Dear UTS Alumni,

Today was our main registration day for Fall term, 2002 and AY 2002-2003. I am happy to report that as of early this evening we had 103 registrants. As more students normally arrive over the coming days, we stand a very good chance of meeting our goal of 121 FTE, and even reaching our "wish" of 130 FTE at Barrytown.

Numbers for the NY Extension will be in early next week. I extend my congratulations to our outgoing Admissions team, Tessa Hodson-Thonett and Kate Jones, and our incoming team Godwin D'Silva and Gillian Corcoran.

But more important than the numbers are two points. One is the high spirit. There is a real camaraderie, a joyful reunion spirit here. The large number of Korean leaders have a year of English study under their belts and are approaching their second year with confidence. A number of students have brought friends or relatives as new students, and that is a very positive sign.

The second great point is that there are some wonderful American leaders who are starting or continuing their studies. Godwin D'Silva, while working as Director of Admissions, is still a student, taking two courses. Rev. John Jackson of Texas has arrived with his whole family, and God provided a wonderful house for them through our sister Kate Jones. Rev. Onishi and the Lemont couple, Richard and Yukimi, are here from Chicago. (PRAY for Chicago! Without Yukimi, they really need God now!)

Rev. Joe Taylor, from Washington, DC, is starting classes this term, having loved Mr. Joo so much that he had to let him go. (Let my people go! to UTS!) Last year Rev. Greg Odlin of Maine started his UTS career. Mark Callahan, a Tribal Messiah from Indiana, is also starting his second year, and he is teaching a course in PowerPoint skills! He is an absolute genius with PowerPoint, and when we saw what he could do, we signed him on as an instructor.

In addition, several other American leaders are enrolled for Distance Learning, including our beloved bro. Kevin Thompson, Robert Standard, and others.

We want to thank deeply our national leaders, Dr. Yang and Rev. Jenkins, and in particular Rev. Ki Hoon Kim from Chicago, for their sacrificial support of Seminary education, fulfilling Father's long-term vision even with the challenge of the immediate providence. We believe God.

In response to my mailing about Core Values, I received several other proposals for UTS core values, and here they are, including associated comments:

1. "Christ-Like compassion, Impeccable Integrity, Exceptional Effectiveness, Life-Changing Leadership: These came to me like a flash of light yesterday."

2. "I would also add honesty and truthfulness; something that, unfortunately, the Unification movement is not known for."

3. "Since UTS is a school, how about some value related to learning / wisdom /knowledge / education?"

4. "For your consideration - how about adding such ideas as Heavenly Self-reliance, Financial Viability, Synergistic Cooperation and Continuous Improvement?"

5. "I submit to also add: Perseverance and Steadfastness."

6. "Maturation of love for God and fellow humans, Broadening our perspective on life, Spiritual growth to reflect God's image (or, growth to become true sons and daughters of God)‹Whatever the set of values the committee decides on, please include God in explicit terms -- after all, this is a seminary."

7. "You about have all the bases covered. And you have hit all around one of the things important to me -- commitment to excellence. I like this one, as it is fancy, secular way of talking about the goal of perfection."

Thank you for you input, which will be passed on to the G/O Team (goals and objectives team). Our next meeting is Thursday evening, at which time we will consider goals and objectives in the area of the "core business" of teaching and learning.

At this time of national mourning for our young sister Jin Joo Byrne, we hope our commitment to life and development at UTS will compliment the serious discussions that must be taking place in Washington, DC and elsewhere among church and CARP leadership, including parents. The students at registration spontaneously set up a place for all who registered to make donations for the Byrne family. I was touched that these students, most of whom had just arrived from the far East and Africa, would have this sense of connection to our grief and solidarity here in America.

After several months of preparation of heart, mind, body and vaccinations, two UTS staff families will be moving to Cameroon, West Africa, next week. All of you know Kate Jones, who has worked here for about 26 years. She with husband David, our Water Systems Manager, and son Jonathan, are going. Kate has served in numerous positions over the years, and is currently the Assistant to the Admissions Director. Tessa Hodson-Thonett is a more recent addition to the staff, having joined in May of 2000 as Director of Admissions. With her husband Marcus, who taught a wonderful course in Art and Ministry, and has contributed notable enhancements to our building and grounds, and four children, are also going.

Both families will be working with Michael and Wiveka Lamson and the successful work that is progressing in Camaroon. On Thursday at lunch is a going-away gathering at UTS, and there are other farewell fetes that have or will be taking place. UTS and I'm sure all our alumni wish both families God's greatest blessings as they take this noble step, one that is significant for Heaven as well as the earth.

They all are interesting. But the three I'd like to mention, because they are new (or are taught by a new teacher‹me) are Dr. Andrew Wilson's "Spirit World," my own "Worship and Liturgy," and Mr. Mark Callahan's above-mentioned course in PowerPoint technique. The Worship course will focus in large part upon contemporary worship‹something that is having a powerfully positive effect upon churches across America. And this does not include the always-innovative courses offered at the Extension Center, which I haven't had the chance to chase down yet.

Yikes! This is the newsletter than never ends! And I thought I was going to get some work done on my course tonight. Anyway, this is GREAT news and significant: UTS has taken on a new faculty / administrator, in the person of Dr. Roderick McLean. Dr. McLean is formerly part of the Global Missions Board of the United Methodist Church, America. He has served in numerous posts in the UMC pastoral leadership, working up from local pasturing in (I believe) Gary, Indiana. It was there in the late 70s that his commitment to crossing denominational lines to address common social problems brought him into connection with our NCCSA and ICUSA activities in Chicago. He was an early leading figure in the ICCs of that era, and worked closely with Rev. Jenkins in developing the "PRA" (Pastoral Research Assocation, if I got it right).

Dr. McLean will be teaching courses in Ministry as well as serving as our Director of Field Education. He will be located primarily at our New York EC but also have an office at Barrytown.

God bless, In True Love,
Tyler Hendricks

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