Spring 2009 Impact

1525 S. Grange Ave.

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Sioux Falls, SD 57105

spring 2009 equipping leaders . . . transforming lives 800.440.6227 or 605.336.6588 info@sfseminary.edu

impact Sioux Falls Seminary

www.sfseminary.edu

restoring fullness: Professor Strives to Meet the Relationship and Psychological Needs of Ministry Professionals When he’s not teaching or offering psychological care to clients at Sioux Falls Psychological Services, Dr. Doug Anderson, Sioux Falls Seminary Assistant Professor of Counseling, works to meet the relationship and psychological needs of ministry professionals in an intensive therapy format and nature-oriented context.

gather your friends:

tour from home:

Hard Hat Tours Available to Groups

Photos Online 24/7

The move to Sioux Falls Seminary’s new, environmentally-responsible campus is rapidly approaching. In honor of this exciting time, we are pleased to announce the following upcoming hard hat tours:

Check out the construction progress online anytime from the comfort of your home.

Sioux Falls Seminary Alumni: Wednesday, March 4, at 12:30 p.m.

Tuesday, March 10, at 12:30 p.m.

RSVP: call 800.440.6227 ext. 703 Churches and Other Groups: Gather a group and call the department of church and alumni relations at 800.440.6227 ext. 702 to schedule a time.

Tours will last approximately one hour.

Sioux Falls Seminary impact

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There are two simple ways to check out construction photos, which are taken and updated weekly: 1. Visit www.sfseminary.edu and click on the View Campus button at the bottom left.

2. Go directly to the seminary’s photostream by visiting www.flickr.com/sfseminary.

A Licensed Psychologist and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, he established a non-profit organization called Oak Glen. It gives Anderson an alternative format to offer a safe and confidential setting for ministry professionals and their families to address compassion fatigue, stress and burnout, strained or failing marriages, church conflict, depression, and more.

One way Oak Glen hopes to restore fullness is by offering brief and intensive psychotherapy experiences. These intimate gatherings offer time for rest, reflection, restoration, and several hours of group psychotherapy daily.

For information on Oak Glen or to learn about upcoming opportunities to restore fullness, contact Dr. Doug Anderson or Robin Duncan by calling 605.371.6968 or visiting www.oakgleninc.com.

bringing

new life to congregations Spring 2009

impact Sioux Falls Seminary

spring 2009

contents 1

6

from the president

Sioux Falls Seminary alumnus Brad Blyth is working hard to bring new life to Orchard Community Church near Rochester, NY.

President Hagan’s thoughts on the joy of leading Sioux Falls Seminary.

9 2

bringing new life to congregations

from the faculty A sampling of faculty publications.

campus construction update Progress continues at the new campus site.

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10 sfs event calendar summit house sees growth

Connect with SFS at upcoming events. Event listings are always available online at www.sfseminary.edu/events.

Sioux Falls Seminary students are applying their skills and abilities to help transform a neighborhood.

4

11 outside the box SFS is getting creative with its ethics course.

5

alumni in action Brief Q&A with two alumni who are keeping the church relevant in today’s world.

Sioux Falls Seminary impact

staying in touch News, updates, and prayer requests from Sioux Falls Seminary alumni.

The impact is now published by Sioux Falls Seminary two times per year for the benefit of the seminary community, friends, alumni, and supporters. Additional news and event information is distributed by e-mail throughout the year. To join our online news list, please visit www.sfseminary.edu/signup.php or call 800.440.6227 ext. 703.

Stay in Touch with Sioux Falls Seminary Staying in Touch, the former alumni e-newsletter, will now be published as part of the Impact. We encourage you to stay in touch with us by sharing your current ministry role, family news, and/or prayer requests.

To submit your updates, news, and prayer requests, please e-mail stayingintouch@sfseminary.edu, send us a message on Facebook, call 800.440.6227 ext. 702, or visit www.sfseminary.edu/contact.

To receive the latest news and event information by e-mail, please register online at www.sfseminary.edu/signup.php.

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Spring 2009

alumni updates

G. Michael Hagan, President of Sioux Falls Seminary

‘80

The Rev. Monte Michaelson lives in Okeene, OK, with his wife, Leslie. He is currently working as a prison chaplain.

‘82

The Rev. Samuel Bandela and his wife, Latha, live in Duluth, GA. They are missionaries to India with Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. They are currently stateside raising their financial support.

The Rev. Dennis Webber lives in Milbank, SD, with his wife, Loretha.

Dennis is the pastor at Valley Baptist Church. Their church is now doing a monthly service in Spanish for Hispanics that live and work in their community.

Vesta Berglund and husband, Ted, live in Bancroft, IA. In the summer of 2008, their home suffered flood damage. They ask for prayer for recovery of homes as well as for their family situation.

‘90

Cathleen Mcguire lives in Racine, WI. She works as a medical technologist and asks for prayer for her Bible study.

The Rev. Tony Dickerson and his wife, Haifa, live in Chelsea, MI. Tony has been the pastor at the Covenant Church in Chelsea for 13 years.

‘84

The Rev. Rick Casteel lives in Cedar Rapids, IA, with his wife, Kristi. They ask for prayer for their counseling ministry as well as for the city of Cedar Rapids. In the summer of 2008, there was a tremendous amount of flooding, and many homes were damaged.

‘85

The Rev. Leslie Pearson and his wife, Rozella, reside in Rochester, MN. Leslie is retired but is serving at St. Charles Bible Church.

He asks that we pray for vision and direction for the church.

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‘04

The Rev. Jan Gross lives in Beresford, SD, with his wife, Deborah.

Jan is pastor of the United Methodist Church in Beresford.

‘05

Pastor Ryan Franchuck and wife, Sallie, live in Baltic, SD, where Ryan is planting a North American Baptist church.

from the

‘94

The Rev. Darwin Kopfmann and wife, Donna, live in Streeter, ND. They ask for prayer for Donna as she is facing terminal cancer.

‘95

‘83

Sioux Falls Seminary impact

‘89

The Rev. Jim Striegler lives in Kenosha, WI, with wife, Kathy. They ask for continued prayer for Jim’s health. They are very thankful for Kathy’s new job.

‘98

The Rev. Paul Huxtable and wife, Cindy, live in Neenah, WI. Paul is the senior pastor at First Presbyterian Church.

‘03

Geraldine Schnabel of Parker, SD, has been involved in a mission group called Helping Hands for Haiti. The group works to build schools in the villages of Haiti.

Trisha Wheelock and husband, Lee, live in St. Peter, MN. Both are losing their jobs: Trisha as a Bible and Theology professor at Gustavus Adolphus College and Lee as a landscape architect. They ask for prayer as they search for available positions in the Midwest within their respective fields.

in memoriam

president

‘50

The Rev. Ernest Hoffman lived in Leduc, AB, with his wife, Anne.

He passed away on June 1, 2008.

During his first years after graduating from seminary, he served as pastor at Wiesenthal Baptist Church in Millet, AB. He pastored at various other places throughout the years.

‘54

The Rev. Oscar Fritzke lived in Stettler, AB, with his wife, Joyce.

Oscar passed away on May 20, 2008.

He served 35 years in pastoral ministry in North Dakota, Michigan, Saskatchewan, and Alberta.

‘61

The Rev. Clinton E. Grenz lived in Bismarck, ND, with wife, Carol.

Clinton passed away on June 26, 2008. He served at his first church in Minot, ND, until beginning his military ministry as an Army Chaplain for 26 years. After his retirement, Clinton became a chaplain for the State of ND in the Civil Air Patrol division.

l myself, sident! I constantly tel pre ry na mi se a to es God provid What an exciting ride on-n-n!” ng Ha ! ke “Hang on, Mi terial prepab our services for minis hu to ing ild bu w ne A d of scheds of joys. we are currently ahea On this ride we find lot as g— rin sp e lat in ion s complet d Summit House, open ration advances toward ntral Sioux Falls, name ce try in e nis sit mi ng an rni urb lea for al nt an environme ule. A contextu h wit nts de stu r ou e to provid und the world up ample opportunities God is using them aro w ho of s ort rep ck ba send ing people, tering to youth and ag preparation. Graduates nis mi s, he urc ch ng nti hurts, pla ndreds of other ways. for healing emotional aching the gospel in hu pre d an s, he urc ch renewing dying world and how at is God doing in the wh d— Go of at be lse or the pu y can grow We are trying to monit of believers, so that the up gro al loc a of l wa . Rene list of exciting can we jump on board rfaces at the top of the su t, ds mi ir the in rk ad Blyth is d at wo page 6 about Pastor Br and see the hand of Go on ry sto e tur fea e Th d hard, but our day. g. It is often messy an things God is doing in llin fi ful d an ing cit ex e s the rid one of many that make on-n-n! e God at work. Hang nc rie pe ex to what a thrill

sfseminary.edu.

w. nt’s Blog online at ww Check out our Preside

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Spring 2009

destination 2100:

campus construction update Construction of the seminary’s new environmentally-responsible campus is underway.

With winter’s arrival, work on the building’s exterior subsided. Inside, work is taking place on all three floors of the building. On the lower level, which will be occupied by the seminary’s counseling center (Sioux Falls Psychological Services) and the NAB Heritage Commission, walls are painted and bathroom fixtures and ceiling tiles have been added.

alumni updates, news, and prayer requests

‘48

The Rev. Ervin Gerlitz and his wife, Lillian, live in Puyallup, WA. They ask for prayer for Ervin’s health concerns.

Progress is also taking place on the main level, which includes multi-purpose spaces, conference rooms, and administrative offices. Crews have finished sheetrocking and painting the walls and are now adding tile and fixtures to the bathrooms. In addition, a fireplace in one of the common areas has been installed.

‘53

The Rev. William Effa and his wife, Ruth, live in Columbus, NE. William has been working as a hospice chaplain for ten years at Columbus Community Hospital.

The second level, home to faculty offices, study areas for students, and smart classrooms, is starting to catch up to other levels of the building as crews work from the bottom up. Framing, sheetrocking, and taping are complete. Texturizing and painting are underway.

‘54

The Rev. Gordon Huisinga and his wife, Betty, live in Minnetonka, MN. Gordon is very active in his church, New Hope Evangelical Free, where he teaches Sunday school.

Projects in the weeks and months ahead include adding exterior metal panels and interior aluminum trim, hanging doors, completing finish work for electrical, plumbing, and HVAC, hanging acoustical ceiling tile, laying carpet, and staining concrete floors.

A completion date for the project is July 2009. However, the project is currently several weeks ahead of schedule. We invite you to visit www.sfseminary.edu to get the latest campus construction updates.

Keep up with the construction anytime, anywhere. View updated photos online at www.flickr.com/sfseminary or by visiting www.sfseminary.edu and clicking on the View Campus link at the bottom left.

Sioux Falls Seminary impact

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Staying in Touch

‘59

Dr. John Binder and Barbara Binder ‘60 thank everyone for their continued prayers. John suffered a stroke in May 2008. He is on the road to recovery. He continues physical, occupational, and speech therapy. Barbara is thankful for and pleased with the progress that John is making.

‘69

Dr. Helmut Michelson and his wife, Ilse, live in Orlando, FL. They ask for prayer for Helmut. He is recovering from surgery.

‘70

The Rev. Darwin Stahl lives in Ashley, ND, with his wife, Judy.

Darwin’s parents, Samuel and Lily, both passed away in 2008.

‘73

The Rev. Marion McCoy and his wife, Delphia, live in Ottumwa, IA. Marion is now retired from First Baptist Church in Fremont, IA. Their neighborhood flooded in the summer of 2008. Thankfully, their home was spared from damage.

‘74

The Rev. Marvin Busenuis lives in Edmonton, AB. He asks for prayer for his wife, Priscilla, who had surgery to remove a mass in her kidney.

The Rev. El Roy Pankow and wife, Joyce, live in Anaheim, CA. El Roy serves at Wilshire Avenue Community Church in Fullerton as Worship and Adult Ministries Pastor. He has been involved in a ministry called CASA (Christian Association of Serving Adult Ministries) which coordinates shortterm mission trips around the world for people 50 and over.

The Rev. Randall C. Tschetter and his wife, Karla, live in Sioux Falls, SD. Karla was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia on December 1, 2007. Since that time, she has given hundreds of blood samples, received chemotherapy and radiation treatments and blood transfusions, taken thousands of pills, and been the recipient of a stem-cell transplant, courtesy of her brother. One year later, there is no trace of Leukemia in Karla’s body, and she is regaining strength daily.

Randy and Karla thank everyone in the Sioux Falls Seminary family that upheld them in prayer this past year.

‘77

The Rev. Penny Eberhart and the Rev. Emil Eberhart live in Sioux Falls, SD. Penny’s father, Reinhold Kramer, passed away in late July.

‘78

The Rev. Jim Dick and his wife, Marilyn, live in Richville, MN. Jim recently retired from his role as a professor at Jamestown College.

‘79

The Rev. Graham Kern and his wife, Miriam, live in Bismarck, ND. Graham is retired but is working as part-time pastor at Napolean Baptist Church.

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Spring 2009

save

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a bridging g g ministry y in and serving the heartlearning of Sioux Falls

Summit House Sioux Falls Seminary

sfs event

summit house sees new growth

calendar

the

February seventeen

date

Heritage Spotlight on F. W. C. Meyer featuring Dr. Philip Thompson 10 a.m., Worship and Leadership Centre, 24th & Euclid.

twenty-one Hiller Lectureship with The Rev. Dr. Emmanuel L. McCall Join us as we discuss the church in the twenty-first century. To receive information as it is released, call 800.440.6227.

New Developments at Summit House:

Summit House began in May 2008 when the seminary seized an opportunity to offer students first-hand ministry experiences. Located within Pettigrew Heights in central Sioux Falls, Summit House provides affordable housing to students who, in return, spend at least five hours per week reaching out to and serving in the neighborhood.

The Rev. Tim Olsen became the Director of Operations for Summit House. He is currently guiding and mentoring the students of Summit House, exploring partnerships with churches, non-profits, and co-ops, working to acquire funding for the project, and asking how Summit House can become a voice for others in the Pettigrew Heights community.

Goals of the project are:

.to provide students with ministry experience by serving

thirty

the physical and spiritual needs of residents.

Final Heritage Spotlight with Dr. Vladimir Kharlamov 10 a.m., Worship and Leadership Centre, 24th & Euclid.

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March five

Community Preview Day Is Sioux Falls Seminary the right fit for you? To register or get information, call 800.440.6227, e-mail admissions@sfseminary.edu, or visit sfseminary.edu.

eleven Ministers’ Seminar: Multi-Generational Families in the Church: The Good, The Bad, and Living with Titus 2 Free seminar from 9-11:00 a.m. in the Board Room at Sioux Falls Seminary, 24th & Euclid. RSVP by March 9; call 605.334.2696. The presenter is Jerry Vander Lee, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist at Sioux Falls Psychological Services.

seventeen Heritage Spotlight on Dr. Frank Veninga with Dr. Bob Veninga 10 a.m., Worship and Leadership Centre, 24th & Euclid.

twenty Great Plains Undergraduate Theological Conference Co-sponsored by Sioux Falls Seminary Annual conference at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN, for undergraduate scholars to present work in theology/religious studies. E-mail admissions@sfseminary.edu or visit gputc.org.

to restore a sense of pride to Pettigrew Heights and to bring hope to its residents.

May twenty-two

April four

of Sioux Falls, and other organizations to bring about change and revitalization within Pettigrew Heights.

twenty-three

.to become a missional model for other communities.

Commencement and Reception To be held at Central Baptist Church. Details forthcoming.

pettigrew rew heights s Prayer Requests for Summit House . Pray for the safety of the student residents. . Pray for funding to help sustain Summit House. . God’s Pray that participants listen to residents and follow imagination as they help bring about change. . Pray that strong partnerships of all kinds are formed.

July thirteen Community Open House Come and see the new Sioux Falls Seminary campus near 29th & Summit from 6:30-8:00 p.m.

fourteen Alumni Reunion Event Celebrate the close of our Sesquicentennial Year of Celebration. This all-day event will feature class breakout sessions and photos, short courses, children and youth activities, lunch, alumni music, tours, and a worship service. Event schedule and additional details online at www.sfseminary.edu/events.

2009 NAB Triennial Bus Trip Ride the bus to Winnipeg with us! Save money on gas and parking all the way from Sioux Falls to Winnipeg. Costs: $75 one way or $125 round trip (if registered by 4/1/09). Call 800.440.6227 for more information.

more online sfseminary.edu/events

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Students at Sioux Falls Seminary and Summit House are discovering that their past vocations, hobbies, and experiences can shape the ways they minister to the residents of Pettigrew Heights.

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Summit House is listening to the residents of Pettigrew Heights not only to find out their needs but also to discover how they can contribute to the neighborhood.

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Summit House is hosting its first seminary class, Urban Ministry Seminar, this spring 2009 semester.

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An additional three students and one spouse moved into Summit House with the start of the spring semester.

Students are serving by:

.working alongside children in the area’s grade school. .reaching out to the homeless and working poor at the Church of the Warehouse.

.building relationships with Native American individuals. .maintaining and renovating Summit House.

24/7

YS One-Day – Focused Youth Ministry Training Join Megan Hutchinson, student minister at Saddleback Church in Lake Forrest, California, from 8:45 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. to learn how to unleash scripture in your life and ministry. E-mail klashly@sfseminary.edu for more information.

.to become a bridge that connects churches, the city

Commencement Banquet Pre-purchased tickets required to attend. Details forthcoming.

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Sioux Falls Seminary impact

About Summit House

3

Spring 2009

alumni in action

q&a w ith Randy Tschetter

outside t

classroom pro

he

box:

ject evokes c

According to SFS Adjunct Professor Andrew Burnett, the course was redesigned in 2007 to get “more Jesus” into Christian Ethics. “From there, it was a natural extension to think about Jesus’ teaching method with the first disciples, which always had a major experiential component,” said Burnett. “Not that we need to apologize for studying Christian ethics in an academic setting—there are some distinctive benefits of doing so—but the Kingdom itself is always more than words. The Kingdom is about God’s will being done on earth as it is in heaven!”

As part of the experiential learning project, students are asked to complete, and journal about, one of the following three tasks: engage with a person or group with different ethical views, live in voluntary poverty, or complete at least eight hours of community service.

The most recent group of students to complete Burnett’s class are learning a lot from their experiences. Some chose to spend time with those with whom they don’t Sioux Falls Seminary impact

4

see eye-to-eye; others slept outside, wore the same outfit for several days, or lived on a food stamp budget; and the rest completed community service projects.

Andy Bartel, M.Div. student, slept outside his house in a cardboard box for a week. Although he did go about his normal activities after waking up, he lived off of the same resources as a homeless person during the night.

Instead of putting his experience on paper, Bartel blogged.

“By blogging about my experiences, it was my hope to help others also gain a greater understanding and respect for homeless people. I was actually amazed at the response,” said Bartel. “My blog, before this project, averaged 3-4 hits per day.

The number of hits steadily grew throughout the week until the seventh day when I had just under 350 hits that day.”

According to Bartel, one of the most surprising aspects of the experience was how much time and energy it took for him to maintain the box. “It was frustrating that no matter how much time or energy I put into it, there were still major problems that would develop,” he stated. “On account of all the time and energy spent on maintaining, coupled with the lack of

S

Students at Sioux Falls Seminary are studying Christian Ethics from a new and creative perspective—examining the subject’s foundations in Jesus’ teaching and demonstration of the Kingdom of God. This new perspective includes an experiential learning project that is challenging students to use their imaginations.

reativity

a good night’s sleep, I can see how difficult it might be for someone who is homeless to find time to look for, much less maintain, a job.”

Faculty

pastor

Melissa Hiatt MAMFT, Sioux Falls Seminary, 1995 continued from page 5.

In September, each classroom teacher received a $20 gift certificate to a local teacher’s store. In addition, we gave every person on staff a “Life Savers” Card. The card said that we recognized them as life savers, and we wanted to be life givers by offering support and encouragement. Our goal for the 2008-2009 school year has been to establish a relationship of trust and friendship with the staff.

Laurel Buwalda, M.A. in Christian Leadership student, learned about her own attitudes and what message churches convey to the community by wearing the same outfit and undergarments for 10 days. It caused her to ask some tough questions like, “Is my church unknowingly keeping people who don’t look or dress like us from coming to know God? Am I standing in the way of someone coming to know Jesus because I have a certain standard of how people should look when they enter God’s house?” Buwalda noted that contemplating these questions “was a hard truth to swallow and clearly a challenge for [her] church.”

In October, the school actually called and asked Trinity for help with Family Night. Twelve people from our church went to help greet families, assist with registration, and hand out snacks that the kids in our children’s program helped put together. We have high hopes and dreams about what God might do with us and our neighborhood through the outreach to the children, families, and staff of Garfield. I am excited to see the new life that is developing at Trinity Baptist Church as we do our best to “live the way of Jesus.”

Burnett is pleased with the changes he’s made to the course. “The exciting thing I see students doing through the project is stretching and empowering their moral imagination by choosing to experience something themselves that puts them in a greater position of understanding and solidarity with others—particularly the poor, those without power, those different in ways that might separate us,” he explained. “Experiential learning also takes place in, and builds, community. Even students who take on what seems like a highly personal, individual challenge often connect with others . . .”

provided helpful perspectives for our ministry.

Read andy bartel’s blog entries on his voluntary poverty experience at: http://unknowntraveler.wordpress.com/.

At the right, select “Voluntary Poverty” under categories.

From the

pastor

Dennis Webber M.Div., Sioux Falls Seminary, 1982 continued from page 5.

Dr. Ronald Sisk Academic V.P. and Dean, Professor of Homiletics & Christian Ministry Preaching Ethically: Being True to the Gospel, the Congregation, and Yourself (The Alban Institute, 2007) This book suggests guidelines for preaching in the midst of various factors that might tempt a pastor to misuse the pulpit.

Sisk wrote the book based on his twenty years of experience as a pastor, his training in Christian ethics, his attempts as a seminary professor to train preachers, and a lifetime of listening to sermons.

Dr. Paul Rainbow Professor of New Testament The Pith of the Apocalypse: Essential Message and Principles for Interpretation (Wipf and Stock, 2008) Focusing on the prophetic summons to the church in the book of Revelation, Pith was written to help interpreters see more clearly the text’s message to serve God and Christ faithfully in the midst of a pagan society that exalts power, wealth, and pleasure and to revisit the text with enhanced confidence and understanding.

rt: What kinds of ministries have you provided?

Dr. Vladimir Kharlamov

dw: Social events have included a baby shower, a

Assistant Professor of Spiritual Theology

fiesta picnic, a Mexican cooking class, and a pig roast/ bonfire. Several in the church also provide English lessons and a bilingual Bible study. In addition, monthly Sunday evening worship services are held in Spanish.

At Christmas, we had a celebration with a multi-cultural potluck, piñatas for the children, and presentation from the Bible of the birth of Christ in Spanish.

rt: What has been the impact of all this in the Hispanic community and in the church community?

dw: Valley Baptist Church is enjoying deepening fellowship and seeing discipleship opportunities with our new friends. We are open to the Lord’s leading in the next steps of outreach and ministry in a mission field that is literally at our front door.

The Beauty of Unity and Harmony of the Whole: The Concept of Theosis in the Theology of Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite (Wipf and Stock, 2009) This book traces the emergence and development of the deification theme in Greek Patristic theology with its subsequent transformation into the theology of theosis in Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite. The main focus is to study the deification theme as it is situated in the complex context of its historical development and, thus, to avoid the commonly stated tendency to treat this notion of Christian theology in an anachronistic manner.

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Spring 2009

continued from page 7:

bringing

new life to congregations

ans we rs: d n a s n io q uest

and realize growth. The children’s time started with under five kids and has now grown to around 30-40 children, all under the age of 10. “I truly believe that God has a plan for the church which includes raising up people in the church to be community ministers,” said Blyth. “We are providing a place for worship that is very relevant by blending rockin’ Lincoln Brewster with sacred hymns.”

Blyth is confident that in the weeks, months, and years to come, Orchard Community Church, one of the oldest churches in the North American Baptist Conference, will continue reaching out to the community with God’s love and grace. “Honestly, each pastor has a combination of his/her personality in concert with the calling on his/her heart. [If I am no longer here] I assume God will bring in someone who can continue the growth and multiply the impact of the church on the community.”

with Rev. Randy Tschetter, Director of Church Relations and Alumni In an era of mega churches and high-profile pastors and ministries, it is exciting to discover how God is bringing new life to congregations in a whole host of places—large and small, urban and rural. Pastors Dennis Webber and Melissa Hiatt provide a brief overview of how God is blessing the faithfulness of his people in two very different ministry contexts.

But for today, as the church continues to bloom and experience a new stage in its life, it plans to keep its presence in God’s Kingdom known. How so? By listening to God and continuing to serve him—“making disciples through prayer, biblical education, building bridges to the unchurched, celebrative worship, generous giving, genuine care, and living with integrity.”

q&a

question:

pastor brad blyth

how did seminary prepare you for service?

M.Div., MAMFT, 1994

question: what led you to answer the call to ministry?

answer: I had felt called into ministry since I was young. By the age of 15, I had my plan in place to attend Bible college and then seminary for my M.Div. My heart has always been burdened to help people. In addition to extended family, the three oldest cousins in my family are pastors. My grandparents were missionaries. For us, ministry is true love for the Lord in action—a joy.

Sioux Falls Seminary impact

8

answer: There were so many professors that enriched my ministry I can’t even begin to name them. Much of who I am now in ministry was started at the seminary in Sioux Falls. One situation stands out in my memory. In my first semester, now president Mike Hagan was my Old Testament Professor . . . . I went to see him about something, and he confronted me about my pastoral skills. Then, he shut the door. To be succinct, he told me that I better quit being the way I was or I would never make it in ministry, nor would he recommend me.

Mike essentially said that ministry required a selfless love and devotion to the Lord that needed to have a depth so much more than I was displaying. That was a turning point for me. It has caused me to create many moments of self-examination throughout my spiritual growth even to this day . . . . It has made me further orient my entire life around Jesus as Lord. That is what makes me who I am today as a pastor.

alumni in action

pastor

pastor

Melissa Hiatt MAMFT, Sioux Falls Seminary, 1995

Dennis Webber M.Div., Sioux Falls Seminary, 1982

Associate Pastor of Discipleship, Community, and Leadership Trinity Baptist Church, Sioux Falls, SD

Pastor Valley Baptist Church, Milbank, SD

rt: What interesting and exciting things have been

rt: I have heard some exciting things are happening at

happening at Trinity Baptist Church?

Valley Baptist Church. Can you share more?

mh: After nearly two years of praying and waiting upon God’s guidance, the church approved a new mission statement in January 2008. It simply says: “Our mission is to live the way of Jesus.” From helping a seminary student in our congregation raise funds for an angiogram, to providing assistance to four families who were left homeless after a fire, to donating supplies for distribution at the Union Gospel Mission, to providing gifts and labor to Summit House, and to the Garfield Project, many of the things Trinity has accomplished this past year have come from individuals in the congregation who were prompted by the Holy Spirit.

dw: In the spring of 2008, we began a very modest out-

rt: What is the Garfield Project? Tell me more.

rt: Valley Baptist Church has a significant German

mh: During a staff meeting, we asked: “If Trinity Baptist

heritage. How did you deal with the language barrier?

Church no longer existed, would we be missed by our community?” That led to an outreach effort called the Garfield Project. Garfield Elementary School is located only a few blocks from the church in a low socioeconomic and multicultural area.

dw: A church member speaks fluent Spanish and has

continued on page 9.

continued on page 9.

reach to Hispanic families in this area. Things appear to have developed rapidly. In reality, several people in the church had been praying for years for a cross-cultural ministry opportunity.

One family in the church, who employs several Hispanics at their dairy, suggested some opportunities for outreach and service. The church started helping one family who was experiencing a difficult pregnancy by donating furniture and house cleaning. These contacts led to a Good Friday meal and showing of the Jesus Film in Spanish.

helped interpret at various events. We have also used the ongoing counsel of a missionary couple from Minnesota whom we supported for many years while they served in Mexico. They answered questions and

5

Spring 2009

Pastor Brad Blyth with wife, Melissa, and children Jack and Natalie.

alumni spotlight:

bringing

new life to congregations

Churches and congregations, just like individuals, experience life by moving in and out of various stages. Each church is on a unique journey—taking steps to fulfill its mission within God’s Kingdom. Some are just beginning to establish roots in unfamiliar soil. Others have seen better days and must close or combine with nearby congregations. Many find themselves at crossroads sensing that they must adapt in order to remain relevant.

And yet, others thrive.

Why is it that some churches thrive while others struggle to maintain? There doesn’t seem to be a clear cut and definitive answer. Perhaps, some thrive because the right combination of factors—like vision, spiritual gifts, and ministry needs—have all come together at the perfect moment in time. Or, maybe it is simply part of God’s larger plan.

At Sioux Falls Seminary, our alumni are equipped to be servant leaders for the ministries of Christ. Graduates go out and serve across the United States and around the world. Brad Blyth is one of our graduates who

Sioux Falls Seminary impact

6

is working hard to bring new life to the congregation he serves. He is one of the many Sioux Falls Seminary graduates striving to keep the church relevant in today’s world.

Monday, October 13, 2003, was Blyth’s first day at Latta Road, now named Orchard Community Church. Realizing the sensitive situation he was entering, Blyth prayed that God would use him in his will. “I asked for wisdom and discernment far beyond my years in order to heal and lead the people,” said Blyth. “I am so blessed that God has used me as the person I am— faults and all.”

giving long-term history new life

By taking small steps one at a time and entering into countless discussions with members of the congregation, Blyth has led the church to new life. “I have greatly loved and invested in the people and challenged their ‘old’ idea of the church,” he added.

In 2003, Sioux Falls Seminary M.Div. and MAMFT graduate Brad Blyth was asked to step in and serve as an interim pastor at then Latta Road Baptist Church in Greece, NY, a suburb of Rochester. The church, founded in 1851 and previously located in Rochester, has a long-standing history with the North American Baptist Conference. In its early years, with such close proximity to the German Baptist Seminary (now Sioux Falls Seminary), Latta Road’s health thrived under the influence of the seminary’s strong theological teachers.

During Blyth’s first year at Orchard Community Church, nearly everything changed, including the church’s constitution. Initially, not everyone was on board. However, Blyth continued to facilitate discussion amongst the congregation, asking questions about how existing systems of leadership, worship, teaching, and preaching were working. In time, clarity and vision for the future became clear, and the congregation emerged more unified than ever.

However, by 2003, the church was experiencing epic amounts of turmoil and drastic declines in attendance within the congregation. Some potential pastors may have felt uncomfortable or even unqualified to deal with the church’s situation. However, Blyth says he instantly felt “an almost palpable peace from the Lord” that this was where God wanted him to be.

new life: a congregation revived Today, Orchard Community Church is achieving its mission of “making disciples through prayer, biblical education, building bridges to the unchurched, celebrative worship, generous giving, genuine care, and living with integrity.” As Blyth and the members of Orchard Community Church live out their vision, they are experiencing new life in this historic church.

One of the larger outreach efforts by the church is the annual Trunk or Treat, which Brad’s wife, Melissa, played a critical role in creating. Nearly 400 community people attend the event, which includes distribution of treats by church members, hayrides, inflatables, carnival games, face painting, and more. Melissa’s contributions to the congregation go well beyond the Trunk or Treat. Whether leading worship or sharing her gifts for ministry, she has helped contribute to the identity of Orchard Community Church.

One of the practices in which the church prides itself is the warm and welcoming environment that is provided to anyone who walks through their doors. Being practical and community-minded in their faith is another.

Members, who range from spiritual seekers to committed Christians, are invited to come as they are— no meaningless rules and regulations, no suit and tie requirement.

This way of functioning has helped the congregation start anew, heal past wounds,

continued on the next page

7

Spring 2009

Pastor Brad Blyth with wife, Melissa, and children Jack and Natalie.

alumni spotlight:

bringing

new life to congregations

Churches and congregations, just like individuals, experience life by moving in and out of various stages. Each church is on a unique journey—taking steps to fulfill its mission within God’s Kingdom. Some are just beginning to establish roots in unfamiliar soil. Others have seen better days and must close or combine with nearby congregations. Many find themselves at crossroads sensing that they must adapt in order to remain relevant.

And yet, others thrive.

Why is it that some churches thrive while others struggle to maintain? There doesn’t seem to be a clear cut and definitive answer. Perhaps, some thrive because the right combination of factors—like vision, spiritual gifts, and ministry needs—have all come together at the perfect moment in time. Or, maybe it is simply part of God’s larger plan.

At Sioux Falls Seminary, our alumni are equipped to be servant leaders for the ministries of Christ. Graduates go out and serve across the United States and around the world. Brad Blyth is one of our graduates who

Sioux Falls Seminary impact

6

is working hard to bring new life to the congregation he serves. He is one of the many Sioux Falls Seminary graduates striving to keep the church relevant in today’s world.

Monday, October 13, 2003, was Blyth’s first day at Latta Road, now named Orchard Community Church. Realizing the sensitive situation he was entering, Blyth prayed that God would use him in his will. “I asked for wisdom and discernment far beyond my years in order to heal and lead the people,” said Blyth. “I am so blessed that God has used me as the person I am— faults and all.”

giving long-term history new life

By taking small steps one at a time and entering into countless discussions with members of the congregation, Blyth has led the church to new life. “I have greatly loved and invested in the people and challenged their ‘old’ idea of the church,” he added.

In 2003, Sioux Falls Seminary M.Div. and MAMFT graduate Brad Blyth was asked to step in and serve as an interim pastor at then Latta Road Baptist Church in Greece, NY, a suburb of Rochester. The church, founded in 1851 and previously located in Rochester, has a long-standing history with the North American Baptist Conference. In its early years, with such close proximity to the German Baptist Seminary (now Sioux Falls Seminary), Latta Road’s health thrived under the influence of the seminary’s strong theological teachers.

During Blyth’s first year at Orchard Community Church, nearly everything changed, including the church’s constitution. Initially, not everyone was on board. However, Blyth continued to facilitate discussion amongst the congregation, asking questions about how existing systems of leadership, worship, teaching, and preaching were working. In time, clarity and vision for the future became clear, and the congregation emerged more unified than ever.

However, by 2003, the church was experiencing epic amounts of turmoil and drastic declines in attendance within the congregation. Some potential pastors may have felt uncomfortable or even unqualified to deal with the church’s situation. However, Blyth says he instantly felt “an almost palpable peace from the Lord” that this was where God wanted him to be.

new life: a congregation revived Today, Orchard Community Church is achieving its mission of “making disciples through prayer, biblical education, building bridges to the unchurched, celebrative worship, generous giving, genuine care, and living with integrity.” As Blyth and the members of Orchard Community Church live out their vision, they are experiencing new life in this historic church.

One of the larger outreach efforts by the church is the annual Trunk or Treat, which Brad’s wife, Melissa, played a critical role in creating. Nearly 400 community people attend the event, which includes distribution of treats by church members, hayrides, inflatables, carnival games, face painting, and more. Melissa’s contributions to the congregation go well beyond the Trunk or Treat. Whether leading worship or sharing her gifts for ministry, she has helped contribute to the identity of Orchard Community Church.

One of the practices in which the church prides itself is the warm and welcoming environment that is provided to anyone who walks through their doors. Being practical and community-minded in their faith is another.

Members, who range from spiritual seekers to committed Christians, are invited to come as they are— no meaningless rules and regulations, no suit and tie requirement.

This way of functioning has helped the congregation start anew, heal past wounds,

continued on the next page

7

Spring 2009

continued from page 7:

bringing

new life to congregations

ans we rs: d n a s n io q uest

and realize growth. The children’s time started with under five kids and has now grown to around 30-40 children, all under the age of 10. “I truly believe that God has a plan for the church which includes raising up people in the church to be community ministers,” said Blyth. “We are providing a place for worship that is very relevant by blending rockin’ Lincoln Brewster with sacred hymns.”

Blyth is confident that in the weeks, months, and years to come, Orchard Community Church, one of the oldest churches in the North American Baptist Conference, will continue reaching out to the community with God’s love and grace. “Honestly, each pastor has a combination of his/her personality in concert with the calling on his/her heart. [If I am no longer here] I assume God will bring in someone who can continue the growth and multiply the impact of the church on the community.”

with Rev. Randy Tschetter, Director of Church Relations and Alumni In an era of mega churches and high-profile pastors and ministries, it is exciting to discover how God is bringing new life to congregations in a whole host of places—large and small, urban and rural. Pastors Dennis Webber and Melissa Hiatt provide a brief overview of how God is blessing the faithfulness of his people in two very different ministry contexts.

But for today, as the church continues to bloom and experience a new stage in its life, it plans to keep its presence in God’s Kingdom known. How so? By listening to God and continuing to serve him—“making disciples through prayer, biblical education, building bridges to the unchurched, celebrative worship, generous giving, genuine care, and living with integrity.”

q&a

question:

pastor brad blyth

how did seminary prepare you for service?

M.Div., MAMFT, 1994

question: what led you to answer the call to ministry?

answer: I had felt called into ministry since I was young. By the age of 15, I had my plan in place to attend Bible college and then seminary for my M.Div. My heart has always been burdened to help people. In addition to extended family, the three oldest cousins in my family are pastors. My grandparents were missionaries. For us, ministry is true love for the Lord in action—a joy.

Sioux Falls Seminary impact

8

answer: There were so many professors that enriched my ministry I can’t even begin to name them. Much of who I am now in ministry was started at the seminary in Sioux Falls. One situation stands out in my memory. In my first semester, now president Mike Hagan was my Old Testament Professor . . . . I went to see him about something, and he confronted me about my pastoral skills. Then, he shut the door. To be succinct, he told me that I better quit being the way I was or I would never make it in ministry, nor would he recommend me.

Mike essentially said that ministry required a selfless love and devotion to the Lord that needed to have a depth so much more than I was displaying. That was a turning point for me. It has caused me to create many moments of self-examination throughout my spiritual growth even to this day . . . . It has made me further orient my entire life around Jesus as Lord. That is what makes me who I am today as a pastor.

alumni in action

pastor

pastor

Melissa Hiatt MAMFT, Sioux Falls Seminary, 1995

Dennis Webber M.Div., Sioux Falls Seminary, 1982

Associate Pastor of Discipleship, Community, and Leadership Trinity Baptist Church, Sioux Falls, SD

Pastor Valley Baptist Church, Milbank, SD

rt: What interesting and exciting things have been

rt: I have heard some exciting things are happening at

happening at Trinity Baptist Church?

Valley Baptist Church. Can you share more?

mh: After nearly two years of praying and waiting upon God’s guidance, the church approved a new mission statement in January 2008. It simply says: “Our mission is to live the way of Jesus.” From helping a seminary student in our congregation raise funds for an angiogram, to providing assistance to four families who were left homeless after a fire, to donating supplies for distribution at the Union Gospel Mission, to providing gifts and labor to Summit House, and to the Garfield Project, many of the things Trinity has accomplished this past year have come from individuals in the congregation who were prompted by the Holy Spirit.

dw: In the spring of 2008, we began a very modest out-

rt: What is the Garfield Project? Tell me more.

rt: Valley Baptist Church has a significant German

mh: During a staff meeting, we asked: “If Trinity Baptist

heritage. How did you deal with the language barrier?

Church no longer existed, would we be missed by our community?” That led to an outreach effort called the Garfield Project. Garfield Elementary School is located only a few blocks from the church in a low socioeconomic and multicultural area.

dw: A church member speaks fluent Spanish and has

continued on page 9.

continued on page 9.

reach to Hispanic families in this area. Things appear to have developed rapidly. In reality, several people in the church had been praying for years for a cross-cultural ministry opportunity.

One family in the church, who employs several Hispanics at their dairy, suggested some opportunities for outreach and service. The church started helping one family who was experiencing a difficult pregnancy by donating furniture and house cleaning. These contacts led to a Good Friday meal and showing of the Jesus Film in Spanish.

helped interpret at various events. We have also used the ongoing counsel of a missionary couple from Minnesota whom we supported for many years while they served in Mexico. They answered questions and

5

Spring 2009

alumni in action

q&a w ith Randy Tschetter

outside t

classroom pro

he

box:

ject evokes c

According to SFS Adjunct Professor Andrew Burnett, the course was redesigned in 2007 to get “more Jesus” into Christian Ethics. “From there, it was a natural extension to think about Jesus’ teaching method with the first disciples, which always had a major experiential component,” said Burnett. “Not that we need to apologize for studying Christian ethics in an academic setting—there are some distinctive benefits of doing so—but the Kingdom itself is always more than words. The Kingdom is about God’s will being done on earth as it is in heaven!”

As part of the experiential learning project, students are asked to complete, and journal about, one of the following three tasks: engage with a person or group with different ethical views, live in voluntary poverty, or complete at least eight hours of community service.

The most recent group of students to complete Burnett’s class are learning a lot from their experiences. Some chose to spend time with those with whom they don’t Sioux Falls Seminary impact

4

see eye-to-eye; others slept outside, wore the same outfit for several days, or lived on a food stamp budget; and the rest completed community service projects.

Andy Bartel, M.Div. student, slept outside his house in a cardboard box for a week. Although he did go about his normal activities after waking up, he lived off of the same resources as a homeless person during the night.

Instead of putting his experience on paper, Bartel blogged.

“By blogging about my experiences, it was my hope to help others also gain a greater understanding and respect for homeless people. I was actually amazed at the response,” said Bartel. “My blog, before this project, averaged 3-4 hits per day.

The number of hits steadily grew throughout the week until the seventh day when I had just under 350 hits that day.”

According to Bartel, one of the most surprising aspects of the experience was how much time and energy it took for him to maintain the box. “It was frustrating that no matter how much time or energy I put into it, there were still major problems that would develop,” he stated. “On account of all the time and energy spent on maintaining, coupled with the lack of

S

Students at Sioux Falls Seminary are studying Christian Ethics from a new and creative perspective—examining the subject’s foundations in Jesus’ teaching and demonstration of the Kingdom of God. This new perspective includes an experiential learning project that is challenging students to use their imaginations.

reativity

a good night’s sleep, I can see how difficult it might be for someone who is homeless to find time to look for, much less maintain, a job.”

Faculty

pastor

Melissa Hiatt MAMFT, Sioux Falls Seminary, 1995 continued from page 5.

In September, each classroom teacher received a $20 gift certificate to a local teacher’s store. In addition, we gave every person on staff a “Life Savers” Card. The card said that we recognized them as life savers, and we wanted to be life givers by offering support and encouragement. Our goal for the 2008-2009 school year has been to establish a relationship of trust and friendship with the staff.

Laurel Buwalda, M.A. in Christian Leadership student, learned about her own attitudes and what message churches convey to the community by wearing the same outfit and undergarments for 10 days. It caused her to ask some tough questions like, “Is my church unknowingly keeping people who don’t look or dress like us from coming to know God? Am I standing in the way of someone coming to know Jesus because I have a certain standard of how people should look when they enter God’s house?” Buwalda noted that contemplating these questions “was a hard truth to swallow and clearly a challenge for [her] church.”

In October, the school actually called and asked Trinity for help with Family Night. Twelve people from our church went to help greet families, assist with registration, and hand out snacks that the kids in our children’s program helped put together. We have high hopes and dreams about what God might do with us and our neighborhood through the outreach to the children, families, and staff of Garfield. I am excited to see the new life that is developing at Trinity Baptist Church as we do our best to “live the way of Jesus.”

Burnett is pleased with the changes he’s made to the course. “The exciting thing I see students doing through the project is stretching and empowering their moral imagination by choosing to experience something themselves that puts them in a greater position of understanding and solidarity with others—particularly the poor, those without power, those different in ways that might separate us,” he explained. “Experiential learning also takes place in, and builds, community. Even students who take on what seems like a highly personal, individual challenge often connect with others . . .”

provided helpful perspectives for our ministry.

Read andy bartel’s blog entries on his voluntary poverty experience at: http://unknowntraveler.wordpress.com/.

At the right, select “Voluntary Poverty” under categories.

From the

pastor

Dennis Webber M.Div., Sioux Falls Seminary, 1982 continued from page 5.

Dr. Ronald Sisk Academic V.P. and Dean, Professor of Homiletics & Christian Ministry Preaching Ethically: Being True to the Gospel, the Congregation, and Yourself (The Alban Institute, 2007) This book suggests guidelines for preaching in the midst of various factors that might tempt a pastor to misuse the pulpit.

Sisk wrote the book based on his twenty years of experience as a pastor, his training in Christian ethics, his attempts as a seminary professor to train preachers, and a lifetime of listening to sermons.

Dr. Paul Rainbow Professor of New Testament The Pith of the Apocalypse: Essential Message and Principles for Interpretation (Wipf and Stock, 2008) Focusing on the prophetic summons to the church in the book of Revelation, Pith was written to help interpreters see more clearly the text’s message to serve God and Christ faithfully in the midst of a pagan society that exalts power, wealth, and pleasure and to revisit the text with enhanced confidence and understanding.

rt: What kinds of ministries have you provided?

Dr. Vladimir Kharlamov

dw: Social events have included a baby shower, a

Assistant Professor of Spiritual Theology

fiesta picnic, a Mexican cooking class, and a pig roast/ bonfire. Several in the church also provide English lessons and a bilingual Bible study. In addition, monthly Sunday evening worship services are held in Spanish.

At Christmas, we had a celebration with a multi-cultural potluck, piñatas for the children, and presentation from the Bible of the birth of Christ in Spanish.

rt: What has been the impact of all this in the Hispanic community and in the church community?

dw: Valley Baptist Church is enjoying deepening fellowship and seeing discipleship opportunities with our new friends. We are open to the Lord’s leading in the next steps of outreach and ministry in a mission field that is literally at our front door.

The Beauty of Unity and Harmony of the Whole: The Concept of Theosis in the Theology of Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite (Wipf and Stock, 2009) This book traces the emergence and development of the deification theme in Greek Patristic theology with its subsequent transformation into the theology of theosis in Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite. The main focus is to study the deification theme as it is situated in the complex context of its historical development and, thus, to avoid the commonly stated tendency to treat this notion of Christian theology in an anachronistic manner.

9

Spring 2009

save

12 3 4 5 6

a bridging g g ministry y in and serving the heartlearning of Sioux Falls

Summit House Sioux Falls Seminary

sfs event

summit house sees new growth

calendar

the

February seventeen

date

Heritage Spotlight on F. W. C. Meyer featuring Dr. Philip Thompson 10 a.m., Worship and Leadership Centre, 24th & Euclid.

twenty-one Hiller Lectureship with The Rev. Dr. Emmanuel L. McCall Join us as we discuss the church in the twenty-first century. To receive information as it is released, call 800.440.6227.

New Developments at Summit House:

Summit House began in May 2008 when the seminary seized an opportunity to offer students first-hand ministry experiences. Located within Pettigrew Heights in central Sioux Falls, Summit House provides affordable housing to students who, in return, spend at least five hours per week reaching out to and serving in the neighborhood.

The Rev. Tim Olsen became the Director of Operations for Summit House. He is currently guiding and mentoring the students of Summit House, exploring partnerships with churches, non-profits, and co-ops, working to acquire funding for the project, and asking how Summit House can become a voice for others in the Pettigrew Heights community.

Goals of the project are:

.to provide students with ministry experience by serving

thirty

the physical and spiritual needs of residents.

Final Heritage Spotlight with Dr. Vladimir Kharlamov 10 a.m., Worship and Leadership Centre, 24th & Euclid.

.

March five

Community Preview Day Is Sioux Falls Seminary the right fit for you? To register or get information, call 800.440.6227, e-mail admissions@sfseminary.edu, or visit sfseminary.edu.

eleven Ministers’ Seminar: Multi-Generational Families in the Church: The Good, The Bad, and Living with Titus 2 Free seminar from 9-11:00 a.m. in the Board Room at Sioux Falls Seminary, 24th & Euclid. RSVP by March 9; call 605.334.2696. The presenter is Jerry Vander Lee, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist at Sioux Falls Psychological Services.

seventeen Heritage Spotlight on Dr. Frank Veninga with Dr. Bob Veninga 10 a.m., Worship and Leadership Centre, 24th & Euclid.

twenty Great Plains Undergraduate Theological Conference Co-sponsored by Sioux Falls Seminary Annual conference at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN, for undergraduate scholars to present work in theology/religious studies. E-mail admissions@sfseminary.edu or visit gputc.org.

to restore a sense of pride to Pettigrew Heights and to bring hope to its residents.

May twenty-two

April four

of Sioux Falls, and other organizations to bring about change and revitalization within Pettigrew Heights.

twenty-three

.to become a missional model for other communities.

Commencement and Reception To be held at Central Baptist Church. Details forthcoming.

pettigrew rew heights s Prayer Requests for Summit House . Pray for the safety of the student residents. . Pray for funding to help sustain Summit House. . God’s Pray that participants listen to residents and follow imagination as they help bring about change. . Pray that strong partnerships of all kinds are formed.

July thirteen Community Open House Come and see the new Sioux Falls Seminary campus near 29th & Summit from 6:30-8:00 p.m.

fourteen Alumni Reunion Event Celebrate the close of our Sesquicentennial Year of Celebration. This all-day event will feature class breakout sessions and photos, short courses, children and youth activities, lunch, alumni music, tours, and a worship service. Event schedule and additional details online at www.sfseminary.edu/events.

2009 NAB Triennial Bus Trip Ride the bus to Winnipeg with us! Save money on gas and parking all the way from Sioux Falls to Winnipeg. Costs: $75 one way or $125 round trip (if registered by 4/1/09). Call 800.440.6227 for more information.

more online sfseminary.edu/events

10

11%%11%1% %11%1%

.

11

.

Students at Sioux Falls Seminary and Summit House are discovering that their past vocations, hobbies, and experiences can shape the ways they minister to the residents of Pettigrew Heights.

.

Summit House is listening to the residents of Pettigrew Heights not only to find out their needs but also to discover how they can contribute to the neighborhood.

.

Summit House is hosting its first seminary class, Urban Ministry Seminar, this spring 2009 semester.

.

An additional three students and one spouse moved into Summit House with the start of the spring semester.

Students are serving by:

.working alongside children in the area’s grade school. .reaching out to the homeless and working poor at the Church of the Warehouse.

.building relationships with Native American individuals. .maintaining and renovating Summit House.

24/7

YS One-Day – Focused Youth Ministry Training Join Megan Hutchinson, student minister at Saddleback Church in Lake Forrest, California, from 8:45 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. to learn how to unleash scripture in your life and ministry. E-mail klashly@sfseminary.edu for more information.

.to become a bridge that connects churches, the city

Commencement Banquet Pre-purchased tickets required to attend. Details forthcoming.

fifteen - nineteen

Sioux Falls Seminary impact

About Summit House

3

Spring 2009

destination 2100:

campus construction update Construction of the seminary’s new environmentally-responsible campus is underway.

With winter’s arrival, work on the building’s exterior subsided. Inside, work is taking place on all three floors of the building. On the lower level, which will be occupied by the seminary’s counseling center (Sioux Falls Psychological Services) and the NAB Heritage Commission, walls are painted and bathroom fixtures and ceiling tiles have been added.

alumni updates, news, and prayer requests

‘48

The Rev. Ervin Gerlitz and his wife, Lillian, live in Puyallup, WA. They ask for prayer for Ervin’s health concerns.

Progress is also taking place on the main level, which includes multi-purpose spaces, conference rooms, and administrative offices. Crews have finished sheetrocking and painting the walls and are now adding tile and fixtures to the bathrooms. In addition, a fireplace in one of the common areas has been installed.

‘53

The Rev. William Effa and his wife, Ruth, live in Columbus, NE. William has been working as a hospice chaplain for ten years at Columbus Community Hospital.

The second level, home to faculty offices, study areas for students, and smart classrooms, is starting to catch up to other levels of the building as crews work from the bottom up. Framing, sheetrocking, and taping are complete. Texturizing and painting are underway.

‘54

The Rev. Gordon Huisinga and his wife, Betty, live in Minnetonka, MN. Gordon is very active in his church, New Hope Evangelical Free, where he teaches Sunday school.

Projects in the weeks and months ahead include adding exterior metal panels and interior aluminum trim, hanging doors, completing finish work for electrical, plumbing, and HVAC, hanging acoustical ceiling tile, laying carpet, and staining concrete floors.

A completion date for the project is July 2009. However, the project is currently several weeks ahead of schedule. We invite you to visit www.sfseminary.edu to get the latest campus construction updates.

Keep up with the construction anytime, anywhere. View updated photos online at www.flickr.com/sfseminary or by visiting www.sfseminary.edu and clicking on the View Campus link at the bottom left.

Sioux Falls Seminary impact

2

Staying in Touch

‘59

Dr. John Binder and Barbara Binder ‘60 thank everyone for their continued prayers. John suffered a stroke in May 2008. He is on the road to recovery. He continues physical, occupational, and speech therapy. Barbara is thankful for and pleased with the progress that John is making.

‘69

Dr. Helmut Michelson and his wife, Ilse, live in Orlando, FL. They ask for prayer for Helmut. He is recovering from surgery.

‘70

The Rev. Darwin Stahl lives in Ashley, ND, with his wife, Judy.

Darwin’s parents, Samuel and Lily, both passed away in 2008.

‘73

The Rev. Marion McCoy and his wife, Delphia, live in Ottumwa, IA. Marion is now retired from First Baptist Church in Fremont, IA. Their neighborhood flooded in the summer of 2008. Thankfully, their home was spared from damage.

‘74

The Rev. Marvin Busenuis lives in Edmonton, AB. He asks for prayer for his wife, Priscilla, who had surgery to remove a mass in her kidney.

The Rev. El Roy Pankow and wife, Joyce, live in Anaheim, CA. El Roy serves at Wilshire Avenue Community Church in Fullerton as Worship and Adult Ministries Pastor. He has been involved in a ministry called CASA (Christian Association of Serving Adult Ministries) which coordinates shortterm mission trips around the world for people 50 and over.

The Rev. Randall C. Tschetter and his wife, Karla, live in Sioux Falls, SD. Karla was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia on December 1, 2007. Since that time, she has given hundreds of blood samples, received chemotherapy and radiation treatments and blood transfusions, taken thousands of pills, and been the recipient of a stem-cell transplant, courtesy of her brother. One year later, there is no trace of Leukemia in Karla’s body, and she is regaining strength daily.

Randy and Karla thank everyone in the Sioux Falls Seminary family that upheld them in prayer this past year.

‘77

The Rev. Penny Eberhart and the Rev. Emil Eberhart live in Sioux Falls, SD. Penny’s father, Reinhold Kramer, passed away in late July.

‘78

The Rev. Jim Dick and his wife, Marilyn, live in Richville, MN. Jim recently retired from his role as a professor at Jamestown College.

‘79

The Rev. Graham Kern and his wife, Miriam, live in Bismarck, ND. Graham is retired but is working as part-time pastor at Napolean Baptist Church.

11

Spring 2009

alumni updates

G. Michael Hagan, President of Sioux Falls Seminary

‘80

The Rev. Monte Michaelson lives in Okeene, OK, with his wife, Leslie. He is currently working as a prison chaplain.

‘82

The Rev. Samuel Bandela and his wife, Latha, live in Duluth, GA. They are missionaries to India with Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. They are currently stateside raising their financial support.

The Rev. Dennis Webber lives in Milbank, SD, with his wife, Loretha.

Dennis is the pastor at Valley Baptist Church. Their church is now doing a monthly service in Spanish for Hispanics that live and work in their community.

Vesta Berglund and husband, Ted, live in Bancroft, IA. In the summer of 2008, their home suffered flood damage. They ask for prayer for recovery of homes as well as for their family situation.

‘90

Cathleen Mcguire lives in Racine, WI. She works as a medical technologist and asks for prayer for her Bible study.

The Rev. Tony Dickerson and his wife, Haifa, live in Chelsea, MI. Tony has been the pastor at the Covenant Church in Chelsea for 13 years.

‘84

The Rev. Rick Casteel lives in Cedar Rapids, IA, with his wife, Kristi. They ask for prayer for their counseling ministry as well as for the city of Cedar Rapids. In the summer of 2008, there was a tremendous amount of flooding, and many homes were damaged.

‘85

The Rev. Leslie Pearson and his wife, Rozella, reside in Rochester, MN. Leslie is retired but is serving at St. Charles Bible Church.

He asks that we pray for vision and direction for the church.

12

‘04

The Rev. Jan Gross lives in Beresford, SD, with his wife, Deborah.

Jan is pastor of the United Methodist Church in Beresford.

‘05

Pastor Ryan Franchuck and wife, Sallie, live in Baltic, SD, where Ryan is planting a North American Baptist church.

from the

‘94

The Rev. Darwin Kopfmann and wife, Donna, live in Streeter, ND. They ask for prayer for Donna as she is facing terminal cancer.

‘95

‘83

Sioux Falls Seminary impact

‘89

The Rev. Jim Striegler lives in Kenosha, WI, with wife, Kathy. They ask for continued prayer for Jim’s health. They are very thankful for Kathy’s new job.

‘98

The Rev. Paul Huxtable and wife, Cindy, live in Neenah, WI. Paul is the senior pastor at First Presbyterian Church.

‘03

Geraldine Schnabel of Parker, SD, has been involved in a mission group called Helping Hands for Haiti. The group works to build schools in the villages of Haiti.

Trisha Wheelock and husband, Lee, live in St. Peter, MN. Both are losing their jobs: Trisha as a Bible and Theology professor at Gustavus Adolphus College and Lee as a landscape architect. They ask for prayer as they search for available positions in the Midwest within their respective fields.

in memoriam

president

‘50

The Rev. Ernest Hoffman lived in Leduc, AB, with his wife, Anne.

He passed away on June 1, 2008.

During his first years after graduating from seminary, he served as pastor at Wiesenthal Baptist Church in Millet, AB. He pastored at various other places throughout the years.

‘54

The Rev. Oscar Fritzke lived in Stettler, AB, with his wife, Joyce.

Oscar passed away on May 20, 2008.

He served 35 years in pastoral ministry in North Dakota, Michigan, Saskatchewan, and Alberta.

‘61

The Rev. Clinton E. Grenz lived in Bismarck, ND, with wife, Carol.

Clinton passed away on June 26, 2008. He served at his first church in Minot, ND, until beginning his military ministry as an Army Chaplain for 26 years. After his retirement, Clinton became a chaplain for the State of ND in the Civil Air Patrol division.

l myself, sident! I constantly tel pre ry na mi se a to es God provid What an exciting ride on-n-n!” ng Ha ! ke “Hang on, Mi terial prepab our services for minis hu to ing ild bu w ne A d of scheds of joys. we are currently ahea On this ride we find lot as g— rin sp e lat in ion s complet d Summit House, open ration advances toward ntral Sioux Falls, name ce try in e nis sit mi ng an rni urb lea for al nt an environme ule. A contextu h wit nts de stu r ou e to provid und the world up ample opportunities God is using them aro w ho of s ort rep ck ba send ing people, tering to youth and ag preparation. Graduates nis mi s, he urc ch ng nti hurts, pla ndreds of other ways. for healing emotional aching the gospel in hu pre d an s, he urc ch renewing dying world and how at is God doing in the wh d— Go of at be lse or the pu y can grow We are trying to monit of believers, so that the up gro al loc a of l wa . Rene list of exciting can we jump on board rfaces at the top of the su t, ds mi ir the in rk ad Blyth is d at wo page 6 about Pastor Br and see the hand of Go on ry sto e tur fea e Th d hard, but our day. g. It is often messy an things God is doing in llin fi ful d an ing cit ex e s the rid one of many that make on-n-n! e God at work. Hang nc rie pe ex to what a thrill

sfseminary.edu.

w. nt’s Blog online at ww Check out our Preside

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Spring 2009

impact Sioux Falls Seminary

spring 2009

contents 1

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from the president

Sioux Falls Seminary alumnus Brad Blyth is working hard to bring new life to Orchard Community Church near Rochester, NY.

President Hagan’s thoughts on the joy of leading Sioux Falls Seminary.

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bringing new life to congregations

from the faculty A sampling of faculty publications.

campus construction update Progress continues at the new campus site.

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10 sfs event calendar summit house sees growth

Connect with SFS at upcoming events. Event listings are always available online at www.sfseminary.edu/events.

Sioux Falls Seminary students are applying their skills and abilities to help transform a neighborhood.

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11 outside the box SFS is getting creative with its ethics course.

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alumni in action Brief Q&A with two alumni who are keeping the church relevant in today’s world.

Sioux Falls Seminary impact

staying in touch News, updates, and prayer requests from Sioux Falls Seminary alumni.

The impact is now published by Sioux Falls Seminary two times per year for the benefit of the seminary community, friends, alumni, and supporters. Additional news and event information is distributed by e-mail throughout the year. To join our online news list, please visit www.sfseminary.edu/signup.php or call 800.440.6227 ext. 703.

Stay in Touch with Sioux Falls Seminary Staying in Touch, the former alumni e-newsletter, will now be published as part of the Impact. We encourage you to stay in touch with us by sharing your current ministry role, family news, and/or prayer requests.

To submit your updates, news, and prayer requests, please e-mail stayingintouch@sfseminary.edu, send us a message on Facebook, call 800.440.6227 ext. 702, or visit www.sfseminary.edu/contact.

To receive the latest news and event information by e-mail, please register online at www.sfseminary.edu/signup.php.

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Spring 2009

1525 S. Grange Ave.

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Sioux Falls, SD 57105

spring 2009 equipping leaders . . . transforming lives 800.440.6227 or 605.336.6588 info@sfseminary.edu

impact Sioux Falls Seminary

www.sfseminary.edu

restoring fullness: Professor Strives to Meet the Relationship and Psychological Needs of Ministry Professionals When he’s not teaching or offering psychological care to clients at Sioux Falls Psychological Services, Dr. Doug Anderson, Sioux Falls Seminary Assistant Professor of Counseling, works to meet the relationship and psychological needs of ministry professionals in an intensive therapy format and nature-oriented context.

gather your friends:

tour from home:

Hard Hat Tours Available to Groups

Photos Online 24/7

The move to Sioux Falls Seminary’s new, environmentally-responsible campus is rapidly approaching. In honor of this exciting time, we are pleased to announce the following upcoming hard hat tours:

Check out the construction progress online anytime from the comfort of your home.

Sioux Falls Seminary Alumni: Wednesday, March 4, at 12:30 p.m.

Tuesday, March 10, at 12:30 p.m.

RSVP: call 800.440.6227 ext. 703 Churches and Other Groups: Gather a group and call the department of church and alumni relations at 800.440.6227 ext. 702 to schedule a time.

Tours will last approximately one hour.

Sioux Falls Seminary impact

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There are two simple ways to check out construction photos, which are taken and updated weekly: 1. Visit www.sfseminary.edu and click on the View Campus button at the bottom left.

2. Go directly to the seminary’s photostream by visiting www.flickr.com/sfseminary.

A Licensed Psychologist and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, he established a non-profit organization called Oak Glen. It gives Anderson an alternative format to offer a safe and confidential setting for ministry professionals and their families to address compassion fatigue, stress and burnout, strained or failing marriages, church conflict, depression, and more.

One way Oak Glen hopes to restore fullness is by offering brief and intensive psychotherapy experiences. These intimate gatherings offer time for rest, reflection, restoration, and several hours of group psychotherapy daily.

For information on Oak Glen or to learn about upcoming opportunities to restore fullness, contact Dr. Doug Anderson or Robin Duncan by calling 605.371.6968 or visiting www.oakgleninc.com.

bringing

new life to congregations Spring 2009