ARISE AND SHINE

ABC Honors Professor
The Rev. Dr. Peter Yuichi Clark, ABSW's associate professor for pastoral care, will receive the Institutional Chaplain Merit Award at the 2007 American Baptist Biennial in Washington, D.C.

Yuichi Clark is an ordained American Baptist minister and a board certified chaplain with almost 20 years of experience in psychiatric hospitals, community hospitals, geriatric care facilities, and the U.S. Air Force.

In addition to his seminary post, Yuichi Clark is chaplain administrator for Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Berkeley. He is a certified supervisor with the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education.

Of his dual role, Yuichi Clark says, "When I was ordained to the Christian ministry, I was charged to serve as a chaplain and as a teacher. I take seriously— and rejoice in — this dual sense of calling, and I feel blessed to interact with ABSW students as a seminary teacher, as a clinical pastoral supervisor, and as a colleague and co-learner in ministry with people in crisis."

Yuichi Clark earned his bachelor's degree in religion from Baylor University, his M.Div. degree from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and his Ph.D. in religious studies from Emory University. He is active in the Pacific School of Religion's Institute for Leadership Development and Study of Pacific and Asian North American Religion (PANA Institute).

At the seminary and the hospital, he engages students in reflecting on the art of pastoral care.

"I envision the primary task of pastoral care as the nurturing and sustaining of hope," he says. "The capacity for hope is crucial for human thriving, and so I seek to help students understand how they can encourage people to connect with their sense of hope, or even 'bear hope' for others while they regain their strength in stressful situations."

Alum Wins Award
The Rev. Greg Ledbetter, a 1984 graduate of ABSW, will receive the Edward H. Rhoades Urban Ministry Award at the 2007 American Baptist Biennial.

Pastor of Shell Ridge Community Church in Walnut Creek, Calif., Ledbetter is one of seven ministers to be recognized by National Ministries for "an exceptional degree of effectiveness and demonstrating unusual faithfulness in ministry."

Ledbetter has been pastor of Shell Ridge for 16 years. The award nomination notes his visionary leadership, prophetic preaching, musical skills, and biblical and theological reflection. He has inspired the church to draw the circle of its ministry wider through ministry to the homeless, engagement in peace and justice events, mission trips to Mexico, and helping to start the local Martin Luther King celebration.

Shell Ridge will begin construction on a new ministry center this summer. The center will provide space to shelter homeless guests and be used for special church events plus community gatherings.

Ledbetter will receive the award at the National Ministries Children in Poverty breakfast June 30 in Washington, D.C.

Seminary to Host Dinner in D.C.
ABSW will welcome friends and alumni to Washington, D.C., July 1 with a special dinner at the American Baptist Biennial. The dinner will be held at 5 p.m. at the Washington Convention Center.

President Keith Russell will speak on his decade of leadership at the seminary. Tickets may be purchased through the ABC Biennial Office at 800-ABC-3USA ext. 2234. Biennial program details are available at www.abc-usa.org.