MTSO is conducting roof repairs in response to the tornado that struck our campus March 14 – and they have involved some creativity.

The storm tore a good number of original clay tiles from the roofs of original campus structures. To preserve as many original clay-tiled roofs as possible, workers harvested tiles from the Helen Werner Apartment Building, replacing them with shingles.

The salvaged clay tiles are being used to repair the Alford Centrum and other campus landmarks, including Werner Hall, Dickhaut Library and Dewire Residence Hall. When all the work is done, the repair team expects to leave behind enough extra tiles for future repair needs.

We invite all MTSO alumni, students, faculty and staff – as well as former Methesco employees – to join us for Alumni Day and take advantage of this opportunity to reconnect.

MTSO’s 2024 Alumni Day begins at 11:30 a.m. Oct. 24 with a luncheon honoring recipients of the 2024 John and Ruth Mount Alumni Awards for Distinguished Service.

After lunch, we’ll gather at 1:30 p.m. in the Alford Centrum for a lecture by Assistant Professor of Public and Practical Theology Kate Common, who will discuss her new book, Undoing Conquest: Ancient Israel, the Bible, and the Future of Christianity, with responses from a panel of MTSO faculty members. The day will conclude at 3:30 p.m.

There is no cost to attend Alumni Day. We simply ask that you RSVP on our Alumni Day information page.

MTSO is accepting Fall Semester applications to master’s degree programs through next Thursday, Aug. 1. A single, free application covers both admission and generous scholarships.

Apply now.

This fall brings the implementation of a revised curriculum, which gives most students the opportunity to complete their degrees in less time. MTSO offers four master’s programs:

• Master of Divinity, preparing students for ordained ministry.
• Master of Arts in Social Justice, equipping students to lead, organize, educate and collaborate in diverse contexts.
• Master of Arts in Public Theology, serving students who want to take their faith to the public square.
• Master of Theological Studies, offering concentrated study in academic areas of theology.

Incoming students are eligible for generous scholarships, up to full tuition. Aid is available for full- and part-time students.

MTSO’s partner organization WomanPreach! Inc. hosted the 2024 Jarena Lee Preaching Academy June 23-29, bringing a cohort of 24 women clergy and lay people from across the United States together on the MTSO campus. A facilitator team of 10 practitioners and scholars led the academy.

“I’ve been to lots of conferences and symposiums where we receive information, but the Jarena Lee Preaching Academy was an actual academy that taught me the principles I needed to advance to the next level of my ministry,” said Rev. Olivia Dorsey Tate, an attendee. “I’ve had the honor of building sisterhood this week with some of the nation’s leading pastors and scholars.”

Added Rev. Dr. Leslie Callahan, an academy facilitator and WomanPreach! board member, “My favorite part of JLPA is that we get to spend a long amount of time with the cohort. We live together, share meals together, study together and preach together.”

“This year’s gathering was amazing and I think one of our best academies since we’ve been doing them,” said MTSO Dean Valerie Bridgeman, the founder and CEO of WomanPreach! “The MTSO staff and community rolled out its classic hospitality. And our team was excellent in leading the intense learning that the academy is. Minister Jené Colvin is an incredible planner who knows how to bring the best out of people. It is always problematic to start naming people, but I would be remiss if I didn't mention her."

Applications open in January for the next biennial Jarena Lee Preaching Academy, which will take place June 14-20, 2026.

MTSO welcomed a team from AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps to campus in mid-July. They will live on campus as they work at MTSO and nearby Stratford Ecological Center for eight weeks. Their work includes wetland restoration, path development and invasive species removal.

AmeriCorps is a federal agency for national service and volunteerism. Young adults ages 18-26 participate in AmeriCorps NCCC teams, gaining experience in areas such as climate change mitigation, affordable housing and disaster response.

This is the fourth time in the past four years that an AmeriCorps team has joined in the work of maintaining and improving the natural spaces throughout MTSO’s campus.

Ashley Boggan D., general secretary of the General Commission on Archives and History, will speak on the history of the United Methodist Church in MTSO’s Alford Centrum at 7 p.m. Oct. 8. The event, presented by the Theological Commons at MTSO, is free and open to the public.

In her role, Boggan ensures that the UMC understands its past in order to envision a more equitable future for all Methodists. She earned her Ph.D. from Drew Theological School and her M.A. from the University of Chicago Divinity School.

She is the author of Nevertheless: American Methodists and Women’s Rights and Entangled: A History of American Methodism, Politics, and Sexuality.

“Dr. Boggan is widely known for her ability to share her deep knowledge of United Methodist history with unique energy,” said MTSO President Jay Rundell. “I’m excited to hear her speak on our campus.”