When the Story Blesses the Kingdom- Number 1 #becauseofconcordia

  This little corner of the world usually just shares the stories

of my family, faith and living as a follower of Jesus.

But, this past week has been interrupted with the news to "Reimagine"  the Concordia- Ann Arbor campus by Concordia Wisconsin. 

They have lived #uncommon as one university, but somehow this announcement motivates me to believe there is some kind of ultimatum handed down. How does one part of a family not know that there is need and challenges to address TOGETHER?

As an alumni of this campus, I will gather stories of lives changed for the Kingdom.  Our Lord reigns and we invite Him into this messy, complicated and divisive situation.

Today I share the story of Blake Wright with his permission.

Dear President Ankerberg and the Board of Regents,

My name is Blake Wright and I am part of the class of 2017 at Concordia University Ann Arbor, the university that God used to change my life. As I write this I struggle to decide if this letter will be hurtful or helpful, but at this point, I feel that the most hurtful action has already been taken. So I pray that you find this letter helpful, and I pray that you embrace perspective and recognize the true impact of the action you have chosen to take. 

My CUAA journey wasn’t your typical Lutheran Education story. When I enrolled at CUAA in 2015, I was a non-denominational kid who was searching for something more. I believed in Jesus and had a passion for sharing the Gospel, but at the time, I had little knowledge of how the Gospel was significant to me. The Holy Spirit used the lives of students and faculty at CUAA to change that. 

I enrolled in the spring of 2015, so I did not get the luxury of meeting a large group of new students like those who join campus in the fall. During this semester, I lived alone. Small school, my own dorm, no suite mate, life was awesome, until I realized that I felt the most alone I’d ever felt. At the time I didn’t realize, but this loneliness wasn’t because there were not great people around me, it was because I chose to self isolate. I failed to initiate conversation with other students on campus.

One cold February night, I mustered up the courage to attend Tuesday Night Worship, a time where students gather together to sing praises and share the Gospel with one another. It was at that point I realized the heartbeat of this campus was different. I distinctly remember after that night of worship, being invited to grab some doughnuts at Dom’s Doughnuts with a group of strangers that somehow instantly started to feel like family. My CUAA story doesn’t end there . . .

Being a non-denominational kid coming to a Lutheran school, there were certain areas of faith that I was blind to. Through my Lutheran theology and Bible classes with Dr. Hopkins, I was able to see the Gospel come to life. I remember certain days, he would delay his daily teaching plans to ensure that I could grasp the understanding of scripture and the Lutheran faith that I had been wrestling with. Something only family would do, but again, my CUAA story doesn’t end there . . .

During my time at CUAA I was significantly challenged by Lutheran Doctrine. As I continued to express this to some of my lifelong Lutheran friends, they suggested that I meet with the Dean of Students, who at the time was Rev. John Rathje. I have never told John this, but he is the reason I continued into my 2015 fall semester at CUAA. 

John carved out the time in his busy schedule to spend time with me, and he answered more of my random questions about doctrine, theology, and faith than I can remember. John showed me what being in community with one another is all about. It’s because of John that I received my internship that then turned into my first call out of college. Something only family would do, but my CUAA story doesn’t end there either . . .

CUAA is the place that my wife and I grew both in our relationship with one another and in faith together. We had the opportunity to experience the importance of keeping Christ at the center of our relationship as we attended chapels and other campus ministry events together. In May of 2018 Pastor Ryan officiated one of the most memorable days of our life. Something only family would be a part of, but my CUAA story doesn’t end there . . .

Are you starting to catch on? 

It is because of my CUAA family that I am proud to say that I am a first generation LCMS Commissioned Church Worker. It is because of my CUAA family that I have some of the greatest lifelong friends who are family. Most importantly, it is because of my CUAA family presenting the Gospel FAITHFULLY that I now have a deep knowledge and understanding of what Christ has done for me and am able to share it with those I have the privilege of ministering to. 

As I received multiple text messages and read through the emails that were sent out, I could not help but lock-in on the phrase “spirit of transparency” that President Ankerberg claims to have. From my seat as a caring CUAA alumnus, I fail to agree that this process has been “transparent.” 

The email that was sent to students and faculty “before alumni and donors” was an email of fear, panic, and what I believe is a hasty solution with an irreversible outcome from leadership. This email is proof that there has been a failure of transparency presented. The email sent to students and faculty was an emergency warning of abrupt decisions made behind closed doors. This email was and is incredibly damaging to the faculty, students, CUAA alumni and donors. 

The email sent out to alumni was very vague, yet very telling. I do not believe it is a secret that the intent is to sell off CUAA. Is this the only solution? In the email there was continued emphasis on the word  “trust” and implied that there may be mistrust in leadership at this time. The email also continued to use the phrase, “spirit of honesty and transparency.” I struggle to believe that this is the truth. How can there be an expectation of trust in leadership when the “spirit of honesty and transparency” has not been faithfully presented?

In the true spirit of honesty and transparency, I want to present a couple things. I feel that there are other solutions to this financial matter that have not yet been explored. It appears that there is a hidden, non-transparent, reason behind the eagerness to “reimagine” or sell off CUAA that has not been shared. The trust in leadership is going to be hard to gain due to the apparent neglect to find alternative options to promote stewardship of CUAA’s finances, resources and mission to the city and students of Ann Arbor. This appears to be a rushed and hurried solution to the staff, programs and ministry of CUAA and the church at large. It appears to be an action of fear not faith. The representation of CUAA brought forth does not reflect the heartbeat of faith that I and many others know and have experienced. 

CUAA is an incredible place that fosters faith and presents the Gospel faithfully. CUAA is a family that continues to be a light in the city of Ann Arbor. My CUAA story continues on through the work I have been called to and my prayer is that it could continue to live on through the lives of my daughter and future children. 

See, CUAA isn’t just a place for the present, it’s a place for the future. A place that I, myself, and many others trust and love. CUAA is a place to be fought for, rather than allowing it and the ministry that happens there, to fade away under the goal of increasing the quality of Mequon’s campus. We cannot allow the mission and ministry of Ann Arbor to be abandoned. Sadly, I understand that there are probably many decisions that have already been solidified, but I pray that the leadership of CUWAA would reconsider their perspective and current approach. I pray that you would have a heart of faith over fear and fight for a campus that is changing lives in the name of Jesus. 

Sincerely, 

Blake Wright

A Proud CUAA Alumnus

Blake lives in Deltona, Florida. 

He is the current 

Director of Spiritual Life at Holy Cross Lutheran Academy

and the Worship Director for Resurrection Lutheran Church.