2006: News from the Nolls, Number 5
(PDF; 292 Kb)
2005: Copies of Peggy's book were sent instead of a newsletter.
2004: News from the Nolls, Number 4
(PDF; 222 Kb)
2003: News from the Nolls, Number 3
(PDF; 181 Kb)
2002: News from the Nolls, Number 2
(PDF; 100 Kb)
2001: News from the Nolls, Number 1
(PDF; 109 Kb)
The Reverend Professor Stephen Noll is the Vice Chancellor of Uganda
Christian University (UCU), the first person to fill that position. His
first five-year term ends in August 2005, but he has accepted a unanimous
call by the University Council and the Archbishop of Uganda for a second
term to end in 2010.
In May 2004 the University was granted a charter by the Government of
Uganda. It is the first private university in the country to be
chartered.
Steve came to UCU after serving at Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry
in Ambridge, Pennsylvania from 1979-2000. Prior to Trinity, he served for
five years on the staff at Truro Episcopal Church in Fairfax, Virginia, as
curate, assistant, and priest-in-charge. He left Truro with his wife,
Peggy, and three children to move to Manchester, England, where he earned a
Ph.D. in Biblical Studies from the University of Manchester with Professor
F.F. Bruce as his advisor. Son Patrick was born in Manchester and a fifth
child, Hannah, joined the family in 1982 when the Nolls were in
Pennsylvania.
At Trinity Steve was Professor of Biblical Studies and Academic Dean. He
continues to be canonically resident as a priest in the Diocese of
Pittsburgh. He is also a Canon in the Diocese of Dallas. He is the author of
several books including Two Sexes One Flesh: Why the Church Cannot Bless
Same-Sex Marriage, and Angels of Light, Powers of Darkness. He
has also written a survey of the Old Testament in a workbook format being
used currently at UCU.
Stephen and his wife of 38 years, Peggy, live at #2, a spacious house
right on the campus of the University in Mukono. They enjoy the large
compound (aka "yard" in American English) with mango, avocado, and palm
trees growing in addition to colorful flowers like bougainvilla, roses, and
hibiscus. From their small verandah they look down on the graceful clock
tower of the historic Bishop Tucker building.
In the house Steve has a study with computer equipped for email and
Internet service. He often works in the early morning hours to communicate
with friends of UCU around the world or to compose grant proposals, working
papers, curriculum design, and correspondence. The Vice Chancellor's office
in the main building includes an ante-room with a conference table suitable
for small meetings. The University guest book is kept there, which you must
be sure to sign if you ever visit Mukono!
Steve divides his time between strategic planning, staff management,
fund-raising of various sorts, periodic teaching and preaching duties, and a
myriad of other tasks ranging from consultation with architects and
construction firms to being guest of honor at student fellowships. In fact,
one thing he enjoys about the job of Vice Chancellor is its diversity.
As for Peggy, her time is spent on hospitality for both visitors from
overseas and Ugandan guests; teaching in the English literature program of
the Department of Education; and communicating with supporters of UCU
through the weekly Listserve article "Peggy's Perspective" and personal
correspondence. Peggy got her Masters' Degree from Georgetown University in
English Literature and spent many years teaching English composition and
literature at the community college level. In addition she co-edited the
David C. Cook Episcopal/Anglican Sunday School curriculum and edited
Trinity's Seed and Harvest Magazine for several years. All of this
experience she is finding useful in her new roles at UCU, where she has
edited a 100-page workbook on Writing and Study Skills being used by all
first-year students. She also advises the annual student publication, The
UCU Signpost.
Peggy has helped to start a weekly fellowship of international students'
wives and a bi-weekly staff wives' Bible study on the campus in Mukono. Like
her husband, she continues to work out her "job description" as she goes,
and no two days look alike. This remains true even after 4 and a half
years!
The Nolls usually worship on Sunday mornings at the University Chapel,
which they can see out of their windows, or on special occasions like
Christmas and Easter at Mukono Cathedral, also within sight. On Sunday
evenings they attend the weekly Eucharist service at the University. Twice
a week there is a Community Worship service at 12 noon.
One of their favorite places to visit is the Source of the Nile in Jinja,
less than an hour's drive from Mukono. They also like walking up the hill
from their house, where on a lucky day they can see the red-tailed monkeys
hopping from branch to branch and hear the distinctive call of the casqued
hornbill and gray parrot.
The Nolls’ middle daughter, Abigail, and her husband Mark Bartels, have
moved to Mukono to coordinate the Uganda Studies Program, a semester abroad
program offered through the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities.
It brings a dozen to twenty students from Christian colleges in the U.S. to
study for credit at UCU for one semester. The pioneer group came in Spring
Semester 2004. In September 2004 Daniel Bartels was born, and the Vice
Chancellor can now be seen proudly pushing a stroller around the campus,
much to the amusement of the students!
The Nolls make an annual trip back to the U.S. to see their other four
children, now all graduated from college and living variously in Mexico,
Pittsburgh, Bradford, PA and Chicago. Steve often makes a second visit to
speak about the University and solicit support and resources from churches,
individuals, and foundations.
