Presidential Inauguration of Alton B. Pollard, III

Whosoever: A Divine Invitation
Celebrating the inauguration of the Rev. Dr. Alton B. Pollard, III
as Louisville Seminary's tenth president.
April 23-26, 2019

Inauguration

Rev. Dr. Alton B. Pollard, III
President
Louisville Seminary

On April 26, 2019, the Rev. Dr. Alton B. Pollard, III was formally installed as Louisville Presbyterian theological Seminary's tenth president. In the days leading up to the installation ceremony, Louisville Seminary hosted a series of events that celebrate the unconditional and everlasting love that God has for all people of every creed, color, gender, sexual orientation, and circumstance. And so the Louisville Seminary Community accepts the invitation, the challenges, and the rewards of emphasizing “Whosoever: A Divine Invitation” as the foundation for engaging the world and building bridges between God and humanity.

Click here to see a slide show of our new president.

Screening of "Backs Against the Wall: The Howard Thurman Story

Tuesday, April 23, 2019
Sullivan University

Rev. Dr. Alton B. Pollard, III is a Howard Thurman scholar whose works include Mysticism and Social Change: The Social Witness of Howard Thurman and The Papers of Howard Thurman Washington Volumes I and II. This documentary, produced by Journey Films and Martin Doblmeier, features President Pollard and other scholars who explore the extraordinary life and legacy of one of the most important religious figures of the 20th century. A Q&A session with Dr. Pollard, Martin Doblmeier, and Thurman scholar Dr. Luther E. Smith, Jr., follow the screening. Special thanks to Spalding University for partnering with us on this very special occasion.

Click here to see the event program.

https://www.ilancashire.co.uk

Building Bridges; Engaging Community

Tuesday, April 23, 2019
Joshua Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church

How can Louisville Seminary accept the divine invitation of “Whosoever” to reach out to our often broken world? Faith and community leaders offered their insights. Special thanks to Joshua Tabernacle for partnering with us on this very special occasion. Special thanks to Joshua Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church for partnering with us on this very special occasion.

Click here to see the event program.

https://www.ilancashire.co.uk

Student-led Worship Service

April 24, 2019
Caldwell Chapel, Louisville Seminary

The Louisville Seminary student body presented a special worship service to celebrate the inauguration of Alton B. Pollard, III as the seminary's tenth president. The service featured music of praise by the Louisville Seminary Choir accompanied by readings from Scripture as well as Howard Thurman - one of Alton's Pollard's major influences.

Click here to see the event program.

https://www.ilancashire.co.uk

Inauguration Gala

April 24, 2019
Gardencourt, Louisville Seminary

The Louisville Seminary Alum Association and seminary student body hosted a Gala celebration for the inauguration of Alton B. Pollard, III as Louisville Seminary's tenth president. Food and fellowship was enjoyed by all with special mementos of welcome to Alton presented by the Louisville Seminary community.

Click here to see the event program.

https://www.ilancashire.co.uk

Louisville Seminary Beyond the Classroom

April 25, 2019
Winn Center, Louisville Seminary

Louisville Seminary hosted an event which highlighted the work the Louisville Seminary faculty does outside of the classroom.

Click here to see a list of publications written by Louisville Seminary faculty.

Click here to see the event program.

https://www.ilancashire.co.uk

Community Luncheon

April 26, 2019
Winn Center, Louisville Seminary

Friends, family, students, and alums of Louisville Seminary gathered for food and fellowship to celebrate the inauguration of Alton B. Pollard III as the seminary's tenth president. The occasion provided Alton with the opportunity to introduce his family to the Louisville Seminary community. It was also occasion to thank Seminary Trustees Sumpter Logan and Anna James for their service on the board. And birthday wishes were also given to Susan DiLuca, the Executive Administrative Coordinator to the President.

https://www.ilancashire.co.uk

Inauguration Thank-You Dinner

April 26, 2019
Gardencourt, Louisville Seminary

Louisville Seminary hosted a thank-you dinner for those who contributed their time, talent, and treasure to the planning and support of the inauguration events in celebration of Alton B. Pollard, III as Louisville Seminary's tenth president.

Click here to see a list of our generous inauguration sponsors, organizers, and volunteers.

https://www.ilancashire.co.uk

Inauguration/Installation Service

April 26, 2019
Caldwell Chapel, Louisville Seminary

On April 26, 2019, the Rev. Dr. Alton B. Pollard, III was formally installed as Louisville Presbyterian theological Seminary's tenth president. The inauguration and installation service took place at Caldwell Chapel. Louisville Seminary students, faculty, trustees, alums, and delegates from several organizations and institutions were on hand for the event.

Click here to view the Installation Service program.

https://www.ilancashire.co.uk

Additional

Whosoever: A Divine Invitation

When Alton B. Pollard III was a student at Fisk University, a historically black university in Nashville, Tennessee, he received instruction from an individual whose ministry would have a profound impact on Pollard’s personal and professional life.

At the time, Edwin C. Sanders II was a professor of humanities, religion, and philosophy at Fisk. He also served as Fisk’s dean of the chapel.

“I was struck by Rev. Sanders’ brilliance and depth of spirit,” said Pollard, whose friendship with Sanders has lasted more than 45 years. “He is an individual who never stops growing in life.”

In 1981, Sanders established the Metropolitan Interdenominational Church (MIC) in Nashville. His congregation attracts a broad cross-section of people with the mission of being “inclusive of all and alienating to none.” Because the church has too often allowed particular aspects of a person's being to define them out of the circle of fellowship, MIC has chosen to emphasize the "whosoever" in John 3:16 as a mandate for inclusion.

“This is a ministry that exemplifies how we all belong to one another,” said Pollard.

Adorning the walls of the congregation is a painting by David Cassidy. The painting features the word “Whosoever” and an image of a faceless Christ with outstretched hands. A copy of this painting hangs behind Pollard’s desk at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary.

As with MIC’s ministry, the “Whosoever” art holds a deep connection to Pollard. The kaleidoscope of colors represents the rainbow of humanity, and the faceless Christ invites all people of every creed, color, gender, sexual orientation, and circumstance to see themselves in Christ’s divine invitation.

“Social, religious, and cultural qualifications do not matter to the Nazarene,” said Pollard. “No one is outside the pale or prerogative of God. Everyone belongs.”

In that spirit lies the theme for the events for the 2019 inauguration of Rev. Dr. Alton B. Pollard, III as Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary’s 10th president.

“Whosoever; A Divine Invitation” is a call to action for the Louisville Seminary community to look deep within itself and find God’s Grace. The deeper one looks, the more profound one’s relationship with God becomes.

“That is why such programs as Black Church Studies, Doors to Dialogue, More Light, Women at the Well, the Women’s Center, Grassroots, and others are so important to the ethos of Louisville Seminary,” said Pollard. “These programs – all in their own ways – lead our community toward a better integration of ourselves.

But, as Pollard adds, our call to action does not end with the “soul work.” To be fully integrated with God and with one another, we must act on our beliefs.

“It is one thing, for example, to say that we believe in ecumenical nd interfaith relations,” said Pollard. “But what does that look like beyond the classroom? How do we as a seminary community open our “doors to dialogue” to the great needs of our often broken society? How do we leverage such programs to address, first-hand, social injustices that may lead some to believe that they are not recipients of this Divine Invitation?”

And so, as Louisville Seminary celebrates its new leadership, it also accepts the invitation, the challenges, and the rewards to not only build bridges, but to engage the world.

Proclamations and Congratulations

Honorary Inauguration Committee

Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson II
Stated Clerk
COffice of General Assembly, Presbyterian Church (USA)

Rev. Dr. Dianne Moffett
President/Executive Director
Presbyterian Mission Agency, Presbyterian Church (USA)

Rev. Terry Newland
Synod Executive
Synod of Living Waters

Rev. Dr. Kevin Cosby
President
Simmons College of Kentucky

Dr. Muhammad Babar
President
Muslim Americans for Compassion

Geshe Kalsang Rapgyal
Executive Director
Drepung Gomang Center for Engaging Compassion

Rev. Mark M. Hamilton
Ecumenical and Interreligious Officer
Archdiocese of Louisville

Mr. Janardhanan Alse
Board Chair
Hindu Temple of Kentucky

Rev. Dr. Samuel C. Tolbert Jr.
President
National Baptist Convention of America International, Inc.

Rabbi Joe Rooks Rapport
Senior Rabbi
The Temple - Congregation Adath Israel Brith Sholom

Bishop Teresa Jefferson-Snorton
Presiding Bishop
Fifth Episcopal District, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church

Ms. Sadiqa Reynolds
President and CEO
Louisville Urban League

Ms. Haleh Karimi
Executive Director
Interfaith Paths to Peace

Bishop Darryl B. Starnes Sr.
Bishop
Mid-West District, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church

Bishop Jeffrey Leath
Bishop
Thirteenth Episcopal District, African Methodist Episcopal Church

Rt. Rev. Terry White, D.D.
VIII Bishop
Episcopal Diocese of Kentucky

Inauguration Planning Committee Chairs

Elizabeth Clay
Inauguration Committee Chair

Mary Gene Boteler and Marcus Hong
Inauguration Service

Cynthia Campbell
Community Engagement

Angela Traylor
Budget and Finance

Kilen Gray, Viisha Souza, Roger Veliquette, and Dana Seay
Student Planning

Shannon Craigo-Snell
Faculty Planning

Chris Wooton
Communication

Lyle Hanna
Donors/Sponsors

Polly Williams and Amariah McIntosh
Alum Planning

Judy Stubbs and Chandra Irvin
Howard Thurman Screening

Susan DiLuca, Anne Monell, Anne Steele, and Debra Mumford
Logistics

Delores Brisbon, and Lynette Brown-Sow
Advisors

Our thanks to the individuals who have committed their time and talents to making this event possible.