Denver Seminary

These are a few examples that, in a formal way, the Board of Trustees of Denver Seminary anchors our school when it: • Affirms that God has called the school into existence and sets the direction in which it should go • Appoints a president to lead and seek the well-being of its people • Approves strategic plans and budgets and testifies to overall operational soundness • Consults with departmental heads and offers recommendations and counsel • Regularly expresses appreciation to the entire Seminary community Can I suggest that there is also an informal (but by no means casual) side to the Board's life of anchoring? I have seen and participated in this aspect of Board life. It's here where the Seminary's Board of Trustees distinguishes itself to be such an extraordinary group of people. The Denver Seminary Board of Trustees anchors our school informally when it: • Prays fervently for God's strong hand upon every sector of school life • Declares that the saving gospel of Jesus should be preached in all the nations • Is enthusiastically generous with its financial gifts • Insists that redemptive love be the supreme value in the conduct of the Seminary's life • Revels in the knowledge that there are thousands of Denver Seminary graduates serving, in the name of Jesus, in a myriad of ways on every continent Through both formal and informal ways, such an anchoring board makes for a powerful school. Think of it! This anchoring activity has been going on for 70 years. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ David Hazelton | BOARD MEMBER ___________________________________________________________________________________________ I want to share a story about how Dr. Grounds and the Seminary stood firmly against racism and in support of racial reconciliation during the turbulent 1960s. While there is clearly much still to do, this story provides a history on which the Seminary community can build as we move forward together to confront current challenges. As a child of the 60s, I remember well the riots in my hometown of Detroit. In 1967, homes, businesses and neighborhoods were burned and, to this day, many have not been rebuilt. The National Guard was deployed and armored military vehicles patrolled the city. For a 10-year-old boy, it was a scary time. My family attended Trinity Baptist Church, which was about half white and half Black. Our pastor, Dr. Lyle Adams, was one of the first graduates of the Seminary (Class of 1955) and served for 22 years on the Seminary's Board of Trustees (1961–1983). While many white churches fled the city, Pastor Adams was steadfast in his conviction that "there needs to be witness of the Gospel maintained in the neighborhood where most certainly the Lord guided in its establishment 40 years ago." Pastor Adams and our church were criticized and ostracized by many for this commitment to remaining faithful to God's calling in the face of racial divisions. But Dr. Grounds and the Seminary stood firmly with us despite widespread criticism. I remember well Dr. Grounds' visits to our church and his speaking words of encouragement and support. This was bold action during a time when racial reconciliation was not a popular priority within the white church. Significantly, the Seminary did not simply provide quiet support in the background. In 1970, the Seminary conferred an honorary Doctorate of Divinity degree on Pastor Adams, the Seminary's first- ever honorary doctorate to one of its graduates. As reported at that time in the Seminary's magazine: "Under his leadership, the church decided not to abandon the inner-city church," which "was located in a neighborhood undergoing a racial transition." This is a proud moment in the Seminary's history as it publicly took a stand against the trends of the day. At the Seminary's request, Pastor Adams prepared a report in 1973 providing insights and practical guidance that still apply today. "Church after church has moved out of a situation to escape having a 18 SPRING 2021

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