Bethel Magazine Spring 2011

Egyptian Revolution Up Close p. 5 | Forgiving Others p. 15 | Tour Bethel’s New York Art Studio p. 23

Spring 2011

With a Spring in Their Step Bethel’s spring sports are off and running College of Arts & Sciences | College of Adult & Professional Studies | Graduate School | Bethel Seminary

From the editor Spring 2011 Volume 2 Number 3

A Little Goes a Long Way As a young adult, I embarked on an overly enthusiastic and rather under-researched campaign to eat healthy. I decided to cut back on salt, and thought an easy way to do that was simply to eliminate it from my diet. But when I proudly bit into my first batch of salt-free chocolate chip cookies, I realized that a little teaspoon of salt made a very big difference. That was the first and last time I didn’t finish a chocolate chip cookie!

Jesus called believers “the salt of the earth.” His love within us, flowing out of us, should season our every action, conversation, and decision. As we faithfully blend this love into our everyday interactions, it begins to make a difference.

Bethel is committed to preparing people who are salt and light in their spheres of

Contributors

examples of these difference-makers in this issue of Bethel Magazine. There’s junior

Wes Mouri, an actor who’s driven by a call to minister to the theatre community (p.

in the form of flashbulbs—to the NYC celebrity scene (p. 30). Food service supervisor David Walden is seasoning student workers in St. Paul with his unique combination of pastoral care and leadership training (p. 12), and couples at Bethel Seminary San Diego are mixing marriage and ministry to serve better together (p. 18).

Former Bethel Magazine editor Heather Schnese is bringing salt and light to a new location, moving with her husband to California, but she has liberally sprinkled this issue with her creative insights. We are grateful for her three years of leadership in shaping this publication into an award-winning forum for telling Bethel’s story.

Editor Michelle Westlund ’83

Senior Consulting Editor

for Bethel Seminary Scott Wible S’02

influence, reflecting Jesus’ love to a broken and hurting world. You’ll see numerous

28). And Kristen Somody Whalen ’99, an alum who’s bringing her own brand of light—

Senior Vice President for Communications and Marketing Sherie J. Lindvall ’70

Samantha Allgood ’12 Barb Carlson Nick Jones ’05 Kelsey Lundberg Cindy Pfingsten Heather Schnese Scott Streble Tricia Theurer Amanda Wanke ’99 Suzanne Yonker GS’09

Design Darin Jones ’97 Staff Photographer Woody Dahlberg ’69 President James (Jay) H. Barnes III Vice President for Constituent Relations Ralph Gustafson ’74, S’78

Editorial Offices

3900 Bethel Drive St. Paul, MN 55112-6999 651.638.6233 651.638.6003 (fax) bethel-magazine@bethel.edu

Address Corrections

Office of Alumni and Parent Services 651.638.6462 alumni@bethel.edu

to bring the love of Christ to an unpredictable and rapidly changing world. In their

Bethel Magazine is published three times a year by Bethel University, 3900 Bethel Drive, St. Paul, MN 55112-6999.

Postage paid at St. Paul, Minnesota, and additional mailing offices. Printed in the USA.

time here, they have been stretched and nurtured into leaders of character, truth, and

Copyright © 2011 Bethel University. All Rights Reserved.

Spring brings commencement, when Bethel launches a new class of graduates eager

compassion. They leave Bethel as a little band of Christ-followers bringing light and hope to a big world in desperate need of such things. But they go confidently, for like me and my cookies, they’ve learned the difference a little salt can make.

Michelle Westlund ’83

Sophomore Jess Newstrom (#24) leaps into the air following her first home run, a game winner in 2010.

Cover photo by Carl Schmuland, photographer and Bethel sports enthusiast (see p. 8).

Bethel University is sponsored by the churches of Converge Worldwide, formerly known as the Baptist General Conference.

It is the policy of Bethel not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, age, gender, or disability in its educational programs, admissions, or employment policies as required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and Title IX of the 1972 Education Amendments. Inquiries regarding compliance may be directed to: Compliance Officer, Bethel University, 3900 Bethel Drive, St. Paul, MN 55112-6999.

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Building Bridges In 1960, Ruby Bridges became the first black student at a formerly all-white school in New Orleans, escorted there by U.S. marshals shielding her from protesters. She brought her message of reconciliation to the Bethel community on April 13, speaking in chapel, participating in a Q & A, and signing copies of her book Through My Eyes.

Departments Campus News

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12 Serving More Than Food

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15 As We Forgive Those

Firsthand accounts of the revolution in Egypt, Bible prof teaches his 3,000th student, seminary student is NAACP chapter president

Bookmarked

Recently published books by Bethel faculty members

PlaceMeant

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Bethel’s New York Center for Art & Media Studies (NYCAMS), New York City

Profile

Students line up to work in Bethel’s dining services.

Find out why.

Who Trespass Against Us Seminary professor Steve Sandage shares the results of his research on forgiveness.

18 Better Together

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Some things are just better together, including these three Bethel Seminary San Diego couples who combine marriage and ministry.

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Choose some great summer reads from our list of faculty and staff recommendations.

Wes Mouri ’12, College of Arts & Sciences theatre major

Alum News

Features

24 Your Summer Reading Checklist See this icon?

Go to www.bethel.edu for more.

Bethel University

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Campus News

Going Back to Go Forward This spring, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion offered its first Native American/ Indigenous People Sankofa Excursion, providing opportunities for the Bethel community to engage with local Native-American history and culture. During the oneday event, a group of 22 Bethel employees, students, and guests toured local NativeAmerican sites and heard stories from facilitators and tribe members, who shared historical and spiritual insights of the native people. The goal of the excursion was to build cultural knowledge, highlight Bethel’s connections with the Native-American community, and learn more about the overall struggle for social equality.

The South African concept of “Sankofa” centers on the importance of going back to the past in order to understand the present. “We wanted to do a Sankofa [event] focusing on local civil rights history,” says Chief Diversity Officer Leon Rodrigues.

“This year we started with Native-American culture and engagement. In the future, we hope to do trips focusing on AfricanAmerican and Asian populations, too.”

One of the selected sites was Coldwater Spring, an important landmark for the Dakota people. Another was Fort Snelling State Park, beneath the Mendota Bridge.

The guide explained the significance of the location as the site of a camp that imprisoned and killed tribe members of the Dakota after the Dakota Uprising of 1862.

At the close of the day, participants celebrated with a powwow and feast at Augsburg College in Minneapolis. “The powwow was a spiritual experience that I found to be absolutely delightful,” says junior seminary student Tina Ould Ndiack. “The garb, the dancing, and the combination of old and young participants drove home how the richness of the NativeAmerican culture is just as relevant today as it was before the pilgrims landed on these shores.”

110/7

Spring Break Service During spring break, 110 students worked on seven different ministry teams, serving along with local ministries in St. Paul, Chicago, West Virginia, New Orleans, Belize, the Dominican Republic, and Honduras.

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Spring 2011

Students Excel

Exercise Science Senior exercise science students presented their research at the American College of Sports Medicine Northland Chapter’s Student Symposium at St. Cloud State University, competing against students from more than 16 colleges and universities from six states. Chayna Wold and Krista Polding received fifth place for their research, titled “A Comparison of Functional Movement Patterns and Peak Power Output in Collegiate Athletes.”

Four other Bethel exercise science research teams also presented.

Business Students from the Department of Business and Economics represented Bethel at the CFA Challenge, a competition sponsored by the CFA Institute, a global association of investment professionals. The Bethel team included Erich Hartwig, Mason Swenson, Chad Herzog, and Kate Smith. Bethel was one of just two private universities to participate among the many larger public institutions represented.

Campus News

Rescuing Wounded Hearts In seventh grade, Jonathan Friesen ’90 suffered a grand mal seizure—the first of many—in class. For the next two years he would only go to school intermittently because he was bullied by his classmates.

It wasn’t until one friend visited him at home that he gained the courage to return. Although he can’t remember their specific conversation, she showed Friesen that she cared, and he went back to school.

Now Friesen, who has Tourette Syndrome, has been a teacher for more than 14 years at various schools throughout Minnesota. He’s also an award-winning author and national speaker, educating others on the effects of bullying and offering insight on how to be like the classmate who changed his life. He visited his alma mater in April and spoke to 100-some Bethel listeners on bullying, ostracism, and life with Tourette Syndrome.

“His topic of bullying is timely in this day of extreme bullying that is done not just on the school grounds, but in bedrooms and living rooms via the internet,” says Robin Hasslen, Bethel director of early childhood services and education professor.

Through Facebook, Friesen recently found the girl who visited him so many years ago. He sent her a message thanking her.

Check out Friesen’s books, including his latest—The Last Martin—at his website jonathanfriesen.com. Also hear more from him at his blog: jonathanfriesen.typepad.com.

Heard on Campus Can today be the day we need each other? We need to come together for our children.

Ruby Bridges shared her story at Bethel’s chapel service on April 13. Bridges took a place in history books when she was escorted by U.S. marshals to William Frantz Public School in New Orleans in 1960, becoming the first black student to attend the school after federal courts forced desegregation.

With Justice for All “Anywhere people are being oppressed and taken advantage of because of their race or economic status, or anything potentially out of their control—that’s where my compassion lies,” says Jeffry Martin. He is a Bethel Seminary student, criminal defense attorney, ordained minister, and now, the 22nd president of one of the country’s oldest chapters for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). .

Martin is currently leading the NAACP’s St. Paul chapter to examine issues regarding the enrollment changes in the St. Paul Public School system, accountability matters within the police department, and business concerns around the construction of the Central Corridor Light Rail Transit. He stresses not only the importance of these issues, but also the necessity of expanding and diversifying membership within the NAACP, especially by getting churches involved.

Martin’s faith drives him and is the reason he is pursuing a master’s degree in Community Ministry Leadership at Bethel Seminary. After hearing about the degree through a presentation at his church by the program’s lead faculty Mark Harden, Martin enrolled and is now in his second year. The program focuses not only on theological training but also on hands-on leadership skills, and Martin describes it as the perfect preparation for what he is doing now.

With the responsibilities and authority of his presidential position, Martin seeks to further advance the issues at hand by holding a light to the work of the past. “I think there’s a lack of historical education in this generation in that people seem to think that the Civil Rights bill was passed and everything is fine,” he says. “I don’t want people to be lax…because if you don’t know your history, you’re definitely going to repeat it.”

Bethel University

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Campus News

Winning Speaker Finds Identity in Christ Nick Stumbo preached a winning sermon during a spring chapel service in Benson Great Hall. An online InMinistry student who lives in Kelso, Wash., he received first place in this year’s Omark Preaching Competition, the 44th year of recognizing outstanding communicators within the Bethel Seminary student body. The competition honors former seminary professor Edwin J. Omark, awarding scholarships to three students who demonstrate excellence in preaching.

Stumbo won a scholarship award of $1,200, followed by Vanessa Williams and Andrew Hermann. “I was shocked to win—especially since I could not be present to preach live,” says Stumbo. “It is very humbling and affirming to be recognized in this way.”

The 2011 theme required participants

Reining It In

“Since the day I could walk I have had a passion for animals, and it inspires me to continue riding horses. For years they have been such a big part of my life, and I hope that never ends.”

National riding champion Katherine Kirby, sophomore English literature and writing major, and winner of four National Championship and three Reserve National Champion titles in the past seven years

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Spring 2011

to tackle the question: “Why are you a Christian?”

Stumbo’s sermon focused on the life of Peter, with Stumbo building his discourse from Matthew 16. “As I thought about this topic, I first asked myself—why am I a Christian? I wanted to be sure that the sermon I preached would actually answer that question for myself, not just for others,” he explains. “For me, the answer is all about finding my true identity in Christ.

From there, I couldn’t help but think of Peter. Of all the New Testament characters, I think Peter goes through the most transformation in his journey.”

He also referenced the

spiritual journeys of Abraham and Moses and presented the implications for our lives today. Currently, Stumbo works at East Hills Alliance Church in Kelso, Wash.

Internship Nets Results Bethel junior journalism major Brock Buesing is learning what it takes to excel in the demanding journalistic environment of New York City. Through an internship with freelance writer Paul Glader, formerly of the Wall Street Journal, Buesing, who is a participant in Bethel’s New York Center for Art & Media Studies (NYCAMS) journalism program, has formed connections with ESPN. He’s harnessed his love of sports writing, and his news article on the Mt. Elbrus terrorist attacks—the site of the 2014 Olympic games—was recently published on the ESPN Action Sports page. “I made a total of 32 phone calls and 18 emails [to write the story],” Buesing notes. “It was very exhausting, but in the end, I think it turned out very well. It took a lot of patience, but it paid off.”

Campus News

Experiencing the Egyptian Revolution Firsthand Doctoral Student Teaches Egypt’s Next Leaders

Students Abroad Witness History in the Making

Kristopher Achter G’08, current student in the doctor of education program and a master of arts in teaching alum from Bethel University’s Graduate School, is helping train the next generation of Egypt’s leaders. He is a teacher of technology and computer skills at the American International School in Egypt, where about 85 percent of the students are Egyptian.

Achter’s story was recently featured in The Ames Tribune, in which he gave God the credit for his job in Egypt and reflected on the changes in the country: “The scenes of citizens protecting their neighbors during the protest will always stick in my mind,” he said. A photo of Christians protecting Muslims at prayer, for example, spread through media outlets around the world. “I’m not sure people know that Muslims returned the favor (to Christians) the next day,” he explained.

When three Bethel students arrived in Cairo, Egypt, on January 12 to participate in the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities Middle East Studies Program, they had no idea of the changes they would soon witness in that country.

“Based on conversations with Egyptians that I met and from class sessions on the politics of the region, I noticed very quickly that there was unrest in the area, but it was all very quiet,” says Isaac Sanborn, a junior who is majoring in reconciliation studies and Teaching English as a Second Language.

That calm ended on January 25, when the country’s first major protests were staged. The next day, the group left on a scheduled visit to the historic city of Luxor, where they watched the Cairo protests on TV and saw some smaller-scale protests from the roof of their hotel. They returned to Cairo on the 29th, where they were sequestered to their immediate neighborhood. “I never felt our safety was threatened in any way, and everyone was so nice and protective of us as foreigners,” remembers Brian Bauernfeind, a senior majoring in biblical and theological studies, philosophy, and reconciliation studies.

As the protests escalated, Middle East Studies Program leaders decided to evacuate the students to Istanbul, Turkey, where they arrived on February 1. The students continued as planned with the travel component of their semester, studying in Turkey, Jordan, and Israel.

As they watched the change in Egypt, ending in the eventual collapse of power of President Hosni Mubarak, Sanborn felt a strong sense of “homesickness” for Cairo. “I was learning to love that place,” he says.

“But what I’m learning is that the revolutions of the Arab world, this place

Brian Bauernfeind (left) and Isaac Sanborn (right) at a park overlooking Cairo.

of incredible hospitality, will go on with or without our presence. We are guests in a foreign land…But now is the time for the people of Egypt to build a true democracy, to choose which way their nation will go.”

Senior Sarah Leslie, who is majoring in reconciliation studies and minoring in political science, was inspired by the community she witnessed during the protests: “A lot of the communities have come together to protect their neighborhoods against looters; men stand out on the street in the evening together and stay out there all night— Christians and Muslims—to preserve their homes and stores. I want to remember these men working together.”

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Campus News

Faculty News Revived Christian History When Chris Armstrong, professor of church history at Bethel Seminary St. Paul, was being interviewed for a professor position at Bethel Seminary in 2004, he recalls being playfully quizzed by a number of Bethel trustees and President George Brushaber on the magazine Christian History. They were all fans of the magazine, and Brushaber was actually a senior advisor at Christianity Today International (CTI), which owned Christian History. At the time, Armstrong was managing editor of the magazine, and the Bethel leaders found that his affection for Christian History ran deep. He had begun reading it in graduate school in the early ’80s and started using it to help teach adult Sunday School classes. In fact, he believes his love for church history started with the magazine.

Armstrong got the job at Bethel, but four years later his former magazine (with some 50,000 subscribers) ceased being printed due to recessionary pressures. In 2010, it reverted to its founding company, the Christian History Institute, and discussions began on restarting the magazine; Armstrong offered to help put Christian History back on its feet.

In winter 2011 Armstrong, managing editor once again, pulled together a team of writers, editors, and designers to publish the new, revived version of Christian History.

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Spring 2011

The first “re-inaugural” issue, mailed in March, celebrated the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible’s first printing and has already received widespread acclaim.

Whether the new version will continue in a print or online format, or both, is yet to be determined, but Armstrong is excited to be editing the magazine once again.

It’s a role he believes works well with his teaching position. “Writing and editing for a popular audience is very similar to teaching,” he explains. “You’re taking very complex information and trying to present it in a clear, compelling, exciting way. And in both teaching and editing, I have to do scholarly background research. They very much complement each other.”

Armstrong’s communication style and passion for church history complement the magazine. “I saw him demonstrate over and over his belief that the history of the church is relevant to the life of the church,” explains David Neff, Christianity Today Media Group’s editor in chief and vice president, of Armstrong’s time at CTI. “That is what suits him to edit Christian History in its new chapter and also makes him a good teacher of future pastors.

Also, Chris knows that history can be fun, and his playfulness is infectious.”

Want to hear more about Christian History’s history?

Visit Armstrong’s blog: gratefultothedead.wordpress. com. Interested in receiving Christian History? Visit www. christianhistorymagazine.org.

Bible Prof Teaches 3,000th Student Michael Holmes, University Professor of Biblical Studies and Early Christianity, boasts a resumé filled with an array of published books, articles, and book reviews.

Internationally recognized, he has lectured and presented his work in the U.S., Canada, Germany, England, and France.

Yet, this influential scholar still enjoys the opportunity to engage underclassmen.

In fact, in his 30-year career, he has introduced more than 3,000 students to the fundamentals of the Bible.

Holmes taught his first Introduction to Bible class during spring 1982 and is now teaching his 77th and 78th sections of the course. “It’s a privilege and a thrill to help people understand, some for the first time, that the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, is really a single coherent narrative about God’s actions to restore and redeem His creation and His people,” says Holmes.

“I really enjoy working with the ‘frosh’— they bring lots of energy and enthusiasm to class.”

Though today’s students are different than traditional pupils from 20 years ago, Holmes continues to engage his classes by building on shared knowledge and experiences. “There is no ‘typical’ student. The students in my classes are much more diverse with respect to their life experiences, their cultural differences and perspectives, and their range of prior knowledge of Scripture,” Holmes reflects.

For more faculty accomplishments.

Campus News

Seminary Seeks Accreditation Comments Bethel Seminary, a school of Bethel University, is seeking comments from the public about its educational programs in preparation for its periodic evaluation by its accrediting agencies.

Bethel Seminary will receive a required 10-year comprehensive evaluation visit Oct. 17-19, 2011, by teams representing The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and the Association of Theological Schools.

Bethel Seminary’s current accreditation by both organizations is at the doctoral degree level and includes degree sites at various locations nationally. The teams will review institutional compliance with the criteria and standards of both organizations.

Comments must: • address substantive matters related to Bethel Seminary’s quality and/or academic programs; • be in writing and signed; • be mailed to: The Higher Learning Commission (HLC), 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500 Chicago, IL 606041413 and/or Accreditation Comments, Bethel Seminary, 3949 Bethel Drive, St. Paul, MN 55112; • include your name and address; and • be submitted by Sept. 15, 2011.

Comments may also be offered electronically at hlcommission.org under the link “File Third Party Comments” and/or to gotnews@bethel.edu.

EMPOWER

The Bethel University King Family Foundation Child Development Center received a $225,000 Education-Access grant from the Greater Twin Cities United Way. The grant will underwrite EMPOWER, a King Center Early Learning Initiative designed to assure continuity in education and care for children, and to empower parents with educational and social tools and resources for success.

“We are so grateful for this award from the United Way, which expands our opportunities for ministry to parents by providing additional parent education and expanding our community resources.”

Talaya Tolefree King Center Director

Bookmarked Recently published books by Bethel University’s faculty Population-Based Public Health Nursing Clinical Manual Co-edited by Marjorie Schaffer, University Professor of Nursing (Sigma Theta Tau International) In 2001, The Henry Street Consortium was formed to better prepare nurses who were receiving bachelor’s degrees for the population-based public health nursing practice of the 21st century. The Minnesota community and academic collaboration developed a set of entry-level competencies based on national standards to guide the clinical education of nursing students and the practice of novice public health nurses.

This manual is edited by three members of the consortium (including Schaffer) and co-authored with 16 consortium practice and academic partners, and provides an evidence-based practice approach for developing entry-level competencies in public health nursing.

Becoming Whole and Holy

by Jeannine Brown, Professor of New Testament, Bethel Seminary St. Paul; Carla Dahl, Professor of Spiritual Formation and Lead Faculty, Department of Marriage and Family Studies, Bethel Seminary St. Paul; and Wyndy Corbin Rueschling (Baker Books) This book considers how Christian formation happens and what its moral implications are. Combining three disciplines—social science, biblical studies/ hermeneutics, and ethics— the authors present a cohesive, dynamic vision of human wholeness and spiritual holiness. Pastors, lay leaders, and counselors will find the book useful, as well as those in spiritual formation, pastoral counseling, ethics, and hermeneutics courses.

For many other books by Bethel faculty, visit the Campus Store at bookstore.bethel.edu and click on “Bethel Authors.”

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Campus News

Bethel Boosters They’re not Bethel grads. They had no direct Bethel connection. In fact, they didn’t even enjoy sports. But Carl and Mary Schmuland are now among Bethel’s biggest fans. “We have the best resource right in our backyard!” Mary enthuses.

“Bethel University prepares students in all areas—music, science, business—not just ministry. Bethel equips them for kingdom work and they can bring that influence to their careers.”

The couple’s partnership with Bethel began when they became interested

in supporting a university community because of the impact it can have on young adults and their spiritual formation. As Mary explains, at that age “they’re making faith their own…it’s where the rubber meets the road. This is the environment where they can find that road.”

The Schmulands didn’t want to simply write a check, however, so they followed a friend’s advice about how to invest: “If you’re givin’ while you’re livin’, you’re knowin’ where it’s goin’.” They are now entrenched at Bethel as cheerleaders not just for the athletic teams, but for the student body and the Bethel community as a whole, spreading their joy in sharing God’s blessings.

Carl and Mary began their giving with a scholarship for students from Cook County, Minn., an area of the state that is special to them.

Medtronic, Carl’s former employer, matches their gifts to benefit even more students. And the couple’s legacy gifts will continue to

provide scholarships long after they’re gone.

The first scholarship recipient was a football player, so the couple began attending football games to support him.

They knew they had made the right choice for their investment when they witnessed Bethel players and fans praying for an injured player at a football game. This simple act made it clear to them that Bethel was not a typical liberal arts university.

While they follow their beloved Royals in many sports, their partnership goes far beyond financial and athletic involvement. They host dinners for the basketball teams and provide players with homemade treats and Scripture verses. A gifted photographer, Carl prepares a CD with images of each athlete at the end of the season.

Most importantly, Carl and Mary share their passion for Bethel and for Jesus Christ as they forge relationships with students, praying for them and sharing in their growth and formation. “We’ve invested money, time, and effort into Bethel University,” says Carl, “and we see the fruits every day.”

Jeff Westlund, head men’s basketball coach and director of athletic development, also sees the fruits of the Schmuland’s significant efforts. “Carl and Mary are faithful in the tangible, obvious things they do for us and also in the intangible: prayer, encouraging words, and their presence,” he says. “They truly have servants’ hearts.”

Note: The photos at left are two of Carl’s many Bethel sports shots. See another sample of his work on the cover of this issue of Bethel Magazine.

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Spring 2011

Campus News

Endowment Reaches Record High Bethel’s endowment reached a recordhigh level of more than $36 million this spring, thanks to the gifts of generous donors and a stock market that trended upwards. Overseen by the Bethel Foundation, the endowment serves as the institution’s savings account, supporting financial aid, academic programs, and student formation.

“For decades, financial giving to Bethel has been directed mainly to construction of new and necessary facilities, but that has limited our ability to build a strong endowment. We’re pleased to see these increases thanks to donors committed to growing our endowment and strong financial markets,” says Angie Hjelle, director of the Bethel Foundation.

A staffed front desk is part of Bethel’s new Welcome Center located in the lobby of the Community Life Center.

Artist’s rendering of proposed Fitness Center located on the northwest corner of the Robertson Center gymnasium.

Building Projects Aim to Move Bethel Forward To support a growing student body and offer competitive facilities in today’s marketplace, Bethel is working with donors to raise funds for the following projects.

• Welcome Center: As Bethel has reviewed the admissions experience, it is clear that the single most important event in a student’s decision to attend Bethel is the campus visit. Bethel is making several changes to the campus to ensure a better “welcome” experience for prospective College of Arts & Sciences students.

• Fitness Center: Today’s students are committed to a healthy and active lifestyle; Bethel’s fitness facilities are out-of-date and too small to serve the needs of athletics teams and students. A new fitness center facility will dramatically improve the student experience and increase Bethel’s competitiveness with other schools.

• Bethel Seminary San Diego Expansion: The city of San Diego, Calif., has issued a building permit that allows Bethel Seminary San Diego, the only accredited seminary in the San Diego region, to begin construction on an addition and renovation of its existing facilities when funds are raised. The project includes a two-story, 14,500-square-foot addition and a 6,800-square-foot renovation allowing for a 380- to 400-seat chapel and conference center, additional classroom spaces, offices, and an expanded student center.

Interested in supporting these projects or other needs at Bethel? Call 651.635.8050 or go to bethel.edu/development.

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Sports News

photo by Andy Kenutis

Kari Whitney ’12

Baseball Unpredictable spring weather caused many changes for the spring sports teams this year, and baseball was no exception.

Still, the Royals continued to improve and are positioned well for the possibility of post-season play in the MIAC. Matt Rowley (So., Minnetonka, Minn.) was honored as the week one MIAC pitcher of the week. While in Florida for the Royals spring training, Rowley threw a complete 10

Spring 2011

game shutout against the Fredonia State Blue Devils. The sophomore struck out 17 to lead the Royals to a 3-0 win. Several winning streaks have built momentum, including eight wins in a row during April. With six games remaining, Bethel is 17-15 (6-8).

Softball 2011 is shaping up to be another strong year for the Bethel softball program. The

women were once again a top contender in the conference and have positioned themselves to make a deep push into the playoffs. Senior Kelly Berg (South Haven, Minn.) has had another strong season of offensive production, leading the team with a .487 batting average and contributing 27 RBIs toward the Bethel effort. The Royals share in hosting the conference playoffs this year. The women have won 23 games this season, which

Sports News

John’s, St. Mary’s, and several other nonconference opponents.

Alex Hinseth ’11

ties the team’s previous record for wins in a season.

Tennis The women’s team is on pace to finish the 2011 campaign by improving their record from the 2010 season, winning big matches over UMD, Simpson College, and UW-River Falls. Both Lisa Scheevel (So., St. Cloud, Minn.) and Steph Brown (So., Lake City, Minn.) returned to fill the #2 and #3 singles spots and have continued to provide team leadership. Freshman Abby Edin (Staples, Minn.) has come in to the #1 singles spot, adding depth to a young and talented crew. On the men’s side, sophomore Tucker Morris (Arden Hills, Minn.) filled the #1 singles spot and led the Royals to victories over St.

First-year head coach Trent Anderson continues to guide an improving golf program in the spring season of play. The Royals have played in a limited number of tournaments due to late spring snow, but several new opportunities included the inaugural Royal/Auggie Ryder Cup. For the men’s team, junior Toby Robinson (Mankato, Minn.) has led the way, posting an impressive top-10 finish at the Bobby Krig Invitational in Le Sueur, Minn.

Robinson finished the tournament tied for ninth, only five shots out of the lead.

Amber Hovland (So., Fergus Falls, Minn.) has played well for the women’s squad, finishing tied for 19th place at the St. Thomas Invitational.

Track and Field Bethel men and women finished the indoor season sixth and eighth respectively in the MIAC Championships.

For the women, newcomer Ashley Magelssen (Forest Lake, Minn.) led the charge at the indoor championships, finishing second in the 55m dash and third in the 200m. On the men’s side the Royals saw five individuals win AllMIAC honors. Jay Quick (Sr., Johnston, Iowa) won the high jump for the fourth

photo by Carl Schmuland

Denny Meints ’11

photo by Andy Kenutis

Golf

consecutive year, Denny Meints (Sr., Pine Island, Minn.) won the 1000m run, and freshman Anthony Puckett (Waconia, Minn.) finished second in the pole vault.

Quick also qualified and competed in the indoor national championships, finishing 12th.

Spring has brought a few good days for outdoor track and field, and several of Bethel’s top athletes have taken advantage of the conditions. Jay Quick is positioned well for another national meet medal, having qualified for the championships at the first outdoor meet of the season. Both the men and women’s teams will look to improve on their team finish from the indoor championships.

Bethel Sport Camps Filling Fast Looking for a fun, faith-filled sports camp for the kids in your life? There’s still room left in the following Bethel athletics camps. Sign up now! For more information and registration, go to athletics.bethel.edu and click on “Camps and Clinics” on the left.

Boys Basketball Girls Basketball Cross Country Football Passing Soccer Volleyball Bethel University

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serving more than

by Kelsey Lundberg

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Spring 2011

There’s a waiting list to work in Bethel’s dining services.

The recipe for this success?

Supervisor David Walden’s simple philosophy: care for the people you lead.

Cultivating the Program

Walden started in food service at Bethel during his freshman year in 1994 to help pay the bills. Just like Held, he started out as a beverage runner, making sure glasses were stocked and lugging around 45-pound bags of milk. “The student employment program and food service in general weren’t nearly the positive environments they are today,” explains Walden.

With the number of Sodexo student employees in decline, Bethel offered incentives of a few hundred dollars just for starting and a few hundred more for finishing out the year. Walden recalls a dinner shift that was only half-staffed because of so many holes in the schedule.

After a few months, Sodexo was desperate for student managers. So Walden stepped up and soon found himself doing much of the office support, watching four staff supervisors transition in and out during his tenure as a student manager.

When the supervisor position opened for the fourth time, the general manager asked Walden to take the job. He did. And on top of carrying 18 credits his senior year, he dug in and worked hard to turn the food service program around.

“In my days, the student managers were just highly capable students who worked a lot. Now there’s more intentional leadership training of that team, and a lot of leadership responsibility placed on them. They’re actually leading their staff, setting the tone for their group, and building relationships with their students, which makes it a fun place to work,” says Walden.

As Walden settled into his supervisor role—nurturing a growing crew of college students—he felt called to pastoral ministry. In 2000, he enrolled in the Master of Divinity (M.Div.) program at Bethel Seminary, embarking on a rigorous 10-year journey of long hours and late nights. Starting out as a full-time student, Walden cut back his work hours at Sodexo to part time.

But he soon realized the toll his absence was taking, so he moved back to full time. When his daughter—the first of four—was born that year, slowing down seminary seemed like the only option.

For the next nine years, Walden would take a class or two each quarter, manage students until midnight, study for hours after leaving work, and roll into bed around 5 a.m. before his family arose. The dark drive home on empty roads

Food J

oe Held jumped at the chance to apply for a job in dining services his freshman year at Bethel. Having worked a few jobs in cafés, he wanted to fuel a growing passion for the bustling rhythm of the kitchen. But when he found out he was going to be filling beverages and washing dishes, his enthusiasm waned. “I was pretty discouraged. I came in for my work shifts and had the mindset to just get it done,” recalls Held.

Soon his peers encouraged him to apply for a student manager position. “At first I thought, ‘Why? I don’t even like this job. Why would I want to spend more time doing it?’” says Held. But as the year went on, Held got to know David Walden, supervisor of student employees for Sodexo, Bethel’s food service vendor. “His philosophy is that if you care about the others on your team, if you have that loyalty to each other, then you’re going to work hard and you’re going to enjoy your work,” says Held, now a sophomore manager at Bethel’s 3900 Grill.

Walden’s guiding philosophy is more about people than about food service. It’s the idea that being a manager is more than simply running an efficient human machine; it’s about knowing the joys and heartaches of those who work for you.

In an industry as fast-paced as food service, where efficiency is king, this philosophy has made Sodexo’s student employee program at Bethel a model for universities throughout the region. It’s a program that transforms workers like Held and now has a waiting list to wash dishes.

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“... I’ve learned from David’s example. He has so many students, yet somehow he makes them all feel cared about.”

—Joe Held was one of his few quiet moments to reflect, and it was then that he honored the prayer requests from his students, reminding him nightly what his hard work was truly about.

In 2009, Walden earned his M.Div. in ministry leadership.

The arduous journey toward his degree taught him that pastoral ministry can come clad in a food-service uniform. “I entered seminary knowing I wanted to be a pastor—not knowing exactly what that would look like, but knowing that I wanted to be obedient to that direction. After graduation, the way I’ve learned to express that calling is to work toward a relationship with people, and that’s what I do here.”

Training Managers to Build Relationships

Walden meets with his team of 20 student managers every Wednesday night. Together, they oversee the nearly 180 students working in all areas of food service—from catering events to whipping up lattés at the Royal Grounds coffee shop. Each meeting begins in the usual fashion, with Walden asking his infamous question: “How’s life?”

Chatter fills the air as students move into the routine, recounting interim adventures in Belize and Jordan or venting about the stress of juggling homework and wedding plans.

Everyone takes a turn. Some lounge in hooded sweatshirts; others are still in their gray Sodexo garb, munching on a late dinner they grabbed after their shift. It’s usually 10:30 p.m. by the time they get down to business. Walden, who starts his workday at noon, sets the tone by opening in prayer before he jumps into details.

Tonight he’s excited to launch his team into spring semester.

“Spring is when you get to see the fruits of your labor from the fall,” Walden explains to his managers. Side conversations dwindle away as his calm, sincere voice takes over the meeting.

“You begin to notice students who are stepping up and you can see the work you’re doing in individual lives. That’s a big part of what we do—getting to know students and engaging in whatever is going on in their lives,” he emphasizes to his team, giving them a charge. “Grab hold of the chances that are there this semester.” It’s his goal that managers become role models and mentors for their students—honoring the gift of leadership by serving each employee on every shift.

“Dave tells us that the jobs nobody wants to do are part of being a manager,” says senior Christa Krussow, Monson Dining Center student manager. “He says that when somebody has a big mess, when something is really gross, that’s probably our turn to step in. Our job isn’t to give the terrible jobs away.”

Krussow, like Joe Held, found encouragement during her freshman year in the student leaders who recognized her gifts and began nudging her to join the manager team. It wasn’t just goofy cheers in the dish room or team canoe trips on the St. Croix River 14

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that locked in her decision— it was Walden’s brand of leadership, the way he carries himself throughout his work.

“He has so much to do all the time, but whenever you walk in he always pauses. I guess that’s something that translates into how we students manage. You’re constantly trying to multitask and get stuff done, but you have to realize that other things are more important,” explains Krussow. “Caring about people within business is something I’ll always take with me.”

Held echoes her thoughts. “As human beings we work so hard at relationships with our friends and our family, and I never really thought about building relationships with those you supervise,” he says. “But I’ve learned from David’s example. He has so many students, yet somehow he makes them all feel cared about.”

Sodexo at Bethel Leading the Way

As a service industry leader throughout the world, Sodexo brings food and facility management services into universities, hospitals, government agencies, and more.

“Even though we work for Sodexo, we feel like we work with Bethel,” explains Bob Schuchardt, general manger of Bethel’s Sodexo account, who oversees a team of 91 staff. “It’s just like we’re part of the group, which is nice. You don’t see that too much on other campuses. We have a true partnership here.”

With the rising success of the student employee program, the Sodexo-Bethel partnership has become a model for other universities in the area. “Coming from corporate and being the new district manager for education, our district manager is blown away with just how smooth our process is, and how interactive we are with the students,” says Schuchardt. “In the region, no one has a program like this. I’ve been here 11 years and I’ve been to other campuses, and this is a special one.”

When asked about Walden, Schuchardt lights up, explaining how Walden is his go-to guy for computer questions, how he has this incredible analytical mind, and that he has an amazing way of connecting with students. “He does the schedules and builds the student manager team, but then he takes time to have individual meetings with the students. So he’s doing ministry in the midst of everything. You won’t see that anywhere,” says Schuchardt.

Unless of course you happen to be lingering in the 3900 Grill after the noon rush, as Walden listens to prayer requests from one of his managers. “I’ve been called to be a pastor, and that means building a relationship with people right where I am, more than having a particular position or a vocational job at a church,” says Walden. “This job is a ministry in the work we’re doing with our hands and our feet. It’s something we can be proud of.” BU

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As We Forgive Those Who Trespass Against Us

by Scott Wible S’02

Bethel Seminary Professor Steve Sandage researches forgiveness and shares what he’s learned so far.

“H

ow often must I forgive someone who keeps sinning against me?” Peter asked Jesus. The rabbis of the day said three. “Seven?” Peter ventured, upping the virtue factor. But Jesus’ answer was stunning: “Seventy times seven,” He countered. In other words, no limit. To this day, many find forgiveness among the most difficult tasks God commands of us.

Why? What does true forgiveness look like? What kinds of influences help or hinder our capacity to forgive?

Such questions have long fascinated Steve Sandage, Ph.D., professor of marriage and family studies at Bethel Seminary. So in 2007, when he was invited to participate in research funded by the Fetzer Institute to explore the relationship between forgiveness and spirituality, Sandage eagerly agreed. Besides co-authoring books and publishing articles about the results, Sandage and his fellow researchers also plan to employ their findings to improve both spiritual formation programs and therapeutic interventions aimed at helping people practice forgiveness. Now the Fetzer Institute has awarded a second grant to Sandage to further his research.

His passion for the subject is apparent as he discusses the work these grants have made possible.

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Describe your research on interpersonal forgiveness and relational spirituality.

I am collaborating with Everett Worthington, Ph.D., professor of psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University (and my doctoral advisor), and Mike McCullough, Ph.D., professor of psychology at the University of Miami, to investigate empirical connections between forgiveness and relational spirituality.

While empirical research on forgiveness—research based on data collected via questionnaires and experimental procedures to investigate people’s actual behavior related to forgiveness— has been on the rise, studies of forgiveness and spirituality have been quite limited. At Bethel Seminary, I have been conducting and publishing a series of studies with our students using a variety of measures of spirituality, virtue, relational development, and mental health. The study design is also longitudinal, so I am tracking changes in students’ experiences of forgiveness and spirituality over time. Ev and Mike are using similar measures of forgiveness and other relational variables in longitudinal studies at their sites as well.

What do you mean by “forgiveness” and “relational spirituality”?

There are multiple dimensions of forgiveness, but our focus in this project is on capacities for forgiving other people. By forgiving other people, we mean surrendering one’s demand for revenge or internal avoidance and moving toward an attitude of goodwill toward an offender. Forgiveness is not the same as reconciliation, but possibly sets the stage for reconciliation. We also recognize that some offenses are easier to forgive than others, and we are investigating individuals’ general tendencies toward forgiveness.

By “relational spirituality,” we mean styles of relating to God and the sacred. Within any faith community, there is a variety of styles of relational spirituality. Even Christians who hold shared doctrinal positions will differ in relational styles with

God. Some generally relate to God with warmth and openness, while others consistently experience spiritual insecurity and fear. We have identified another form of relational spirituality marked by narcissism, emotional detachment, and feelings of spiritual privilege. Since forgiveness is heavily influenced by interpersonal experiences, we hypothesized that a relational model would help us connect the spiritual and psychological dynamics. The primary theoretical groundwork for the project got started with my book Transforming Spirituality with former Bethel Seminary professor F. LeRon Shults, Ph.D., now professor of systematic theology at the University of Agder, Norway.

Can you summarize some of what you’ve learned so far?

Here at Bethel Seminary, we’ve identified several key factors that are positively and negatively associated with a forgiving personality. On the positive side, gratitude is a virtue that is closely related to forgiveness. This fits with a lot of good Christian theology—those who are grateful for being forgiven are more likely to be generous in forgiving others. Two measures of mature relational development—secure attachment and differentiation of self—have also shown strong positive associations with forgiveness. It is unlikely that someone will become consistent in the practice of forgiveness without growing in their overall capacities for relational health and maturity, and we have sought to integrate these relational qualities with Trinitarian theology. We have also published

Steven Sandage, Ph.D.

Professor of Marriage and Family Studies Bethel Seminary When Steve Sandage began working on a Ph.D. in psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University, he wanted to choose a research topic with a theological component that would also lend itself to empirical methods of study. At the top of his list: forgiveness. Today forgiveness remains a focus of Sandage’s growing body of work, including his books To Forgive is Human, co-written with Michael McCullough and Everett Worthington, and The Faces of Forgiveness, co-written with former Bethel Professor of Theology F. LeRon Shults, and winner of the 16

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Narramore Award for excellence in the integration of psychology and theology. Sandage has served at Bethel Seminary since 1997, and also is a licensed psychologist and popular presenter at community and professional gatherings. Other primary areas of research and writing include marriage and family therapy, virtue ethics, spiritual formation, the integration of theology and social science, and intercultural development.

The Fetzer Institute The Fetzer Institute (www. fetzer.org), Kalamazoo, Mich., was formed in 1990, evolving over the years from a grant-making foundation established by John Fetzer in 1954. Trained as an electrical engineer and serving as a war correspondent in World War II, Fetzer went on to become a successful broadcasting mogul and owner of the Detroit Tigers baseball team. In fact, it was proceeds from the sale of the team in 1983 and Fetzer’s media holdings in 1985 that funded the Fetzer Institute’s endowment. The organization’s mission statement: to foster awareness of the power of love and forgiveness in the emerging global community.

two studies showing that contemplative prayer practices, such as meditatively practicing the presence of God, tend to be conducive to interpersonal forgiveness among our students.

In contrast, petitionary prayer, while an important Christian practice, has shown no empirical effects related to forgiveness.

On the negative side, spiritual narcissism is one risk factor for struggling with forgiveness. In terms of forgiveness, it is better to have healthy self-esteem than spiritual superiority vis-àvis others. Peter Jankowski, Ph.D., Bethel University associate professor of psychology, and I have also published a study showing that those with high levels of spiritual dysregulation often have trouble forgiving others. These are people who shift rapidly between feeling close to God and then condemned by God. Their emotional and spiritual turbulence means that they frequently alternate between being angry at others, God, and themselves.

We also found that intercultural defensiveness, or negativity toward cultural differences, is associated with difficulties with forgiveness, which highlights another way our important diversity work at Bethel can contribute to spiritual formation.

this pattern indicates a movement past pseudo-forgiveness and a peacemaking role toward a more mature capacity for authentic forgiveness.

Forgiveness can be beneficial to our health, but it can’t be faked. It has to be the real thing.

What are some of the practical implications of your research?

When I look back to the start of my research in graduate school, I realize how much my own naïve perspective focused on smoothing over conflicts rather than the formative process of forgiveness. Ev mentored students in doing research on forgiveness, and we finished a book together shortly before his mother was brutally murdered. Ev tells the whole story in his book Five Steps to Forgiveness. Through his demonstration of forgiveness in the aftermath of such terrible tragedy, I started to learn more personally about the deeper levels of forgiveness.

When it comes to developing capacities for forgiving others, it is not simply the content of one’s beliefs that matters but also the relational shape of one’s character and images of God. Our research highlights the importance of relational development for spiritual maturity and, more specifically, growing in attachment security and differentiation of self. Those who score high in secure attachment and differentiation of self tend to have healthy confidence, flexibility, and authentic capacities for managing difficult emotions and interpersonal boundaries. These are capacities I emphasize in my therapy practice and are central to our approach to spiritual formation at Bethel Seminary. We have oriented much of our formation-based training in Bethel’s marriage and family therapy program toward attachment and differentiation. Prior research by Mike, Ev, and myself had highlighted the close connection between empathy and forgiveness, but we are now getting at the deeper spiritual and psychological factors that undergird compassion toward others.

Although the longitudinal portion of our study is not complete, our data also suggests that a developmental process may unfold in which students go through some reductions in forgiveness during the middle part of seminary followed by a trend toward increased forgiveness by the end. I guess you could say “darkness comes before the morning,” or in biblical terms the cross comes before resurrection. As students wrestle with the personal and theological process of “leaving home” and grounding their own relationship with God, they may go through a season of seeming less forgiving. In some cases,

Any eye-opening insights for you, personally, as a result of your research on forgiveness?

Where is your forgiveness research taking you now?

Bethel has received a second forgiveness research grant from Fetzer, and this new project involves a clinical trial of a forgiveness module in the treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). There are now more than 1,200 empirical studies of forgiveness, but very few of them employ clinical samples of those struggling with significant mental health problems.

Those with BPD are at increased risk for suicide, interpersonal conflict, and severe levels of suffering, but they also tend to have a profound concern about injustice. So, our intervention is aimed at developing skills in balancing justice and forgiveness. I am collaborating with faculty at the University of Minnesota Medical School, which is the central location of our clinical trial along with some community clinics. The compassionate and quality care they give to their clients has already been quite inspirational for me and has cultivated my own gratitude. BU

Bethel University

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better Together

by Heather Schnese

Like cookies and milk, some things are just better together, including three Bethel couples who minister as spouses, classmates, and coworkers.

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Charlie and Heather Ruce High school sweethearts? How It was September 2003. They met in front of the church about seminary sweethearts? mailboxes at Flood Church in San Diego, Calif., as Charlie tells it. He was helping plan a missions trip to Malawi, and Heather These three couples met was going on the trip. At the time, Heather was working fulltime in animal care at Sea World, tending to seals, sea lions, dolphins, and then decided to attend and manatees. Charlie was interning at Flood, intending to be a senior pastor one day. “But then at about the same time, I think Bethel Seminary San Diego we both heard God say, ‘I have a different plan for you,’” explains Charlie. For both, the next step would be Bethel Seminary’s together. Although going to Marital and Family Therapy (MFT) degree.

After getting married in 2004, Heather started the MFT school simultaneously posed program in 2007, and Charlie began shortly behind her in 2008, switching from the Master of Divinity program he began in 2004. “We study together, process things together, and help each numerous challenges, all agree other understand,” says Heather. “It’s nice just to bounce ideas it strengthened their marriage in off each other.” Charlie agrees: “It’s nice to come home and not have to explain this really cool thing that I learned in class. She just as many ways. Two couples already knows! It’s helped cultivate closeness in our marriage.”

In addition to sharing their program, they both work some hours at Bethel Seminary San Diego’s front desk, and they will finish their programs within the next year. One “It’s nice to come home and not have to explain this really cool thing that I learned in class. She already knows! It’s couple graduated nearly five helped cultivate closeness in our marriage.”

— Charlie Ruce years ago and has been working together at a church ever since.

The Ruces, Vanderwarkers, and Wildeys share the joys of doing the ministry work God has called them to do together with the help of Bethel.

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intern at the same hospice center. The demands on their time and finances have been challenging, they admit. “It feels like everything is constantly new. New quarter, new schedule, new professor. We’re in constant transition,” says Charlie. And home life occasionally takes a backseat. “Sometimes we’re both just too tired to cook, clean, or get laundry done,” explains Heather.

But the benefits of doing the MFT program together have far outweighed the drawbacks. “The classes are so unique,” explains Heather. “The curriculum is very conducive to personal transformation. You can’t really do the assignments without facing yourself.” Charlie adds, “The integration of theology and theory is also very strong.” Often times they consider how certain topics covered in class apply to their own marriage.

Upon graduating in June, Heather hopes to help connect spiritual formation and counseling for others. “That’s an area of passion that I’d like to explore more,” she says. “Our lives and histories shape our relationships with God and sometimes keep us from engaging with Him.” Charlie hopes to be in private practice as a therapist who works closely with churches in the areas of healing, recovery, and emotional health ministries or support groups. The couple has talked about eventually working together in a private practice.

“Doing ministry together is where we feel most alive. It’s been a rich experience to be doing it while we’re both in seminary, too.”

—Shannon Vanderwarker

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Dan and Shannon Vanderwarker After undergraduate work at the University of Colorado, Dan became involved in Campus Crusade. Then he headed west.

Shannon went south from Washington to do her undergraduate work at Azusa Pacific University. Then, in 2006, they both found themselves interning in college ministry at Emmanuel Faith Community Church in Escondido, Calif. It wasn’t long before they knew two things: first, they were going to get married; and second, they were both going to start seminary at Bethel Seminary San Diego, Shannon in the MFT program and Dan in the Master of Divinity (M.Div.).

They began seminary in fall 2007, taking many of their classes together, and got married their first quarter. But it’s not quite what you expect, says Dan. “We thought it’d be really fun to study and learn together. But we have very distinct learning differences,” he explains. “I’m much better studying at night; Shannon prefers the day. And she, of course, gets much better grades than I do.”

After a year, however, Shannon realized the MFT was not the right fit. “I liked my classes, but the thought of doing therapy was really stressful,” she explains. “I began praying and talking to people who knew me really well.” She then switched to the M.Div. program with an emphasis on pastoral care and counseling, and felt much more affirmed in the direction of her studies.

Both say one of the biggest benefits of being in class at the same time is the understanding and grace afforded each other.

“If I have to study, even though it’s our day off, she totally understands,” says Dan. Outside the classroom, they’ve been practicing what they’re learning together. In summer 2009 they moved to Forest Home in Forest Falls, Calif., to be pastors to the college-aged students who were on the summer staff of the camp. “Camp ministry is unique in that it is both very physical and spiritual,” says Dan. “Going into that summer with two years at Bethel, Forest Home gave us a platform to take what we were learning in the classroom into real life. We had the opportunity to interact with families as they were participating in camp programs and staff as they were running them. We even had the privilege to start a little church service called ‘Church in the Woods.’” The service attracted both camp staff and locals from the surrounding communities.

“Doing ministry together is where we feel most alive,” says Shannon. “It’s been a rich experience to be doing it while we’re both in seminary, too. What you learn you can apply right away—or debunk.”

Now, they’re both at Grace Presbyterian Church in Vista, Calif., where Dan is a youth director and Shannon is an intern

“Twenty to 40 years ago, only men went to seminary. Now it’s not only possible for husband and wife to go together, but it’s a viable option. It’s an equal partnership, and it’s fun.”

—Scott Wildey

working with adult discipleship. They will graduate in 2012 and admit they wonder about future job opportunities. “Like everyone else, churches are not operating in the best economic climate,” says Dan. “We’re curious if we’ll be able to find two jobs in ministry. Each piece of our ministry puzzle has been put together as we go, though, so we’ll see what God has next for us.”

Scott and Linsey Wildey Hunter is almost four and likes to play sports, direct others, sing, beat his drum, and greet everyone he passes. Piper is nearly two and likes to collect things, laugh, run in circles, hug her momma, and do whatever her brother does. Momma oversees women’s core groups and prayer counseling at Flood Church in San Diego, and dad oversees couples’ groups as well as baptism at Flood. Meet the Wildeys and their wild schedule.

“Our rhythm is a machine,” explains Linsey—momma. “I’m home on Mondays to watch the kids. My parents come on Tuesdays. I’m home on Wednesdays. Scott’s home on Thursdays.

Fridays and Saturdays we don’t work, and then Sundays the kids are in Sunday School.”

It’s hectic, but it’s a lifestyle they feel called to. Their first five years of marriage were filled with homework and exams as they went to Bethel Seminary together—Linsey for a Master of Arts (Theological Studies) with an emphasis on pastoral care and Scott for a Master of Divinity. Although they have fond memories of walking to school together, being in seminary at the same time wasn’t always easy. It did, however, teach them some valuable relationship lessons. “We really learned to respect each other’s space,” explains Scott. “We had to manage our schedule

and our marriage, which meant having an increased level of communication and learning how to set boundaries.”

The two also had very different modes of studying. “I’d prefer to be home all day studying, writing multiple drafts of one paper,” says Linsey. “He’d go crazy being home all day. He has to be out and about, and he’ll only write one paper—no drafts.”

Linsey graduated in 2006 and Scott in 2007. A month after Scott’s graduation, Hunter was born, and 21 months later, Piper.

Throughout most of their schooling they both worked at Flood, which brought—and continues to bring—additional benefits and challenges. At first they thought the communication issues of early marriage would be solved more quickly and easily by working together. “What actually happened is they became more complex,” says Scott.

Linsey agrees. “We’re in the same meetings, so how do we vent to each other? You have to be able to get stuff off your chest, and we both carry a lot of work home. So we’ve had to navigate those boundaries.” Another challenge has been the balancing of career and romance. “Our offices are literally right next to each other, and we’re interacting all day with each other professionally. So, keeping family intimacy is something we have to work on,” she explains.

Right now, the family frequents the zoo and Sea World, and tries hard to keep a Sabbath despite their busy schedule. Both Scott and Linsey say they feel incredibly lucky and blessed to have the same life purpose—the same mission. “Twenty to 40 years ago, only men went to seminary. Now it’s not only possible for husband and wife to go together, but it’s a viable option,” says Scott. “It’s an equal partnership, and it’s fun.” BU

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PlaceMeant

by Heather Schnese

Situated on the seventh floor of a 16-story historic loft building on the corner of 28th Street, between 6th Avenue and Broadway, is Bethel—Bethel’s New York Center for Art & Media Studies (NYCAMS), that is. The program, a faith-based art and writing residency, is located in central Manhattan, in walking distance of more than 300 art galleries and within 20-minute subway rides to 40-some museums, including the Met and the Guggenheim. It’s no wonder NYCAMS is growing, drawing about 20 students from across the country each semester. The more than 230 who have completed the program since its inception in January 2005 have participated in an undergraduate semester art residency, an undergraduate semester writing residency, a nine-month post-baccalaureate studio program, or a curator fellowship.

On an early spring day, current students Austin Manly, Marika Dahlin, and Justin Brunkow work on projects.

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photo by Alex Stewart

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1. Individual studio spaces, which number 22, allow for an open format “to encourage dialogue among artists, designers, and writers,” explains John Silvis ’92, NYCAMS director and associate professor of art.

“The studio—open 24/7—is always a place of creative activity!”

2. The view from the studio’s 7th floor windows includes the Empire State building among other well-known landmarks.

3. Spring in NYC means lazy afternoons in Central Park and new spring fashion shows. At NYCAMS it means gearing up for art shows to display student work. This year’s undergraduate show opened in early May and was called Look, that’s neat. It explored themes of mass production, irreducibility, media consumption, and more.

The post-baccalaureate show Theodolite in April invited viewers to examine physical, cultural, personal, and typographical landscapes through works on paper, painting, graphic design, photography, and mixed media. In late March, writing students participated in readings of the works of renowned contemporary poets Arian Reines, Adam Fitzgerald, and Rebecca Wolf.

4. Austin Manly is a sophomore from Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho. He’s double majoring in studio art and graphic design and hopes to end up back in NYC after graduation—with or without a job, he jokes.

5. Proofs are printouts of pages designed for a book, and Manly is going through his. He is in the NYCAMS design track, which launched in fall 2010. “This track focuses on the designer’s engagement with the urban environment by drawing upon the rich setting of New York City to shape their idiosyncratic interests,” says Silvis. The track includes research and editing-based assignments using a range of print materials, posters, websites, photography, and video.

6. Marika Dahlin is working on a gold poster, like the ones you see hanging behind her. “That body of work was inspired by iconography, Roman Catholicism, pop culture, and Lady Gaga,” she says. From Biola University, she is majoring in art with a design emphasis and is in the directed open studio track.

7. Xylene is a solvent usually refined from crude oil in a process called alkylation. Dahlin is using it to transfer images onto her posters.

8. The NYCAMS loft includes a common classroom, darkroom, digital lab, kitchen, gallery, woodshop, and a large studio. Nine thousand square feet with windows on all sides, it was designed by architect David Seraro.

9. Justin Brunkow is a Bethel junior majoring in studio art, minoring in literature.

10. Gessoed canvas and oil paint is what Brunkow is using to complete his painting, meant to be an antithesis to minimalism. “Where minimalism sought to create objects that could be easily captured in our mind’s eye, I wanted to create a field of washes and markings that repelled the viewer’s every assumption,” he explains.

11. Quiet. No music allowed in the studio, so bring your iPod. Bethel University

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Your Summer Reading

Checklist

by Michelle Westlund ’83

Recommended reads from Bethel faculty and staff Summer is almost here, and with it comes those lazy afternoons at the lake or some quiet, reflective moments in the shade of your favorite tree. Whatever you do to get away this summer, make sure to take along a good book or two. To help you choose, browse the following list of books recommended by Bethel faculty and staff. Pick your favorites and prepare for a great summer reading great books.

And don’t worry—there are no pop quizzes in the fall!

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’t Put Down n a C y tl n e rr u C I k o o B ong Family : A Hm The Latehomecomer Yang Memoir by Kao Kaliapo mong etic. Br ings the H

n— “Beautifully w ritte nce to life.” immigrant experie of Nursing sociate Professor As h, ic ov uh M ve —Da

Favorite Book of the Past Few Years Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference?

d by Patrick Rothfuss The Name of the Wn,inProgram Director and Chair, tto — Gar y David Stra s Department rie ist in M Christian

by Philip Yancey —Jay Bar nes, President

The

Last Lecture by Randy Pausch “Every teacher should read this boo k.”

—Neal Dutton, Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Health and Physical Education; Director, Athletic Training Program

n by G.K. Beale of ge The Book of ReveAdlajutio nct Professor, Colle —Dw ight Nelson, ate School nal Studies/Gradu sio es of Pr & t ul Ad (CAPS/GS)

Animal Spirits: How Human Psychology Dri ves the Economy, and Why It Matters for Global Capitalism by George A. Akerlof and Robert J. Shiller

—Tim Essenburg, Professor of Eco nom

The Moviegoer by Walker Percy —Craig Case, Adjunct Professor, CAP

ics

S/GS

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte “I still have the paperback copy that I first read at age 11, and I have probably read it once ever y five to 10 years since then. The stor y inspired me to be inde pendent and value my mind.”

—Becky Seaberg, Assistant Profess or of Mathematics and Computer Science The

Epistle to the Ephesians by Paul “Yes, the one in the Bible.”

—R ich Sherry, Executive Assistant to the President

Best Beach Read

The Black Prism by Brent Weeks

ctor and Chair, —Gary Dav id Stratton, Program Dire

Chr istian Ministr ies Department

Capitalism by Ha-Joon Chang 23 Things They Don’t Tell You about ics nom —Tim Essenburg, Professor of Eco

Lea A River Runs Through It by NormanS/GMac S

n

—Craig Case, Adjunct Professor, CAP

Bethel University does not necessarily endorse the words and viewpoints of every author in this book list.

Bethel University

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ok Best Book from My Childhood/Best Kids’ Bo

McBratney Guess How Much I Love You by Sam Department ctor and Chair, Chr istian Ministr ies —Gary Dav id Stratton, Program Dire

n Selznick The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Bria combines friendship, film te pictures to tell a mystery stor y that

uisi th “Combines beautiful words and exq train station. It sounds like an the intr igue of an early 20 century and ns, stio que l gica nolo tech ory, hist on ever y level.” unlikely combination, but it works s course on juvenile Chair, Department of English (teache and or fess Pro te ocia Ass , oks Bro —Susan literature) Holling Paddle-to-the-Sea by Holling Clancycan oe by a Native-

den “Story of the creation of a small woo e Superior, and the Lak of ters dwa American boy at the hea St. Law rence River. Through canoe’s jour ney to the mouth of the ion, captures for a child not wonderful illustrations and descript travel.” only geography but the wonder of to the President —R ich Sherry, Executive Assistant George MacDonald At the Back of the North Wind by for children, that I have encountered.”

“The best discussion of death, written Computer Science ir, Department of Mathematics and —Eric Gossett, Professor and Cha

Best Book for a Discussion Group Can You Drink the Cup? by Henri Nouwen

—Tim Essenburg, Professor of Eco nom

ics

Take This Bread: A Radical Conversion

by Sara Miles “A compelling nonfiction memoir of a woman raised by atheist parents who experienced a radical conversion to Chr istianity upon receiving the Euchar ist for the first time as an adult. She paints a vivid, beautiful, and challenging picture of communion among the children of God.” —Molly Noble, Instructional Techno logist

The Prodigal God by Timothy Keller

—Jay Bar nes, President

Surviving Shattered Dreams: A Story of Hope after Despair

by Joanne Klinger and Yvonne Part yka “The authors candidly discuss the emotional turmoil created when thei r pastor husbands betrayed them through adulter y and abuse.”

—Eric Gossett, Professor and Chair, Department of Mathematics and Computer Science

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Grad Best Book to Give a Recent Quarterlife Crisis

and Abby Wilner

by Alexandra Robbins aling for those in their 20s de “A great transition tool er college.” with the reality of life aft grams tant Dean of Student Pro sis As —Heather Richards,

Book Every Christian Should Read The Evidence for God: Religious Knowledge Reexamined by Paul K. Moser

“Moser offers surprisingly novel but profound answers that have an anchor in the biblical text itself.”

—Bernard Walker, Professor of Philosophy and Ethics, CAPS/GS

Renovation of the Heart by Dallas Willard “Focuses on how the Holy Spirit and personal initiative must join together as we seek to realize our newness in Christ.”

—Rich Sherry, Executive Assistant to the President

ry Best Books on Church Histo te

Associa (Recommended by Chr is Armstrong, inar y St. Paul) Sem Professor of Church History, Bethel

Ecclesiastical History by Eusebius

e ever wondered “I get chills reading this. If you hav decades and what happened to the church in the your book.” centuries after the apostles, this is

Confessions by Augustine

Best Books of Life Wisdom

(Recommended by Al Prentice, Adj unct Teaching Partner, CAPS/GS)

Margin by Richard Swenson “Next to Scripture, this book has cha nged my life the most.”

Unspoken Wisdom by Ray Anderson “A brief but well-wr itten book on less ons in life and faith from the author’s fath er.”

“The granddaddy of all biographies. Written as a long prayer of thanksgiving to the God who saved him, this is truly a riveting read.”

Best Book on Global Awareness

(Recommended by Glen Scorgie, Pro fessor of Theolog y and Ethics, Bethel Seminar y San Die go)

Redeemed by Fire: The Rise of Popular Christianity in Modern China by Lian Xi

matics Best Book on Mathe urg, Assistant

y Seab (Recommended by Beck s and Computer Science) tic Professor of Mathema

Riemann Prime Obsession: Bernhard Problem in and the Greatest Unsolved Mathematics

by John Derbyshire nn and the time “Tells the story of Riema ernating histor ical and when he lived, with alt The Washington Times mathematical chapters. ectual tour de force called the book ‘an intell and an excellent read.’”

“This beautifully written and thoroug hly researched work recently and dese rvedly won a Chr istianity Today award as one of the top books of 2010. It prov ides an unprecedented window into the dynamics of Chr istianity in the world’s largest, and perhaps the 21st century’s most strategic, nation.”

Let us know which books you read and liked— or didn’t! Also tell us your own favorites for a possible follow-up list of reader-recommended books at bethel-magazine@bethel.edu.

Bethel University

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ProFile – Wes Mouri ’12

by Samantha Allgood ’12

Lieutenant Frank Cioffi elbows through the cast for the final curtain call, his tan detective coat swallowing his brown slacks as he bends to bow. The spotlight dances off the gun holster that he managed to keep in place through a six-minute dance number. Reflecting on his first official lead role in a Bethel theatre production, Wes Mouri echoes the line of his character from Curtains: “Putting on a musical has got to be the most fulfilling thing a person could ever hope to do!”

But Mouri sees his lines as much more than words he memorizes for a play. They’re a way for him to live out his faith in a sometimes challenging industry—one in which many thespians can lose their identities. “It can become all about believing in yourself,” he explains. “You can start putting your identity in things that aren’t truthful and aren’t of the faith.”

So he makes his intentions clear from the start. “I’m not out for myself,” he says. “I’m not pursuing a career in theatre to make my name famous, to make my name known; instead, I want to be salt and light in a dark world.”

Mouri first pursued acting in high school, though it was more of a hobby, he says.

He graced the stage in Singin’ in the Rain, Li’l Abner, State Fair, My Fair Lady, The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer, It’s a Wonderful Life, and The Happiest Millionaire. As a high school sophomore he added community theatre to his resumé and participated in Annie Warbucks, Bye Bye Birdie, The Music Man, High School Musical, Godspell, Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat, and 42nd Street.

Originally from Rockford, Ill., Mouri is now a junior theatre major with a musical theatre and acting/directing double emphasis. He has appreciated the personalized attention he has received from theatre department faculty. With three professors for 25 theatre majors, there are opportunities for close-knit relationships. “They can push me and challenge me in ways that most universities with bigger programs can’t do,” he explains.

“As I continue to draw closer to God,” Mouri says, “the idea of darkness versus light resonates more and more with me. I want to be a person who reflects the light of Christ in everything I do, whether that’s acting, directing, or simply conversing with other artists. I am reminded every day of the grace that God has extended toward me, and I can’t think of any greater task than to share this with those around me—both in the theatre community and beyond.”

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photo by Scott Streble

His faith has also directed his path. “I understand that I could not perform anywhere, I could not act in a single play, I could not do a single dance step if I wasn’t granted the opportunities from God,” he says. With this perspective, he is driven by a call to minister to the theatre world, taking inspiration from John 12:46: “I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in Me may not remain in darkness.”

Alum News “Measure our performance by what God accomplishes through our graduates after they have been prepared at Bethel to go out into the world to serve.”

—John Alexis Edgren, Founder

50s

70s

80s

90s

Karl ’50 and Marge (Helgren) Lachler ’51 retired in 1987 after serving as Converge Worldwide missionaries in Brazil for 32 years. They are now enjoying life at the Penney Retirement Community near Jacksonville, Fla.

Glen Thorp S’71 retired after nearly 40 years serving churches in Minneapolis, Los Angeles, and Denver. He’s looking forward to the new phase of ministry God has for him. Glen and his wife Eugenia “Jeannie” ’68 live in San Dimas, Calif.

Amy Munger ’83 is married to Joel Forsline ’81. She works for Feed My Starving Children. Her daughter Aubrey is 19.

Steven Olberg ’90 has an M.A. from DePaul University and just defended his dissertation titled Political Graffiti on the West Bank Wall in Israel/Palestine at the University of St. Thomas, where he’ll receive an Ed.D. in critical pedagogy in May. In the course of his academic work, he collected more

Donald R. Crowther’s ’58 eldest son Rick is an infantry officer with the U.S. Army on his second tour in Afghanistan, and his younger son, Doug, is with Homeland Security as a systems engineer.

60s Fredric K. Peterson ’64 has been active in church leadership and is looking forward to getting involved in the Rockford, Ill., schools. His wife, Janice, died of cancer in March.

Larry Baklenko ’67 retired from his two jobs: Minot, N.D., police department (34 years) and farming (18 years). He and his wife Debbie are going fishing!

Bethel Magazine incorporates Alum News from all schools of Bethel University. (S) indicates news from Bethel Seminary alumni, (CAPS) indicates news from College of Adult & Professional Studies, and (GS) indicates news from Graduate School alumni.

No indication is news from College of Arts & Sciences alumni.

Bringing Hope and Peace In the life of Stephanie Hope Smith ’98, the recent announcement of her nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize speaks to her true identity as one seeking to unify the broken and strengthen the hopeless. “My name is Stephanie Hope…I’m a hope bringer,” she introduces herself.

Working with several First Nations (American Indians) communities, multiple nonprofits, and government agencies, Smith’s diverse efforts to create dialogue and healing were recognized by Dakota Indian spiritual tribal council members, who announced her nomination. Yet, even in her moment of praise, Smith sees this as another opportunity to serve. “How can I use this tool to bless other people? How will this help create more dialogue and actions that can lead to healing? How will God get the glory?” she asks.

For Smith and her husband, giving God the glory has included the establishment of two Minnesota nonprofits—The Northern Lights Junior A Hockey Team and the Global Athlete Village. These organizations aim to mobilize athletes for community service, create rich cultural exchange, and support international humanitarian efforts including Type 2 diabetes prevention and disaster relief.

In 2006, these organizations identified buildings in the National Historic Landmark District of Fort Snelling as a proposed site for the Global Athlete Village mobilization center. However, when Smith began to hear Dakota leaders share about the sacredness of Bdote (pronounced Bdoh-tay)—where the Mississippi and Minnesota River meet—she chose to stop and “spend bulk, unhurried time” in the Dakota community.

Smith expanded her volunteerism to include providing medical services at powwows and commemorative events, where she heard firsthand about First Nation community concerns, especially as they related to sacred sites.

Addressing the issues around Fort Snelling led Smith to further involvement on behalf of the Dakota community. She stepped into an organizational role, assisting in the planning of the 2011 World Peace and Prayer Day in Minneapolis.

“I don’t have a degree in history or law. I don’t have a background in social justice or any of those kinds of things, but as a private citizen, as a Christian, as a mom, as a person who is learning about what has happened to the First Nations in the United States, I’m trying to come to grips with my responsibility,” Smith says. “I feel a duty, a moral obligation, to do something if there is any chance that my efforts will help bring healing.”

In October the Nobel Committee will announce this year’s Nobel Peace Prize laureate who will be recognized in Oslo, Norway, on December 10, 2011.

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Alum News Shooting Stars Manhattan. Fashion shows. Red carpets. It’s NYC, but it’s also Kristen Somody Whalen’s ’99 unlikely mission field.

The journey there started in a Bethel darkroom, where she discovered a passion for photography. “I would spend all night in the darkroom,” she recalls. “I remember this moment when I was developing a photo. I remember sobbing, saying to God: ‘I know that you created me to do this. I’m giving this back to you. Use this however you want.’”

After graduating with a major in media communication and a minor in art, Whalen spent a short time as a photographer at LifeTouch Portrait Studios and then interned for $200/week at the New Haven Register in Connecticut. “I learned everything during those two years—shooting fires, politics, and sports,” remembers Whalen. “I was camped outside of Joe Lieberman’s home the night Al Gore asked him to run for vice president.”

During her lunch hours, Whalen would often find herself at Barnes & Noble, poring over fashion magazines, and she realized she had a heart for celebrities. “They’re exciting, talented, and colorful,” she says.

The day after her 24th birthday, with only the money she’d made selling her car, Whalen left Connecticut for New York City.

She camped on the couch of a family friend for weeks, and was introduced to the “most incredible Christian community. There were groups of Christians who were passionate about what they were doing—about art, theatre, and so much more. And within a year they felt like family,” she explains.

After a few weeks of desperate job searching, Whalen stopped at a temp agency and told them she’d do anything in the fashion or photography industry. Just a few days later she got a call that Harper’s Bazaar’s editor-in-chief needed a part-time second assistant. “It was totally a God thing,” Whalen says. What does a second assistant to an editor do? “If you’ve seen The Devil Wears Prada—that was my life.”

Soon, the photo editor called and needed a part-time assistant.

Within a month the photo research editor left, and Whalen was given that job. In the days before digital images, Whalen would call hundreds of photography contacts around the world. “The magazine would want photos of Kate Moss with all her different colored Hermes Birkin bags, and I’d have to find all the photos the paparazzi had taken. I once had to go over to Ivanka Trump’s than 430 photographs of political graffiti on the wall, and interviewed university students at Hebrew University in Jerusalem and at Bethlehem University, Palestine.

Jody (Doehne) Berg ’92 taught elementary education for five years, then stayed home with her children for seven years. She began working with children and families and found a new career. She earned an M.A. in Early Childhood Special Education from the University of Colorado,

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Denver, and is completing a Buell Fellowship through Denver University in Early Childhood Leadership. She’s now an early intervention special educator, working with children with special needs.

Elaine (Telste) Steffen ’99 married Andrew Steffen in 2005. She’s worked for the Farmer Insurance Company since graduation. Her children are Noah, 4, and Ahna, 1.

house and get photos she had of herself on a yacht.”

Whalen got to know key influencemakers in the industry, people who are now editors at Vogue, Allure, W, and other major fashion magazines.

“So here I am the only Christian in the art department,” Whalen remembers. “My coworkers all thought I was crazy, but I’ve realized that the less I’m scared about sharing my faith, the more God gives me opportunity.”

All of a sudden, her photography business picked up. “I ‘felt’ I was supposed to bring my camera to this Harper’s Bazaar party, where there was going to be celebrities,” she remembers. “And Harper’s Bazaar ended up publishing the photos in the magazine.”

Eventually, Whalen was getting enough work shooting advertisements, actors, and weddings that she took another leap of faith and left her job at Harper’s Bazaar to do photography fulltime. “My first winter, I went to the mailbox every day hoping there would be a paycheck,” she recalls. “That was such an important time for me.

I learned that if God calls you to this city, He plans to use you. The Lord taught me contentment was not circumstantial.”

Today, Whalen is hired by magazines and private clients to document fashion shows and celebrity events, but she is not paparazzi—she does not pull out her camera when she sees someone famous on the street. “I shoot celebrities when I am hired to do so. I refuse to compromise a person’s privacy just to make a quick buck,” she says.

Whalen’s husband, Seth, owns PTL (Praise the Lord) Staffing and Events, and organizes employees for some of the city’s biggest events. Together, the young couple lives out their faith in the NYC celebrity scene. “We’re tag-teaming this industry,” Whalen says.

“God keeps reminding me that this is my ministry. There are so many moments I go home thanking and praising God. I thank Him for trusting me with this. I feel honored.”

00s Harold Lalande S’05 is a board-certified clinical hospital chaplain and a pastor/counselor. He’s a resident of psychoanalysis at Blanton Peale in New York City, and a D.Min. student in pastoral psychotherapy at New York Theological Seminary.

Mark H. Hanson ’06 graduated from the University of St. Thomas M.B.A. program in May 2010. He

is a consultant with Genoa Business Advisors, a management advisory firm focused on strategic growth consulting.

Monica (Gross) Helland ’08 opened a clinic in the Uptown area in Minneapolis, Legacy Wellness, an acupuncture and Oriental medicine practice specializing in digestive health.

Emily Kjesbo-Johnson ’08 and Ryan Kjesbo-Johnson ’07 are serving with the U.S. Peace Corps in Uganda for a

Alum News 27-month term. They were married in 2009 and lived in St. Paul. While in Uganda, both will be educators: Emily a secondary math teacher and teacher trainer; and Ryan a primary teacher trainer in a primary teacher’s college.

They will also be involved in AIDS prevention and education. Their blog: thekjesbojohnsons.blogspot.com

10s Rebecca Stepan ’10 is beginning the D.N.P. (Adult Health/Gerontologic Nurse Practitioner) program at the University of Minnesota in the fall.

Weddings ’03 Elizabeth Ecklund married Leandro Escalante in September.

The both serve fulltime with the local church in Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic, where Elizabeth has been a missionary since 2004. ’07 Amy Morris and Peter Williams ’04 were married in September.

The service at Fort Snelling Historic Chapel was officiated

by Chaplain Lieutenant Colonel

John Morris S’85. The wedding party included Paul Berg ’03, Troy Carlson ’03, Tim MaderBrown ’03, Anthony Novotne ’04, Kyle Peterson ’05, Mike Sobol S’05, Angela (Bronk) Firnstahl ’07, Amanda (Morgan) Wahlund ’05, and Beth (Hibbs) Bleess ’07. St. Paul, Minn. ’08 Jaclyn Hallstrom married Mark Tarman ’07 in April. Minneapolis, Minn. ’09 Laura Becklund married Seth Rima ’10 in June. Richfield, Minn. ’09 Jennifer Blake married Josh Oestreich in October. Jen works for AmeriCorps as an employment coach for the refugee population at Lifetrack Resources.

Arden Hills, Minn. ’10 Jennifer Estrada married Anthony Miranowski in October.

Coon Rapids, Minn.

Births ’90 Hannah Jeaninne was born in November to Keri (Osborne) and Doug Beetner. She joins her brother Nathaniel. Roseville, Minn.

1

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5

’93 Eleanor was born to Kim (Rinehart) Showcatally and Shawn in October 2009. Kim is at home, and Shawn works as a mechanical engineer. Mankato, Minn. ’96 Quinlan Phillip was born in July to Erin (Biehn) Toedter and Jair.

He joins brothers Carston, 11, Reagan, 9, and sisters Tacy, 7, and Zoe, 5. Spicer, Minn. ’97 Madison Rose was born to Stacy (Johnson) Elsholtz and Matthew. Matt is a logistics manager at Universal AmCan in St. Paul, and Stacy is an executive assistant at the Abbot Northwestern Hospital Foundation in Minneapolis. Grant, Minn. (1) ’00 Juliana Lucille was born in December to Shayna (Skalicky) Anderson and Joel. Crystal, Minn. (2)

’01 Elena Massa was born in September to Julianne (Pinke) Vanderaa and Joel ’04. Julianne is a licensed independent clinical social worker, but now is a stay-at-home mother. Joel is a mechanical engineer at Rosemount, Inc. St. Paul, Minn. (4) ’02 Jacob Jonathan was born in January to Lindsi (Lilledahl) Boynton and Scott. He joins Samuel, Zachary, and Madeline.

Deephaven, Minn. (5) ’02 Emmett Nathan was born in October to Karolyn (Wood) Perkins and Aaron. He joins Owen, 2.

Lino Lakes, Minn. (6) ’02 Kendall Helene was born in February to Gina and Joshua P. Peterson. She joins Parker, 2.

Romeoville, Ill.

’00 Hannah Grace was born in June to Aimee (Johnson) and Jonathan D. Lundberg. She joins Gabriel Jonathan, 3. Jonathan is the volunteer manager for Urban Homeworks. Minneapolis, Minn.

’03 Sophia Estelle was born in September to Suzy (Choi) and Joe Schlie (S). She joins Isabelle, 5, and Colette, 8. They live in Paris where Joe is the national campus director of Campus Crusade for Christ, Agape France.

’01 Myles Mark was born in April to Jessica (Lemonds) Anderson and Tony. He is their second son. Bloomington, Minn. (3)

’04 Britta Kristine was born in April 2010 to Katie (Leafblad) Schmidt and Ben. The couple married in June 2008, and Ben

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4

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Alum News Stay Connected with

Bethel

Sign up to receive the Bethel eNews, a monthly email newsletter containing the latest news and information from Bethel. bethel.edu/news-events/e-news

is a buyer at a local transportation firm, while Katie loves being a stay-at-home mom following six years of teaching. Bloomington, Minn. (7) ’05 Kayla Danielle was born to Brittany (Olson) Putman ’05 and Robert “Putty” ’04 in August.

Putty works part time as both a post-doctoral researcher at University of Illinois UrbanaChampaign and a pastor at the Vineyard Church. Brittany is a stay-at-home mother and a private voice/piano teacher.

Champaign, Ill. (8) ’08 Ella Joy was born in June to Michelle (Richer) Osborne and Kyle. Michelle is a stay-at-home mom and serves on the board of directors for the domestic violence network in Madison, S.D., where they live.

Deaths ’50 Louis G. Nelson passed away on Christmas Day at the age of 86. He joined the Army at age 19 and landed on Omaha Beach D-Day plus 1 with the 13th Field Artillery Observation Battalion. After the war, he attended Bethel, and then Central Baptist Seminary. He pastored American Baptist churches in Kansas and Iowa from 19501967 before becoming director of world mission support for the American Baptist Convention 1967-1989. He was an avid

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poet. He leaves his wife of 65 years, June, six children, 14 grandchildren, and 10 greatgrandchildren. ’52 Richard Dahlquist S’58 passed away in November at the age of 80 in a motorcycle accident.

He had been an avid motorcycle rider in his younger years, and resumed riding at age 75. He served a term as a missionary with the Far East Broadcasting Company, and worked at radio stations in California. He served many churches as an organist, and was a ham radio operator. He is survived by his wife Anna Marie, his daughters Ruth Dahlquist and Liz (Jason) Polk, and a grandson. ’76 Carl Bringgold Erickson, potter and bicyclist, passed away in February in Stillwater at the age of 56. After being diagnosed in October 2009 with pancreatic cancer, he rode his bike 50 miles in PurpleRide, a fundraiser for pancreatic cancer research, raising more than $10,000 with his team. He created pottery adorned with landscapes he saw while bike riding, cross-country skiing, or boating. One of his pieces was added to the permanent collection of the Smithsonian American Art Museum in 1999. Carl will be missed by his wife of 21 years, Rebecca; children Britta (Aaron) Conway, Sarah (Mike) Thomas, Andy, and Anna; a granddaughter; his parents; three brothers, and two sisters.

While Bethel strives for accuracy in all it does, we cannot be responsible for the content of news items submitted by alumni. The inclusion of news items here should not be construed as an endorsement of their content by Bethel Magazine or Bethel University.

Due to limited space and a growing number of Alum News submissions including photos, Bethel Magazine cannot guarantee submitted photos will be published with news.

Gordon Gilbert Johnson Former Dean of Bethel Seminary (1964-1984) Gordon Johnson grew up across the street from the old Bethel campus on Snelling Avenue, now home to the Hubert H. Humphrey Job Corps Center. He would go on to study at Bethel Junior College, join the Bethel Seminary faculty as director of field education and professor of preaching, and eventually become dean of Bethel Seminary.

During Johnson’s Bethel tenure, he was involved in the building of the new seminary campus in Arden Hills; continued upgrades to the seminary’s academic programs; helped the seminary achieve full accreditation by the Association of Theological Schools in 1966; opened the seminary’s second campus in 1977 at College Avenue Baptist Church in San Diego, Calif.; and saw seminary enrollment grow from 100 students to nearly 600. In addition to traveling to 50 different countries to preach and visit missionaries, he wrote My Church, the first leadership training manual for the Baptist General Convention; it sold more than 100,000 copies.

In the spring of 1984, Johnson took early retirement from Bethel, assuming pastoral roles at Southern California churches as well as teaching and serving as interim dean at Bethel Seminary San Diego. In 1992, he returned to Minnesota to teach and preach in various roles. He published a book on biographical preaching in 2006 titled Knowing God through Story.

Johnson passed away on April 1 at the age of 91. He was preceded in death by his wife Alta; the couple was married 64 years. He is survived by son Gregg, who has taught biology at Bethel for more than 35 years; daughter Gayle Ramer; six grandchildren; and one great grandchild.

“Gordon Johnson will be remembered and honored for the outstanding and graceful leadership he gave to Bethel Seminary,” says George K. Brushaber, Bethel University President Emeritus. “But Gordon’s legacy goes far beyond that when measured in the impact he had upon a great many of us through his wise and gentle mentoring and the exemplary manner in which he embodied a deep pastoral care with godly personal discipline and spirit. We give thanks for his leadership but also for the life he lived among us and before us who knew and loved him.”

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Alum News John Stanley “Stan” Rendahl ’34, S’41 2010 Bethel Seminary Alumnus of the Year Evangelist. Pastor. Church planter. U.S. army chaplain. District executive officer, Baptist General Conference (BGC) adult ministries director. For more than 70 years, Stan Rendahl served the Lord faithfully and inspirationally in these roles and many more, including committee member for Bethel University and the BGC (now Converge Worldwide). For this commitment, he was recognized as Bethel Seminary’s 2010 Alumnus of the Year.

Frank Doten, retired pastor and missionary and Bethel alum who nominated Rendahl for the award, says, “He completed faithful and effective ministry in different positions over a lifetime of service to God. He had a love for and loyalty to Bethel, and continued to stay active through prayer, student recruitment, and finances.”

Rendahl also served on the Seminary Alumni Council for more than 10 years. “Stanley saw four different generations come through Bethel University,” says Vice President for Constituent Relations Ralph Gustafson. “He truly exemplified Bethel’s core values, living life as a servant-leader, Christ-follower, characterbuilder, truth-seeker, learner, reconciler, salt and light, and world-changer, all for the glory of God and the advancement of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Rendahl passed away in March, and was preceded in death by his infant daughter LeyAnn and son Daniel. He’s survived by his wife Lillian, son Dale (Joyce), daughter Kirsten (Dan) Walker, two grandsons and two granddaughters, and their families. ’93 Kristen J. (Peterson) Poore passed away in November from metastatic breast cancer. She is survived by her husband, Virgil; son Jacob, 5; parents Dennis and Marlys Peterson ’60, and sister Denise Peterson ’95.

Kris was a C.P.A. and worked as an accountant for Dominium Management Services. ’07 Sherry Lynn Bangsund (CAPS) died of cancer in February at age 49. She received an M.A. from

the University of WisconsinMadison and was owner and vice president of quality assurance for the HSG Code-Blue.

One of the systems she developed was granted a U.S. patent in her name. She was a hospice chaplain, a camp counselor for troubled at-risk children, and published works on poverty in Africa. She is survived by her mother and brother.

Upcoming Alumni Events July 23

July 24

Northwest Picnic Gathering, Portland Northwest Picnic Gathering, Seattle

For more information on these events, visit bethel.edu/alumni.

You’re a Part of the Story Bethel Homecoming 2011 September 30—October 2 This fall, join your classmates to celebrate, share your personal stories, and reconnect to the larger story of Bethel.

Highlights of the weekend include a prayer breakfast, the Homecoming football game vs. St. Olaf, and a special performance of the original musical “My Name is Daniel,” featuring Bethel alums Jeremiah and Vanessa Gamble ’95.

Class reunion coordinators/committees are currently planning reunion celebrations for the classes of 1941, 1946, 1951, 1956, 1961, 1966, 1971, 1981, 1986, 1991, 2001, and 2006. We are still looking for coordinators and committee members for the classes of 1976 and 1996 in order to schedule these reunion celebrations.

For questions, or to volunteer for your class reunion committee, call the Office of Alumni and Parent Services at 651.638.6462 or 800.255. 8706, ext. 6462, or email alumni@bethel.edu. For more information about your reunion and other Homecoming events, visit bethel.edu/alumni.

Watch your mail for a save-the-date announcement and full details coming this summer!

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“The little girl in the picture was my ‘host sister’ when we did family home stays. Her name is Faith, and she is five years old. While studying abroad, I met amazing people like her who opened my eyes to things I was blind to. I was stretched, challenged, and humbled.”

Emily Wogensen ‘11 took this photo while in Uganda in January for the interim class Cultural Diversity in Healthcare for senior nursing students.

She graduates with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing.