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Seattle University UCC student begins study at Bossey

By Marvin Edkfeldt

Linda Gasparovic, a fourth year student in the master of divinity program at the School of Theology and Ministry at Seattle University, has been awarded the Loren Arnett Ecumenical Bossey Scholarship for fall study at the World Council of Churches Ecumenical Institute at the Chateau de Bossey near Geneva, Switzerland.  She left Sept. 8.

Carol Scott-Kassner, Mark Markuly, Monica Corsaro, Tim Devine, Linda, Michael Kinnamon, Marvin Eckfeldt, Loren Arnett and Sharon Nichols joined in a laying on of hands on Sept. 5.

At Bossey, she will study ecumenical theological formation and education in a holistic program that combines academic research, cross-cultural learning through life in community, spiritual experience, and exposure to and encounter with people of different faith communities. 

The ecumenical and interfaith faculty at Bossey comes from various parts of the world.  At the completion of her four months of study, she will receive the complementary certificate in ecumenical studies.

That program includes study of the history of the ecumenical movement, intercultural biblical studies, practical ecumenical theology and ecumenical study visits to the Orthodox Centre of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Chambésy, Switzerland, the Vatican and Rome Italy, the Taizé Community in France and local Reformed Protestant parishes in Switzerland.

Professors include a Romanian Orthodox priest, a Presbyterian professor of ecumenical missiology from North India, a social ethics and ecumenical theology professors from the Evangelical Church of Germany, a Roman Catholic priest from Nigeria, and an Independent Presbyterian from Brazil.

Linda, a UCC member, has served on the music ministry staff of Rainier Beach United Methodist Church.  She has previously been a creative consultant and artist in marketing. 

She and her husband, Paul Binneboese, live in Seattle, where they are members of Seattle’s Liberation United Church of Christ.

The Arnett Ecumenical Scholarship honors the life and ministry of Loren Arnett, life-long Disciple whose commitments to the ecumenical vision and social justice reflect the heritage and values of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

He served as executive minister for Washington Association of Churches for 14 years.  He also served five years as legislative director of Washington State Council of Churches, two years as general secretary of the council and as associate executive for the Christian Churches of Washington and North Idaho, as well as a congregational pastor.

Members of the PNC and NW Disciples Region can follow Linda’s experiences on her blog, “Service of Sending Forth” professor at www.listening4god.org/mysticmuse.                                            

Copyright © September 2013 - Pacific Northwest Conference UCC News

 

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