March 24, 2019: Installation of the Rev. Kurt Nelson

Good morning. It’s a pleasure to join you to officially welcome Rev. Nelson to the University. I am honored to deliver the "charge" today as he becomes one of the shepherds who — over the years — have dedicated themselves to the spiritual needs of our community.

But first, I want to pause for a moment to consider the term "charge." It certainly carries the weight of tradition. At Bucknell, we of course honor our history. But I think we can respect tradition without saddling Rev. Nelson with the solemn weight of a formal charge. Although there are both prescribed and proscribed aspects of every position, Campus Chaplain is of the type that requires organic growth over time.

So let’s instead call it a welcome. This morning, I’d like to share with you a bit of context to frame our hopes for Rev. Nelson’s success as we welcome him, and his family, to Bucknell.

When the University at Lewisburg was founded in 1846, Lewisburg was a frontier town. Instead of "three hours from everywhere," or "centrally isolated," the Susquehanna Valley was a vast wilderness, reachable only by boat and stagecoach after arduous journey. And yet a Baptist order of 30 men and women set their sights on Lewisburg as the location of not only a new church, but also a new university.

They met in a log schoolhouse in 1844, at the corner of Third and St. Louis streets. By the next year, the Lewisburg Baptist Church building was ready for use, and in October 1846, Stephen William Taylor opened a high school in the church basement. This was the humble beginning of our University. Our highest award for leadership and service to Bucknell, the Stephen Taylor Medal, honors our first leader.

Think about the magnitude of what these 30 people accomplished in that timeframe: They organized and built a church; they started a high school; they chartered a university; and they purchased the farmland where Bucknell now stands. To validate the charter, they had to raise $100,000 in pledges from Baptists from Pennsylvania and beyond, as well as from other churches in Lewisburg. That would be about four million dollars today. They did it.

Now, let’s pause for a second, and imagine accomplishing all of this in 1846. No electric lights or power. No telephones, typewriters, or business machines of any kind. No central water supply, no cars or trucks. And to think we get annoyed with spotty cell coverage…

Since then, generations of Bucknellians have walked on this very ground. While the University has changed with the times -- including its renaming in 1881 for William Bucknell and growing into a national leader in higher education — some things have not changed. Our core values, for instance, endure — the firm faith in the intrinsic worth of the individual; the dignity of the human spirit; and the profound impact of a broad education.

In today’s diverse Bucknell community, we continue to champion these ideals, for Bucknellians of all faiths and denominations. As our faculty members continue to educate our students and guide their intellectual development, our colleagues in Religious and Spiritual Life, led by Rev. Nelson, guide their spiritual growth and nurture our community.

I’d like to close by sharing with you a quote from an address delivered at the centennial of the Lewisburg Baptist Church by Dean William Coleman:

As we honor the memory of the founding fathers, let us not forget how great and sacred is the trust confided to our care. Time marches on, and the swift procession of the years passes by. Many men and women have by their worthy deeds knit the memory of their names into the fabric of Lewisburg Baptist Church and Bucknell. It is the happy privilege and responsibility of those of us who bear the burden of today, and of those who shall follow after us, to keep alive the ideals of the founders, who wrought far better then they knew.

I am humbled by Dean Coleman’s words, which ring just as true today. Rev. Nelson, I hope you, too, are energized and inspired by our predecessors, and that you find great opportunity and joy in your spiritual mission to lead the array of religions and beliefs that define our community. We wish you the very best as you begin what we hope will be many years of fruitful service to Bucknell.

Congratulations, and thank you.