New Church Life July/Aug 2013 | Page 86

n e w c h u r c h l i f e : j u ly / au g u s t 2 0 1 3 The Rev. Howard Thompson accepts one gift and presents another day – June 23 – Howard was ordained and presented with his blue stole. Afterwards, he and his wife, Debra, were presented with gifts. The children also were given presents for New Church Day by Howard, followed by a celebratory luncheon. BRYN ATHYN COLLEGE COMMENCEMENT Bryn Athyn College of the New Church graduated two men with Master’s of Divinity degrees on May 25, one woman with a Master’s in Religious Studies, 29 men and women with Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degrees, and another 29 with Associate (two-year) degrees. The two new ministers – ordained and inaugurated into the priesthood of the General Church the following day in the Bryn Athyn Cathedral by the Rt. Rev. Thomas L. Kline – are Christopher A. Barber of Woodbury, New Jersey, and Alan M. Cowley of Riverdale, Maryland. Chris was the valedictorian and will teach religion next school year in the Academy Secondary Schools. Alan preached in the cathedral and, as noted above, has accepted appointment as acting pastor of the Michael Church in London, England. The MARS graduate was Rebekah Maddock of The Rev. Eric. H. Carswell gives the Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, and – no surprise – she was commencement address also the valedictorian. The associate and bachelor degree recipients represented eight countries, including Canada, Germany, Ghana, Lesotho, Nepal, Serbia, South Africa and the United States; and nine states, including Florida, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Texas, plus the District of Columbia. The valedictorian for the baccalaureate recipients was Jessica G. David of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Bachelor of Arts recipients included: Dana Ayers*, Emily Ball, Amulya Raj Bista, Joy Brown, Calysha Butcher, Bethany Earle, Kathlyn Gatti*, Benjamin Glenn, Patrick Huber, Dara King*, Palesa Mphatse, Nontobeko Msweli, Thomas Muller, Bailey Niall, Anita Pokharel, Ian Rose, Caleb Schnarr*, Ashley Werkheiser and Milica Zikic. Bachelor of Science recipients included: Mark Apedo, Kenneth Blair Jr., Jessica David*, Katharine Gravatt*, Landon Heinrichs, Raven Posey, Dominic Renz, 414