Highlights from Alumni Day 2025

On Thursday, October 9, Christian Theological Seminary welcomed graduates back to campus for a day of connection, conversation, and renewal at Alumni Day 2025. From the moment guests arrived in the Common Room, the atmosphere was filled with warmth and excitement – familiar faces reconnecting, new friendships forming, and a shared sense of purpose in the air. 

This year’s Alumni Day invited participants to “Reconnect, Reflect, and Be Renewed,” and that spirit guided every part of the afternoon. The five-hour gathering featured a lunch catered by Café Maarten, remarks and an open Q&A with President David Mellott, an inspiring alumni panel, and two rounds of small group breakout conversations on timely topics in ministry, counseling, and leadership. 

Gathering as a Community 

Alumni began checking in around 11:30 am before gathering for a welcome, prayer, and community lunch. Conversations buzzed across the tables as graduates from multiple decades shared updates about their leadership, families, and lives since leaving CTS. 

President Mellott opened the formal program with remarks that reflected on CTS’s mission and the seminary’s continued growth as it moves on from its centennial year to a new frontier. He spoke candidly about the challenges and opportunities facing theological education today, emphasizing the seminary’s commitment to forming leaders who embody God’s liberative, restorative, and life-affirming message. During an open Q&A, alumni asked thoughtful questions about current programs, enrollment trends, and the evolving landscape of ministry, leadership, and mental health work. 

Alumni Panel: Living the Vision 

Next, a panel of three distinguished alumni shared how they are living out CTS’s vision to be a community that gives witness to God’s liberative, restorative, and life-affirming message in their communities. Their stories were as diverse as their vocations but united by a common thread – each panelist models what it means to serve God’s transforming of the world by advancing scholarship and formation, embracing diversity, working toward justice for all, affirming God-given human dignity, and promoting healing and wholeness throughout creation. Panelists were: 

• Laura Beth Buchleiter (MDiv ’21) – Spiritual Director, Pastor, Community Builder
  Founder of the Coalition for Peace and Restoration, Laura Beth offers trauma-informed support for Indianapolis’s LGBTQ+ community. She also hosts the podcast Going Nowhere, where conversations about life, spirituality, and wholeness invite listeners into deeper reflection. 

• Jason Powell (MDiv ’18) – Author, Spiritual Teacher, Gospel Artist
  Jason’s work bridges theology, creativity, and empowerment. His book Reimagine God encourages readers to break free from toxic theology and reclaim abundance, identity, and freedom in the divine. Through music and ministry, Jason inspires others to discover the God who delights in their flourishing. 

• Andrea Russell-Cruz (MAMFT ’24) – Therapist, Mentor, Community Leader
  As a therapist in residence with Family & Community Partners, Andrea serves at-risk youth and families throughout Central Indiana. Her passion for mental-health access and relational healing embodies CTS’s call to promote healing and wholeness throughout creation. 

During their discussion, each panelist reflected on how CTS shaped their formation and continues to ground their work. Together, they illustrated how the seminary’s mission to form disciples for church and community leadership is bearing fruit in congregations, clinics, and communities across the country. 

From Reflection to Action 

Following the panel, alumni enjoyed a coffee break and reoriented towards afternoon breakout sessions—spaces designed for dialogue, collaboration, and creative problem-solving centered on topics relevant to our current context. 

The breakout conversations invited alumni to dive deeper into issues at the heart of counseling, ministry, leadership, and public life today: 

• As Leaders, What Do We Do?  A discussion on civil and human rights 

• From Divides to Dialogue – Finding common humanity in disagreement 

• Mental Health: Increased Need, Increased Demand… Decreased Funding 

• Retirement: The Next Era of Leadership 

• Tools for a Better Tomorrow?  Exploring AI in ministry, therapy, and leadership 

Each session was facilitated by CTS alumni and staff, creating space for honest conversation and shared learning. Participants noted how encouraging it was to meet others navigating similar challenges in ministry and counseling – proof that even in an increasingly digital world, in-person connection still matters. 

Closing in Community 

The group reconvened at the end of the afternoon for closing reflection, sharing highlights, insights, and renewed commitments. Laughter mingled with gratitude as alumni expressed appreciation for being together again in the sacred rhythm of prayer, learning, and fellowship. 

As one attendee put it, “It felt like coming home. CTS continues to remind us that the work we do in our communities is connected to something larger – God’s ongoing transformation of the world.” 

Continuing the Connection 

Alumni Day 2025 reflected what makes the CTS community special: a deep well of scholarship, compassion, and shared calling that transcends graduation years and professional roles. The event served as both reunion and recommissioning – an invitation to stay connected, share wisdom, and support one another in the work ahead. 

For those who couldn’t attend, CTS will host additional online alumni gatherings in the months ahead. Keep an eye on your email inbox for future dates and registration links. 

In the meantime, the message of Alumni Day endures: our shared faith and formation continue to ripple outward – through ministries, classrooms, therapy sessions, and creative endeavors that bear witness to God’s liberative and life-affirming message. 

Thank you to everyone who joined us in person, to our alumni panelists for sharing their stories, and to all who continue to live out the CTS mission in the world.