional courses have been added to these terms for the Master Arts in Worship Leadership, so check out the Course List to learn more.
- Fall A (8-Week Term), starts August 24
- Fall B (8-Week Term), starts October 19
Campus News
Southwestern Seminary’s Brent Ray dies
Brent S. Ray, director of the World Missions Center (WMC) and associate professor of missions at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, died in his sleep, Aug. 14. He was 61 years old.
“Dr. Ray and [his wife] Elaine were veterans of the International Mission Board and brought their passion for missions to Seminary Hill in leadership of our World Missions Center,” said President Adam W. Greenway. “He was a man on mission here, pointing students to the unfinished task of fulfilling the Great Commission. His death is a great loss to the seminary community, especially as he had just been appointed to serve on the faculty of the Roy J. Fish School of Evangelism and Missions.”
“In times like these,” Greenway continued, “we trust our good God, knowing He is in control of all things. Our grief is mixed with joy that while our friend and colleague died in his sleep last night, he was at that moment welcomed into the arms of his Savior and Lord, Jesus. Our brother is now enjoying his eternal reward. May our grief drive us to recommit ourselves during this time to carrying on his passion for the Great Commission.”
Dr. Ray’s memorial service will be held Wednesday, Aug. 19, in MacGorman Chapel at 2:00 p.m. The service will be livestreamed at swbts.live. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations to be made to the Southwestern Seminary World Missions Center in honor of Dr. Ray.
As students return to campus, Southwestern Seminary implements new protocols to ensure safety
In preparation for the fall 2020 semester, administrators of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary have announced protocols implemented for the safe return of students to the campus.
“It’s going to be a fall on-campus experience unlike anything we’ve had before,” said President Adam W. Greenway in a July 17 virtual discussion. “We are trying to make sure that Southwestern Seminary and Scarborough College is as safe and as sanitary and as responsible of an institution for higher education and for theological learning as we can be. Even in the midst of COVID-19, it is fundamentally clear to me that we are seeing clear signs of God’s hand and favor here at Southwestern Seminary and Scarborough College.”
Depending on the individual student’s needs and comfort level, students can choose to either return to on-campus classes or continue their education this academic year through Southwestern Seminary’s multiple online options.
For the student who feels comfortable returning to campus, extensive measures have been put in place for the safety of students and faculty. In an Aug. 11 video to students providing the most recent COVID-19 updates, Provost Randy L. Stinson and Dean of Women Terri Stovall shared some of what students can expect this semester.
