In light of the recent posts on InDepth, one of the ways to think about the work of governance and the Board of Trustees are as stewards of the Student Experience. The Board, in partnership with faculty and staff, shares responsibility in making sure students experience the ongoing commitment to stewardship, discipleship, and collaboration.
Last week’s post provided some insights into a recent gathering that helped our faculty, staff, administration, and Board members gain deeper insights into the experience of our students. That event was also the first evening of our Annual meeting of the Board of Trustees. Below is a photo of those who were able to attend and includes both Board members and Winebrenner faculty and staff:
It also seemed appropriate to include our “typical” student, Candice, in a photo as well:
The general theme of the Board meeting was “Building Alternative Futures for Theological Education” and reflected a spirit of get everyone in the room and say it once. Often, information is lost or misinterpreted within organizations when it’s passed from one person or group to another. Having everyone formally connected to Winebrenner in the same space ensured that information could be shared broadly and discussed as a group. This isn’t to say that additional conversations are unnecessary; for example, there may be curricular or financial items for follow-up that don’t require everyone’s participation. However, that becomes the exception rather than the norm.
There were several “official” actions, including the election and installation of new Board officers, a review and deep discussion of the organizational Dashboard, as well as approval of some financial items such as the preliminary budget for 2026-2027. Dr. Byron Klaus, representing the In Trust Center for Theological School’s Wise Stewards Initiative provided an introduction to Winebrenner’s participation in the current cohort.
You can access the full list of Trustees by clicking here.
You can read about previous Board meetings by clicking here.
Finally, you can also read some previous reflections on the centrality of governance by clicking here:
Everything starts with…Governance
Everything starts with…Governance, Part Two
Everything starts with…Governance, Part Three
Winebrenner Seminary is blessed to have a Board that understands the greater mission of God’s Kingdom, and how our collective work serves His purposes. We continue to equip leaders for service in God’s kingdom as we move forward together.
- Brent C. Sleasman, President