Annual Report 2018

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Annual Statistical Report

Robert Allan Hill

Boston University

Dean of Marsh Chapel, Professor of New Testament and Pastoral Theology, and Chaplain to the University

January 1, 2018—December 31, 2018

Ten 2018 Highlights: 1. Governor Deval Patrick 4/8/18; his kind willingness to preach for us was a lasting personal happiness. 2.  The 2018 MLK observances, years in planning, multiple and across the University (see our website for details of the 5 Marsh Chapel programs and the other 8 University programs), which with faithfulness met, matched, mastered and were mastered by this 50 year BU memorial moment. 3. RAH 14^th book published 11/18, Toward a Common Hope: Chautauqua Lake Sermons (isbn 978-1-5326-5741-2). 4. RAH Annual Conference Preacher\Teacher, New England Annual Conference, June 13-16, 2018, Manchester NH (6 sermons\lectures).  5. Easter (6 services, 1550 attendance) and Christmas (6 services--2 Lessons\Carols, 1 Blue Christmas, 3 Christmas\Christmas Eve--1700 total attendance (including 230 at relatively new 1pm 12/24 service)).  6. Weekly Marsh Programming now ‘complete’ with 10 Sunday offerings, weekly dinners with program Monday to Wednesday (Larry, Jessica, Karen), choir Thursday (Scott) with Fridays and Saturdays open for weddings and funerals—the culmination of work over the last decade. 7. Strongest single Sunday\week giving ever, 12/9/18, over $40,000.  8.  RAH monograph, ‘No Male and Female’, affirming the rights, full humanity and inclusion of gay people in the UMC, published in MISSIO DEI (isbn 978-1-945935-37-4), in argument and preparation for the 2019 Special General Conference on this issue. 9. 31 national and regional RAH guest speaking, preaching moments (21 in 2016, 44 in 2017). 10. 7^th grandchild born 5/8/18 in San Diego, Kryie Benjamin Hill.

A.    Dean of Marsh Chapel: Preacher

1.Regular Sunday\Other Sermons and Services, both Marsh and elsewhere: 58  Marsh Chapel Sunday worship services are broadcast in New England on NPR to 20K-80K; in addition, another 20K (up from 4K five years ago) listen by livestream or podcast, Sunday or midweek; the services are streamed on the BU website, for all 300K living BU alumni and others around the globe (weekly listeners in Paris, Beijing, Sao Paulo, Juno); the service is provided for the 40K resident BU faculty\students\administration and staff; 261 weekly average school year attendance (highest in September, December, April, and May).

2. Special Services: 26  ML King Observances, This I Believe, BU Baccalaureate\Commencement, Marsh and BU Matriculations, BU Alumni Weekend Memorial, Service, Lessons & Carols (2x), Annual Spring Term Ten (10) Prayers\Invocations

3. Guest Speaking Events 2018: 31  MLKing Week, UMFNE, Boston Ministers Club, St. John Passion, RCNeville STH Class, RCNeville STH retirmement, Union Chapel NH, Lemoyne College, NYC Seigart Gathering, Fayetteville NY UMC,  Jay Halfond MET class (2x), UNYACUMC Syracuse (2x), BU Basketball Luncheon, Asbury First UMC Steen Funeral, Park UMC Hamilton, Colloquy (4), Alumni Memorial Service, Hillel House (2),  BUSTH faculty devotions, ROTC memorial, UNYAC general conference delegation (10/18). (Coming for 2019, week at Ohio Chautuaqua, Lakeside Center).

4. Meetings: Weekly, Monthly, other: 19:  Marsh Staff, Marsh Advisory Board, Marsh Development Group, Faculty BUSTH, Faculty Area A and Area D BUSTH, Dean’s Council, University Council, University Leadership Group, BU Faculty, Religious Life Council, BU Chaplains, New England Annual Conference Foundation Board and Presidential Search Committee, and Marketing Committee, Harvard Epworth Wesley Foundation Board, Harvard Memorial Church Board of Visitors (in hiatus), Learning Project Board of Visitors.

5. Visits: (office, home, hospital, other): 772 (not including daily 45min campus walk)

6. 2018 New Marsh Chapel Chapter Members Received 13: Ben Owusu, Boneto Owusu, Naa Ameley Owusu, PK Newby, Naa Deesa Owusu, Katherine Ward, Malinda Hamilton, James Hamilton, Eileen Blanchette, Samuel Ofoli Messeha, Sylvia Passley Harris, Eileen Alves and Mallory.

7. Program Initiatives: 24: (see term book on website, and ‘weekly’ below)

8. 2018  Baptisms:  5:  Kinley Kaye Riiley, William John Zajac, Harper Shireen Santos, Katherine Ward, Lyle Jones Talbot

9. 2018 Weddings RAH officiant (Brides’ names): 6 Karpov (Seigart), Stuart, Silver, McMann, Brown, Alphonse Leja

10. 2018 Funerals and Memorials:  11 Scott Hollinger (SED), Terry Clarke, Diana Rockefeller family headstone, Dr. Holnick (IR\CAS), Robert McNitt, William Adams, Barbara Steen, Donald Frances Maietta (SED), Eleanor Alice Maietta, Ian Speciale (student, ENG), Meng Jin (student, CAS)

B.Professor, New Testament and Pastoral Theology: Tenured Full Professor

1. Worship Service STH Wednesdays 11:10am, attendance only
2. STH monthly faculty meeting, Annual STH Faculty Retreat
3. 2018 RAH Publications:  1. Sunday Sermons, BU website (at 2500 words a sermon, the collection for 2018 would be 125,000 words, or two 300 page books); 2. Autumn 2018 Sermon Series: on Hope; 5. Lenten Series 2018: Thomas Merton; 6. Dean Hill’s Blogs monthly (deanhill.blogspot.com)
4. Courses 2018:  Pastoral Preaching, The Gospel of John (since 2006 two courses\year offered gratis in STH, part of tithe)
5. Doctoral\Masters Defense Committees (3)
6. STH Methodism Committee (issues are coming in this area 2019)
7. Areas A and D Monthly meetings
8. Two current doctoral students (both DMIN)

C. Chaplain to the University and Office of Religious Life: Pastor

1. Daily 45 minute walks on campus and conversations. (Also,see regular meetings list, above).

2. BU Today Articles, other Religious Life Articles and Interviews (several): (see Marsh Website, ‘In the News’):

3. BU Matriculation, Service and Alumni Recognitions, Senior Breakfast, Baccalaureate, Commencement, Multi-faith Dinner, and other: 10 every spring

4. 43 (mostly part-time) paid staff at Marsh Chapel; 41 Religious Life unpaid staff

5. Marsh Board of Advisors (29 persons), May and September

6. Pastoral Counseling: 81 (sacramental and personal moments, part of total visits above).

8. Annual Open Houses\Receptions\Dinners in 96 Bay State Residence: 9 (September Bay State Road party, Staff, Parent’s Weekend, Christmas Open House, October BSR 96, Christmas Party, Staff Holiday Dinner, Valentines, Ground Hog Day Skating, Patriot’s Day Brunch, Book Club, other)

9. Student Deaths 2018: 2 (see above, Speciale, Ming)

10. Administration:  Oversight through Chapel Director Bouchard of 6 University Chaplains and 25 Campus Ministers, 43 internal Marsh Staff (see sign boards and web site).  Most Difficult 2012-2016 : Hillel (250 hours). (As of 2013 all BU chaplains are new since my arrival). Annual Marsh income target set and met at 1/14 of expenses, 2015 (after discussion retained at this level, 12/18 w\Pat Obrien).

11.  Sampling of authors read in 2018: Ashton, Dodd, Augustine, Brown, Tromer, Mandela, Bush, Towenge, Theroux, Freeman, Fluker, Clinch, Quigley, Merton (4x), Saunders, Lewis, Livingston, Love, Crawford.

12. December Christmas\Holiday events attended BU: 25

13. Travel, personal and\or work:  Tampa, San Diego, Rochester, Syracuse, New York City, Lake George, Portsmouth, Manchester, Portugal. Four family events:  Grandson birth 5/18, Mother’s Transfer to Nursing Home; Summer Time with Grandchildren; Health Issues (hip replacement 1/18).

14. Tithe (details available on request)

15. Christmas Pastoral Phone Calls:  41

17.10 Continuing Education Events\Retreats Annually: 2 UMC Annual Conferences (UNYAC, NEAC), 2 AAR\SBL (national, regional), 2 NHTDG (spring, fall), 2 BU (Provost, STH), 2 Marsh (August, February).

18. 2018 Foci: Voice (1 book, 1 long term research project); Visitation (pastoral conversation).

*Autumn 2018  Weekly\Regular Marsh Chapel Conversation Groups (w/attendance):

Global:  Yoga (10), Buddhist Meditation (10), Tai Chi (5), FY101 (20), Tuesday International Dinner (10), Monday Meditations (5), Interfaith Council (10),Tuesday Creative Arts (10), Religion on Tap(10) );

Ministry: Monday Dinner (20), children’s ministry (10), FY101 (20), Ministry Staff Weekly (15), Noon Thursday Silence (5), Sunday Morning Adult Study (10), Cordts Bible Study (5), BUUMF (5), Abolitionist Chapel (10), Confucian Group (20), ISGC (30) Common Ground Communion (20), Compline Monday (10), Wednesday Eucharist (10), Wednesday Dinner (10), ‘Daily Devotions’ (200); Intercessory Prayer Sunday (5));

Hospitality: (Office Staff (10), Religious Life Council (20), Marsh Advisory Board (20), Evangelical Campus Ministers Prayer Circle (10), Development Task Force (10), Weekly Senior Staff (10),

Music: (Chapel Choir (40), Collegium (40), Summer Choir (20), ISGC (30), Thurman Choir (20), Take Note (10), In Choro Novo (35)