Berkeley School of Theology

The earth mourns; the heavens rejoice. A mighty oak has fallen. We weep.
Let us pray for the Smith family and our sisters and brothers of Allen Temple as we join with them at Professor Smith's Celebration of Life Service today. 
His impact lives on in all who were shaped by his ministry.

With hearts full of gratitude and sorrow, the BST community joins the Allen Temple family today to celebrate the remarkable life of Rev. Dr. J. Alfred Smith, Sr. — teacher, pastor, prophet, and friend. All services are streamed online.

📢 Announcing BST’s 2025-26 Alum of the Year! 🎉
We celebrate Rev. Dr. Rogelio Ovalle (’02)—pastor, educator, and champion of social justice & community well-being.
Join us to celebrate at Soul Sanctuary: A Virtual Retreat for Alumni on Nov 6, 4–7pm PT. Free on Zoom!
Register: https://bit.ly/BSTAlums

📣 The October BST Bulletin is here! 🍁 Highlights: Pres. Brenneman’s Convocation on Becoming Sanctuary, Rev. Dr. Iva Carruthers’ lecture (Oct 1), & First Friday Lunch & Learn on ending immigration detention (Oct 3).
Read more: https://mailchi.mp/bst/the-october-2025-bst-bulletin

📲 Digital pastor & church revitalizer Rev. Dr. Lawrence T. Richardson (DMin ’25) leads a session at BST’s Soul Sanctuary: Virtual Alumni Retreat Nov 6, 4–7 PM PT. Reflect, recharge & reimagine ministry. 💻 Register: https://bit.ly/BSTAlums
 #SoulSanctuary #BSTAlumni

First Friday Lunch & Learn - Berkeley School of Theology Join Berkeley School of Theology by Zoom on the first Friday of the month at 12p Pacific Time to learn about a fun and interesting topic from a member of the BST community! The speakers and topics will vary each month. Please see our “Upcoming” section at the bottom of the page. The guest speaker […]

💻 Join us Fri, Oct 3 on Zoom for BST’s First Friday Lunch & Learn! 🕊️ Rev. Deborah Lee & Danny Thongsy (@Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity) discuss “No One Belongs in a Cage: Ending Immigration Detention.” Register ➡️

Join us today, September 8 for BST's Annual Convocation at 6pm PT. If you are local, the service will take place in the BST chapel. If you live at a distance, you can watch the service on zoom here: https://zoom.us/j/98097586241?pwd=PXuDP4wbO7zxoTvKtLkPZoZ1un373U.1

BST’s September Bulletin is live!
📖 Demythologizing Theological Education
🍴 First Friday Lunch & Learn
🎓 Convocation
🌍 Intercultural Leadership Cohort
📅 More upcoming events!
👉 Read more: https://mailchi.mp/bst/the-september-2025-bst-bulletin

First Friday Lunch & Learn - Berkeley School of Theology Join Berkeley School of Theology by Zoom on the first Friday of the month at 12p Pacific Time to learn about a fun and interesting topic from a member of the BST community! The speakers and topics will vary each month. Please see our “Upcoming” section at the bottom of the page. The guest speaker […]

🌱 Want to keep growing and learning? Join us for our next First Friday Lunch and Learn on Friday, September 5th at 12pm PT on Zoom!
 
This month, Rev. Rebecca Irwin-Diehl, PhD, will speak on "Continuous Learning in Midlife and Beyond." 
 
👉 Register now:

⏰ Time is running out to nominate for the 25-26 BST Alum of the Year award.
 
🏆 This is your chance to honor a deserving BST alum who has made a significant impact. 

👉 Nominate them today: https://bit.ly/BSTAlumoftheYear
 
#BSTAlumni #BSTAlumoftheYear #BerkeleySchoolOfTheology #BSTBerkeley

The August BST Bulletin is here! ☀️

This month, we’re spotlighting Make-a-Will Month 📜

We’re also taking nominations for BST Alum of the Year 🌟

And don’t miss the return of our First Friday Lunch & Learn series 📚🍽️

Head to https://tinyurl.com/AugustBSTBulletin to learn more.

We've missed you! 👋 First Friday Lunch & Learn returns August 1st, 2025!
 
💻 Gather with us on Zoom at 12 PM PT for a presentation by Rev. Dr. LeAnn Snow Flesher on "When God is Silent." 
 
Be sure to REGISTER to receive the Zoom link! See you there! ➡️ https://bit.ly/BSTFirstFridayLunchandLearn

📣 Calling all of BST! 📣 Alum of the Year nominations are officially OPEN through 8/31!
 
Who's inspiring you? Nominate a BST alum making outstanding contributions today! Anyone can nominate an alum! ✨
 
🔗 https://bit.ly/BSTAlumoftheYear
 
#BSTAlumni #BSTAlumoftheYear #BSTCommunity #BSTBerkeley

🎆 Hot off the press! 🎆 Our July BST Bulletin just dropped, & its' got all the latest:
BST's fall application deadline is July 14, a stellar Appeal update, highlights from the DEI Matters Convening, & nominations for BST Alum of the Year are OPEN!
👇👇👇
https://mailchi.mp/bst/the-july-2025-bst-bulletin

📚☀️ Welcome to June at BST!
As we step into the summer season, we offer a blessing to all students, faculty, and community members beginning new chapters, continuing their studies, or taking time for rest and renewal. 🌿

📅 Tuesday, June 17 – 5:00 PM PT
Training in Christian Leadership (ELC)
With Dr. Hanna Kang
📲 Join us on Zoom (no registration required):
🔗 try.bst.edu/ELCwebinar.1...

📅 Tuesday, June 10 – 5:00 PM PT
Master of Theological Studies (MTS)
With Dr. Eric Sias
📲 Join us on Zoom (no registration required):
🔗 try.bst.edu/MTSwebinar.1...

🎓 Are you exploring theological studies or preparing for Christian leadership?

Join us this June for two free Spanish-language webinars to learn about BST’s academic offerings for Spanish-speaking students.

📅 Martes 17 de junio – 5:00 PM PT
Entrenamiento en Liderazgo Cristiano (ELC)
Con Dr. Hanna Kang
📲 Únete por Zoom (no se requiere registro):
🔗 try.bst.edu/ELCwebinar.1...

📅 Martes 10 de junio – 5:00 PM PT
Maestría en Estudios Teológicos (MTS)
Con el Dr. Eric Sias
📲 Únete por Zoom (no se requiere registro):
🔗 try.bst.edu/MTSwebinar.1...

🎓 ¿Estás considerando estudiar teología o prepararte para el liderazgo cristiano?

Este junio, acompáñanos en dos webinars gratuitos en español para conocer los programas que BST ofrece para estudiantes hispanohablantes.

🔥 Feeling called to ministry but unsure what’s next?

Join Angie Barker Jackson for From Spark to Flame, a free webinar on spiritual discernment.
📅 June 10 | 🕔 5PM PT | 💻 Zoom

🎁 Free 4-week guide for all attendees

Register here:
🔗 try.bst.edu/sparktoflame

🎓 The June BST Bulletin is here!
From graduation highlights to upcoming webinars & summer courses, stay connected with all that’s happening at Berkeley School of Theology.

📬 Read now: mailchi.mp/bst/the-june...
#BSTBulletin #FaithAndJustice #SeminaryLife #ChristianLeadership

🎉 Join us for First Friday Lunch & Learn!
📅 June 6, 2025 | 🕛 12 PM PT | 💻 On Zoom
Topic: DEI Matters: A Panel Discussion
Hear from Rev. Katie Choy-Wong, Dr. Garfield Harvey, Rev. Gabe Garcia & Rev. Dr. Ruth Meyers.
🎟️ Free registration: bst.edu/alumni-and-friends/first-friday-lunch-learn

DEI Matters‼️ Join us June 6 on our Berkeley campus to explore the what, why, & how of DEI. bst.edu/deimatters 

#DEIMatters
#DiversityEquityInclusion
#DEIinFaith
#InclusiveLeadership
#EquityInMinistry
#InterculturalLeadership
#BerkeleySchoolOfTheology
#BSTInterculturalLeadership
#BSTEvents
#seminary

🎉Congratulations to Dr. Barbara Lee on her installation as Mayor of Oakland! We’re proud to call her a BST board member and pray for wisdom, courage, and compassion as she leads the city. 🙏🏽💜#BarbaraLee #OaklandMayor #FaithAndJustice #BSTProud

#FaithInAction #BSTBerkeley #bstalumni #Seminary

🎓 Congratulations to the Berkeley School of Theology Class of 2025! Your dedication, faith, and leadership have shaped a brighter future. We celebrate your journey and can't wait to see the impact you'll make in the world. #BSTGraduation #ClassOf2025 #FaithInAction #BSTBerkeley #bstalumni #Seminary

📢 Join Berkeley School of Theology for a conversation on Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion. Discover why DEI is crucial for faith communities & professional organizations, & learn actionable steps to lead in your context. #DEI #FaithCommunities #Leadership #BSTBerkeley 
https://bst.edu/deimatters/

🌸 This AAPI Heritage Month, we honor the voices, histories, & spiritual contributions of Asian American & Pacific Islander communities. At BST, we celebrate the rich cultural wisdom that shapes our faith & our shared pursuit of justice. #AAPIHeritageMonth #BST #FaithAndJustice #seminary

🎉 Join us for an evening of celebration on Friday, May 16th, 5:30-7:30 PM at BST. Join us to show the 2025 grads the support  BST alumni community!

⏳ Spots are filling FAST! Register now through the link 🔗 bit.ly/BSTAlums or [link in bio].

#BSTAlumni #Classof2025 #AlumniGathering #Celebration