00:00:17.040 - 00:00:21.210

yeah, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,

00:00:21.220 - 00:00:55.710

no, no, no, no no, mm hmm mm hmm mm hmm mm hmm, mm hmm mm hmm mm hmm mm hmm. Oh yeah. Mhm. Mhm mm hmm mm hmm hmm hmm hmm

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hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm mm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm mm hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Mhm mm hmm. Mhm mm hmm. Okay,

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mm hmm mm hmm. Yes, mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm. Okay. Oh. Mhm. Yes. Mhm mm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm

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mm hmm. Yeah. Mhm. Yeah, mm hmm. Please stand unless the Lord builds the house mm hmm. Jesus said those who love me will keep my word and my father will love them and

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we will come to them and make our home with them. No one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid. That foundation is jesus christ mm hmm. Yeah, mm hmm hmm

00:03:37.450 - 00:05:10.340

hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm. Yeah. Yes. Mhm, mm hmm, mm hmm. Oh yeah . Yeah. Yeah, mm hmm. Yeah,

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mm hmm mm hmm. And mm hmm mm hmm . Yes. Yeah. Yeah. What. Yes . Yeah. Mhm mm hmm. The lord be with you. Let us pray together. Oh God

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. They don't even use good job. We elect the foundation of the earth. Mhm. Mhm. Yes. Worship and praise and world for love, jesus christ. Yeah, mm hmm Psalm 19 the

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heavens are telling the glory of God. And the firmament proclaims his handiwork day to day, pours forth speech and night tonight declares knowledge. There is no speech nor are there words. Their voice is not

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heard yet. Their voice goes out through all the earth and their words to the end of the world in the heavens. He has sent a tent for the sun which comes out like a bride groom from

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his wedding canopy and like a strong man runs its course with joy. It's rising is from the end of the heavens and its circuit to the end of them. And nothing is hidden from its heat.

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The law of the Lord is perfect reviving the soul . The decrees of the Lord are sure making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right , rejoicing the heart. The commandment of the Lord

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is clear, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether more to be desired are they than gold, even much fine

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gold, sweeter than honey and dripping of honeycomb. Moreover by them. Is your servant warned in keeping them. There is great reward. But who can detect their errors? Clear me from hidden faults.

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Keep back your servant also from the insulin. Do not let them have Dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless and innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my

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heart be acceptable to you? O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. The word of the Lord . Mm hmm, mm hmm, greetings everybody. I am so glad that finally, after several delays

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brought on by the unpredictability of the pandemic, we are finally gathered together in person to dedicate the mary B and robert, J right learning and information center . And I think that deserves a round of applause

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. I hope that if you have not yet taken time to do so, You will take some time during the day to read through the list of donors of the right centre. Starting on page 10 of

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this booklet to fathom the names of the people whose gifts large and small were given in the sturdy hope that this long sought after building would finally materialize. And I also invite you to read the names of

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particular gifts that you will see on pages six through nine along with the names of their donors, gifts of specific components of this building. We're expressing thanks today in this service for every single gift and every

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single giver. Thanks be to God for the people and for all of you who have supported and have prayed this new learning and information center into being I would also like to lift up the army of people

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across the months of construction during a pandemic who in various ways large and small pulled that building out of the ground. I'm aware that we have some representatives of that army here today. Mr Ed Mullins,

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the head of project control. Are you here? Ed there is what a sweetheart. Ed and I agreed early on that we have prayer partners and uh I think he prayed that building out of the ground

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and I'm so grateful. Ed's son, Aaron Mullins is also here. Where are you Marian there? You are good to see you in the balcony and Mr Marcus Greer of burn construction. It's great to

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see you again. Marcus also, we have Nathan Sauber architect who is here, Nathan, it's so great to see you. Thank you so much for all that you have done as well. Um I

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would ask these gentlemen to stand but they're already standing in the back of the balcony. I could ask them to sit down but that might be a problem . These men lead this project from start to finish

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and we are deeply, deeply grateful. We're also very grateful today for Mike and Stacey right who are here and who joined with Mike's parents mary and bob in supporting this project enthusiastically. Mike is a trustee

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here at the seminary and he and Stacy have provided the fourth floor of the learning information Center which houses what is now the largest lecture space on this campus and enables as well the flexibility to provide all sorts

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of other configurations as needed. The rights, all of them not only gave generously but they also rolled up their sleeves and they worked closely with the architects and the designers and the builders through every step of

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the planning and construction process. And it shows I am so sorry that bob is not with us today to enjoy this building as well. But I am so grateful for his relentless encouragement. Thanks to their

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labor and love the right Learning and information center will welcome and host generations of students coming here to study and prepare and ultimately, to dedicate the life of the mind given joyfully to the glory of God.

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It's fitting that we have begun this service of worship and dedication in this chapel because this building bears the same Gothic vernacular as the original Stitt library across the green there. This building was built in 1941 And

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the original library building was built in 18 and 1950 . And in fact, when architects began thinking about the first drawings of the library, I know this because of the history we've read about this. Okay

00:14:52.840 - 00:15:09.700

, the architects of the library, imagine the library itself connecting physically to this transept to my right, your left. The theology of these two buildings being connected to each other was beautiful. One portion of

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the conjoined buildings representing the life of the mind and the other portion. This portion representing the life of the soul all the same. I'm glad they decided not to put those buildings together, but to this

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day, I believe that that library in this chapel Regard and salute one another every day, they are the two most important buildings on this campus because they make the statement that the chief responsibility is to uphold

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the life of the mind and the life of the soul, the life of the mind and the life of the soul. So we have begun our worship in this building and we will soon process from this

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chapel and walk to the mary B and robert J right Learning and information center where we will continue our worship on this day. Friends, let us celebrate and be thankful. This day has been a long

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time coming. Mm hmm. And it's finally here . Mhm. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Yeah , mm hmm. Oh. Oh, mm hmm . Right, mm hmm, mm hmm, mm

00:18:48.130 - 00:21:41.150

hmm. Yeah. Mm hmm mhm. Yeah, mm hmm. Rather still to start taking responsibility for your use of the opportunity. And I think that's something that I didn't want the experience of music or

00:21:41.740 - 00:22:15.550

something like that madam Chair on behalf of those who designed and built this house of learning, We present these keys to you and ask you to dedicate this place to the glory of on behalf of the board

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of trustees, the faculty, the staff and the students of this institution. I accept these keys and dedicate this building to the study and proclamation of our faith friends. Let us pray eternal God high and

00:22:34.250 - 00:22:51.450

holy no building can contain your glory. May This space be used as a gathering place for people of goodwill, when we worship, let us worship gladly when we study, let us learn your truth.

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May every meeting held here meet with your approval so that this building may stand as a sign of your spirit at work in the world and as a witness to our Lord and savior, jesus christ amen open

00:23:12.340 - 00:23:32.980

to me the gates of righteousness. That way we may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord . Let us prepare our hearts for scripture. A Reading from Mark, chapter 12, verses 28 through

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36, one of the scribes scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them. Well, he asked them which commandment is the first of all, Jesus answered.

00:23:48.200 - 00:24:00.980

The first is hear O Israel the Lord, Our God. The Lord is one. You shall love the Lord, your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind,

00:24:00.150 - 00:24:15.590

and with all your strength. The second is this . You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There's no other commandment greater than these. Then the scribe said to him, You're right teacher, you have

00:24:15.590 - 00:24:29.330

truly said he is one and beside him there is no other and to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength and to love one's neighbor as oneself. This is

00:24:29.330 - 00:24:42.550

much more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices . When jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, you are not far from the Kingdom of God. After that no one dared

00:24:42.550 - 00:24:56.670

to ask him any question. While Jesus was teaching in the temple, he said, how can the scribe say that the messiah is the son of David ? David himself by the Holy spirit, declared the

00:24:56.670 - 00:25:33.170

Lord said to my sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet, Holy wisdom , Holy words. The library is one of civilizations best ideas. I didn't think that was funny.

00:25:34.340 - 00:25:57.560

Libraries help us defeat forgetfulness. There are bulwarks against fascism and fake news at their best. They expand the horizons of imagination. Reading supports, dreaming. Academic libraries are engines that helped produce new scholarly knowledge

00:26:00.040 - 00:26:19.270

. Libraries Like this one that document the thoughts and actions of christians are important repositories to support and criticize christian practice today. We dedicate the mary B and robert, J right learning and information center. This

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building stands in a succession of library spaces on our campus. The first purpose built library of the seminary was designed by marvin I And dedicated in 1950, the primary patrons of that library building were white men

00:26:40.320 - 00:27:00.220

studying to become ministers of the Southern Presbyterian Church. In 1971, the library was named the David and jane Sit Library Dr Stitt was the 4th president of Austin seven As the step library filled with books.

00:27:00.620 - 00:27:21.480

The seminary built in addition, which was dedicated in 1978. That addition was meant to provide space for people as well as materials as librarian, Calvin Clements said in his dedication remarks in the library, we

00:27:21.480 - 00:27:40.980

know that there is no reason to conserve a past . If we are not deeply committed to people here and now tradition and people, that is what the library is about. That we believe is what the

00:27:40.980 - 00:28:03.750

christian faith is about. Now as time went on , Most of the people spaces in the 1978 edition were repurposed to hold more books and periodicals. That is what good librarians did before. The Fast forward

00:28:03.750 - 00:28:22.410

to 2009 when we asked students and faculty what they needed in a renovated library for the seminary, they said we need social spaces and places for quiet study . But don't forget about inaccessible collection of books,

00:28:22.840 - 00:28:42.650

People and tradition continue to shape libraries. The right center addresses are changed. Understanding of who the people served by the seminary library are. We serve students who live in Austin to be sure. But we

00:28:42.650 - 00:29:03.390

also serve Doctor of Ministry students and Master of Arts and Youth Ministry students scattered across the country. Our students attend classes in person in Austin in Nashville and sometimes by a distance education. The students and faculty

00:29:03.400 - 00:29:26.090

served by the center or white and people of color , women and men queer and straight presbyterians, Methodists , Episcopalians Baptists and members of other churches to meet these diverse needs. The center provides a digital education

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center and the media lab. The staff purchases e books and databases as well as print books. We build collections that acknowledge the insights, struggles and tragedies of our forebears and address the concerns of our here

00:29:45.380 - 00:30:07.400

and now students and faculty the Austin Seminary Archives on the third floor of the center and are digitized resources focused especially on the history of Austin Seminary and presbyterian ism in the southwestern United States. And the staff

00:30:07.410 - 00:30:29.000

helps patrons sift through gigabytes of digital stuff to find the information they are really looking for because of generous donors, the creativity of architects that PSA dewberry and the skills of burn construction and its subcontractors. On

00:30:29.000 - 00:30:45.810

this day we dedicate the right learning and information center to be a set of mental and spiritual tools that are patrons can use to explore the christian tradition for the sake of the world. Did that work by

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the grace of God their continual fruit. Hmm. Well, good morning! I know this seems like a reverent moment, but this is exciting and on behalf of the Wright family, it is an honor

00:31:11.620 - 00:31:25.970

for Stacy and me to be here at this dedication today. Also happy to have our daughter Hannah and her husband Tyler here with us and my mother Mary Wright who was 97. She cannot be here with

00:31:25.970 - 00:31:34.090

us today but she is planning a trip to Austin on Wednesday. So this Wednesday. We're excited to have her down here and see the building. But she did have a lot to do with the interiors

00:31:34.090 - 00:31:48.860

and what it looks like. So I know she's excited about checking it all out. But anyway, today, right family especially wants to thank this incredible team that brought this building to reality the seminary's leadership

00:31:48.860 - 00:32:07.520

, the seminaries, faculty seminary students, fellow donors , are architect Dewberry, our construction company burn Construction all collaborated, wonderful to create this spectacular bill and in spite of the challenging construction environment over the last

00:32:07.520 - 00:32:22.810

couple of years here in Austin and course, Covid , we think this project just turned out beautiful. So we believe the project is going to have a meaningful and lasting positive impact on long term success of

00:32:22.810 - 00:32:37.410

the seminary. My parents bob and mary right have consistently supported the church and institutions of higher education And they've done that over the last 50 plus years. So their support of the seminary was just the natural

00:32:37.410 - 00:32:52.040

5th as church and education. So it's not lost on me that my parents made their pledge to the learning and information center. And then less than two months later my father passed away. So God truly

00:32:52.040 - 00:33:07.360

has a plan. So for several years, the right family has enthusiastically supported the Senate, as many of you have for we believe there is a significant need for a lot more Austin presbyterian Theological Seminary graduates

00:33:07.360 - 00:33:37.600

in the world. We are proud of this institution and we are blessed to play a small role in its growth and success. Thank you friends. Let us continue in prayer. Why is it wondrous God

00:33:37.600 - 00:33:54.100

? Your word is a lamp unto our feet and a light to our established here, your ministry of teaching, research and Learning, bless the spaces provided by donors and intended for the use and inspiration of

00:33:54.100 - 00:34:13.910

scholars for outdoor gathering spaces. Lord God, surrounded in this space by plants and flowers, by sunshine and evening stars, and always the sky may what is planted here grow and flourish watered by your gracious

00:34:13.910 - 00:34:29.560

blessing. And as we encounter each other among the four seasons of the year, May your saving word and your spirit rise in our hearts. Let this space be a haven for the gathering of your people

00:34:30.140 - 00:34:46.200

even as they prepare to go into the world, as followers of jesus christ for the reading room, loving God, fill this room with your love. So that all who are welcomed as guests in this

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room may be strengthened to serve you in one another for collaborative and group study spaces, Loving God, you call us to be a beloved community, enable those who gather in these collaborative spaces to cultivate open

00:35:07.070 - 00:35:30.180

minds, foster loving hearts, quench thirsty souls and cause faith to grow. That those who pass through these spaces may give glory to you for offices and library services. Oh, Tryon God source the source

00:35:30.180 - 00:35:43.490

of all truth. Beauty and goodness equip your servants to administer the work of this place. To support the love of learning and teaching. The love of you and the love of your work. Come on

00:35:43.490 - 00:36:05.340

man for the collection. Everlasting God. You have been the originator of every decade and every year we ask you to bless every volume in our large and varied collection. Make these resources your abiding places until

00:36:05.340 - 00:36:22.050

they like ships. Take us on brand adventures, which brings us closer to your truth and your destination for the corridors connecting old to new living God. Maker of all that is old and all that is

00:36:22.050 - 00:36:40.520

new. We thank you for the corridors that connect our history to our future for you have been our dwelling place in all generations who are the Wardlaw comments , eternal God! In this space in which we

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pray, we envision all who are welcomed as guests here and everywhere. May. The conversations and the thoughts and the writings that are inspired here serve to strengthen us and one another for the digital education center

00:37:02.560 - 00:37:20.580

and the media lab. Oh God of all nations awaken us to the great expanse of our world. We thank you for the digital capacity to communicate with scholars, teachers groups and houses of worship in every

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nation in place. May our conversations remind us of how small your world is and how profound we are related to one another. All right, for the archives, God of the Ages equipped us to hold

00:37:40.030 - 00:38:00.530

dear the archives and artifacts that illuminate our history that shine light on these present days and that point us toward the future before the mountains were brought forth or ever you had formed the earth and the world from

00:38:00.540 - 00:38:22.060

everlasting. You are God for right, Hall blessed are you God of heaven and earth? Foreign spaces like this. You gather us to teach and to learn to inspire and to be inspired. You also

00:38:22.060 - 00:38:36.340

give us food and drink to sustain our lives and make our hearts glad and all of this comes with a view, a view of your creation and a view of the city in which we live and serve

00:38:37.220 - 00:38:58.510

. Make us grateful for all your mercies and mindful of the needs of others, nurture the minds and hearts of all who come to learn and may. Their words be grounded in your word and their compassion

00:38:58.560 - 00:39:21.050

be a living demonstration of the gospel of jesus christ faster. Loving hearts deepen thirsty souls and build persons of strength. So the seeds of faith that from the soil of this place may grow disciples of jesus

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christ. Our Lord, Thank you the grace of our Lord, jesus christ. The love of God and the Communion of the Holy Spirit. Be with