Nazarene Theological Seminary

Pictured: After the special graduate chapel on Saturday, May 7, Dr. Ron Benefiel led the 2011 NTS graduates, faculty, staff, and alumni in a liturgy celebrating the graduates' induction into the NTS Alumni Association. 

Nazarene Theological Seminary held its 65th commencement on Sunday, May 8, at 4:00pm at Kansas City (MO) First Church of the Nazarene. The 72 graduates of the Class of 2011 received degrees as follows: 3 Doctor of Ministry; 53 Master of Divinity; 4 M.A. in Christian Education; 5 M.A. in Intercultural Studies; 7 M.A. in Theological Studies. 9 students earned additional diplomas or certificates along with their degrees; this class represented 7 countries: Canada, Kenya, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, Senegal, and the United States.

Earlier on Sunday morning, also at KC First Church, Rev. Wilson Ryland represented his class by preaching the Corlett Senior Sermon. The late Mr. Eric A. Mabes, a prominent Kansas City Realtor, established the Corlett Senior Sermon Award in the interest of developing an incentive for more effective preaching. He sponsored the award from 1945 to 1966. In 1966, Dr. and Mrs. L. T. Corlett, as a symbol of their continuing interest in the future ministry of the church, assumed the sponsorship of this award. For many years, until the time of his passing in 2009, Mr. Wes Blachly provided the necessary funding to continue this annual celebration of preaching.

Dr. Dan Boone, President of Trevecca Nazarene University, delivered the commencement address. In addition to his undergraduate degree from Trevecca, Dr. Boone earned a master of divinity degree from Nazarene Theological Seminary and a doctor of ministry degree from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago, Illinois. He taught at Olivet Nazarene University from 1995 to 1998, and since 1996 he has been an instructor for the Salvation Army, North Central Region, and the visiting professor of preaching and pastoral theology at NTS in Kansas City, Missouri. Dr. Boone has been a featured speaker for many denominational events and is a regular contributor to religious publications. Dan and his wife, Denise, have three daughters, and four grandchildren.

In addition to the commencement ceremony, the weekend was full of various graduation events, including a special graduate chapel on Saturday morning, the graduates' induction into the NTS Alumni Association, and an all-seminary reception on Saturday afternoon. After the reception, members of the NTS Classes of 1951, 1961, 1971, 1981, 1986, 1991, 2001, and 2006 were honored at a reunion lunch. Photos of the weekend's events are posted on NTS' Facebook page.