HUSD Community Letter on Covid-19

Beloved Community,

One of the most difficult tasks I've had recently, as Chair of the Mayor's Interfaith Council

in Washington, DC, has been to advise pastors to close churches. For many of us, our

houses of worship serve as a place of safety and refuge. We look to our communities of

faith in times of crisis. We always expect the doors of the church to be open. However,

leadership is about making the tough calls, including prioritizing the needs of the most

vulnerable. Beyond the faithful elders in our faith communities, many of our family members

have pre-existing conditions and compromised immune systems which make them especially

susceptible to the coronavirus. We have and we must close our buildings, stay home, and

practice social distancing. That is not easy advice to give to people who enjoy gathering each

week. It is definitely not easy advice to give as many of us face Palm Sunday and Easter. And

yet, we know that God dwells in the people of God, not in the buildings.

Likewise, the Howard University School of Divinity is not a building- whether on East Campus

or West Campus. HUSD is a beloved community that has continued, uninterrupted, for 150 years,

in offering a rigorous theological education to men and women. COVID-19 has required some

shifts in how we offer that education, but our work must continue. We must continue to be faithful

to the work to which we are called.

Students

 
Our students have all transitioned to remote-learning for the remainder of Spring 2020. I am grateful

that we have the technology which allows us to continue our educational mission, even in trying

circumstances. Howard University is offering students the option to take courses Pass/Fail,

recognizing the impact of the abrupt shift to online instruction. Students have access to the full range

of University services during this time, including library resources and mental health counseling.

Chapel

 
Our Wednesday in-person chapel services are no longer meeting. However, we were blessed to gather

as a community via Zoom on Wednesday, March 25th. HUSD student and musician, Mr. Sam Perryman,

led us in praise and worship. Dr. Fred Ware gave us some inspirational words. We were all encouraged

to see each other, even in a virtual format.

Commencement 

President Frederick had the sad task of announcing that commencement for May 2020 has been cancelled.

This includes our own Honors & Awards Ceremony. Last year, the Rev. Dr. Otis Moss, III was the speaker.

This year, we were scheduled to welcome the dynamic Rev. Dr. Leslie Callahan. This news is an enormous

disappointment for graduating students. HUSD will attempt to do something online in May for our outstanding

class of 2020. In addition to graduating MA(RS), MDiv, and DMin students, we have our first cohort of

MDiv /MSW students graduating this year. 

 

Staff and Faculty

All faculty and staff are currently working remotely from their own homes. They are all

in good health and will continue their normal HUSD duties, while also attending to the

needs of their own families, communities, and houses of faith.

 

Connection

During these challenging and isolating times, please make a point to stay connected to

the HUSD community via Facebook; Twitter; or Instagram. And we always welcome

emails at: Divinityinfo@howard.edu. We also appreciate your continued financial

support at such a time as this: https: / / giving.howard.edu / givenow

 

Sesquicentennial Anniversary

2020 is HUSD's 150th anniversary, commemorating the year when Rev. Dr. John B.

Reeve was appointed as the first dean of the "Theological Department" at Howard

University. While we were able to have a celebratory Anniversary Worship Service in

February with Bishop Walter Scott Thomas, our Academic Symposium scheduled for

April has been cancelled. We are optimistic that as we continue our 150th anniversary in

Fall of 2020, the academic symposium, arts festival, and closing gala will all take place.

 

Encouragement

These are challenging times, but they are not times for despair. Howard Thurman

reminds us: "whatever may be the tensions and the stresses of a particular day, there is

always lurking close at hand the trailing beauty of forgotten joy or unremembered

peace." There is a peace that surpasses all understanding which we can call upon, even

as we deal with the challenges of the "new normal." Our feelings of stress, anxiety,

disappointment, and sadness during this time are real and important to acknowledge.

We can also find beauty in the forgotten joys and unremembered peace of spending

time with our families, slowing down our whirlwind of activity, and enjoying time in

prayer and meditation.

Thank you for your continuing support of the Howard University School of Divinity.

We will continue to pray for all our students, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends. And we

ask you to pray for us as we face unprecedented times, but with full confidence that the

One who has begun a good work in us will be sure to complete it.

Sincerely,

Yolanda Pierce, PhD

Professor & Dean

Howard University School of Divinity

2900 Van Ness Street NW

Washington, DC 20008