Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary 1985

Former Executive Director, Programs, Good News Partners, Chicago, Illinois; Current Ph.D. student at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary

Rev. Dr. Karen E. Mosby characterizes her ministries, first and foremost, as diverse. Not only has she served in several different leadership roles—pastor, teacher and small-group facilitator, non-profit social-service executive—but also she has served Baptist, United Methodist, and United Church of Christ congregations. She enjoys the freedom to do many different types of things, and she particularly appreciates the far-reaching impact her work is able to have: “My ministry is itinerant and hybrid.”

Dr. Mosby also sees her work as firmly rooted in the church, the academy, and the community—three interrelated constituencies: “Nothing I’ve done has fallen outside of those three intersecting circles.” But the common thread in all of these settings has been the transformation of individuals, of organizations, of communities; in every position, she has sought to “change something for the better, or work with individuals to change something for the better, particularly as it relates to God’s vision for their lives or for the world.”

Being true to God’s vision is an important element of Dr. Mosby’s understanding of faithfulness, which involves perseverance, obedience, and confidence in God’s vision for the world. Being faithful means “weathering the storm, contending against the principalities and obstacles and shortcomings and missteps . . . it means you keep your eye on God’s larger vision for creation and you keep showing up for whatever part of that vision you have an assignment with.” She is most inspired by people living faithfully in the midst of tremendous obstacles, people taking their faith in God seriously and living out of that faith: “They have to draw from the well of faith every day . . . whether adults or children or young adults, that inspires me to keep doing what I’m doing.”

Dr. Mosby’s time at Garrett-Evangelical was instrumental in shaping her concept of God’s vision: “Garrett-Evangelical was a space for me to develop my voice, a space where I was able to develop my understanding of God’s vision for the world, for creation.” The seminary became a model for her of an institution working toward and grounded in God’s vision, and it is this model she seeks to embody in her ministry work today.