Over the past few weeks I’ve shared some announcements about the upcoming arrivals of new staff members at Winebrenner Seminary (you can read those announcements by clicking here and here). There are many sides to working with other people – sometimes we are welcoming those who are joining us and other times we are feeling the sense of grief and loss that comes when someone leaves us. Today I am writing about this second feeling of grief and loss that comes with the transition when someone exits an organization.
Kevin Risner graduated from Winebrenner in 2003 with a Master of Arts in Theological Studies degree and returned to serve as our Student Success & Records Coordinator in 2022. We refocused the position and retitled his role to Coordinator of Student Experience in 2023.
Kevin will conclude his time at Winebrenner at the end of February. When announcing his retirement, Kevin shared the following:
“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:”
(Ecclesiastes 3:1 KJV)
It has been my great honor to serve Winebrenner Theological Seminary as Student Success and Records Coordinator and now as Coordinator of Student Experience. As an alumnus of the seminary, I have been able to spend two seasons of my life as part of the Winebrenner family. As a student, I was among the final students who completed degrees on the former campus. As an employee, I have been part of the administrative staff who have welcomed many new students to learn through a different method of delivery. My greatest joy in each experience has been meeting the many wonderful people who comprise the Winebrenner family.
I will be retiring from my role at Winebrenner at the end of February 2024. Until then, I will be pleased to continue to work among the members of the Winebrenner faculty and administration as well as among the wonderful students of our institution of higher education. I expect to enter this new season of my life expecting new challenges and new opportunities for ministry.
May God continue to bless each member of the Winebrenner family while He continues to bless others through each of you.
Kevin Risner, MA(TS)
Coordinator of Student Experience
Winebrenner Theological Seminary
Please join us in prayer for Kevin and Nancy as they pursue the next chapter in their spiritual journeys.
- Brent C. Sleasman, President