Wesleyan Graduates Become Leaders in The United Methodist Church
Buckhannon–Since 1890, West Virginia Wesleyan graduates have assumed leadership roles in The United Methodist Church, both as clergy and laypersons. Today, the College can boast of two United Methodist Church Bishops, in addition to presidents of United Methodist-related colleges, district superintendents, college, hospital, and military chaplains, clergy, youth ministers, and administrative board and lay leaders. How has West Virginia Wesleyan played such a key role in leading the United Methodist Church in the 21st century?
“My years at Wesleyan were the most formative when it came to my career path,” said Dr. Thomas Bickerton ’80, bishop of the Western Pennsylvania Conference. “I originally arrived at Wesleyan as a biology and chemistry major, but my involvement in the religion department as well as the social interactions with faculty and friends were influential in my determination to switch to sociology and psychology. That decision resulted in a re-focus of my career toward ordained ministry.”
Immediately after graduating from Wesleyan, Dr. Bickerton received his master of divinity degree from Duke University. He later earned his doctor of ministry degree from United Theological Seminary in 1995. “Wesleyan prepared me for divinity school in several ways,” Dr. Bickerton added. “To have ‘Old and New Testament Greek’ and ‘Ethics’ prior to seminary were wonderful precursors to the seminary experience. My sociology and psychology majors provided outstanding tools for understanding the ‘context’ of ministry that I still use everyday in living out my ministry. Dr. John Warner proved to be a wonderful support person and gave me the healthy dose of self-confidence I needed at that time. Thirdly, the Wesleyan community itself provided a wonderful atmosphere for learning and socialization. The encouragement I received can never be underestimated. I will always be grateful for the opportunity to be part of West Virginia Wesleyan and know that my time there was formational for all that has happened in my life calling.”
Bishop Peter Weaver ’66 presides over the New England Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church. Dr. Weaver, like Dr. Bickerton, did not enter Wesleyan as a pre-seminary student. “I started at Wesleyan as a pre-law student with a deep ‘60’s concern for helping to build a better world of peace and justice and communities of equality and compassion,” Dr. Weaver noted. “Wesleyan faculty, staff, and students modeled what a caring community could be like. My freshman roommate from Samoa and other international students broadened my global consciousness. Through the profound influence of professors like Herb and Phyllis Coston, Sidney Davis, Dwight Michelson, Joe Mow, and Betty Norvell, my faith deepened and my intellect expanded to create the fertile environment for God’s call and my response to Christian ministry.”
Unlike the two Bishops, Vance Ross ‘79 did not answer the call to ordained ministry until three years after he graduated from Wesleyan. Still, the College has profoundly influenced his career. Rev. Ross is the Associate General Secretary for Discipleship Ministries at The United Methodist Church’s General Board of Discipleship in Nashville, TN.
“Wesleyan affirmed my leadership gifts as a high school senior, awarding me academic and leadership scholarships,” Rev. Ross noted. “In my first year here, I was elected to Black Student Coalition leadership and eventually to Community Council. I also had a wonderful experience as a walk-on basketball player on highly successful teams. While I was a good athlete, I always appreciated Coaches Gary Hess and Charlie Miller’s confidence in my ability to lead others. Wesleyan professors and staff always congratulated me for my academic and leadership accomplishments and pushed me to succeed. Rev. Harry Coleman, the entire Library staff, and Dr. John Warner made my Wesleyan experience so rigorous and comprehensive by challenging me to think in varied ways. They prepared me for the great variety of non-conventional thinking I have encountered since Wesleyan.”
Dr. John Colatch ‘76 decided to enter the ministry at the age of 14, the same time that he first heard of West Virginia Wesleyan. “For some reason, Wesleyan stayed with me and was the only college I applied to for admission,” said Dr. Colatch, who now serves as the director of religious life and chaplain at Lafayette College in Easton, PA. “I was a Bible and religion major, and it put me light-years ahead of folks from other colleges in terms of preparation for divinity school. Dr. Peter Bercovitz, Dr. Ben Lantz, and Dr. Ken Welliver represent those who influenced my thinking in terms of biblical literacy. Dr. Bill Mallory taught me how to write and challenged me to be better academically, and his influence continues to this day. Finally, Rev. Harry Coleman, who was associate dean of the chapel during my last two years at Wesleyan, became a mentor for my spiritual life and was among the first to instill in me the need to work the concern for social justice into my belief system. It was through observing his open-door policy with students that hospitality became the hallmark of the way I operate as a college chaplain.
After Wesleyan, Dr. Colatch and five other Wesleyan graduates entered Duke Divinity School. “After serving seven years in the local church, I entered ministry in higher education,” continued Dr. Colatch. “I am in my 21st year of doing such work and I continue to find students challenging, engaging, and open-minded.”
Wesleyan continues to influence the Colatch family today. “My son, Zachary, will graduate from Wesleyan next year and he has numerous classmates who are children of clergy who attended Wesleyan when I did,” added Dr. Colatch. “Wesleyan really is a gift that keeps on giving.”
Jane Ellen Nickell ’81 has also pursued the college chaplain ministry path. She currently serves as chaplain for Allegheny College in Meadville, PA. Her Wesleyan influence began long before she enrolled in college. “Having grown up in Buckhannon, I was influenced by the Wesleyan students and faculty who taught Sunday school and led youth groups at First United Methodist Church,” noted Nickell. “From an early age, a questioning faith seemed natural to me and my continued involvement in higher education and United Methodism is an equally natural union of ‘knowledge and vital piety’ that was nurtured at Wesleyan. It seemed inevitable that my call to enter full-time ministry would lead to ministry in higher education. My current position as a college chaplain includes teaching, following the model of clergy-scholars such as John Wesley and so many faculty members at Wesleyan.”
Nickell, who did not enter the ministry until 1995, benefited by being around Dr. Howard and Doris Bright, Dr. Herb and Phyllis Coston, Dr. Ken and Mary Lee Welliver, and her parents, Pat and Ellen Nickell. She majored in English at Wesleyan and was active in music. “As an English major, I was influenced by Dr. John Saunders and Arminta Baldwin, who introduced me to great thinkers and their thoughts throughout history,” Nickel stated. “My music professors including Dr. Larry Parsons, Dr. Bobby Loftis, Dr. Linda Sabak, and Dr. David Milburn led me into the musical experience of such beauty and meaning that they were spiritual in nature. Participating in theatre productions with Chuck Presar helped me see life from others’ perspectives. These experiences and stimulating conversations with fellow Wesleyan students shaped the person I am today.”
Pastor of the Hurlbut Memorial Community United Methodist Church in Chautauqua, NY, Rev. Ted Anderson ’74, has been a volunteer in youth ministry since 1978. A Community Council leader at Wesleyan, Anderson is the Western New York Annual Conference Youth Coordinator, the Co-Jurisdictional Youth Coordinator, and the Mission of Peace Coordinator for the Northeastern Jurisdictional Conference of The United Methodist Church. He has also been involved with YOUTH, a quadrennial event sponsored by the General Board of Discipleship of The United Methodist Church with over 10,000 participants since 1988.
Anderson cites both students and faculty as key influencers in his life. “The Wesleyan experience provided the example on the importance of relationships and kindness,” said Anderson. Dr. Art Holmes, Dr. Ben Lantz, Dr. Peter Bercovitz, Dr. Joe Mow, Dr, John Warner, and Dr. Ed Piper provided the foundation I needed for seminary. Fellow students such as Monty Brown ’74, Ted Brown ’73, Cheryl Hatchell Egizi ’75, Steve Wilbur ’74, and Joan Wilson ’75 have influenced me more than they will ever realize.”
While all of these church leaders refer to their Wesleyan influences, Dr. Bickerton also has fond memories of the people of Upshur County. “During my senior year at Wesleyan, I decided to serve a Student Charge and was appointed for one year on the Adrian Charge south of Buckhannon,” said Dr. Bickerton. “This one year of service to these six churches did more to prepare me for seminary and my subsequent career in ministry than I can adequately describe. They understood their role as parishioners of a student and they nurtured me with grace and patience. During my seminary career, I drew repeatedly upon that year of pastoral experience to give me a practical context to the theories I studied in school.”
Bishop Bickerton, who serves on Wesleyan’s Board of Trustees, believes Wesleyan has not only had profound influence in church leadership in the past, but will continue to do so in the future. “There is a great need for places like Wesleyan to once again establish a significant place for meaningful study, reflection, and preparation for those who may be exploring ministry as a career option,” concluded Dr. Bickerton. “If it were not for someone suggesting that I consider ordained ministry as an option or someone else encouraging me to continue my exploration, I may have never entered ordained ministry as a career. As I look back, I realize that much of that stimulation and support came from the faculty and classmates I shared during my years at West Virginia Wesleyan. For that, I will be forever grateful.”
June 4, 2007