amazoo, Mich., was the plenary speaker at the August 2010 annual faculty/staff conference of her alma mater. Shirley joined the faculty of our sister institution, Goshen College in Indiana in 1976. In April 1996, she was named the 14th president of Goshen College, serving in the role until November 1, 2004. Shirley then joined the Fetzer Institute as vice president of programs. She led a strategic planning process, enabling the institute to organize its staff and program in three areas: individual and community transformation; science and spirituality; and communication and outreach. She left the Fetzer Institute shortly before speakig at EMU. She now hopes to fulfill a life-long dream of becoming a full-time writer. Mary Sprunger, MA, PhD (U. of Illinois), history professor at EMU.
New Look at Anabaptists In Post-1500s Europe Mark Jantzen, Bethel associate professor of history, and his colleague Mary Sprunger (both Bethel graduates, in 1985 and 1984, respectively), professor of history at EMU, were co-planners for “Marginal or Mainstream? Anabaptists, Mennonites and Modernity in European Society,” a conference held on the Bethel (Kan.) campus June 25-26, 2010. The thesis of the conference was that Mennonites – far from retreating into obscurity after the 16th century, as standard textbooks suggest – were an important influence on European economics, politics, religion and other areas of society over the next centuries, into the “modern era.” Questions included the negative and positive aspects of Mennonite participation in European economies as well as the growing need to face issues of wealth and privilege; the particular experience of Dutch Mennonites, who experienced societal tolerance much earlier and therefore assimilated faster; the complex relationship between theology and culture and whether to speak of theology was even appropriate; and the extent to which European Mennonites set their own agenda or had it set by the state or “the world.” Both Jantzen and Sprunger were surprised and pleased by the number and diversity of conference attenders. “I was expecting 50 or so, 100 at the most,” Jantzen says. “We had 120 registered, with at least 30 more who dropped in at different times.” “I enjoyed the audience cross-section of both scholars and laypeople,” Sprunger says. “It made for a bigger audience than you often get at these conferences. Bethel was well situated, near retirement communities and museums, with a lot of [local] people with a deep interest in Mennonite history.” Sprunger has taught at EMU for 18 years. During the 2010-11 academic year, she is on sabbatical, writing a book on the social, economic, and cultural dimensions of a wealthy, urban Mennonite church during the Dutch Golden Age in the 17th century. Her sabbatical also permits time for archival research in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and for teaching in Nanchong, China. — Largely culled from a Bethel press release by Melanie Zuercher fall 2007 2010-11 52 | crossroads | fall/winter
Duane E. Yoder ’70, Oakland, Md., has been appointed by Gov. Martin O’Malley as a representative from Western Maryland to Maryland’s Sustainable Growth Commission. The Sustainable Growth Commission is charged with assessing and advising on the progress of state, regional and local planning in Maryland toward achieving the goals of the state’s economic growth, resource protection, and planning policy. Duane is the CEO of the Garrett County Community Action Committee, Inc. Galen Groff ’71 (SEM ’72) and his wife, Phyllis (Bomberger) Groff, have been reappointed for another two-year term in Alta Verapez, Guatemala, by Eastern Mennonite Missions. The Groffs have served in Guatemala for 18 years. They will serve in church leadership development, public health, women’s ministries and as missionary representatives for Guatemala, Honduras, and Belize. Karl D. Stoltzfus, Sr. ’72, Mt. Crawford, Va., owner of Dynamic Aviation, presented the commencement address to 54 Eastern Mennonite High School graduating seniors in Lehman Auditorium on June 6, 2010. The title of his thought-provoking and well-delivered message was “Student of Life.” Karl maintained that life is a learning opportunity. He encouraged the students to follow Jesus, reside and/or travel internationally, read history and literature, and to live graciously. Timothy Gascho ’73, Twin Falls, Idaho, is the pastor at Filer Mennonite Church, Filer, Idaho. He holds a master’s degree in theology from Dallas Theological Seminary. Verle Rufenacht ’74, Mount Joy, Pa., was one of 32 missionaries from six countries whose services under Eastern Mennonite Missions (EMM) were completed and recognized with a gathering of their supporters at EMM Meetinghouse, July 29. During his three decades of service in Tanzania, Verle trained more than 1,200 nurses. Melodie Davis ’75, Harrisonburg, Va., is the author of a new Herald Press book Whatever Happened to Dinner? Recipes and Reflections for Family Mealtime.
“Research shows that only about 60 percent of youth and parents in the U.S. eat dinner together five or more times a week,” says Davis. She says that “grown children frequently point to mealtime traditions as some of their best memories and bonding experiences—laughing and telling stories around the table.” In addittion, she says studies show that children who eat with their families do better in school, are at lower risk for substance abuse, have fewer eating disorders, better overall health and eating habits, better relationships with their parents, and better reading and language skills. Wendell J. Eberly ’75, Harrisonburg, Va., retired June 30, 2010 from his 28-year role as director of recreation and facilities for Rockingham County. He was initially employed by the county in 1980 as athletics director for the recreation department and promoted two years later to the position from which he retired. The Harrisonburg Daily News Record described the experience and activities of Wendell in an article entitled “For Eberly, ‘Fun’ was Job One.’” Charles E. and Margaret “Peggy” Roberts Harner, both class of ’76, East Otis, Mass., are both employed in occupations that they did not envision as liberal arts graduates in the 1970s (he in biology and she in English). Charles is director of general services at Fairview Hospital in Great Barrington, Mass., a small community hospital that is part of the Berkshire Health Systems. He is in charge of making sure the physical plant for this full-service institution – including 24-hour emergency room, surgery, obstetrics, rehabilitation, cardiology – functions smoothly and meets the highest safety standards for hospital facilities. Peggy is the Berkshire Area Coordinator for the Special Olympics of Massachusetts. Each summer for the last 20 years they have volunteered for one or two weeks at Camp CrossRoads near Mercersburg, Pa., a camp for kids and adults with special needs. They worship at Greenwoods Community Church in Sheffield, Mass., and are the parents of two graduates: Laura Harner Martin ’00 and Charles William “Bill” Harner ’03. (More information about Linda and Bill under their class years.) Dennis ’76 MDiv ’79 and Linda Augsburger ’77 Gingerich, Cape Coral, Fla., led 20 persons on a trip to Israel and Egypt in February 2010. This was their fifth trip to Israel. Dennis was one of the speakers at the 8th International Church Planting Summit in Kathmandu, Nepal, April 27-30, 2010. Approximately 500 church planters and church planting movement leaders from southeast Asia gathered for the meeting. On this trip, Dennis also visited potential mission partners in China. He travelled to Hyderabad, India, to speak at a graduation of 500 church planters from a one-year training exercise through The Timothy Initiative. Dennis is the founding pastor