October 2008 E-Newsletter 

Union Theological Seminary & Presbyterian School of Christian Education
3401 Brook Road
Richmond, VA 23227

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Robert Fox
Phone: 804.278.4241
E-mail: rfox@union-psce.edu

Location, Location, Location

Allow me to share a little local news.

In the Richmond locale, the entire institution of Union-PSCE celebrated the opening of a new location for worship and theological education: the Jeannette Early Center.  The first public locution in this space was given by Dean of the Faculty, New Testament Professor, and pun master John Carroll: In Luke 4, Carroll recounted how a certain local boy from Nazareth was nearly localized by an angry crowd on the edge of a very tall cliff!

At the Charlotte locality, Professor Richard Boyce preached this opening convocation on the feeding of the five thousand in Mark 6.  In noting that the bread and fish were native to the area, Boyce remarked: “Local foods, local cuisine, and local consumption seem to be all the rage!” 

What in the world is going on here?  Has Union-PSCE gone plum loco? 

Our friends in the math world tell us that a locus refers to the set of all points that satisfy specified conditions.  Granted, I studied history at my undergrad, but it seems to me that this understanding allows for diversity, as long as everything points to the same goal.

Case in point: the locus of Union-PSCE includes two campuses and a diverse student body, staff, and faculty.  Even as we celebrate the opening of a new space, the physical location of our theological training is only a small piece of the story.  Dean Carroll gave thanks for our new building, but insisted, “Our witness points us beyond these walls, beyond our two campuses, and out into the world.”  In Professor Boyce’s words, we are to give the “good food that the world so desperately needs.” 

Our locus is then our focus: in worship and in service, let all the local news from Union-PSCE reflect this Good News of Jesus Christ.

Highlights and sermons from  2008 Convocation

Respond Now
We welcome your response or comments to this article.  Respond to directly to the author, Andrew Taylor-Troutman.