Seminary Blogs

Welcome to the inaugural post for Seminary Blogs. Various items of interest will be added over time. We look forward to your joining the conversation.

This spring, the seminary offers an elective titled "Living into mission: Meeting the leadership challenges of today's church" co-taught by Dean Travis and Kathleen Russell. The purpose and design of the course is exciting and we will share video from the presentations and invite reflection by the students and comments from our readers.

From the course syllabus: "This class is designed to help students develop resources for congregational leadership and for their own development as leaders through a series of presentations by effective and faithful church leaders who will share ways in which their congregations have met particular challenges in ministry, with an emphasis on  mission, evangelism, effecting and dealing with change, and what it means to 'equip the saints.' Class sessions will also involve conversations with the guest lecturers about the intersection of leadership with personal and vocational identify and spirituality..."

The first presenter is the Rev. Kathryn "Kai" Ryan, rector at Episcopal Church of the Ascension, Dallas, where she has served since 1999. Prior to that she served for six years at St. Luke's, Mobile, Alabama, and at All Saints' in Austin, Texas.  Kai is a lifelong Episcopalian born and raised in Albuquerque. She earned a degree in Philosphy at the University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee, and an MDiv at Seminary of the Southwest. Kai is married to Tim, and they have two children, Ned and Eleanor.

Video of Kai's Feb 7 presentation will be posted next week.

Follow us on Twitter @myssw. We will be continuing the conversation on our blog and at #sswleaders.