When the Story Blesses the Kingdom- Number 17 #becauseofconcordia

David Smalls- CUAA Student Government President

with Rev. John and Connie Denninger.

 I was encouraged to write a number of blog posts

 in the past 3 weeks telling the story of

 amazing Concordia Connections.

What I wasn't prepared for was the personal blessing

 that would come out of that endeavor.

I had told David that on my next trip to Ann Arbor,

 I wanted to come to campus 

and meet him and personally shake his hand.

That is a great "hope it happens" kind of thing.

So a week ago, I get a text from David announcing

 that he would be in DC for Spring Break visiting his brother.

Was there any night we could meet up for dinner?

Where his brother works.

Sure- that sounds great.

We arrive at Surveyor at The Thompson near Nationals Park, 

Navy Yard, Washington DC.

Brother Dervin is the Executive Chef at this restaurant.

David is the youngest of eight children 

and you can tell his older brother likes

 to take care of "the younger brother."

The surprise was a very special 3 hour meal

 prepared by Dervin.

Fancy food, carefully prepared and delicious.

The joy of the evening was the conversation,

 as we were able to hear the heart 

of this young servant leader.

Prepared to do "what it takes" in his leadership role.

Willing to be mentored and learn from others.

A humble heart that sees he is in a place to give, 

serve and pull others up.

It only takes a short conversation with David to hear words

 like prayer, listening and HOPE.

He is ready to come back from Spring Break 

and roll up his sleeves to be the voice of encouragement.

He understands the hard work ahead.

 He doesn't step aside from the challenge

 facing CUAA right now and into the future. 

The students at CUAA have a man named Smalls

 ready to lead like a Giant for the future of CUAA.

We couldn't have seen the blessing of meeting

 this young man a month ago.

But now, we testify that even in the hard, 

the bad and the hurtful,

God is still making connections of heart 

that bring GOOD things to His Kingdom people.

 

When the Story Blesses the Kingdom Number 16 #becauseofconcordia

Let's talk about prayer. It is the center focus abounding in this traumatized Concordia Ann Arbor Community. There have been times on our knees in prayer. They have joined together in worship and praise. Gratitude abounds for a God that sees you in the mess of the world, right now and right here. Prayers of lament have been flooding the gates of heaven. God, where are you? What is happening? Where are you in the middle of this situation?  Are you listening?  Do you see us? Are you still in control?  That is the place where we find ourselves, as we move into the time for another vote by the CUWAA Board of Regents. 

The leadership at this campus has shown a Godly presence for shaping this response. Another university setting might have seen walk-outs, demonstrations, sit-ins, and picket lines. This community has flocked to services at the Chapel of the Holy Trinity on campus. Multiple efforts have been made in other churches and venues for prayer and praise. We give thanks that in this time of distress that this leadership has gone to the ONE who really has the power in all things. 

Visual Faith® Ministry has stepped in with prayer resources to support this focus on prayer. We give thanks for Jessica Meier- the first grade teacher at St Paul's Ann Arbor, Michigan for her design of 4 prayer cards. These cards have blessed many as they prayed. Then the actual visual, physical prayers were given to students on campus. They hold this picture of prayer in their hands and hearts. That resource can be downloaded for free right here:

cuaa-prayer-cards-by-jessica-meier

So, as we come up to the Board of Regents meeting and vote we have many questions. Who has listened?  Who is humble enough to say... let's start over.  Who has been willing to look at another way to solve the problem? Is there a heart to say- maybe we got this wrong?

But, let us remember in this difficult time to pray-- Your will, Lord. Your plan, Lord. Your great design for your Kingdom, Lord. We trust that God is still in charge of His church. He moves the universe according to His plan.  Yet, we are bold to pray- let there be future years for students to enroll and graduate from CUAA.  We are believers with an "even yet", and "even though", heart response. A vote can and may be challenging to hear and receive. BUT, we still have a God worthy of worship and praise with a heart of gratitude. So we give thanks and pray. Please join us to devote some specific time in God's Word to pray Scripture right into this very time for the future of Concordia Ann Arbor. 

  Jessica Meier is the oldest daughter

 of John and Connie Denninger.

We give thanks for her service

 to the St Paul's Lutheran School Community.

    

When the Story Blesses the Kingdom Number 15 #becauseofconcordia

 All of the CUAA Athletic community have taken some hard knocks in that past two weeks. They have been blamed for budget deficits, missing the "purpose" of the University and called out for "taxing the bottom line."   The athletic programs have grown in both diversity and  quality and the campus has a high margin of campus students who are involved in the athletic programs. The excellence in music has been touted in both personal posts and in the insightful views into the campus worship community and connecting concert activities. Listen carefully in this post and hear the whisper of the Holy Spirit working in the heart of a student amidst  busy campus life.

When the Story Blesses the Kingdom

Chase Maynard  

 I came to CUAA to play football. I grew up in a small community down near Columbus, Ohio.  Living in a small community has its perks. You really see the people around you and spend time with them. When I was looking for colleges, I knew that I had to go to a smaller school. I was looking for a small school experience. There is this big family now with everyone and you never have to feel alone. The professors, coaches, and staff create this loving environment for the students and the athletes. I have never felt more comfortable in a school where I can be myself and don’t have to worry about what others think. The friendships I have made here will last for my entire life here on earth. Some of these people will be at my wedding. The Lutheran culture at CUAA is unique as a university setting.

I had a wonderful growing up household. We always went to church on Sundays and I used to complain about going to church. Services were too long and I needed help to understand the Bible. My mom was always "bugging me" about reading it. She always just showed me Jesus. I was arrogant and I was stubborn. My mom worried that I was never going to "see the light". Coming to this school has opened my eyes and changed me. I began to see the power of the Holy Spirit and make connections in the classes I took.  Freshman year I was hanging out with my friends who started to talk about Jesus.  I listened to them share how Jesus loves you more than anything else. I could feel something in my body stir that I have never felt before. That night I prayed and the rest is history. I just hit 365 days in a row on my Bible app and I’m very happy for God's work for that life change. I started to go to Night of Worship and attend Chapel almost every day. Reading God's Word is now a constant in my life for guidance. This school and the people here helped to direct my life for eternity. I believe Jesus is mine and He put me here for a reason.

CUAA has also impacted my whole family.  My brother, Hunter, attended Concordia Ann Arbor and had a wonderful football career here. He was an education major just like the rest of my family. I came to his games and I saw the brotherhood of CUAA football. You can just sense the coaches want to be here. They are a constant presence to help an athlete achieve the highest. My brother would call and share why this place would be great for me. He never came home, because he was having the most fun ever. In the summer he would go back up and hang out with friends or go to summer football workouts. During football season my family comes to all the games and shows support for me and my teammates. Before football games, you can see parents tailgating in the parking lot. When we travel to away games, we sometimes have more fans than the Home Team sometimes. Concordia shows up and we never will stand down from anything.

This school is strong, loving, and committed to students. We can't believe what is happening now. Dear President Ankerberg and Board of Regents, please read all the letters you are receiving. So many people have poured their lives, time and their money into this school. We are growing and people want to join the ride. This school is creating disciples of Jesus. Jesus wants us to spread His word. Please let this school spread His love and help us to welcome others who don't know YOU. Our school means “Hearts together”. We are all one big family that want to live as one.

Chase Maynard is a sophomore at CUAA.

He is a part of the football team 

and is majoring in Secondary Education Mathematics.

When the Story Blesses the Kingdom- Number 14 #becauseofconcordia

                                                                                       Baptism of Alfonso- Sea of Galilee

The Concordia Ann Arbor community has spent time

 in the past two weeks with many reflections of memories and 

  time and life spent on this campus. The question hovering for many 

of us is the question of the lost future. The loss of church workers is a given, 

as well as the loss of overall students in the Concordia University System.

But, what about the Kingdom loss? 

CUAA has been a place where students just might stumble across

 the subtle work of Gospel centered lives. 

It has also been the outright manifestation of lives captured 

and readjusted by the transforming work of the Holy Spirit. 

Here, Pastor Dan gives a glimpse of just one of those classes at CUAA

where you walk where Jesus walked, and leave "forever changed."

   

When the Story Blesses the Kingdom

Dan Flynn

I have been blessed to take around 250 students and chaperones from CUAA and 

CUW to the Holy Land. Each trip has its own personality and its own experience that have always blessed me beyond words. I have watched two different sites of the same university unify and bond into a community that I never anticipated. 

Negev Desert

My deepest desire is that my students have an encounter with Christ. We travel throughout the Holy Land encountering Biblical sites as well as cultural experiences. Riding a camel in the Negev Desert or floating in the Dead Sea or doing a jeep ride in the Golan Heights with a lecture by an Israeli are powerful. These experiences create amazing conversations. Of course, we step into the Scriptures and walk where Jesus walked. 

Yes, I did baptize Alonzo last January 2023 at his request. The 40 of us were deeply moved watching Alonzo and me step into the Sea of Galilee and immersing Alonzo in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The class applauded and we wept. Communion at the Garden Tomb always brings tears as they encounter the resurrection. 

Church of the Nativity Bethlehem

The relationships sustain past the trip to Israel. Either at Mequon or Ann Arbor, students continue to talk and share. Often their faith is encouraged well beyond a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Concordia Invitation Tourney (CIT) became a reunion, and the stories live on. 

So now, because of Hamas, twenty-four of us are going to Greece to explore the cities of the Apostle Paul.  The conversations of faith will happen. My deepest desire is what Paul writes in Ephesians 4:3-6, 

“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

Now all of this is at risk and I’m grieving. The CUWAA President, the administration and Board of Regents are moving so quickly.  I can’t get a handle on how to manage the hurting students and how the staff must feel. Yes, the hurt I’m feeling. I delight in my students, and I am passionate that they would know Jesus.  Whether it is walking down the Mt. of Olives or instructing in my classroom- Jesus is the center of the Concordia Ann Arbor experience.

So, I pray and hope.

Rev. Dan Flynn

is an Adjunct Theology Professor 

at CUAA. He also serves as the 

vacancy pastor at Cross of Christ Lutheran Church 

in Bloomfield Hills. Michigan.

When the Story Blesses the Kingdom- Number 13 #becauseofconcordia

Parents and guardians are working hard 

to makes sense of the past two weeks 

with the news of possible change at Concordia Ann Arbor. 

Something doesn't makes sense, 

and information just doesn't add up.

Their struggle to help students decipher the drama 

is complicated because they, as parents,

 are in the very same boat.

Whole families have been sideswiped and left off kilter.

This post shares the joy of watching a child 

make a college choice and the great disappointment 

with that very career on the line this week.

When the Story Blesses the Kingdom

Ellen (Schlueter) Landskroener

 I grew up in Michigan and had my eyes set on Concordia Ann Arbor

from an early age. My parents sent all three of their children to Concordia. 

 My brother Paul (91-95) and I both graduated with degrees in church work.  

Concordia was the perfect setting for us.  

We had professors who loved and nurtured us. 

 Fellow students became like instant family and still are close friends today.  

Our oldest daughter, Abigail, visited Concordia 

many times as a student in Lutheran elementary school. 

 She participated in tool time (a youth event).  

She ran on the track on campus for state track meets.  

She attended music festival.  

Abigail fell in love with Concordia Ann Arbor.  

Abigail felt God’s call into the teaching ministry and knew that this campus

 was where she wanted to go. She started Concordia in the fall of 2021. 

We are absolutely crushed at the proposition to reimagine the campus.  

This is not an option for her.  She wants to attend chapel.  

She wants to walk the campus, live in the dorm, 

and eat with her friends in the cafeteria. 

 Abigail is a CMRA (Christian Ministry Resident Assistant) on campus.  

She wants to lead devotions and attend Night of Worship.  

This is just a few of the amazing things that are happening on campus.

  The Lord is working here on this campus 

and eyes are being opened to the light of the Gospel!  

Abigail has also grown so much in her own Christian walk 

while at Concordia Ann Arbor. 

 We, as parents, don’t want her time there to end abruptly.  

We pray that President Ankerberg and the Board of Regents will allow her

 and her fellow classmates to continue what they’ve started.  

Please, don’t change the Concordia we know and love

 into something unrecognizable to the students. 

Please remember CUAA is a HEARTS TOGETHER campus with CUW.

Ellen is a 1992 CUAA Alumni.

She serves as the art teacher at 

Trinity Lutheran School in Toledo, Ohio.

When the Story Blesses the Kingdom Number 12 #becauseofconcordia

 

We may not always know where we are headed when we graduate from college. It is fairly certain that every student who attended CUAA stood at this point off the Chapel of the Holy Trinity and gazed out onto the Huron River from this vantage point. Wondering about life ahead. Choices. Challenges. People. Jobs. Relationships. Callings. Those answers came as the days moved forward. The strong tie that binds is the shared common experience of time on this campus. Uniting the classes from last century to the current class of 2024 is this trusted plan that the Lord carries all the yesterdays and all the tomorrows. We give thanks for that great gift.

When the Story Blesses the Kingdom

Linda Sproul

The most important people in my life, past and present are 

#becauseofconcordia. I received the best Lutheran education from 

professors who cared for me like family. (and still do even 32 years

 later) I found my lifelong friends and had the greatest experiences 

like choir tour and the Boar's Head Festival. My husband daughter are

fellow alums. It was extra special to me to serve CUAA for 5 years as 

director of donor and alumni relations.

Working with our fellow alumni was the highlight of my years on staff, Being Lutheran

my whole life and in church work for the past 30 years, I tend to know a lot of our 

alums. No matter what year they graduated, CUAA truly is the tie that binds since we

all share such similar college experiences across all decades!  It was an honor and 

privilege to help the classes of 1969-1973 celebrate their 50th reunion on campus 

with meaningful worship and friendship activities. It was like 50 years years hadn't 

gone by at all! These are some of the most generous people I've ever met. Each 

class has established their own $25,000 scholarship endowment!  Our alumni treat 

each other like family, because we are! 

We do not want to be "reimagined." 

I urge everyone to do whatever it takes to keep CUAA as we 

know it today. We must continue the legacy of a Gospel focused invitation

 to share Jesus with all people, and raise leaders for tomorrow.

Christ first in everything!

Linda Sproul

Class of 1992

When the Story Blesses the Kingdom Number 11 #becauseofconcordia

 

Sometimes we just need to do something when we feel

 a situation is out of our control. 

There is currently a project to shower the students 

in dorms with some love, care and attention.

Marissa Kulig is coordinating the effort with a team

 of alumni to collect the goodies to deliver to the students.

 The CUAA Dorm Care Project developed soon after the

 announcement of the challenging future for CUAA.

If you would like to be a part of this project - 

here is the link to the Amazon wish list.

CUAA Dorm Wish List

You can be a helper and do something RIGHT NOW!

When The Story Blesses the Kingdom

                             

Marissa Kulig

I didn’t originally plan to go to Concordia. Growing up just outside Ann Arbor, I had plans to go to school anywhere BUT Ann Arbor. Yet, I found myself wanting to go to school for something very specific. I wanted to be a Child Life Specialist. I found out that CUAA had one of the best programs in the country and soon was enrolled at Concordia Ann Arbor for the fall of 2010. 

I struggled intensely at first, as I wasn’t raised Lutheran. I wondered if CUAA truly was the place for me. After my freshman year, I realized that the financial situation was not good when I lost my student worker job in the marketing department. A merger with CUW was potentially in the works. I was encouraged by some to transfer schools and I heavily considered it. But, I decided to give it one more year.  I’m eternally grateful that I did. The merger went through, finances balanced, and so did I. 

Concordia slowly but surely became my home. I was involved in Campus Leadership, part of New Crew and leading Tool Time retreats. I was involved in choir, and thanks to Dr. Altevogt’s passion developed a deep love for all kinds of music. I laughed and cried in Dr. Looker’s English courses and fell even more in love with literature. My Family Life professors mentored me, cried with me, prayed with me, and fought with me every step of the way to accomplish my dreams. They became such a huge part of my life and I credit the person I am today to their love and guidance. I developed lifelong friends and have the most cherished memories. 

I am the person I am today because of Concordia University.  While it wasn’t my first choice, it was exactly the school that my heart and soul needed. It became my home and a place I cherish almost more than anywhere else. Concordia and its community saved and changed my life and I couldn’t be more grateful. 

When I heard the news about the CUAA finances, my heart was crushed, because this school is needed. It is needed for kids like me who are looking for a place to call home. A place to find themselves. A place to know that they are SO much more than just a number.  My hope is that through this Dorm Care Project, the students will feel loved. Seen. Heard. Valued. Wanted. I pray that like me, they will give Concordia a chance and they will stay.

   

Marissa is a 2014 Alumnus of CUAA.

Her degree was in Family Life with a Childe Life Concentration.

She recently graduated with a 

Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

In the future she will be working as a therapist 

with children and adolescents. 

Her goal is to use her Child Life education from Concordia 

and specialize in working from the mental health side 

with children and families who have medical issues 

or a longterm medical diagnosis.