Honoring and Celebrating Dr. Warren L. Dennis

September 16, 2015

Family, friends and colleagues gathered recently at New Brunswick Theological Seminary to honor and celebrate the retirement of Dr. Warren L. Dennis, Dirk Romeyn Professor of Metro-Urban Ministry and Director of Doctoral Ministry. Dr. Dennis leaves a 23-year legacy of remarkable service to the Seminary, students and community.

The two-day event began with a Thursday afternoon reception at the Seminary, followed by a praise and worship service at Mt. Zion AME Church in New Brunswick where Bishop Reginald T. Jackson of the AME Church was guest speaker. On Friday, a Symposium at NBTS focused on the topic: “For Such a Time as This: How Do We Keep the Conversation Going in Urban Theological Education and Ministry?” The Symposium moderator was the Rev. Dr. Ronald E. Peters, President Founding Director of the Metro-Urban Institute at Pittsburgh Theological Institute. The retirement celebration culminated in a dinner and good-natured roast at the Hyatt Regency hotel in New Brunswick.

Dr. Gregg Mast, President of NBTS, began the celebration on Thursday by expressing gratitude for Dr. Dennis’ many contributions to the Seminary. “We are grateful for Warren’s faithful and creative teaching of our students as well as his remarkable leadership in helping to make the area of Metro-Urban Ministry a core value of our institution. Because of Warren’s inspiring work here, we are one of the few seminaries in the country that has endowed a chair in Metro-Urban Ministry.”

Debra Robinson, a third-year student and one of the retirement celebration organizers, did not hesitate to help orchestrate the retirement events. “Dr. Dennis is an extraordinary man. He really didn’t want to have a big celebration; our original plan was for a one-day event, but we had to add another day because of the overwhelming response. I ultimately had to close online registration, so that’s an indication of the love that students and alumni feel for him.”

At the reception, Dr. Dennis was honored with a resolution from the Seminary Board of Trustees naming him Professor Emeritus of New Brunswick Theological Seminary. Dr. Mast also presented Dr. Dennis with a beautiful piece of artwork from Haiti, entitled, Tree of Hope. “When you look at it, we hope it will remind you of this community of hope in which you have participated over these 23 years,” remarked Dr. Mast.

Dr. Dennis’ road to New Brunswick began with a $50,000 donation from The First Reformed Church in Albany to NBTS to fund an urban ministry position at the Seminary. The First Reformed Church of Schenectady also contributed by making a gift of $1.2 million to endow the Dirk Romeyn Professor of Metro-Urban Ministry chair. “I took a chance on NBTS, and NBTS took a chance on me,” recalled Dr. Dennis. “I came to NBTS with a Master of Divinity degree. Now, 23 years later, I have transitioned with a Doctor of Ministry degree, an Endowed Chair, as the first African American tenured professor and as a retiree!”

Dr. Dennis thanked everyone for helping him nurture his “community of self.” It was through his own accessibility, transparency, openness and authenticity that he helped students at the Seminary do the same.