McConnachie to Give Founders’ Day Address

Jenny McConnachie, one of the longest-serving Episcopal missionaries in the church’s history, will deliver the Founders’ Day address and receive an honorary Doctor of Canon Law during the Oct. 9 Convocation at the University. The ceremony, held at 12:30 p.m. in All Saints’ Chapel, will include the conferral of two additional honorary degrees, the installation of the provost of the university and the induction of new members into the Order of Gownsmen.

McConnachie, a nurse, met her husband, Chris, when they both worked at hospitals in London. Their careers took them from London to Canada, to South Africa and to North Carolina, where they settled and began raising a family. In 1981, the McConnachie family—including five children—returned to South Africa for what became a lasting commitment. They found an overwhelming demand for healthcare and other services, and in response started the African Medical Mission with support from U.S. churches. McConnachie launched a medical clinic for people living on the local garbage dump. That program, the Itipini Community Project, now includes a preschool, after-school and nutrition programs and other services, providing care to 3,000 people.

Honorary degrees awarded during this Convocation have a theme of service to the broad Episcopal Church. The University will confer upon Christopher Bryan, C. K. Benedict Professor of New Testament at Sewanee’s School of Theology, an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree, and upon W. Brown Patterson, C’52, Francis S. Houghteling Professor of History emeritus, an honorary Doctor of Letters.

A native of London, Bryan attended Wadham College, Oxford, graduating in the Honour Schools of both Theology and English Language and Literature, and coming under the influence of C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien. Before moving to Sewanee in 1983, he taught New Testament at Virginia Theological Seminary, and was associate director of the Center for Continuing Education. Here, Bryan has held the positions of professor of New Testament, interim chaplain, priest associate, and editor of the Sewanee Theological Review. His scholarly books cover topics including the Gospel of Mark, St. Paul’s letter to the