2019 Annual Report

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, 2019—December 31, 2019

Ten 2019 Highlights: 1.  16^th Book, An Addressable Community, now at printer.  2. Vocation, BU HUB fall Co-Curricular (full class).  3. 8 Difficult Spring/Autumn Funerals/Memorials (Allen, Johnson, Weber, Hartman, Edwards, Wynn, Cromwell, McClure).  4. Easter (6 services, 1540 attendance) and Christmas (6 services--2 Lessons\Carols, 1 Blue Christmas, 3 Christmas\Christmas Eve--1740 total attendance (including relatively new 1pm 12/24 service)).  5. Weekly Marsh Programming, 10 Sunday offerings, weekly dinners with program Monday to Wednesday,  choir Thursday, with Fridays and Saturdays open for retreats, weddings and funerals—the culmination of work over the last decade. 6. Several national, regional, local RAH guest speaking, teaching,  preaching moments. 7. Baptized 7^th grandchild (Kryie Benjamin Hill),in  February. 8. UMC theological and political difficulties, sadly, to be continued.  9. The spring\summer preaching, teaching and speaking schedule also was a fulfillment of a decade and more investment in the voice of Boston University Marsh Chapel.  10.  We are now reworking our Marsh strategic plan, to fit the emerging BU plan, and to guide us toward 2024, the 75^th annuiversary of the building of the Chapel by Daniel Marsh.

A.    Dean of Marsh Chapel: Preacher

1.Regular Sunday\Other Sermons and Services, both Marsh and elsewhere: 67  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 43K resident BU faculty\students\administration and staff; 263 weekly average school year attendance (highest in September, December, April, and May).

2. Special BU Services: 26  ML King Observances (2), This I Believe, BU Baccalaureate\Commencement (8), Marsh and BU Matriculations, BU Alumni Weekend Memorial, Service, Lessons & Carols (2), Annual Spring Term Prayers\Invocations (10)

3. Guest Speaking Events 2019: 57 BU\CAS Core (Gospel of John), Point O’ Woods Long Island August (4x), Hebrew College, NE UMW 150^th, UMW NE 150^th anniversary breakfast, Soren Hessler Class, New England Congregational Ministers June Karl Barth Lectures (4x), BU Today LGBTQIA, WBUR LGBTQIA, BU Vigil, BUMC Vigil, UM Foundation of NE, Boston Ministers Club, Union Chapel NH, Lemoyne College, NY Seigart Gathering, San Diego First UMC weekend (4x),  Jay Halfond MET class (2x), UNYACUMC Syracuse (2x), Sapiro HTC program, Albany NY funeral R Pennock, BU Admissions team, BU Holocaust memorial, STH UMC group, STH Holy Communion,  BU Basketball Luncheon, Asbury First UMC, Alumni Weeekend BU Memorial Service, BUSTH faculty, ROTC Veteran’s Day Memorial, June Ohio Chautuaqua, Lakeside Center (9x), UMC Dallas Texas LGBTQIA Conference (3x), Cornwalls Closing August, Methodist-Episcopal Conference, Kenmore Tree Lighting, STH Norwegian Delegation.

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 (through 11/19), Harvard Memorial Church Board of Visitors (in hiatus), Learning Project Board of Visitors.

5. Visits: (office, home, hospital, other): 812 (not including daily 45min campus walk)

6. 2019 New Marsh Chapel Chapter Members Received 6: Timothy Rodrigues, Sandra Cole, Susan Evans, Kim and Deb Waughtal, Hafiz Ahmed-Broadhurst.

7. Program Initiatives: 24: (see term book on website)

8. 2019 Baptisms:  5:  Duncan, Tylka, Commeret, Ahamed-Broadhurst, Hill.

9. 2019 Weddings RAH officiant (brides’ names): 4 (Marsh, Beal, Seigart, Doucette).

10. 2019 Funerals and Memorials (challenging year in this department): 13 : Horace Allen (BU faculty retired, STH); Luke Alexander Greenfield Johnson (18 month old son of BU Questrom faculty); Cynthai Flamm (BU\CELOP); Dean Edmonds (BU faculty retired, Physics); AJ Petras (BU alumnus, Alumni Board); Brian Weber, (BU freshman); Jessica Korhumel (BU senior, staff supported); Nancy Marsh Hartman (daughter of Daniel Marsh, Chapel matriarch); James Anderson Wynn (BU English Professor, Humanities Center Director); Erin Edwards (BU junior);  Adelaide McGraw Cromwell (founding director of BU African American Studies); Edward McClure (leading African American voice, Brookline, member of Marsh congregation); Andrew Delima (young faculty, BU SDH).

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

1. STH monthly faculty meeting, annual STH Faculty Retreat
2. 2019 RAH Publications:  1. Sunday Sermons, BU website (at 2500 words a sermon, the collection for 2019 would be 125,000 words, or two 300 page books); 2. Autumn 2019 Sermon Series: on Health; 5. Lenten Series 2019: St. John of the Cross; 6. Dean Hill’s Blogs monthly (deanhill.blogspot.com). 7. Forthcoming book.
3. Courses 2019:  Pastoral Preaching, The Gospel of John (since 2006 two courses\year offered gratis in STH, part of tithe); also this fall a new HUB Co-Curricular on ‘Vocation’, also gratis.
4. Doctoral\Masters Defense Committees (2)
5. STH Methodism Committee (issues are coming in this area again in 2020)
6. Areas A and D Monthly meetings
7. Two current doctoral students (both DMIN)
8. Pastoral contact calls with fellow clergy at Christmas:  51

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’ collection):

3. BU Matriculation, Service and Retirement Recognitions, Senior Breakfast, Baccalaureate, Commencement, Multi-faith Dinner, and other: 10 events 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.  Giving through Marsh Chapel, excluding weddings, has grown from $16,000 in 2006 to $325,000 2019.

6. Pastoral Counseling: 97 (sacramental and personal moments, part of total visits above).

7. Annual Open Houses\Receptions\Dinners in 96 Bay State Residence: 14 (September Bay State Road party, Staff, Parent’s Weekend, Christmas Open House, October Choir Concert BSR 96, Christmas Party, Staff Holiday Dinner, Valentines, Ground Hog Day Skating, Patriot’s Day Brunch, Book Club, other)

8. Student Deaths 2018: 3 (see above, Jessica Korhumel, Brian Weber, Erin Edwards)

9. Administration:  Oversight through Chapel Director Bouchard of 6 University Chaplains and 25 Campus Ministers (some challenges here this year), 43 internal Marsh Staff (see sign boards and web site).  Most Difficult issue 2012-2019 : Hillel (250 hours), now markedly improving. (As of 2013 all BU chaplains are new since my arrival). Annual Marsh income target set and met at 1/14 of expenses, 2015, w\Chris Goss, (after discussion retained at this level, 12/18 w\Pat Obrien).

10.  Sampling of authors read in 2019: Baldwin, Stendahl, Barr, Cullman, Childs, Grisham, Pagels, Meacham, Stevenson, Clinch, Oxnam, Strommen, Fitzmeier, Charlesworth, Fromm, Stegner, Moltmann, Thompson, Brennan, Reich, Toomer.

11. December Christmas\Holiday events attended BU: 25

12. Travel, personal and\or work:  Bermuda, Tampa, San Diego, Rochester, Syracuse, New York City, Lake George, Ohio, Long Island, Dallas. 

13. Tithe (details available on request)

14.10 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).

15.  Two 2020 Foci: Voice (1 long term research project on Biblical Theology; Visitation (More personal visitation (goal: pastoral conversation, 2 dozen a week).