GARY E. PELUSO-VERDEND Phillips Theological Seminary 901 N. Mingo Road Tulsa, OK 74116 918.270.6478 gary.peluso@ptstulsa.edu EDUCATION University of Chicago Ph.D., Practical Theology 1991 Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, M.Div. 1981 Wesley Theological Seminary, 1977-79 Carroll College (WI), B.A. summa cum laude 1977 (Religion) ACADEMIC WORK EXPERIENCE Vice President of Stewardship and Associate Professor of Practical Theology Phillips Theological Seminary, since July 2005 As vice president of stewardship, I: Demonstrated my ability to learn new skills on the job ; Worked to develop, lead, and supervise a team with the staff who were in place when I arrived, strengthening all aspects of our program; Oversaw the development of expanded stewardship communications, including print, video, and electronic, as well as communications beyond stewardship per se (e.g., the 2008 web site); Helped the seminary achieve balanced budgets through raising the necessary operating revenues; With the help of a consultant, led the seminary into the Bridges of Faith Capital Campaign which, thus far, has raised nearly $8 million in new endowment money, plus matching gifts; Developed several key educational interludes for board meetings, as well as provided leadership for a board-faculty retreat (2005) using appreciative inquiry, an organizational development tool. Director of Church Relations and Associate Professor of Practical Theology, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, June 1, 2000 to June 30, 2005 As director of church relations, I: Initiated the office; Helped to establish Garrett-Evangelical as one of the seminaries interested in the culture of the call ;
2 Organized and led a church relations council that brought pastors to campus for conversations with faculty; Became one of the seminary leaders in interpreting the seminary to the church and the church to the seminary, including the changing demographics of clergy leadership in the local church; Organized a conference for North Central Jurisdiction Board of Ordained Ministry representatives on probationary education; Advocated for using well the information we glean from our church connections in our curricular decisions; Organized a successful conference on the question, What is a fitting education for ministry? Functioned as the principal leader in working with a Luce grant to help the seminary use data more effectively in communication (internal and external), decision-making, and evaluation. Dean, Phillips Theological Seminary, July 1, 1997 to May 31, 2000 As dean, I: Fashioned the dean s role out of the pieces of jobs that had been done by five individuals; Successfully guided the institution through self-study; Gained the trust of the faculty during a difficult transition in the seminary s life; Introduced the faculty to using educational technology for the classroom and for distance education; Provided the energy and served as primary writer for the Lilly capacity grant program, which Lilly funded at PTS for over $530,000 the grant was built around the concept of helping PTS to do a better job of bridging the culture gap between the seminary and the churches; Wrote the Lilly Information Technology planning grant, which Lilly funded for $10,000, as well as the implementation grant, which Lilly funded for $300,000; Led in implementing the portfolio processes (largely developed by a former dean) for evaluating both students and faculty; Led a sequence of faculty conversations that resulted in a new degree program and regular evaluation of our teaching. Associate Professor of Practical Theology, July 1, 1997 to May 31, 2000 Director, Doctor of Ministry Program and Assistant Professor of Practical Theology, Phillips Theological Seminary, July 1, 1993 to May 31, 2000. As DMin director I: Organized the office and program to comply with ATS standards in order that a show cause letter, sent to the seminary prior to my hiring, could be removed;
3 Was responsible for all aspects of DMin education, including faculty recruitment, student recruitment, publicity, admissions, and initiating changes in policy and curriculum through the DMin committee; Taught in the program and served as adviser or reader on over 30 projects. Acting Dean, Tulsa Campus, Phillips Theological Seminary, August 1994-July 1995 Research Associate, University of Chicago Divinity School Study of Local and Regional Ecumenical Organizations, funded by The Lilly Endowment, Inc., August 1992-June 1993. (Project concluded September 1995.) Research Assistant, Lilly Endowment Grant Profession-Centered Model of Theological Education, January-December 1991 Instructor, Comparative Religions, Joliet Junior College, Fall 1991-Spring 1992 Researcher, Clergy and Systems Study, Northern Illinois Conference, United Methodist Church, Summer 1989 TEACHING COMPETENCIES Ecclesiology (understood descriptively and normatively) Congregational analysis (including the history and sociology of congregational life) United Methodist History Ecumenics Civil religion in the U.S. Leadership ACADEMIC HONORS Seminary Presidential Scholarship 1980, 1979 United Methodist Seminary Award 1978 Carroll College, Junior Award; Religion Department Award PASTORAL EXPERIENCE Interim Pastor, Trinity United Methodist Church, Joliet, IL September 1991 to February 1992. Stated Supply, AuSable Grove Presbyterian Church, Yorkville, IL 1987-88 Associate Pastor, First United Methodist, Arlington Heights, IL 1981-87 CHURCH AFFLILIATION Ordained elder, United Methodist Church; member, Northern Illinois Annual Conference Charge Conference: First United Methodist, Glen Ellyn, IL Affiliate charge conference: Boston Avenue United Methodist Church, Tulsa, OK
4 PUBLICATIONS Theological reflections on three lections in Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary, Year A, Volume 3 (XI), forthcoming. The Season after Pentecost: Propers 13-22, in New Proclamation: The Essential Pastoral Companion for Preaching. Year C, 2007: Easter through Christ the King. Edited by David B. Lott. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2006, 147-220. Paying Attention: Focusing Your Congregation on What Matters. The Alban Institute, 2005. (with Jack Seymour) Hearing the Congregation s Voice in Revising/Evaluating the MDiv Curriculum: The Church Relations Council, Theological Education (2004, 40, Supplement). (with Yau Man Siew) Interpreting Protestant Student Voices, Theological Education (2005, 40, 2): 47-63. How Many Churches Does It Take to Raise a Minister?, The Circuit Rider (January- February 2002): 18-19. To Live or to Die In Battle: A Nineteenth Century Metaphor and Clergy Self-Care, Quarterly Review 18 (Fall 1998): 227-45. (with Sam Portaro) Inquiring and Discerning Hearts: Vocation and Ministry with Young Adults on Campus (Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1993). The Crisis of Local and Regional Ecumenism, Mid-Stream 32 (October 1993): 1-14. What is Lyle Schaller s Vision of the Church?, The Christian Century 110 (January 27,1993): 85-87. Francis Asbury on American Public Life, Methodist History 30 (July 1992): 206-16. Book review of Hugh F. Halverstadt, Managing Church Conflict in The Christian Century 109 (May 6, 1992): 498-99. Book review of Charles Bayer, Hope for the Mainline Church in The Christian Century 108 (August 7-14, 1991): 753-54. Clergy Authority: To What Shall We Compare It? Quarterly Review 11 (Spring 1991): 43-55. Book review of Michael Kinnamon, Truth and Community in The Christian Century 106 (Feb. 22, 1989): 209-10. SELECTED LECTURES AND PROGRAMS The Religion of the U.S.A. A presentation in Phillips Theological Seminary s Faith Matters series, February 16, 2009. An Attentive Congregation : All-Church Retreat for Evergreen Christian Church, CO, October 3-5, 2003 Faith and Change : The Lee and Elaine Thompson Lectures at First Christian Church, Oklahoma City, March 27-28, 2000 Retreat on Clergy Self-Care, A Mountain Retreat, Conifer, CO, March 1998 Seminar on Managing Church Conflict, Stillwater District, United Methodist Church, September 18, 1997. Paper, To Live or to Die in Battle: American Methodist Clergy and Self-Care in the 19th Century, Oxford Institute for Methodist Theological Studies, August 1997. Seminar on Managing Church Conflict, Muskogee District, United Methodist Church, May 2, 1997.
5 Ecumenism in the Third Millennium, Keynote Speech, Michigan Ecumenical Forum, October 14, 1996. Leading the Church and Other Strange Critters, Hillcrest Hospital (Tulsa) Clergy Week Lectures, October 24, 1995. Ecumenism and the Search for a Middle Way, Keynote speech, Illinois Conference of Churches, September 29, 1995; Retreat on Dark Night of the Soul, Rocky Mountain Region, Christian Church, (Disciples of Christ), September 5-7, 1995; Keynote speaker, National Association of Ecumenical Staff, July 10-12, 1995 Who Owns State Councils of Churches?, speech, Consultation on State Ecumenism, February 2-4, 1995; Faith and Order Event, keynote speaker, Oklahoma Conference of Churches, December 9-10, 1993. PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS Counsel for the Advancement and Support of Education Association of Fundraising Professionals Association of Practical Theology (newsletter editor, 1992-1997) American Academy of Religion SPECIAL SERVICE TO THE ACADEMY I served as principal investigator for the Association of Theological Schools project on student assessment, 2001 2005. I have served on four ATS accreditation visiting teams, including three focused visits (chair of two) and one comprehensive evaluation. SPECIAL SERVICE TO THE CHURCH Teaching sessions for the United Methodist Church s General Council on Finance and Administration at their fall 2004 and winter 2005 national training events for conference leaders. President, Oklahoma Conference of Churches, January 1997 December 1998. PERSONAL Birthdate: March 16, 1955 Married to Cheri Peluso-Verdend. Father to Peter, Abigail, and Zachary Peluso, and to Eliana Peluso-Verdend. Grandfather to Chloe Peluso.