This year’s preachers included the Rev. Latoya Floyd (M.Div. ’25), the Rev. Eric Edwards (M.Div. ’23), the Rev. Angela Taylor (M.Div. ’10, D.Min. ’26), and the Rev. Dr. Mycal Brickhouse (M.Div. ’16, D.Min. ’24).

Across the sermons, a common thread emerged: a God-given calling to participate—to use one’s knowledge and gifts for God’s work in the world.

Floyd urged students to practice embodiment and engagement in times of dehumanization. “Faithful seeing binds us into responsibility," she said. “And if we are not intentional, we do not grow more faithful, we do not become more compassionate—we become numb. We become disembodied. So when the world tries to numb us, we practice presence.”

Edwards encouraged trust in God, preaching, “You may be questioning your gifts and your abilities, but God will encounter you and show you that you are important and needed by the community.”

Taylor reflected on the responsibility that accompanies theological education—a responsibility to honor and protect the humanity of others. That commitment, she said, is why she continues to return each year as a preceptor: to walk alongside students, care for them beyond the classroom, and offer the steady support she once received herself.

Finally, Brickhouse posed the question: “Are we willing to be a good witness?” He said, “Christ challenges us to stop being onlookers; instead to actively use our voice, to use our bodies, to use our presence, to tell others of what God is has done and what God is doing.”

Together, their voices embodied the spirit of Sankofa—reaching back to draw on the wisdom of the past while calling the present community forward in courage and conviction. Through preaching, presence, and pastoral care, these alumni reminded students that theological education is not merely an academic pursuit but a lived vocation: one that demands faithful seeing, active participation, and a willingness to bear witness in a world longing for hope.