Chapel begins again!

Yesterday, August 30, chapel services began for the 2010-2011 academic year and it was packed! So many were in attendance that people were seated in the aisles and sharing hymnals! Campus Pastor Noni Strand gave the sermon welcoming everyone.

On Wednesday, September 1, this fall’s Pearson Professor of Swedish Studies Per Harling will give his first chapel talk at 10:30 a.m. Harling is an ordained Lutheran pastor in the Church of Sweden. He also composes liturgical music and has written several books on worship life, hymns and biographies.

Harling has composed a morning prayer service that will be premiered during a special convocation on October 1 at 10 a.m. in Presser Hall. More information about Per Harling can be found online at www.bethanylb.edu/harling.

Bethany Receives $200,000 Grant for New Chapel

Bethany College has received a $200,000 grant from the Earl Bane Foundation for the Pearson Chapel and Welcome Center.

"Over the last 15 years, the Earl Bane Foundation has supported scholarships, general operations and enhancements to campus information technology at Bethany College. Students have been the primary beneficiaries of the foundation's generosity and we are deeply grateful for their previous support as well as their continued support of a new chapel and welcome center," said Bethany College President Edward F. Leonard III.

The Pearson Chapel and Welcome Center will utilize principles of sustainable design. To be located in the heart of campus, the welcome center will signify Bethany's core values as a place of open hospitality to all who come to live, study, work or visit the campus. The chapel will be a place to exemplify and affirm a life of faith and learning.

"We hope this gift encourages other foundations, congregations, family groups, alumni and friends to support the project," said Vice President of the Earl Bane Foundation Mindy Tillberg.

Bethany has raised $1,260,000 towards the Pearson Chapel and Welcome Center.

Bethany College Meets Challenge for New Chapel

Nearly two months before the set deadline of June 23, Bethany has raised more than $1 million toward the Pearson Challenge for a new chapel and welcome center. The Pearson Challenge was a $1 million challenge from the late Gerald "Bud" Pearson.

"For the past two plus years, we have been excited by this challenge - truly a significant demonstration of faith in Bethany's future - and the eventual Swedish chapel and welcome center that it will bring. The welcome center will most assuredly represent the exclamation point on the campus green project and the Swedish chapel will represent a re-centering of Bethany College on our Lutheran and Swedish heritages," said Bethany College President Edward F. Leonard III during a celebration gathering on May 1 to announce the meeting of the Pearson Challenge goal.

To date, $1,039,009 has been raised for the new chapel and welcome center with a projected total cost of $3.5 million. Fundraising will continue and donations can be made by calling (785) 227-3380, ext. 8270.

Special Announcement on May 1

Bethany College will make a special announcement and presentation on Saturday, May 1 at noon in the amphitheatre in the center of campus. A lunch will also be served at this time. Please make plans to attend. Kindly RSVP by contacting Jane Asche at (785) 227-3380, ext. 8270 or aschej@bethanylb.edu.

Listen to the Messiah Festival on air and online

In addition to numerous stations' on-air broadcasts, the Bethany Oratorio Society's Friday, April 2 performance of Bach's "St. Matthew Passion" will be available as a webcast on two area stations at 7:15 p.m.:

• Topeka's WIBW 580 AM at www.580wibw.com
• Salina's KSAL 1150 AM at www.ksal.com

On Easter Sunday, April 4 at 7 p.m., Radio Kansas will air a tape-delay broadcast of the Bethany Oratorio Society's "Messiah" performance on FM stations 90.1 (Hutchinson-Wichita), 89.5 (Salina-Manhattan) and 90.9 (Great Bend-Hays). Visit www.radiokansas.org for the webcast.

The sixth gathering in support of the Pearson Chapel and Welcome Center was Saturday, March 6 in Andover, Kan. The event generated a warm and supportive response from those in attendance.

Alumni and friends from the Wichita area viewed plans for the project and received a fundraising update, while enjoying refreshments and the beautiful ambience of the Flint Hills National Golf Club. Hosts for the event were Tom Mack '82, Valerie (Lippoldt) Mack '83, Chris Crawshaw '87 and Tonya (Mueller) Crawshaw '87.

Special guests (pictured) were Brandon Simmelink '01 and Lisa (Mooney) Simmelink '02 filling in for Scott’s parents, PCWC Steering Committee Co-Chairs Scott Simmelink ’82 and Cathy (Mauney) Simmelink ’82, who were in Spain visiting their daughter Rachel.

Previous PCWC gatherings have been held in Lindsborg, Kansas City, St. Paul (MN), Denver, and Oakland (CA).

Alumni participate in Messiah after 45 year hiatus

After retiring this past year, Fred Nelson ’65 and his wife, Barb (Erickson) Nelson ’65 decided to return to Lindsborg, a place that has always been home even when they haven’t had a permanent address in town.

Barb, a retired educator, grew up in Lindsborg. Her dad owned a service station, which is now the Hemslojd, and she still has ownership of her parent’s home. Fred, a retired Lutheran Pastor, also has family ties to Lindsborg – his grandfather built the Swedish Country Inn.

Their connections to Bethany are also extensive. Barb played in the orchestra for the Messiah performances beginning as a sophomore in high school through her senior year of college. Fred also sang in the Messiah during college. Both will return to the stage this year, the first time since 1965.

Fred served on the board of directors from 1990-1994 and now, the couple serves on the Pearson Chapel and Welcome Center Committee. As they recalled, “when we were in college, chapel was in Old Main at the center of campus and it was mandatory. It was an opportunity to meet up with friends.” Their service to the new chapel comes from a feeling that chapel should always be a central place on campus. “We have always loved Bethany and while we were students, chapel was a major part of our week,” the couple said.

The Nelsons will remain in Lindsborg until after the Messiah Festival.