Decatur, GA—A special meeting of the Board of Trustees was convened last week at Columbia Theological Seminary to make decisions in light of recent developments in the health of President Steve Hayner. Throughout the summer, Dr. Hayner has been pursuing an aggressive chemotherapy treatment plan for a pancreatic tumor which to date has yielded limited results.
“While Steve continues to pursue other treatment measures, the Board thought it important to take steps to assure the continuity of executive leadership and continued progress in the mission of Columbia Seminary,” stated Deborah Flemister Mullen. “At the same time, we are a community eager to care for our own in difficult times. We are making every effort to hold up Steve and his wife Sharol in prayerful and practical ways.” Dr. Mullen is currently Acting President, and continues to serve in her role as Executive Vice President and Dean of Faculty.
The Board was fully constituted with large majority present, demonstrating its commitment to the well being of both the Hayners and Columbia Theological Seminary. Steve Hayner was present and provided an update on his and Sharol’s current situation. What resulted was a truly extraordinary meeting!
Devotions were led by Board member Joe Harvard with reflections included from Steve Hayner’s CaringBridge site. Dr. Hayner contributed his own remarks to a discussion about how best to proceed in anticipation of the needs of the seminary. The Board closed in prayer, laying hands on Steve in a chair at the center of the room to pray for him. Deb Mullen opened the prayer by singing Lamentations 3:22-23 (“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.”), and several members prayed aloud. Steve closed the prayer by singing “Trust in the Lord” from Proverbs, and many tears were shed together.
After discussing alternative scenarios for the near term, the Board voted to name an Interim Presidential Search Committee to begin the process for naming an interim president. The Chairman of the Committee is Dr. Charles Nash. Other members include Gail Glover, Elizabeth Goodrich, George Hauptfuhrer, Hayne Hollis and Rodger Nishioka.
The Board also voted to extend the term of Dr. Deborah F. Mullen as Acting President till the regular October Board Meeting. At that time, the Board will again assess the needs of the seminary and discern the best steps in moving toward medium and long term measures.
“I want to express my continued admiration for Steve and Sharol as they minister to us, sharing their lives openly with joy in the face of suffering. I am also thankful for the faculty, staff and administrators who continue to ably manage, and even move the seminary forward, during this time of discernment,” said Bill Scheu, Chair of the Board of Trustees. “And we are all grateful for the leadership of Deb Mullen for ‘such a time as this.’ While she has always been known to us as an extraordinary leader, she is now leading us through an extraordinary time.”
Columbia Theological Seminary is committed to “educating imaginative, resilient leaders for God’s changing world.” As an educational institution of the Presbyterian Church (USA), Columbia is a community of theological inquiry and formation for ministry in the service of the Church of Jesus Christ. Columbia offers seven graduate degree programs and dozens courses and events as a resource for church professionals and lay people through the Center for Lifelong Learning courses and events. For more information, please visit www.ctsnet.edu.
Story provided by Columbia Theological Seminary
