spring 2009 impact

Sioux Falls Seminary impact Spring 2009

impactSioux Falls Seminary

spring 2009

new lifeto congregations

bringing

1525 S. Grange Ave. . Sioux Falls, SD 57105

800.440.6227 or [email protected]

equipping leaders . . . transforming lives

restoring fullness:Professor Strives to Meet the Relationship and Psychological Needs of Ministry Professionals

When he’s not teaching or offering psycho-logical care to clients at Sioux Falls Psy-chological 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 for-mat and nature-oriented context.

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

One way Oak Glen hopes to restore fullness is by offering brief and intensive psychother-apy experiences. These intimate gatherings offer time for rest, refl ection, restoration, and several hours of group psychotherapy daily. For information on Oak Glen or to learn about upcoming opportunities to restore full-ness, contact Dr. Doug Anderson or Robin Duncan by calling 605.371.6968 or visiting www.oakgleninc.com.

gather your friends:Hard Hat Tours

Available to GroupsThe move to Sioux Falls Seminary’s new,

environmentally-responsible campus is rapidly approaching. In honor of this excit-ing time, we are pleased to announce the

following upcoming hard hat tours:

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 depart-

ment of church and alumni relations at 800.440.6227 ext. 702 to schedule a time.

Tours will last approximately one hour.

tour from home:Photos Online 24/7

Check out the construction progress online anytime from the

comfort of your home.

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.fl ickr.com/sfseminary.

14


impact

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 [email protected], 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.

Stay in Touchwith Sioux Falls Seminary

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

9 from the faculty A sampling of faculty publications.

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

11 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 benefi t 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.

contents1 from the president

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

2 campus construction updateProgress continues at the new campus site.

3 summit house sees growth Sioux Falls Seminary students are applying

their skills and abilities to help transform a neighborhood.

4 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

spring 2009

13


president

G. Michael Hagan, President of Sioux Falls Seminary

from the

Check out our President’s Blog online at www.sfseminary.edu.

1

What an exciting ride God provides to a seminary president! I constantly tell myself,

“Hang on, Mike! Hang on-n-n!”

On this ride we fi nd lots of joys. A new building to hub our services for ministerial prepa-

ration advances toward completion in late spring—as we are currently ahead of sched-

ule. A contextual learning site in central Sioux Falls, named Summit House, opens

up ample opportunities to provide our students with an environment for urban ministry

preparation. Graduates send back reports of how God is using them around the world

for healing emotional hurts, planting churches, ministering to youth and aging people,

renewing dying churches, and preaching the gospel in hundreds of other ways.

We are trying to monitor the pulse beat of God—what is God doing in the world and how

can we jump on board. Renewal of a local group of believers, so that they can grow

and see the hand of God at work in their midst, surfaces at the top of the list of exciting

things God is doing in our day. The feature story on page 6 about Pastor Brad Blyth is

one of many that makes the ride exciting and fulfi lling. It is often messy and hard, but

what a thrill to experience God at work. Hang on-n-n!

12

‘80 The Rev. Monte Michael-son 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 fi nancial 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 Hispan-ics that live and work in their commu-nity.

‘83 The Rev. Tony Dickerson and his wife, Haifa, live in Chelsea, MI. Tony has been the pastor at the Cov-enant 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 fl ooding, and many homes were damaged.

‘85 The Rev. Leslie Pear-son 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.

‘89 Vesta Berglund and hus-band, Ted, live in Bancroft, IA. In the summer of 2008, their home suffered fl ood 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.

‘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 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 Schnabelof 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 Theol-ogy 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 fi elds.

alumni updates

‘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.

in memoriam

‘50 The Rev. Ernest Hoffman lived in Leduc, AB, with his wife, Anne. He passed away on June 1, 2008. During his fi rst 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, Saskatch-ewan, 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 fi rst 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.


Construction of the seminary’s new environmentally-responsible cam-pus is underway.

With winter’s arrival, work on the building’s exterior subsided. In-side, work is taking place on all three fl oors of the building. On the lower level, which will be oc-

cupied by the seminary’s counsel-ing center (Sioux Falls Psychological

Services) and the NAB Heritage Com-mission, walls are painted and bathroom

fi xtures and ceiling tiles have been added.

Progress is also taking place on the main level, which includes multi-purpose spaces, conference rooms, and administrative offi ces. Crews have fi nished sheet-rocking and painting the walls and are now adding tile and fi xtures to the bathrooms. In addition, a fi replace in one of the common areas has been installed.

The second level, home to faculty offi ces, 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.

Projects in the weeks and months ahead include add-ing exterior metal panels and interior aluminum trim, hanging doors, completing fi nish work for electrical, plumbing, and HVAC, hanging acoustical ceiling tile, lay-ing carpet, and staining concrete fl oors.

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 cam-pus construction updates.

112

Keep up with the construction anytime,

anywhere. View updated photos online at

www.fl ickr.com/sfseminary or by visit-

ing www.sfseminary.edu and clicking on

the View Campus link at the bottom left.

destination 2100:campus construction update

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.

‘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.

‘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.

‘59 Dr. John Binder and Barbara Binder ‘60 thank everyone for their continued prayers. John suf-fered 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 fl ooded 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 short-term 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 Lym-phocytic Leukemia on December 1, 2007. Since that time, she has given hundreds of blood samples, received chemotherapy and radiation treat-ments and blood transfusions, taken thousands of pills, and been the recipi-ent 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, Rein-hold 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.

Staying inTouch


twenty-oneHiller Lectureship with The Rev. Dr. Emmanuel L. McCall Join us as we discuss the church in the twenty-fi rst century. To receive information as it is released, call 800.440.6227. thirtyFinal Heritage Spotlight with Dr. Vladimir Kharlamov10 a.m., Worship and Leadership Centre, 24th & Euclid.

Maytwenty-twoCommencement BanquetPre-purchased tickets required to attend. Details forthcoming. twenty-threeCommencement and ReceptionTo be held at Central Baptist Church. Details forthcoming.

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

fourteenAlumni Reunion EventCelebrate the close of our Sesquicentennial Year of Celebra-tion. 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.

fi fteen - nineteen2009 NAB Triennial Bus TripRide 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.

10

summit house sees new growth

3 Spring 2009

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more onlinesfseminary.edu/events

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

March fi ve Community Preview Day Is Sioux Falls Seminary the right fi t for you? To register or get information, call 800.440.6227, e-mail [email protected], or visit sfseminary.edu.

elevenMinisters’ Seminar: Multi-Generational Families in the Church: The Good, The Bad, and Living with Titus 2Free 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.

seventeenHeritage Spotlight on Dr. Frank Veninga with Dr. Bob Veninga10 a.m., Worship and Leadership Centre, 24th & Euclid.

twentyGreat Plains Undergraduate Theological ConferenceCo-sponsored by Sioux Falls SeminaryAnnual conference at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN, for undergraduate scholars to present work in theology/religious studies. E-mail [email protected] or visit gputc.org.

AprilfourYS 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 [email protected] for more information.

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

Goals of the project are:.to provide students with ministry experience by serving the physical and spiritual needs of residents.

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

.to become a bridge that connects churches, the city of Sioux Falls, and other organizations to bring about change and revitalization within Pettigrew Heights.

.to become a missional model for other communities.

pettigrewPrayer Requests for Summit House

sheightsrewrew. Pray for the safety of the student residents.

. Pray for funding to help sustain Summit House.

. Pray that participants listen to residents and follow God’s imagination as they help bring about change.. Pray that strong partnerships of all kinds are formed.

a bridging ministry in the heart of Sioux Falls

g g yg g ylearning and serving

Summit House Sioux Falls Seminary

New Developments at Summit House:.The Rev. Tim Olsen became the Direc-tor of Operations for Summit House. He is currently guiding and mentoring the students of Summit House, exploring partnerships with churches, non-profi ts, 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.

.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 fi nd out their needs but also to dis-cover how they can contribute to the neighborhood.

.Summit House is hosting its fi rst 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.

Sioux Falls Seminary impact Spring 20094 9

From the Faculty

Dr. Ronald SiskAcademic 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 preach-ing in the midst of various factors thatmight tempt a pastor to misuse the pulpit. Sisk wrote the book based on his twenty years of experience as a pastor, his train-ing in Christian ethics, his attempts as aseminary professor to train preachers, and a lifetime of listening to sermons.

Dr. Paul RainbowProfessor of New Testament

The Pith of the Apocalypse: Essential Message and Principles for Interpretation (Wipf and Stock, 2008)

Focusing on the prophetic summons tothe church in the book of Revelation,Pith was written to help interpreters seemore clearly the text’s message to serveGod and Christ faithfully in the midst of a pagan society that exalts power, wealth,and pleasure and to revisit the text with enhanced confi dence and understanding.

Dr. Vladimir KharlamovAssistant Professor of Spiritual Theology

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 anddevelopment of the deifi cation theme in Greek Patristic theology with its subse-quent transformation into the theology of theosis in Pseudo-Dionysius the Areop-agite. The main focus is to study the dei-fi cation theme as it is situated in the com-plex context of its historical development and, thus, to avoid the commonly statedtendency to treat this notion of Christian theology in an anachronistic manner.

alumniinaction

q&a with Randy Tschetter

pastor

Melissa HiattMAMFT, Sioux Falls Seminary, 1995continued from page 5.

In September, each classroom teacher received a $20 gift certifi cate 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 en-couragement. Our goal for the 2008-2009 school year has been to establish a relationship of trust and friend-ship with the staff.

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 registra-tion, 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 Garfi eld. 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.”

pastor

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

provided helpful perspectives for our ministry.

rt: What kinds of ministries have you provided?

dw: Social events have included a baby shower, a fi esta picnic, a Mexican cooking class, and a pig roast/bonfi re. 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 fel-lowship 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 fi eld that is literally at our front door.

outside the box:

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 perspec-tive includes an experiential learning project that is challenging students to use their imaginations.

According to SFS Adjunct Profes-sor 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 fi rst 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 benefi ts 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 com-plete, 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 com-munity service.

The most recent group of students to complete Burnett’s class are learning a lot from their experi-ences. Some chose to spend time with those with whom they don’t

classroom project evokes creativitya good night’s sleep, I can see how diffi cult it might be for someone who is homeless to fi nd time to look for, much less maintain, a job.”

Laurel Buwalda, M.A. in Christian Leadership student, learned about her own attitudes and what mes-sage churches convey to the com-munity by wearing the same outfi t and undergarments for 10 days. It caused her to ask some tough ques-tions 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.”

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 some-thing themselves that puts them in a greater position of understanding and solidarity with others—particu-larly the poor, those without power, those different in ways that might separate us,” he explained. “Expe-riential learning also takes place in, and builds, community. Even stu-dents who take on what seems like a highly personal, individual challenge often connect with others . . .”

see eye-to-eye; others slept outside, wore the same outfi t for several days, or lived on a food stamp bud-get; and the rest completed commu-nity 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 sev-enth 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 main-taining, coupled with the lack of

Read andy bartel’s blog entries on his voluntary poverty experience at: http://unknowntraveler.wordpress.com/.At the right, select “Voluntary Poverty” under categories.

Sioux Falls Seminary impact Spring 2009Sioux Falls Seminary impact

and realize growth. The children’s time started with under fi ve 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 confi dent 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. “Hon-estly, 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 com-munity.”

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.”

new lifebringingto congregations

continued from page 7:

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 pas-tors. My grandparents were missionaries. For us, ministry is true love for the Lord in action —a joy.

q&apastor brad blyth M.Div., MAMFT, 1994

8 5

question: how did seminary prepare you for service?

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 fi rst 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 selfl ess 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.

alumniin

pastor

Melissa HiattMAMFT, Sioux Falls Seminary, 1995Associate Pastor of Discipleship, Community, and LeadershipTrinity Baptist Church, Sioux Falls, SD

pastor

Dennis WebberM.Div., Sioux Falls Seminary, 1982PastorValley Baptist Church, Milbank, SD

rt: I have heard some exciting things are happening at Valley Baptist Church. Can you share more?

dw: In the spring of 2008, we began a very modest out-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 His-panics at their dairy, suggested some opportunities for outreach and service. The church started helping one family who was experiencing a diffi cult pregnancy by donating furniture and house cleaning. These contacts led to a Good Friday meal and showing of the Jesus Film in Spanish.

rt: Valley Baptist Church has a signifi cant German heritage. How did you deal with the language barrier?

dw: A church member speaks fl uent Spanish and has helped interpret at various events. We have also used the ongoing counsel of a missionary couple from Min-nesota whom we supported for many years while they served in Mexico. They answered questions and continued on page 9.

questions and answers:

In an era of mega churches and high-profi le 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.

with Rev. Randy Tschetter, Director of Church Relations and Alumni

rt: What interesting and exciting things have been happening at Trinity Baptist Church?

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 angio-gram, to providing assistance to four families who were left homeless after a fi re, to donating supplies for dis-tribution at the Union Gospel Mission, to providing gifts and labor to Summit House, and to the Garfi eld 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.

rt: What is the Garfi eld Project? Tell me more.

mh: During a staff meeting, we asked: “If Trinity Baptist Church no longer existed, would we be missed by our community?” That led to an outreach effort called the Garfi eld Project. Garfi eld Elementary School is located only a few blocks from the church in a low socio-economic and multicultural area. continued on page 9.

action

Sioux Falls Seminary impact Spring 20097 Spring 20096Sioux Falls Seminary impact


bringing

Churches and congregations, just like indi-viduals, experience life by moving in and out of various stages. Each church is on a unique journey—taking steps to fulfi ll its mission within God’s Kingdom. Some are just begin-ning to establish roots in unfamiliar soil. Oth-ers have seen better days and must close or combine with nearby congregations. Many fi nd 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 strug-gle to maintain? There doesn’t seem to be a clear cut and defi nitive 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

alumni spotlight:

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

giving long-term history new lifeIn 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 infl uence of the seminary’s strong theological teachers.

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 unqualifi ed 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.

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 commu-nity people attend the event, which includes distribu-tion of treats by church members, hayrides, infl atables, 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 prac-tical and community-minded in their faith is another. Members, who range from spiritual seekers to commit-ted 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,

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

continued on the next page

Monday, October 13, 2003, was Blyth’s fi rst 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 orderto heal and lead the people,” said Blyth. “I am so blessed that God has used me as the person I am—faults and all.”

By taking small steps one at a time and entering into countless discussions with members of the congrega-tion, 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.

During Blyth’s fi rst year at Orchard Community Church, nearly everything changed, including the church’s con-stitution. Initially, not everyone was on board. How-ever, Blyth continued to facilitate discussion amongst the congregation, asking questions about how existing systems of leadership, worship, teaching, and preach-ing were working. In time, clarity and vision for the future became clear, and the congregation emerged more unifi ed than ever.

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

Sioux Falls Seminary impact Spring 2009Sioux Falls Seminary impact

and realize growth. The children’s time started with under fi ve 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 confi dent 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. “Hon-estly, 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 com-munity.”

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.”

new lifebringingto congregations

continued from page 7:

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 pas-tors. My grandparents were missionaries. For us, ministry is true love for the Lord in action —a joy.

q&apastor brad blyth M.Div., MAMFT, 1994

8 5

question: how did seminary prepare you for service?

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 fi rst 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 selfl ess 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.

alumniin

pastor

Melissa HiattMAMFT, Sioux Falls Seminary, 1995Associate Pastor of Discipleship, Community, and LeadershipTrinity Baptist Church, Sioux Falls, SD

pastor

Dennis WebberM.Div., Sioux Falls Seminary, 1982PastorValley Baptist Church, Milbank, SD

rt: I have heard some exciting things are happening at Valley Baptist Church. Can you share more?

dw: In the spring of 2008, we began a very modest out-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 His-panics at their dairy, suggested some opportunities for outreach and service. The church started helping one family who was experiencing a diffi cult pregnancy by donating furniture and house cleaning. These contacts led to a Good Friday meal and showing of the Jesus Film in Spanish.

rt: Valley Baptist Church has a signifi cant German heritage. How did you deal with the language barrier?

dw: A church member speaks fl uent Spanish and has helped interpret at various events. We have also used the ongoing counsel of a missionary couple from Min-nesota whom we supported for many years while they served in Mexico. They answered questions and continued on page 9.

questions and answers:

In an era of mega churches and high-profi le 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.

with Rev. Randy Tschetter, Director of Church Relations and Alumni

rt: What interesting and exciting things have been happening at Trinity Baptist Church?

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 angio-gram, to providing assistance to four families who were left homeless after a fi re, to donating supplies for dis-tribution at the Union Gospel Mission, to providing gifts and labor to Summit House, and to the Garfi eld 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.

rt: What is the Garfi eld Project? Tell me more.

mh: During a staff meeting, we asked: “If Trinity Baptist Church no longer existed, would we be missed by our community?” That led to an outreach effort called the Garfi eld Project. Garfi eld Elementary School is located only a few blocks from the church in a low socio-economic and multicultural area. continued on page 9.

action

Sioux Falls Seminary impact Spring 20094 9

From the Faculty

Dr. Ronald SiskAcademic 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 preach-ing in the midst of various factors thatmight tempt a pastor to misuse the pulpit. Sisk wrote the book based on his twenty years of experience as a pastor, his train-ing in Christian ethics, his attempts as aseminary professor to train preachers, and a lifetime of listening to sermons.

Dr. Paul RainbowProfessor of New Testament

The Pith of the Apocalypse: Essential Message and Principles for Interpretation (Wipf and Stock, 2008)

Focusing on the prophetic summons tothe church in the book of Revelation,Pith was written to help interpreters seemore clearly the text’s message to serveGod and Christ faithfully in the midst of a pagan society that exalts power, wealth,and pleasure and to revisit the text with enhanced confi dence and understanding.

Dr. Vladimir KharlamovAssistant Professor of Spiritual Theology

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 anddevelopment of the deifi cation theme in Greek Patristic theology with its subse-quent transformation into the theology of theosis in Pseudo-Dionysius the Areop-agite. The main focus is to study the dei-fi cation theme as it is situated in the com-plex context of its historical development and, thus, to avoid the commonly statedtendency to treat this notion of Christian theology in an anachronistic manner.

alumniinaction

q&a with Randy Tschetter

pastor

Melissa HiattMAMFT, Sioux Falls Seminary, 1995continued from page 5.

In September, each classroom teacher received a $20 gift certifi cate 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 en-couragement. Our goal for the 2008-2009 school year has been to establish a relationship of trust and friend-ship with the staff.

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 registra-tion, 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 Garfi eld. 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.”

pastor

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

provided helpful perspectives for our ministry.

rt: What kinds of ministries have you provided?

dw: Social events have included a baby shower, a fi esta picnic, a Mexican cooking class, and a pig roast/bonfi re. 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 fel-lowship 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 fi eld that is literally at our front door.

outside the box:

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 perspec-tive includes an experiential learning project that is challenging students to use their imaginations.

According to SFS Adjunct Profes-sor 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 fi rst 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 benefi ts 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 com-plete, 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 com-munity service.

The most recent group of students to complete Burnett’s class are learning a lot from their experi-ences. Some chose to spend time with those with whom they don’t

classroom project evokes creativitya good night’s sleep, I can see how diffi cult it might be for someone who is homeless to fi nd time to look for, much less maintain, a job.”

Laurel Buwalda, M.A. in Christian Leadership student, learned about her own attitudes and what mes-sage churches convey to the com-munity by wearing the same outfi t and undergarments for 10 days. It caused her to ask some tough ques-tions 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.”

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 some-thing themselves that puts them in a greater position of understanding and solidarity with others—particu-larly the poor, those without power, those different in ways that might separate us,” he explained. “Expe-riential learning also takes place in, and builds, community. Even stu-dents who take on what seems like a highly personal, individual challenge often connect with others . . .”

see eye-to-eye; others slept outside, wore the same outfi t for several days, or lived on a food stamp bud-get; and the rest completed commu-nity 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 sev-enth 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 main-taining, coupled with the lack of

Read andy bartel’s blog entries on his voluntary poverty experience at: http://unknowntraveler.wordpress.com/.At the right, select “Voluntary Poverty” under categories.


twenty-oneHiller Lectureship with The Rev. Dr. Emmanuel L. McCall Join us as we discuss the church in the twenty-fi rst century. To receive information as it is released, call 800.440.6227. thirtyFinal Heritage Spotlight with Dr. Vladimir Kharlamov10 a.m., Worship and Leadership Centre, 24th & Euclid.

Maytwenty-twoCommencement BanquetPre-purchased tickets required to attend. Details forthcoming. twenty-threeCommencement and ReceptionTo be held at Central Baptist Church. Details forthcoming.

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

fourteenAlumni Reunion EventCelebrate the close of our Sesquicentennial Year of Celebra-tion. 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.

fi fteen - nineteen2009 NAB Triennial Bus TripRide 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.

10

summit house sees new growth

3 Spring 2009

sfs eventcalendar

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more onlinesfseminary.edu/events

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

March fi ve Community Preview Day Is Sioux Falls Seminary the right fi t for you? To register or get information, call 800.440.6227, e-mail [email protected], or visit sfseminary.edu.

elevenMinisters’ Seminar: Multi-Generational Families in the Church: The Good, The Bad, and Living with Titus 2Free 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.

seventeenHeritage Spotlight on Dr. Frank Veninga with Dr. Bob Veninga10 a.m., Worship and Leadership Centre, 24th & Euclid.

twentyGreat Plains Undergraduate Theological ConferenceCo-sponsored by Sioux Falls SeminaryAnnual conference at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN, for undergraduate scholars to present work in theology/religious studies. E-mail [email protected] or visit gputc.org.

AprilfourYS 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 [email protected] for more information.

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

Goals of the project are:.to provide students with ministry experience by serving the physical and spiritual needs of residents.

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

.to become a bridge that connects churches, the city of Sioux Falls, and other organizations to bring about change and revitalization within Pettigrew Heights.

.to become a missional model for other communities.

pettigrewPrayer Requests for Summit House

sheightsrewrew. Pray for the safety of the student residents.

. Pray for funding to help sustain Summit House.

. Pray that participants listen to residents and follow God’s imagination as they help bring about change.. Pray that strong partnerships of all kinds are formed.

a bridging ministry in the heart of Sioux Falls

g g yg g ylearning and serving

Summit House Sioux Falls Seminary

New Developments at Summit House:.The Rev. Tim Olsen became the Direc-tor of Operations for Summit House. He is currently guiding and mentoring the students of Summit House, exploring partnerships with churches, non-profi ts, 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.

.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 fi nd out their needs but also to dis-cover how they can contribute to the neighborhood.

.Summit House is hosting its fi rst 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.


Construction of the seminary’s new environmentally-responsible cam-pus is underway.

With winter’s arrival, work on the building’s exterior subsided. In-side, work is taking place on all three fl oors of the building. On the lower level, which will be oc-

cupied by the seminary’s counsel-ing center (Sioux Falls Psychological

Services) and the NAB Heritage Com-mission, walls are painted and bathroom

fi xtures and ceiling tiles have been added.

Progress is also taking place on the main level, which includes multi-purpose spaces, conference rooms, and administrative offi ces. Crews have fi nished sheet-rocking and painting the walls and are now adding tile and fi xtures to the bathrooms. In addition, a fi replace in one of the common areas has been installed.

The second level, home to faculty offi ces, 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.

Projects in the weeks and months ahead include add-ing exterior metal panels and interior aluminum trim, hanging doors, completing fi nish work for electrical, plumbing, and HVAC, hanging acoustical ceiling tile, lay-ing carpet, and staining concrete fl oors.

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 cam-pus construction updates.

112

Keep up with the construction anytime,

anywhere. View updated photos online at

www.fl ickr.com/sfseminary or by visit-

ing www.sfseminary.edu and clicking on

the View Campus link at the bottom left.

destination 2100:campus construction update

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.

‘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.

‘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.

‘59 Dr. John Binder and Barbara Binder ‘60 thank everyone for their continued prayers. John suf-fered 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 fl ooded 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 short-term 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 Lym-phocytic Leukemia on December 1, 2007. Since that time, she has given hundreds of blood samples, received chemotherapy and radiation treat-ments and blood transfusions, taken thousands of pills, and been the recipi-ent 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, Rein-hold 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.

Staying inTouch


president

G. Michael Hagan, President of Sioux Falls Seminary

from the

Check out our President’s Blog online at www.sfseminary.edu.

1

What an exciting ride God provides to a seminary president! I constantly tell myself,

“Hang on, Mike! Hang on-n-n!”

On this ride we fi nd lots of joys. A new building to hub our services for ministerial prepa-

ration advances toward completion in late spring—as we are currently ahead of sched-

ule. A contextual learning site in central Sioux Falls, named Summit House, opens

up ample opportunities to provide our students with an environment for urban ministry

preparation. Graduates send back reports of how God is using them around the world

for healing emotional hurts, planting churches, ministering to youth and aging people,

renewing dying churches, and preaching the gospel in hundreds of other ways.

We are trying to monitor the pulse beat of God—what is God doing in the world and how

can we jump on board. Renewal of a local group of believers, so that they can grow

and see the hand of God at work in their midst, surfaces at the top of the list of exciting

things God is doing in our day. The feature story on page 6 about Pastor Brad Blyth is

one of many that makes the ride exciting and fulfi lling. It is often messy and hard, but

what a thrill to experience God at work. Hang on-n-n!

12

‘80 The Rev. Monte Michael-son 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 fi nancial 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 Hispan-ics that live and work in their commu-nity.

‘83 The Rev. Tony Dickerson and his wife, Haifa, live in Chelsea, MI. Tony has been the pastor at the Cov-enant 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 fl ooding, and many homes were damaged.

‘85 The Rev. Leslie Pear-son 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.

‘89 Vesta Berglund and hus-band, Ted, live in Bancroft, IA. In the summer of 2008, their home suffered fl ood 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.

‘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 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 Schnabelof 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 Theol-ogy 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 fi elds.

alumni updates

‘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.

in memoriam

‘50 The Rev. Ernest Hoffman lived in Leduc, AB, with his wife, Anne. He passed away on June 1, 2008. During his fi rst 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, Saskatch-ewan, 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 fi rst 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.


impact

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 [email protected], 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.

Stay in Touchwith Sioux Falls Seminary

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

9 from the faculty A sampling of faculty publications.

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

11 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 benefi t 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.

contents1 from the president

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

2 campus construction updateProgress continues at the new campus site.

3 summit house sees growth Sioux Falls Seminary students are applying

their skills and abilities to help transform a neighborhood.

4 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

spring 2009

13


impactSioux Falls Seminary

spring 2009


bringing

1525 S. Grange Ave. . Sioux Falls, SD 57105

800.440.6227 or [email protected]

equipping leaders . . . transforming lives

restoring fullness:Professor Strives to Meet the Relationship and Psychological Needs of Ministry Professionals

When he’s not teaching or offering psycho-logical care to clients at Sioux Falls Psy-chological 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 for-mat and nature-oriented context.

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

One way Oak Glen hopes to restore fullness is by offering brief and intensive psychother-apy experiences. These intimate gatherings offer time for rest, refl ection, restoration, and several hours of group psychotherapy daily. For information on Oak Glen or to learn about upcoming opportunities to restore full-ness, contact Dr. Doug Anderson or Robin Duncan by calling 605.371.6968 or visiting www.oakgleninc.com.

gather your friends:Hard Hat Tours

Available to GroupsThe move to Sioux Falls Seminary’s new,

environmentally-responsible campus is rapidly approaching. In honor of this excit-ing time, we are pleased to announce the

following upcoming hard hat tours:

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 depart-

ment of church and alumni relations at 800.440.6227 ext. 702 to schedule a time.

Tours will last approximately one hour.

tour from home:Photos Online 24/7

Check out the construction progress online anytime from the

comfort of your home.

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.fl ickr.com/sfseminary.

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spring 2009 impact

Documents