The Rev. David Bennett Named Chair of the Moravian Theological Seminary’s Board of Trustees

The Rev. David Bennett, president of the Moravian Church’s Eastern District Executive Board has been elected chair of the Moravian Theological Seminary Broad of Trustees, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Bennett will complete the term of Wilma A. Lewis, who stepped down as chair to take the position of assistant secretary for land and mineral Management, Department of the Interior (DOI), a key Obama administration post.

Moravian College President Christopher Thomforde applauded the Seminary Board’s decision to elect the Rev. Bennett at the recent October meeting of the Trustees, and praised the effective and lasting contributions of Wilma Lewis during her tenure as chair. He said that he expected a very smooth transition between the two leaders. “Under Wilma’s able stewardship, the Board has overseen substantive advancements at the Seminary, including a dynamic strategic planning process, and the launch of an important capital campaign. David has all the talent and dedication to sustain that momentum and build on the Seminary’s record of excellence,” Thomforde noted.

Bennett serves on both Moravian College and Moravian Theological Seminary Boards of Trustees. He is currently serving a four year term as president of the Eastern District which consists of 51 recognized Moravian Congregations throughout Maryland, the District of Columbia, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Ontario, Canada.

Raised in West Salem, Illinois, Bennett graduated from Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, Illinois, in 1985, and received a Master’s of Divinity degree from Moravian Theological Seminary in 1988. He was ordained a Deacon of the Moravian Church in 1988. He has served as the pastoral leader at Millwoods Moravian Church, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (1988-1993); Rio Terrace Moravian Church, also in Edmonton (1993-1998); and Hope Moravian Church, Hope, Indiana (1998-2002). From 2002-2008 he served as Chaplain at Moravian College and Moravian Theological Seminary. In conjunction with the time that he served as pastor of various congregations, the Rev. Bennett also served as Member of 2004 and 2008 Synod Planning Committee, Program Director for Tar Hollow Camp, Ohio, in 2008, and on the Provincial New Church Strategy Committee, 2020 Vision, whose goal is to have 20 new church plants in the Moravian Church, Northern Province by 2020.

President Barack Obama nominated Wilma Lewis, a former U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia and Inspector General at Interior, for the key Cabinet post in May, 2009. The U.S. Senate confirmed Lewis in August, who was required by law to remove herself as Chair of the Seminary Board, but she will continue on the Board as a non-fiduciary “special advisor.” The DOI’s official news release of Lewis’ confirmation can be found on the Web at: http://www.doi.gov/news/09_News_Releases/080709.html.

Moravian Theological Seminary, located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, is the seminary of the Moravian Church in the United States and Canada. The Seminary awards three degrees: Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling, and Master of Arts in Theological Studies. The institution also awards certificates in theological studies. For more information, visit www.moravianseminary.edu.

Michael P. Wilson serves as the Director of Public Relations for Moravian College and Theological Seminary