Scott Starbuck (2006-present) lecturer in the department
of theology 
Barukh haba! What a busy year this has been, but what a wonderful year as well. I taught Hebrew Reading and Exegesis I and II, The Messiah, The Prophets, and Old Testament (for Roger, who was on sabbatical). It was a particular blessing to be able to work through the entire Old Testament with students. As always, we discovered how challenging, engaging, exciting, convicting, and relevant these ancient and often neglected texts are for understanding the work and words of Jesus as well as honoring our call to be his disciples each and every day. Students continue to tell me that the most life-changing course is The Prophets. The words of the "Great 15" are as laser-sharp today as ever. Our second-year Hebrew students excelled, reading all the way through Judges, as well as a host of other narrative texts, in fall 2007, and then taking on Hebrew poetry spanning nearly 1,000 years in the spring; we even read  two texts from the Dead Sea Scrolls. Students who are able to take two full years of Hebrew don't just place out of their Hebrew requirements in seminary, but are able to enter directly into exegetical seminars and contribute at the highest levels. On that note, I am very proud of the exegetical papers submitted by the fourth-semester students. After asking them to refine those papers a bit, I am encouraging our students to submit their work to be presented at the 2009 regional meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature. Well done! Now a new generation of Hebrew scholars will follow in their footsteps, though I have had to cut off enrollment in the first-year Hebrew class at 40 students (even with three TAs).

In addition to teaching at Whitworth, I continue to serve as the pastor of Manito Presbyterian Church, on Spokane's South Hill. This year, MPC celebrated 100 years of ministry in Spokane. We are one of the Presbyterian congregations in Spokane that are intentionally guided by the missional-church movement, a movement that is most consistent with the best biblical theologies. It is a joy to begin to see the fruits of the work of the Holy Spirit in our neighborhood.

Eliana (2) had dental surgery in December, but that hasn't squelched her enthusiasm to sing, and sing, and sing. Ethan (11) excels in schoolwork and piano, and plays quarterback and center on his football team. Teague (14) will matriculate at Ferris High School as an honors student, a defensive and tight end in football, and an excellent classical and jazz musician (violin and guitar). Pamela and I continue to serve MPC together; she leads our youth and families, and especially our outreach ministries. Over the last year, I have had little time for scholarship, but I did deliver a paper at the national meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature, I continue to work on sections of a psalms commentary for contemporary musicians, and I will write a review of an important new book for the national publication of the Presbyterian Church this summer. May God bless you and your ministries!