FY 2012 annual report - Andover Newton Theological School

Message from the Trustee ChairDear Andover Newton Theological School Students, Alumni/ae, Staff, Faculty, Trustees, and Friends:4Just this May, Eugene Polley died inChicago at the age of 96. No, he wasn’t agraduate of Andover Newton TheologicalSchool, yet he has in fact influenced allof our lives.He was an inventor for Zenith Electronics,and in the 1950s, he invented the ZenithJudy Swahnberg ‘06Flashmatic remote control. His inventionmeant that the television could be turnedon and off with the click of a button, and also, most importantly,you could change the channel without leaving your couch.Polley’s invention created a crescendo of clicking in the world.And each time we vote with our thumbs, we are in fact makinga decision. Do we engage with this possibility or turn away:Click yes or no, this or that, red or blue, friend or unfriend? Ourpersonal and national histories are in fact shaped by decisions –both our own, and the decisions of others.And in the spiritual life, decision-making takes on a differenttwist when we’re trying to figure out where God is in the process.Traditions of discernment involve noticing if our decisionsseem to bring us closer to God (consolations) or away fromGod (desolations). We can offer our tentative decisions to Godfor confirmation. It turns out that this particular process, thisdiscerning, can be both creative and freeing.Serving on the Board of Trustees at Andover Newton TheologicalSchool bestows an unusual gift: a bit of perspective. We seethat our school has arrived at this particular moment as a resultof decisions made by thousands of different people: students,alumni/ae, professors, administrators, denominations, philanthropists,church boards, and trustees.The Andover Newton dynamic continues. Like Russian dolls, eachnested inside the other, our decisions succeed into each other, andconstantly determine our trajectories. And, there are more decisionsto be made. In short, to create the future, Andover Newtonneeds you to “click” and engage in our discernment process.How? Here are some ideas:• Encourage potential students to consider Andover Newtonfor their studies.• Develop an ongoing relationship with students by creating afield education site in your church.• Consider gifts of resources. Donate to Andover Newton,because individual acts of generosity at every level will opendoors into the future. Our school needs funds to compensatefine teachers, to concretize new possibilities of learning, and toattract bright talent to the Hill, individuals who will thenengage the world with their knowledge and ministries.So, include Andover Newton in your prayers, and share yourideas with us as we continue to serve the world. The Board ofTrustees of Andover Newton, the nation’s oldest theologicalschool and its first graduate institution, seeks your wisdomand support in discerning our school’s future.With gratitude,Rev. Judy Swahnberg, Chair, Board of TrusteesAndover Newton M.Div. ‘06