Garrett Seminary is thrilled to announce that the Reverend Dr. Willie James Jennings will offer this year’s commencement address on Friday, May 8. He will also be recognized with an honorary degree for his groundbreaking scholarship and leadership in theological education. Hosted at 9:00 a.m. CT in the Alice Millar Chapel, Northwestern University, and streamed live, the 2026 graduating students will walk the stage at 170th Commencement, ready to work for the thriving of the church and the healing of the world. “We are honored to host a scholar who has rightly been labeled one of the world’s most transformational thinkers,” says Garrett President Javier A. Viera. “As students prepare for lives of ministry, scholarship, and public service, his work reminds us exactly what is at stake and calls the church to live into its fullest potential.”

Dr. Jennings is the Andrew W. Mellon Professor of Systematic Theology and Africana Studies at Yale University Divinity School, a prolific author, and one the world’s foremost theologians. His book The Christian Imagination: Theology and the Origins of Race was awarded American Academy of Religion Book of the Year in constructive-reflective studies, and he is also the recipient of the 2015 Grawemeyer Award in Religion for his landmark scholarship on race and Christianity. More recently, his book After Whiteness: An Education in Belonging was named Publisher’s Weekly 2020 Book of the Year and has become an instant classic. His commencement words promise moral clarity in a moment of international peril, charging assembled students to lives of service that bring God’s love to where it’s needed most. And his incisive analysis about the history of Christianity, race, and colonialism can help everyone better understand the work to which we’re called.

In addition to Dr. Jennings, Garrett will also confer an honorary degree upon the Reverend Dr. Lizzette Gabriel-Montalvo. Affectionately known as “the People’s Bishop,” Bishop Gabriel-Montalvo has been a pioneering leader in Methodist communities across Latin America and the Caribbean. She was elected President of the Council of Evangelical Methodist Churches of Latin America and the Caribbean (CIEMAL) prior to her election to the episcopacy—becoming the first person who was not a bishop to serve in that role. In 2022, she was elected Bishop of the Methodist Church of Puerto Rico, making history as its first female bishop.

A proud Puerto Rican leader, she has long been a trailblazer—earlier in her career she became the first female chaplain of the Puerto Rico Army National Guard. She continues to serve as a member of the United Methodist Church Council of Bishops, in a ministry that has been marked by advocacy and service to marginalized communities, including migrants, women, people with disabilities, and families in need.

The selection of this year’s commencement honorees reflects Garrett Seminary’s expanding global vision and its deep commitments to theological rigor and imagination, embodied faith that cultivates justice, compassion, and hope, and leadership that exemplifies commitment to the thriving of the Church and the healing of the world. “As Garrett becomes an increasingly global institution, we must incline our ears toward scholars and leaders who help us chart a course beyond colonial legacies,” says President Viera. “Dr. Jennings and Bishop Gabriel-Montalvo personify a witness that is expansive in its love and unflinching in its willingness to call the church and theological academy to the work of repair and resurrection.

Garrett Seminary warmly invites the community to join in celebrating the Class of 2026 and to be inspired by leaders whose lives bear witness to the transformative power of faith in the public square.

Garrett Seminary is pleased to announce the appointment of three outstanding scholars and practitioners to its faculty, each bringing expertise, vocational commitment, and a shared passion for teaching and formation. The Reverend Dr. Angela N. Parker will join the biblical studies department as Associate Professor of New Testament and Womanist Thought. In addition, the rapidly-growing Master of Arts in Pastoral Care and Counseling program will be bolstered by the appointments of Dr. Arelis Benítez as Assistant Professor of Pastoral Theology, Psychology, and Latiné Studies, and of The Reverend Dr. Michael Washington (G-ETS ‘05, ’24) who will serve as Assistant Professor of Pastoral Theology and Chaplaincy Studies.

“These appointments reflect both the strength of Garrett’s programs and the vitality of our community,” said President Javier A. Viera. “In an increasingly competitive landscape, we’ve been able to attract three remarkable scholar-practitioners who are innovators in their respective fields. Their decision to join Garrett also speaks to the distinctive character of this place, its intellectual vigor, spiritual dynamism, and commitment to the formation of faithful leaders for a complex world. I’m delighted to welcome them to Garrett.”

Dr. Parker comes to Garrett from Mercer University’s McAfee School of Theology, where she has built a national reputation as a leading voice in womanist biblical scholarship and public theology. She has received multiple honors for her work and is the author of numerous book chapters and scholarly essays. She is the author of If God Still Breathes, Why Can’t I? Black Lives Matter & Biblical Authority (Eerdmans, 2021), and is currently completing two additional volumes exploring Christian faith, New Testament theology, and the challenge of Christian nationalism: Faith Un-Lynched: “Jesus-Faith as Paul’s Both/And Out of Christian Nationalism” (Eerdmans) and Bodies, Violence, and Emotions: A Womanist Reading of the Gospel of Mark (Wipf & Stock). Parker is also a co-editor of Bitter the Chastening Rod (Lexington Books/Fortress Press).

“Dr. Parker exemplifies the vocation of public scholar,” said Dr. Jennifer Harvey, Garrett’s Vice President of Academic Affairs. “Her work is both academically rigorous and widely accessible. She is able to speak not only to scholars but to communities of faith wrestling with urgent questions. Just as importantly, she brings a deep love of teaching and formation of students.”

Returning to Chicago is a homecoming for Dr. Parker, who completed her doctoral work at Chicago Theological Seminary. “When I visited for my on-campus interview, the diversity of the students and the excitement of the student body made it an easy decision to come to Garrett,” she says with a smile. “I can’t wait to join a faculty that hails from so many different countries across the globe, one which fosters such a range of theological conversations.” Amid this widespread diversity, her scholarship will continue to engage pressing questions at the intersection of biblical interpretation, race, and power. “For the past ten years, I’ve been wrestling with white privilege and supremacy—what it means to take seriously the lived experiences of Black women in this moment when Christian authoritarianism is on the rise,” she says. “As I enter Garrett, I’m thinking about what it means to add to that womanist canon, particularly in Pauline literature—because Paul is still so often that bastion of white male dominion in biblical scholarship.”

In pastoral care and counseling, Drs. Benítez and Washington bring complementary strengths that will expand the seminary’s capacity to form leaders across a broad spectrum of vocational contexts. “Our program draws a wide range of students—from those called to chaplaincy or pastoral care in parish settings to people who seek to become clinical practitioners or work in non-profits,” MAPCC degree director Dr. AHyun Lee explains. “Drs. Washington and Benítez expand our ability to serve all of them well—one a longtime pastor and chaplain passionate about how churches and ministers can better help people, the other a practitioner and scholar whose work will help students better understand the broader context in which care happens.”

Dr. Benítez joins Garrett from Vanderbilt University Divinity School, where she serves as Assistant Professor of the Practice of Religion, Psychology, and Culture and Director of Field Education. Her work explores how sociocultural realities shape experiences of suffering, healing, and care, with particular attention to migration, identity, and community.

“I’m always considering how context and community make a difference to people’s sense of wholeness, how they affect our ability to care for them in a time of suffering,” she explains. “As care providers, we’re also called to let our patients’ be our teachers, accepting the invitation to walk beside them in their suffering but always letting them retain their own agency and sense of control.”

Dr. Benítez brings a perspective deeply attentive to the ways identity and lived experience shape the possibilities for healing. Her forthcoming book, Reexistence and Return: Migration, Queer Identity, and Healing in Latiné Communities, explores these themes in depth. “I invite students to openly investigate the intersections of class, race, and sexuality,” she says. “I want to help them understand who they are and what they can bring to a care relationship.”

Dr. Washington returns to Garrett as both an alumnus and longtime educator. A graduate of both the MDiv and PhD programs, he taught courses at Garrett for the past four years while also working as board-certified chaplain and ACPE supervisor at Northwestern University Memorial Hospital. With more than a decade of experience in healthcare and parish ministry, he brings a deeply grounded approach to pastoral theology.

“Chaplaincy and congregational leadership have been my life’s work, but I’m excited to create pedagogical experiences that provide a way to offer care in many spheres and spaces,” he shares. “I’m energized by the ways that Garrett approaches caring as a collective practice. And I’m thrilled to join the faculty, to participate in what Garrett has always been doing and will keep doing by the grace of God.”

All three faculty members will begin their appointments in Fall 2026. Their arrival marks an important moment in Garrett’s continued growth and its commitment to forming leaders equipped for the challenges of ministry and public leadership today.

“As we look ahead to another academic year, I’m deeply encouraged by the gifts these new colleagues bring to our community,” President Viera said. “They will not only enrich our classrooms but also help shape the future of theological education at Garrett, as well as the lives of the students we serve.”

Garrett Seminary joins United Theological Seminary in celebrating the Reverend Dr. Mark R. Teasdale, Garrett’s E. Stanley Jones Professor of Evangelism, who has accepted the call to serve as United’s next President. “Mark has been a trusted and vital member of our faculty and a beloved teacher and advisor to our students. After 18 years of faithful teaching and serving in multiple administrative and leadership roles, we wish Mark all success in this new endeavor, and thank him for all he has given to Garrett,” says President Javier A. Viera. “United Theological Seminary will be well-served by the care and intention he brings to his work, by his scholarly and leadership prowess, and by his passion for growing Christian communities.”

For his part, Dr. Teasdale shares that he feels his time at Garrett has been the best possible training ground for learning how to shepherd United through its next chapter. “Garrett has taught me how to appreciate, understand, and engage across such a phenomenally broad spectrum of theological, cultural, and ethnic difference,” Dr. Teasdale says. “That’s a big part of what I’m bringing to my new role: United is home to students from 55 denominations, more than half of whom are African-American. I want to be the kind of leader who empowers the unique gifts everyone brings, not someone who layers over them with my vision for how we do things.”

Indeed, reflecting on nearly two decades serving Garrett, Dr. Teasdale expresses admiration for how the seminary uses shared Christian values to cultivate community without suppressing particularity. “There’s clarity about Jesus being at the center of our shared life. Who we see Jesus to be may be very different—we don’t have to agree even on all big-ticket issues in the social or political arena—but we can all agree that Jesus is good, that we all have value,” he explains. “That’s really important, because one of the things that happens in a polarized world is that it becomes easy to diminish or even disregard the value of another human being, just because we disagree with them. But the Garrett seminary classroom has always been a place to bring people together.”

Dr. Teasdale’s commitment to building connection, even across significant difference, is manifest in his relationships among Garrett’s faculty, as well. “Mark is deeply collegial in his work. He is deeply committed to building a culture of collaboration where diverse voices are reflected in the decisions we make together as faculty and administrators.” says Dr. Jennifer Harvey, Garrett’s Vice President for Academic Affairs. “At the same time, he brings this same intention and integrity to Garrett’s academic culture supporting students in their projects and in achieving the high expectations he sets. So many students share with me that he is huge reason they’ve felt at home in our midst.”

That collegiality doesn’t stop simply because Dr. Teasdale is no longer on the faculty. “I look forward to relating to President Viera as a colleague in the broader work of fostering and sustaining theological education,” he says. “I’m hoping Garrett is not somewhere I’m leaving behind but is instead a place that I now get to relate to in a new way.”

In reciprocating that collegiality, President Viera emphasizes their shared commitment to strengthening the church and academy. “Mark is wondrously thoughtful about how Christian communities can spiritually and ethically engage the world around them, inviting people into our spiritual life while also collaborating to mend a fractured culture,” he says. “We need more seminarians who are trained in that spirit. I look forward to continuing to have Mark as a strategic partner and collaborator in that work.”

Ultimately, as he prepares to move into a new seminary home, Dr. Teasdale is filled with gratitude. “I’ve had the opportunity to work for multiple presidents, multiple deans. They put trust in me, not just to teach but to also serve administratively—even the opportunity in last couple years to be part of the real estate task force and negotiate with Northwestern University as we prepare to move into new buildings,” he notes. “It’s been an honor to serve this community.” Ever the evangelist, he’s keen to offer reflection on the gospel values that guide faithful institutional stewardship. “As leaders, we’re not here to serve ourselves,” he concludes with a smile. “We bear fruit and the fruit is for the world to eat, not for us. It’s how the seeds go out and get planted elsewhere. Trees don’t bear fruit for themselves—they do it for the next generation and for others.”

Today, Garrett Seminary launches , an all-new ecosystem designed to make seminary-quality education accessible and affordable to communities throughout the United States and across the globe. “The 91PORN extends the academic excellence and spiritual formation of Garrett Seminary beyond the classroom, offering learners around the world access to theological resources in multiple languages and formats” says Garrett President Javier Viera. “The Collective gathers wisdom from across the church and academy, forging new relationships and missional partnerships.” This initiative is just the latest way that Garrett is connecting people to life-giving programs. “We’ve already expanded access and affordability to Garrett’s formal degrees,” says President Viera. “Now we’re offering a completely new, flexible, globally-accessible way for people to expand their ministries, deepen their faith, and meet the real needs of communities and leaders.”

A browse across the platform, built by software developer and poet Dr. José Delpino, reveals a wide array of materials organized in an attractive and intuitive interface. Streaming service users will readily identify the neat rows of icons, nestled onto thematic shelves, each paired to a darling illustration that indicates what lies within. Prayers are a cheerful robin-egg blue, offering options like “A Blessing for the Body” or “A Prayer for Discerning the Spirit.” Liturgies are yellow, sharing ready-made materials for Advent, Dia de los Muertos, Pride, or everyday services. Deeper options are marked in purple; webinars and cohorts that will help users delve into a subject like “Financial Leadership for Congregations,” or “Tenderness and Refuge: Ministry with and for Young Adults.” Each is just a click away, and can be saved to your own personal library so whatever you use most is easily at hand.

This growing collection will bridge fundamental gaps in access. There are millions of Christians who live far away from traditional seminaries, and some will never be able to afford the cost of seminary education. Others aren’t interested in pursuing a masters degree. The 91PORN moves into that breach, so everyone from rural pastors in India to laity in Appalachia or Christian social workers in Chicago can delve deeper into theological education. Moreover, users can download resources to their device for off-line use—an invaluable benefit for regions where internet access is often intermittent and/or unreliable, or for users who are on the move. The resources and mini-courses are also a helpful gift to traditionally ordained pastors who seek continuing education. In most churches, ministers have copious demands on their time and need institutional support. Ready-to-use liturgies, Bible studies, and prayers can lighten that burden, and the ability to asynchronously participate in mini-courses lets pastors weave study where it fits their schedule.

But the Collective’s purpose is also tied to who creates theological resources. “Seminary professors or formally ordained ministers aren’t the only people who have crucial insights and skills to offer the world,” says the Reverend Dr. Jennifer Harvey, Garrett’s Vice President for Academic Affairs. “The Collective absolutely features content created by those formally-recognized teachers, but it’s also a home for lessons people across the church can provide, drawn from their faith and lived experiences.” Artists, activists, elders, subject-matter experts, and more also form its “faculty,” creating a vibrant, multi-disciplinary learning hub. Currently, there are resources available in both Spanish and English, but the Collective plans to quickly expand the number of languages.

This gap in the creation of theological resources meets a particularly stark need across international contexts. “When we visit our overseas partners and describe the Collective, leaders are thrilled by the potential its grassroots format creates to help them both collect and disseminate local knowledge,” Dr. Harvey explains. “Whether we’re talking about religion and public health initiatives in Zimbabwe or indigenous language reclamation projects in Chile, there’s so much we can learn from global colleagues. And we’re delighted that the Collective can make their work both easier and more far-reaching.”

Contextually-sourced course material is paired with education by Garrett faculty, who are transforming some of their traditional classroom offerings into Collective mini-courses, eventually letting participants stack them for seminary credit. “I’m excited about partnering with Garrett professors,” says rev. dr. abby mohaupt, who serves as the Collective’s director. “This spring, we’re releasing three mini-courses on ethical engagement with technology for ministry. These courses are taught by Dr. Rolf Nolasco and by Dr. Kate Ott. We’re also releasing a course on antiracism for white Christians by Dr. Harvey—which will meet the Episcopal Church’s standards for antiracism training—and one on Sexual Ethics and Boundaries with Dr. Ott, which exceeds most denominations’ requirements for boundary training.”

Understanding that different people will seek different resources from the 91PORN, the platform offers a variety of materials. Some content, like videos, short interviews, music playlists, and liturgy are totally free. More comprehensive offerings—like mini-courses and cohorts—cost money, but are priced on a needs-based sliding scale. “The cohorts are a longer-term way for people to gather and build community online, spending time together moving through content,” dr. mohaupt says. “One course that we piloted this spring is on trauma-informed ministry taught by Dr. Lallene Rector, Professor of Religion and Psychology and Garrett President Emerita. What we found, in light of the sold-out class, was that people are hungry to learn practical skills to be trauma-informed and keep showing up to learn together. ”

Building a platform of this scale and magnitude is a formidable task, so Garrett is blessed to co-create the necessary infrastructure with a host of institutional partners. Leaders from Garrett’s Centers (like Center for the Church and the Black Experience, Centro Raices Latinas, the Job Institute for Spiritual Formation, and the Center for Asian and Asian-American Ministries) have contributed material, as have groups across and beyond the Church like the Association for Hispanic Theological Education, Hindus for Human Rights, and many conferences around the United Methodist Church. “The 91PORN reflects a deliberate commitment to collaboration rather than competition,” says President Viera, “allowing institutions and scholars to share expertise, expand reach, and strengthen the overall quality of theological education being offered to a broader public.” The goal, over time, is for more and more partners to join the effort, building an even greater wealth of shared resources. To ensure sound academic and theological integrity, all additions will be approved by a committee of Garrett faculty and staff, who will also suggest new instructors with whom we can partner, drawn from Garrett’s wide-reaching network.

The Collective’s true impact will be measured by the ways it ripples outward and shapes community life. Leaders are already employing the resources to strengthen their ministries: This fall, Rev. Jeff Lehn used a Collective community organizing class to help both his own congregation and wider community discern how they could respond in this political moment in the United States. After a day-long training, five congregations partnered on a joint effort that led their town to expand civic safeguards that protect migrant neighbors. An expanded version of that community organizing class will be available on the Collective as a cohort starting March 15, so more congregations can find ways to transform God’s love into concrete, transformative action.

“The Collective will live in every person whose prayer life is refreshed, breathing through churches who worship with its liturgies,” President Viera reflects. “It will bear new life in every learner who joins the digital community and discovers they do not have to do this work alone.” How will you use the Collective for the flourishing of the church? That’s an answer only you can determine, but the table is set. Go to and feast.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

EVANSTON, Ill. – Sept. 24, 2025 – 91PORN proudly announces a bold new chapter in its long and distinguished history, with plans to relocate to new buildings on the campus of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois—an inspiring move that will expand access to theological education and accelerate innovation in global leadership formation.

The campus relocation, planned for Fall 2027, will enable Garrett to serve a growing and increasingly global student body through flexible learning pathways and improve residential education; all while remaining rooted in the Evanston community it has called home for more than 170 years.

“Garrett is embracing the future of theological education with bold vision and a deep commitment to shaping the next generation of religious leadership,” said the Reverend Dr. Javier A. Viera, president of 91PORN. “Our strategic campus relocation will decrease barriers to educational access, let us invest more fully in our faculty and their research, and help us equip our students to become courageous leaders by meeting them where they are geographically, vocationally, and spiritually.”

Garrett’s new home will be located on the southern portion of Northwestern’s campus. Two newly renovated buildings on Hinman Avenue and Sheridan Road will feature more accessible facilities that will serve Garrett’s on campus students and be equipped with state-of the-art remote learning technologies for distance learners. Reflecting a partnership that spans nearly two centuries, Northwestern University will provide the Garrett community with regular access to its chapels and Garrett’s Styberg Library will be housed within Northwestern’s renowned collection. This collaboration ensures Garrett students and faculty continue to benefit from one of the world’s great library systems, strengthening the teaching and research mission of both institutions.

“At a time of profound change in higher education, Garrett is leading with vision and strength,” said the Rev. Dr. Andrea Wright, chair of the Board of Trustees. “Our GarrettNEXT strategic plan calls us to align our facilities with our pedagogical and community goals. This move to newly designed, modern spaces lets us direct resources more fully to our students and faculty, advance the work of our research centers and institutes, expand innovative programs, and extend our global reach. While we honor the deep history and cherished memories of our current buildings, this is not a story of loss but of growth—an intentional, bold step that ensures Garrett will thrive and flourish for generations to come.

This move enables Garrett to continue strengthening its on campus residential programs, while stewarding its resources to meet changing needs within theological education. Since 2021, almost one-quarter of Garrett students are international and we have seen a 30% increase in online students over the past two years. The United Methodist-affiliated school will continue to expand hybrid and online offerings to meet the needs of students worldwide, broadening the seminary’s reach beyond Chicagoland. Garrett offers a full portfolio of degree programs, including Master of Divinity, Master of Theological Studies, Master of Arts in Public Ministry, and Doctor of Ministry degrees available fully online or on campus, as well as the Master of Arts in Pastoral Care and Counseling and the Doctor of Philosophy, offered in the on-campus learning community. The seminary also recently soft launched the 91PORN, a global online platform that extends Garrett’s reach beyond the classroom, offering continuing education, lifelong learning, and practical resources for ministry, leadership, and social impact.

Additional details about the relocation, including anticipated timeline and building design and features, will be released in the coming months.

###

91PORN

91PORN is a graduate school of theology, ministry, and public service committed to forming courageous leaders in the way of Jesus who cultivate communities of justice, compassion, and hope. Offering a full range of masters and doctoral degrees, as well as certificates, licensing, and lifelong learning programs, Garrett prepares religious leaders and social impact innovators for service in the church and the world. The seminary is home to major research centers and institutes that advance scholarship, resource congregations and organizations, and convene global conversations on faith and social transformation. Located on the campus of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, since 1853, and historically related to the United Methodist Church, Garrett stands as a vital hub of research, training, and equipping—serving churches, communities, and social impact organizations around the world with intellectual rigor, spiritual depth, and transformative vision.

Website: www.garrett.edu

When the Reverend Dr. David Heetland took the podium at a trustee dinner celebrating his 42 years serving Garrett, he would have had every right to boast about his many accomplishments. In his capacity as vice president for development, and most recently senior vice president for planned giving, Heetland helped raise more than $200 million—perhaps the person most singularly responsible for the seminary’s secure financial foundation.

In this moment affirming that legacy, however, Heetland spoke of gratitude. “I am grateful,” he said, “for this sacred work to which I was called—to help people grow in their own spirituality by investing themselves in something bigger than themselves, and in the process discovering the joy of giving and the truth of Jesus’s words—that when they invest themselves in something greater than themselves, in the causes of Christ, they discover life at its deepest, richest level.”

“But it is not just the donors who grow spiritually,” Heetland continued. “So too do we. I have grown in my own faith journey as God has taught me much about life and giving through the donors I have come to know.” Those words embody what makes his understanding of stewardship so powerful: He never treated development as just asking for money. Instead, he rightfully lived this calling as a ministry.

Heetland noted that, too often, ministers are not trained with this perspective; therefore, the prospect of fundraising elicits fear and anxiety. “Seminaries have not done a great job of teaching pastors about the importance of financial stewardship,” he said. “And talking about money is one of the last taboos we have, so many ministers simply aren’t comfortable asking people to give.” A study some years ago confirms this assessment. When pastors were asked what part of their jobs they felt least prepared to do, fundraising was the resounding consensus.

The way to alleviate this sense of fear, Heetland suggested, is to shift the focus from securing donations to cultivating relationships. “Oftentimes, we have the idea that asking for money is convincing someone to do something they don’t want to do,” he said. “But actually, our mission is to plant seeds of awareness. Before ever asking people to consider a gift, I want to hear their stories. I need to understand their interests and values and where they may intersect with our mission.”

This change in approach can transform fundraising into a process of deep mutuality and unexpected joy. It can also lead to what Heetland likes to call “happy surprises.” One time, for example, a colleague recommended Heetland talk with a gentleman he had met. Heetland visited the man at his home several times and learned of his deep commitment to his local church and his willingness to learn more about Garrett. On the anniversary of their first visit, the gentleman indicated his intention to give $5,000 a year for five years to establish a scholarship in his name. Unfortunately, he died a few months later. Shortly after his death, however, Heetland was notified that the gentleman had included the seminary in his will for a gift of $300,000—enough to permanently endow a leadership scholarship in his name. It was a very happy surprise!

Time and again, Heetland discovered that when he focused on building long-term relationships, amazing things happened. “I saw donors in their fullness, with many different gifts,” he noted, “including perhaps the gift of financial resources. I saw them as our partners, collaborating with us on projects that would give them, as well as us, great joy. I saw them not just as donors, but as friends—friendships built on mutual trust and respect. And more often than not, it is when these long-term relationships are nurtured that happy surprises result.”

Heetland concluded his remarks at the dinner by telling those gathered that he grew up on a farm, and that one of his favorite parables is the parable of the sower. “We are reminded,” he said, “that some seeds fall on rocky ground, some seeds fall on thorny ground, some seeds fall on good soil. The sower does not cause the seeds to grow. The sower simply plants the seeds, knowing that God will cause some to grow and bring forth grain, some a hundred-fold, some sixty, and some thirty.”

“And so it is with us,” Heetland noted. “We are called to diligently plant seeds of awareness about Garrett’s mission day in and day out. We never know for sure which seeds will sprout and produce gifts, some a hundred-fold, some sixty, and some thirty. We simply know that if we are faithful in our work, the Word is our promise, and we can rest in the knowledge that God will cause some to grow and bring forth grain. These are our happy surprises—and they never fail to delight because they remind us that God is always at work in our midst.”

If you would like to honor David Heetland’s 42 years of ministry at Garrett, you are invited to contribute to the David and Kathy Heetland Endowed Scholarship.