Collection 00/MS.395 - Patricia J. Shelly Papers

Patricia Joyce Shelly was born December 21, 1951, in Chicago, Illinois, to Kenneth and June Rupert Shelly, while her father was in seminary. Before moving to North Newton, she lived in Pulaski, Iowa, and Trenton, Ohio, where her father was a pastor. She was baptized in the Bethel College Mennonite Church in 1967. Shelly graduated from Newton High School in 1970, and won many awards in debate and forensics in high school.

She graduated from Bethel in 1976 and did graduate work at the Iliff School of Theology (M.A., 1980) and the University of Denver. She completed her PhD. in Biblical Interpretation from Iliff/Denver University with a doctoral thesis on "Amos and Irony" in 1992.  She served as associate pastor at the First Mennonite Church in Denver, 1983-85.  Patricia Shelly began teaching Bible and Religion at Bethel in 1985, and also served as Campus Minister of Chapel and Worship from 1986-1996 and 2000-2003.
Shelly developed an interest in Biblical geography and archaeology after eight months of study in Jerusalem in 1981 and over her career lead numerous study seminars to Israel/Palestine. Every other January, she taught a travel course to Jerusalem for Bethel students and other interested persons. She taught courses in biblical studies, theology, and a course in Judaism, Christianity and Islam.  She taught and headed the BIFL program.
From 1996-2000, while on a leave-of-absence from Bethel, she lived in Jerusalem while serving as the country director for Mennonite Central Committee's West Bank and Gaza program. She continued to speak and lecture about the situation in the Middle East.  In 2007 she was part of an ecumenical group which met with Iranian leaders in Iran and at the United Nations.
Shelly was a composer and frequent music leader for special events and worship services.  Her music was published in several hymnals.
Shelly was involved in numerous church activities.  She served on the International Mennonite Peace Committee of the Mennonite World Conference.  She was also active in the Western District Conference, serving on the Executive Committee and as moderator.  Likewise, she was on the Executive Board and served as moderator of the Mennonite Church USA.  Shelly was on the board of Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary Great Plains Extension and served as a core adjunct faculty member. Shelly was also very active in her home congregation, serving as moderator of the Bethel College Mennonite Church, as well as frequently preaching, leading music and worship services, and teaching and speaking to various Sunday School classes and other church groups.  She did the same at many local congregations, and was especially active as a guest minister.  She delivered Bible lectures at various congregations and colleges.
Her most recent publication (1996) is Let All Within Us Praise: Dramatic Resources for Worship, a collection of 45 Scripture-based readers theater scripts and 16 original songs. It grew out of her work with the weekly chapel service on the Bethel campus.  Shelly passed away after a three year struggle with pancreatic cancer on September 3, 2023.