Union University celebrated its 198th birthday on Feb. 3 with its annual Founders’ Day chapel and will hold a birthday celebration in Brewer Dining Hall on Feb. 16.
Over the years, various speakers have covered different aspects of Union’s history in the Founders’ Day chapel. This year, Dr. Eric Smith, a Union alumnus, gave the address. He went on to receive his masters of divinity and Ph. D. from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and is currently the senior pastor of Sharon Baptist Church in Savannah, Tenn. Smith chose to speak about the career of James Madison Pendleton, a controversial Union President, and his colleague James Robinson Graves.
As Smith drew near to the end of his lecture, he challenged his audience to learn from Pendleton with the help of God and “to reject his foibles and failures while also holding fast to what is good in his example.”
“I think it [Founders’ Day chapel] develops an appreciation among students for what people and what previous generations have done to put things in place for them as students now,” said Dr. Stephen Carls, university professor of history and chair of the department of history.
The students at Union who are learning about its rich history are at the same time adding to the history every day.
“Union has been such a gift to me,” said Allie Housman, junior intercultural studies major.
Housman stated that being a Welcome Week leader allowed her to be part of Union’s legacy by helping new students as they start their Union journey.
“[Thinking about Union’s history] just makes me a lot more grateful for my time here,” said Nicholas Bitterling, sophomore biblical studies and political science double major. “It encourages me to be more intentional with my time and realize that the education that I’m getting here is going to change the rest of my life if I let it.”
A recording of the Founders’ Day chapel service is available through Union at https://livestream.com/uu/chapel.
Always good to pause and reflect on how many of the opportunities we take for granted would not be available without the efforts of those who have gone before. Keeps us thankful.
Also wise to learn from both their successes and failures. Keeps us humble.