Virginia A. Lee Address: 168 East Parkway South, Memphis, TN 38104 Telephone number: 901-334-5852 (office); 901-573-5896 (cell) Fax number: 901-452-4051 E-mail: vlee@memphisseminary.edu Educational History: Union Theological Seminary & Presbyterian School of Christian Education Ed. D. 2001 Dissertation: Making Theology Understandable: The Educational Legacy of Georgia Harkness Duke Divinity School M.R.E. 1990 The College of William and Mary B.A. 1980 Professional Positions: 2005 present Memphis Theological Seminary, Associate Professor of Christian Education Granted tenure May 2006 Fall 2009 Adjunct Faculty, Lambuth University, Jackson, TN Taught Introduction to Christian Education 2001 2005 Memphis Theological Seminary, Assistant Professor of Christian Education 1999 2001 Memphis Theological Seminary, Instructor in Christian Education 1996 1999 Shady Grove United Methodist Church, Minister of Christian Education, (Richmond, VA) 1992 1996 Reveille United Methodist Church, Minister for Age-Level Ministries and Mission (Richmond, VA) 1990 1992 Trinity United Methodist Church, Program Director (Raleigh, NC) 1984 1988 Self-employed financial services 1980 1984 Dinwiddie County School System (Dinwiddie, VA), Substitute teacher Honors and Awards: 1997 Diaconal Advance Graduate Award 1996 Rosalie Bentzinger Graduate Award (First recipient) (Both awards given by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry of The United Methodist Church.)
Faculty Responsibilities and Leadership: 2010-2011 Chair, Wesleyan Studies Faculty Search Committee Member, Formation for Ministry Steering Committee Member, Judicial Council Resource Editor, Sustaining Pastoral Excellence web site 2009-2010 Member, Formation for Ministry Steering Committee Member, Educational Development Committee Member, Judicial Council Editor, Sustaining Pastoral Excellence web site 2008-2009 Accreditation Liaison Member, Formation for Ministry Steering Committee Member, Board of Trustees Planning & Evaluation Committee Member, Sustaining Pastoral Excellence (SPE) Advisory Board Editor, Sustaining Pastoral Excellence web site 2007-2008 Accreditation Liaison and Chair of Self-Study Director of Institutional Effectiveness Member, Board of Trustees Planning & Evaluation Committee Member, Sustaining Pastoral Excellence (SPE) Advisory Board 2006-2007 Accreditation Liaison and Chair of Self-Study Member, Sustaining Pastoral Excellence (SPE) Advisory Board Member, SPE Continuation Grant Planning Committee Facilitator for Faculty Forums Represented MTS (and spoke) at the Alumni Luncheon at the North Alabama Annual Conference in Birmingham, AL 2005 2006 Chair of Faculty Chair of Self-Study for Seminary Reaccredidation Member, Sustaining Pastoral Excellence Advisory Board Facilitator for Faculty Forums 2004 2005 Facilitator for Faculty Forums on issues of diversity and inclusion Member, Sustaining Pastoral Excellence Advisory Board 2
2003 2004 Member, Sustaining Pastoral Excellence Advisory Board Member, Executive Committee/Facilities Planning Member, Educational Development Committee 2002 2003 Helped to research, design, write and implement a grant to the Lilly Foundation for Sustaining Pastoral Excellence. MTS was awarded a $1.9 million grant. Member, Sustaining Pastoral Excellence Advisory Board Faculty Representative to Presidential Search Committee Chair, Educational Development Committee Member, Community Life Committee Advisor, Student Senate 2001 2002 Faculty Representative to Presidential Search Committee Chair, Community Life Committee Advisor, Student Senate Member, Educational Development Committee 2000 2001 Member, Community Life Committee 1999 2000 Member, Educational Development Committee Teaching Areas and Courses Offered: Introduction to Educational Ministry Practicing Our Faith: Forgiveness Finding Meaning in Movies Hollywood Jesus: Understanding and Interpreting Jesus Movies for Christian Education Active Prayer: Theology and Practice Teaching in the Church Curriculum in the Church Ministry with Adolescent Girls Youth Ministry Children s Ministry Methodist Women and Ordination: 1956-2006 Accreditation Publications Association of Theological Schools (ATS) re-affirmation of accreditation documents, 2008 Southern Association of Colleges (SACS), Commission on Colleges, Compliance Certificate and Follow-up documentation, 2007-2008 3
Southern Association of Colleges (SACS), Commission on Colleges, Quality Enhancement Plan, 2008 Publications: Forthcoming: Study book to accompany the first book, Dust and Breath: A Christian Perspective on Faith and Health, by Kendra G. Hotz and Matthew T. Mathews, in a new series for the Church Health Center, 2011-2012. Becoming Multi-culturally Competent, Christians in Education, Spring 2010. Piety: Affirmation of Tenure Message, Memphis Theological Seminary Journal, Vol. 23, 2007. Book review for Circuit Rider (September/October 2006 issue) on Courageous Past, Bold Future: The Journey Toward Full Clergy Rights for Women in the United Methodist Church, by Patricia J. Thompson. My Call to Ministry published in Stories of the Sisters: 2006 Memphis Annual Conference Ten Things that would Improve your Sunday School, Cumberland Presbyterian Christian Education Newsletter, Spring 2006 New Ways to Celebrate An Old Story, Cumberland Presbyterian Magazine, October 2002. Guide Us, O God, That We May Be Saved: Advent -- Lent Devotional Book 2002 2003, Division of Spiritual Formation, Board of Discipleship, Virginia Conference, 2002. The Pastor as Educator, Alert Magazine, Fall 2000. "The Hidden Curriculum: Is Your Church Teaching What It Intends To Teach?" Circuit Rider, March-April 2000. Glorious Gift s: A Marketplace for Mission Giving. Virginia United Methodist Advocate, December 22, 1994. Winning the Battle. Virginia United Methodist Advocate, September 15, 1994. Choosing to Serve God. Virginia United Methodist Advocate, September 15, 1994. Israel s Tragic Pattern of Life. Virginia United Methodist Advocate, September 15, 1994. 4
Grants Helped to research, design, write and implement a grant to the Lilly Foundation for Sustaining Pastoral Excellence. MTS was awarded a $1.9 million grant. (2002-2003) Member of the SPE Continuation Grant Planning Committee; MTS was awarded $950,000 (2006-2007) Professional Papers and Consultations: April 2010 November 2009 March 2009 February 2009 Nov. 2008 Nov. 2007 February 2007 Jan. 2007 Nov. 2006 Participant in Panel Discussion of The Blind Side Castalia Missionary Baptist Church. Memphis, TN Teaching Teachers Keynote speaker and workshop leader for The Academy for Ministry with Children, The Alabama-West Florida Annual Conference and the North Alabama Conference of The United Methodist Church, Montgomery, AL Windows and Mirrors: The Boundary-Crossing Ministry of UMC Deacons Keynote speaker (lecture and interactive workshop) at Mini Deacon Dialogue Event at Garrett Evangelical Seminary Evanston, IL Books, Buildings and Curriculum workshop leader for The Academy for Ministry with Children, The Alabama-West Florida Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church, Birmingham, AL Finding New Ways to Do Sunday School, -- Key note speaker for the Cumberland Presbyterian annual Christian Education Conference. Bartlett, TN Presented paper on The Deacon as Teacher at Deacons: Messengers of God s Kindon -- A Deacon Dialogue at Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary, Evanston, IL Keynote Speaker for Christian Methodist Episcopal (C.M.E) Regional Directors of Christian Education Meeting, Memphis, TN Faculty for MTS LifeTime Class entitled: Teaching Teachers to Teach held at Castalia Baptist Church in Memphis, TN Presented paper at Religious Education Association annual meeting Windows on a New World: Resources for Multicultural Competence Atlanta, GA 5
Feb. 2006 Jan. 2006 August 2005 July 2005 April/May 2005 November 2004 November 2004 September 2004 May 2, 2004 March 18, 2004 North Alabama Academy for Student Ministry North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church Birmingham, AL Two presentations on Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers Princeton Forum on Youth Ministry Seattle, WA Workshop Title: Invisible Privilege: Recognizing Barriers to Justice Memphis Conference Worship Workshop (Bartlett, TN) Children in Worship workshop Presented paper at United Methodist Scholars in Christian Education (UMASCE) conference (Jekyll Island, GA) Discovering and Developing Pedagogical Models and Resources to Orient, Engage, and Prepare Multiculturally-Competent Leaders for the Twenty-first Century Church in the Mid-South Christian Education Consultation Senotobia First United Methodist Church, Senotobia, MS Presented paper at Association of Professors and Researchers in Religious Education (APRRE) (Denver, CO) Multiplicity of Difference: Developing a resource for understanding diversity Keynote speaker for the Cumberland Presbyterian Christian Education event (Bartlett, TN) Trends, Models and Challenges in Contemporary Christian Education Member of panel discussing Sabbath and Interpersonal Relationships: How are they connected and how do they affect pastoral excellence? Sustaining Pastoral Excellence Opening Conference Celebrating and Claiming Sabbath Montgomery Bell State Park Palestine Cumberland Presbyterian Church Teacher training workshop Palestine, Arkansas Sustaining Pastoral Excellence Colleague Group Leader training on Multiple Intelligences Memphis, TN 6
March 7, 2004 January 25, 2004 October 2003 September 2002 March 2002 Feb. 2002 Jan. 2002 September 2001 September 2001 Feb. 2001 Oct. 2000 October 2000 Palestine Cumberland Presbyterian Church Consultation with the Christian Education Committee Palestine, Arkansas Reveille United Methodist Church Richmond, VA Preacher for Seminary and Ministry Sunday (2 services) Taught an adult Sunday School class Lunch meeting with youth leaders Keynote speaker and workshop leader for Memphis Annual Conference Youth Leader s Retreat Heart, Mind and Soul: Christian Education in a World in Transition Lakeshore Retreat Center (Eva, TN) Church Family Retreat for Trinity United Methodist Church (Memphis, TN) Faithful Witnesses: Understanding and Preparing for All Saint s Sunday One Spirit, Many Gifts (Women s event at MTS) Workshop Ministry with Adolescent Girls Memphis District (UMC) Laity Training (Memphis, TN) Christian Education workshop Adult Ministries Tapestry Event for Presbytery of St. Andrew (Tupelo, Mississippi) Workshop -- Generations Learning Together Parent Training Event Woodland Presbyterian Church (Memphis, TN) Church Family Retreat for Trinity UMC (Memphis, TN) Images of God District Lay Speakers (UMC) training (Missouri) Workshop Using Multiple Intelligence Theory in Teaching and Speaking Farmington Presbyterian Church (Germantown, TN) Taught three adult Sunday school sessions on "Theological Themes at the Cinema" Germantown UMC (Germantown, TN) Workshop - "Shaped by God's Story" - a session on Spiritual Development of Children 7
September 2000 June 2000 May 22. 2000 Feb. 2000 November 1999 November 1999 Sunday School Teacher Training Event Trinity UMC (Memphis, TN) Training Event at Memphis Theological Seminary for Memphis Annual Conference (UMC) Summer Student Work teams Workshop for College aged students on Multiple Intelligences, Discipline, and Environment Christian Educators Event Meeting (Memphis Conference) Presentation on Using Multiple Intelligences in Christian Education Settings (Jackson, TN) Teacher Training Event Providence Presbyterian Church (Lake Cormorant, Mississippi) The Call Exploring Ministry event for youth for the Memphis Conference (Jackson, TN) Led two workshops on Teaching CE in a Seminary Setting Cumberland Presbyterian Christian Education Event St. Columba Conference Center (Bartlett, TN) Led two workshops on Motivating Leadership Professional Affiliations: Religious Education Association (REA) United Methodist Association of Scholars in Christian Education (UMASCE) Local Church Activities at Colonial Park United Methodist Church and Service to the larger church (selected events) Spring 2010 Led Walking a Sacred Path: Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a Spiritual Practice a Lenten study for 6 weeks Spring 2006 Led Companions in Christ: The Way of Blessedness weekly small group at Colonial Park UMC Fall 2006 Led Companions in Christ: The Way of Grace weekly small group May 2006 Preached at Colonial Park UMC for 50 th Anniversary celebration of full clergy rights for women Sermon: Celebrating Our Courageous Past, Claiming Our Bold Future Spring 2006 Member of the planning team to design a special worship service for the Memphis Annual Conference celebration of 50 th Anniversary of Full Clergy Rights for Women in the United Methodist Church Spring 2005 Preached at Ash Wednesday worship service December 2004 Leading 2 Wednesday Evening Programs on Advent 2001-2002 Led Companions in Christ weekly small group on spiritual disciplines 2001-2003 Served on Missions Committee 8
1999-Present Secondary appointment is to Colonial Park UMC Liturgist on occasion Member of Youth Ministry committee Member of worship committee Participate in annual Halloween party that raises money to provide Christmas gifts at Reel Foot Ministries Help with annual Interfaith Housing Network Denominational Connections Deacon in full connection in the Virginia Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church, Ordained 1997 Diaconal minister (1992-1997) in the Virginia Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church, consecrated June 1992 Certified Minister of Christian Education 9