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  • images/FrontFeatures/Deyja-Donohue.jpg

    Student Profile

    For Deyja Donohue, current student at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, religion has played a key role in the formation of her life. Born and raised in the Virgin Islands and brought up with her family in the Catholic Church, she was actively involved as an altar server and in youth group. As a teenager, she dabbled with the idea of becoming a nun, wanting to completely engulf herself in religion and God, but decided it wasn’t the path for her. Instead, she pursued an undergraduate degree at La Roche College in Pittsburgh, studying religion and philosophy.

    “I think everyone should have a significant education in religion, because it is good to know what you believe and why you believe it,” she says.

    Not only that, but it’s an education that can change your life. At least it did for Deyja. Entering college, burnt out and frustrated, she says she was on the verge of being agnostic; however, in learning more about the history of religion, she felt herself challenged, causing her faith to...

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    Deyja-DonohueFor Deyja Donohue, current student at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, religion has played a key role in the formation of her life. Born and raised in the Virgin Islands and brought up with her family in the Catholic Church, she was actively involved as an altar server and in youth group. As a teenager, she dabbled with the idea of becoming a nun, wanting to completely engulf herself in religion and God, but decided it wasn’t the path for her. Instead, she pursued an undergraduate degree at La Roche College in Pittsburgh, studying religion and philosophy.

    “I think everyone should have a significant education in religion, because it is good to know what you believe and why you believe it,” she says.

    Not only that, but it’s an education that can change your life. At least it did for Deyja. Entering college, burnt out and frustrated, she says she was on the verge of being agnostic; however, in learning more about the history of religion, she felt herself challenged, causing her faith to grow and mature.

    Upon graduating, however, she wasn't sure of her next step, so she decided to take a year or two to work, first at a nursing home and then with people who have physical and intellectual development disabilities. In this time she discovered a joy in working with people, so she started looking for programs that focused on social work but also had some sort of religious basing. A few other universities had something similar but weren’t exactly what she was looking for, but in looking at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and the joint degree program in social work with the University of Pittsburgh, she knew she had found where she was supposed to go.

    “It feels like it’s a calling, and I know in my heart I’m where I’m supposed to be. I just don’t know what God’s going to do with me yet,” she says.

    Though she’s not sure about the divinity side yet, the social work gives her direction so that in whatever path God leads her down will be in service to other people with a strong hold in real life situations. Deyja knows this is where she needs to be and what she needs to be studying.

    So Deyja keeps her eyes lifted towards the Author of her life, following her path wherever it may lead, meeting the people where they are beyond the walls of the church, and working to bridge the Word and the World.

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  • images/FrontFeatures/Betty-Angelini.jpg

    Alum Profile

    For the past nine years, the Rev. Betty Angelini ’09 has been leading Crestfield Camp and Conference Center, a Christian ministry facility of the Pittsburgh Presbytery located in Slippery Rock, Pa. Not only does Betty welcome campers to traditional on-site programs, but Crestfield also joins with local Presbyterian churches to assist with summer day camps. Additionally, Mission Possible camps bring young people to the facility and then provide opportunities for mission work in the local field.

    Recently Betty’s work of bridging the Word and the world covered more of the map. For the first time, she and others from Crestfield went around the globe to provide a camp experience for children in Africa. At the invitation of the Rev. Ken White ’76, associate pastor at Southminster Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, and the PCUSA Mission Agency, members of Crestfield worked with the children of mission co-workers in Africa. For a week in April, Betty joined Ken, who was serving as spiritual d...

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    Betty-AngeliniFor the past nine years, the Rev. Betty Angelini ’09 has been leading Crestfield Camp and Conference Center, a Christian ministry facility of the Pittsburgh Presbytery located in Slippery Rock, Pa. Not only does Betty welcome campers to traditional on-site programs, but Crestfield also joins with local Presbyterian churches to assist with summer day camps. Additionally, Mission Possible camps bring young people to the facility and then provide opportunities for mission work in the local field.

    Recently Betty’s work of bridging the Word and the world covered more of the map. For the first time, she and others from Crestfield went around the globe to provide a camp experience for children in Africa. At the invitation of the Rev. Ken White ’76, associate pastor at Southminster Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, and the PCUSA Mission Agency, members of Crestfield worked with the children of mission co-workers in Africa. For a week in April, Betty joined Ken, who was serving as spiritual director to the mission co-workers; Aimee Spicuzza, M.Div. student at PTS and employee at Crestfield; and two others from Crestfield—Becky Little, program director, and Mike Hilf, assistant program director.

    While the mission co-workers and mission staff from Louisville met for a week-long conference, Betty and the others from Crestfield provided a camp experience for the attendees’ children. The group of more than 20 enjoyed daily worship together as well as Bible studies and time for fun, including making t-shirts, playing games, and singing silly camp songs.

    The week culminated in a worship service led by the children and youth. “The kids took high ownership of this service,” said Betty. “If you’ve ever worked with youth ministry you know that the Holy Spirit truly has to be present. They did a beautiful job!” The younger children played Jesus Loves Me on the hand bells and acted out Scripture, while the older ones led the Call to Worship through the energizer, “Revolution,” and Bible study. “It was truly an amazing thing!”

    Often children of mission workers, frequently called “third-culture kids,” struggle to find their place in these settings. While their parents are striving in pursuit of the Lord’s work, the children are worshipping in a foreign land and language. They may not have the chance to ask questions related to their special circumstances. “The parents were so appreciative of us being there to be present with their children,” says Betty.

    Next year Betty hopes to be able to do a similar camp program in Latin America. “We live in a day and age when in ministry we are working to be missional. We have to go out into the world,” says Betty. “This is the beginning of a wonderful partnership between the campus and conference ministry and the mission ministry of the PCUSA.”

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