Good afternoon, my name is J. Gottman. For those who do not know me, I serve as the Director of Development at the Disciples Divinity House. I am a graduate both of VDS and the House. For the past six months it has been a pleasure getting to know many of you and reconnecting with others in our shared love and dedication to the mission, ministry and work of the House. On behalf of the house, we are grateful for your prayers and support both hands-on and financial.

Today, it is my honor to introduce the Rev. Kaki Friskics-Warren as our Alumna of the Year. This award recognizes lifelong service and achievement by a Disciples Divinity House alumna or alumnus. The Disciples Divinity House at Vanderbilt began giving this award in 2009, and it is given every other year during the General Assembly.

The Alumni selection team has selected Rev. Friskics-Warren, Kaki to those who know her, as the 5th recipient of this award. The criteria considered in making the selection includes:

• Significant contribution to church and/or school
• Work that has demonstrated the heritage and commitments of Disciples House and Vanderbilt Divinity School, such as –
• a reflective faith
• fostering church, ministry, and academy in partnership
• building community
• advocating for justice, and
• faithful, bold, creative and effective work toward building the realm of God in this world

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” God called Kaki to a faith life that has led her to new and challenging places where she has left a trail of compassion. In her still unfolding faith journey we hear echoes of Ecclesiastes where there is a time for everything. We hear the teachings of Jesus in Matthew 25 leaping off the pages and into action with the familiar refrain, “When was it I saw you . . .” Kaki has taken these words not just to heart but to action.

Ms. Friskics-Warren earned her Masters of Divinity in 1992 from Vanderbilt Divinity School. She has been described by her colleagues as an incredible leader, full of vitality and compassion. She has an overwhelming sense and passion for justice - using her gifts and talents for the church; and using her voice to speak for the voiceless and the outcast. She is well respected, generous with her time and an inspiration.

In a December 2014 article entitled, “Divinity Students Leave a Large Footprint on Nashville’s Non-profit Scene” Vanderbilt Magazine described The Rev. Kaki Friskics-Warren in this way, “she [sic] has earned a reputation for being a “go to” social entrepreneur when local community leaders are considering launching a new nonprofit. She has a proven track record in leading successful startups and then knowing when to step aside and move on to her next challenge. Kaki stated in that article, “I like to look at my life in seasons, with a season of planting followed by a season of resting,” she says.[i]

She has created three non-profit ministries around her passion for social justice. While serving as associate minister at Vine Street Christian Church and working with inmates on death row, Kaki realized the urgent need for a guesthouse in which inmates’ families could stay while visiting their incarcerated loved ones. Reconciliation opened in 1981 with Kaki serving as executive director.

After 11 years at Reconciliation, Kaki left to spend three years as a part-time chaplain for Alive Hospice.

In January 1996 she became the first executive director of Renewal House, a residential program for addicted mothers and their children. She says, “At the time, the crack epidemic was a serious problem and foster-care advocates were frustrated about having to separate so many families due to the mothers’ addictions.”

Kaki left Renewal House to serve as the founding director of GivingMatters.com, part of the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, and a local connection for GuideStar, a nonprofit transparency and compliance website. After seeing GivingMatters through its early years, Kaki now serves as executive director of theDan and Margaret Maddox Charitable Fund in Nashville.

Kaki has not only given back to the larger community but she has remained actively involved in denominational work.

She served a term on the board of the Disciples House at a time when non-profits were adjusting to greater transparency and she helped the House be sure it was in compliance through her expertise with nonprofit policy and procedure. Mark Miller-McLemore remarked that her work resulted in important conflict of interest, whistleblower, document retention, and personnel policies that are tested and correct, as well as numerous best practices now in use at DDH.

She’s served many years on the Commission on Ministry in Tennessee, guarding and guiding candidates into ministry. She worked with students as field education supervisor and led the field education seminar.

Her commitment to racial justice has fueled her long membership and leadership at New Covenant Christian Church in Nashville. Her pastor the Rev. Dr. Judy Cummings and Elder Dwayne Bell, who both serve currently serve on the House board are with us today and can attest first hand to Kaki’s love of God through Jesus that calls her to serve.

Finally, let us not forget the support that comes from her family. She and her husband Bill, a music critic and author, met at the Disciples Divinity House and have been married for 35 years. They have a grown son, Marshall.

Kaki sees a definite connection between her Divinity School education and her entrepreneurial spirit. She says. “I didn’t know that I would thrive on starting these nonprofits until I got into my professional life, but there’s a theological imagination that is nurtured at Vanderbilt.”

Kaki is unable to be with us today, so I will invite you to use a bit of imagination as we welcome Kaki into our presence by way of a pre-recorded video message.

[i] https://news.vanderbilt.edu/vanderbiltmagazine/divinity-students-leave-large-footprint-on-nashvilles-nonprofit-scene/ December 23, 2014