Summit 2012 began with a call for people to return to God, a message of intimacy and the announcement of a new university ministry led by Dr. Royce Money.

Dr. Phil Schubert, president of the university, welcomed all Summit visitors and students to the first Summit event, a theme lecture on Sunday night in Moody Coliseum.

Before introducing the first theme speaker, Schubert announced the launching of the Siburt Institute of Church Ministry. The ministry is named in honor of the late Dr. Charles Siburt, a missions faculty member and administrator who died over the summer after a nearly three-year battle with cancer.

“Charlie spent his life furthering the kingdom of God,” Schubert said. “It’s not possible to replace him, but we can continue his legacy.”

Schubert said the Siburt Institute of Church Ministry will serve as a place for churches and church leaders to grow and recuperate. It will promote constructive and collaborative relationships between ACU and churches, providing resources and responding to needs.

Schubert said he couldn’t think of a better person to lead the new ministry than Dr. Royce Money, chancellor of the university and new executive director of the ministry.

Dr. Mitch Wilburn, minister at Park Plaza Church of Christ in Tulsa, Okla., then began the message of the first Summit lecture, based on the theme, “Intimacy; Return to God.”

“There is one person I wanted to open the pages of this story, and that’s Mitch,” said Brady Bryce, director of Summit.

Wilburn built on the theme verse, Hosea 6:1- “Come, let us return to the Lord.”

“There is nothing casual about God’s commitments,” Wilburn said. “Hosea lived as a living parable, as a part of an unbelievable story of grace. Hosea explores what it is for man to feel God’s heart on our chest.”

Summit will run until Wednesday night, with the last theme lecture to take place at 7 p.m. in Moody.