Convocation at Union Seminary ritually constitutes the seminary for the academic year. Coming ten minutes after the close of registration, Convocation officially marks the beginning of the semester.
In this year's service on Wednesday evening, September 5, a festive procession of incoming students and the faculty enter to a congregation singing "We Are the Ones, We've Been Waiting For." The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori addresses the assembly with a charge to step forth and help realize the "dream of God." Finally, the service culminates in a Rite of Matriculation in which incoming members of the community and then returning members pledge to help Union carry out its mission in our time. A dancer and solo jazz saxophone weave a prayer of blessing around the spoken prayer.
We invite you to watch the video clip and tell us, "What is the dream of God?" and "How does this worship service picture that dream?"
Video by Patricia Santiago and Rich Montone
Editing by Rich Montone
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9 comments:
This excerpt offers a marvelous glimpse of what we experienced together last night.
How nice to begin a document of our academic-year in worship! I'm sorry that this video does not include one of the "I am..." statements from a current student.
The video is great (thanks Rich)! It brings all the memories of Wednesday night back ...thanks for getting it up so quickly!
The Isaiah passage was read at the convocation welcoming our class in 2005, and I never forgot it. It was an honor to present it with Gretchen to the first-year class this time around. Its imagery is dreamlike -- so in keeping with the theme of the evening, and so inspiring to our future ministries.
What a great event -- and what a great use of technology. I wasn't able to attend Convocation b/c of child care; yet I listened to it LIVE on the streaming link and then got to see this FABULOUS "snapshot" of the evening, that gave me pictures to go along with the sound I had heard the night before. WONDERFULLY edited and SO QUICKLY POSTED -- a real stunning example of the "info super highway" put to good, creative and inspiring use!
PS: Great delivery by those IN the service, too!
Thanks for using the web-site to expand the "convocation" to those of us in distant places and who have such powerful memories of convocations past! Blessings as you begin another academic year.
A podcast of President Hough's introduction and Bishop Jefferts Schori's address are now available on the Union Web site at www.utsnyc.edu. The transcript of the Bishop's address is also available on the Episcopal Church Web site at www.episcopalchurch.org.
great to see this blog beginning - a wonderful way to connect with the union community. brought back memories of being welcomed into union life at convocation in 1998. thanks
Hi, Im from Melbourne Australia.
Please check out these references on the Reality of Real God---as disctinct from the merely human dreaming.
1. www.dabase.org/dht7.htm
2. www.dabase.org/broken.htm
3. www.kneeoflistening.com
4. www.realgod.org
The author is Columbia's most Illustrious graduate!
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