One on One
11-10-2021
By Maryclare Beche
This is a storytelling segment, where students will be sharing their personal stories - highlighting their ministerial work, future goals and how McCormick is helping in this journey. Here, we will also explore some of the things that students are doing to maintain a balance between school, family, work and self-care.
In this week's issue, meet James Cochrane, a senior year MDiv student.
Can you tell me a little about yourself?
In addition to finishing my McCormick degree this year, I work part-time at First Presbyterian Church of Lake Forest as their Youth Director. I love building relationships with people and creating spaces where we as a community can challenge and question our faith. I see churches not only as a place to worship God one day a week, but as a network of people who seek to learn more about God and enact God’s will in the communities in which they live. This means wrestling with faith questions together, building systems of support, and advocating for justice and mercy in our everyday world.
Why Seminary?
I regularly attended a church throughout my childhood and adolescence that advocated for peace, justice, and the recognition of the humanity of all people. I was able to see firsthand the impact churches can have in the fight for and the enactment of real and lasting justice, and I felt a call to join that work. Seminary is a place where I can get more formal education studying the Bible, theology, and ministry to better inform my work, so I started looking. I knew as soon as I visited McCormick that it was a special place that would teach, challenge, and empower me for service to the world.
How do you see McCormick shaping to achieve your goal?
McCormick has given me an incredible gift by creating an intentional community centered on bringing God’s justice into the world. The conversations I have had and the friendships I have built over the past three years have challenged my worldview and given me a deeper appreciation for our shared humanity. McCormick has taught me that our faith is not solely for some otherworldly glory, but something that calls us to impact our world right now.
If there is one thing you could change about the world, what would it be and why?
If I could change one thing, I would make it so that people see outside of themselves. Technology has allowed us to be connected to one another more now than ever in human history, but in building breadth of connection we have lost depth. Paired with our world’s celebration of individualism, we encourage surface-level engagement with societal issues in order to advance our personal agendas without ever digging deeper to personify issues and fight for the lives and livelihoods of those around us. This fight is what I believe Martin Luther King Jr. meant in his concept of the Beloved Community and what Jesus preaches about when talking about the Kingdom or Commonwealth of God.
What do you like to do for fun?
Outside of my work at McCormick and church, I love to be active outside and enjoy nature. Whether going for a run or exploring a new part of Chicagoland, I always look for new ways to get outside of my bubble. I’m also an avid football and soccer fan and you can find me cheering on my Green Bay Packers and Minnesota United every week!
