Nolan was invited to join Bethany professor of Preaching and Worship, Dr. Dawn Ottoni-Wilhelm's, travel course to Iona, Edinburgh, and Lindisfarne in May of 2023. As someone with Northern Irish ancestry and whose family is named after St. Brigid of Kildare, he wanted to learn about and connect with his heritage. Nolan was drawn to Iona especially because of the active ecumenical community there with members around the world.

About the Presenter

Nolan McBride is a rising-Middler (second-year) at the School of Theology at Sewanee. Originally from Elkhart, Indiana, Nolan was raised in the Church of the Brethren, an Anabaptist and Radical Pietist denomination in which his family has deep roots. He graduated from Manchester University in North Manchester, Indiana in 2019, where he majored in History and Religious Studies and minored in Peace Studies. He went on to complete a Masters of Arts Degree at Bethany Theological Seminary in Richmond, Indiana in 2022 and began his Master of Divinity Degree at Sewanee the following fall. Nolan enjoys singing with the Seminary Choir, at Sewanee, reading something other than textbooks when he can find the time, connecting with his siblings virtually through video games, and playing D&D with a group of other seminarians and companions in ministry.