the experience magazine - fall 2007
DESCRIPTION
Mysteries Made Known.TRANSCRIPT
THE EXPERIENCEThe magazine of Warner Pacific College Fall 2007
Mysteries Made Known
EDITOR / PHOTOGRAPHER / DESIGNERSCOTT A. [email protected]
CONTRIBUTING WRITERSJAY A. BARBER, JR. ’64JESS BIELMAN ’00SAM HOOKER ’45SUSANNA LUNDGRENDR. LOU FOLTZDR. DENNIS PLIES
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERSDEREK BRADFORD ’90TROY HUTCHINSON
“The Experience” is produced three times a year by Warner Pacific College for its alumni and con-stituents. Opinions expressed are those of individual authors and do not necessarily reflect official policies of Warner Pacific College. Contact us at [email protected] or write to The Experience, Warner Pacific College, 2219 SE 68th Ave., Portland, OR, 97215.
Warner Pacific is an urban, Christ-centered liberal arts college dedicated to providing students from diverse backgrounds an education that prepares them for the spiritual, moral, social, vocational, and technological challenges of the 21st Century. WPC is affiliated with the Church of God, Anderson, Ind.
PRESIDENTJAY A. BARBER, JR. ’[email protected]
VICE PRESIDENT FOR INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENTANDREA COOK, [email protected]
DIRECTOR OF MARKETINGAND COLLEGE RELATIONSKATY [email protected]
Warner Pacific College2219 SE 68th AvePortland, OR 97215503-517-1000www.warnerpacific.edu
©2007 Warner Pacific College All rights reserved.
FROM THE PRESIDENT
Cover art: Untitled painting by Heather Hopfer ’02. Photographed by Scott A. Thompson.
Jay A. Barber, Jr. ‘64President
Ifyouarelikeme,youwonderaboutmanythingsthatarehap-peninginourworldtoday.Howmanytimeshaveyouutteredtherhetoricalquestion,“What’stheworldcomingto?”
At Warner Pacific we encourage our students to grapplewiththatveryquestion,towrestlewithunanswerablequestions.
Butweissuethischallengewithintheclearcontext of being a Christ-centered liberalartscollege.Ourtagline,“MysteriesMadeKnown,”fromtheApostlePaul’slettertothebelieversinEphesus,remindsusthat,inChrist,wehavethesourceofallknowl-edgeandaswefocusonHimandputourfaithand trust inHim,“allwillbemadeknown.”
Jesusassuredhisdisciples,andallofusaswegrapplewiththequestionsoflife,whenhesaid,“Ihavetoldyouthesethings,sothatinmeyoumayhavepeace.Inthisworldyouwill have trouble. But take heart! I haveovercometheworld”(John16:33).
IamhonoredtoserveatWarnerPacificCollege.TherankingofthecollegebyU.S.
News & World Reportasoneofthetopelevenbaccalaureateinstitu-tionsintheWestisrecognitionofthecollege’sgrowingreputation.Ibelievesomeofthereasonsforthisincludetheoutstandingshowingofourethicsdebate team;our strong, character-drivenAthleticsprogram;ourFirstYearExperienceandMentoringProgram;newadmissionsandmarketingmaterialsalongwithacrispnewWPlogo; financial stability and strength; our dynamic and growingAdult Degree Program; and the impressive accomplishments ofouralumni.
Warner Pacific is moving forward, and students are attractedtoaschoolthatcanofferanexcellenteducation,alongwiththoseintangiblequalitiesthatareevidenceofChristworkingamongus.Maywealwayskeepsightofthat.
Blessings,
PresidentJayA.Barber,Jr.
Remembering the source of all knowledge
2 From the President
4 Campus News
12 Class Notes
17 In Memoriam
DEPARTMENTS
THE EXPERIENCEFall 2007
FEATURES
8 MISSION TO MYANMAR A six-member team from Warner Pacific teaches at a conference for the Myanmar Church of God.
9 MINDFUL LEARNING In a lecture series on learning and the brain, Dr. Lou Foltz and Dr. Dennis Plies share how learning happens best when emotions are considered first.
11 MYSTERIES MADE KNOWN (yes and no) Reflections on faith, paradox, and an unfathomable God BY JESS BIELMAN ’00. 13 THEATRE’S CHAMPION Lyla (Loehr) White ’63 helped the historic Pasadena Playhouse return to greatness as its Executive Director.
14 HIGH TECH CEO From military satellites to touch screen navigational systems, business leader Dean Senner ’79 has managed cutting-edge projects in Silicon Valley.
19 ANGELS BY THE DOZEN A retired minister recalls a cross-country road trip in his beloved Model A Ford and the saving grace he discovered along the way. BY SAM HOOKER ’45
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COLLEGE NEWS
Warner Pacific’s booming AdultDegreeProgramisgettingsomesorelyneededelbowroom.ADP
hasreachedanagreementwithKing’sWayHighSchool-nextdoortoVancouverFirstChurchofGodinVancouver,Wash.-andPortlandFirstChurchoftheNazareneinWestPortland,touseclassroomspaceforADPcourses.With440studentsregisteredasofSeptember30,ADPenrollmenthasmorethandoubledinthelastyear,anditsmaincampusatSE98thandDivision,inPortland,isnearingcapacity.
“The growth has exceeded our fore-casts,”saidADPDirectorofEnrollmentStephenPrisby.“We’reservingamarketof adults who are busy - most workingfull-time-andwhowanttogotoschoolinanenvironmentthatisabitdifferentthanwhatthey’veseeninourmarket.”
Initially, ADP will offer an associate’sdegree inOrganizational Dynamics andbaccalaureate degrees in Business Ad-ministration and Human Developmentatitstwosatellitecampuses,followedbythe master’s degree in Management andOrganizationalLeadershipinearly2008.
Withsignificantcompetitionintheadultdegree industry, ADP’s Dean, Dr. ToniPauls,attributesWarnerPacific’ssuccesstoitsextensivecustomerservicefromthedaystudentswalkinthedoortothemomenttheywalkacrossthestageatgraduation.
“Youhavea lotofadultstudentswhohavebeenoutoftheclassroomfortenor
fifteenyearsandwhoare terrified togothroughthatprocess,”saidPauls.“Sothecare that our enrollment, academic andfinancialaidcounselorsofferisreallythepiecethatkeepsourenrollmentgrowing.We walk them through everything theyneedtodo.”
The Adult Degree Program beganin 1989 as the The Degree CompletionProgram.Thenamechangecameinlate2004, along with the opening of ADP’sEastPortlandheadquarters.
The Experience4
WarnerPacificCollegeearnedthe#11spot among Western Region Bac-
calaureateCollegesinthe2008editionof“America’sBestColleges”byU.S.News & World Report,oneofthenation’sleadingsources of service journalism and news.This is thefirst timeWarnerPacifichasmadetheU.S Newsrankings.
U.S. News groups schools based oncategoriescreatedbytheCarnegieFoun-dationfortheAdvancementofTeaching.WPfairedwellinaregioncomprisedof15 western states, including OklahomaandTexas.
“Wearethrilledwithourrankingandwefeelitisagoodreflectionofthequal-ity of education we offer, including ourhumanities core curriculum,” said WPPresidentJay Barber ’64.
U.S. News providedWarnerPacificwitha70-pagesurveyof614questions,askingfor a broad range of information, fromdegreesofferedtotheaccomplishmentsofalumni.SocialScienceprofessorDr.JohnFaziocompletedthesurveyonbehalfofthecollege.
“What I found interesting was theirinterest in the majors and our alumni -wheretheygotograduateschool,wheretheyare currentlyworking,” saidFazio.“Ienjoyedtheopportunitytobragalittlebitaboutwhereourgraduateshavegonefor furthereducationandwhere they’vebeenhired.”
Acompletesummaryofthemethodol-ogyU.S.News & World Reportusedtorankschoolsisavailableonlineatwww.usnews.com/colleges.
Warner Pacific ranks 11th among top baccalaureate colleges in the West
Otto F. Linn Library will have access to 27.8 million volumes from other Northwest schools.
WarnerPacificreceiveda$231,000grant from the M. J. MurdockCharitableTrustthissummerto
supportitsparticipationintheOrbisCas-cadeAlliance,a library-resourceorgani-zation that shares access to 27.8 millionitemsbetween35memberinstitutionsin
Oregon and Washington, includ-ingallmajorpublicuniversityli-braries.Currently,WarnerPacif-
icisamemberofaconsortiumof eight private collegelibraries with a collectivevolumecountof500,000.
With the Orbis system,students and college em-
ployeeswillbeable torequestbooksfrommemberinsitutions
directlyonline throughanauto-matedprocess.“Orbis Cascade Alliance was a
grassroots effort that the libraries orga-nizedthemselves,”saidWPLibraryDi-rectorSueKopp.“LibrariesintheNorth-westliketohelpeachother.Orbisisverywell-organized.”
Thegrantwillspecificallysupportthepurchase of necessary software, the costoftransferringcurrentdataintothenewsystem,andmembershipdues.
Murdock grant multiplies online library offerings In addition to its main campus in East Portland, ADP now offers
classroom space in Vancouver, Wash. and SW Portland.
Photo by Nathan Allw
orth
Adult Degree Program opens new sites
King’s Way High School, next door to Vancouver First Church of God, in Vancouver, Wash., is one of two new classroom sites for WP’s Adult Degree Program.
Fall 2007 5
Renowned author, preacher Dr. James Earl Massey to speak Nov. 13-15
One of the Church of God’s mostheralded authors and preachers,Dr.JamesEarlMassey,willvisit
campusNovember13-15.HewillspeakinMcGuireAuditoriumduringregularcom-munitychapelsonNovember13and15at10:30a.m.,andataspecialeveningserviceonNovember14 at 7 p.m.A luncheonforallpastorswill be heldimmediatelyfollowing theNovember13chapel, and areception forthe generalpubl ic wi l lf o l l o w t h eWednesdayevening talk.Severaleventswillalsorevolvearoundhisvisit.
Dr. Massey spent his career in min-istry. He was a senior Church of God(Anderson,Ind.)pastorinDetroit,Mich.,amissionarytoJamaica,andthevoiceofthe Christian Brotherhood Hour radioprogram, the Church of God’s interna-tionalradioministry.
Dr.MasseyalsoservedasDeanandPro-fessorofBiblicalStudiesandPreachingatAndersonSeminary.Hismanybooksin-clude“TheResponsiblePulpit”and“TheBurdensomeJoyofPreaching.”
Fun in the sun at WarnerpaloozaApristineSaturdayafternoonwasthebackdropforWarnerPacific’ssecondannualsummerparty,Warnerpalooza,heldoncampusSeptember8.Guestsenjoyedthesoundsofuptempogospelmusic,smoothjazz,burgerssizzlingonthegrill,andplentyoflaughteramongthemanycarnivalgames.
Warnerpaloozabeganlastyearasawaytolaunchthecollege’snewlogoandmarketingidentity.Thisyear,theeventcelebratedWarnerPacific’srankingasthe11thbestbacalaureatecollegeintheWest,completewithnewblueandgreenteeshirtsdisplayingthenumber“11.”Picturedaboveare(left,clockwise)Melissa(Chandler)Marble ’08,Destinee Kohl ’08,David Christian ’06,andJoelMarbleenjoyingthevelcrowall;(upperright)Gabe Nuñez ’10performswiththestudent-ledworshipband,PlanA;(lowerright)CollegepresidentJay Barber ’64andhiswife,Jan,greetguestsfromthemusicstage.
Photos by Scott A. Thompson
Photo courtesy Anderson University
DR. JAMES EARL MASSEYSPEAKING SCHEDULE
Tuesday, Nov. 13 @ 10:30 a.m.(Pastors’ luncheon to follow. RSVP at [email protected] or at 503-517-1114.)
Wednesday, Nov. 14 @ 7 p.m. Public reception to follow
Thursday, Nov. 15 @ 10:30 a.m.
McGuire AuditoriumWarner Pacific College
Admission is free
Mark and Barbara Denton Scholarship Endowment to help ChOG students
Mark and Barbara Denton, ofShelton,Wash.,haveestablishedanendowmentintheirnameto
supporttheeducationofChurchofGod(Anderson,Ind.)studentsatWarnerPa-cificCollege.Scholarshipswillbegrantedto students enrolled in the traditionalundergraduateprogram,withpreferencegiventothosewitha3.00orhighergradepointaverage.
MarkservedasaChurchofGodpastorinGlendale,Calif.,aswellasateacher,prin-cipal,andadeveloper.BarbaraworkedasalibrarianinpublicschoolsinCalifornia.
“WechoseWarnerPacificbecausewewereimpressedwiththeconceptofparadoxasawayoflookingattheworld,andasapathtointegratingcurriculum,”saidBarbara.“Theemphasisonserviceisanotherimportantelement.LivingintheNorthwest,weconstantlyseethepositiveinfluencethatWarnerPacificCollegehasinourchurchesandinthelivesofourfriends.”
Mark and Barbara Denton
Massey
Warner Pacific closed up shop Sept. 19toallowstaff,faculty,andstudentstoparticipate in the college’s third an-
nualCommonDayofService(CDS)communityoutreach. At area elementary schools Bridger,Atkinson, and Pioneer, work included generallandscaping,painting, andclassroomassistance.In Mt. Tabor Park and the Ridgefield WildlifeReserve, in Ridgefield, Wash., teams removedinvasiveplantslikeivyandhugeirises.
The women’s volleyball team visited the Ra-phael House women’s and children’s shelter, inPortland,andthe15-membermen’sandwomen’scrosscountryteamscleanedupbrokenglassandgarbageinaparkadjacenttoFloydLightMiddleSchool,inPortland.
Thedaydidn’tonly involvecurrentstudents.ADPalumnaElana Brazile ’07,abusinessmanagerattheAmericanRedCross,usedsomeofheremployer-providedcommunityservicehourstodolandscapingatBridgerElementary.
“It’sagreatidea,”saidBrazile.“Iheardaboutitfromanemail.Itwouldbenicefor[more]alumnitobeincluded.”
COLLEGE NEWS
The Experience6
Remodeled Fitness Center opensThe Warner Pacific weight room re-
ceivedanewnameandsomewelldeservedupgradesthissummer.Theexercisearea,located inside theStudent Union Build-ing,wasfittedwith$37,000worthofnewequipment,includingneworbitalclimbersandcabledweightmachines.Ofthefundsused,$17,000camefromdonations.TheroomisnowknownastheWPCFitnessCenter.
Knights Athletics adds golf teamWarnerPacificCollegewillbeadding
Golftoitsrosterofintercollegiatesports,beginning in 2008-09. Professor TomKunke has been tapped as the first-everGolfCoachatWPandhasalreadystartedrecruitingstudentathletesandlookingforahomecourse.
Once upon a musical farceTheWarnerPacificdramadepartment
willpresentthemusi-cal“OnceUponaMat-tress,” a comical takeonthefairytaleoftheprincess and the pea.EveningperformancesareNov.9,10,16,17at7:30p.m.andmatinees
areNov.11and18at3p.m.intheCellarTheatre.Ticketsare$8foradultsand$5forstudentsandseniors.Theyareavailableatthedoororreservedat503-517-1207.
O’Gallagher named ’06-’07 Male Athlete of the Year
WarnerPacificbasketballstandoutScott O’Gallagher ’08wasselectedthe2006-2007MaleAthleteoftheYearbytheCascadeCollegiate Conference. O’Gallagher wasalso selected as an NAIA First TeamAll-American,afirstforaWarnerPacificbasketballplayer.
Alumni musicians sought for com-munity wind ensemble
TheWPWindEnsemble,underthedi-rectionofRick Adams ’75invitesalumniand community members to participatein a community ensemble on Thursdayevenings at 6:30-8:30 p.m., in McGuireAuditorium. The ensemble is seekingwoodwind, brass and percussion instru-mentalists. Adams joins WP after mostrecently teaching music and drama atGlencoeHighSchool,inHillsboro,Ore.
WP classes open to auditWPgraduates,ChurchofGodclergy,
andfriendsofthecollegeareabletoauditselect traditional undergraduate coursesforacostof$150each.Classesareavail-ablependingspaceandarenoteligibleforcredit. Check www.warnerpacific.edu/academicsformoreinformation.
Music major performs in Asia with Portland Youth PhilharmonicOboistRebecca Nederhiser ’08(picturedontherightwithfriendLanaChristensen)traveledtoTaiwanandSouthKorealastsummer as a member of the PortlandYouthPhilharmonic.Highlightsincludedasold-outperformanceatTaiwan’sNa-tionalConcertSymphonyHallinTaipei,and a visit to a museum in Korea thathousespricelessStradivariusviolins.
By A
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Derek Bradford ’90
Troy Hutchinson
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A GREAT DAY OF SERVICEPITCHING IN Students and employees who participated in the Common Day of Service included (clockwise) Kealani Gangwes ’10 ; J e r e m y R e e d a l ’ 0 9 (playing with children); Amanda Duchien ’11, Tajai King ’11, Samantha Westlake ’11 and Lauren Bennett ’11 (in Mt. Tabor Park); Titus Palmquist ’11 (helping a kindergartner); and Residence Life Area Co o r d i n a t o r K a y l e e (Stone) Krout ’06.
READY FOR THEIR FINAL SHOTAfter consecutive trips to the national tournament’s Sweet 16, the men’s basketball
team is loaded with seniors set on bringing home a championship trophy.
The Warner Pacific men’s bas-ketballteamintendstomakeitsultimate statement this season.
After two consecutive conferencechampionships (one shared with Or-egonTech),WarnerPacifichasprovenitselfaregionalpower.However,twostraight trips to the national NAIADiv.IItournamenthavealsoseentheKnights knocked out by the secondround.
With seven key seniors returningthis season, including First TeamAll-American Scott O’Gallagher ’08,HonorableMentionAll-Ameri-canJosh Jackson ’08,and2007Cascade Conference New-comeroftheYearJolanta(Jo-LAN-tey)Martin ’08,theKnightsbelievethey have the talentandmaturitytogoalltheway.
“ L a s t y e a r w a sb i t t er sweet , ” sa idO’Gallagher. “We gotto nationals and wedidn’t do what wewanted to do, butwe’ve got everyonecomingbackandhaveone more chance todoit.”
OneofthelessonstheuptempoKnightslearnedatthenationaltournamentisthattheyhavetoplayamorephysical,tough-nosedbrandofdefense.HeadcoachBart Valentine ’75 has addedsomeneededsizeinsidewith6’10’’sophomoretransferTra-vis Derochowski ’10,areservelastyearatMontanaStateUniversity.Hejoins6’ 9’’ seniorShane Stewart ’08inthemiddle.
“We’re deep and we’re experienced,”said Valentine. “Our guys have beenworkinghardintheweightroomtogetstronger. We’ve got good balance insideandout.It’sarealstronggroup.”
TheKnightsopenedtheirnoncon-ference schedule with an exhibitiongame against Oregon State Univer-sity,inCorvallis,Ore.onNov.4.TheKnights will also be tested againstNAIADivisionIteamsattournamentsinUtah,andCaliforniathisfall.
CascadeConferenceplaybeginsonDec. 1 in Eugene, Ore. against newconferencememberNorthwestChris-tianCollege.KeyroadswingsincludePugetSoundschoolsNorthwestUni-versity and Evergreen State, January
4 and 5; Southern Oregon andOregonTechJanuary18and
19; and Eastern OregonUniversity and College
of Idaho January 25and26.
Follow all WPathletic teams onthe web at www.wpcknights.com.
(R to L) Key seniors Jolanta Martin ’08, Josh Jackson ’08, Scott O’Gallagher ’08, Keegan Cooke ’08 , and Shane Stewart ’08 have high hopes this season.
Fall 2007 7
Touring music, drama troupe to begin visiting churches
A new team of students will bringtheir musical and theatrical ministryto churches throughout the West. Thetroupe,whichhasyet tobenamed,willtravel in thePacificNorthwestonselect
weekends during the academic year,Californiaduringspringbreak,andmanyofthewesternstatesduringthesummer.Thegroupincludes(pictured,clockwise)Jon Quesenberry ’11, Blake Ettestad ’11, Sophia Burgen ’11 and Kaya McGrath ’10. Other members are Caleb Kowalko ’10, Gabe Nuñez ’10, Destinee Kohl ’08, and Travis Derochowski ’10.
Churches wishing to schedule a visitfrom the WP music / drama team cancontactDirectorofAlumni,Church,andParent Relations Dana McGuire at 503-517-1026.
Summer Golf Tournaments net over $30,000 for scholarships
TheninthannualWarnerPacificAth-letics Golf Tournament, held June 19 atLangdon Farms Country Club, in Au-rora,Ore.,featuredafieldof141golfersandnettedover$30,000towardsathletics
scholarships.MidValleyGeneralAgencywas the tournament’s title sponsor, andPortland’sSurburbanDoorandMajesticEagleAgencyweregoldsponsors.
A smaller field of approximately 60golfers braved soggy conditions at the32nd annual Torchbearers Golf Tourna-ment, held Sept. 28 at Mountain ViewGolf Course in Boring, Ore, enroute toraising$3,000inscholarshipfunds.
Name that mascot contestWarner Pacific has approved the
design of a new mascot for indoorsports,butthefriendlyknightneedsa name. Please submit sugges-tionstoKatySteding,DirectorofMarketingandCollegeRelations,at 503-517-1369 or at ksteding@warnerpacific.edu.AnyoneinterestedinauditioningtoserveastheschoolmascotcanalsocontactSteding.
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A six-member team from Warner Pacific teaches young leaders at a conference for the Myanmar Church of God.
(Top) College president Barber sits while a volunteer washes hit feet during a foot-washing ceremony.
(Middle) Young church leaders listen to a teaching.
(Bottom) The Warner Pacific team visits sites in Myanmar. Pictured (left to right) are Myanmar church leaders Dorothy Colney and Shelly Win with Gwen Johnson, Katie Doran ’09, Robbie York ’10, Ruby Mitchell ’09, and college president Jay Barber ’64.
(Top right) Robbie York teaches at a convention for the Myanmar Church of God with the help of a translator.
Photos by Dr. John Johnson
MISSIONS
The Experience8
Ruby Mitchell ’09joinedaWarnerPacificmissionsteamtoMyan-marlastMaybecauseshewantedtoservethechurch.Oncethere,
it didn’t take long for her to realize shewasgoingtolearnalessoninservanthoodintheprocess.
“Theleveltowhichpeoplewerewillingto serveuswasamazing,” saidMitchell,a cross-cultural ministries major fromMilton-Freewater,Ore.“Eventhoughwewenttoservethesepeople,wecontinuallyfoundourselvesoutdonebytheirservicetous.”
The Warner Pacific group includedMitchell,fellowstudentsRobbie York ’10 and Katie Doran ’09, religion professorDr.JohnJohnsonandhiswife,Gwen,andcollegepresidentJay Barber ’64.Theteamtraveled to Myanmar (formerly Burma)to teach at a week-long Church of GodleadershipconferenceinthecentralcityofMaymyo.Mostoftheapproximately150attendeeswereyoungchurchleadersfromaroundthecountry.
MyanmarisapredominatelyBuddhistcountry ruled by a military junta thatis hostile toward the Christian Church.Nonetheless,theChristiansattheconfer-enceworshippedwithpassionandsharedadesiretospreadtheGospeltotheirBud-dhistneighborsandfamilymembers.
“TheylovetheLordandtheywantedto learn,” saidYork, theyouthpastoratTigard Church of God, in Tigard, Ore.
Mission to Myanmar
and a part-time WP student. “Many ofthemwerefirst-generationChristiansanddealing with all of the struggles that goalong with being in a Buddhist countryandhavingBuddhistfamilies.”
Examples of the Myanmar church’sservice to the team were numerous. Atthe conference center, church membersinsistedonpreparinglavishmealsfortheWarnerPacificteamwhileattendeesatesimpledishesofriceandmeat.WhenthreeWPteammembersgotfoodpoisening,amedicaldoctorattheconferenceadminis-teredIVsandmedicationsandsatbedsideuntileachhadrecovered.Churchvolun-teersalsotookturnsfanningthepatientsastheyrecovered.
The conference - which the WarnerPacificteampaidforthroughfundraisingefforts back home - concluded with anemotionalfoot-washingceremony.
“That was an eternal investment thatwill pay dividends for years to come,”Barbersaid.
Thetripmarksarenewedcommitmentbythecollegetowardsglobalmissions.TheJohnsons,formerChurchofGodmission-aries,haveestablishedtheJohnsonMissionsEndowmentinhonorofJohn’sparents,Dr. Donald ’51andBetty Jo(Hyman)Jonnson ’50.Theendowmentwillsupportstudents’costsoncollege-sanctionedmissionstrips.JohnandGwenJohnsonwillleadmissionteamstoBangledeshinthesummerof2008andtoHondurasin2009.
Professors Foltz and Plies will be offering free noontime lectures on learning and the brain throughout the academic year. Visit www.warnerpacific.edu for times and loca-tions of upcoming discussions.
DISCUSSION
Fall 2007 9
Thereusedtobetheunderstandinginwesternsocietythathumanbe-ingsgothroughtheworldstructur-ingexperienceorinformationand
adding feelings to it. However, there’s aradicalchangegoingoninlearningtheorytoday.Weusedtoassumethatpeoplearethinkingcreatureswhofeel.Researchnowsuggests,instead,thathumansarefeelingcreatureswhothink.
The part of the brain that you use toreason with – the cerebral cortex - isprocessing about 2000 little connectionspersecond.Thelowerpartofyourbrain-whichisconcernedwithemotions,safety,andcontext-isprocessing4billionpartspersecond.Anyinformationthatwetakein-fromahandshakewithafriendtoanewalgebraproblem-alwayscomeswithfeelingsofemotion,safety,orthreat.Soasweexamineourcurriculumandhowwearegoingtopresentmaterialtostudents,wehavetotakealookatthat.
Being presentOne of the most interesting pieces of
neurophysiological research to be foundinthelasttwoyearsistheexistencewithinyourheadofwhatarecalledmirrorneu-rons.Thereareasetofnerveswhicharephysiologicallychanginginresponsetotheperceivedbodylanguageofthosearoundyou.That’swhereyawningandmimickingreflexescomefrom.
Alotofwhatyoulearncomesfromtheemotional context of the people aroundyou, which of course, for us, means theemotional context of the office or theclassroom.Ifyouworkwithpeople,youareactuallypruning,orhelpingtoprune,theshapeandthepathwaysoftheirbrainsasyouinteractwiththem.
Inonesense,that’swhatyoudotobe-comeaccustomedtoandsophisticatedinyour culture.The cultureyou’re aroundtellsyouwhattolookat,tellsyouwhatisgood,tellsyouwhat’ssafe.Andliterallythepathwaysaregoingtogrowtomakeyoursensitivity to thoseareas stronger. Itwillalso allow you to drop unnecessary cells–it’ssortofa“useitorloseit”situation–sothatyourbrainwon’tbehinderedbyneuronsthatarenotgoingtohelpitinthelongrun.
Top down vs. bottom up The way we have historically ap-
proached teaching is called “top down”learning, where we give information tostudentsandthenweaskthemtoappreci-ateit.Thereisresearchthatnowsuggeststhisisthewrongorder.Instead,weneedto focus on what’s called “bottom up”learning,inwhichweestablishapprecia-tionforbeingintheroomfirst,andthenaddthenewcontentinsuchasocialwaythattheemotionincorporatesthecontent,
ratherthanthecontentincorporatingtheemotion.
Mindful awarenessDr.DanielSiegel,aresearcheratUCLA,
isintriguedwiththenotionsof“mindfulawarenessofcontextandsafety”leadingto “mindful learning.” The number one
thingeducatorshavetodoisgetlearnersemotionally “in the room.” Taking thismindfulawarenessofbeingpresentintheroomandturningitintobeingpresenttosubjectmatteristhechallengeforeduca-tors,whethertheybeteachers,counselors,orpastors.
We need to allow students to act onthingswithasmuchdecisionaspossible,reflectonthenovelty,compareitwiththereflectionsofhowtheythinktheworldis,andthengooutandactonthewaythingsare.Weneedtodoawaywithtopdownlearningand,instead,beengagedtogetherandsee ifwecanmessaroundwiththismaterial.Ithonorsuncertainty.
IthinkforaChristianliberalartscol-lege which is biblically based, WarnerPacificdoesafantasticjoboflettingstu-dentsexploreandhonortheuncertaintyof
understanding.Mindfullearningoccursinaclassroomthatisopentonovelty,alerttodistinctions.Studentsshouldhaveroomtosay that a certainapproachworkswhileanother doesn’t. This answer is correct,thatisn’t.Butit’sthestudentswhoshouldbealert to this,andnotwewhohand ittothem.
Ifyouhandittothem,it’stopdown,butif they receive it almost in puzzle form,they’vegottofigureitout.Thisapproachaffectsanythingthatwemayteach,frommathtohistorytophilosophytomusic-it’scontext-sensitive.
Context sensitivityWhat’s so exciting is that at Warner
Pacific, we practice these techniques allthe time, maybe much more than otherinstitutionsdo.It’sverificationabouthowGodputthebraintogetheranditshowsthatwhatwedoisworthwhile.
We used to assume that people are thinking creatures who feel. Research now suggests, instead, that humans are feeling creatures who think.
Mindful LearningIn a lecture series on learning and the brain, social science professor Dr. Lou Foltz and music professor Dr. Dennis Plies share how learning happens best when emotions are considered first.
EDITED BY SCOTT A. THOMPSON
Faces of ChristIn 2001, a group of beginning art students painted images of Christ on glass panels that now grace the inside of Otto F. Linn library. Here’s how the innovative project came to be.
In the fall class, we had just begun this project when 9/11occurred, leaving us all in shock and grief. Yet somehow, thisproject’sthemeandtechnicaldemandsincreasedourfocusanddetermination.
Afterthestudentshadcompletedtheirpanels,westillhadnofundstodisplaythem.TheywerestoredawayforaboutthreeyearsuntilBenInverarity,anaccommodatingmemberofplantservices,agreedtoconstructsixpaintedframes,eachwithfourpanels.
Library Director Sue Kopp offered a permanent mountingspaceinthelibrarystairwell.Acoupleofcrackedpieceshadtoberepaired,whichonlyatteststothefragileandpreciousnatureofthesacred.Perhapsitaddsasenseofancienthistorytothebargain.
Inthespringof2001,IhadapileofglasspanelsfromasetofoldFrenchdoorsandtheyinspiredmetoteachthetechniqueofreversepaintingonglassinmysummerandfallART100
classes.StudentslookedthroughseveralbooksfeaturingartisticinterpretationsofChrist throughtheagesandchose images toemulate.
Imadeenlargedphotocopiesofthestudents’choicesandtapedthemtothebackofeachpanel.Studentsthendrewmainlinesonthefrontoftheglasswithblackgreasepencil,beforeremovingthephotocopyandturningthepanelsoverinordertopaintonthebackside.Thereversepaintingtechniqueiscounter-intuitive,becausethebottomlayerofcolorisseenfirstfromthefrontside,soallofthedetailsandtextureshadtobeputdownfirstbeforecolorcouldbefilledin.
BY SUSANNA LUNDGREN
Susanna Lundgren teaches art and art history at Warner Pacific.
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ART & CULTURE
The Experience10
BY JESS BIELMAN ’00
Mysteries made known
WarnerPacific’stagline“Mysteriesmadeknown”comesfromEphesians3,partofaNewTestamentletterwrittenbytheApostlePaultothenewbelieversinEphesus.PaultellstheEphesiansthattheyhaveheardaboutthegracegiventohimfortheirsake.PaulisastewardofthisgraceandamysterywasmadeknowntohimbyGod,throughrevelation.
Themysterywasthis:PriortoChrist,Godworkedonthebasisofachosenpeople,theJewishnation.However,throughChrist,Godthrewthedoorsopenandproclaimed“allcome.”Gentiles,liketheEphesians,wereheirstogetherwithIsrael,membersto-getherofonebody,andsharerstogetherinthepromiseofChristJesus.
Theearlychurchwaschaoticbecauseofthenewdevelopment.The book of Acts describes how the Jerusalem counsel met todecidewhat todowithallof thegentileswhowereoriginallynotpartofGod’schosenpeoplebut,becauseofChrist,werenowincluded.TheJewishChristiansdidnotknowwhattodo.Theyhadtofigureouthow“Jewish”theconvertsneededtobe.
Inthemindoftheearlychurch,Christwasnotcreatinganewreligionbutwas,rather,makingtheJewishreligionbetter.Hefulfilledthelawbymakingdevotionamatteroftheheartandincludingeverybody.Paulfeltarespon-sibilityforthatknowledge.Weshouldtoo.
Lookingback,thisisgoodnewsforyouandme,asweareprobablyallgentiles.Jesuscameandval-uedRomans,Samaritans,poor,women,andothersthat normal Jewish rabbis did not. Jesus valuedthosethatthepreviousreligioussystemdidnot.
This new work of Christ is a great idea for acommunitytohangitshaton.Inourday,westillliveinaworldthatseparatespeoplebasedonclassandsocioeconomics,gender,race,religionandnationalboundar-ies.However,Paulsaidthat,inChrist,thereisneitherJewnorGreek,slavenorfree,malenorfemale.Thefounderofourreligionmadeaclearpointinbreakingdownthewallsofreligion.Thisisatrulyradicalmessage.
Thisideaaloneismorethanenoughforthecollegetoclaimasacentralpieceofitsidentity.Itisrevolutionaryandbeautiful.Weareresponsibleforapieceofknowledgethatisunknownbymanyinourlives,ourcity,andourworld.AllhavebeenredeemedbyChrist.Let’stellthatsecret,let’smakeknownthatmystery.
If our tagline only represented this concept from Ephesians3, I’d still come toworkeverymorning.But thewordmysteryalsodescribesthingsthatarenotfullyknowable.Inotherwords,mysteryhasatleasttwoanglestoit.
Oneisunderstandinginformationwepreviouslydidn’thaveaccess to.The second is coming to termswith thoseaspectsof
Christianfaiththatareunexplainable.AsauthorStevenJamessays of Christian spirituality, “The foundation of this faith isparadox-notcommonsense-becauselogiccanonlytakeyouasfarastheconfinesoflanguageandreason,butparadoxcanleadyouallthewaytotruth.”
AtWarnerPacific,studentswillencounterbothoftheseideasofmysteryinabundance.Theywillstudy,learn,andgathertheknowledgethey’llneedfortheircareers.That’sagiven.However,itisthissecondnotionofmysterythatkeepsmeupatnightandthatmakesaWarnerPacificeducationsocompelling.
Weexposetheunknowableforwhatitis,andwedon’tpretendthatwecanresolve it.Weask thequestions that lead tomorequestionsratherthananswers.Weexploretheideaofparadox,whichcreatesmysteriousandunanswerablequestions.Classesonwarandpeace,freewillanddeterminism,afinalpaperthatisaninquiryintotheunanswerableareallpartsofacurriculumthatexplorestheseconddefinitionofmystery.Weaskstudentstoworkwithanideathattheycanexplore,butcan’tfullyresolve.
WeunderstandthatwecanhaveapersonalrelationshipwithChrist,andyet,wealsoaskhowwearesupposedtorelatetoa
God that is invisible, and often silent. We understand that wearetoloveourneighborasourselves-andthateveryoneisourneighbor-butwealsostrivetofigureoutwhatwecandoaboutpovertyathomeandabroad.WecometounderstandthatGodisgoodbutwecanneverknowwhythereissomuchsufferingintheworld.
AsJamessays,“ThemysteriousaspectsofGodaren’tdiminishedordisguisedorsweptundertherug.Ifanything,Godbecomesmoreindefinableandmysteriousthanever.ItkeepsGodwhereheshouldbe-withinreachofmyheart.”WhydoIlovethetaglineMysteries made known? Because we declare our allegiance to aparadoxical,unexplainableGodforeveryonetosee.ThisiswhereIhavecometomeetandlovethatGod.
“We expose the unknowable for what it is, and we don’t pretend that we can resolve it. We ask the questions that lead to more questions, rather than answers.”
I nhisbook“TheFingerprintsofGod:TrackingtheDivineSuspectthroughaHistoryof Images,” author Robert Farrar Capon says that “thetroublewitha lotofmysterystoriesisthatthey’renothingbutpuzzlestobesolvedbyplausibleexplanations.Whenyoufinallygettotheend,the‘mystery’turnsouttobesensiblestufftheauthorsimplykepthiddenfromyou.Itdoesn’tleadyoudeeperintomystery.Astheultimatemysterystory,however,scriptureworksbyanentirelydifferentsetofrules.”
Reflections on faith, paradox, and an unfathomable God.
Jess Bielman ’00 is the Director of Campus Ministries at Warner Pacific College.
BY SUSANNA LUNDGREN
(yes and no)
ESSAY
Fall 2007 11
Dana McGuireDirector of Alumni, Parent, and Church [email protected]
The Experience12
40’s Adele (Gwinner) Hooker ’44 hasself-published a newbookentitled“CloseEncounters of theGodKind:Exploringthe Infinite RichesofGod”(Baltimore,Publ i shAmerica ,2007).Thebookisacollectionof62short
non-fictionstoriesdescribingmiraculousexperiences. Hooker spent four yearscollectinganecdotesfromfriendsandac-quaintances.ManyofthestoriesHookerwritesherself,basedonherfamily’sexpe-riences, but other contributers includedC. Dale Warman ’52andretiredChurchofGodmissionariesStanleyandMarionHoffman.
Hookerisaretiredschoolteacherandpastor’swife.Thisisherfourthbook.
50’s
James Zazanis ’51 is a retired financialplanner living in Cincinatti, Ohio. Heowned and operated his own companycalledTheFinancialEdgeCorporation.
Marvin “Earl” ’52 andLorna (Gardner)Petersen ’52areretiredandresideinRich-mond, Ky., where they attend FountainParkChurchofGod.Earlwasasalesman,andLornaahomemaker.Thehavefouradultchildrenandeightgrandchildren.
Roberta Pauline(Beresford)Underwood ’53isretiredandlivesinVancouver,Wash.ShevolunteersatVancouverFirstChurchofGod.Shehasfivechildren,20grand-children,andthreegreat-grandchildren.Inhersparetime,sheenjoysreadingandHardangerneedlework.
Martha Jeanette (Kaufman) Perry ’54 isretiredandlivesinClackamas,Ore.withherhusband,Walt.Theyhavefivechil-dren,andtwelvegrandchildren.
Kenneth ’55andMarjory(Gillespie)Ren-frow ’54areretiredandliveinSacramento,Calif.,whereKennethenjoysskiing,rac-quetball,andgolf.TheRenfrowshavetwoadultchildren.
Barbara (Stevia) Tunnell ’55 is retiredandresidesinPortland,Ore.,wheresheattendsMt.ScottChurchofGod.Shehastwoadultchildren.
ThePortlandPoliceBureauawardedofficerTom Rhodes ’80witha2007AchievementMedalforhisworkonacaseinvolvingthecaptureofanex-consuspectedofdomestic
violence,drugtrafficking,andweaponspossession.Thecaseoccurredin2004whenRhodeswasworkingintheBureau’sDomesticViolenceReductionUnit.Rhodesreceivedareportdescribinghowthesuspecthadallegedlyassaultedthemotherofhis18-year-oldsonandthreatenedherwithagun.Rhodesprepared the search warrant that allowed officers from theBureau’sspecialSIRTunittosurprisethesuspectattheresi-
denceatwhichhewasstayingandtakehimintocustody.“[Thesuspect]wassittingrightbythefrontdoorandhadacoupleofgunswithhim
andsomenarcotics,”saidRhodes.“Hewasprobablywaitingforadrugdeal.”RhodeshasbeenwiththePortlandPoliceBureaufor21years.Heplayedsoccerfora
coupleofyearsatWarnerPacificbeforetransferringtoOregonStateUniversitytostudyagriculturalengineeringtechnology.Heworkedbrieflyatanengineeringconsultingfirm,beforeapplyingwiththePortlandPolice.HecurrentlyworksdaysdoingroutinepatrolworkoutoftheSEPortlandPrecinct.
Alumnus honored with Portland Police achievement award
Homecoming 2008isjustaroundthecorner,February8and9,andIlookforwardtoseeingyouforagreatweek-
endofactivities,fellowship,andreflection.Aswedoeveryyear,wewillbehonoringanumberofdistinguishedalumni.Thisyear’sdistinguishedalumniare:
Ben ’60 and Marjorie Chandler ’59 ChurchofGodministers(LegacyAward)
Bill ’53 and Honerhea Martin ChurchofGodministers(MinistryAward)
Fred Douglas ’78 ExecutiveDirector-PortlandYouthforChrist(ServiceAward)
Kordell Kennemer ’96 ClinicalPsychologist(YoungAlumniAward)
WewillalsoinducttheClassof1958intotheGoldTorchClub.Pleasereadtheenclosedbrochureforallofthedetailsand“earlybird”specials.
WPC Alumni Choir Concert, Dec. 2, 2007ThoseinterestedinsinginginanalumnichoirforourDecember2,
2007holidayconcertinMcGuireAuditoriumcancontactchoraldirectorDr.TomMillerat503-517-1059ordmiller@warnerpacific.edu.
Biblical Tour of Turkey, June 14 - 27, 2008WPisorganizingabiblicaltourofTurkeyandthesevenchurchesof
Revelation,June16-29,2008.WPreligionprofessorDr.JohnJohnsonwillleadthegroupandsharebiblicalinsights.Contactmyofficeat503-517-1026ordmcguire@warnerpacific.eduforinformation.
[email protected],we need your news,sopleaseremembertocontactus
regardinganyupdates,suchasnewbabies,newjobs,andothermile-stones.Feelfreetoincludeapicture.Submissionscanbesentdirectlytoalumni@warnerpacific.edu.
Rhodes
FROM THE DIRECTOR
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CLASS NOTES
Hooker
Fall 2007 13
Recently retired Pasadena Playhouse Executive Director Lyla (Loehr) White ’63 (right) shares the stage with actress Diane Keaton at a Playhousefundraiser.
WhenLyla(Loehr)White ’63tookoverleadershipofthePasadenaPlayhousein1998,shewasstep-
pingontoasinkingship.ThestatetheatreofCaliforniawasalmost$3millionindebt.Undeterred,Whiterolleduphersleevesandgottowork.Underherleadership,thePlayhousenotonlysurvived,itthrived.
Currently, the Playhouse producessevenplaysayear, includingthelikesof“Fences,” starring Laurence Fishburneand Angela Bassett, and “A Life in theTheatre,”starringHalHalbrook.
Beforeretiringlastyear,Whiteledasuc-cessful$8millioncapitalcampaigntoreno-vateaportionofthe85-year-oldtheatre.Inhonorofherretirement,thePlayhousethrewacelebrity-filledgalalastfall.
“[ThePlayhouse]experiencedahealthyturn-around,”saidWhite,“IknewPasa-denaandIknewwherethemoneyis.”
WhitewasnostrangertotheArtswhenshe joined the Playhouse. In her collegedaysatWarnerPacific,shewasactiveintheatreandalsoproducedanewssegmentonaweeklytelevisionprogramhostedbyherformerhusband,Mel White ’62.
Aftergraduating,WhitetaughtEnglishat Crescenta Valley High School, in LaCrescenta,Calif.,untiltakingtimeoffin1969toraise twoyoungchildren.In the1970s,sheandMelco-pastoredPasadenaCovenantChurchforfouryearsandalsooperatedaneducationalandreligiousfilmcompany.
In 1986, White became the Directorof Stewardship for All Saints Churchin Pasadena. In 1994, she moved to SanFranciscoandleda$16millioncampaign
astheCanonforDevelopmentforGraceCathedral.
Twoyears later, shereturned toPasa-denatoworkpart-timeastheMissionerofStewardshipfortheEpiscopalDioceseofLosAngelesandatthePasadenaPlay-house. She became interim ExecutiveDirector of the Playhouse in 1997 andpermanentdirectorthefollowingyear.
Whiteisquicktopraiseherstaffasthereasonbehindthetheatre’ssuccess.Whitesaysshedrewuponherbackgroundasateachertoguideheryoungerstaff.
Theatre’s Champion Lyla (Loehr) White ’63 helped the historic Pasadena Playhouse return to greatness as its Executive Director.
“Ithinkmymainstrengthisempower-ingyoungpeopletoachievetheirgoals,”saidWhite.
WhiteplanstostayinPasadenasoshecan be near her children and grandchil-dren. Her daughter, Erinn, is a second-gradeschoolteacherandthemotheroftwo.
Herson,Michael,isanA-listscreenwriteranddirector.
White says that though she still rubsshoulders with the Hollywood elite, ce-lebritiesdon’tbringinthemoneyforthePlayhouse.Rather,thetheatreissustainedbyeverydaypeoplewhocatch thevisionandwhogivegenerously.
“Whenyoucanhelp[adonor]toaplaceofgenerosity,you’vechangedtheirlives,”said White. “Whether it’s in theatre, orchurch, or a school like Warner Pacific,generouspeoplearetransformedpeople.”
Warner Pacific honored retiredemployee Roberta (Bunnell)
Petersen ’54 with the Mack and IreneCaldwell Leadership Award duringConvocation, August 28, in McGuireAuditorium. The award is named fortwoformerprofessorswhowereinflu-entialfiguresintheearlydaysofWar-nerPacific.
Roberta worked at Warner Pacificfrom1979to2006.Duringhertwenty-sevenyearcareer,sheservedinmultipleroles,includingDirectorofAdmissions,DirectorofAuxiliaryServices,Directorof Alumni and Church Relations, andTorchbearers’President.
Petersen receives Caldwell award
Friends and family celebrate with Roberta (Bunnell) Petersen ’54 (center, with plaque) following Convocation on August 28. Pictured are (back row, R - L) Pam (Petersen) Newby ’75, Jim Newby ’82, Sam Hooker ’45, Steve Pollard, Cindy (Petersen) Pollard ’03, Al Bunnell ’66 , Greg Pollard, Karen Bunnell, Michael Pollard ’02 , Darlene Goin ’86, and Ray Cotton ’73. (Front row) Adele (Gwinner) Hooker ’45, Dan Petersen ’56, Roberta (Bunnell) Petersen ’54, Orla Lee, H. Bransford Lee ’51, and Jay Barber ’64.
ALUMNI PROFILEPh
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The Experience14
ALUMNI PROFILE
“We’d launch a satellite ... and we would have a billion and a half dollars [riding] on that single launch. And if it didn’t go right, it would make for a very long night.”
From military satellites to touch screen navigation systems, business leader Dean Senner ’79 has managed cutting edge projects in Silicon Valley.
ThenexttimeyouwatchaTVprogramviasatelliteorfinddirectionsusingacomputer screen inyourrental car,you justmighthaveDean Senner ’79tothank.Asanaccomplishedleaderintheaeronauticsandhightechindustries,Sennerhasbuiltmilitaryandcommercialsatellites,ledaninter-
nationalcompanyinvolvedwithglobalpositioningsystems(GPS),andcurrentlyservesastheCEOofaCalifornia-basedcompanyonthecuttingedgeoflaser-basedcommunications.NotbadforsomeonewhoattendedWarnerPacificonamusicscholarship,albeittostudybusiness.
“OnceIgottoWarnerandIstartedbusinessclasses,Iknewimmediatelythatthisfeltrighttome,”Sennersaid,whotransferredtoWarnerPacificin1977afterattendingcommunitycollegeinVancouver,Wash.
A slight detourSenner,50,landedhisfirstjobrightoutofcollegealmostasafluke.Hemoved
tocentralCaliforniaaftergraduatingfromWarnerPacificin1979.Hewasdriv-ingalongastretchofhighwaynearSanJosewhenhenoticedsomehugeantennadishesoffinthedistance.HetookthenextexittoinvestigateandfoundhiswaytotheheadquartersofaeronauticsgiantLockheed(nowLockheedMartin).Hewalkedintothehumanresourcesdepartmentunannouncedandwalkedoutwithajobmanagingsparemissileparts.
“That’sliterallyhowIendedupatLockheed,”Sennersaid,“drivingdownthefreeway.”
The big breakOverthenexttenyears,Sennerworkedhiswayupthe
ranksuntilhisbigbreakin1989,whenhebecameadeputyprogrammanagerforaNASAprojectinvolvingthedesignofamannedspacecrewrescuevehicleforafuturespacestation.Afewyearslater,hebecametheVicePresidentofLockheedMartin’sentireMilitarySatelliteCommunica-tionsdivision.Heoversaw1000localemployeesandanadditional 3000 subcontractors. Needless to say, Sennerdevelopedafewgrayhairsintheprocess.
“Weweredoingthingsthathadneverbeendonebefore,”Sennersaid.“[We’d] launchasatellite ...andwewouldhave a billion and a half dollars [riding] on that singlelaunch.Andifitdidn’tgoright,itwouldmakeforaverylongnight.”
In1995,SennerledajointventurebetweenLockheedMartinandBritishAero-spaceandBritishTelecomtodevelopcommunicationssatellitesfortheEuropeanmarket.ThencameapositionasExecutiveVicePresidentandGMoftheLock-heedMartinCommercialSpaceSystemscompany.CustomersincludedthelikesofGeneralElectricandtheDishNetwork.
Time for a changeBy1999,aftertwentyyearsatLockheedMartin,Sennerwaslookingforsome-
thingnew.HeleftthecompanyandspentayearastheCOOofasmallinternetstart-upcompanyjustbeforethe“Dot.com”bubbleburstin2000.HethenacceptedapositionastheCEOofMagellanGPSSystems,Inc.,lateracquiredbytheFrenchcompany Thales Navigation Systems. The company produces highly accuratedevicesthatutilizeGPStechnology.Oilandgascompaniesweremajorcustomers,aswereengineeringfirms.
However,Sennerwantedtodosomethingrevolutionary.Heshepherdedajointventure between Thales and Hertz Rent-a-Car to develop the first automobilenavigationdeviceswithatouchscreeninterface.
“Wecapturedthe#1marketshareintheworldwithinsixmonthsoflaunching[theproduct],”Sennersaid.“Peopleinthegeneralpublicwillneverknowhowsuccessfulthatwas.”
Getting his life backAs promising as his business career was,
Sennerradicallychangedhisprioritiesin2003,after his wife, Tami, developed cancer. HeresignedfromThalesandspent thenextyearandahalfathomewithTamiandtheirthreeteenagedchildrenwhilesheunderwentcancertreatment.
“Itwasatrueblessingtobeabletodothat,”Sennersaid.“Asofrightnow,shehasacleanbillofhealth.”
A new opportunityIn 2005, Senner was still enjoying time off
when investors in an early stage company inCampbell,Calif.persuadedhimtobecometheirCEO.Thecompany,AOptixTechnologies,Inc.,develops technology that improves the use oflighttoopticallytransmitdatainfreespace,andisalsoinvolvedwithadvancedbiometricsystemsforstand-offirisscanning.
“Isawsomethingsinthiscompanythataregoing to have huge payoffs in the market,”Sennersaid.
Senner and his wife are active in CalvaryChurch of Los Gatos, Calilf., and have takentime to go on mission trips. Senner isn’t surehowlonghewillstayinthebusinessworld,buthe wonders if the third chapter of his careermightnotinvolvedoingsomesignificantmis-sionwork.
“Ifmywifehadherway,we’dbe[missionar-ies]inIndiarightnow,”Sennersaid.
High Tech CEO
Dean Senner ’79
Photo courtesy of AO
ptixTechnologies,Inc
Fall 2007 15
Rev. John Grosvenor ’58 is the directoroftheNWDistrictoftheChurchoftheNazarene, First Nations Outreach andlives inNespelem,Wash.ontheColvilleIndian Reservation. John is an enrolledmemberof theEchota (Tsalagi)Tribe (adescendantoftheChoctawandChickasawNations). His wife, Gerri, is an enrolledmemberoftheYankton“Sioux”Tribeanda descendant of the Wintu and WailakiPeopleofnorthernCalif.JohnandGerriwork to help the church at large under-standthehistoryanddevelopmentoftheUnitedStatesaswellasunderstandingtheuniquenessofFirstNations.
60’sCarol(Kuykendall)Walters ’68isaretiredelementaryschoolteacherandlivesinAl-bany,Ore.Shevolunteersatapregnancycenterandplayspianoatalocalcarefacilityonce a week along with teaching piano.Carol is involvedasaworshipchairmanatAlbanyFirstChurchofGodandenjoysleadingworship,singingsolos,singinginthechoirandplayingthepianoandorgan.ShehasbeeninvolvedinthePianoPraiseConcertsatWarnerPacificandisamem-beroftheAlumniCouncil.
Monica(Palmer)Monroe ’69isretiredandservesasthePastortoSeniorAdultsatMt.ScottChurchofGodinPortland,Ore.,aswell as the Chair of the Credentials andAdvisory Board for Oregon and South-westWashington.Lastyear,Monicaandherhusband,Dale ’70,begantheMonroePeacemakingEndowmentFundatWar-nerPacific.
70’sJulie Mikalson ’79 has spent 25 years inservicetocollegesandhumanserviceor-ganizations,andthepast15yearsasapub-lic-benefitorientedconsultant.Julieservedonthe2006Governor’sRenewableEnergyWorkingGroup, inOregon.Her specialinterestsincludecommunityandbusinessdevelopmentforsustainabilityandOrganicGardening.ShelivesinPortland,Ore.
80’sDeb (Harlan) Waymire ’80 is a teacherandtheSocialStudiesdepartmentchairatNorthwestChristianSchoolinGlendale,Ariz. She is married to Kerry and theirdaughter,Lauren ’09,isajunioratWP.
Alumni and friends of Warner Pacific College gathered at Whittier Church of God, in Whittier, Calif., on Sept. 21, 2007 to hear an update of the College from a four-member Advancement team, including President Jay Barber ’64. Pictured are (Back row, L to R) Rick ’85 and Linda Olsen, Charles and Thelma Wyant, Pastor Dave ’84 and Bobbi Collett, Georgie and Simeon Greene ’95, Pastor Milt and Shirley Culver, Larry and Geri Turner, Emily Simon, Robert Thomas ’53 and Tracey Hartman. (Second row, L to R) Dana McGuire, Andrea Cook, Pastor James Darby, Lola Bixler ’57, Harold Rogers ’46, Sandra Goytia, Joyce (Elias) ’56 and Larry Hartman. (Front Row, L to R) Robert Bixler ’57, Greg Moon, and President Barber.
AvidtourbicyclistRev. David Shrout ’75 gotalonglookattheEastCoastoftheUnitedStatesduringa39-day,2,400-mile soloride fromMiami,Fla. to
Portland,MainelastMayandJune.“It’sagreattimetobealone,tounwind,”saidShrout,who
istheAreaCoordinatorfortheAssociationofChurchesofGodofOregonandSWWashingtonandatrusteeofWarnerPacific.“Whenthereisn’tsomeonetotalkto,youenduptalkingtotheLordalldaylong…andthereisanewadventurearoundeverynewcorner.”
Shroutaveraged65milesadayandpassedthroughthir-teenstates.Hesleptinchurches,thehomesoffriends,RVparks,andstateparksalongtheway.Althoughhedidn’tleave himself time to linger at any one spot, Shrout didmaketimetovisitKittyhawk,N.C.,thesiteoftheWrightBrothers’historicfirstflight,andtogoonatouroftheWhiteHouse’sWestWing,inWashington,D.C.
“Istuckmyheadintotheovaloffice,andwalkedintheRoseGarden”saidShrout.
Shrout,55,firsttookupcyclingelevenyearsagowhenhe and his son, Ryan Shrout ’01, rode 1,800 miles fromVancouver,B.CtoTijuana,Mexicoasabondingexperi-ence.Inadditiontocoveringbothcoasts,Shrouthasriddencross-countryfromVirginatoOregon,andhascompletedtwo-thirdsoftheLewisandClarkTrail.In2003,hewasclippedbyadriverandspentsometimeinthehospital,butitdidn’tdeterShroutfromriding.Heisalwaysthinkingoffuturetrips.
“I’dliketodotheWestCoastagain,andfinishtheLewisandClarkTrail,justtosaythatIdidit.”
Have bike, will travelRev. David Shrout ’75, MRel ’77 rides 2,400 miles solo from Florida to Maine.
Since taking up cycling eleven years ago, Rev. David Shrout ’75 has ridden along both coasts of the United States, as well as cross-country from Virginia to Oregon.
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CLASS NOTES
Warner Pacific road show hits southern CaliforniaDean Senner ’79
The Experience16
F orresearcherSarah Martin ’02,theideaof“exercisingyour brain” may actually have some scientific merit.Martin, a research assistant and Ph.D. candidate intheDepartmentofAnatomyandNeurobiologyatthe
UniversityofKentucky,wasrecentlytheleadauthorofthefirstscientificstudytofindarelationshipbetweenaperson’spropen-sitytoseekoutnewexperiencesandbrainvolume.
Martinanalyzedmagneticresonance(MR)imagesofyoungmaleandfemalesubjectswhohadcompletedapersonalitytestmeasuring,inpart,traitsofexperience-seeking.Shefoundthatthosewhoscoredhighontheexperience-seekingscalealsohadincreased volume levels in a section of their hippocampus, apartofthebrainthatprocessesnewstimuliandthatiscentraltomemoryfunction.
“Anythingthatyou’reexposedto…yourbrainhastodecipherifitisneworold,”saidMartin.“Thereisevidencesuggestingthatthehippocampusisresponsibleforthisprocess.”
MartinworksinthelabofprincipalinvestigatorBrianT.Gold,Ph.D,whoseresearchemphasizesthecognitiveneuroscienceoflanguageandmemoryprocesses.Martin’soverallresearchhasfocusedontheeffectsofagingonthehippocampus,theprimaryregionwherebrainatrophycausedbyAlzheimer’sdiseasefirstappears. Understanding changes in the hippocampus region,whether due to genetics or behavior, will eventually help themedicalcommunitybetterdiagnosetheprobabilityofindividualsdevelopingmildorseverecognitiveimpairment.
“WearelookingatwaystodiagnoseAlzheimer’sbeforethecognitive signs [appear],” saidMartin. “That’s thegood thingaboutwhatwearedoing.”
Martingottheideaforherrecentstudyafterlearningaboutresearchinvolvingnunswhohaveshowngreatlongevity,manylivingintotheirearly100s.Onecommoncharacteristicamongthenunsresearchedwasthattheywereactivelyengagedintheircommunityandlednontraditionallives.
Soonafter,Martinlearnedofanunrelatedstudyoncampusthatwasmeasuringthebrainactivityassociatedwithsensation-
Brain DetectiveNeuroscience researcher Sarah Martin ’02 discovers an increase in brain volume among people who seek out new experiences.
seekingtendenciesamongyoungadults.Martinborrowedsomeoftheteam’sbrainscansandanalyzedthembaseduponthesubjects’responsestoquestionsconcerningnewexperiences.
Martin found a positive correlation between increased hip-pocampalvolumeandexperience-seekingtendencies.However,shesaysit’simpossibletosaywhethertheincreasedhippocampalvolumeisgeneticorsomehowaresultofbehavior.TheGoldlabisdoingfollow-upresearchthatwillinvolvestudyingthebrainscansofelderlysubjectswhotaketheexperience-seekingtest.
“Therehavebeenstudiesthathaveshownthatthereisasignifi-cantvolumelossinthehippocampusduetoAlzheimer’sdisease,”saidMartin.“We’retryingtofindoutiftherearewaystomakeyourhippocampusbiggerandstronger[and]ifthatwouldmakeitlesslikelytobeaffectedbyAlzheimer’spathology.”
MartinwasoneofthefirstgraduatesofWarnerPacific’sDevel-opmentalPsychologyprogram,whichwasdevelopedinthelate1990s.ShecreditstheWarnerPacificfacultyforencouraginghertobecuriousandtothinkforherself,traitsthathavepaidoffinhergraduatework.WhenMartincompletesherPh.Dinayearortwo,she’llseekoutapost-doctoralresearchposition.Shethenhopestopursueanassistantprofessorshipataresearchuniversity.Butwhileteachingsoundsfun,herheartremainsinthelab.
“Icouldnevergiveupresearch,”Martinsaid.
Ph.D. candidate Sarah Martin ’02 in her Universityof Kentucky lab.
Howdoesoneteachyouthaboutwarinawiseandtruthfulway?ThatwasthechallengebeforeauthorMelissa (Hagen)Leembruggen ’88,whorecentlypublishedherfirstbook,“TheSudanProject:Rebuildingwith
thePeopleofDarfur.AYoungPerson’sGuide.”LeembruggenlivesnearDayton,OhioandattendsGinghamsburgUnited
MethodistChurch,whichfundsalargeoutreachcalledtheSudanProject.ThechurchhaspartneredwiththeUnitedMethodistCommitteeonRelief(UMCOR) to develop various agricultural, educational, and occupationaltrainingprogramsinSudan’sDarfurregion,whichhasexperiencedviolentethnicandtribalconflictsince2003.
LeembruggenfeltcalledtowriteabookthatwoulddescribetheworkoftheSudanProjecttoawideaudience.UsingphotographsfromUMCOR,Leem-bruggenwroteatextthatwasn’tovertlyreligioussothebookcouldpotentiallybeusedinlibrariesandschools.Ultimately,shehopesthebookwillinspirechildrentoknowthateventheycanplayaroleinchangingtheirworld.
“It’sabouthelpingthemunderstandthatGodhascalledthemforapurposeandthattheycanmakeanimpactontheworld,”saidLeembruggen,whohomeschoolsthreechildrenofherown.
Author teaches youth about war - and hope - in Sudan
Melissa (Hagen) Leembruggen ’88 describes her church’s relief work in Sudan in her first book.
ALUMNI PROFILES
Fall 2007 17
Bob Burgess ’06 PastorBobBurgessdiedonJuly31,
2007inLongview,Washfromcancer.Hewas58yearsold.Priortohisillness,Burgess was the pastor of ChapmanCommunityChurchofGod,inScap-poose,Ore.
Burgess was born on July 29, 1949inSt.Helens,Ore.From1967to1978,BobservedintheU.S.Armyandwashonorably discharged as a sergeant.He retiredfromtheArmyNationalGuardin1992asamajor.Heworkedasanelectricianandalsooperatedhisown business selling sports tradingcards. He married Mary Adenau in1979. He is survived by his wife andfour children, including current WPstudentJessica Burgess ’11.
Charles “Duke” Elliott ’53Charles “Duke” Elliott ’53 passed
away on June 21, 2007 in Yuba City,Calif.attheageof92.ElliottwasbornonFebruary4,1915,inNewMadrid,Mo.Hemarriedhiswifeofalmost66years, Patricia, on July 27, 1941 justpriortoenteringtheU.S.Army.
AfterElliotlefttheservice,thecou-pleoperatedagrocerystoreinIndianathenmovedtoOregon,whereElliottstudiedBibleatPacificBibleCollege(WarnerPacific).ElliottlaterservedasapastorinPetaluma,Lodi,andYubaCity,Calif.Heissurvivedbyhiswifeand three adult children, includingRick Elliot ’64,sixgrandchildren,andeightgrandchildren.
Rick Eslick ’96Richard David “Rick” Eslick ’96
diedApril12,2007,attheageof36.HewasbornSept.18,1970, inPortland,Ore.HewasaformeraccountantforaBeavertonconstructionfirm.Survi-vorsincludetwosons;adaughter;hisparents;andasister.
Rev. Leroy Falling ’46, ’80(Honorary)diedSeptember26,2007inAnderson,Ind.,followingalengthyillness.
Glenn M. Henrichs ’51PastorGlennM.Henrichs’51died
peacefullyonAugust29,2007atHos-piceHouseofSanJoaquin,inStockton,Calif. A veteran of WW II and theU.S.Navy,pastorHenrichsservedasa minister in the Church of God for52yearsandasaChaplainforseveralfire departments. Survivors includehiswife,Ruth(Cox)Henrichs ’50;hischildren, Cindi (Henrichs) King ’69,Paul Henrichs ’74,Douglas Henrichs
’74,Sylvia(Henrichs)Turner ’77,andJudyAlderson;13grandchildren,andfourgreat-grandchildren.
Glenda Ann Law ’80Glenda Ann Law ’80 died July 30
inEastLosAngeles,Calif.attheageof 47. She was born on May 8, 1960in Portland, Ore. She was precededindeathbyhermother,Gloria (Elias)Law ’46.
Dr. James W. LongFormer WP trustee Dr. James W.
Long,86,diedsuddenlyonAugust1,2007athishomeinSuisunCity,Calif.Dr.Longhadbeenanoptometrist inGrandviewfor50yearsbeforehisre-tirement.HeservedasafighterpilotintheArmyAirCorpduringWWII.HewasactiveattheformerFirstChurchof God in Grandview and served ontheWPBoardofTrusteesfor12years.Survivors include his wife, Barbara,hissonJerry Long ’72,ofVancouver,Wash.;hisdaughterJill(Long)Palmer ’76,fourgrandchildren,andtwogreat-grandchildren.
Naomi H. “Becky” MansfieldFormer Social Science professor
Naomi H. “Becky” Mansfield diedAug.30fromcancer.Shewas83yearsold.MansfieldwasbornOct.10,1923inPortland.Shetaughtsocialworkpart-timeatWarnerPacificandatGeorgeFoxUniversityinthe1960’sandearly1970’s.Sheissurvivedbyherhusband,Charles; a sister; five adult children;12 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Victoria (King) Scott ’71VictoriaEllen“Vikki”ScottofEu-
gene,Ore.diedJune14attheageof58duetomultiplesclerosis.ShewasbornJan.12,1949,inPortland.ShemarriedJoel Scott Sr. in 1978 and they laterdivorced.SheworkedforKingMedi-calSalesandasahomeeconomicsandphysicaleducationteacherinPortland.Survivorsincludeason;abrother;twosisters;andtwograndchildren.
Neil Scott Smith ’55NeilScottSmith’55ofSisters,Ore.
diedMay10,2007attheageof71.HeworkedasasalesmanagerforPennzoilOilCo.from1967to1990,andattendedSistersCommunityChurch.Survivorsinclude his wife Priscilla (Morrison)Smith ’55;sonJeff Smith ’82,daugh-ter Miffy (Smith) Davis ’79, and fivegrandchildren.
Chris Anderson ’88isextensivelyinvolvedinOaxaca,MexicoasfounderofMissionOaxaca.HealsoservesasAdvisortotheMarshallChristensenFoundation,work-ing in Central Asia and developing na-tions.ChrishastwochildrenandlivesinPortland,Ore.andisanexecutivedirectorwithWolfEd.andResearchCenter.
90’s
Cristobal Martinez-Lozano ’91hasdonevolunteerparalegalwork since1994, as-sistingqualified,non-felons,mostlyHis-panics,toobtainpermanentU.S.residencystatus.Also,CristobalprovidesinterpreterservicesformissionaryoutreachestoSpan-ish-speaking countries, raising his ownsupportforthoseefforts.Cristobalandhiswife,Susan,liveinVancouver,Wash.
Raynette Yoshida ’95worksasapersonalassistantforMarioBisio,owner/presidentofMario’s.ShehasworkedfouryearsasavolunteergreeteratPortlandClassicalChinese Garden, and is a lay Eucharistminister.ShelivesinGresham,Ore.withher husband, adjunct business professorTedTakamura.
Jennifer Hall ’99 works as a pediatricphysicaltherapistatNeuro-Therapeutics,Inc.,inOregonCity,Ore.andcontinuestofigureskate(withrollerskates)competi-tively.ShelivesinHappyValley,Ore.
Edward (Allen) Jones ’99 completed amaster’sofDivinityfromCorbinCollegein2006andaMaster’sofTheologyfromPrincetonUniversitylastspring.
00’s
Barbara Fullman ’00 is the Coordinatorof the Post-Adoption Resource Center(PARC) in Vancouver, Wash., and anemployee of the Children’s Center, acounseling center in Vancouver, Wash.Barbara and her husband, Randy, arelicensed foster parents. They also havetwoadoptedteenagers.ReadmoreaboutBarbara’sworkatthechildrenscenter.orgbyclickingon“PARCProgram.”
Holly Grissom ’00 earned her Master’sDegreeinEducation(Technology)in2005andteachesintheEvergreenPublicSchooldistrict.Shehas twoboysandresides inVancouver,WA.
IN MEMORIAM
Continued from pg. 15
CLASS NOTES
Continued on pg. 18
Wilbur Miller ’47 swears he was justminding his own business back in
1947whenhespottedanattractivenewstu-dentatPacificBibleCollege(nowWarnerPacific)namedViolet Reynolds ’47.
“IknewwithintwosecondsIwasgoingtomarryher,”saidWilbur.
OnJune1,1947,that’sexactlywhathedid.TheMillerscelebratedtheirdiamondanniversarythispastsummersurroundedby family and friends at Oregon BaptistRetirementHome,inNEPortland,Ore.,wheretheMillershavelivedforthepastfourandahalfyears.Theyliveinanas-sistedlivingwing,asVidealswithcompli-cationsfromALS,orLouGehrig’sdisease.Speaking,forexample,isdifficult.
“[But]sheisnotinpainandisingoodspirits,”saidWilbur
Starting in 1947, the Millers spent thefirstfourteenyearsofmarriageminister-ing at churches in Wyoming, Montana,andEasternWashington.In1960,Wilburhelpedafriendholdanevangelisticmeet-inginGuam,andWilburwastakenwiththeislandnation.Ayearlater,theMillersandtheireightchildrenmovedtoGuamandopenedthecountry’sfirstA&WRootBeerdrive-inrestaurant.
“That’showwesupportedourselvesasweassistedintheChurchofGodinGuam,whichisstillthrivingtoday,”saidMiller.
During 60 years of marriage, Wilbur ’47 and Vi Miller ’47 had eight children, ran a business in Guam, escaped war in Vietnam, and finally settled back home in Oregon.
WhileinGuam,theMillerslostateen-aged daughter to meningitis, and had afallingoutwithsomebusinesspartners.In1967,WilburtookajobinSaigon,VietnamwiththePhilco-FordCompany.Viandfiveoftheirchildrensoonjoinedhim.
Then came the Tet Offensive in 1968.WilburmanagedtogethisfamilysafelytoAustraliatostaytemporarilywithrelatives,while he continued to work for anotheryear.ThenWilburreturnedtotheUnitedStatestosellbooksdoor-to-doorwiththeZondervan Publishing Company, untilretiringin1989.
“Iwasin21,000homes,”Wilbursaid.“Isoldmorethananyoneelseinthehistoryofthecompany.IthanktheLordforit.”
Biblical Tour
of
Visit the sites of the seven churches of the Book of
Revelation with WP religion professor Dr. John johnson.
$3800 per person *
Contact Dana McGuire at 503-517-1026
[email protected] more information
Biblical tour of
The Office of Alumni, Parent, and Church Relations presents a
June 14 - 27, 2008
Turkey
* Price includes airfare, lodging, and 2 meals a day. Gratuities not included.
The Millers (center) at their 60th wedding anniversary party last summer.
The Experience18
Kelli (Lander) ’00 and Ben Shular wel-comedtheirfirstchild,Noah,onJune11,2007inVancouver,Wash.Noahweighed9lbs.and6oz.andwas203/4incheslong.GrandparentsincludeKaren(Rich) ’72 andPhil Lander ’72.TheShularshavereturnedtoTanzania,wheretheyaremissionaries.
Stefanie(Dickinson)Marino ’01isathirdgrade reading/math tutor in Lubbock,Texas.Shewritesthatsheloveslivinginthe Lone Star State, despite the seasonaltornadowarnings.
Diane Bremer ’02 is the new head girls’volleyballcoachatSistersHighSchool,inSisters,Ore.Bremerhadbeenanassistantcoachfortheteamforeightyears.
Jacob ’02andJessica(Weems)Jurado ’02 liveinRapidCity,S.D.,whereJacobistheseniorpastoroftheFirstChurchofGod,andJessicaistheyouthleader.Jacobwasordained August 5. The Jurado familyincludesJonah(3)andRachel(1).
Amanda (Holden) ’03 and Dan Johnson were married in December 2005. Sheworksasapre-schoolteacher.
Kirsten Palm ’03livesinHaNoi,Vietnam.ShehaspreviouslytaughtEnglishandiscurrentlystudyingVietnameseintensivelyforlong-termworkinthecountry.
Sam ’03andHelenLivingstonhadtheirthirdchild,Lily,onMay23,2007,inSanFrancisco,Calif.LilyjoinssiblingsNathan(3)andJoy(2).Samworksfull-timeasthelocalchurchrelationscoordinatorwithJoni&Friends,aministrytothedisabled.
Matt Singleterry ’04 and his wife, Lisa,welcomedtheirfirstchild,MelodyJoyonMarch15,2007.MattistheworshippastoratTheChurchatKellyCreekinGresham,Ore., and coaches football at PortlandChristianHighSchool.
Ashley Valentine ’04taughtEnglishinMa-drid,SpainandisnowstudyingatWarnerPacificforherreadingendorsement.
Emily(Coombs)Chandler ’06isagraduatestudentatFullerTheologicalSeminary,inPasadena, Calif. Her husband, Donovan ’06 isanofficemanageratAzusaPacificUniversity.
Shannon Miller ’04isanannyinPortland,Ore.andvolunteerswiththeTraumaIn-terventionProgram.
Aaron Walton ’06istheYouthPastoratMt.ScottChurchofGod,inPortland,Ore.
Continued from pg. 17
CLASS NOTES ALUMNI PROFILES
Couple celebrates diamond days
This is an abridged version of a chapter from the book “Close Encounters of the God Kind” (Baltimore, PublishAmerica, 2007), by Adele Hooker, and was used with permission. Sam Hooker is a retired Church of God chaplain and pastor.
Fall 2007 19
WhenIwenttoPacificBibleCollege,(nowWarnerPacificCollege)in1940,Ileftmy‘29ModelAFordhomewithmyyoungerbrother,Bob,ahighschoolsenior.Aftermy
firstyear,IwenthometoCarthage,Mo.toseemyfamilyandtopickupmycar,whichIhadnamedHuldie.
OnmywaybacktoPortland,Ore.,IrealizedmybrotherBobhadputsomeroughmilesonmycar.PoorHuldie’smotorkeptheatingup.WhenIgottoSalina,Kansas,Ifoundtheexactradia-torIneededatawreckingcompany.Ipulledit,paidsixdollars,andleft.Idrovethecarastraddleaditch,pulledthebadradiatorandputthegoodoneon.
Igottothinkingthatmy“hero-brother,”Joe,ageniusmechanic,taughtmehowtofixacar.WasheanangelofGodforatimelikethis?MaybeanangelledmetothewreckingyardwiththeveryradiatorIneeded?Ifso,thatmakestwo.
BythetimeIhadHuldierunningcool,itwasdark.Icouldn’taffordamotel,soIboughtsomebaloneyandaloafofbreadatagrocerystoreandkeptmoving.ItwasmidnightwhenIreachedTwinFalls,Idaho.Afewmilesfartheron,IheardastrangerattleinHuldie’smotor.Igotoutandliftedthehood.Waterspewedeverywherefromabustedwaterpump.
ThereIwasinthedarkagain.Butanangelwasthere,too.Astreet lightshinedonasign,“WahlWreckingCompany,”andtherewasatelephonenumber,too.DidIdarewaketheownerandtellhimmysadstory?Imusteredthecouragetocall.
Mr. Wahl came right down, wearing slippers, and took methroughtheyardandfoundawreckedcarjustlikemine.Wasthattheworkofanotherangel?Mr.Wahlhadtobeone.Hehelpedmepullbothpumpsandputthegoodoneon.Theprice?Twodollars.Saintorangel?Maybehewasboth.
“Boy!”Ithought,“That’saniceman!I’llbethe’saChristian.”Ifoundoutlaterwhenhisson,SamWahl,movedtoPortlandandwebecamefriendsthatMr.WahlwasnotonlyaChristian,butamemberofthesamechurchdenominationIwas.HowcouldthathappenwithoutsomeonebiggerthanI?
WhenIleftTwinFalls,allIhadwasalittlechangeandatankfullofgas.Itwouldn’tgetmetoPortland,butacoupleofPBCalumniwerepastoringachurchinLaGrande,Ore.Ipickedupahamburgerwithmylastfewcentsanddrovethroughthenight.
TheIdahoprairieswerehot.Withmywindowdown,Icouldhearthesoundofrushingwater.Iwondered,there’snoriverhere.Whatcouldthatsoundbe?Istoppedtosee.Itwaswaterinanirrigationditch.WhenIwentbacktoHuldie,anothernoisehitmyear.AhissingsoundcamefromHuldie’sleftfrontwheel.
Downonmyknees,withmyeartothetire,Iheardthestemvalveleaking.Ihadapairofpliersandtherewasabarbedwirefencenearby.Withaprayerofblessingforthedearfarmerwhoputitthere,Icutapieceofwireout.Withthat,Iwrappedthetireatthestemvalveuntilthehissingstopped.Didanangelmakemestoptofindoutwhattherunningwaterwas,whichinturncausedmetohearthehissingtire?Ifso,thatmadefive.Ohyes,thatIwasledtostopbyawirefencemakessix.
Withaprayerandrenewedflairforadventure,Iwasbreezingalongagain,knowingatmynextstopwerefriendswhowould
helpme.ButwhenIgottoLaGrande,Ididn’thaveadimeinmy pocket to make a telephone call. I went to a phone boothtolookuptheaddressofRev. Harold Lougheed ’41.Itwasn’tthere.TheLougheedswerejuststartingachurchinLaGrande,maybetheystillmetintheirhome?Maybetheydidn’tevenhaveaphone?Hungryandbroke,Idrovefromonechurchtoanother,askingabouttheFirstChurchofGodandRev.Lougheed.Afteranumberofstops,aministersaidhe’djustmetRev.Lougheedatacityminister’smeeting.Hegavemedirections.Believeme,Iknewhewasanangel.
Florence Lougheed ’47greetedmewithawarm,welcomingsmileandtookmein.Afterhearingmysadstory, shefedme.KnowingitwastheonlymealI’dhaveallday,Iateaccordingly.Rev.Lougheedtookmetotheservicestation,filledmytank,andgavemeaheartyhandshake.OffIwent.
“ThankYou,God!”Isaid,“twomoreangels!”Withbothmystomachandgastankfull,Ifeltazestyfreedom
asIrolleddownthehighway.IhadgasenoughtogettoHoodRiver,Ore.There,anothercoupleofPBCstudentswouldtakeme
in.IprayedandaskedGodtoseethattheywerehome.ThetallpinesofEasternOregongottome.I’dneverseenanythinglikethem.Ihadtostop.Inawe,Istoodbeneathandwalkedamongthesegiantsofnature.FivefeetaheadwasthefirstdeerI’deverseeninmylife.
Byevening,IwasinHoodRiver.Godsawtoitthatmyfriends,Clarence ’41andArvella Roper ’41,werehome.Arvellacookedmeagooddinner.Theyputmeupforthenightandfedmethenextmorning.Clarencetookmetothegasstation.Iaddedtwoangelstomylist.
ThehighwaytoPortlandwasscenicandawe-inspiring,asitsnakedalong themightyColumbiaRiver. SoonHuldieandIwereatPBC,homefree!However,IfoundoutIhadonemorehiddenangel.
WhenIgotoutofthecaratthecollege,Icheckedmysparetire,curioustoseeifIcouldhaveuseditwhenthevalvestemleaked.Thetirewascompletelyblown.Myrascalbrotherhadhadaflatanddidn’trepairorreplaceit!DoesGodhavecertainangelswhoseonlyjobitistolookafterpoorstudents’tires?Hemusthave.Thatonemadeitanevendozen!
Angels by the DozenA retired minister recalls a cross-country road trip in his beloved Model A Ford and the saving grace he discovered along the way
BY SAM HOOKER ’45
With my window down, I could hear the sound of rushing water. I wondered, there’s no river here. What could that sound be?
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UPCOMING EVENTS (All concerts in McGuire Auditorium)
Nov. 9-11, 16-18, 2007: Once Upon a Mattress (Cellar Theatre - 7:30 p.m. / 3 p.m. matinees Nov. 11 & 18)Nov. 28, 2007: WPC Jazz Ensembles, 7:30 p.m.Dec. 2, 2007: WPC Alumni / WPC Concert Choir Concert, 3 p.m.Feb 8 - 9, 2008: HomecomingFeb. 10. 2008: Dennis Plies and Ruth Ann (Helbling) Yerden ’66 (marimba /piano duo), 3 p.m.March 10, 2008: Heidi Buxman Williams (solo piano) in concert, 3 p.m.April 6, 2008: The Plies-Whitaker Project Jazz Quintet, 3 p.m.