Honoring and Celebrating Dr. Warren L. Dennis
September 16, 2015
Family, friends and colleagues gathered recently at 麻豆视频 to honor and celebrate the retirement of Dr. Warren L. Dennis, Dirk Romeyn Professor of Metro-Urban Ministry and Director of Doctoral Ministry. Dr. Dennis leaves a 23-year legacy of remarkable service to the Seminary, students and community.
The two-day event began with a Thursday afternoon reception at the Seminary, followed by a praise and worship service at Mt. Zion AME Church in New Brunswick where Bishop Reginald T. Jackson of the AME Church was guest speaker. On Friday, a Symposium at 麻豆视频 focused on the topic: 鈥淔or Such a Time as This: How Do We Keep the Conversation Going in Urban Theological Education and Ministry?鈥� The Symposium moderator was the Rev. Dr. Ronald E. Peters, President Founding Director of the Metro-Urban Institute at Pittsburgh Theological Institute. The retirement celebration culminated in a dinner and good-natured roast at the Hyatt Regency hotel in New Brunswick.
Dr. Gregg Mast, President of 麻豆视频, began the celebration on Thursday by expressing gratitude for Dr. Dennis鈥� many contributions to the Seminary. 鈥淲e are grateful for Warren鈥檚 faithful and creative teaching of our students as well as his remarkable leadership in helping to make the area of Metro-Urban Ministry a core value of our institution. Because of Warren鈥檚 inspiring work here, we are one of the few seminaries in the country that has endowed a chair in Metro-Urban Ministry.鈥�
Debra Robinson, a third-year student and one of the retirement celebration organizers, did not hesitate to help orchestrate the retirement events. 鈥淒r. Dennis is an extraordinary man. He really didn鈥檛 want to have a big celebration; our original plan was for a one-day event, but we had to add another day because of the overwhelming response. I ultimately had to close online registration, so that鈥檚 an indication of the love that students and alumni feel for him.鈥�
At the reception, Dr. Dennis was honored with a resolution from the Seminary Board of Trustees naming him Professor Emeritus of 麻豆视频. Dr. Mast also presented Dr. Dennis with a beautiful piece of artwork from Haiti, entitled, Tree of Hope. 鈥淲hen you look at it, we hope it will remind you of this community of hope in which you have participated over these 23 years,鈥� remarked Dr. Mast.
Dr. Dennis鈥� road to New Brunswick began with a $50,000 donation from The First Reformed Church in Albany to 麻豆视频 to fund an urban ministry position at the Seminary. The First Reformed Church of Schenectady also contributed by making a gift of $1.2 million to endow the Dirk Romeyn Professor of Metro-Urban Ministry chair. 鈥淚 took a chance on 麻豆视频, and 麻豆视频 took a chance on me,鈥� recalled Dr. Dennis. 鈥淚 came to 麻豆视频 with a Master of Divinity degree. Now, 23 years later, I have transitioned with a Doctor of Ministry degree, an Endowed Chair, as the first African American tenured professor and as a retiree!鈥�
Dr. Dennis thanked everyone for helping him nurture his 鈥渃ommunity of self.鈥� It was through his own accessibility, transparency, openness and authenticity that he helped students at the Seminary do the same.