Sara Wenger Shenk

“I am energized by weaving together study, worship, fellowship, service and prayer in the learning community. The work of administration to which I feel called is to provide leadership that allows persons to thrive in a holistic community. I enjoy encouraging practices that enhance our experience of God, the mysteries of Scripture and tradition, and the real world of our daily lives.”

Sara Wenger Shenk’s varied career includes a study/service assignment in the former Yugoslavia for nine years, pastoral ministry for four years, extensive speaking in academic and church venues, the writing of six books and many articles or chapters in various publications. Dr. Shenk served as interim dean of the seminary 1999-2000.

• Ed.D. May 1999, Union Theological Seminary and Presbyterian School of Christian Education, Richmond, VA
  
• Master of Theological Studies, 1986, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, Evanston, IL (Focus areas: theology, women & ministry, practical and classical spirituality)
  
• University of Zagreb, Croatia. Croatian language studies, 1977-78
  
• Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, CA, studies toward an M.A., 1975-77
  
• B.A. English Education, 1975, Eastern Mennonite College, Harrisonburg, VA
  
• Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL, studies toward a B.A., 1973.

• Thank You for Asking: Conversing with young adults about the future church, Herald Press, 2005
  
• Anabaptist Ways of Knowing: A conversation about tradition-based critical education, Cascadia Press, 2003
  
• Meditations for New Parents, Herald Press; co-authored with N. Gerald Shenk, 1996
  
• Coming Home: a thoughtful resource for fathers, mothers, and the rebirth of the family. Good Books, 1992. The book interweaves the dynamics of everyday life with theological reflection on the crisis in the family, changing family patterns, passing on the faith, mother-father God, and practical spirituality.
  
• Why Not Celebrate! Good Books, 1987. A popularized version of a master’s thesis on the spirituality of everyday life. In addition to theological reflection, the book includes a collection of celebrations useful for families, small groups and retreats.
  
• And Then There Were Three: An Ode to Parenthood. Herald Press, 1985. Republished by Hodder & Stoughton, London, 1989. Also published in adapted version, in Croatian, by Izvori (Osijek, Croatia), 1990. The book combines theological reflection with what it means to be man/woman and parents.
  Chapters and Selected Articles
  
• 2008 “Threshold Crossings,” Real Families, The Mennonite
• 2008 ”’I’m getting married in the morning,’” Real Families, The Mennonite
• 2007 The Lexington Seminar Final Report, for the Lexington Seminar, a project supported by Lilly Endowment Inc and sponsored by Lexington Theological Seminary.
• 2007 “A new modesty movement?” reprinted in Our Faith Digest
• 2007 “A new modesty movement?” Real Families, The Mennonite
• 2007 “My Father’s ‘Generous Orthodoxy.’” reprinted in Crossroads
• 2007 “My father’s generous orthodoxy.” Real Families, The Mennonite
• 2007 “Talking about sex.” Real Families, The Mennonite
• 2007 “An Interview with Sara Wenger Shenk,” Growing Leaders
• 2006 “Depression, a shadow illness.” Our Faith Digest
• 2006 “The stuff of a goodly heritage.” Real Families, The Mennonite
• 2006 “A shadow illness.” Real Families, The Mennonite
• 2005 “Sabbath at Home: a practice for opening the gift of time.” Leader Magazine
• 2005 “What’s in a name?” Real Families, The Mennonite
• 2002 “Anabaptist Ways of Knowing: a proposal for tradition-based, critical education,” published in APRRE conference Proceedings
• 2000 “Daily Resurrections of Hope, ” book review in Sojourners
• 1999 “Ten Years Later: Reflections on Revisiting Ex-Yugoslavia, June 1999,” with N. Gerald Shenk in Religion in Eastern Europe: Christians Associated for Relations with Eastern Europe, Vol. XIX, No. 6, December 1999.
• 1996 “Where Love is Lodged,” chapter in Ted Koontz ed., Godward: Personal Stories of Grace, Herald Press.
• 1995 Forward, Bridging the Generations, by Katie Funk Wiebe, Herald Press.
• 1995 “Remember Who You Are,” John Roth ed., Refocusing a Vision: Shaping Anabaptist Character in the 21st Century, Mennonite Historical Society.

• “For Such a Time (and Place) as This,” author of Eastern Mennonite Seminary curriculum revision draft concept paper presented to faculty, spring 2008
• “What are Mennonite young people saying about the church? Implications for EMU, EMU Faculty Luncheon, October 2007
• “Anabaptist ways of knowing,” two-part presentation to EMU new faculty and mentors, February and May 2007.
• “The Power of Dialogue: what our students are saying,” seminary faculty luncheon, February 2007.
• “Young Adults on Mennonite Practices,” workshop at School for Leadership Training, EMS, January 2007.
• “What Young Adults Envision for the Church,” two addresses to pastors, teachers and other leaders jointly sponsored by Atlantic Coast Conference, Lancaster Conference, and Lancaster Mennonite Schools, Lancaster, PA, December 2006.
• “Circles of Dialogue,” presenting Thank You for Asking as one of six featured books at the Annual Religious Education Association’s Forum on Religious Education in Academic Disciplines and Institutions, Atlanta, Georgia, November 2006.
• Respondent to Dr. Walter Howard Smith lecture, “Bowen Theory: A Natural Systems Understanding of the Family.” Shenandoah Anabaptist Scientific Society public lecture, EMU, October 2006.
• Anabaptist Learning Institute: Understanding Roots of Community, a project for Mennonite elementary and secondary school teachers sponsored by Mennonite Board of Education—five lectures, Lancaster Mennonite School, PA, June 2006.
• “Young Adults & the Future Church—Thank You for Asking,” two workshops at Lancaster Mennonite Conference annual meeting, Lancaster, PA, with Gerald Shenk, March 2006.
• “Ministering to Families in a Culture of Busyness,” two lectures for Pastors, Deacons, Elders, Chaplains Annual Meeting, Mennonite Church Eastern Canada, Toronto, Canada, January 2006.
• Respondent to David Wilcox lecture “Human Origins: Biogenetic and Theological Issues.” Shenandoah Anabaptist Scientific Society Forum, EMU, November 2005.
• “Remembering Who We Are from Generation to Generation.” Valley Brethren-Mennonite Crossroads Lecture, Dayton Church of the Brethren, Dayton, VA, November 2005.
• “Practices for Nurturing Children in Faith.” Workshop for Mennonite Educators Conference, Chevy Chase, MD, September 2005.
• “What Young Adults Say About Faith and the Future Church,” two seminars at Mennonite Church USA General Assembly, Charlotte, NC, July 2005.
• Pearl Toon Smith Lectures, Anderson University, Anderson, Indiana. Co-presenter with N. Gerald Shenk, March 2005.
• Two Workshops at Mennonite Education Agency Education Leaders Gathering, Pittsburgh, PA: “Revitalizing an Anabaptist-Mennonite Identity in Our Schools;” “Our Children—Formative Faith Narratives and Practices,” February 2005.
• EMS School for Leadership Training seminar: “The Power of Dialogue When Teaching Adults,” January 2004.
• Led MCC East and West Europe Summer Retreat (along with N Gerald Shenk), Crikvenica, Croatia, June 2003.
• “Anabaptist Ways of Knowing—a proposal for tradition-based, critical education,” paper presented to Research Interest Group of the APRRE, Philadelphia, PA, November 2002.
• Three plenary addresses, Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary’s Pastors’ Week—Family, Culture and the Household of God. Elkhart, IN, January 2002

• “Sleeping on the job” EMS spring convocation, January 2008
• “Arise my love, my fair one and come away,” closing sermon for Embodying Sexual Wholeness in a Broken World, Eastern Mennonite Seminary School for Leadership Training, January 2008
• “Family Practices for Red Letter Christians,” and “The House was Filled With Fragrance,” at Ridgeview Mennonite Church, with Gerald Shenk, March 2007.
• “With Every Breath,” EMS convocation, January 2007.
• “Young Adults and the Future Church,” sermon at Community Mennonite, Harrisonburg, VA, October 2006.
• “Fire of Love in our Flesh and Our Bones,” installation sermon, Neffsville Mennonite, Neffsville, PA, September 2006.
• “The Inconceivable Surprise of the Good News,” Spring Convocation, Eastern Mennonite Seminary, Harrisonburg, VA, January 2006.
• “Young Adults and the Future Church,” sermon at Akron Mennonite Church, Akron, PA, August 2006.
• “Anointed and Sent to Bring Good News,” Baccalaureate Address, Eastern Mennonite Seminary, Harrisonburg, VA, April 2006.
• Eastern Mennonite Seminary Convocation, “Jesus Cosmic Balancing Act,” January 2005.
• Speaker for Winter Special Emphasis Series, West Union Mennonite Church, Parnell, Iowa, November 2004.
• “The Whole World Sparks and Flames,” commencement address, Lancaster Mennonite High School, June 2001
• “A Word on Fire,” commencement address, Eastern Mennonite High School, June 2001.

• Mennonite Church USA Constituency Leadership Council, Virginia Conference Representative, Laurelville Conference Center, Mt. Peasant, PA, Spring, 2008
• Chair of Table Worship Team for EMS School for Leadership Training, Embodying Sexual Wholeness, January 2008
• Design Team co-convener for emerging Mennonite church, The Table, 2005-
• Board Member of NGO, Nurturing and Encouraging Women (NEW), 2004-
• Editor for Emma: a widow among the Amish by Ervin Stutzman, Herald Press
• Hospice Volunteer, certified by Rockingham Memorial Hospital, 2006-07
• Chair, Worship Commission, Community Mennonite Church, Harrisonburg, VA 2004-06
• Member, Church Council, Community Mennonite Church, Harrisonburg, VA 2004-06
• Editorial Advisory Council, Concise Encyclopedia of Amish, Brethren, Hutterites and Mennonites, 2004
• Bible Department Advisory Council, Eastern Mennonite High School, 2005-2008
• Congregational Life Committee, Office of Congregational Life, Mennonite Church USA, 2002-2004
• Leadership Development Initiative Team, Office of Ministerial Leadership, Mennonite church USA, 2002-03
• Leadership Development Consultation, Kansas City, MO 2002
• Missional Church Project Team Planning Meeting, Kansas City, MO, 2001
• Samuel Project Phase II Implementation Planning Meeting, Kansas City, MO, 2001
• Eastern Mennonite High School Board of Directors, 1997-1999
• Faith and Life Commission member, Virginia Mennonite Conference, 1993-2001
• Pastor, Immanuel Mennonite Church, Harrisonburg, 1991-1995
• Service assignment with Mennonite Central Committee and EMM, Yugoslavia, 1987-89
• Study/service appointment to Yugoslavia by Eastern Mennonite Missions, 1977-83

• Wrote Calvin Institute of Christian Worship Renewal Grant, awarded May 2008 to The Table: an emerging Mennonite Church meeting on EMU campus.
• Wrote Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion grant for faculty workshop in integrated pedagogies, awarded to EMS, 2007.
• One of six selected authors to present at “Circles of Dialogue,” plenary session of Religious Education Association/Association of Professors and Researchers in Religious Education, Atlanta, Georgia, November 2006.
• Valparaiso project on the Education and Formation of People in Faith Research Grant: Young Adults Practice Faith in a Changing World, 2003
• ATS funding to attend Women in Leadership Seminar, Pittsburgh, PA, 2001.

• Hospice Volunteer certification, 2006-2007

• Association of Professors and Researchers in Religious Education, 1995-present
• American Academy of Religion (Practical Theology Group), 2006-

• Association of Theological Schools Self-Study Workshop, Pittsburgh, PA, February 2008
• Lexington Seminar Final Consultation, Bar Harbor, Maine, October 2007
• Wabash Seminary Faculty Workshop, Staunton, VA, April 2007.
• ATS MDiv Curriculum Revisioning Consultation, Pittsburgh, PA, March 2007.
• Calvin Worship Symposium, Grand Rapids, Michigan, January, 2007.
• 20th Annual Music & Worship Leaders Retreat, Laurelville, PA, January 2007.
• American Academy of Religion/Society of Biblical Literature, Washington DC, November 2006.
• Association of Professors and Researchers in Religious Education, Atlanta, Georgia, November 2006.
• Wabash Conference on Educating Clergy, Chicago, IL, March 2006.

• Christian Tradition I (history of worship, as one of three team members) fall 2007
• Christian Tradition II (same as above) spring 2008
• Practice of Christian Worship spring 2008 (co-taught with Ken J Nafziger)

Seminary Associate Dean, 2000-
Acting Seminary Dean, summers of 2007 and 2008
Associate Professor of Christian Practices, 1999-
Institutional Effectiveness Committee, 1997-
Seminary Admissions Committee, 1995-
Seminary Academic Committee, chair, 1995-
Seminary Trustee Committee—staff support, 1995-99, 00-
Coordinator of EMS MCE assessment activities, 1995-99, 00-
Clinical Pastoral Education Advisory Committee, 2004-
University Graduate Council, 1999-00, 04-07
Lilly Vocational Grant Steering Committee, 2000-07
Interim Seminary Dean, 1999-2000