The thirteenth annual forum of UTS alumni in the UK was held in Bonsall, in the midst of the beautiful Derbyshire Peak District on May 28th 2016, under the theme “Unificationism in a time of discord”. Despite being a relatively small group of twelve UTS alumni and friends involved in the discussions, a significant depth was reached in dealing with this theme.  Ranging from a meditative consideration of the significance of the story of Lohengrin as portrayed in Wagner’s opera to a practical report on mission work in Birmingham, the papers and the ensuing discussions were both...

Through the many different hats that I have had the privilege of wearing – parent, teacher, youth  minister, Sunday School teacher, assistant pastor & educator – it has become increasing clear to me that the family is under enormous pressure today and parents are struggling with the skills necessary to provide the family life they desire.  My husband and I had the opportunity to participate in several amazing parent groups over the years that gave us support and skills in raising our three sons. Through our experiences, trials and errors, successes and...

The alumnae and alumni of UTS have a long association with the United Nations (UN). Also, several Unification-related organizations have attained general or special consultative status with the UN’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) or status with the UN’s Department of Public Information (DPI). UTS alumni and friends regularly participate in UN events. From May 23-27, 2016, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) held its 25th Session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) in Vienna, Austria. In accordance with the UNODC’s...

On Wednesday June 29th members of the UTS alumni in the St. Louis area were honored to receive a leadership team from their alma mater.  UTS President, Dr. Hugh Spurgin, and UTS Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Kathy Winings, attended the biennial meeting of the Association of Theological Schools which was held at the Union Station Hotel in downtown St. Louis, granting them the opportunity to also meet with alumni in the area.  Hosted by Beth Shimotani (Class of 1987), Mary Bratti (Class of 1984), and William Stoner (Class of 1990) the group gathered for dinner that...

On Saturday, July 16 Dr. Andrew Wilson, UTS professor of Scriptural Studies, gave the keynote address at an event in the Bronx that was a follow-up to the 60th UN Consultation on the Status of Women, entitled “Leave No Women in Religion Behind in the 2030 Development Agenda.” The event was organized by UN representative Dr. Ada Okika with the support of UTS graduate Dr. Ebony Kirkland (UTS ’05, D.Min.’10). Another alumna, Jeanne Carroll (UTS ’87) represented the Women’s Federation for World Peace, USA at the event. Dr. Wilson talked on the topic “Women who Recognize...

On Saturday July 16, UTS Barrytown hosted Dr. Thomas Selover, member of the class of 1977, the first graduating class of UTS. Dr. Selover convened, with the help of Dr. Wilson, an afternoon discussion about a new venture: the Cheon Il Guk* Academy (CIG Academy) to encourage projects, sponsored research, academic proceedings, and publications, in the fields of arts and sciences. Dr. Selover, who currently teaches at the Cheong Shim Graduate School of Theology in Korea, after many years of teaching in North America, is serving in a liaison role between Asia and the West to help this...

Winners of Third Contest Among Int’l Journalists Reporting on Kazakhstan Announced. We send the congratulations to our dearest friend Douglas Burton, who writes for The Washington Times and won for his article “Kazakh Studying Abroad in Ambitious ‘Future’ Programme Aims to Lift Former Soviet Republic.” The Kazakh Foreign Ministry and Kazakhstan’s Chief Editors Club announced the winners of their third international journalism contest, “Kazakhstan through the Eyes of Foreign Media.” The contest attracted 60 entries from 29 countries, with five regional prizes awarded to journalists...

The Biennial Meeting brought Association of Theological Schools (ATS) presidents, deans, and theological education leaders to learn and network as they examined new models that schools are exploring in service to their missions. Dr. Kathy Winings commented on the workshop about finances and student debt. ATS has an initiative: Economic Challenges Facing Future Ministers. This workshop highlighted key insights and successful strategies theological schools can adopt to better prepare students for the financial challenges they will face in ministry. Workshop attendees heard from several...

Sister Christiana Mmadu is from Nigeria. In Nigeria she became a nun, joining a vibrant sisterhood in Oyo State, and she devoted herself to caring for others. A devout Catholic, she came as a missionary sister to the USA, planning to study at St. John’s University, a well-known Catholic institution located on Long Island. Due to administrative problems, she was unable to attend, but was then offered the opportunity to enroll at the UTS city campus at West 43rd St. in Manhattan. Friends reminded her that she is a person who is “very devout and faithful” to her church and that her beliefs...