ContentsVolume 14 Issue 4Summer 2004

Features

6 Special Guest Helps Celebrate Commencement 2004

Dr. Lynne Cheney, wife of vice president Dick Cheney, addressed the graduates at the 108th commencement.

18 In God’s HandsDave Branon ’73 writes about both the pain of losing someone you love and the outpouring of God’s grace and strength.

21 Never Let It Get You DownKaren Chrestensen Reno ’74 is a fighter. Read on to see how she is celebrating life amidst physical pain.

Sections5 Director’s Chair6 What’s Abuzz12 Alumni Association News14 The Big Pic©

16 What’s the Word?29 Alumnotes

Cedarville University Alumni Association251 N. Main Street

Cedarville, Ohio 45314www.cedarville.edu

Standing ByA recent painful experience taught Mark ’87 and Paula

Kordic about what it truly means to stand by your

spouse in sickness and in health. Pictured here is the

Kordic family: Mark ’87, Scott, Jenni, Taylor, and Paula.

Find out more about their experience on page 26.

CONT

4 Summer 2004

inspireThe Cedarville Alumni Magazine

Volume 14 Issue 4

EditorFaith Linn ’83

Managing EditorRoger Overturf ’75

Publication CoordinatorMichelle Rigel ’04

Copy EditorKara Steinman DeMusz ’02

ProofreadersWendy Miller Orchard ’91Rachel Puckett Rodriguez ’00

Graphic DesignerDan Clingan

WritersMonica James Bowen ’92Dave Branon ’73Bill BrownAmy Cartzendafner Button ’97Jennifer ClinganKara Steinman DeMusz ’02Dan Estes ’74Lew GibbsPaula KordicFaith Linn ’83Kim Botta Longo ’02Karen Chrestensen Reno ’74Michelle Rigel ’04Julie Roth ’04Carrie L. SavageEd SpencerGaelyn Staab ’04Luke TseCessna Catherine Winslow

PhotographersAlumni ContributorsScott L. HuckCarrie L. Savage

Campus PhoneNumbersAcademic Services (transcripts)

937-766-7710Admissions

1-800-233-2784Annual Fund

1-800-766-1115Athletic Office

937-766-7768Bookstore

937-766-7894

Campus Activities1-800-860-7625

Career Services1-888-562-4811

CDR Radio1-800-333-0601

Christian Ministries1-888-465-7378

External Relations1-877-233-2784

Financial Aid1-800-444-2433

Gift Planning1-800-766-1115

President’s Office937-766-7900

Public Relations937-766-7808

Student Services937-766-7872

Summer School937-766-7953

Schools ofEngineering, Nursing & Science

937-766-3253Health and Human Performance

937-766-3252Humanities, Fine Arts & Bible

937-766-3234Social Sciences & Prof. Studies

937-766-3235

Alumni Relationsalumni@cedarville.edu

1-800-837-2566937-766-7858

Administrative AssistantDanette Allen Phillips ’00dphillips@cedarville.edu

Assistant DirectorAmy Cartzendafner Button ’97buttona@cedarville.edu

Communications CoordinatorMichelle Rigel ’04mrigel@cedarville.edu

DirectorFaith Linn ’83linnf@cedarville.edu

Where in t

C O N T E S T !

Share Cedarville University with the world by

wearing a CU shirt on your summer vacation.

Send us a picture to enter our “Where in the World

is Cedarville?” contest.

There will be one winnerof a $50 CU bookstore gift certificate in eachcategory:

• Most Adventurous

• Best Participation (most people with CU shirts)

• Best Family Picture

• Most Famous (pose with a famous person)

• Most Unusual Location

• Most Creative

• Most Patriotic

• Best Overall Photo

Enter by e-mailing the alumni relations office at

alumni@cedarville.edu or by mailing your entry to

Cedarville University, Alumni Relations,

251 N. Main Street, Cedarville, OH 45314.

Ceda

TEST!The rules:

1 At least one CU alumnus wearing a Cedarville shirt

must be in the photo.

2 Only CU alumni may enter the contest.

3 Photos must be received no later than

August 2, 2004.

4 Only one winner per household.

5 Photos will not be returned and

may be printed in Inspire.

6 Photos submitted via e-mail must be high

resolution (300 DPI).

7 Photos must be unaltered.

8 The prize will be awarded to the person(s)

sending the photo(s).

9 The following information must be included with

the photo: name, grad year, address, e-mail,

phone, location of photo, names of people

in the photo.

Inspire 5

Director’s Chair

As we met to discuss thisissue of Inspire, thetheme of “pain,” and

the stories we would include,I bit my tongue. I don’t meanthat I restrained myself fromspeaking ... I mean I literally bitmy tongue. (You know thatunexpected burst of pain whenyou think you’re chewing yourgum and miss the gum?) We commented on how appropriate it seemed that I wouldbegin our meeting about pain with pain.

Pain is all around us — life-changing pain, pain thatdoesn’t go away in 10 minutes when your tongue begins toheal. Just last week I sat at an alumni event with a womanwho’d suddenly lost her husband 15 months ago and feltshe was having to begin a whole new life. Next to her wasanother woman who was out of work and was eager tofind a job. She sat across from her husband, who hadbegun his battle with cancer just a year ago and had gonethrough major surgery and two rounds of chemotherapy(thankfully he’s now cancer-free). Pain is all around us.

However, in the midst of pain is beauty. We don’t alwayssee it, and it may not seem “worth it all” at the time, but it’sthere. Beauty as we see God more clearly. Beauty as God’speople minister to us. Beauty as God’s Word soothes oursouls. Beauty as we see God’s plan unfold. As Paula Kordicshares, “The tapestry of pain, woven together with thepresence and provision of God, makes for very rich days.”

As you read these stories of pain shared by Paula andothers, may God remind you again of His provision andperfect plan in the midst of your pain.

Faith Linn ’83Director of Alumni Relations

he World is

Todd ’95 and Dawn Merritt Entner ’96 with son, Josiah, (born in Beijing onOctober 20, 2002) proudly represent Cedarville on the Great Wall of China.

rville?

What’s AbuzzWhat’s Abuzz

Last month I was feeling great.No pains, no strains, no discomforts.In fact, I hadn’t felt that good in years.

So, I went to the doctor to find out why.There had to be a reason for me not havinganything wrong physically. I wanted athorough physical to diagnose my condition.

You know what the doctor discovered? Everything in my body wasfunctioning as it was supposed to. He prescribed a plan for me:stop wasting his time.

OK. I’m joking … at least about going to the doctor. The mostimportant work of a physician is to diagnose the symptoms of pain inorder to determine the reasons for the bodily malfunction. Pain is asymptom that something is wrong.

The pain in our world is also a symptom that something is wrong.But the diagnosis does not lead us to discover a disease infectingsociety. The pain results from a deadly flaw in our nature. Humanity’sspiritual DNA has mutated to a state of fallenness, and theconsequences are separation from God, personal sin, and a dyingworld. Things rot, rust, decay, and die. This is not the land of the living;this is the land of the dying.

Some worldviews tell us that we are merely ignorant of our divinityor that perfection is merely around the next evolutionary corner.But pain and suffering in the world tell us that something is radicallywrong and our world yearns to be made right.

Pain is one of the few experiences that communicates across theboundaries of culture, language, and time. Disease and accident, griefand loss, sorrow and abandonment — these are the emotional placeswhere all of humanity meets.

For this reason, suffering may be the starting point for anunderstanding of God’s love for the world and the hope of the gospel.God did not distance himself from our suffering, but became one of us that He might suffer with us and for us. As a result, we havehope. Christ has conquered pain, suffering, and even death itself(I Corinthians 15:26). One day it will all disappear, and the world ofpeace and wholeness that God intended from the beginning will berestored.

And you won’t even have to go to the doctor!

6 Summer 2004

Cedarville UniversityCelebrates 108thCommencement

Cedarville’s 108thCommencement, held on May 1,involved several “firsts” for theUniversity. Not only was it thefirst Cedarville commencementfor Dr. Bill Brown, who began hispresidency in August 2003 — it was also the first timecommencement has been held inthe new Doden Field House andthe first time since 1971 thatCedarville has had an invitedguest as its commencement speaker.

Dr. Lynne V. Cheney, author, scholar, and wife of VicePresident Dick Cheney, delivered the commencementaddress. Dr. Cheney, who has earned a reputation as aforceful advocate for improving education in America,offered the graduates five secrets to success. She challengedthem to act with self-confidence, find true expertise, holdto a base of conviction, be aware and respectful of others’convictions, and know what success is. “Success,”Dr. Cheney told the graduates, “almost certainly will beconnected with work that you love, work that involves youdeeply quite apart from whatever rewards it may bring.”

Out of the 646 graduates, four were singled out forspecial honors. Gregory S.G. Guiler, a preseminary Biblemajor from Canal Winchester, Ohio, and Sarena J. Luke,a communication arts major from Kearney, Nebraska,received the President’s Trophy, which is the highest honorfor a graduating senior. Erin M. Avery, a physics majorfrom St. Cloud, Minnesota, and Benjamin R. Lynch,a mathematics major from Knoxville, Tennessee, weregiven Faculty Scholarship Awards for maintaining perfect4.0 grade point averages throughout their college careers.

In addition, the Medal of Honor was presented to U.S.Rep. David L. Hobson (Ohio 7th Congressional District)in recognition of his integrity and compassion, as well ashis leadership in national defense, military readiness andwell-being, fiscal responsibility, health care, and medicalresearch. A U.S. Congressman since 1990, Rep. Hobson hasserved on the House Budget Committee and chaired theHouse Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee.

For more photos from Commencement, see pages 14-15.

No Pain — So What’sWrong?

President’s Pen

Dr. Bill BrownPresidentCedarville University

Inspire 7

March MadnessThe month of March brought a different kind of “March

Madness” to Cedarville University this year. Three majorconferences were held to assist people in three kinds ofministry: evangelism, urban ministries, and outdoor sportsministries.

On March 4-5, Cedarville hosted the 2004 Spring PastorsSummit/Evangelism Celebration “Return to Holiness,”sponsored by the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio andCedarville University. Attendance ranged from 900 to 1,750 as people came to the different sessions to hear speakers Dr. Henry Blackaby, author of Experiencing God; Dr. RichardBlackaby, president of Canadian Southern Baptist Seminary;Dr. Alistair Begg, senior pastor of Parkside Church and host ofthe “Truth for Life” radio program; Dr. Jerry Falwell, founderand chancellor of Liberty University; Dr. Ken Hemphill, authorand national strategist for the Empowering Kingdom Growthinitiative for the Southern Baptist Convention; and others.

Music was led by Charles Billingsley, musical artist-in-residence at Liberty University; and Larnelle Harris, five-timeGrammy Award-winning vocalist. Craig Krenzel, quarterback ofthe 2002 Ohio State Buckeyes National Championship team,offered a lunchtime lecture, courtesy of Athletes in Action.

Gerry Caillouet, host and producer of the nationally-syndicated radio program “God’s Great Outdoors,” brought his“Trail to Adventure Conference” to Cedarville on March 13.The conference was designed to assist the church in ministeringto outdoor sports enthusiasts through outdoor outreachprograms.

Speakers included Mike Skupin, a “Survivor: AustralianOutback” contestant; Steve Rocky, a white-tailed deer huntingexpert; Dr. Wally Harder, ministries coordinator for ChristianBowhunters of America; Burly Hall, pro shooter for MathewsBows and a five-time world champion, 24-time nationalchampion 3-D archer; Mark DePugh, president and founder ofFellowship of Christian Hunters; and Heath Painter, owner ofWildeyes Production and producer of outdoor televisionshows.

Topics included fishing events, hunting activities, camping-style evangelism, boating adventures, shooting sports,snowmobiling, cross country skiing, and horse programs.

Cedarville University hosted the 2004 Urban MissionsConference “Out of the Pews and Into the Streets” March 18-20. This annual event, sponsored by Urban Light Ministriesin Springfield, Ohio, is designed to inform and equip anyonewho has a burden for the city. This year’s keynote speakers wereRev. Eli Williams, co-founder of Urban Light Ministries inSpringfield, Ohio; Rev. Stan A. Archie, senior pastor ofChristian Fellowship Baptist Church (CFBC) in Kansas City,Missouri; Rev. Phil Jackson, pastor of The House, an urbanyouth center/church in inner-city Chicago; and Dr. Jeffrey Cook ’81, assistant professor of Bible at Cedarville University.

Along with the keynote speakers, approximately 40workshops were offered on topics such as “Adopt-a-Block,”“Ministry Among Hispanic Communities,” “Embracing High-Risk Youth Ministry,” “Prison Ministry,” “Networking Urbanand Suburban Churches,” “Making Cross-CulturalRelationships Work,” and “Mobilizing Your Church for UrbanMissions.” Dynamic urban praise and worship was provided bythe worship team from CFBC.

Audiocassettes and CDs of the keynote speeches of thePastors Summit/Evangelism Celebration and the UrbanMissions Conference may be ordered by calling CDR Radio at1-800-333-0601.

Newsboys Make a Stop at the ’Ville

The Newsboys brought their “Adoration: The Tour” toCedarville University on April 2. The sold-out concertfeatured the acclaimed Christian rock band, as well as vocalistsRebecca St. James and Jeremy Camp.

The Newsboys’ national tour consisted of 35 shows and waswitnessed by more than 150,000 people. The Cedarvilleconcert was the tour’s only stop in Ohio.

Honor to Whom Honor is Due

8 Summer 2004

Faithful FacultyChanging Roles

Three faculty members are undergoing rolechanges this academic year.Dr. Jack Riggs has steppeddown from his position asdean of the School ofHumanities, Fine Arts, andBible, but will teach part-timein the department of biblicaleducation. Jack has been atCedarville since 1967 andserved as dean since the position was created in 1998.

Dr. Don Callan, whoserved as the dean of theSchool of Health and HumanPerformance, has taken a newhalf-time position as directorof recreational and athleticfacilities. He has been atCedarville since 1960 and has

served as dean since 1998.Dr. Robert Wiggins,

professor of criminal justiceand public administration,has retired from full-timeteaching, but will continue ina part-time capacity. He hasbeen at Cedarville since 1992.

Faculty Members Receive Awards On April 2, four faculty members were honored with Faculty Excellence Awards

from the Southwestern Ohio Council for Higher Education (SOCHE). Dr. Jeff Cook ’81, assistant professor of Bible; Dr. Timothy Dewhurst, professor ofengineering; Dr. Jeff Fawcett, associate professor of marketing; and Dr. Clint Kohl,associate professor of electrical engineering, each received the award.

Also in April, Cedarville University honored nine of its faculty members for theirservice contributions.

The Allen Monroe Integration of Faith and Learning Award was given to Dr. IreneAlyn, professor of nursing and chair of the department of nursing. The awardrecognizes sustained excellence in integrating Scripture and Christian world/lifeviewwith a discipline or practical application.

The Faculty Advisor Award was presented to Dr. Pamela Diehl Johnson. The awardis given to a faculty member who has had a significant influence on students as anadvisor, counselor, or leader. Pam is senior professor of exercise and sport science,director of the Academic Assistance Center, and dean of the School of Health andHuman Performance.

Three Deans’ Service Awards were given to faculty who have demonstratedcontributions to school committees and task teams; service to the higher educationcommunity; involvement with students; and work with civic and church groups.

Dr. Thomas Hutchison ’80, associate professor of Christian education andassistant chair for the department of biblical education, received the awardfor 1-10 years of service. Dr. Phil Bassett, professor of education and chair ofthe department of education, was given the award for 11-20 years of service.Dr. James Phipps ’68 received the award for more than 21 years of service.Jim serves as professor of communication arts.

The Faculty Innovator of the Year Award was given to Dr. Jeffrey Cook ’81,assistant professor of Bible. The award recognizes an instructional orcurricular innovation that has resulted in improved student learning. Jeffcreatively designed a homeless simulation weekend for his urban ministryclass, allowing students to better understand the cultural divides betweentheir normal experiences and that of the poor.

Three Faculty Teaching Effectiveness Awards were given to faculty membersbased on student evaluations, department chair and peer recommendations,performance of students in subsequent classes or after graduation, use ofinstructional technology, and use of effective teaching techniques. Dr. HeatherKuruvilla, associate professor of biology, received the award for 1-10 years of service. Dr. Chris Miller received the award for 11-20 years of service. He is a professor of Bible and chair of the department of biblical education.Dr. Donald Baumann, professor of biology and chemistry, received the awardfor more than 21 years of service.

New DirectionsTwo members of the Cedarville family are

heading off on new paths this year. Dr. PhilBassett, chair of the department of education, isleaving after 13 years of service in the educationdepartment. He recently accepted the position ofdirector of teacher education with InternationalSchools of China (ISC) in Beijing.Congratulations to the Bassett family on theirnew endeavor!

After 30 years of faithful service to CedarvilleUniversity, Dr. Martin Clark has stepped downfrom his position of vice president fordevelopment. As of May 1, he assumed his newposition as president of the Kettering MedicalFoundation. We congratulate him on his newappointment!

Dr. Phil Bassett

Dr. Martin Clark

Dr. Don Callan

Dr. Jack Riggs

Dr. Robert Wiggins

Congratulations!Congratulations to Lori Anderson ’97, who has completed her Ph.D. in

professional counseling at Liberty University. A counselor in Cedarville UniversityCounseling Services, Lori successfully defended her dissertation “PersonalityCharacteristics of Bulimic Behavior in College Women Analyzed with the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.”

Cedarville MENC Chapter HonoredCongratulations to the Cedarville University Chapter of the Music Educators

National Conference (MENC)! At the National Convention held in Minneapolis,Minnesota from April 15-17, Cedarville chapter president Brandon Moses ’04,along with president-elect Aaron Carpenter and advisor Carol Todd, acceptedone of nine prestigious Chapter of Excellence Awards on behalf of the CedarvilleMENC chapter. These awards are given to active collegiate chapters who submitwritten reports of the improvements of their recruiting techniques, projects, ormusical programs within the past two years. Cedarville’s winning entrydiscussed the improvements made by the chapter to increase attendance atmeetings and involve more students in this important music educationorganization.

In addition to this chapter award, junior Amanda Lucarini was one of 30students selected from around the country to participate in a musical theatre

master class coinciding with the National Convention. The master class wasoverseen by Tony and Grammy Award-winning playwright Jerry Herman and hisBroadway staff. (Herman’s works include the musicals Hello! Dolly and Mame.)In this prestigious master class, Amanda performed a musical theatre piece andreceived one-on-one instruction from Broadway veteran Karen Morrow.Congratulations to Amanda and the CU MENC chapter on theiraccomplishments!

Engineering Students Keep Tradition AliveCedarville mechanical engineering students placed first and third in the

Region V ASME Student Conference, held April 1-3 at The Ohio State University.Cedarville students have placed in the top five of Region V ASME for sevenstraight years.

Then-senior Anthony Gianettino ’04 finished third for his presentation of hissenior design project. His project involved designing a device which can moreaccurately size a prosthetic hip implant before it is permanently inserted into apatient. Fellow senior Brian Montague ’04 finished first for his presentationdescribing his design of the boat hull which is currently being fabricated for theupcoming Solar Splash competition. Brian’s win earns him an all-expense-paidtrip to the International Congress of ASME, which will be held in Anaheim,California in November 2004.

Inspire 9

Students Join Cal Thomas Three Cedarville University recipients of the Cal Thomas

Scholarship traveled to Columbus, Ohio in March to take part ina dinner and program led by syndicated columnist Cal Thomas.The event was the 15th anniversary celebration of TheGathering/Columbus, a Christian leadership organization.

Established in 1998, the Cal Thomas Scholarship is meant torecognize Cal Thomas for his conservative influence and impacton the national media and to encourage Cedarville Universitystudents to enter media careers. Beyond lending his name to thescholarship, Cal Thomas maintains contact with the studentrecipients and acts as a mentor to them as they finish theireducation and pursue their media careers.

Cedarville UniversityWelcomes New Trustee

Cedarville University hasnamed Mary Howard ’81, CFOand executive vice president ofNu-Way Industries, as its newesttrustee. Mary will serve a three-year term.

Dr. Bill Brown, president ofCedarville University, stated,“Mary Howard is one of thoseunique individuals whose astutebusiness sense is only supersededby her love for Christ. She is anexciting addition to theCedarville board.”

Mary holds a J.D. from DePaul University and is a licensedattorney. She used her background in computers, accounting,and corporate legal counsel to help her father’s precision metal fabricating business — Nu-Way Industries — grow from $5 million in annual sales to more than $50 million.In February 2001, Mary and Nu-Way’s vice president purchasedthe Des Plaines, Illinois business from Mary’s father and uncleand became co-owners.

A resident of Arlington Heights, Illinois, Mary serves hercommunity as a member of the Des Plaines EconomicDevelopment Commission. She is active in her church, whereshe teaches Sunday school and serves as an Awana leader. Cedarville University students Rachel Blaquiere, Laura Mruk, and Rachel Ganong

joined syndicated columnist Cal Thomas at a recent dinner program. As recipients of the Cal Thomas Scholarship, the students have the opportunity to

be mentored by Cal Thomas.

10 Summer 2004

At the 2004 annual Honors Day ceremony, CedarvilleUniversity students named Dr. Timothy Dewhurst and MarkButton ’97 as Faculty and Staff Members of the Year. Theirselection was based on their quality service and dedication tostudents.

Tim, a professor of mechanical engineering, was namedFaculty Member of the Year. A part of the CedarvilleUniversity family since 1996, he advises the Solar Splash teamin the design, construction, and racing of solar-poweredboats. He has also found time to play on a student intramuralsoccer team. Tim and his wife, Kim, are well-known for theirNew England day and Maine night celebrations in which theyinvite New England students to their home for traditionalNew England cuisine.

Mark, the house manager for the production services group,was named Staff Member of the Year. Mark manages stage set-up and the production of chapel and special events whilebuilding friendships with students. He and his wife, Amy(Cartzendafner) ’97, have mentored engaged students in theFit to Be Tied program, led two Cedarville Universitymissions trips, served as class advisors, and currently assist theJunior/Senior Banquet committees. Mark has worked atCedarville for seven years.

Honor to Whom Honor is DueForensics and Debate Teams Named NationalChristian Champs

On March 12-14, Cedarville University’s forensics and debate teamscombined forces to compete with 20 schools from across the country in theNational Christian College Forensics Invitational (NCCFI). The tournamentwas hosted by Cedarville University.

In the overall combined category, Cedarville placed first, becomingnational champions of the NCCFI for the third year in a row. In addition,Cedarville placed first in individual events and fourth in debate.

In individual events, special honors in the Best Overall Speaker categorywent to Jillian Anderson, Drew Clauson, Kristyn Gledhill ’04, Abbie McGaha,Kris Perry, April Price ’04, and Kristin Sando ’04. In varsity debate, specialhonors went to Jennifer Grant and Autumn West. In novice debate, specialhonors went to Joe Dugan and Kate Lakomy.

The teams are coached by Matt Moore ’92, assistant professor ofcommunication arts; and Derrick Green ’97 and Rebecca Sietman ’99, bothinstructors of communication arts.

Mark Button ’97, Staff Member of the Year, with his wife, Amy (Cartzendafner) ’97

Dr. Timothy Dewhurst, Faculty Member of the Year, with his wife, Kim

Faculty and Staff Members of the Year Named

Model UN Team Wins Awards

Cedarville University’s Model United Nations team excelled at the February DaytonModel United Nations Conference, earning three of the top six awards. In addition,half of the team members earned special recognition for superior preparation andnegotiating excellence. The Cedarville team competed against 150 other delegatesfrom 15 regional colleges and universities.

Three of the Model UN’s six “Outstanding Delegate” awards went to Cedarvilleteam members: Courtney Butterfield, representing South Africa in the African Unioncommittee; Ian Ellis, representing Russia on the Security Council; and Karla Herdzik,representing South Africa in the General Assembly.

Team captain Jason Charrette ’04 was named “Distinguished Delegate,” thesecond highest award, for his work representing Russia in the Security Council crisissimulation. Joelle Marquardt received an Honorable Mention for her effectiverepresentation of South Africa on the committee which debated patents and relatedintellectual property rights. Stephanie O’Hara ’04 won one of six writing awards forher superior paper outlining India’s policies on intellectual property rights.

The team is advised by Cedarville resident Dr. Frank Jenista ’68, who has 25 yearsof experience as an American diplomat and serves as professor of internationalstudies at Cedarville.

Inspire 11

The John W. Bickett Heritage Scholarship was establishedin 1982 by the Heritage alumni of Cedarville College.These awards are named for the Reverend John Wilson

Bickett, the first graduate of Cedarville College. The recipientsare junior or senior students preparing for pastoral ormissionary service and planning to further their education inseminary or language studies. The following are the students’mini-biographies and notes of appreciation, which were writtenin March 2004.

Lucas A. BakerCurrently a junior, Luke has plans of attending SouthernBaptist Theological Seminary to enroll in their advanced masterof divinity program. He and his fiancée, Megan Scroggins ’06,want to use their training to serve the Lord in the United States.A native of Moraine, Ohio, Luke is a pastoral studies andcomprehensive Bible major. He teaches a young adults class athis local church and serves in Big Bird community ministry atCedarville.

I just want to thank you so much for considering me to be anapplicant of this award, because I know there are someoutstanding students here at Cedarville. So, I want to thankthe alumni for not only helping with the cost of my tuition,but also in taking part in my ministry now and in thefuture.

Holly L. CongdenHolly looks forward to seminary and to a youth ministry ineither a local church or the mission field. However, she is notwaiting until after graduation to have a ministry. When athome in Rochester, New York, Holly teaches Sunday school,plans youth group events, and mentors young women. Duringthe school year, she assists with the junior high youth group atGrace Baptist Church in Cedarville and sings with theCedarville University Gospel Choir. The junior Christianeducation and youth ministries major traveled with an MISteam to Mexico this past Spring Break.

I would like to thank the alumni for making this scholarshippossible. It has been an encouragement to me to continue myservice for God. I appreciate your willingness to encouragestudents in their education.

Jason A. NixonA senior preseminary Bible major, Jason is preparing for further education and a ministry as a pastoral staff member.The Trotwood High School (Ohio) graduate has traveled toEleuthera, Bahamas as part of an MIS team.

Thank you to all the alumni who gave of their own moneyto support people whom they do not even know. My familyand I are very appreciative of your generosity.

Addam T. SkellyAddam plans on attending seminary following graduation fromCedarville. He is currently a junior preseminary Bible major.Addam hails from Greenfield, Indiana.

I’d like to express my immense gratitude for the alumni whomade this award possible. I am honored to have been chosenas a recipient for this scholarship, and I thank you for yourcommitment to the University and to its students.

Heritage Corner2004 John W. Bickett Heritage Alumni Scholarships Awarded

The 2004 John W. Bickett Heritage Alumni Scholarship recipients are Holly L.Congden, Addam T. Skelly, Jason A. Nixon, and Lucas A. Baker.

Alumnae Educators' Luncheon

July 12

Fiddler on the Roof at LaComedia

August 4

Upcoming Heritage Events

Reunion Luncheon

October 1

Alumni Association News

12 Summer 2004

Interest generated by the Alumni Scholarship and GrantEndowment Fund provides a scholarship for an outstandingfreshman, sophomore, or junior student (or in rare

circumstances, an outstanding senior) enrolled in eachacademic apartment. The faculty of each department select theirrecipient. The following are the students’ mini-biographies andnotes of appreciation, which were written in March 2004.

Biblical EducationA native of Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, Alyson Perry is a seniorphilosophy major. She plans to earn a Ph.D. in philosophicaltheology, teach at the university level, and publish variousinterdisciplinary studies in religion, deconstruction, and theirinterconnection as it relates to epistemology. Alyson has beenactive in the Alpha Sigma philosophy organization and the Tau Delta Kappa honors organization.

I thank the alumni for their commitment to Christ andculture, and I appreciate their faith in my abilities tostrengthen the interrelation between such.

Business AdministrationA sophomore marketing major, Bethany Streitmatter isconsidering a career in market research and advertising.The Rensselaer, Indiana native is vice president of Cedarville’sStudents in Free Enterprise (SIFE) chapter, serves on theyearbook staff, and takes part in a local tutoring ministry.She is enrolled in the Honors Program. Bethany is the daughterof Mark ’79 and Becky Rupe Streitmatter ’80.

I would like to thank the alumni for allowing me to receivethis scholarship. Your continued dedication to and love forCedarville University is appreciated. I am honored to serve as part of the Cedarville family with you.

Communication ArtsA quick look at Ethan Ransom’s activities makes it no surprisethat he plans to attend film school after graduation. Ethan, asenior video media production major, volunteers on a localchurch media team and is the executive director ofSpikenard Films, a new student film resources network.The Fairfax, Virginia native has also gained experience withTime Warner Sports Production.

Thank you so much for your generous gift towards myeducation. God has used you to supply needs I sometimestake for granted. Thank you for giving back from what Godhas given you.

EducationRebekah Read, who hails from Jamestown, New York, has beenactively involved in The Master’s Puppets, Adopt-A-Grandparent, and a myriad of youth events on campus. A juniorearly childhood education major, she plans to take an active rolein children’s ministry at whatever church she attends and isopen to teaching in either Christian or public schools.

It is an honor and privilege to be given this award. I want tothank you for your faithfulness and commitment toChristian education. Thank you once again for encouragingme through your support of Cedarville.

EngineeringAs a senior mechanical engineering major, Matthew Sterner isa member of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and ispresident-elect of Cedarville’s chapter of Tau Beta Pi, thenational engineering honor society. His post-graduation plansinclude working in industrial engineering and eventuallyteaching engineering on the college level. Matthew is fromRichland, Pennsylvania.

Thank you, alumni, for awarding me with this scholarship.Thank you for your continuing support of this school. It isyour legacy that encourages and pushes us as students. Again,thank you for your commitment and for your graciousaward.

2004 Alumni Scholarship Recipients

Back Row: Elizabeth Proemmel, Matthew Sterner, Kimberly Shank, Conrad Bear;Middle Row: Courtney Butterfield, Lisa Wendl, Bethany Streitmatter; Front Row:

Amy Kennard, Alyson Perry, Kimber Porter, Rebekah Read; Not Pictured: Ethan Ransom

Inspire 13

Exercise and Sport ScienceKimber Porter’s post-graduation plan is to do short-termmissions work in Spain, developing exercise programs therewhile building relationships and sharing the gospel. In addition,the junior exercise science major would like to pursue furthereducation in exercise physiology or fitness management.The Lapeer, Michigan product is a member of the AmericanCollege of Health Association and the Student AcademicAdvisory Board and is treasurer of the social organization Phi Gamma Psi.

Thank you so much for your contribution to Cedarville’salumni scholarship. I am very grateful to receive this award.Your act of giving is truly an example of Christ’s unselfishgiving and generosity. I pray that you will experience manyblessings in return of your giving! Again, many thanks!

Language and LiteratureJunior Lisa Wendl is considering teaching in China for a coupleof years through Cedarville’s ERAP program. A technical andprofessional communication major, Lisa currently works inCentennial Library’s Media Resource Center, leads a discipleshipgroup on campus, and heads an Awana ministry team at a localchurch. Lisa hails from Waukesha, Wisconsin.

I want to express deep appreciation to the alumni forawarding this scholarship to me. Thank you for being sodedicated to education at Cedarville. This award is ahumbling answer to prayer; thank you again!

MusicEven as a freshman, Conrad Bear is looking forward to themany possible opportunities for his future — graduate school,musical theatre/opera, radio theatre, and worship leading.The music major sings in concert chorale and was a choirmember in the recent production of The Masque of Beauty andthe Beast. The Sugarcreek, Ohio native is also active inintramural sports.

Thank you so much for this blessing! God is providing for my upcoming need through this, so thank you for being usedof Him. I very much appreciate your generosity.

NursingJunior nursing major Amy Kennard stays busy as a discipleshipgroup leader and a member of the Student Academic AdvisoryBoard. She is also involved in the Big Bird and Extra Milecommunity ministries. Following graduation, the LaFayette,Georgia native plans to either work as a registered nurse inGeorgia or pursue her master’s degree.

I would like to say thank you to the Cedarville alumni whohave chosen to invest in Cedarville by helping students suchas myself. It was a nice surprise to be the recipient of yourgenerosity. I only wish that I could thank you by name or inperson for this scholarship.

PsychologyElizabeth Proemmel, a junior psychology major, serves assecretary for the Alpha Psi Omega psychology organization andas a tutor for the psychological statistics class. She sings in herlocal church choir and has worked with Homes for LIFE, AlphaSigma Lambda sign language organization, and CedarvilleUniversity youth events. The Champaign, Illinois native planson attending graduate school to obtain a counseling license.

Thank you to those who contributed money for thisscholarship. I feel honored for being selected to receive it, andI pray that I will be able to invest in others’ lives as you haveinvested in mine. May God bless you as you follow Hisguidance in your lives.

Science and MathematicsThe daughter of Steve ’73 and Merilee Johnson Shank ’75,Kimberly Shank enjoys teaching mathematics. She is open towhatever God has for her, whether it be teaching math abroad,instructing high schoolers, or getting her master’s degree andteaching on the college level. Kim is a sophomore integratedmathematics education major from Cedarville, Ohio. She isinvolved in tutoring as well as the Alpha Delta Omega serviceorganization.

I want to say thank you to the alumni for honoring me withthis award. It is a huge blessing to me. Thank you so muchfor your encouragement to the students and yourinvolvement in the further growth of Cedarville University.

Social Sciences and HistoryCourtney Butterfield hails from Evansville, Indiana. A juniormajoring in integrated social studies education, Courtney staysbusy in the Model United Nations competition, tutoring, theTau Delta Kappa honors organization, and intramural tennis.She has also been part of the forensics team and campuscongress.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the alumni forthis scholarship. Your continued devotion to Cedarville isgreatly appreciated by all and a great encouragement to me.

Since 1978, Cedarville alumni have contributed more than $225,000toward the Alumni Scholarship Endowment. The University invests these giftsand uses the earnings to fund the 12 annual alumni scholarships.

In 2000, the annual scholarship was only $500 per student. Not satisfiedwith this amount, alumni made additional gifts to increase the endowment.Because of their determination and generosity, the endowment now provides$1,000 per recipient! Cedarville is grateful for and proud of our alumni andtheir support of students through scholarships.

If you would like to make a donation toward the Alumni ScholarshipEndowment, please contact Kim Longo or Dave Bartlett in the gift planningoffice at 1-800-766-1115 or visit our Web site at www.cedarville.edu/giving.

How to Give

To order a DVD or VHS of Commencement, Parents’ Night, or Nursing Convocation, call 1-800-333-0601, or send a check for $20 to

CDR Media Ministry, P.O. Box 601, Cedarville, OH 45314.

Cedarville UniversityCommencement

Cedarville UniversityCommencement

View more graduation photos at www.cedarville.edu/alumni.View more graduation photos at www.cedarville.edu/alumni.

L O G O SW h a t ’ s t h e W o r d ?

Comprehensive Bible major Karen Judith Mowrer ’04“broke the mold” for her senior seminar class by writingand presenting the story of Ruth as a musical stage

production rather than as a standard research paper.The senior seminar course is a capstone course required of

Bible majors whose studies do not involve an internship. Theobjective of Karen’s musical project, then, was to fulfill therequirements for the course, but Karen wanted it to be muchmore than that. It was her desire to fulfill the requirement byblending several personal “loves” into one unique creation.

Motivated by a love for Broadway musicals, Karendetermined to use her skills in music and lyric composition,dramatic presentation, and Bible knowledge to present thebeloved story of Ruth from the Old Testament.

Karen credits her “inspiration” to a week of insomnia last yearwhen she used the hours awake to think about how she couldmake a quality difference in the arts. She felt a strong desire touse her skills to present the power and excitement of the storyof Ruth in an unusual format. She wanted to use that venue tocommunicate her love for the stage with a love for God and HisWord.

When Karen returned to Cedarville in the fall, she sought thecounsel of advisors and professors regarding her dream.Observing that she was breaking new ground in the seniorseminar course, her advisors encouraged her to pursue herdream. And the rest, as they say, is history. Ruth: The Musicalwas presented in six performances including two commandperformances.

Karen wrote the musical’s script, which was revised with thehelp of director Donna Paulsen ’03. Karen and musical directorSteven Frey ’04 strengthened the original music and words thatshe had already written and wrote several more songs tocomplete the musical. Karen says, “I had many talented peoplehelping me, like Donna and Steve and my wonderful cast. Butwe all agree that it was God who brought it together. None ofus expected to receive such a positive response. God was goodto us. We hope that at the end of all this, He gets the glory.”

Ruth: The Musical

16 Summer 2004

On a more personal note, Karen’s music has been both asource of fun and a stress-reliever from class work. She said,“Some people go running when they’re stressed. Some peopleeat chocolate. I write songs.” She generally writes a song a week,expressing her love for God and her interpretation of life.

Karen is planning to teach high school math in the publicschools of the Bronx or Brooklyn this fall as a teaching fellow.There in New York City she will have a chance to learn moreabout composing musical theatre and to explore opportunitiesfor Christians in the arts.

Cedarville’s production of Ruth: The Musical is available onDVD and audio CD. For more information, contact DonnaPaulsen at dpaulsen@cedarville.edu.

New Bible Major

The department of biblical education has announced theavailability of a new major designed to equip men andwomen to teach Bible in Christian schools. The major

was designed in cooperation with the education department atCedarville to provide both content and skills for teaching Biblein elementary and secondary Christian schools. Since states donot certify teachers of Bible or religion, there is no statecertification available. However, the degree program hasreceived the approval of the Association of Christian SchoolsInternational (ACSI).

The need for the degree has been recognized for some time.Since many Cedarville alumni are asked to teach Bible inChristian schools, there was a desire in both the Bible andeducation departments to equip students with pedagogical skillsas well as a knowledge of the Scripture. The objective is to raisethe level of how Bible is taught. Students enrolled in theprogram will participate in the same pedagogical and fieldeducation experiences required of secondary education majorswho are seeking certification by the State of Ohio.

In addition to providing essential pedagogical courses forteaching Bible in a school setting, the major also includesChristian education courses, thus qualifying students to servelocal churches effectively in Christian education or youthministries. Since the major also includes courses required in thepreseminary major, the graduate is well prepared to pursuegraduate school or seminary.

Dr. Duane Wood, academic vice president at CedarvilleUniversity, adds his endorsement of the major by stating thatstudents who pursue this major and then go on to graduateschool are well equipped for returning to teach Bible at theUniversity.

Details of the degree are available in the current catalog.

During the 2004-2005 academic year, two Bible professorswill be taking sabbaticals to Cambridge, England. Dr. DanielEstes ’74, professor of Bible and associate academic vicepresident, and Dr. Greg Couser, associate professor of Bibleand Greek, will both take advantage of the rich biblicalresources of the Cambridge University Library and TyndaleHouse for research and writing.

The Cambridge University Library is one of only fivecopyright libraries in the United Kingdom, which means that itreceives copies of every book that is published in that country.In addition, the residential Tyndale House is the bestspecialized library for biblical research in the world, and inmany ways it serves as the hub of evangelical theologicalscholarship. Furthermore, the slower pace and relaxedambiance of England provide an ideal climate for reflectionand writing.

Dan will continue his administrative duties throughout theFall Semester as he completes a book introducing the OldTestament poetical books. For Spring Semester, Dan and hiswife, Carol (Towles) ’75, who is a professor in the educationdepartment, plan to work on writing projects in Cambridge.

Throughout his 20 years of teaching at Cedarville, Dan hasspecialized in the study of the Psalms and the Old TestamentWisdom Literature. Recently he received a contract fromInterVarsity Press in Britain to write the Song of Songscommentary for the Apollos Old Testament Commentaryseries. He plans to use his semester in Cambridge to write thefirst draft of the commentary manuscript. When he returns toteaching at Cedarville in Fall Semester 2005, he will no doubt

make use of this material in hiscourse on Wisdom Literature.

Greg, his wife, Ronna, and theirfour children will spend thesummer and the Fall Semesterliving at Tyndale House as Gregpursues the completion of severalarticles, one of which heanticipates will eventuate in abook. His articles include a studyof the illuminating work of theHoly Spirit according to Paul; astudy of the concept ofcommunity as it relates to the localchurch; and a study of theologyproper in I Timothy. In his 10years at Cedarville, Greg hastaught Greek and a variety ofclasses pertaining to hermeneutics,the New Testament as a whole, andto the Pauline epistles inparticular.

While abroad, the Cousers alsoplan to spend time with Chad ’00and Kim Schweickart Deakyne ’00,who are serving as missionaries inEurope. The Cousers will return tothe U.S. on December 28.

Two Professors Anticipate Sabbaticals in England

Continuing Education for Biblical EducatorsDr. Don Grigorenko, assistant

professor of Bible, received hisPh.D. degree in internationalstudies from Trinity InternationalUniversity on May 7, 2004.Don successfully defended hisdissertation, “The Moral Vision ofthe Jharuwarashi Chhetrison,” onMarch 26, 2004. Before coming toCedarville University in 2001,Don and his wife, Peggy, served inthe nation of Nepal as missionarieswith The Navigators. His teachingincludes the spiritual formation

classes in the general education program, courses forinternational studies majors, and selected philosophy courses.

Steven Janssen, assistant professorof Bible, has spent this past year atDallas Theological Seminary inTexas completing his course workfor his Ph.D. Steve teaches Biblegeneral education courses and New Testament Greek.

Dr. Greg Couser

Dr. Daniel Estes ’74

Dr. Don Grigorenko Steven Janssen

Inspire 17

18 Summer 2004

Life was so very good on Saturday, June 1, 2002.For the second time in four years, our family had gathered at

the Dixon Ministry Center on the Cedarville University campusto watch our daughter, Julie, shake the hand of Dr. Paul Dixon ’94H, walk across the platform, and stroll out into theworld as a Cedarville graduate.

After we squeezed into our row at the graduation ceremony,my wife, Sue (Tuttle) ’74, looked at her family surrounding her— our 15-year-old son, Steve; our 17-year-old daughter, Melissa;our married daughter, Lisa Branon Spangler ’98; her husband,Todd ’98, and Julie’s boyfriend, Ewing Sharp — with a heart ofjoy and appreciation. Sue was so very proud of her clan, and sofull of hope for the future.

Together we all listened to Dr. Dixon deliver another of his finecommencement addresses. He titled his talk, “Our Times are InGod’s Hands.” What a significant truth, we thought, as he sentout the charge to the graduating seniors. How appropriate forthese seniors to understand that God is in control. Seated withher family around her, my wife agreed, but consciously thought,“Yes, but please, Lord, don’t let anything happen to my children.”

After the festivities were over and we were mingling in theAlumni Hall of the DMC, our family happened to meet up withDr. Dixon. Having known him for many years, I felt comfortablereminding him that we were two-for-two so far — with our twooldest daughters now holding sheepskins from Cedarville. Addmy diploma from the ’Ville to that total, and that made three ofus with that proud distinction.

Then I introduced Dr. Dixon to my high-school-aged childrenMelissa and Steve, and I rather sheepishly mentioned that it

appeared that Melissa was going to break our streak. I told Dr. Dixon that Mell had designs on going to college somewherewhere it is warm — preferably Florida. She liked to say that shewanted to go to a school where she could take her surfboard toclass.

Dr. Dixon smiled and seemed to understand that sometimeseven Cedarville families don’t bat 1.000. After all, our lives are inGod’s hands, not Cedarville’s.

Later that day, other family members gathered with us at arestaurant in Fairborn. Cousins, nephews, and nieces from as faraway as Tennessee had come to congratulate Julie. It was one big,proud, celebrating family.

How could we ever have known that this happy Saturdaywould be the last time our family would ever — could ever — betogether?

Five days later, our celebration of all that is grand and good inthis life was shattered — altered by an event so life-changing thatit still stuns us today. Just five days after we were so proudlysurrounded by our family — five days after listening to what wethought were uplifting, challenging words about our lives andGod’s hands, the most unspeakable tragedy smashed our dreamsto pieces.

For Melissa, June 6 was the last day of her junior year of highschool. In the morning, she took her last final exam, a math test.At home in her room, she had left scattered across the floor theevidence that she had crammed for that exam the night before.But thoughts of Algebra II were left far behind as soon as thattest was over, for she and a bunch of her friends from GrandRapids Baptist High School (Michigan) took off for the beach.

In God’s Handsb y D a v i d B r a n o n ’ 7 3

Pictured from left to right: Melissa Branon, Todd ’98 and Lisa Branon Spangler ’98, Julie Branon Sharp ’02, Steve Branon, and Dave ’73 and Sue Tuttle Branon ’74

Inspire 19

It was a warm, sunny, brilliant day on June 6, and what betterway for a bunch of sharp, fun-loving Christian girls to celebratethe freshness of being newly minted high school seniors than togo to the Lake Michigan beach.

Later in the day, the girls left the beach and headed for thecottage of a classmate. While there, the family let them ride theirjet skis and made sure the kids had plenty to eat. As always,Melissa had a grand time. When she was with her manyremarkable friends, life was thoroughly enjoyable. And one otherthing took place when the girls went to the cottage — the boysjoined them, and for Melissa that meant her boyfriend, Jordan,was there.

Jordan and Melissa were, as some of her friends would say, themodel couple. Jordan treated Melissa like a queen, and Melissawas the light of Jordan’s life. They were good for each other,it was clear. They knew how to be good friends in the right way.As Jordan once told me, “Mr. Branon, Melissa’s not just mygirlfriend, she’s my best friend.”

At 8 p.m., Melissa called home on her cell phone. “I am havingso much fun!” she told her mom. “We went jet-skiing. It wasreally cool!” She told her mom that she would be leaving at 9 p.m. to come home. “Be careful,” Sue told her, as moms alwaysdo.

An hour later, Jordan and Melissa climbed into Jordan’s redHonda for the 35-minute trip back to Grand Rapids. As healways did — as per my request — he made sure she had herseatbelt fastened.

At 9:10, Jordan stopped at a stop sign on a country roadleading toward home. He looked to the right, and he looked tothe left. He started across the intersection.

What Jordan did not see, however, was that there was a fifthroad at this junction — a road on which the traffic did not haveto stop. And on this fifth road, another teenage driver washeading toward her home. Jordan had made it more thanhalfway through the intersection when he saw a flash of blue outof the corner of his eye.

In that flash of time, everything would change for our family.In that single second on what had been a brilliant late spring day,darkness flooded our lives. Warmth was replaced by the coldreality of unrelenting pain. Indeed, in that instant, our preciousdaughter’s life was placed forever in God’s hand.

The oncoming car struck Melissa’s side of Jordan’s car, and inone horrible, grinding moment, she was gone. One second shewas with Jordan — the next, with Jesus.

A celebration of the best things in life — Christian friends, agood education, the beauty of nature, true love, and a brightfuture — had become a nightmare from which we can neverawake. A lifetime of trust in God was tested in ways we couldnever imagine. In that tiny speck of time, joy was replaced withindescribable despair. For the rest of this life, we would have togo on without our beautiful, precious daughter.

Jordan’s car was demolished in the accident, and he wasairlifted to a Grand Rapids hospital, where his injuries weretreated. He survived the accident physically, but he now wearsthe inner scars of a lost friendship and the gnawing guilt ofresponsibility.

And for our family, a peaceful night at home awaiting Melissa’sreturn was turned into an ongoing fog of sorrow. Beginning with

frightened phone calls from Melissa’s kindred spirit friends whowere afraid something had gone horribly wrong, we slowly beganto grasp the awful reality of death. When the mom of the familywho owned the cottage got on the phone and could only blurtout the words, “Dave, I’m sorry. I’m so very, very sorry,” I knewwe had passed from life to death. I knew nothing would everagain be as it was.

We would never watch Melissa play softball or volleyball forher high school and AAU teams. We would never share anothervacation or even a Sunday meal. We’d never be able to sit andtalk about life and the future. We would never again hear herpull her ancient Beretta with the fuzzy steering wheel covers andthe zebra-skin seat covers into the driveway, rush through thedoor, and shout, “Hey, I’m home.” I would never hear her tell methat she was stronger than I was. I would never again do throw-downs — a crazy exercise she did for volleyball — with heragain. I would never be able to walk into her sunflower-decorated bedroom and kiss her lovely face goodnight.No graduation. No wedding. Nothing.

Suddenly, it was over.

Our shy little girl, who had grown from a tot who fearedeverything and everyone into a vibrant young woman who madesure everyone was accepted, was gone.

Fifteen hundred people at the funeral home paid homage tothis lovely young woman. Twelve hundred mourned with us atthe church the next day. But no one could say anything thatcould rescue our broken hearts.

What do you do when it appears that God has made such ahorrible mistake? How can it be that this remarkable Christianteenager, who brought joy to everyone and who had so much tooffer, had to be taken when so many others are wasting their liveschasing foolishness and evil?

How do parents, whose lives are so intertwined in helping,nurturing, guiding, and loving their children, exist when one-quarter of their hearts are ripped away?

What does the future hold when it is suddenly slammed shutby a wall of sadness?

Two years now we have had to wake up to this new reality eachmorning. What have we discovered through it all? What have welearned, and what does it all mean?

First, let us go back to Paul Dixon’s words at Julie’s graduation.Indeed, in a new and unwanted way, we understand that God isabsolutely sovereign. As parents, we so much wanted to protectour children, and we did everything we could to keep them fromharm’s way. However good and right those actions are, the truthremains that Melissa’s life on this earth lasted exactly as long asGod had ordained that it would. In Psalm 139:16, we arereminded that the days of our lives are pages written in God’sbook. Melissa’s book was so much shorter than we wanted it tobe.

Over the past two years, we have had countless conversationsabout God’s sovereignty with many people. It’s a topic that hascaptured our attention because we need to know that God’sactivities in our lives are purposeful — that even our child’sdeath came from His loving hand. One of the conversations I had about it was with one of Melissa’s friends, Tara. On that

20 Summer 2004

unforgettable June 6, Tara had taken Melissa to the beach andthen to the cottage. But she had not, of course, taken her homebecause Jordan was there. As Tara and I discussed Melissa, Taraturned to me and said, “Mr. Branon, I wish I had taken Melissahome that night.”

I told her, “Tara, if you had taken Melissa home that night, youwould have been in an accident.” Although I do not know thatfor certain, I do know that nothing anyone could have donecould have prevented Melissa from leaving us that night. God, inHis mysterious yet majestic plan, appointed Melissa just 17 years,10 months, and 16 days to live on this earth and prepare foreternity.

That brings me to the second truth that has become soimportant to us as we have walked through this unwanted newexistence without our daughter. Melissa was ready to meet God.Nothing else Melissa did while she shone so brightly in her brieflife was as important as the moment she trusted Jesus Christ asSavior.

Less than a year before Melissa’s accident, she had the grandprivilege of traveling with a school group to Spain duringsummer vacation to see the culture and to practice Spanish. Onenight she and her friend Mandy went back to their hotel roomearly and decided to “experience the European culture” bywatching television. While they watched, they saw the story ofthree teenagers who died in an accident.

This began a conversation between Mandy and Melissa — aconversation Mandy related to me after Melissa’s death. As theydiscussed the subject of dying, Mandy told me that Melissa said,“I don’t know why Christians are afraid to die. It just means thatwe get to be with God all the time.”

What a perspective for one so young, but who would knowthat she was so close to experiencing that grand entrance, to bein the presence of her Creator and her Lord. In Melissa’s Bible,on the page of the salvation passage Romans 10:9,10, is this note:“My name is Melissa, but you can call me Mell!” When I foundthat note in her Bible, I took it to be Mell’s note to God.On June 6, 2002, our great and glorious God welcomed Mellhome, and I’m sure her Savior had these words for her, “Welldone, Mell, good and faithful servant.”

As I mention these two grand truths — God’s comfortingsovereignty and the reassurance of Melissa’s salvation — I mustbe honest about one thing. As grand and glorious as those twothings are, they cannot for a moment relieve the gnawing painthat resides daily in our hearts. While Melissa enjoys heaven’sglories, our family gatherings are still empty, our photos ofMelissa still stop at age 17, our arms continue to ache to hold heragain. Neither the greatest theological truth nor the warmestfeeling of God’s closeness during our sadness can give us whatour hearts continue to desire.

Perhaps I can best describe the feeling this way. Have you everhad in your hands something of great value — perhaps a familyheirloom or a fine piece of china — only to have it drop fromyour hands and shatter to the floor? Remember how you felt atthat moment? The panic? The loss? The rush of sadness?

That pain is but amemory, isn’t it? You’vemoved past that loss andon to the rest of life.To me, that panic and thatloss of the dropped artifactnever goes away. There’s apanic in our hearts thatdoes not dissipate. There’sa loss that weighs heavilyon our souls at all times.

That is why we arethankful for anothersource of strength toaccompany God’s hand oflove, and that is theassistance of thecommunity of believers. Locally, we have received it inabundance from the moment our friends heard the tragic news.And continually we receive notes and e-mails from friends whoare praying for us.

And on a larger scale, we know that the Christian communitycares because of the response I’ve received from the articles I’vewritten about Melissa in Our Daily Bread. Since my first articleon her death appeared in August 2003, I’ve received severalhundred notes, e-mails, and cards from caring people who didn’teven know us. They’ve sent books and tapes and CDs. They’vewritten poems, painted pictures, and even sent love gifts. Andmany fellow bereaved parents have told the painful stories oftheir own loss.

That’s how the Christian community works, being God’s handsto offer hope and help in the time of greatest need.

The day before we sat proudly in that crowded row at theDixon Ministry Center to watch Julie graduate, our oldestdaughter Lisa took her siblings (without our knowledge) to aphotographer’s studio for a special session. She, Julie, Melissa,and Steve wanted to surprise us with a set of professionally donepictures. Who knew that one special photo in that batch ofpictures would turn out to be what I call “Melissa’s seniorpicture.” She would never get to sit for her real senior pictures,but this photo has become our “graduation” photo of her.For the rest of our lives, we will recall her as a beautiful, vibrant,godly 17-year-old girl and celebrate with that photo her owndivinely appointed graduation.

Indeed, Dr. Dixon was right. “Our times are in God’s hands.”And now, so is our unforgettable daughter Melissa.

Dave Branon ’73 is managing editor of “Sports Spectrum”magazine. He and his wife, Sue (Tuttle) ’74, live in Grand Rapids,Michigan. Their daughter, Lisa Branon Spangler ’98, and herhusband, Todd ’98, also live in Grand Rapids. Daughter JulieBranon Sharp ’02 and her husband, Ewing, live in Dallas, Texas.Son Steve is a senior at Grand Rapids Baptist High School.

Melissa Branon

Inspire 21

Pain n. Asomaticsensation ofacute discomfort.

For KarenChrestensen Reno ’74,pain is something sheknows only too well.For 13 years, she hasbeen living in physicalpain. In March of 1991Karen was diagnosedwith rheumatoidarthritis (RA). The pathher life has taken sincethe diagnosis has beenpainful, but Karen hasweathered it gracefully.

Before the arthritis setin, Karen was an activemilitary wife, mother ofthree busy kids, a quilter, and a teacher. Then she began havingstiff finger pain. Six weeks later her hands were unable to buttonclothing, cut food with a knife, or quilt. She had to use cortisoneto reduce inflammation, and for the first eight months, the painwas almost constant. “The stiffness and pain wereincomprehensible. I was unable to sleep more than an hour ortwo at a time,” Karen explained.

Prior to her diagnosis, Karen had no idea what RA was, butshe soon discovered that it is life-changing and moves quickly.“Aggressive medical treatments were unable to stop the rapiddeterioration,” she said. “I had a hip replaced seven years ago,tendon and wrist surgeries followed several months later, andthen I had the metatarsals removed on both feet.”

The physical changes from RA have been dramatic, but otherless obvious changes have been serious as well. Depression andlack of sleep were commonplace for Karen. RA was “instantaging,” and that affected the entire Reno family. Karen says theyall learned servanthood up close and personal.

Karen has incredible respect for each of her family members.Karen’s daughter, Rachel ’00, took over many householdresponsibilities and proved to be an excellent cook. “Rachel evendid college via the Internet while I was facing multiple surgeries,”Karen explained. Her son, Joseph ’03, provided emotionalsupport by sharing favorite books and talking with his mother.

“Joshua ’06 providedpersonal security andlaughter detail. He laterbecame my driver andlogged 15,000 miles hisfirst six months ofdriving!” sheexclaimed. Herhusband, Loren ’70,has been her constantcompanion andsupporter. She said,“He brought colorback into my life.He took me to myfavorite dress shop andasked the saleslady tohelp me try onabsolutely lovelyoutfits. He took me forrides in the country,listened to my heart,

and taught our sons to be gentle gentlemen. He even woke meup from surgery singing ‘God is Good.’” Through her family’sexperience, Karen now realizes that families and caregivers ofthose with pain hurt and need attention, too.

The pain and physical ramifications of RA have changedKaren’s life in small ways as well as big ways. “It has slowed medown, and I make fewer quilts,” she expressed. “I can’t wearwedding rings or clothing that I can’t get myself into. I have toshop for cars with an eye on joint-saving devices. I use largepens. Bike riding is out, and gone are my days of marathontraveling.” Karen also has found that she has an increased needfor sleep.

Even so, Karen is the picture of grace under fire. She weatherspain like a rose which, though battered in a storm, remainsstrong, sharing its ever-present beauty even as dark clouds hoverabove. Karen is one of those warm, engaging people you want tovisit with for hours on end. She quipped, “I feel like a ’57 Chevy:valuable, but really in need of body work!”

There are many things Karen believes the pain of RA hastaught her that she might not have learned otherwise.Compassion tops the list. “Every person’s pain is real,” sheexplained. “Emotional pain seems worse than physical pain,but both need to be treated.” She added that the loss in quality of life hurts, too. “It’s not wrong to grieve,” she stated.

Never Let It Get You DownB y C e s s n a C a t h e r i n e W i n s l o w

22 Summer 2004

“This loss is real!” However, she explained that grief should notinclude bitterness. “Hanging on to bitterness is like snuggling upto a poisonous snake. Forgiveness is a gift you give yourself,including your immune system!” she noted.

Along with these insights, Karen says she has learned that oneof the best ways to deal with pain of any type is to get involved inthe lives of others. Though some days it is hard for Karen to getup and move about, she loves to talk and laugh with otherpeople. And though her children are grown and no longer livingat home, Karen keeps in close communication with them. Karenenjoys talking with Rachel many mornings while her daughtercommutes to work. That is a very special time for both.“We laugh and talk and just enjoy each other,” Karen shared.

In addition to connecting with others, Karen says it isimportant to seek really good medical advice. “Don’t self-diagnose,” she warned. “Get a second opinion if need be.”She said support groups are good, but cautioned against lettingthem become too big of a focus. Reading has been therapeuticfor her. Researching new technologies, treatments, and medicinesis very helpful. Reading biographies of people she admires hasalso been inspiring. The books that have been most helpful toKaren include Anatomy of an Illness by Norman Cousins and The Gift of Pain by Philip Yancey and Paul Brand. Karen addedthat she cannot overstress the importance of Scripture memory.“Often there is nothing else to do while waiting for pain meds tokick in,” she explained. “You can’t take a Bible into an operatingroom!”

Finally, Karen added, “It is important to have emotionalmoney in the bank before problems arise. Some days only myeyebrows feel terrific and that’s OK.”

... Karen is the picture ofgrace under fire. Sheweathers pain like a rosewhich, though battered in astorm, remains strong,sharing its ever-presentbeauty even as dark cloudshover above.

Inspire 23

I came across this desperate remark while browsing through aWeb site: “I wish I could say that I believe in Jesus Christ, that Heloves me and cares, but I no longer believe that. From a motherwho is vicious and has wrecked my adoptive family to the deathof my adoptive brother, I no longer believe. I even find myselfwondering if God really exists. I look around at all the Christianswho say that they help people who don’t know how to ask for it,but they have not even noticed my pain. If God loved or caredfor me, He’d at least help, wouldn’t He? But no help has come!Why? God doesn’t love me!”

I was struck by this woman’s desperate utterance and intensecry for help. I agonized profoundly over her acute sense ofloneliness and of my inability to offer any solace to her in thatmoment. The depth of her pain troubled me.

Pain. While pain is most commonly associated with aphysical sensation, it is also a subjective feeling of stress orhurt that can be as uniquely experienced and qualified as eachindividual is unique. And, while physical wounds might bemore easily bound and treated, psychological and emotionalinjuries could go beyond the reach of medication and belonger-lasting in their devastating effects than physical scars.

Psychologists and counselors have given much attention tothe grieving process. Because grief is one of the many facets ofpain, the general response to any subjective experience of painis similar. The first impulse to a hurtful event or experience istypically one of shock. At this stage, the response is exhibitedby what is commonly referred to as “fight or flight.” It is themost immediate reaction to a situation or event, in whichpeople might either be stunned into action or inaction. Oncethe shockwave has passed, a sense of denial — e.g., “this is nothappening” — can overtake the person. When the mind is ableto regain its mental bearing, a feeling of infuriation arises.Anger is a powerful emotion that can energize a person to dosomething about a situation. However, when corrective actionsare thwarted, inadequate, or impossible, anger can quicklyturn to desperation or despair. The course of thispsychological and emotional conflict can be a drawn-out onein which numerous attempts could be made to remedy asituation or alleviate a hurt. At some point, anger is transposedinto bargaining, particularly with God (for example, “God,if you’ll do this, I promise I will …”). Finally, depending upona number of variables, an individual can learn to accept theoutcome, adapt to an altered course of living, or give in toresentment.

Pain exposes humanity’s frailty and fallibility, and a positiveresponse to pain compels us to seek help while a negativeresponse to pain can drive us to blame or lash out at others.We are not good at taking proper care of ourselves and, at

times, we are even the cause of someone else’s agony. It isarguable whether pain, in itself, does anything good. From aspiritual standpoint, the presence, and even necessity, of painand suffering is recognized: it came, in part, as a punishment forsin (Genesis 3:16-19), and it is integral to the actions offorgiveness or remission of sin (Hebrews 9:22). In some settings,the acceptance of pain is an indispensable part of one’soccupation or advancement. Intense athletic training andcombat training are two examples that come to mind. PhilipYancey, in his book Where is God When it Hurts?, effectivelyreminded us, as do many physicians, that pain is crucial for thepreservation of life. For example, how would we know towithdraw from the dangers of fire were it not for the pain alarms

Pain: Emotionally SpeakingB y D r . L u k e T s e

24 Summer 2004

embedded in our sensory organs? Ideally, of course, we wouldnot have to feel any pain if we could not be burned.Unfortunately, that is not our present reality.

When pain enters our lives, we must be as honest about ourfeelings when expressing them to God as, for example, wasDavid. The book of Psalms is rich with David’s emotionaloutpourings to God. His intensely candid expressions were partof his worship, not his lashing out at God.

God presents Himself as the supreme Helper and Healer. Butlike the Great Parent that He is, God encourages His children tolearn to help one another as He has helped us. Unfortunately,when troubles arise, too often we exhibit the same tendencies asJob’s friends to seek out fault, to question one’s faith, or tooveremphasize justice. It is without a doubt that God could havechanged the world without ever having to step beyond thethrone room of heaven. Yet He chose to come into our existenceand allowed Himself to be physically touched by stainedhumanity. Because Jesus completely participated in oursuffering, we are able to understand relief and can have our hopevividly pinned upon His promise of eternal joy! John Stott said,“He laid aside His immunity to pain. He entered our world offlesh and blood, tears and death. He suffered for us. Oursufferings become more manageable in the light of His”(The Cross of Christ). Following the example of His Son, JesusChrist, God desires for us to not step away from being personallyburdened by another person’s troubles or even to hide our ownsense of inadequacies to respond. As God so entered into oursuffering, we are to enter into one another’s suffering and growtogether in the process.

Until Jesus comes again, our journey in the meantime needs tobe one that is marked by a proactive participation in the burden-sharing and mutually-supporting way of life. No one is free frompain, and we should not be so mistaken as to think that nothingbeyond “God–and-I” can handle everything. If it were so, Jesusmight not have emphasized the importance and similarity of thesecond greatest commandment to the first (Matthew 22:35-40).Rather, we should re-orient ourselves to the same mindset as

God, “who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave usthe ministry of reconciliation” (II Corinthians 5:18). Those whoare spiritual are to restore those in sin in a spirit of gentlenessand to bear another’s burden (Galatians 6:1-2). To “rejoice withthose who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn” (Romans12:15) — such is the shared journey of life.

Pain exposes humanity’sfrailty and fallibility, and a positive response to pain compels us to seekhelp ... God presents Himself as the

supreme Helper and Healer.But like the Great Parentthat He is, God encouragesHis children to learn to helpone another as He hashelped us.

Dr. Luke Tse is assistant professor of psychology at CedarvilleUniversity. He was born in Nanjing, China, and lived in HongKong and Singapore before immigrating to the United States at theage of 18. Prior to coming to Cedarville with his wife, Linda, in2001, he earned his master of divinity and Ph.D. degrees from NewOrleans Baptist Theological Seminary and served as a pastor inLouisiana. Luke also serves as one of the counselors at ChristianCounseling Associates in Huber Heights, Ohio.

Inspire 25

How many times have I said, “We never know what a day maybring forth”? Before early June of 2003, that statement waspurely academic for me. The reality of that statement came whenDorothy and I sat across from the surgeon who looked at mydear wife and said, “You have non-Hodgkins aggressivelymphoma.” At that moment, a host of emotions and thoughtsflooded my heart and mind: disbelief, dismay, confusion … howcan it be? One hearsabout this, readsabout it, but whenthe doctor says “you”have lymphoma, it isno longer academic,but very personal.I looked at my dearwife and she at me,completely unmoved.

Later in my wife’sillness, I said, “May I ask you a difficultquestion? How doyou really feel?”

She said, “I am atpeace and have beenever since thediagnosis.” Thislightened the burdensomewhat for me.

When the initialstorm passed and the clouds lifted, the peace of God gripped mymind and heart, giving me the assurance that God is in controland our lives are in His hands. All testing revealed that thelymphoma was only in the neck area and treatable. But that hopewas soon dashed as after chemo and radiation, the lymphomareturned and really never left in spite of many more radiationtreatments. Hopes of recovery faded as I watched her steadilydecline in health and strength. On March 11, 2004 she passedinto the presence of her Lord in the same manner as which shelived, very quietly and graciously.

Through all of the treatments and side effects, she was a trophyof God’s grace as she never doubted His plan, never asked “Why me?”, but only said that God never places more on us thanwe can bear. I witnessed the grace of God operate in her life asHe weaned her away from everything of this earth. Often Ilooked at all she loved and thought, “This is only ‘stuff ’ in thelight of the glorious future soon to be hers.”

As she thought about glory, I thought about the awfulseparation. How do I fill the place of someone so dear to meafter nearly 58 years? Even now when I am among people, I turnto see where she is, or I think “I must tell Dorothy this, as she

will be interested” or I want to share with her something Ilearned.

As special days come — and for me this year they were Easterand Mother’s Day, days that were special family times — the onearound whom all the attention centered was not here. For ourchildren and me, Dorothy was always “Mother of the Year.” Theseare times that drive me to the precious promises that have

sustained andcomforted my heartin past days. Some ofthese promises are“… as thy days, soshall thy strengthbe,” and “The eternalGod is thy refuge,and underneath arethe everlasting arms …”(Deut. 33:25b, 33:27a).

God continues tominister to mygrieving heart notonly through HisWord, but throughmany wonderfulfriends whom Godhas allowed Dorothyand me to meet andlove through the

years. God has surrounded me with caring, concerned, andloving friends at the University who continue to remind me oftheir prayers. My children live close by and are such a blessingand encouragement to me when I tell them how much I misstheir mother. They brighten my day with their fondremembrances of her loving and gracious concern for them.My grandchildren have always been a delight to me, and I amlooking forward to the wedding of Matthew ’04 in December.When I feel alone, God sends me an e-mail, a note, a card, aphone call, or an invitation to dinner from some caring servant.Daily I marvel at His grace as He enables me to live for His glory.

I think how blessed Dorothy is now, and I have that “blessedhope” of seeing her and many others. I know that Dorothywould want me to carry on the wonderful ministry He has given,so each day I live and move by His wonderful, matchless grace,looking and listening for the “shout” from Heaven and “thetrump of God … so shall we ever be with the Lord” (I Thess.4:16-17).

Ed Spencer has been teaching at Cedarville University since 1962.A professor of English, he is a beloved faculty member.

That Blessed HopeB y E d S p e n c e r

26 Summer 2004

Standing ByB y P a u l a K o r d i c

Mark Kordic ’87 is a development officer at Cedarville University,while his wife, Paula, is administrative assistant to Cedarville’s vicepresident for development. Here Paula shares about a recent painfulexperience in their lives.

It’s probably safe to say that every young, starry-eyed bride andgroom dream the same dreams. They anticipate a bright, hope-filled future in which they will laugh, love, and have healthybabies. Most repeat some rendition of classic wedding vows in apublic ceremony promising to remain true “… for better or forworse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health ...”. Twenty-two years after I declared this same solemn promise, the depth ofits meaning finally dawned.

At age 21, Mark was my handsome prince who fulfilled all mychildhood dreams. Standing a full foot taller than me, he was mystrong protector with enough drive and energy to hurdle anybarrier that threatened our happiness. We married and saw God

fulfill many of our dreams with a secure job, three healthy babies,and a beautiful home of our own. Together we weathered theeveryday storms of life without undue interruption to our world.Then cancer came.

One by one and with no particular fanfare, classic cancersymptoms crept into Mark’s daily routine: extreme fatigue, flu-like symptoms, unexplained weight loss, itching (theunmistakable indicator of lymphoma), and then the tell-talecough caused by a 10-centimeter mass growing in Mark’s chest.On December 13, 2001, we began a journey that up until thattime we had only painfully observed — that of one spousebecoming seriously ill while the other spouse becomes caretaker,decision-maker, and juggler of all things domestic.

The first year of Mark’s treatments was basically standardcancer care, including six months of chemotherapy followed by36 radiation treatments. He endured all the nasty side effects andthen some. Incredible support from family and friends along with

Inspire 27

a hefty dose of God’s grace carried us to November 2002, when ascan revealed the cancer was spreading. Our conversation aroundthe dinner table now included a new phrase: autologous stemcell transplant.

After 20 years of marriage, we anticipated taking quietweekend getaways to unwind from the hectic pace of all thatlaughing, loving, and raising of teenagers. Starting with the firstweekend of January 2003, we had many weekend getaways alone— well, kind of. We found ourselves at the James CancerHospital at The Ohio State University for three-day weekends ofchemotherapy aimed atkeeping Mark in remissionwhile we waited for thetransplant. God Himselfwas making ourreservations.

As these monthsprogressed, I helplesslystood by as my strong,handsome prince wasweakened first by thedisease, then by the cure.Some things came ongradually, while othersjumped up to slap me inthe face. Lack of strengthand stamina increasedsteadily from thebeginning. Then there wasthe moment when a good-night hug in the darkshocked me with therelative smallness of thisframe that had always beenmy strong tower. In thedaylight I noticed thefamiliar contour of healthymuscles in Mark’s armsand legs had slipped away.I ached for the one I loved.

It was during this timethat I read Psalm 6:1-3 andwas amazed again by therelevance of Scripture.These verses could have been written by a chemotherapy patient:“O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me inyour wrath. Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am faint; O Lord, healme, for my bones are in agony. My soul is in anguish. How long,O Lord, how long?” Multiple shots of neupagen to stimulatebone marrow production caused Mark’s bones to ache. After ayear and a half of treatment, we were facing the most intensebattle of all: the stem cell transplant. Our hearts echoed thewords of the Psalmist, “How long, O Lord, how long?”

On April 23, 2003, Mark was admitted to the bone marrowunit at the Cleveland Clinic. I journaled through my fears andemotions on that first day: “So here we are, traveling together onthis journey, inseparable. I’ve noticed many times that we use the

plural pronouns ‘we’ or ‘us’ when referring to something thatMark alone will endure. That’s the wonder of marriage as Goddesigned it. It’s that unexplainable ‘oneness’ between us thatsomehow enables us to carry each other during difficult hours.Still, there’s a sense in which we each walk alone except for theunchanging, unquestionable presence of God along this road.Sometimes, there’s an unmistakable dividing line across whichneither of us can venture. I can’t enter into Mark’s experiences ofanxiety, weakness, or feelings of uselessness. He can’t know howweary I get or my fear of losing him. For the last 17 months,

we’ve experienced a bit ofa role reversal that mustbe tough for him. I get upevery day and go to work;he sleeps in and spendsmuch time home alone.At every step and in everyemotion, God gentlymeets us, cradles us, andprods us on.”

One year after thetransplant Mark is still inremission, and we praiseGod for the incrediblejourneys of life. Ourjourney of marriagewhich began on July 3,1982 has taken a detourthrough the valleys anddeep canyons of cancer.Along the way I havewatched my husbandmaintain a cheerful andkind spirit while fightingoverwhelming nausea andpain. He continues topush himself to makememories with ourchildren when energy isnowhere in sight. Hetestifies to God’sgoodness, grace, andprovision to all whoobserve his trial. Perhaps

most poignant to me are his selfless efforts to help meet thechallenges of a busy family life with two working parents.

Each day Mark courageously deals with side effects resultingfrom his treatments. Stamina and energy are preciouscommodities that are hard to come by. Especially debilitating isthe neuropathy that causes intense pain in his feet. Although hemay never rebound to the pace of life he so voraciously lived at41 years of age, he is still my handsome prince and my strongtower. And those wedding vows? We will continue to love and tocherish, to have and to hold each other in sickness and in health,until death us do part.

So here we are, traveling together on this

journey, inseparable. I’ve noticed many

times that we use the plural pronouns ‘we’

or ‘us’ when referring to something that

Mark alone will endure. That’s the wonder

of marriage as God designed it. It’s that

unexplainable ‘oneness’ between us that

somehow enables us to carry each other

during difficult hours. Still, there’s a sense

in which we each walk alone except for the

unchanging, unquestionable presence of

God along this road.

28 Summer 2004

Alumni Events

March 15 - Canton, Ohio April 24 - Dallas, Texas

More summer events coming! Check “Alumni Events” at www.cedarville.edu/alumni.

June 30 GARBC Conference

Chicago, Illinois

July 13Des Moines, Iowa

July 29Spokane, Washington

August 14Millersburg, Ohioat Skyview Ranch

August 14Milwaukee, Wisconsin

August 30Louisville, Kentucky

Upcoming Alumni Events

July 5-9Girls Volleyball Camp

July 8-10Summer Previews

July 12-16Boys and Girls

Basketball Day Camp

July 12-16LiFT Youth Camp

July 13-August 5Summer Session II

July 18-22Boys Basketball Camp

July 19-23 Boys and Girls

Soccer Day Camp

July 19-23 Nursing Camp

July 23-24Pure Freedom Conference

July 23-25Equip Youth Camp

August 20-22Getting Started Weekend

August 23-26 Fall Bible Conference

August 25Instruction Begins

Calendar of Campus Events

Inspire 29

Robert King ’69 has turned many years of communitytheatre experience into a professional career. He is nowperforming in The Wizard of Oz at Wohlfahrt HausDinner Theatre and has also signed a contract for Fiddleron the Roof. His wife, Shirley (French) ’69, is atraining specialist for defense programs at theWestinghouse Savannah River Site. They reside in Aiken,South Carolina.

70sConnie Endicott ’70 and John Hendershot weremarried June 5, 2004 at Valley Baptist Church inWinslow, Arizona.Linda Betts Duffield ’72 and her husband, Ken,continue to ask for prayer concerning their health issues.Ken is currently second on the kidney transplant list forhis blood group in San Antonio. Pray that they will waitupon the Lord for His awesome timing. They were thrilledto get approval to travel to Mexico for a few days at thebeginning of the year for film and preaching services. It was a blessing to be with Mexican friends again.Paul Beck ’76 and his wife, Becky, are very busy withall the activities at Faith Academy in the Philippines. Withthe Academy short on staff, Paul has had to teach all thephysical education classes and also take on many moreclasses. Patty Neely Zemmer ’76 and her husband, David,are currently on furlough from Brazil. They have hadmany blessings this past year at their church, includingthe calling of a new pastor. He has developed a soccerministry that has opened up relationships with Catholicfamilies.Marty ’78 and Denise Gawthrop Shaw ’78 will beending their furlough this summer and returning toJapan. They were thankful to share special time withtheir children, Alison and Aaron, over Christmas.

80sRuth Yocom ’80 enjoyed the spiritual life conferencethat was held in Bangladesh in January 2004. This was aspiritually enriching time for the field workers as theyheard sermons from the book of Joshua.Debbie Meyer Burget ’81 and her husband, Craig,covet the prayers of friends and family as her twodaughters are serving in the Army National Guard inIraq. Kristina serves as a combat medic specialist, whiledaughter Kira serves as a dental technician.Nancy Hall DeValve ’81 and her husband, John, areexcited to report that a site has been found for thechurch building in Tera, West Africa. They look forward tostarting construction, and they pray that the necessaryfunds come so that they can complete the project in atimely manner.David ’81 and Carol Sue Cox Merkh ’82 startedtheir furlough this summer from Brazil. They lookforward to renewing ties with family, friends, andchurches. They are thankful for how the ministries at theWord of Life Seminary in Brazil are flourishing.John Foreman ’83 received his doctorate in curriculumand instruction from Trinity Theological Seminary in May 2003. He and his wife, Kathy (Ormsbee) ’83,serve the Lord at Mesilla Valley Christian Schools in LasCruces, New Mexico. John also teaches education classespart-time on the university level. Carolyn Bitner ’84 and her husband, Peter,experienced the death of a close friend who had left the

Muslim culture in order to follow Christ. This deathmotivates them to keep sharing the Good News and tokeep training others to do the same, so that moreMuslims may discover the way to Christ.Becki Payton Konuch ’84 and her husband, Tim,have been called to help a church near London, England.They are excited that a church building already exists,located on the main street in the city center. They desireto make the church a vibrant testimony in the communityonce again.Aaron ’85 and Annegret Gross Bowes ’87 haveseen evangelistic efforts bring forth fruit in East Berlin.They are thankful for God’s work in their lives, as well asin the lives of others.Ben ’86 and Jane Adams Smith ’84 request yourprayers. In May, Jane was diagnosed with stage 4melanoma, which has spread throughout her body. She iscurrently undergoing chemotherapy. The family ispraying that God would miraculously remove this cancerfrom her body. Jane praises God for His goodness and isoverwhelmed with love and support from friends! Benand Jane have two sons, Nick (9) and Shane (8).

Sandy PrattHayward ’86and her husband,Brad, announcethe birth ofNatalie Abigail onDecember 12,2003. This is theirfirst child through

adoption, and it was a joyous occasion when theybrought her home on December 14, 2003. They reside inDayton, Ohio.Pete Wright ’86 and his wife, Sonya, have settled inKnoxville, Tennessee, to finish out their furlough fromChile. In January, Pete had the privilege to return toCedarville University for the Missions Conference. He hadthe opportunity to share with electronic media majorshow they can use their skills on the mission field.

JanetWittekindPartlow ’87and her husband,Scott, announcethe birth ofConnor onNovember 12,2000. He was

welcomed home by his siblings, Ryan (10), Megan (7),and Nicole (5). They reside in Las Vegas, Nevada. Scott isthe comptroller for D.R. Horton, and Janet enjoys home-schooling the children.Dave ’87 and Valerie Hite Smallman ’85celebrated the second anniversary of their church inBrazil. They rejoice over the blessings God has giventhem in the past two years. Just recently, a young manand a woman gave their lives to Christ. Jill Slayton Puett ’88 and her husband, Stephen, arethankful for the opportunity they had to present anEaster program in a primary school in Guyana, SouthAmerica. They pray that the program will spark questionsin some of the attendees. Jill and Stephen have beenblessed with many discipleship opportunities lately. Theyare thankful for how God has brought these people intotheir lives.

Alumnotes40sMarge Bodwell ’42 is the owner of the McDonaldStone Quarry Homestead in Xenia, Ohio. The homesteadwas recently honored by the First Families of Ohio andAgriCountry in part for its historical significance. Stone from the homestead’s quarry was used in theconstruction of the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C.

50sMartha Hall Rose ’53 would like to thank herclassmates for their prayers and support after thehomegoing of her husband, Harry, on May 16, 2003.

Roy Shelpman ’57and Ruth Yost ’59were married onDecember 6, 2003 in Haiti. The coupleplans to return toHaiti after they raiseadditional support.Bob ’59 and Esther

Stutesman Howder ’62 enjoyed their furlough andwere thankful for God’s presence with them. They arethankful for their many faithful supporters that make itpossible for them to serve in Singapore. During theirfurlough, Bob developed a health condition that requiresmedication. Please pray that while in Singapore they willfind the right doctors to correctly treat his condition.

60sIrene Benson ’63 enjoyed her furlough and is glad tobe back in Brazil among the Waiwai Indians. Irene isexcited to be working with two Brazilian young ladieswho will be helping the Waiwai teachers completetraining so that one day they can manage their ownschool.John ’64 and Judy Marcellus Bigelow ’67 sendtheir greetings from southeast Alaska and praise God forthe way he has blessed their church with new teenconverts. They are seeking God’s timing on the sale offour acres of land. This sale would allow them to pay offthe debt on their new property.

Robert Reynolds ’64 is a bass IIsinger with the Houston SymphonyChorus in Texas and is also amember of the director’s roundtable. Participation in the 180-member chorus is by audition only,and the group sings great choralmasterworks led by the world’s

leading conductors. The chorus performs regularly withthe Houston Symphony, Exxon Pops Orchestra, and theOrquesta Sinfonica de Mineria of Mexico City. They havealso toured Europe twice. Since his time at Cedarville,Bob has served 11 years in Christian radio and has beendirector of music and Christian education in severalchurches. Bob owns a swimming pool constructioncompany and lives in Houston, Texas with his family.Grace Trimble Kintner ’67 and her husband, David,express their joy in how the Lord has been working intheir Brazilian church. Many of their ministries areflourishing, and the people involved are allowing theirhearts to be touched by God.

30 Summer 2004

Steve ’89 andSherri HannayGerhardt ’88reside in Lansing,Michigan, whereSteve continues toenjoy being astay-at-home dadand Sherri is a

physician’s assistant in a neonatal intensive care unit.They enjoy their three boys, Daniel (8), Ryan (7), andJoshua (4).Pam Conrad Gould ’89 and her husband, David,announce the birth of Kenton Raymond on March 1,2003. Kenton joins his siblings, Kaitlyn (11), Kyle (11),and Kurtis (4), at home in Pickerington, Ohio.

John Krueger ’89and his wife,Ginny, announcethe birth ofReagan Danielleon January 3,2004. She waswelcomed homeby her sister,

Jordan (7), and brother, Ethan (2), in Austin, Texas. Johnis a public affairs consultant to SBC Texas, and Ginny isthe CEO of Alliance Association Management. They areactive members of Lake Hills Church.Cathy Anderson Little ’89 is touring and recordingwith the music group Mosaic as their primary acousticguitarist. The group currently has a CD and is due torelease another in the fall of 2004. This will include asong that Cathy wrote, as well as Cathy on backgroundvocals and guitar. For more information, or to order aCD, visit http://www.beyondmeproductions.com/aboutmosaic3.html. Cathy and her husband, Tom, live inMarietta, Georgia and are both actively involved on theworship team at The Marietta Vineyard Church.

90sAndy ’90 and MeredithClements Bidlen ’92announce the birth of MacyAnne on February 9, 2003.She was welcomed home byher siblings, Andrew (9),Mallory (6), and Audra (3),in North Royalton, Ohio.

Dawn SmithMonzon ’90received hermaster ofelementaryeducation degreeon December 15,2003 from theUniversity of

Alabama. She is now pursuing another master’s degree inthe area of educational leadership. Dawn and herhusband, Juan, are missionaries in Paraguay, SouthAmerica, and have three children, Wesley (10), Ashley (9), and Jessica (6).Kelly Fath ’91 continues to prepare for his departureto Romania this fall. He is thankful for the way the Lord has blessed him during his time of deputation. He thoroughly enjoyed his extended academic teachingexperience at the Church Ministries Institute in Ukrainelast year. Mendy Bradds Holtz ’92 received the GreeneviewHigh School (Ohio) Golden Apple Award for April 2004. A health and physical education teacher at Greeneview,Mendy was nominated for her positive attitude, caringconcern, and desire to make her classes interesting. She is also active as the junior class advisor and the 7th grade volleyball coach. Mendy resides in Xenia, Ohio.

Laura FarnsworthMcQuaid ’92 and herhusband, Shawn, announcethe birth of Erin Kate onMay 21, 2003. She joinsbig brother Cole (3) athome in Cross Junction,Virginia. Shawn is acorrections officer, andLaura enjoys staying homewith the kids and workingper diem as a labor anddelivery nurse and childbirth instructor.Matt Gilson ’93 and his wife, Jennifer, announce thebirth of Benjamin Matthew. He was born October 6, 2003and joins his sister, Rachel, at home in Loveland, Ohio.Karla Warnken Himka ’93 and herhusband, John, announcethe birth of Leah Marie onNovember 20, 2003. Big brothers Ethan (6) andStephen (3) awaited herarrival in Factoryville,Pennsylvania.Paul McGrady ’93 isnow a digital brandspartner at Ladas & Parry inChicago, Illinois.Susan Lancaster Stollings ’93 and her husband,Charles, announce the birth of Stephanie Marie on June 25, 2003. She joins her brother, Andrew (3), athome in Spencer, Ohio.

Todd ’94 and KariBeres Carter ’96announce the birth ofCamden Beres on April 16,2003. He joins his brother,Colin Todd (3), in Troy,Ohio. Todd is the seniormedia producer atGinghamsburg Church inTipp City, and Kari tutorsJapanese students whilealso being a mom.

Brian ’94 and Traci EmesGood ’95 announce the birth of Bryn Renee on February 24,2004. Big brother Brycewelcomed her home in Cincinnati, Ohio.Sena LundNunley ’94and her

husband, Tim, announce the birth of Janae Joy. She was born September 14, 2002 and joins herbrothers, Braden (2) and Bradley (1), in Palmer, Alaska.

Joe Slavens ’94and his wife, Broni,were marriedDecember 20,2003. Joe is aresidence directorwith MultnomahBible College inPortland, Oregon.

Michael Wittmer ’89has written a new bookcelebrating the Christianworldview. Heaven is a Placeon Earth: Why EverythingYou Do Matters to Godexplains how the biblicalstory of creation, the fall,and redemption liberatesordinary believers to thrivein their everyday lives.

Mike explained, “Many Christians mistakenly believethat this world is not their home, this life is not whatreally matters, and only spiritual things last forever.Unfortunately, these pious beliefs have more in commonwith the pagan thought of Plato than with the ChristianScriptures.”

He continued, “Jesus Christ did not come to thisplanet to turn us into angels who would live forever inheaven, but to free us to flourish in every aspect of ourhuman existence. Whether you’re playing ball, fixingdinner, going to work, or watching a movie, it allmatters. This book will show you how.”

Published by Zondervan, the book was released inApril 2004. Complete with discussion questions and casestudies, it’s excellent for small groups.

“While I did not write this with Rick Warren’s book inmind, I think that my book could be considered a sequelto The Purpose-Driven Life,” Mike noted. “Warren’s bookaddresses the meaning of the Christian life; mineexplores the broader meaning of our human lives —the value of the many normal things we do — notbecause we are Christian, but primarily because we arehuman. So I am hoping that many readers who enjoyedWarren’s book will move on to mine, where they willlearn even more about the purpose of their lives.”

Mike serves as associate professor of systematic andhistorical theology at Grand Rapids Theological Seminaryin Michigan. He and his wife, Julie, have three children:Avery (5), Landon (3), and Alayna (1).

For more information about Mike’s book, visit hisWeb site at www.heavenisaplaceonearth.com. You maycontact Mike at mwittmer@cornerstone.edu or call him at 616-874-1496.

Heaven is A Place on Earth

Inspire 31

Tim Woodward ’94and his wife, Laura,announce the birth ofTirzah Joy on January 23, 2003. Shejoins her three brothers,Titus (6), Abraham (4),and Jaden (2), in Terre

Haute, Indiana. Tim is an engineer, and Laura home-schools the children.Brad ’95 and Jill AumsbaughGraham ’96 announcethe birth of Carson Warneron June 24, 2003. Theylive in Columbus, Ohio,where Brad is aninvestment advisor for AGEdwards and Sons, and Jillstays home with Carson.

Stephanie Kirchoff Hirth ’95 and herhusband, Aaron,announce the birth ofAbbigail Jean onDecember 5, 2003. Her brother, Drue (2),welcomed Abbie home inHouston, Texas. Aaron is

a mechanical HVAC sales/project manager, and Stephanieis a stay-at-home mom.

Keith ’95 andDebbie PerkinsHurt ’94announce the birthof Sydney Noelle onJanuary 21, 2004.Big sisters Anna (4)and Emily (2)awaited her arrival

in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. Keith works with adults withdisabilities, and Debbie stays at home with the girls. Theyare both involved with the junior high youth group attheir church.Craig ’95 and StaceyWires Klotzbach ’95announce the birth ofBrycen Paul. He was bornApril 25, 2003 and joinshis siblings, Kaylie (4) andCarter (3), at home inBristolville, Ohio. Craig is abiology teacher, and Staceystays home with thechildren.

Jeff ’95 and Kendra KrickMiller ’99 announce the birthof Regan Paige on October 2,2003. She joins her sisters,Devon (2) and Samantha (1),at home in McKinney, Texas.

Tom ’95 and Ruth HamiltonPalmer ’95 announce the birth ofJenna Marie on October 7, 2003. Hersister, Mackenzie, awaited her arrivalin Ft. Wayne, Indiana. Tom received his

master’s degree from Indiana Wesleyan University inApril 2004. He works at International Trucks. Ruth staysat home with the girls.

Aaron Stark ’95 andChristina Baley ’97 weremarried August 30, 2003 inErie, Pennsylvania. Aaronreceived his master’s degreefrom the University of NewHampshire and is anelectrical engineer for BAESystems. Before they weremarried, Christina taughthistory at a Christian school

in Newport News, Virginia. Currently, they reside inNashua, New Hampshire and are involved in their localchurch.Jim ’96 and Karen Ware Blumenstock ’96 startedtheir first term of missionary service in Singapore withthe Association of Baptists for World Evangelism inJanuary 2004. In conjunction with Grand RapidsSeminary and Asia Baptist Theological Seminary, Jim willprovide graduate level education for church leadersthroughout Asia. Karen will be helping in the office asthe staff directs the program’s financial matters,maintains student records, and orders textbooks. Theywill be working with Bob ’59 and Esther StutesmanHowder ’62 and Norm ’67 and Louise StutesmanBarnard ’67.

Seth ’96 and JudyVolante Johnson ’96reside in Manchester,Connecticut, where Seth isthe pastor at Faith BaptistChurch. They have fourchildren, Corbin, Lucas,Riley, and Gabriel.

LaRae Martin ’96 andBruce Keyes were marriedin August 2003 and residein Colorado Springs,Colorado. LaRae has beenan event planner for fouryears, and Bruce is acontractor specializing inhome renovations.Jeff ’96 and TiffanyTrimble Nelson ’95 areamazed at how Godcontinues to bless their family and ministry in RioBranco, Brazil. Their ministry with street children hasgrown tremendously, and they are thankful for the statefunding which has provided salaries for staff members. Monty ’96 and MelanieFraley Orcutt ’96announce the births oftheir two children.Mackenzie (Mac) Davidwas born June 22, 2002,and Makenna Autumn wasborn November 23, 2003.Monty works for a roofingcontractor in sales, andMelanie is a stay-at-homemom after teaching for sixyears. They reside in Waynesville, Ohio.

Joanna Snowden Gage ’97 and her husband, Eric,announce the birth of Alexa Grace on December 29,2003. They reside in Waynesville, Ohio.

Daniel ’97 andRebeccaKniowskiGraham ’99announce thebirth of JulianaEmilie onSeptember 11,2003. Big

brothers Benjamin (3) and Josiah (2) awaited her arrivalin Cato, New York. Daniel is a product engineer atSyroco.Sarah Holesovsky ’97 took a two-week vision trip toAsia in February 2004. She visited Myanmar andThailand to see if there were any ministry needs shecould fulfill there once her deputation is complete.

Melissa Sprankle Rice ’97 and herhusband, Daniel, announcethe birth of Jayden Daniel,born on October 13, 2003.The Rice family resides inEphrata, Pennsylvania.

Megan McMacken Rock ’97 and her husband,John, announce the birth ofSela Joy on February 15,2004. John graduated witha biblical studies degreefrom Rochester College inDecember 2003. He andMegan are serving asvolunteers providingpastoral care and Sundaymorning worship services tonursing home residents through a new ministry. They reside in Armada, Michigan.

Renee TuinstraTrexler ’97 andher husband,Mike, announcethe birth ofHannah Ruth onDecember 10,2003. She joinsher brother,

Nathaniel (2), at home in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Theymoved to Michigan in July 2003, when Mike separatedfrom the Air Force and took a job as a hospitalist atBorgess Hospital. Renee enjoys staying home with thechildren.

Brian ’97 and LauraRefior White ’98announce the birth of KarisMarie on January 17, 2003.They reside in Chesapeake,Virginia, where Brian is anassistant principal anddirector of discipleship for

32 Summer 2004

Greenbrier Christian Academy. Laura recently left herteaching position to be home with Karis.Julie Wires Clark ’98and her husband, Matthew,announce the birth ofBraden Michael on January 8, 2003. Madison (2) awaited hisarrival. Matthew is anelectrical engineer at Delphiin Warren, Ohio, and Juliestays home with thechildren.Greg ’98 and GinaHutley Dyson ’98 serve as the executive directors forthe Lion’s Den Youth Outreach Center in Springfield,Massachusetts. The center is designed to meet the needsof those who would never walk into a church. It givesthem a safe place to hang out, eat, talk, and see thatsomeone cares.

Dusty ’98 and MeganStevens Hill ’98 havethree children: Macy (5),Austin (3), and Cade (9months). They are excitedto announce Dusty’sposition as an All-Stateinsurance agent inCoshocton, Ohio. Megan iscoaching varsity track atRiver View High School inWarsaw, Ohio.Carla Salvaggio ’98 andMark Hillis were marriedJuly 19, 2003 in Norfolk,Virginia. Carla has taughtsix years at GreenbrierChristian Academy and hasalso coached basketball andvolleyball. Mark currentlyteaches 11th grade Bibledoctrines and business at

Greenbrier and also coaches girls’ soccer. They reside inVirginia Beach, Virginia.Jamie Weiss ’98and Art Gabbardwere marriedAugust 7, 2003.They were recentlytransferred toGermany with theArmy. Art is servingin Iraq, and Jamie is keeping busy with church groupsand Army ministries.

BJ Bechtel ’99 andShanna Niezwaag weremarried May 15, 2004. BJ is the center manager atthe Inner City Impactorganization in Chicago,Illinois.

Erin French ’99 and Rodney Hyatt were married June 7, 2003 in Duck, North Carolina. Erin is a softwarebuyer for Circuit City Corporation, and Rodney is aregional project manager with Ace Hardware. They residein Midlothian, Virginia.

Greg ’99 and TrishaJohnson Larson ’99announce the birth of EliseCatherine on November 15,2003. She joins her sister,Maryn (2), in Rockford,Michigan, and they attendWest Cannon BaptistChurch.

Ben Peterson ’99 andhis wife, Tracy, announcethe birth of Abigail Suzanneon July 20, 2003. Ben is amarketing consultant forVantagePoint, and Tracystays busy at home withAbby. They are members ofSouthside Fellowship andenjoy spending time withmany other Cedarvillealums in Greenville, SouthCarolina.

Raymond“Lee”Reinhard ’99and his wife,Courtney,announce thebirth of GarrettLee on January 17,

2002. He joins his brothers, Andrew and Tyler, at homein DeGraff, Ohio.Erin Stuenzi Runkles ’99 and herhusband, Heath, announcethe birth of Ethan James onOctober 21, 2003. Theyreside in Mount Airy,Maryland.

Allison JusticeThompson ’99 andher husband, Chris,announce the birth ofAngelina Renee onMay 16, 2003. Chrisis a locomotivemechanic and is goingback to school to

study nursing. The Thompsons reside in Clarkville,Tennessee and are expecting another baby in August.

Bill Woods ’99 andMolly Rexford ’01were married November 22, 2003 at The Homestead Resort inHot Springs, Virginia. They reside in Ligonier,Pennsylvania, where theyboth work at MapleMountain Industries.

2000sKyle ’00 and Heather Tyson Kickbusch ’00celebrated their one-year anniversary on May 24, 2004.They reside in Sylvania, Ohio.

Jason Overturf '00and Clairice “Reese”Erdner were marriedSeptember 21,2002 at GreenwoodBaptist Church inThomasville, NorthCarolina. Several

Cedarville alumni and staff participated in and attendedthe wedding. After a two-week honeymoon featuringstays in Orlando, Savannah, and Charleston, the couplereturned to their home in Morrisville, North Carolina,near Raleigh-Durham. Jason is an account representativefor a worldwide supply-chain company, and Reese is aparaplanner/broker's assistant for a financial planningfirm.

Teresa Burchfield ’01 andJason May were marriedMarch 1, 2003. Teresa isa neonatal nurse, andJason is pursuing aphysician’s assistantdegree. They reside inSpring Lake, Michigan.

Rachelle Denton ’01 andAaron Anderson were marriedJuly 26, 2003 in Dover, Florida.Rachelle works at ProgressiveInsurance, and Aaron isfinishing up his master’s degreein mathematics at theUniversity of South Florida.They reside in Brandon, Florida.

On National Teachers’ Day (May 4, 2004), Wal-Martnamed Suzy Bosworth Stoll ’01 the Wal-MartTeacher of the Year for the Beavercreek, Ohio area. Suzywas nominated for the award by one of her students atMad River Middle School, where she teaches math, socialstudies, and reading. Suzy received a $1,000 grant forher classroom and is now eligible for the state-level Wal-Mart Teacher of the Year Award.

Suzy resides in Dayton with her husband, Josh. Shemay be reached at sstoll@madriver.k12.oh.us.

Alumna Named LocalTeacher of the Year

Dan Dodds, principal of Mad River Middle School, SuzyBosworth Stoll ’01, and Dwight Smith, general manager of

the Beavercreek Wal-Mart

Inspire 33

Joel ’01 andCarla ClevengerShank ’01announce thebirth of Ally Jo onJanuary 11,2004. They residein Dallas, Texas,where Joel is

attending Dallas Theological Seminary and Carla is apart-time preschool teacher.Brian ’01 and CodiEdgington Strong ’01announce the birth ofLogan David on October 10, 2003. Brianis an actuary for ConsecoInsurance, and Codi staysat home in Indianapolis,Indiana.

Ken Mansfield ’02 andSherri DeWitt ’01 weremarried September 28,2002 in Maine. Theyreside in Finger Lakes,New York.

Matthew Peeler ’02 andSarah Daniels ’03were married June 7,2003 at FellowshipBaptist Church inMount Laurel, NewJersey. Matt works ininformation

technology for GE TIP/ModSpace, and Sarah works inhuman resources for Tyco, International. They reside inCollegeville, Pennsylvania.

Steve Zarrilli ’02 andhis wife, Katie, weremarried September 20,2003. Steve is the middleschool pastor at WoodsideBible Church in Troy,Michigan. He is currently ingraduate school atMichigan TheologicalSeminary and is workingtowards his master ofdivinity degree.Ben Borich ’03 andSarah Bartlett ’02 weremarried January 3, 2004at First Presbyterian Churchin Yellow Springs, Ohio.They enjoyed a honeymoonin Jamaica and have madetheir home in Columbus,Ohio. Ben is a personalbanker, and Sarah is awriter.

Jeffery Ganong ’03and Jewel Alley ’02were married August 30,2003 in Lisbon Falls,Maine. Jeff is anelectrician apprentice atBath Iron Works and isassistant coach at LisbonFalls Christian Academy.Jewel is a registered nurseworking on the cardiacfloor at Maine MedicalCenter. They reside in Lisbon Falls.

Bryan Overturf '03 andEmily Steelman weremarried on May 24, 2003at Benham's Grove inDayton, Ohio. NumerousCedarville alumni presidedover, participated in, andattended the wedding.After a honeymoon cruisein the Caribbean, thecouple returned to theirhome in Dayton. Bryan is a

sales representative for a local automotive firm, andEmily is a senior at the University of Dayton and acustomer service representative for a photographic firm.

Daniel Overturf '03 andJennifer Ashley House '03 were marriedon June 28, 2003 at West Chester PresbyterianChurch in West Chester,Ohio. Several Cedarvillealumni participated in andattended the wedding.After a honeymoon visit toChicago, the couplereturned to their home in

Dayton. Daniel is a customer service representative for alocal bank, and Jennifer is office manager for a localbenefits broker.

In Memory OfWalter Linton ’35 went home to be with the Lord onFebruary 23, 2004. We extend our deepest sympathy tohis family.Harry Sinks ’38 has gone home to be with the Lord.We offer our condolences to his wife, Harriet.Matilda Blanton Anderson ’54 went home to bewith the Lord on April 18, 2003. We extend our deepestsympathy to her family.James Shaw ’55 went home to be with the Lord onMay 19, 2003 in Cherry Hill, North Carolina. For the past35 years, he had been the director of internationalChristian relief for the International Council of ChristianChurches and enjoyed great blessings in thishumanitarian relief work. We extend our condolences tohis family.Ray Reiner ’59 went home to be with the Lord inMarch 2004 following a struggle with Lou Gehrig’sDisease. We extend our condolences to his wife, Jan(Van Horn) ’66, and sons Dan ’95 and Jeff ’96.Ray and Jan had been serving as missionaries in Brazil.Tammy Storm Edwards ’88 graduated to glory onMay 31, 2004 following a short battle with cancer. Our sympathy goes out to her family, including her

husband, Dan ’85; four children; her parents, Gary ’77and Nancy; her sister, Wendy Storm Pearson ’90 andfamily; and the Scioto Hills Camp and Retreat Centerwhere she invested so much of her heart. Memorial giftsmay be sent to the Tammy Edwards Memorial Fund, c/oScioto Hills Camp, 1009 Martin Road, Wheelersburg, OH45694.

Working at the Olympicshas become somewhat “oldhat” for Kara Syversen ’03.In August she will travel toAthens, Greece, to work at the2004 Summer Olympics. Thiswill be the third time theformer global economics andinternational business majorhas served Sports Illustrated(SI) as an Olympic guide. “I will be doing pretty much thesame thing I did in Sydney, Australia (September 2000)and Salt Lake City, Utah (February 2002),” she explained.“I’m so excited to once again have this opportunity!”

At the previous Olympics, the Des Moines, Iowa nativehelped coordinate the arrivals and departures of thecorporate buses and escorted SI’s guests from companiessuch as Heineken, Best Buy, and MTV International toevents. In doing so, she found herself interacting withcelebrities such as Olympic figure skating medalist OksanaBaiul, Olympic gold medalist skier Tommy Moe, RichardSchiff, who plays “Toby” on NBC’s “The West Wing,” andTom Cavanagh, who played the title role on NBC’s “Ed.”

As with the Games in Sydney, SI has chartered a cruiseship that all of the staff and guests will live on for theduration of the Olympics. The vessel will be dockedoutside of Athens and will be a little more mobile than theship used in Australia. “There will be a cruise on the frontand back end of the Olympics (Venice to Athens andAthens to Venice),” Kara noted. Tough job, but somebody’sgot to do it.

Kara is currently living in New York City as she seeksfull-time employment. “It’s my desire to one day do eventplanning in the entertainment industry,” she noted, “soNew York City seems like a good place to start.” She alsohas a desire to make an impact for Christ in her vocation.“I love being able to integrate my faith into practical,everyday business situations,” she said. “This world is adark place. We need to be faithful in small things andstrive to take advantage of every opportunity to let ourlight shine.”

To contact Kara, e-mail her at kara@syversen.net.

Working at the Olympics

Maureen Salladay, former nursingfaculty member, went home to bewith the Lord March 5, 2004, after abattle with pancreatic cancer. At thetime of her death, she was servingwith InterVarsity Nurses ChristianFellowship in Cleveland, Ohio. Our sympathies go out to Maureen’s family and friends.

Former Nursing FacultyMember Graduates to Glory

34 Summer 2004

Singing for the PresidentThe May 6 National Day

of Prayer found Beth CramPorter, assistant professor ofvoice, singing for thePresident of the UnitedStates and 200 of his invitedguests. For this privateceremony in the East Roomof the White House, Bethsang “Balm in Gilead” at theWhite House’s request. Shedescribed it as a “wonderful,yet very surreal experience.”

“My prayer in the daysprior to May 6 was thatGod, and not Beth Cram Porter would be heard,”Beth remarked. “… The song I sang … speaks thegospel message very clearly: ‘If you cannot preach likePeter, if you cannot pray like Paul, you can tell the loveof Jesus, and say He died for all. ... He died for me,He died for you.’”

Beth is an accomplished soprano soloist with adistinguished career on the stage. Her many toursabroad have included a tour of southern France withthe Robert Shaw Festival Singers, in which she was asoloist. She has been teaching studio voice atCedarville since 1997 and also directs the CedarvilleUniversity Women’s Choir.

Video of the White House’s National Day of Prayerceremony can be viewed by going towww.whitehouse.gov, clicking on “Current News,” andthen clicking on the Video icon for the May 6“President Bush Marks 53rd Anniversary of NationalDay of Prayer.”

Contact alumni relations at alumni@cedarville.edu,

1-800-837-2566, or 251 N. Main St.

Cedarville OH 45314.

Share Your Newsand Updates Help Wanted at

Cedarville UniversityHVAC TECHNICIAN needed! Candidate must have

EPA universal certification and at least five years

experience in trade. HVAC trade school certificate

required. Energy management experience helpful.

If interested, call the Cedarville University

Human Resources Office at 937-766-4124.

Every year, our Cedarville representatives spendcountless hours on the road promoting Cedarville atcollege fairs and school visits. It is always a blessing forrepresentatives to relax for the evening in the home of aCU alum. Your hospitality is a tremendous ministry tothe University with an added bonus of a new CedarvilleT-shirt as a thank-you!

If you are interested in housing Cedarvillerepresentatives while they are on the road, please call 1-877-CEDARVILLE (233-2784) or e-mail us atextrel@cedarville.edu. We will keep your information onfile and contact you in advance if we have arepresentative in your area in need of housing.

May We See You on the Road?

Over the course of the next year we plan to runstories on the following topics:

AdoptionCaring for Elderly ParentsMid-Life Career Changes

If you have a story you’d like to share or know ofsomeone you think we should contact, please let usknow by e-mailing alumni@cedarville.edu orcalling 1-800-837-2566. You may also submit astory or story idea by mailing it to:

Cedarville University Alumni Relations

Attn: Inspire251 N. Main St.

Cedarville, OH 45314

Tell Us Your Story

Class of ’04 Hits The Job Market!!

An exciting future awaits our 2004 graduates! Thisdynamic group of students will enter various top-levelpositions and graduate school programs across the country inthe coming months. It is the privilege of the career servicesoffice to play a vital role in helping these students as theyanticipate the next step in God’s plan for their lives.

Networking with our alumni has been of great value as weendeavor to help our students impact their world for Christ.Alumni play a crucial role in helping current students locateopportunities and reach their career goals. CareerNet is anetwork of parents, alumni, and friends of the University whopartner with us to help students. If you are willing to call injob opportunities, influence your company to attend CareerLink recruiting events, encourage internships with yourcompany, or act as a general “career link” to your region,register online at www.cedarville.edu/home/cs/cr/cscr02c.cfmto become part of our CareerNet.

Career Services OfficeContact Lew Gibbs

gibbsl@cedarville.edu

100% Alumni participation

That’s our goal for this year. Dr. Brown has laid downthe challenge for the alumni family. Organizations likeU.S. News & World Report measure alumni loyalty byhow many give a gift to their alma mater annually. Is this the best measure? Not by a long shot. We knowour alums are “backing the Jackets” in manyimmeasurable ways. But we want our alumni to berecognized for that, so we challenge you to show yourtrue colors — blue and gold — and stand withCedarville. As an alum, you are an integral part of ourfamily, and we need your help in advancing the ’Ville.

Many are showing their loyalty, backing the Jacketsall the way! Your gift will help make a serious dent inthat 100% alumni participation goal. Remember, the sizeof your gift does not matter to us; the gesture does.

If you have any questions about how you can getinvolved, please call us at 1-800-766-1115 or visitwww.cedarville.edu/bridgethegap.

Annual Fund OfficeContact Jeff Brock ’84brockj@cedarville.edu

A Charitable Solutionfor A Secure Retirement

Karen taught high school students for 25 years. Throughouther career, she found that her abilities were tremendouslyenhanced by the education she had received at CedarvilleUniversity. Like many alumni, Karen decided one day that shewanted to give something back to her alma mater.

After consulting with Dave Bartlett and Kim Botta Longo ’02 in the office of gift planning, Karen decided that adeferred gift annuity was the perfect gift vehicle to suit herneeds. This option allows her to make a gift, receive acharitable income tax deduction, and create secure income forretirement all at the same time.

A deferred gift annuity is a simple contract between adonor and Cedarville University. The donor makes a gift toCedarville, and in return the University agrees to pay a fixedincome to the donor for life beginning at a predetermined age,usually 65. The donor also receives a charitable income taxdeduction. The payment rate is determined by the donor’s ageat the time the gift is made and the age at which the donorwishes to begin receiving the income. Because the income isdeferred, a higher rate of return can be paid out, makingcharitable deferred gift annuities a great way to prepare forretirement.

If you are like Karen and want to increase your retirementincome by helping Cedarville, please contact the office of giftplanning.

Gift Planning OfficeContact Dave Bartlett or Kim Botta Longo ’02

giftplanning@cedarville.edu

Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDPermit No. 6871Columbus, OH

251 N. Main StreetCedarville, OH 45314

The StuffDreamsare Made Of

October 1 & 2

Homecoming 2 0 0 4

October 1 & 2 are the dates forHomecoming 2004, “The StuffDreams Are Made Of.” What were

your dreams when you were at the ’Ville? Howhas God fulfilled or changed them since you’vebeen gone? Wherever your dreams have takenyou, we hope you’ll save the date and plan toreturn to campus for all the Homecoming

festivities. Plus, Homecoming is always a greattime to renew friendships and see what’schanged at your alma mater. Reunions arebeing planned for those classes ending in a “4”or a “9.” Watch your mail for more details orcheck the Homecoming 2004 Web site onlineat www.cedarville.edu/alumni.