San Francisco Theological Seminary Alumni
You exemplify the spirit and mission of SFTS with your ministry and work in the world.
Office of Alumni Relations
The Office of Alumni Relations is dedicated to supporting the wonderfully diverse community of the alumni of the San Francisco Theological Seminary as you serve in transformational ministries of justice, peace, and healing. We are creating programs and collaborations that promote student and alumni connection and mentorship, offering personal and professional resources for success, and fostering life long commitments to each other and to the seminary.
Here’s a sampling of what we have planned:
- Continuing education opportunities
- Community cohorts to encourage support and success in parish ministry
- Regional alumni networking events
- Affinity groups
- Alumni-Admissions Liaison Volunteer program
- Create engagement between alumni and each other, and with SFTS
Contact information
415-451-2826 office
marin-alumni@redlands.edu
SFTS Alumni Council
The Alumni Council is a group of dedicated alums whose purpose is to further relations between alumni, the Seminary, and the greater Church. The Alumni Council always loves to hear from fellow alumni!
The Council is available to discuss your ideas, questions, and suggestions for the life of the Seminary and the alumni community. The Council enjoys the chance to correspond with you and listen closely to your hopes and concerns for SFTS.
History of the Alumni Council
To support the SFTS mission, the very first SFTS Alumni Council was formed in 1881. The commission of the early SFTS Alumni Council was to come together “in order to continue the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ, and in support of the mission of SFTS to educate students in spiritual formation, critical theological reflection, and the skills and arts of ministry.”
The current SFTS Alumni Council is an energetic organization committed to engaging our alumni in life-long learning, faithfulness, fellowship, and community. The council is planning a range of events and local chapters in your area in order that we can continue to support each other and SFTS in our shared mission and vision.
SFTS Church Resources
What can we do for your church or group?
Since 1871, we have studied theology, scripture in its original languages, the history of Christianity, ethics, worship, pastoral care, and other arts of a creative, compassionate, and socially engaged ministry. How can we be helpful to you? We are available in person or online to support what you do in your church.
Things We Can Do For you
Preaching
Lectionary, occasions of renewal and revival, commemorating traditions and historical events
Retreats
Contemplative, chant, congregational leadership development
Worship Design
Multi-media and sensory approaches, theologies and traditions applied to worship design, biblical, inclusivity
Bible Study
Hebrew Bible, New Testament, theological (Reformed) interpretation of the Bible, post-colonial interpretation, racism and interpretation, histories of interpretation, feminist interpretation
Post Ministry Jobs
Create an account at Handshake, and your job postings will be seen by the entire at the University of Redlands community.
Other Adult Education
Spirituality and spiritual practices (contemplative, feminist, queer, Buddhist, medieval, Reformed); modern, post-modern, post-colonial, post-denominational, interfaith and comparative theologies, racism in the church; antisemitism and history of; histories of American religion; the social history of the Black Church in America; Belhar Confession, Immigration, Building Beloved Community, social justice issues/Mt 25 initiative
Leadership Seminars
For deacons, ruling elders or ministers of word and sacrament: biblical perspectives, Reformed perspectives, black-womanist perspectives, complex organizations, anti-racism, Companioning people who are homeless and/or living with mental health, addiction issues
Topics for Presentation or Group Discussion
Listed below are subjects the SFTS faculty is enthusiastic about researching and discussing to invite conversation and possibility amongst your congregants:
History of the Black Church, the social history of religion in the US, AME history
- Dr. Julius Bailey, Eugene Farlough-California Chair in African-American Christianity, Professor of Religious Studies
Hebrew Bible, themes of race, identity, sexuality, violence, Matthew 25 project
- Dr. Jon Berquist*, Visiting Distinguished Professor of Hebrew Bible
Immigrant and Latinx ministries, dismantling racism and community building for diversity and inclusion, Latinx theologies, small group process, Presbyterian Women
- Rev. Dr. Teresa Chavez-Sauceda, Director of Advanced Pastoral Studies, Senior Clinical Professor of Ministry
Preaching, preaching workshops, public reading workshops
- Rev. Dr. Jana Childers*, Newhall Professor of Homiletics and Speech Communication
Church’s response to trauma, capitalism and spiritual care, race, diversity and inclusion
- Rev. Dr. Laurie Garrett-Cobbina*, Director, Shaw Chaplaincy Institute; Shaw Family Associate Professor of Pastoral Care and Education; ACPE Certified Educator
Women contemplatives past and present, spiritual practices, interreligious dialogue, beauty as a spiritual practice; nature, art, and contemplative practice; compassion as a spiritual practice, the divine feminine, spiritual practices for resilience and radical compassion, activism and contemplative practice (integrating Martha and Mary), non-violence for our times; wounding by patriarchy, wounding of LGBTQ+ Christians; beyond Christendom; LGBTQ+ issues
- Dr. Wendy Farley, Director, Program in Christian Spirituality, Rice Family Professor of Spirituality
Responses to homelessness; capitalism and spiritual care; whiteness in education and spiritual care; mental health, addiction, and spiritual care; chaplaincy; inter-religious practice and dialogue
- Rev. Paul Gaffney, Program Manager of Education, Community Relations, and Spiritual Care Services; ACPE Certified Educator
Contemporary themes of Reformed theology, providence, free will, theology and science
- Rev. Dr. Greg Love*, Associate Professor of Systematic Theology
Entrepreneurship in ministry, worship design, liturgy, proclamation broadly conceived
- Dr. Marcia McFee, Ford Fellow, Center for Innovation In Ministry, Visiting Professor in Worship
Religious conflict, Jewish-Christian-Muslim relations, Ecumenism, colonialism and missions, cultural exchange, pluralism, the liberal tradition, the history of liturgy and worship, the Reformation, chanted prayer, distributed models of leadership
- Dr. Christopher Ocker, Assistant Provost , Interim Dean, and Professor of the History of Christianity
Gospels, Pauline letters, inclusion, justice
- Rev. Dr. Eugene Park*, David and Dana Dornsife Professor of New Testament
Dismantling Racism through inclusive worship, group process, pastoral self-care, and spiritual direction
- Rev. Ruth T. West*, Assistant Dean
Distinguished Alumni Award
The SFTS Distinguished Alumni Award is a prestigious award honoring Seminary graduates who have demonstrated exemplary dedication and service to the ministry of Jesus Christ, regardless of public prominence.
Each year, the award is presented during the Spring commencement ceremony, where the SFTS community formally acknowledges and celebrates the ministry of the recipient. Not only does this award recognize the dedicated ministry of our alums, it also spurs on the imagination and energy of our students for outstanding service to Christ’s Church.
The Alumni Council of the San Francisco Theological Seminary, along with the Office of Alumni Relations, invites you to nominate a fellow alum of SFTS that exemplifies the spirit and mission of SFTS to be honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award (self-nominations will not be considered). This award is designed to recognize SFTS alumni who have advanced the interest and standards of excellence of SFTS through distinctive professional or volunteer service.
Nominees must exhibit one or more of the following criteria:
- Achievement of excellence in his or her profession or vocation to the extent that it brings recognition and honor to the Seminary
- Unselfish rendering of service over a period of years to his or her community
- Possession of integrity, stature or demonstrated ability that inspire and instill pride in faculty, staff, students and alumni
Nominate a Fellow Alum>>
Please contact marin-alumni@redlands.edu if you have any questions.
2022 – Rev. Dr. Karen "Bear" Ride and Rev. Dr. Stewart Perrilliat
2021 – Rev. Dr. Jorge William de Castro Abdala
2020 – Rev. Jeannie Kim
2019 – Rev. YongKyu Kang and
Rev. Dr. J. Alfred Smith, Jr.
2018 – Rev. Norman Fong
2017 – Rev. Sarah Stephens
2016 – Alison Harrington and
Dr. James A. Noel
2015 – Jane Spahr, Deana Reed, and Herbert Valentine
2014 – Pamela Byers
2013 – Byron Bland
2012 – ChangBok Chung
2012 – Joseph Kang
2011 – Bruce Reyes-Chow
2010 – Aleida Jernigan
2009 – Blaine Clarke Vestal
2008 – John Turpin
2007 – Mikel Baird Taxer
2006 – Marilyn Chilcote
2005 – James Moiso
2004 – Jerry Van Marter
2003 – Roland Gordon
2002 – Naim S. Ateek
2001 – Harriet A. Nelson
2000 – Lynnell Jones
1999 – Paul J. Baird
1998 – Robert E. Williams
1997 – John S. Hadsell, Iris Weber Martin
1996 – H. Eugene Farlough, Margaret J. Veneman
1995 – Douglas K. Huneke, Donald B. Register
1994 – Donald Griggs
1993 – Roy Fairchild
1992 – Glenda Hope, William E. Clawson
1991 – Dorothy May Callecod, Elmer R. “Bud” Frimoth
1990 – Franklin Woo
1989 – Frederick Appleton, Eugene Hessel, Proceso Udarbe
1988 – Alfonso Esquibel, Richard Gray
1987 – He Ra Kim
1986 – Benjamin Weir, Carol Weir
1985 – James W. Hall
1984 – Miner E. Bruner, Jong-Sung Rhee
1983 – Frank von Christierson, Roe B. Lewis
1982 – Masao Hirata
1981 – Clifford Drury, Kenneth Thomas, Margaret Orr Thomas