Cumberland Presbyterian Magazine

12/30/2025

Waynesboro Historic Home Destroyed

Waynesboro, Tennessee, lost one of its most recognizable historic landmarks December 21, 2025, when the Kindrick–Cypert–Morrison–Morrow House was destroyed by fire, authorities said. The house was directly across the street from the Waynesboro Cumberland Presbyterian Church (Columbia Presbytery), an active congregation which predates the Civil War.

The Waynesboro City Fire Department was dispatched about 7:30 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 21, to the home at 113 N. High St., where firefighters encountered heavy smoke and flames already engulfing much of the structure. Despite an aggressive response, the fire spread rapidly through the multi-story frame house, and the building was deemed a total loss, officials said.

No injuries were reported. Fire officials said the blaze was accidental and caused by an equipment failure. The home was undergoing renovation and restoration work at the time of the fire, which may have contributed to how quickly the flames spread. Fire crews worked diligently to protect nearby structures, and the Cumberland Presbyterian church did not sustain damage, according to local officials.

Built in the 19th century and remodeled several times over the decades, the Kindrick–Cypert–Morrison–Morrow House was widely regarded as one of Waynesboro’s most beloved historic residences. Local residents and preservation advocates described the fire as a significant blow to the community’s architectural and cultural heritage.

City officials said the cause and nature of the equipment failure remains under review, but no foul play is suspected.

C P News: https://cpcmc.org/category/cmt/cp-news/

12/29/2025

Synod of the Southeast Dissolves Cumberland East Coast Presbytery

The Synod of the Southeast has voted unanimously to dissolve the Cumberland East Coast Presbytery, an entirely Korean presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

The action was taken during a called meeting held by Zoom on December 18, 2025. Synod members adopted the recommendations of a committee appointed to inquire into the status of the presbytery after discussion, approving the report without opposition.

According to the approved action, the synod’s stated clerk was directed to notify any presbyteries that may receive former ministers, probationers, or congregations of Cumberland East Coast Presbytery and to request that each receiving presbytery conduct appropriate vetting.

In a statement following the meeting, Synod Stated Clerk Cliff Hudson said the synod intends to exercise due diligence to ensure that all identifiable ministers and congregations are guided to the correct geographical presbyteries. Hudson added that receiving presbyteries are expected to follow normal processes for examination and reception.

The meeting was moderated by the Rev. Derek Jacks and adjourned after 22 minutes, concluding with prayer.

C P News: https://cpcmc.org/category/cmt/cp-news/

12/24/2025

12/23/2025

Bass Cats Ranked 10th Nationally

SAN ANTONIO — Bethel University’s Bass Cats are ranked 10th nationally in the latest preseason college fishing poll released by the Association of Collegiate Anglers, placing the program among the nation’s elite entering the 2025–26 season. Bethel moved up from a preseason ranking of 14th in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year standings presented by Abu Garcia. Since the program’s founding in 2010 under coach Garry Mason, the Bass Cats have won 13 national titles, establishing Bethel as one of the most successful collegiate fishing programs in the country.

C P News: https://cpcmc.org/category/cmt/cp-news/

12/21/2025

Memphis Theological Seminary (MTS), a force of education and social justice for more than 60 years, is likely to close at the end of July next year.

https://www.memphisflyer.com/memphis-theological-seminary-plans-to-close

12/18/2025

12/18/2025

Rev. Robert Howell White

The Reverend Robert Howell White, 85, of Bloomington, Indiana, died December 13, 2025. He was born June 8, 1940, in Nashville, Tennessee, and ordained in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church by Nashville Presbytery on October 25, 1964. A Nashvillian in his youth, White was the son of Robert Howell and Geneva (Clark) White and graduated as valedictorian from Central High School in 1958. He earned a bachelor’s degree in religion and philosophy and English literature, graduating magna cm laude from Bethel College in McKenzie, Tennessee, in 1962, where he met his future wife, Johnnie Robinson. The couple married June 7, 1963, and shared 62 years of marriage.

White earned a Master of Divinity from Vanderbilt Divinity School, receiving the Founder’s Medal for Excellence and comprehensive honors, and later completed a Doctor of Divinity there in 1970. Ordained in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in 1964, he transferred to the Presbyterian Church (USA) in 1966 and served more than four decades in active ministry. His service included roles in Christian education, congregational ministry, synod leadership, and ecumenical work across Indiana, Kansas, and New York. He retired in 2003 as an honorably retired member of Ohio Valley Presbytery. Throughout his ministry, White was known for his commitment to Christian education, mission engagement, and advocacy for justice and peace, receiving the Presbyterian Washington Office’s 50th Anniversary Award for leadership in “Speaking Truth to Power” in 1997.

C P News: https://cpcmc.org/category/cmt/cp-news/

12/17/2025

Notice to PAS Constituents in Light of MTS Announcement

By now you are informed of the recommendation for the seminary to close. This is heartbreakingly sad news for many of us who were nurtured in this valued educational community. I am thankful for the transparency and leadership of Dr. Jody Hill through very troubled waters. I want to hurry to bring a word of reassurance and clarity directly related to the Program of Alternate Studies.

Having been alongside for much of the painstaking decision-making I’m reluctantly resigned to the fact that the best way forward responsibly is outlined in the board’s recommendation. MTS and PAS have had a meaningful relationship for more than forty years! That is a good run in anyone’s book. We can be grateful for the enduring legacy of transformation which MTS leaves. But none of us should run ahead of the process. It remains the decision of the larger Cumberland Presbyterian Church to act on the proposal of the Board of Trustees and the special GA Committee appointed last June. The delegates of the General Assembly on January 23rd will weigh-in and, through them, the church will act.

While some things are unclear, our immediate path forward is not. The closure of MTS should not affect PAS severely other than the obvious loss of a campus and infrastructure that has provided a home base since its inception in 1984. Across all quarters of the church, there is recognition that PAS is critical for the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. In the immediate future nothing will change. All current courses, schedules, and academic expectations remain fully in place. There are no changes to PAS programming at least through the Summer Extension School in July, 2026. Students should continue with their studies as planned and with confidence.

Of course, it is not simply business as usual. We want to affirm that we are taking next-steps. We are proactively engaging, together with denominational partners and presbytery leaders, in thoughtful, faithful planning for the long-term sustainability of the Program of Alternate Studies. We are carefully discerning next steps with prayer. Current conversations reflect our shared commitment to steward PAS responsibly so that it can continue serving students, churches, and the wider Cumberland Presbyterian mission for years to come. Not everything will be known by the time we get to the called meeting, January 23rd, and that’s okay. The PAS Advisory Council will convene, as soon as practical, to consider new directions warranted by the General Assembly’s actions.

We embrace the changes with confidence in a stable future for this vital ministry. In this season let us be mindful of the message echoing across the centuries. The one spoken to Zechariah, Mary, Joseph, a group of shepherds, and to all people. It is simply, “Do not be afraid.” We remain deeply grateful for the resilience and faith that define this community. Thank you for your trust, your patience, and your continued investment in this program and in one another.

If you have immediate concerns or questions, please reach out. I’ll do my best to answer.

With gratitude and steady hope,

Rev. Dr. Michael Qualls

Director, Program of Alternate Studies

C P News: https://cpcmc.org/category/cmt/cp-news/

12/17/2025

Lady Wildcats Take Over No. 1 Spot in NAIA Coaches’ Poll

Bethel University climbed to No. 1 in the latest NAIA Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Poll, earning the top ranking for the first time in program history after opening the season 13-0.

The Lady Wildcats received 14 first-place votes and 534 points, moving up from No. 2 and overtaking Dordt (Iowa), which slipped to second with a 10-1 record. Campbellsville (Ky.) remained third and unbeaten at 13-0, followed by Dakota State (S.D.) and Marian (Ind.).

Bethel has been dominant across all venues, going 6-0 at home, 4-0 on the road and 3-0 at neutral sites. Recent wins include a 70-45 victory at Fisk and a 73-56 road win over Faulkner, where Bethel shot better than 55 percent from the field.

Micah Hart leads the Lady Wildcats with 228 points while shooting 53.8 percent from the floor and 88.4 percent at the free-throw line. Mikee Buchanan has added 215 points and leads the team in 3-point shooting, while Adalyn Koelling has provided inside balance with 58.2 percent shooting.

C P News: https://cpcmc.org/category/cmt/cp-news/

12/17/2025

Christmas at the Bell

Montgomery Bell State Park

December 20, 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Join us for live sacred and secular Christmas music, and hot chocolate at the Cumberland Presbyterian Birthplace Shrine Chapel from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm. All are welcome and Merry Christmas.

Please join us as we bring in the holiday season in a simple and traditional way.

Refreshments will be provided.

The Chapel has no street address. If using GPS, look for 171 Church Holw Rd, Burns, TN 37029, which is actually McAdow's log house but it will take you to the Birthplace Shrine.

In addition we will be collecting items for the Dickson County Help Center. Suggested items include: Pasta, Pasta Sauce, Soup, Boxed meals (like hamburger helper), Peanut Butter, Canned Meat (Ham, Chicken), Hearty Meals (Chili, Ravioli), Shampoo, Deodarant, Toothbrushes, Toothpaste, Dish Soap.

C P News: https://cpcmc.org/category/cmt/cp-news/

12/16/2025

An Important Update from Memphis Theological Seminary

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — At a specially called meeting on Thursday, December 11, the Board of Trustees of Memphis Theological Seminary approved a recommendation to the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church (CPC) that the seminary cease operation as of July 31, 2026. The recommendation will be considered by denominational representatives during a Called Meeting of the CPC’s General Assembly on January 23–24, 2026.

For more than sixty years, Memphis Theological Seminary has stood as a beacon of scholarship, piety, and justice in the heart of Memphis. When the Cumberland Presbyterian Church moved the seminary to Memphis in 1964, at the height of the Civil Rights Movement, it was a bold act of faith. The Church declared that it wanted to be urban and multiracial, educating men and women and welcoming persons of all Christian denominations. From the beginning, MTS was described as an ecumenical mission of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church—a vision that continues to define who we are.

That vision has shaped countless leaders whose impact stretches across the world. Todd Richardson, President and CEO of Crosstown Concourse, said, “I don’t think there is a Crosstown Concourse today without the seminary’s impact on me and others in our great city.” Dr. LaSimba Gray recalled visiting the campus in the 1970s and realizing, “This was a place where my people were welcome—and I wanted to be trained in my faith.” Grammy Award–winning artist Kirk Whalum said, “I’m a minister who holds a saxophone. I play with people who are Muslims, atheists, and people who love Jesus like me. The seminary changed my life.”

Our alumni continue to embody the Gospel in every sphere of life—among them Rev. Lisa Anderson, founder of Room in the Inn–Memphis; Bishop Dorothy Sanders Wells, the first woman and first African American Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi; Dr. Carmichael Crutchfield, General Secretary of the Department of Christian Education and Formation, CME Church; Dr. Christopher Davis, pastor and President of LeMoyne–Owen College; and Dr. Keith Norman, pastor and Vice President for Governmental Relations at Baptist Memorial Health Care.

In recent years, the challenges confronting theological education nationwide reached our doorstep. As a standalone seminary without the support of a larger university structure, we have borne all operational costs on our own.

For the last two years, the seminary has been engaged in a merger, acquisition, or partnership (MAP) evaluation and has reviewed 30 different institutions. The limited amount of endowment and assets under our direct control has left us unable to secure a MAP partner. Under our current operational model as a standalone seminary, we have been left with few options.

If the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church approves the MTS Board’s recommendation to cease operations on July 31, 2026, we will work diligently with our accrediting bodies and academic partners to support each student and ensure the most seamless academic transition possible during this time of change. We are also committed to walking closely with our faculty and staff, providing care, clear communication, and support as they navigate this season. I am grateful for the extraordinary effort, grace, and professionalism of our faculty and staff, many of whom have devoted decades of their lives to this place.

Ours is a unique mission—serving a richly diverse community of God’s children here in the Mid-South and beyond. This mission has always been larger than any one institution, and it will continue to live on through the transformative leadership of generations of MTS alums serving around the globe.

This is a moment for prayer, unity, action, and bold faith as we seek God’s guidance. Please join us in praying for our seminary community, that we may be a comfort and a light to one another in this time of transition.

Rev. Dr. Jody Hill
President
Memphis Theological Seminary
168 East Parkway South
Memphis, TN 38104
901-458-8232

https://cpcmc.org/mts-announces-closure/

12/15/2025

Bethel Honors Graduating Student-Athletes

Bethel University Athletics honored its graduating student-athletes during a pinning ceremony held Friday, December 12, 2025, recognizing members of the fall graduating class ahead of commencement exercises on Saturday.

Each student-athlete received a commemorative pin, continuing a tradition observed with every graduating class. Coaches from across Bethel’s athletic programs attended and participated in the ceremony.

Senior Associate Athletic Director of Communications Dave McCulley said the pin symbolizes both academic and athletic achievement. He noted that balancing the demands of competition and the classroom requires dedication and perseverance, qualities these student-athletes demonstrated throughout their time at Bethel. McCulley added that honoring graduates in this way is a meaningful part of the Bethel Experience.

C P News: https://cpcmc.org/category/cmt/cp-news/

No photo identification was provided.