serving the community and world

Summer Ministry Team

Six young women embarked on an adventure across the Midwest from June to August 2007 as a part of North Central’s Women’s Summer Ministry Team. They proclaimed God’s good news in camps throughout the region, and through their travels they learned how the enemy opposes those who are obedient, and how God upholds His servants.

Although the team works as an extension of NCU’s recruiting initiative, its primary focus is ministering to the region’s adolescent population. The team is trained to meet the needs of high school students by offering friendship, direction, and prayer. They are also taught how to address the many issues they may encounter at the camps.

Amy Viviano remembers a week when, in the midst of a bout with loneliness, God helped her to touch a handful of students she might have otherwise overlooked. “All the other girls were doing a different position and I was by myself a lot. I said, ‘God, why am I doing this?’ And that was the week when I had the most incredible talks with my campers,” Viviano said. “Knowing that God had put us together this week in our lives for a reason; knowing what I say, what God can say through me, will affect their lives is great.”

2007 Summer Ministries Team Members:

Amy Viviano – 21, Global Mass Communications major, junior

Jessica (Jessie) Manfredini – 19, Children’s Ministry major, freshman

Janessa Olson – 19, Elementary Education major, sophomore

STREETS Basketball League

In July, North Central hosted the STREETS ("Striving To Reach Educational Excellence Through Sports") basketball league. The league, which was designed to give inner city schools an opportunity to play basketball during the summer, also gave them a chance to learn about their college options at North Central. Ten high school teams from the Minneapolis area were invited to attend.

The last two weeks of July saw four games played each day with approximately 100 students involved each day. Steve Floyd, STREETS coordinator and NCU Alum, reports countless stories from coaches and players who are looking forward to coming back next year.

STREETS gave North Central the opportunity to reach out to students and families who usually would not hear about North Central, and interact with them on a personal level. It really showed “Your life. Our mission,” being played out in a practical way. In the future, the league hopes to include North Central student athletes in leading discussions about leadership on and off the court. STREETS was successful this year and will continue to be a strong part of North Central’s service to the community.

Lauren Borucki – 22, ASL/English Interpreter major, junior

Raina Hoxie – 19, Intercultural Studies major, sophomore Allison Dahl – 19, Psychology major, sophomore

“Athletics is a microcosm of life,” said Trent Emenecker, the new Assistant Athletics director and Men’s Basketball Coach. “It pinpoints the focus that we are here to glorify God in a real world experience.”

Coming to North Central has been an opportunity to get back into a spiritual environment and to develop spiritual leadership in students’ lives. According to Trent, leadership is about taking what they are learning in and out of the classroom and putting it into practice.

Along with developing the athletics program and helping lead the Rams into their new NCAA D-III status, Trent hopes to develop sports camps and create opportunities for athletes to do ministry at NCU. “Athletics can be a tool to reach those who may not be churched and see them open to the Gospel,” Trent said.

“Trent had the leadership and spirituality to be engaged in our leadership building process”, said Athletics Director Greg Hayton. “He is a good fit to the overall purpose of athletics – to build leadership and see men and women develop spiritually and emotionally.”

 Joy Lindner  joy.lindner@northcentral.edu

It is for excellence in teaching and the ability to influence students in spiritual growth that Dr. Carolyn Tennant was presented with the Distinguished Educator Award this summer by The Alliance for Assemblies of God Higher Education. The award acknowledges Dr. Tennant’s significant contribution to education within the Assemblies of God and comes in her 25th year at NCU. The honor is only conferred every two years, and then only when there are candidates worthy of receiving it.

The award itself has “Delta Alpha” inscribed on its surface. The words come from the Greek for “teacher of excellence.” A brief survey of Dr. Tennant’s career with North Central shows her to be most definitely a teacher of excellence in every sense of the word. She can get students to think before they know what hit them. She is a teacher’s teacher.

Sitting across from Dr. Tennant in her office on the North Central campus, I notice the walls are bare of the framed sheets of paper that often adorn the offices of faculty. Then she hands me the Distinguished Educator Award she received this summer and confdes, “This one is really cool.” She hints that it might be the only academic honor to share a place on the wall alongside Excalibur and a portrait of Joan of Arc.

My eye travels to the copies of “In Awe in Argentina” that sit atop a filing cabinet. Tennant served as editor for the book, which outlines the history and experiences of the Argentine revival. She’s been there herself, ministering through her gift of preaching. She is an educator who practices what she teaches.

Four years ago Lacey Jaeger never would have pictured herself in the position of Early Childhood Pastor. Today, however, with a Children’s Ministry degree and title of North Central’s Class of 2007 Valedictorian, she has found herself doing just that.

Lacey was in the middle of her final semester when she received a call from the Children’s Pastor in Lawton, OK regarding the Early Childhood Pastor position. “I called him back, originally intending to tell him that I was not interested in the position,” Jaeger admits. Whatever her intention, there were many telephone conversations that eventually led to an interview in January 2007. “I really felt like Lawton was where the Lord wanted me to be,” Jaeger said. “Honestly, it felt like home.”

Jaeger’s responsibilities now revolve around working with children from birth to pre-kindergarten and coordinating volunteers. She is also involved in planning events for the children of the community and their families. On July 4th, Lawton First A/G teamed up with another local church to put together the first “I Love America” celebration. This event, with inflatable games, bands and fireworks, drew in an estimated 22,000 people from the community.

Nearby Fort Sill makes Lawton something of a military town, which has its blessings and challenges. “We get people from so many different backgrounds,” Jaeger notes. “It is hard to say goodbye to the many families who are sent other places.”

 Jodi Krause  jmkrause@northcentral.edu

Class of 2007 Graduates by Department*:

Reconnecting is simple and easy

We can be together or apart, but reconnecting with each other is a great feeling. It’s like getting an unexpected phone call from an old friend, or getting together with family you haven’t seen in years. These are the stories that we share with each other. Please share yours with your extended North Central family. Send us a letter about your latest personal milestone, family addition or blessing from God. And send us pictures! We’d love to see them. Fill out the form on page 20 and mail it to us, or fill out the online form at www.northcentral.edu/ alumni/update.

(Please send us copies of photos. Submitted photos will not be returned.)

Office Of Church Relations

&

Alumni

Scott Lindner, Director

612.343.4742 alumni@northcentral.edu www.northcentral.edu/ alumnifriends

Victor Hedman (’62) and wife, Janet, have been missionaries in Spain since 2000 and have planted three churches in that time. They have a TV program that reaches all of Spain and Spanish speaking communities throughout Europe.

Donald Meece (’64) took a position at Global University in Springfield, MO as a professor of record in church business and education. He is accompanied to Springfield by his wife, Nancy.

Remi (Attd ’86-‘89) and Anne [Wessel] Malig (’95) are living in Lodi, WI, with their children, Moriah, Zach and Marcus. Remi is a Business Analyst for Mortgage IT in Middleton, WI. Anne works as a Title 1 Reading Teacher and has completed her Reading Teacher 316 certificate.

Cynthia [Groseclose] Royer (’87) is teaching high school English at a Christian school north of Detroit, MI. She has three children, Josiah, Julia and Carissa.

Mike Nosser (’88) is the Vice President of Student Development at North Central. He and wife, Tiffany, have five children, Ty, Josiah, Nicky, Nathan and Hailey. They reside in Forest Lake, MN.

Gena [Lugli] Ramsey (’88) along with husband, Todd, has planted the Well Church in Santa Ynez Valley, CA. They are also involved in missions in India, Sri Lanka, Haiti and Jamaica. They have four children: Sabastian, Sophia, Giovanna and Isabella.

Dan Harper (Attd ’88-’89) is the Senior Pastor at Harvest Community Church in DeForest, WI. During their summer children’s outreach, the church saw 10 children accept the Lord into their hearts.

Jon (’91) and Jennifer [Tims] (’94) Dahlager have been A/G missionaries in Costa Rica since 2000. They teach in the Bible College and lead national ministry with youth and Pastors’ kids. They have three children: Jonathan, Joshua and Julia. Jon is working on his Doctor of Ministry degree from the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary.

Albert Svenddal (’93) lives in Nashville, TN where he is working in the music business. He also has earned his Doctorate of Ministry and is involved in two churches.

David Nicholson (’94) and wife, Melissa, have just planted a church in the Mormon community of Eagle Mountain, UT. They have three children: Nathan, Zachary and Naomi.

Steven Schweitzer (’95) completed his first year as Assistant Professor of Old Testament at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart, IN. His first book, Reaching Utopia in Chronicle, was just published by T&T Clark International (2007).

Angela [Renea] Johnsen (’96) has become a pastor’s wife after her husband, Otto, has become the associate pastor at a church in Coleman, MI. They have a twoyear-old daughter, Adrianna.

Wes Modder (’96) returned home to his wife, Beth, and their three children following an Iraq deployment. He is currently working on his D-MIN from Fuller Theological Seminary.

Michelle [McGraw] Sherman (’97) and husband, Jayesun, have been working as assistant missionaries at Asia Pacific Theological Seminary for the past three years. Michelle is also teaching English to Korean students and working on a Children’s Church curriculum for the Philippines. They have a one-year-old daughter.

Alumni Awards

The Alumni Association wishes to honor those people who add something extraordinary to their ministries, jobs and relationships. You can nominate an alumnus to receive the Young Alumnus Award, Lifetime Achievement Award or Distinguished Service Award. Nominations can be completed online at www.northcentral.edu/ alumni/award or by calling 612.343.4742.

Seth McCoy (’97) and wife, Jen, have moved back to the Twin Cities with their three children: Judah, Glory and Silas. Seth is the youth/college director at Woodland Hills Church in St. Paul, MN and Jen is working out of her home as a consultant for Body Shop at Home.

Jessica [Lubenau] Broberg (’99) and husband, Aaron, are Associate Pastors in Sparta, WI at New Life Assembly of God. They have three children: Jacob, Levi and Hannah.

Sharon Decker (’99) has left her position as Resident Director of NCU’s Miller Hall to become the Assistant Dean of Resident Life at Bethel University.

Tiffany [Dirks] Mossman (’99) teaches physical education classes for elementary and middle school students in Webb City, MO.

Ncu To You

She also coaches volleyball, basketball, and track. She has earned her Masters Degree and is working on an Education Leadership degree. Tiffany and husband, Josh, have a two-year-old daughter, Ella.

Katrina Glaim (’99) has moved to Georgia after two years in Pennsylvania. She has been a nanny for the past three years.

Chad Engelhart (’00) is enrolled in the Physician’s Assistant program at Augsburg College after completing his MA in Christian studies with a youth emphasis from Bethel Seminary. His wife is the youth pastor at Oak Haven Church in Ham Lake, MN.

Jonathon Miller (’00) started the Minnesota Teen Challenge Duluth Campus in 2005 and has been successfully running that 44-bed men’s facility.

Bring NCU to you by scheduling one of our faculty members for your next conference, service or seminar. Please call 612.343.4747 to find a relevant speaker, or visit www.northcentral. edu/pastorschurches and click on 'Speakers Bureau' for a list of speakers and topics.

Please

Jonathan (’02) and Andrea [Cooper] (’02) Roe are currently residing in Brighton, MI, where Jon works as the Pastor of Worship Arts. They spent five months in Padova, Italy, where they volunteered at International Christian Fellowship. In 2006, Andrea received her Masters Degree in Organizational Leadership from Bethel University.

Keith (’02) and Karla [Owen] (’01) Foisy live with their three children in Branch, MI, where Keith is the senior pastor of a local church.

Matthew Guevara (’03) has accepted a position as the KidsWorld Creative Art Director at Christ Community Church in St. Charles, Il. He will make the move from Wisconsin to Illinois with his wife, Noel [Denen] (’03), and children Isabel and Sofia.

Aaron (’04) and Rebecca (’05) [Bradley] Rath have recently returned from a two-year term of being missionary-teachers in Saipan. They now live in Roseville, MN.

Molly Barnhart (’06) has just celebrated the grand opening of her new coffee shop, Overflow Espresso Café, in Minneapolis, MN. Molly intends this to be a ministry where people “come empty and leave overflowing.”

Dawn Steuer (’06) has started her second year teaching fourth grade at Calvary Baptist School in Menomonee Falls, WI.

Cynthia Rolle (’06) serves as Youth and Children’s Pastor at Evangelistic Temple Assembly of God in Nassau, Bahamas.

Shannon [Struck] Moyer (’06) and family recently moved to Pennsylvania to take the position of Associate Pastor of Education at Hope Grace Brethren Church in Mechanicsburg. Shannon is continuing a career in the field of counseling.

With the Lord

Elda McDonnell (’36) of St. Cloud, MN, passed away July 2007.

Clifford Wellbrock (’57) of Plymouth, MN, passed away on January 13, 2007. He is survived by his wife Frances.

Nathan Lutes (’55) of Central City, NE, passed away on August 18, 2007. He is survived by wife Joyce (’54).