Hillcrest Connection Spring 2017

SUMMER 2017

CONNECTION ROOTS

E.M. BROEN'S MISSION + VISION CAMPUS UPDATE

EVANGELISM CLUB

missionS ALUMNI PROFILE

MABEL HELLAND

FROM OUR ROOTS TO TODAY’S FRUIT MISSION RUNS THROUGH OUR FAMILY TREE

ALUMNI IN ACTION

ANNA HANSEN: MOM TO MANY IN GUATEMALA

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Greetings A l u m n i + F r i e n d s.

God’s mission to and for the world has been at the heart of Hillcrest Lutheran Academy from its inception. Over the decades, many of Hillcrest’s students have served in mission fields near and far. A number of missionaries in the Church of the Lutheran Brethren heard the initial call to mission during classes, chapels or prayer groups at Hillcrest.

Some stood at annual mission conferences responding to God’s mission call. Others intentionally live their lives on mission, making a difference for eternity in their workplace, neighborhood, networks and family.

In this issue of the Hillcrest Connection, you will find accounts of past and present missionaries whose call to mission became a compelling life purpose during their time at Hillcrest. Hillcrest’s first school head, Rev. E.M. Broen, sensed God’s mission call, but found its fulfillment in the training and inspiring of students who gave their lives to the mission cause of Christ. You will read about Anna Hansen, who serves and loves those most in need. And you will learn what God is doing today through the lives of Hillcrest students and friends, in other countries as well as in the mission field called the United States.

As I write this, 29 Hillcrest seniors and 14 adult leaders are returning from a mission trip to the Dominican Republic – the 9th annual team sent there to share the Gospel story through love, open conversations, and large group gospel presentations. Will any of these students go on to full-time

missionary work? Only God knows and time will tell. All of them, however, are profoundly changed as they witnessed the need for the gospel of Jesus Christ and had opportunity to share that best of good news.

I recently heard a 1995 Hillcrest graduate – Pastor Seth Leivestad – exhort his listeners with this question: “Has anyone recently told you that you have beautiful feet?” He was referencing Isaiah 52:7, and the challenge was felt by all of us who heard him. But he was actually preaching from Romans 10, a passage heard regularly at Hillcrest: “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent?” (verses 14 & 15a).

Perhaps this issue of the Hillcrest Connection will open your heart to God’s mission call on your life – not from time past, but for today, right now where you are at, with the people amongst whom God has placed you to be an ambassador for Christ. Will you hear God’s mission call? Read on, listen for God’s still, small voice, and prepare your heart and life to respond. And, please pray for the Lord of the harvest to raise up people for His mission (Luke 10:2).

Sincerely in Christ,

Todd Mathison '79 | CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER

LIVE. LEARN. GO. EQUIPPING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FOR A LIFE OF ETERNAL SIGNIFICANCE

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GREETING

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HILLCRESTCONNECTION |

SUMMER 2017

IN THIS ISSUE 12 Campus Ministry

Evangelism Club

18 Students in Action Dominican Mission Choir Tour

4 Roots

E.M. Broen's Mission + Vision

20 Student Profiles Loi Ta Danny Issac

8 Alumni Profile

22 Alumni in Action

Mabel Helland

Anna Hansen

WAYNE STENDER '02 | Dir. of Mktg.

Editor-in-Chief wstender@ffhillcrest.org

JAHN DYVIK '79 | Secretary Long Lake, MN

VAUGHN KAVLIE '82 | Vice Chair Eden Prairie, MN

SUE LEACH Naperville, IL

ERIC EWAN '92 Fergus Falls, MN

HEIDI KONYNENBELT Fergus Falls, MN

MARK SOHOLT '67 | Chair Cape Coral, FL

TODD MATHISON '79 | CAO Contributing Editor advancement@ffhillcrest.org

KATHERINE HEGGLAND '00 Brooklyn, NY

JOSIAH LARSON, '02 Minneapolis, MN

DAWN SYNSTELIEN | Exec. Assistant Contributing Editor dsynstelien@ffhillcrest.org

MISSION The mission of Hillcrest Lutheran Academy is to equip students in a STATEMENT Christ-centered, Bible-based environment for a life of eternal significance.

AMANDA PORRITT '05 | Creative Dir. Managing Editor/Graphic Design aporritt@ffhillcrest.org

Hillcrest Lutheran Academy 610 Hillcrest Drive Fergus Falls, MN 56537 www.ffhillcrest.org

HILLCREST ACADEMY BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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Reinholt and Juline Kilen, with their Daughter, Martha Kilen; Members of the 1905 LBS Student Body, and the First Lutheran Brethren Missionaries to China

LBS President Engebret Mikkelsen (E.M.) Broen Married Juliana Hanson in 1893

Broen felt drawn to the new Lutheran Brethren Synod, which 4 GREETING began as a “mission synod� from its founding in 1900.

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E.M. Broen: FOREIGN MISSIONS ON MY MIND

B

BY STEVE HOFFBECK

Adapted for publication from Hillcrest's Centennial Beacon

To order the book visit ffhillcrest.org/centennialbeacon

orn in Norway in 1863, Engebret Mikkelsen Broen came to America in 1882. Broen wrote that he was “a poor nineteen year old youth” who was “setting out in the world to try his luck, in order to find something better than what was to be found in impoverished Tufsingdalen,” Norway.1

“Soon after I became a pastor in Iowa,” wrote Broen, “I applied to the Mission Board of the United Church to be sent to Madagascar, but was refused because there were so many applicants ahead of me.” He had felt a calling specifically to Madagascar.

Broen came to Minnesota and was working on a farm near Battle Lake, in the beautiful lakes country, when the Holy Spirit got ahold of him. The preaching of Pastor Torstein Moen stirred E.M. Broen to follow Jesus, and thus Broen received a “personal relationship and peace with God.”2

Then, when he was a pastor in Osakis, Minnesota, he received a call from the Lutheran Mission Board working for missions to China. Although the mission need for China weighed heavily on his heart, he had to refuse it, for he “had never felt any [inner] call to serve in China as a missionary.”

A seed had been planted within Broen. He wrote that “Foreign missions was on my mind” on the day of his conversion, and he said that becoming a missionary had “always had a large place in my thoughts, plans, and prayers.”

When Broen became president of the Lutheran Brethren Bible School in 1903, again he was asked by Pastor K.B. Birkeland if he “would consider a call . . . to go to India.” He did not go at that time.

At Augsburg Seminary in Minneapolis, E.M. Broen studied hard and learned English well while he was there from 1885 to 1890 for his college degree and then for his seminary training from 1890 to 1893.3 Just after his ordination as a Lutheran pastor in 1893, he married Juliana Hanson.

Broen felt drawn to the new Lutheran Brethren Synod, which began as a “mission synod” from its founding in 1900. The first missionaries sent out by the brand-new denomination were a newly wed couple named Reinholt and Juline Kilen, officially commissioned as missionaries in 1902. They went to China in that year as “pioneer missionaries . . . to establish a vital, indigenous church in a remote area of northern Hupeh and southern Honan provinces, where no Christian work had been previously undertaken.”4

FOOTNOTES Hannah Broen Hoff, The Bridge (Fergus Falls: Lutheran Brethren Publishing Company, 1978), 202.

Hoff, The Bridge, 203.

3 “Four Graduates; Commencement Day at Augsburg Norwegian Seminary,” St. Paul Daily Globe, May 8, 1890, 3; “Presented With Diplomas; Four Graduates At Augsburg Ceremony,” Minneapolis Tribune, May 8, 1890, 5.

4 Joel Christenson, “A Visit to the Interior of China; The Lutheran Brethren’s First Mission Revisited,” Faith and Fellowship, vol. 63, no. 4, March 14, 1996, 6.

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Marie received salvation when she was a young girl, and, as she later wrote, “when God saved me . . . . He also called me to China.”

Caroline Rasmussen, Ida Walen, Marie Harstad

When Pastor Broen became president of the Bible School in Wahpeton in 1903, he immediately began teaching a number of classes. In his very first class was a young woman named Marie Harstad, who lived with her family in Wahpeton.5 Marie received salvation when she was a young girl, and, as she later wrote, “when God saved me . . . . He also called me to China.”

She kept this missionary calling a secret for years until she at last told her sister Josie and then her mother and father. In those same years of her youth, Marie had also been praying that a Bible school would be established near her home. Both prayers were answered when the Lutheran Brethren synod opened the Bible School.

Marie Harstad was in President Broen’s first class. She wrote that “one of Broen’s outstanding subjects was missions and mission history. His whole heart was in that subject and lots of times God’s presence was felt so strongly that the tears rolled down our cheeks.” So passionate was President Broen about the Great Commission to preach the Gospel to the whole world that, as Marie wrote, “At times I thought I was more in Heaven than on earth.”

“Broen spoke often of the mission field,” Marie said, “and wished he could go there.” Broen’s voice was a clarion call to action, and “the whole class seemed to catch the mission spirit.”

Marie traveled to China to be a missionary in 1906. She was one of six students who attended the Bible School during its first three years of operation who would go on to serve in the mission field.6

Rev. Marius Werdal and Mrs. Marie (Harstad) Werdal

Miss Harstad married fellow missionary and Wahpeton Bible School graduate Marius J. Werdal in China in 1913; the wedding was conducted at the Lutheran Brethren mission station. The couple worked together in China until Marius’ death from disease in 1944.7 Marie continued to work on her own in the mission field there until she retired in 1948.

Pastor Broen inspired missionaries like Marie with his preaching and teaching and with his passion for the China Mission. In his own home, Broen “often prayed that some of his children would become missionaries.”8 The one child who fulfilled her father’s hopes in this regard was Broen’s second-eldest daughter, Hannah.

Born in 1895, Hannah was a very small baby, weighing just three pounds. She was born prematurely and was not expected to live. But Hannah was a survivor and grew to maturity, even though she often suffered from illnesses.9 Hannah gained her high school education at Wahpeton School of Science, but had to take time off after contracting diphtheria. She almost died from the disease and was stricken with paralysis of her legs, which left her unable to walk for one year. This slowed down her schooling, yet she still graduated as the valedictorian in 1918.10 After Hannah recovered her health and was able to walk again, she took classes at the University of North Dakota, located west of the Bible School on the edge of Grand Forks.

FOOTNOTES Here and below, Marie (Harstad) Werdal, “Opening Day At L.B.S.,” Faith and Fellowship, vol. 20, no. 18, October 20, 1963, 5-7.

Joseph H. Levang, The Church of the Lutheran Brethren, 1900-1975 (Fergus Falls: Lutheran Brethren Publishing Company, 1980), 47.

7 Levang, 47, 93, 197-198, 203.

8 Hoff, The Bridge, 115-116.

9 Hoff, The Bridge, 23.

10 Hoff, The Bridge, 114-115, 122.

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Hannah had completed two years of college by 1920 and was eligible for a teacher’s certificate. At that time, the Lutheran Brethren Board of Missions asked her if she would be willing to travel to China to establish a school for the children of American missionaries there. There was a crying need for such a school; Hannah would be the teacher of elementary-age students there.11 Twenty-year-old Hannah Broen journeyed from North Dakota to China by ship and train, accompanied by Marius and Marie Werdal, in 1920. Before the trio left Grand Forks, they participated in a special meeting of the Bethel Young People’s Society at Bethel Lutheran Brethren Church, located on Belmont Avenue, several blocks away from the high school.

Hannah sang a solo, and Marius gave a talk, followed by short addresses by the two women. The Werdals told about their work for the Lutheran Brethren Church in central China.

By this time, the synod had three mission stations in Hupeh and Honan provinces (known in modern times as Hubei and Henan provinces), located in the geographic center of China.

The Werdals and Miss Broen were to go to Tsaoyang, a city of 5,000 people, located 1,000 miles from the Chinese border, in Hupeh province. Part of the mission program was a middle school for Chinese girls; there were eighty girls there in 1919.

After Hannah’s song and the talks, the three missionaries passed around an offering plate and all enjoyed “refreshments . . . served in the church basement.”12 Before the Communist government closed China to missionary work, Lutheran Brethren missionaries had baptized over 2,000 people in central China, many of whom became leaders, evangelists, and pastors. The church did not die on the vine, for these people evangelized their neighbors. At the Pingshi and Tongbai mission stations, there had been about 300 believers in 1948; by 1996, there were over 10,000 in that area.13 The concern of E.M. Broen for the unreached masses of Chinese people and his heartfelt pleas for young people to follow the missionary calling contributed to the journeys of his own daughter Hannah across the wide Pacific Ocean and the voyage of his son-in-law Bernard Hoff to Asia.

As for E.M. Broen, as president of the Bible School, and later, when he was the head of the high school, he was the one who taught students about foreign missions and about missionary history. Here was his true calling regarding the

mission field—as a teacher who inspired others to respond to the call to become missionaries.

FOOTNOTES Hoff, The Bridge, 143.

“Will Leave For China,” Grand Forks Herald, August 31, 1920, 10.

13 E.M. Strom, “Our Ministry In China,” Faith and Fellowship, vol. 20, no. 13, July 1, 1953, 2; Joel Christenson, “A Visit to the Interior of China,” Faith and Fellowship, vol. 63, no. 5, April 4, 1996, 9.

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HARLAND +MABEL H

It all began with a simple invitation.

“H

e had to speak in East Hartland, Connecticut, and asked if we would go along and provide music,” Mabel Helland’s eyes sparkled with the clear and poignant memory of the life-changing moment she met her future husband.

It was Valentine’s Day, 1953, and Mabel stood on a Brooklyn street with a dashing young pastor who sought to gather a group of girls to sing at church. For Harland Helland, the invitation was a sly move to a first date. His intentions were noble, and what he gained from his invitation to ministry was a lifelong friend and partner. Harland and Mabel’s relationship was born in church ministry, and

the marriage would be used of God to birth churches that still stand, a tribute to God’s faithfulness through his servants fifty years later.

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ALUMNI PROFILE

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L HELLAND a Lifelong partnership in ministry

BY WAYNE STENDER '02

“You could’ve heard a pin drop when we walked in,” Mabel continued, a smile spreading across her face. “And I was just as shocked as they were.” Harland had asked Mabel to join him at Dodenhoff’s, the local ice cream parlor, after the simple invitation to sing in East Hartland. The New York street corner was crowded with students bustling from 59th Street Church in Brooklyn, New York into the local ice cream hangout.

Harland’s confidence grew as he escorted Mabel inside where nearly half the church sat, ice cream in hand. The bell on the door chimed behind them and a wide grin spread across Harland’s face. The boisterous chatter of adolescents ceased as the couple stood, momentarily framed in the doorway.

Some paused, mid-lick on dripping cones, mouths agape to see Harland and Mabel together. Mabel’s voice slowed at this point of the story, her smile hindering any attempt at expediency of speech. The remembrance was so vivid that time itself seemed to slow as she continued to paint a picture of their love story with carefully chosen, memory-laden words. Each brush stroke called for awe and wonder; unveiling the reality of how intricately Jesus Christ impacted two individuals to minister as a team in the Church of the Lutheran Brethren.

did not possess a faith of their own were motivated to entrust their precious children to Hillcrest Academy. “There were a lot [of Norwegians] during that time that came.”

Harland was a farm boy from the midwest. His schooling went through the 8th grade and he assumed he would farm, as his father had. During his teen years, Harland walked away from the faith of his childhood but found himself at an impasse at 18 that drew him back to church. “When he got things straightened out with the Lord, he would say, ‘That’s when my problems really began.’” When Harland committed his life to Jesus, he felt called to the ministry and enrolled at Hillcrest. Though never a fan of schooling, he knew he needed instruction if he were to be effective in ministry. Being an older student offered Harland unique opportunities. His mechanical inclinations led him to drive bus for the high school music tours. One spring he drove the choir through North Dakota. A stop to visit alumni in Minot planted seeds in Harland’s heart that would grow deep roots in the years to come.

As a girl, Mabel was told, “When you get bigger, you get to go to Bible school (Hillcrest)” and she looked forward to that day. As we spoke, she pulled out a cloth-covered photo album from a pile of books near her sofa. The black and white images of her classmates from long ago have worn edges, evidence that they were toted across the country, from New York to Seattle, from California to Calgary, Alberta.

“Some of them were not even Christians,” Mabel recalls, lovingly pointing to individual classmates. “The kids were, but not their parents.” Mabel’s father had graduated from the LB Seminary in Minnesota in 1932 and brought inspiring stories back with him to the east coast church at 59th Street where many other Norwegian immigrants attended. Even those who Mabel (Benson) Helland's Family [Left to Right: Johanne Benson, Margaret (Benson) Seland, Mabel (Benson) Helland, Alf Benson]

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Harland, was a part of the City Mission at Hillcrest.

He is pictured above in the two photos on the right passing out tracts to Saturday shoppers.

It was at the age of 23 that Harland crossed the stage and accepted his hard-earned high school diploma. Then, a single year of seminary was all it took before Harland received a call to Brooklyn to join Omar and Joni Gjerness at 59th Street Church, one year after Mabel graduated. In two years Harland grabbed Mabel’s hand, and with wedding bells ringing in the distance, led her to Fergus Falls where he completed his seminary studies. “Some of his friends felt called to

be missionaries, but he had such an absolutely strong feeling that he should plant churches,” Mabel said.

The two years of study in Fergus Falls were sweet for Mabel, but it kept her from the New York skyline and cherished moments with her sister and parents. In the waning months of Harland’s seminary training the phone started to ring.

Churches were calling.

“We got a call from the East Coast and I said, ‘Oh, good! Now I’ll get to go home.’” Mabel looked down at a photobook, seeming to relive the moment. “And then he got a call from Antler, North Dakota.” A sharp laugh followed, as Mabel explained how

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Harland’s Hillcrest tour bus driving led him through Minot, and Antler was close to Minot. Harland had a sneaking suspicion that God was up to something with this call, even though Mabel couldn’t see it. “I didn’t even know what Antler was.”

Mabel has fond memories of the first pastoral call she and Harland received. For the big city girl, prairie sunsets propelled a unique love for the 108 soul city of Antler. However, an unexpected phone call and short meeting caused her husband to put on his dancing shoes before the couple packed suitcases for the first of many adventures together.

Edna and Oscar Folden took old highway 83 due north from Minot to sit in the Helland’s living room in Antler. The conversation eventually led to the Foldens asking if Harland and Mabel would consider starting a Bible study in Minot.

After delivering the invitation, the Folden’s drove home.

Harland could hardly contain his excitement. “I can see my animated husband, and he was flying around the room saying, ‘I knew we were supposed to be here!’ Within a year, we were in Minot.”

ALUMNI PROFILE

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Harland and Mabel drew on their Hillcrest connections as they started the church in Minot. Harland traveled back to the Castle on the Hill to recruit a host of students to help, “He (Harland) recruited Joel Egge, Richard Gravley, Glen Larson, and others. Several that are our pastors came right from Hillcrest to Minot and started college there.”

The model was one Harland drew on as he would dot around North America planting churches in the coming decades.

He would venture into Hillcrest’s chapel, hustling up the the stairways at the Castle, to connect with seniors at Hillcrest and in the Bible School. His aim was to inspire students to go to colleges with Lutheran Brethren congregations, and if there wasn’t one, Harland wanted them to start a gathering while the students were in college.

Mabel closed a series of picture albums, pulling out an electronic harpsichord as our time drew to a close. She sang a hymn before sharing a parting thought. “We started on

the same page from the beginning,” referencing a beautiful bookend to the start of our conversation on how the Lord used she and Harland to impact the nation with Lutheran Brethren church plants.

“Our time in the Lord was very important...He was a wonderful partner, and we had a good time.”

Harland and Mabel Helland, 2000's

Students from the Class of 1952 Gather Outside the Blue Jet [Front Row (Left to Right): Mabel (Benson) Helland, Aslaug (Wilhemsen) Christiansen; In Bus: Adren Slattum, Ken Vesta, Leland Erickson]

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EVANGELISM CLUB w

Hot chocolate encrusts the edges of cups strewn around my living room. Students have caramel roll residue on their fingers, sticky pencils diligently scribbling notes for some, while others dirty cell phone screens to save thoughts digitally. IT’S SATURDAY MORNING, AND WHILE MOST STUDENTS ARE SLEEPING IN, A GROUP OF HILLCREST STUDENTS ARE USING THE TIME TO LEARN TO SHARE THEIR FAITH.

BY WAYNE STENDER '02

The Evangelism Club materialized days after Erick Sorensen spoke at Bethel Lutheran Church in Fergus Falls about his New York City church plant, Epiphany. His presentations inspired a group of Hillcrest students to embrace a gauntlet of conversational evangelism training. Their passion is to bring the love of Jesus to their native Norway, Korea, and the surrounding communities of Fergus Falls through engaging others in simple conversation. The diversity of cultures represented in this group of students exhibits what Erick calls the DNA of the Church of the Lutheran Brethren (LB), replicating a long-standing passion to share the simple message of Jesus to every tribe and tongue as He builds His Church.

While on the 2016 spring tour, the Hillcrest choir conducted a prayer walk through the neighborhood of Erick’s church. I recently revisited his church. We had coffee at a small cafe nestled between apartments housing those who Erick meets with regularly in surrounding coffee shops, restaurants, and at school events. Cat Stevens crooned over the speakers in the cafe as Erick’s voice rose over the buzz of competing conversations at nearby tables. Erick’s passion smoldered in his pauses, gathering his thoughts before continuing with zeal, evidenced by his waving hands in the crowded cafe.

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Erick’s foundation for his church plant at Epiphany is intentional mentorship. He reached back to the recesses of his memory, seeing his teenaged self, sitting in a pew with a Bible open as Hillcrest/LB Seminary graduate, Todd Mathison, instructed Erick in evangelism. “Todd was so concerned with bringing the Gospel to people outside the church. There was a constant stream of new people coming into the church because it was just built-in, that you bring your friend to church.”

During his college years, Erick frequently sat at Starbucks with an open Bible next to his cup of coffee, waiting to initiate purposeful conversations. He possesses a unique confidence, something he says his youth pastor, Ron Sunwall, built into him. “Ron had a real theological mind and loved getting into the Lutheran distinctives, like law and gospel.” Erick said he didn’t fear talking with people because he was so convinced of the validity of Christianity--something his LB pastors in Rancho Cucamonga, California, instilled in him.

“Somebody told me that back in the early days of the LB, missionaries would sometimes pack all of their belongings in caskets,” Erick continued, speaking to his affinity of the LB mission mindset, which illuminates his calling to the church planting work at Epiphany. “They did that because there was

CAMPUS MINISTRY

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B with Erick Sorensen a decent chance they would die there, in mission.” Erick said stories of the LB’s early ministries hit him like a ton of bricks, leaving a permanent impression that all of his life is Mission.

Erick went on to regale of the commitment of Harland and Mabel Helland as specific inspiration in church planting.

“He (Harland) and Mabel told me this a number of times, that they wished they could go plant a church today.” Erick’s passion, propelled by the strong history of missions in the LB, lived out through leaders like Harland and Mabel Helland, are reinforcing an idea he believes defines the LB. Our coffee shop conversation is punctuated by notices of incoming text messages. Erick glances at his phone and responds to a group of people he has met over the past year of coffee shop exchanges . He is meeting them at a local restaurant to conduct a question and answer time. Slipping his phone back into his pocket, Erick unpacks his concept of the LB’s missional DNA, noting that he sees the same traits very dominant in Hillcrest. “I get the sense that there is this passion. I see it in what you’re doing at Hillcrest.” Erick sips thoughtfully on his coffee as I update him on the progress of the evangelism club that meets in my living room.

As the conversation winds down, we load our backpacks and head to the restaurant for his evening meeting. Steam rises from manhole covers and hoards of kids skip on the sidewalks

in the dark. The iconic New York images, scents, and sounds engulf us as we approach the restaurant. Erick confides the rejection he has experienced in planting Epiphany. “There’s times where you say, ‘Never again.’” He laughs off his abrupt comment before growing serious again. Erick clasps his hands together in the mid-February air to warm them. “The way you live with that kind of rejection is by preaching the Gospel to yourself, remembering that truth, every day.”

Inside the restaurant, we pull chairs together; introductions pass like verbal high fives. The conversation starts immediately. There is an open curiosity at the table. Erick is purposefully fostering a safe environment to ask big questions.

“How is Jesus significant to science?” “What does the Gospel say to people who only trust the observable universe?” I felt like I was back in Worldview Class at Hillcrest, or listening to Mr. Undseth begin English class. The complex ideas of the world are being hashed out at Hillcrest in much the same fashion as Erick is planting Epiphany.

As I said goodbye to Erick, a quote followed me out the door and wafted through my mind. Stumbling to follow the GPS to the parking garage, I was consumed by his charge to me. “Man, just give them a mission that they can die for, and you’re not gonna have to worry about them leaving.” Erick’s parting words are something that resonates back at Hillcrest: to train students to do something eternally significant with their faith.

Erick Sorenson visited Hillcrest this fall, inspiring students to consider how they will share their faith in college and beyond.

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VA LU E OF CH R IS IA N EDUCATION E.M. Strom, President, Lutheran Brethren Schools, 1939-1950

In 1892 educators gathered in Chicago to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbus' arrival in America. The Teachers’ Association of Kansas wrote a historical overview of education for the gathering. The document was regarded as a national banner of American education, where the Kansas State Superintendent said:

people lose God, they lose the ability to govern themselves because there is a weakened footing for virtue. The founders of America understood that a disjointed people required a stronghanded government to hold a country together. Strong-handed governments restrict freedom. So, for Rush, religion is an essential cog in the wheel of education that drives a free country.

"...if the study of the Bible is to be excluded from all state schools; if the inculcation of the principles of Christianity is to have no place in the daily program; if the worship of God is to form no part of the general exercises of these public elementary schools; then the good of the state would be better served by restoring all schools to church control."

In 1944, Hillcrest’s president, E.M. Strom, penned what he saw as a growing trend to readers of Hillcrest’s Beacon. In the height of World War II, an emphasis was placed on building a country that was strong and efficient. Education started focusing on dominance rather than character. So, President Strom’s note served as a warning to students, parents, and staff to sharpen the focus of education:

Some say the National Education Association (NEA) adopted that statement from 1892 as a direction American education should proceed in. As population increased in America, church schools grew over capacity, so the state took over education to help the country become more uniform and fit for peaceable government.

Some may say the NEA borrowed from Benjamin Rush, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, in their 1892 proclamation. Rush noted that education needs a foundation as he was writing in the 18th century to a group of influential educators that public training needs a religious foundation.

He famously penned, “Without this (religion) there can be no virtue, and without virtue there can be no liberty, and liberty is the object and life of all republican governments.

Rush believed invoking God is necessary to form a foundation for virtuous training and living. Essentially: No religion, no virtue; and no virtue, no freedom.

As Rush continued his explanation to the purpose of schooling in the new American colonies, he clarified what type of religious training he was talking about. “I had rather see the opinions of Confucius or Mohammed inculcated upon our youth, than see them grow up wholly devoid of a system of religious principles.

But the religion I mean to recommend in this place, is that of the New Testament.”

Rush saw faith-based schools as imperative in building people who can handle freedom. He thought that when

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The present war has forced our country to seize every opportunity to train its young men and women for immediate and efficient service. The leaders are reckoning with our country's resources and brainy youth as effectual means with which to combat the enemy. There is a factor which is far more important, however, and that is the spiritual stamina of our nation. If we, as a nation, lose out spiritually, we are sunk. It is the spiritual backbone of a nation which is its real source of strength. If this is broken, we might as well look for serious defeats. One of the most efficient means of influencing your youth for Christ is Christian schools, where Christ is the controlling influence. Our youth will need all the help it can get to meet the demands of this hour. And when the war is over, we will need youth with a clear vision of Christ to combat the antiChristian trends which will be even more evident during the days which are to come.

These times come also to the Lutheran Bible School with a mighty challenge. As the demands for more and more efficient training comes to us, it behooves us to make our school practical and spiritual. May the Lord give us grace to give our youth the very best, both in training and spiritual guidance.

Yours for the salvation and training of our youth, E.M. Strom, President, Lutheran Bible School.

VA L U E + V I S I O N

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HILLCREST HAS A RENEWED CALLING AS WE CELEBRATE

100 YEARS OF MINISTRY THIS CALLING IS A CELEBRATION OF HILLCREST'S .

THR E E CORE VA LU E S :

Hillcrest exists to BUILD FAITH in students, helping them understand the work of Christ on the cross, and the significance of the resurrection. Bible classes, chapel services, and Prayer Days are pins holding moments of deep spiritual growth for many students.

With faith being built, Hillcrest DEVELOPS INTELLECT in students. Students understand God's character more deeply and intimately through Bible courses. Bible study continues in every academic discipline, giving context to English, Mathematics, History, Language study, the Arts, and much more, as students understand God's design.

In Hillcrest's community where faith formation and academic enhancement are regularly happening, students live together in close-knit community. Consistent interactions in the classroom and dormitory communities open opportunities for Hillcrest to STRENGTHEN CHARACTER, where successes and failures shape students in a Biblically-based environment.

These three core values form the foundation of the Hillcrest experience. Since 1916, student testimonies have consistently highlighted five banners that hang on everyone’s Hillcrest experience. We call these the 5 QUINTESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF HILLCREST: Overwhelmingly, personal transformational FAITH in Jesus Christ is developed through focused teaching and intentional school activities aiding faith formation. These faith-based activities form a unique community that supports formation of life-long connections with FRIENDS from all over the world. Biblically based teaching undergirds the developing community, providing a classroom experience as a base for ACADEMIC growth and godly perspective in a rapidly changing society. The classroom couples with Hillcrest’s extra-curricular program, including ATHLETICS, offering additional venues to build community and strengthen character. All of these work together to instill a strong sense of MISSION, propelling students from our hallways to nations far and wide where they can reflect Jesus Christ to the world.

HLA

ACADEMICS

ATHLETICS FRIENDS

DEVELOP INTELLECT

FAITH

BUILD FAITH

MISSION

STRENGTHEN CHARACTER

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EQUIPPING STUDENTS IN A CHRIST-CENTERED BIBLICALLY-BASED ENVIRONMENT FOR A LIFE OF ETERNAL SIGNIFICANCE 17_013_Hillcrest_Connection_Summer_2017_FINAL_Layered.indd 15

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(Left to right) Luke Bowman, Jake Steinle, Hans Holzner, Thomas Martinson, and Daniel Preston pose during a banquet for the State Knowledge Bowl Competition.

Hillcrest placed 4th.

Senior Sam Stensrud (second from the left in the back row) was a Hillcrest representative from the Pre-engineering class who helped with the driving and execution of the robot the Pre-engineering class created for the Robotics club, Central Lakes Robotics.

KNOWLEDGE BOWL

ROBOTICS

Beads of sweat formed into narrow streams that flowed slowly down the faces of Hillcrest’s Knowledge Bowl team, battling fever from the flu and pneumonia, in the State Knowledge bowl meet April 6th. Over the course of several competition rounds, the team crawled up four places to join a third place tie-breaking round for a spot on the podium. The response to their answer left Hillcrest shaking their heads, walking across the room to congratulate the third place team.

The moderator asked the students to reveal the religion of the Ottoman empire. Hillcrest buzzed in quickly. Seconds of deliberation weren’t needed. They knew it was Islam.

However, a prior question was scored incorrect when a team referred to Joseph McCarthy as simply McCarthy. So, Hillcrest’s team thought more information was needed. This is the State competition. So, the team said the Ottoman empire celebrated “Sunni Islam.” Their faces were shocked as the judges deliberated and ultimately rejected the answer as incorrect. The answer sheet didn’t have that level of specificity, and the Comets watched as their competitors answer of “Islam” earned third place medals, leaving the Comets with fourth place.

Despite the disappointing end to the season, the Comets had a very successful year, winning nearly every meet leading up to their State competition, even earning second place medals in the large school division at a 60+ team meet in Fargo, North Dakota. Hillcrest’s team consisted of Hans Frank-Holzner, Luke Bowman, Jacob Steinle, Daniel Preston, and Thomas Martinson.

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Hillcrest’s Engineering class is continuing to make big splashes in competitions. Most recently they provided the design for Hillcrest’s robotics cooperative team, Central Lakes Robotics. The design of the Robot was based on the tasks the robot has to do in competition.

Hillcrest’s team visited the competition course and studied the motions the robot would need to make. They took this information back to the classroom to use physics concepts with engineering principles to design the robot in computer software. Through a series of tests in fabrication, the class finalized their design and passed it along to the robotics club, Central Lakes Robotics, who built the robot and used it for competition.

The robotics club earned high marks for their robot. They won the Robotics Competition Award at the Bison BEST regional final, December 3rd, an award for the robot that functioned the best in the competition. They also earned the Top Gun award, scoring a competition record 1230 points, for completing the objectives on the course field with the most accuracy and speed.

T R I-COL L EG E M AT H

Hillcrest took first place for the tenth time in eleven years in the Tri-College Math Competition. Beating out 60 teams in the 9th and 10th grade division, Hillcrest placed three of their eight person team in the top ten. Yohan Jee placed third, Yong Woo Lee placed fifth, and Peter Steinbach took home 9th place, outperforming 240 students for the honors.

In the upper grade division Hillcrest placed fourth out of 60. Noting that the test was more difficult this year, Hillcrest’s Math department chair, Steve Doering, said the top places in the competition were very close. The test is designed by the math departments from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota State University - Moorhead, and North Dakota State University.

C A M P U S U P D AT E

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ART

Hillcrest sent four art students to the regional Visual Art Festival coordinated by the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL). 10 of their 11 pieces brought home a Superior or Excellent rating, showing Hillcrest’s classroom a launching pad for visual art success.

Alisabeth Boyum showed a great deal of technical ability in her pencil drawing.

Her piece earned a high rank, being one of three Hillcrest pieces selected for display in the Lakes Region Arts Council Gallery in April.

Boyum’s cohort, Di Zhou, completed a swath of pieces ranging from wire \ sculpture to painting. Zhou’s most impressive piece is a 3D pencil drawing of a set of office buildings.

Zhou’s fellow international art student, Sherry Xiao, took home the top prize in the field with a watercolor painting.

Rounding out Hillcrest’s art group is Rode Eide, a student from Hillcrest’s partner in Norway, the Danielsen School. Hillcrest announced the art accolades on their website, noting that the Lakes Region Art Council will display their pieces in their spring show of accomplished high school students.

Alisabeth Boyum's pencil drawing of her sister at Christmas

Kyler Newman stands with his team after scoring his 1000th point.

KYL ER N EW MA N SCOR ES 1000

Kyler Newman hit 1000 points this year, becoming the fourth Comet to make the milestone in the past five years. Newman played a supporting role to many of Hillcrest’s top scorers the past five years. However, in his senior year, Newman took the reigns of the Comets and led Hillcrest as a State-ranked team.

R ISBR U DT HA L L OF FA M E

Comet football largely stands on the shoulders of Richard Risbrudt. Holding distinction as Hillcrest’s only coach with a state tournament title, Risbrudt was inducted into the Minnesota Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame this spring.

Richard Risbrudt, 9-Man Coach of the Year in 2001, speaks to Hillcrest's 2001 All-State wide receiver, Luke Hansen, in the Metrodome.

Risbrudt’s stat sheet is packed from his 35 year coaching career. From 1976 to 2004, Coach Risbrudt went 171-103, making it to the state tournament ten times and reaching the championship game six times. Risbrudt won the State Championship with his 2001 Hillcrest football team. Risbrudt was Conference Coach of the Year five times, Section Coach of the Year eight times, and was the 2001 State 9-Man Football Coach of the Year. After serving at Hillcrest, Risbrudt coached his son at the Kennedy Secondary School in Fergus Falls. While an Otter, Risbrudt made the State playoffs, completing his coaching career with an overall record of 202-149.

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D omi n ica n M ission

Meghan Peterson uses the Evangecube to share the Gospel

Sam Isaac shares Christ with a group of boys

Sean McGuire with a young boy at a home for children with disabilities

BY SAM ISAAC '17

THIS IS A WHOLE NEW WORLD. IT IS VERY LOUD. HORNS HONK NONSENSICALLY. IT IS EXTREMELY DIRTY. BEYOND WHAT I COULD HAVE IMAGINED. TRASH IS STREWN EVERYWHERE. After unloading bags from the bus the first day there was a swell of voices ascending from the concrete stairwell. The boys left their bunks with backpacks disheveled. Some stumbled out the door with one shoe on and one in hand. The girls walked gingerly through aisles between their bunks, working to lay claim to new beds. The noise evaporated from the building, soft echos could be heard outside, as the boys sprinted down the sidewalk to a nearby park to play basketball.

We transition from the poor Christian school to our sister school, Santa Fe. After walking through the gated fence all the senior boys became “caballos” (horses). The school yard was a shower of dust and bubbles. The mothers needed to turn their eyes from our dirty faces. Smiles are brighter in a face caked with dirt.

The following events are a blur because of the evening street evangelism. It's exhilarating.

Teenagers swarmed the park and a pick-up basketball game was followed by a series of Gospel presentations. Various team members shared the reason we are in the Dominican Republic. The Dominican streets are filled with people hungry for something more than sport.

In the first moments of going door-to-door for the second time in two days I made a new friend. His name is Jerry. Reggie Undseth and I shared the Gospel with him. Closing our time in prayer, we shook hands and continued down the street, thoughts moving to the next people we would share Jesus with.

Boarding a bus in the Dominican heat, we departed the mission house and arrived in a muted neighborhood. The quietness was eerie as we stepped off the bus. Colors weren't as bright in this part of the island. We were sent out, door-to-door, to share the Gospel. Darkness covered the rough neighborhood we were evangelizing. Nervous excitement filled my heart. It seemed like there were incessant prayers for the Lord to speak through us. Every step I took was filled with a short prayer. This pace prepared us for day two.

As we turned the corner of one of the dusty, makeshift streets, I saw Jerry in the distance. He wasn't alone. Five friends flanked Jerry, whose smile was contagious. Jerry informed us that his five friends wanted to hear the message of the Gospel from “los Americanos.” We said Jesus' name a lot in the next few minutes, showing the release from sin in Christ after identifying the pain of sin.

We woke up the next morning at 5 a.m. to what sounded like a choking hyena, marking our second day in the Dominican Republic. I'm told that’s what roosters sound like here. Between

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cackles, I drifted in and out of sleep until the call for breakfast.

There was a slight dance to our shuffling feet in the breakfast line, syncopated beats are constantly in the air in the Dominican. We hustle to grab water bottles before boarding the bus to visit a christian school. Poverty cannot be escaped.

Though they have little, the kids are filled with joy.

We left the boys smiling, eventually meandering back to the church for a worship service. During the boisterous singing and clapping, six young boys stepped from the darkness of the street to the church stoop. Their faces lit up the room. All five of Jerry's friends showed up to the church service, Jerry by their side, and we praised the Lord together, as brothers.

STUDENTS IN ACTION

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Choir Tour

BY DAWN SYNSTELIEN

We drove our bus onto a ferry and floated off across Puget Sound today. Scores of cars joined our bus and there were people, too, who gathered on the decks of the ferry to pass the time. For some, like us, this was An Event. Photos were snapped at the railing. There were re-enactments of scenes from Titanic and laughter ensued as the wind whipped our hair nearly off our heads. For others, on this blustery day, the trip was mundane − a part of their daily ritual commute to and from work. People sipped coffee, read books, checked their devices, or napped on the chairs and couches inside the covered part of the boat. And for some, the day may have proved to be more than what they were looking for.

A number of our students have recently returned from a missions trip to the Dominican Republic. Something has stirred within our student body since − a hunger to share their faith, a passion to reach the lost. Three separate students or groups of students − unbeknownst to each other − approached various commuters and struck up conversations with them.

One boy from our senior class spoke with a man who had just returned from 15 years of Naval service. Though he’d been raised in a church, the sailor had no faith of his own and listened with interest while our choir member told about the purpose of our trip to Washington and of how he could come to know Jesus in a personal way. Another student sat with a man who was in a wheelchair, paralyzed from birth. He had been a two pound preemie that had not been expected to survive. A “miracle child.” Our HLA student asked him what he thought God might have spared his life for. He asked him to think about what purpose God might have for his life and for eternity. A group of girls spoke with still another man who professed to

Hannah Simpson visits with a gentleman on a ferry ride during the Choir tour as friends pose for pictures

be an atheist and shared their faith with him. All of these teens admitted feeling prompted by the Holy Spirit to have these particular conversations. None of this was precipitated or even suggested by adult chaperones and we only heard about it once we were back on land in our bus again.

Throughout the afternoon, we heard more details and stories of our students proclaiming Christ − at the Rushmore monument to a group of Mormon students, on the waterfront in Seattle to a couple of young Vietnamese men. We marveled and the students rejoiced in the knowledge that God had given them the words to speak and that seeds of eternal consequence were planted.

Tonight our musicians exchanged their sweatshirts and jeans for white shirts and black suit coats, for long black dresses and hair pulled up from their necks. They stood in front of a congregation at Peace Lutheran Church in Olympia and sang of a God they did not just know about, but a God that they knew.

An older woman who attended the service told us that she had felt like the students; singing made her feel like she’d been transported to heaven.

“How beautiful--the feet that bring The sound of Good News and the love of a king How beautiful, how beautiful Is the body of Christ.”

TODAY, THE BEAUTIFUL FEET THAT BROUGHT GOOD NEWS TO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST WORE NIKES.

Students at Mount Rushmore after singing a host of patriotic songs

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CROSSING CULTURES LOI TA'S STORY

BY HANNAH SIMPSON '17

Loi straightens in her chair, indicating the next few words are important. “It’s not the easy way,” her eyes widen, hands cock back to start an expressive move, “It’s the only way.”

Loi Ta traveled 7,996 miles from Vietnam to attend Hillcrest.

She didn’t expect much more than cracking open textbooks and spending time in the library in her new environment in the Castle. But as she routinely heard Jesus' name in the historic halls of Hillcrest something started to change. A faith Loi had never encountered started to blossom at Hillcrest, and she has been eternally impacted by Christ, and for that she is grateful.

Passion flows freely in Loi’s voice; her pitch and volume rise steadily as we talk about her new faith and deep transformation.

Before trusting Jesus, she envisioned herself in a dark room, trying to get out with no flashlight. The anxiety built up in Loi’s first few months at Hillcrest, the frustration sank in. A realization of being lost swallowed hope and joy. “It takes the Bible and the law to know we need a savior.” In that dark room, a glimmer of light sparkled in the corner. The Word of God shone bright to Loi, demanding her attention at Hillcrest. Loi describes her faith as groping in the dark room, fighting to hold on to the light in the dark trials of the world.

There is an ironic lightness in Loi’s tone as she shifts conversation to confess past struggles. The burden is still there, but the weight is gone. She confesses giving control of her future to God as a primary difficulty. She wants to rely on her own abilities, but sees the weight of her sin and brokenness as a

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weight she cannot hold. She speaks to the path of meeting a God who bears all weight, while at Hillcrest. I could nearly feel the pulse of her heart rejoicing as she spoke of freedom she found in the redemptive blood of Christ. Jesus is transforming Loi. Loi excitedly shifts in her chair and takes a deep breath before sharing how Christ has been faithful. A smile buds as she expresses how the Lord is revealing His character to her.

Loi meets Jesus in devotions, and finds purpose in trials as she clings to the Word. She firmly believes that her sin, when repented, has drawn her closer to God. She knows she needs to repent, because sin destroys.

Christ has equipped Loi with confidence, giving her a faith and trust that is bolstered through devotional Bible reading. She passionately expresses a need to be in God’s Word, because she says those life-changing words are what give true sustenance.

“You can’t really keep from knowing Christ when you’re here,” Loi shares as she begins reminiscing on her time at Hillcrest, “It’s everywhere. On the walls. In the textbooks. Every teacher is a Christian.” Her knowledge of Christianity is continually increasing, and she expresses her eternal gratitude towards the people who have pointed her to Jesus. Whether it was her friends from Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Fergus Falls, or teachers like Mr. Undseth, Mr. Preston, or Mr. Isaac, Loi has been surrounded by loving, caring individuals who have been genuine enough to tell her she is lost without Jesus. Through her classmates, the resident life staff, and Hillcrest families, God has beckoned to Loi, and it has been just what she needed to realize Christ is her deepest desire and all she needs in this life.

STUDENT PROFILE

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DA NNY ISAAC

BY ANNA MURRAY '18

“I wouldn’t go back in time and change my life if I could,” Danny Isaac started, shifting in his wheelchair. Adjusting his legs to fit onto the feet plates, he pushed himself up, his wheels moving slightly forward as a smile shifted across his face, “Running and that stuff looks fun, but it’s not worth changing my whole life over.”

At eight months old Danny’s life changed drastically. He was an active baby, starting to roll over to the delight of his parents, before an unknown virus attacked his toddler body. Danny grew paralyzed from the neck down. Over time he gained control of his upper body movements, from the fingertips up, but from his mid-chest down Danny lost all control. His physical growth was stunted, changed forever by an unknown cause. But his spiritual life would develop no matter the circumstances, “My faith in God is still the same, it’s just unique to me and my wheelchair.”

While friends run through life, making room for purpose and significance in sports and chasing work, life is more than running or walking towards significance for Danny. His purpose is much greater, much broader, and much better than physical movement. Growing up in a Christian community showed him this.

Hearing the love of God in church continually drew Danny's focus upward and molded his life. Friendships made in Sunday school and youth group were solidified in Hillcrest’s classrooms.

The bonds were developed over more than winning the basketball game to rope swings into the river in the summer. The bond of friendship revolves around a conviction in Jesus Christ, and Danny and his friends live it out.

Twenty-five stairs were a significant obstacle for Danny when a sign reading “Out of order” was plastered on the elevator door at Hillcrest this winter. An equipment failure during Christmas break posed a problem for Danny as crews waited for specialized parts to arrive to fix Hillcrest’s elevator. So before and after every class period, a groups of boys gathered together and basket-carried Danny and his wheelchair up and down the stairs for three weeks, refusing to watch their friend climb stairs by himself. Their friendship is strong, but their identity in being the church is stronger. They realize Danny has gifts and platforms they don't, and they respect that.

In April Danny received a gold medal, part of the national champion sled hockey team from Fargo, North Dakota.

Danny attends a special wheelchair sports camp, and is given opportunities to speak and encourage others. His attitude and kind heart open doors for conversation. Using the gifts and circumstances God has given to him, Danny is showing the glory of God through his every action.

Danny sees his purpose in life being rooted in God. While his wheelchair is a part of him, and his life is directly affected by its limitations, Danny sees his faith and living out a relationship with Jesus as his defining characteristics. Although many find significance in cutting a few seconds off a mile time, or dribbling faster and harder than teammates, Danny sits on the sidelines recording times, fouls, and points for the coaches. For Danny, it is not how he is serving the team but why he is serving the team. He sees his role to show the grace of God through everything he does. It’s evident that Danny leads a normal life like his friends; he is just able to see situations and do some things differently than others.

To go back in time and change what happened would change his whole life, and that isn’t something he wants. “I can’t even imagine my life any different. I wouldn’t reverse it; there is so much opportunity that comes with my wheelchair.”

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comets on a ANNA HANSEN

BY DAWN SYNSTELIEN

Anna was 12 years old when she first felt God tugging at her heart to become a missionary. Her initial experiences in missions happened while she was a student at Hillcrest, joining her brothers, Nick and Luke, on a Basketball Mission trip in 2001 before her Senior Mission trip to Mexico in 2004.

She was always captivated by stories from missionaries that visited Hillcrest, but it was during her senior class mission trip that her own calling was solidified as she saw the extreme poverty people lived in, and their need for Christ. A verse that spoke to her heart was James 1:27, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” Anna knew she wanted to work in an orphanage.

After graduating Hillcrest, Anna attended YWAM (Youth With a Mission). She went to further mission training, seeking specialized instruction to work with children at risk.

It was a narrowly focused path that God used to prepare her tremendously for her current mission station. Anna is now beginning her fourth year serving Christ in Zacapa, Guatemala at an orphanage called Casa de Esperaza (House of Hope).

After her first weeks she started to understand the appropriate name of her mission station.

There isn’t anything that looks like a typical day for Anna at the orphanage in sultry Guatemala. She said she usually leaves her apartment at 7:30 am, and might return anywhere between 7:30 and 10:30 at night. Over the years, Anna has had many responsibilities; caring for the children by making food and tending to bruises, teaching the children English and assisting administrative tasks in the orphanage. Occasionally, Anna was leading devotions with the kids and staff as a simple act of service, orienting hearts and minds to the Lord.

Anna is now a primary caretaker for as many as 12 children under four. One of the things most challenging in her work at the orphanage is integrating cross-cultural communication and discipline. Through this, she sees how very different her

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upbringing was from the orphaned children she now cares for.

At times, the loneliness becomes pronounced as she realizes the disparity between the world she is called to and the world she was called from. She says she finds herself very much in the minority in her setting, missing friends and family at home.

Staying healthy has also proven tricky and Anna is learning to carefully monitor what she eats. The most rewarding part of her job is to see kids, some with a lot of emotional baggage and little or no knowledge of God, come to House of Hope where they discover purpose in Christ and grow in their relationships with Him. When people go out as missionaries, they expect to change the world, but often have no idea how God uses these same people to change them. Anna recalls the first children she had the privilege to care for: Three biological brothers ages 18 months, 4, and 9. They came to the orphanage with basically no spiritual training and she was happy to get to tell them about a powerful God who hears and answers prayer. The two youngest boys, especially, grew rapidly in their faith, and God used them in remarkable ways. Anna remembers many instances of them praying for God to move in big ways and He did. One day the boys were wanting to look at pictures on her computer screen and she explained to them that the computer had a virus and wasn’t working. That did not faze the boys. They placed their little hands on the computer and prayed for it to work. Then they looked up at Anna with dark, expectant eyes and asked, “Well? Aren’t you going to turn it on?” So, Anna turned on the computer and while it booted up, they continued to pray. To her great surprise, the virus was gone and it worked perfectly. The little boys got to see the pictures they wanted and didn’t seem at all shocked that God would answer such a specific prayer for an inanimate object. Anna learned a lot from these young brothers who are no longer a part of House of Hope. She is so thankful for their lives that intersected so powerfully with hers and says “They are forever in my heart. “ Anna says, “It's encouraging to dream with these kids about their futures and give them hope that they can be something in this life and don't have to stay in the cycle of poverty they were raised in. I love seeing the light in their eyes, as we bring hope to kids who had none.”

ALUMNI IN ACTION

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mission

he

she

[ U N DI S C LOS E D] R E ST R I CT E D ACC E SS

h

e talks of God’s calling: The process of planting and watering a tiny seed that slowly sprouts and stretches tendrils upward through the soil and tiny roots below. An English class at Hillcrest lingers in his memory where the teacher challenged students to live out their faith, fostering in him, “A desire to make my life count in the Kingdom of God, even before I was confident of a specific call to cross-cultural work.” Today he cannot be identified by name because he’s living in a country where his work might be jeopardized.

s

he was just a little girl when missionaries visited her Lutheran Brethren church. She was fascinated by the stories they told of far away people and places. Years later, Mission Emphasis Week at Hillcrest piqued her interest and she felt super naturally drawn to ministry to other cultures. But when a missionary family on furlough moved into town and attended her church, intense stirrings of interest began to bud in her heart. She and he would marry after their schooling at Hillcrest in the 2000s. Their mutual call and mission is now kept secret in the country they’re serving.

“I think the question of calling can be one of the most difficult things that prospective missionaries wrestle with,” he said during our covert correspondence. “Hillcrest certainly played a role in the process.” He reflected on his time at Hillcrest and God opening his eyes to the world. “I can still recall certain chapels that left their mark on me, as well as Mission Emphasis Week. These things cultivated within me a desire to make my life count in the Kingdom of God, even before I was confident of a specific call to cross-cultural work.” His wife echoed the impact Hillcrest’s education made. “Hillcrest laid down a great foundation for me. I remember being in Mission Emphasis Week and really feeling touched by the work people were doing, but if you had told me back in high school that I would one day be living overseas I may have laughed out loud.”

The two now minister in unique ways. He works with

businessmen, finding in daily interactions, opportunities to share Christ. “We do that [share the Gospel] in a variety of ways: having formal language lessons with a tutor, going out for coffee or a meal, exercising together, talking while the kids have a playdate, attending weddings, participating in some holiday traditions, and the list goes on...We count every conversation as an opportunity to sow Gospel seeds, and pray that those seeds fall on good soil.” The work God has called them to do as part of their daily life surprised the couple, and is probably different from what family and friends think they do. “As a rule, the nature of our work here in the Middle East does not have me spending much of my time delivering lifechanging altar calls, or dodging headhunters, or fleeing from flesh-eating cannibals. I go to work or language class. I wander aimlessly up and down the aisles of the air-conditioned grocery store. I answer emails and texts. I take the car in for repairs. And I do a hundred other pretty mundane things.”

But these ordinary things are a simple living out of faith.

This is something the two did during their days at Hillcrest and are now doing in the context of ministry. Sharing the Gospel in a restricted access country might not look all that different from what it looks like for us here in the United States. She explains how. “One person that has touched my heart has been my language teacher. We have been having Arabic lessons together for 16 to 20 hours each week, for over a year now. Throughout this time, as I have grown in the language, there have been opportunities for me to share with her about what I believe and how I live my life. Likewise, she has shared much with me about her life and beliefs. There have been many good conversations that we’ve had as a result. A few months ago, she told me that she is beginning to really question and wonder about what is true. It was so encouraging to know that my time with her has made an impact on her life and has caused her to begin asking difficult questions about faith and truth. I thank God for her; she has been such a good friend!”

God is in the business of planting and harvesting. He calls us to pray for laborers to go into fields that are ripe and ready. Might He be calling you?

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Living L DIANE IHRKE

Nearly 100 people lined the hallways of Essentia Hospital in Fargo, North Dakota on Sunday, March 19th. Diane Ihrke had experienced health complications during the night and was transported to an intensive care unit before Hillcrest families woke for church. After Sunday’s sermon, students and families ventured from Hillcrest to spend time with Diane’s family, notably her two teenage sons, Sam and Zeke.

Over the next 96 hours, friends from far and wide walked into Diane’s hospital room to hold her hand, sing praise songs, and say tear-filled goodbyes. With hymns playing in the background, drowning out the sound of breathing machines, Diane breathed her last breath in the company of friends and family on March 22, 2017.

Diane was a Hillcrest cheerleader who never wore the uniform.

During her days in Bible School she nursed football players back to health and mentored high school students to see that God has a sense of humor and desperately cares for their needs.

Later in life Diane adopted two boys, Sam and Zeke. From the time the boys were brought home they were surrounded

by Hillcrest students. Diane would have the athletes over for meals, watching Sam and Zeke play Nerf basketball and wrestle with the Comets. She would eventually join the resident life staff, taking on the role of head dean. Her sons came with her to the dorms, instantly gaining siblings in Hillcrest students who spent cherished times with Sam and Zeke as Diane built a strong semblance of home in the dormitories.

As the boys grew, Diane took other positions in the community, moving into a house that was often filled with Hillcrest students seeking fresh bread and jam. Diane would later find time to mentor Hillcrest girls, often hosting baking parties as she used food to break the ice and drive students to a deeper understanding of God’s love.

Diane led Hillcrest’s baking club this past year, winning first prize with her team in the first annual Hillcrest dessert competition. She baked bread periodically for Sunday meals at the dorm, drawing boys and girls into the kitchen to laugh and learn as bread dough was kneaded, rolled, and baked around friendship.

When Diane passed away Sam and Zeke transitioned to the home of Kate and Josh Haus. Kate worked in the dormitory with Diane in 2005. Kate and Josh have three kids of their own, all in grade school. Through some quick remodel projects while Sam was on choir tour, Kate and Josh have set up a bedroom for the boys in their home, working through the legal process to become permanent guardians.

It is the desire of Sam and Zeke to graduate from Hillcrest, the school that their mom continually worked to build a familyoriented community at. In honoring Sam and Zeke’s wishes, knowing it was Diane's desire for the boys to continue at Hillcrest, the Board of Directors at Hillcrest has established a special account to pay for Sam and Zeke’s tuition. Their 2016-17 school year has been paid in full thanks to generous donors. We invite you to consider supporting Sam and Zeke as they carry on their mother’s legacy, building community at Hillcrest Lutheran Academy.

To give to the Diane Ihrke Memorial Account, please visit ffhillcrest.org/ihrke.

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g Legacies

HAYLEY FILIPPINI

A Hillcrest Lutheran Academy senior passed away in December following a battle with cancer. Hayley Filippini was loved by her classmates, and her testimony of the Lord’s providence in giving her peace during her journey left a significant imprint on her classmates. Her senior class is starting an endowment in Hayley’s memory, noting that Hillcrest was Hayley’s favorite place because of how God strengthened Hayley’s faith in classroomes and built life long friendships in the dorms. The article below is written by one of her senior friends from the class of 2017, Hans Holzner, and gives a perspective to how the student body is processing the loss of a classmate, friend, and sister in Christ.

On December 9th a beautiful daughter leapt into the everreaching arms of her Father. Hayley Midland Filippini was a senior at Hillcrest who passed away from cancer. She is the first graduate of the class of 2017 from Hillcrest Lutheran Academy.

to death itself. Moved by love, Jesus took the cross: “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth. he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth (Is. 53:7).”

Words could never do justice to Hayley. Her smile radiated joy. Her selfless character overflowed with a tender care for all those she encountered. God loved his sweet daughter more than we can ever fathom, and she fearlessly loved Him back. Her life, short as it was on this earth, was a thing of beauty. There is none who encountered Hayley who were left unaffected by her gentle grace. But the fact still remains: She’s gone, and her love for God often turns us still.

We are called to be still. God desires for us to be still in Him: “Be still and know that I AM God” (Psalm 46). This life is not easy, but that was never promised. No, in fact, Jesus tells his disciples, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” And as we face these troubles, God tells us, as he did to His children, Israel, in Exodus 14:14, “[I] will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

We now face the relentless task of responding. We face a world fractured, a friend absent and a God faithful. We face Hayley, loved; and in this love, surrounded by God’s faithfulness we find stillness − for love often turns us still. How can it do anything else.

We often say that love is an action. But at times, the loving act is to refrain; to be silent, to be still. We face circumstances in life− the paradoxes of need, the confusion of grief − that we cannot, try as we might, explain. Responding in love with stillness is not surrender, it’s not giving in to the hardship. Rather, stillness is having the humility to step back, and the courage to trust; the binding love that commits a friendship, holding people together. Stillness is not an inability, it’s a choice.

And so as we face this life on earth confident in Jesus’ glorious victory, few words ring truer that these, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing... as the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.”

So, when tragedy clouds joy, be still − for love often turns us still. And how can it do anything else.

John 11 recounts, with touching simplicity, Christ grieving his friend, and then follows with the miraculous account of Lazarus’ resurrection. If we examine for a moment the person of Jesus − Immanuel, God incarnate − and the unimaginable power He wields, we realize that the resurrection is not the noteworthy occurrence in this story. No, the God of the universe, the very breath of life in His lungs, moved with love, stood still, and wept.

Jesus always had the ability to heal, and yet for a time he chose to be still. This choice is made perfect in Christ’s submission

Hillcrest Lutheran Academy’s Senior Class invites you to get to know Hayley through testimony videos posted on Hillcrest’s website. They also invite you to join them in honoring Hayley’s memory by supporting her named endowment. Visit ffhillcrest.org/hayley.

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GREETING

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snapsh

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A Little Context: 1

Choir Concert: Hillcrest’s choir traveled through South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, and Washington state before arriving back in Fergus Falls, MN. One student said the tour had a particular mission focus for him, making the experience as impactful as the Senior Class Mission Trip.

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Dominican Mission Trip: Hillcrest continued their decades long tradition of a senior capstone mission experience. The Santa Fe school continues to welcome Hillcrest as the Lord has used the relationship to make the schools both shining examples of God’s love in the Dominican Republic.

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Football State Sendoff: First-year head coach Evan Newman led the Comets to a State berth this year, seen here greeting fans before the Football team traveled to their State playoff game.

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Senior Small Groups: Part of Hillcrest’s chapel program has been a focused time to internalize Scripture. One of the ways students interacted with God’s word was through sharing it in small groups led by the Senior class.

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Junior-Senior Banquet: Hillcrest’s Junior-Senior Banquet saw the Grand March kick off a night to remember. Students participated in a lip sync contest before joining an after banquet gathering at the YMCA where students participated in a number of activities before closing the night with a time of singing.

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Comet Superfans: Archived jerseys were dusted off and worn in the stands as Hillcrest athletics continued to have strong fan support from their off-campus and dormitory communities.

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Hillcrest for Hayley: Hillcrest lost a dear friend this year after a battle with cancer. Hayley Filippini received a great deal of support from students, who had t-shirts made to wear on days she went to treatments.

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Fall Prayer Day: Hillcrest students gathered for what is believed to be a 70-year-old tradition in canceling classes for a focused day of prayer and reflection.

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Dessert Competition: Hillcrest started five new clubs this year, each holding a special capstone event. The baking club held a dessert competition, inviting all students to cast their vote for the team that best executed their choice dessert.

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Praise Team: Seniors lead praise bands on Fridays that 10 Hillcrest introduce a time of testimony of what God is doing in the lives of students.

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Carl Kerby : Apologist Carl Kerby visited Hillcrest this spring to continue supporting students’ worldview by building from Biblical concepts to show God’s communication in the world.

drama club: Hillcrest’s drama club performed a comedic 12 Hillcrest play titled “Law and Order: Fairy Tale Division." Over 300 people saw the three performances.

Christmas Child: Hillcrest participated in Operation 13 Operation Christmas Child by packing boxes with gifts and trinkets to be

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shipped in the name of Jesus to foreign countries in celebration of Christmas. Hillcrest packaged over 100 boxes and sent a team of students to the packing location in Minneapolis to help with final preparation of the gifts.

Prayer: Hillcrest athletics continues to focus on spiritual 14 Volleyball development. Through team devotions and prayer times, the boys and girls take time to pray for competitors, with the girls choosing to open their prayer time to opposing teams as an act of unity under the banner of Jesus Christ.

Christmas Banquet: Students and staff gathered for a 15 Hillcrest time-honored tradition of acknowledging Christ as the reason for Christmas. The all-school Christmas celebration was capped with G R E Eand T IKorean N G students. carols by the Norwegian

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R EV. B R A D H O G A N S O N PRESIDENT Hi llcres t Luthe r a n Ac a d emy Be ginning July 2017

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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

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Hillcrest is very pleased and excited to announce the appointment of Rev. Brad Hoganson as the new President of Hillcrest Lutheran Academy, starting in July 2017.

In this selection, the HLA Board chose someone who has long and deep roots at Hillcrest. Pastor Brad graduated from Hillcrest in 1984, followed by serving on the resident life staff in the late-80s and early-90s, and then again for another stint in the early-00s while in Fergus Falls to pursue Lutheran Brethren Seminary training. He sat down with the Connection staff to share thoughts about his new leadership position at Hillcrest Lutheran Academy: "I distinctly remember where I was sitting at Bethel Lutheran Church (in Fergus Falls)," Pastor Brad started, after being asked what influence Hillcrest had on his calling into ministry. "The speaker was talking from Isaiah 6 and I felt the overwhelming weight of my sin." Brad described the scene in Bethel...sanctuary lights dim as his gaze lifted from the speaker at the podium to the lofty ceiling which holds − suspended in air − a massive cross over the speaker's head. The memory of the sermon was obviously crisp as Brad continued, explaining the atonement for sin in the Isaiah story before focusing on the life-changing moment he experienced in Hillcrest's mission conference in 1983. "There, the question was asked, 'Who will go?' and I remember responding that my answer absolutely had to be, ‘me’."

Brad describes himself as shy and awkward in high school, struggling to fit in. But he credits God with using his time at Hillcrest to transform him from that quiet, insecure boy to an assured young man who walked across the stage to receive his Hillcrest diploma in 1984. "At Hillcrest, I found a place that allowed me to be me... to really come into myself and find lifelong friendships. I became more confident as a young man, and also in my faith."

As Brad continued, his memories gingerly shifted from his lifealtering experience in the mission conference to the simple rhythms he engaged at Hillcrest. "Right away at Hillcrest, I remember being blown away when my teacher said, 'We're not gonna start class until we pray.'"

Those prayer times in the classroom set the table for Brad's spiritual growth and development as he started to explain the intellect developed 30-some years ago. "Mr. Undseth, introducing me to C.S.Lewis, and Mr. Arlton, revealing the magnificence of God's Creation; Steve Brue, inviting us over for pizza to talk; Al and Carol Aase, just visiting and talking and processing life; those things were just absolutely formative."

The shared interactions from the classroom setting also stirred up memories from his dormitory life experience. He recalled

nights when he would sneak around the dorms under the nose of resident life staff members like Kevin Patch and Craig Mathison, doing his best not to disturb their sleep. If successful in dodging his deans, he would grab Mountain Dew and talk sports with Nick Mundis and Jim Soholt. Their nighttime conversations often inevitably shifted from three pointers and touchdowns to matters relating to God and His Kingdom.

As Brad continued his walk down memory lane, a deeper root to his Hillcrest experience was exposed. "Lutherans are really people ‘of the Word’," Brad started, tying in the practical spiritual training and mentorship he received at Hillcrest to the school’s high view of Scripture. "I think one of the reasons it's important for a Lutheran Brethren high school (to exist) is because, from our earliest days, we've had an intense desire and strong passion for youth." Brad continued to explain the rich heritage of Biblical teaching that has been baked into Hillcrest's program over the past 100 years.

Brad further explained the importance of Hillcrest’s Biblical founding, saying it gives relevance to Hillcrest’s Lutheran roots, landing with a capstone of Hillcrest's mission statement.

He said a Biblical view, with a Lutheran emphasis of law and gospel that highlights God’s grace is a Hillcrest tradition "that helps young people first be called into a relationship with Jesus Christ, seeing their need for a savior, and then responding in faith. Then, in obedience, they serve as a missionary people.

And if you start marinating on that in high school, then you see the Biblically-centered purpose and mission of our Lutheran perspective, in having a worldview like the men of Issachar, who knew the times and what Israel was supposed to do. And there is some real power in that, equipping them for a life of eternal significance."

As we close our visit together Brad shifts to the practical.

He notes that leaving Hillside Lutheran Brethren Church in Succasunna, New Jersey will be tough, “Leaving a place you love is hard.” But his tender feelings seem to pause on a simple phrase as he reminisces on his decision to respond to the HLA Presidential search solicitation. "I've sensed a holy discontent, and I think we should all live with a longing to not fall into patterns of comfort. As I talked to the Hillcrest search committee and board members, it sparked in me that reminder/realization I don't want to simply do what I can do. I want to be a part of something that only God can do, and I'm grateful He chooses to do it through people like me."

Brad and his wife Traci will move to Fergus Falls this summer.

Brad and Traci’s daughter, Shea, completed her first year of college at Kean University this year. Their son, Camden, will begin his junior year at Hillcrest this fall, as Brad begins serving as the President of Hillcrest Lutheran Academy on July 1.

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GRAD W EEK E N D 2017 Tara Ferenczy and Faith Tonneson present $10,000, the Senior class gift, to Principal Isaac, for the Hayley Filippini Endowment

Jim Song celebrates four years at Hillcrest in the graduation receiving line

Hans-Frank Holzner's year was filled with meaningful mission moments

Kyler Newman receives the John Luckey award 50 years after his grandfather, Mark Soholt, received the award.

Yeeun Moon with Molly Erickson, Hillcrest lunch buddies

Youngju Yoo with his lunch buddy, Noah Erickson

Hillcrest salutatorians Reggie Undseth, Thomas Martinson, and Sean McGuire pose with valedictorian Tara Ferenczy.

The senior class singing their class song, Cornerstone, their friend and classmate Hayley Filippini's favorite song, on the front steps before throwing their hats

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Brad Hoganson, Hillcrest's new President, with his wife, Traci

G R A D U AT I O N

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Jody (Christenson) Brasel being inducted into Hillcrest's Hall of Fame inaugural class

Lynette Tonneson directs the choir, who left the audience with a tearfilled closing song, Praise to the Lord - the Almighty, in their final concert at graduation

Hillcrest graduated 55 students, over 30 in honors, in the Centennial year

Over 250 people gathering for the Alumni Brunch, starting a day filled with reminiscing before former classmates and friends toured the J.H. Levang Gallery, the Castle to see classrooms and former dorm rooms, and the new Student Union for an all-school gathering

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David & Crystal Veum '67

ALUMNi

The following are the acceptance speeches from David Veum and Crystal (Overland) Veum, Alumni of the Year, abridged for print in the Hillcrest Connection.

CRYSTAL (OVERLAND) VEUM ‘67: My life verse, given to me at confirmation by my father, is Jude 24-25. “To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.” I want to thank the Lord for this promise, which is true because of the work Jesus accomplished on the cross. I want to thank my parents for allowing me to go to Hillcrest for three years and encouraging me to grow in my faith.

I’m most thankful for my husband and the relationship we have, which began at Hillcrest during our senior year.

2017 REUNIONS

DAVID VEUM ‘67: I’m deeply humbled by this honor, but also grateful for this opportunity to express my gratitude. I’m grateful to the Lord Jesus for dying in my place and for calling me into the ministry. I’m grateful to Crystal for

her love and encouragement, especially in times of stress. I’m grateful to the ministry of Hillcrest, for their passion for reaching the world, which this ministry pressed into my impressionable heart.

I really wanted to be accepted into the group of 38 singers in the Traveling Choir during my senior year, but singing was not my number one talent. To increase the chances of making the group and participating in the trip I did what any would-be, less-than-talented-singer would do, I took voice lessons from Mrs. C.F. (Erickson). Each Friday at eleven o’clock I was in her studio, and Monday thru Thursday I was in the reception room practicing. The year was almost finished before I heard from the hallway someone else practicing in that room, and I was horrified to learn that my singing could be heard in the hallway as if the door were open. I’m not sure if it was because of the work I did, or because if I were away on tour Mrs. C.F. would get a three week break from our Friday lessons, but I made Traveling Choir.

As we stopped and sang in places like Minot and Malta and Platt, I had a strong sense that we had been sent by Hillcrest, and our Lord,

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to tell the world about our Savior and to call the world to Him. The repeated moment that brought it all together came at the end of the sharing time.

At the end of one of our concert sessions, Mark Soholt would step forward to lead. We sang the predecessors of praise music, and at each concert two students shared their testimonies. The sharing concluded when Bill Nilsen and Gary Erdahl, with their beautiful bass voices, would start the simple chorus, “Behold He Comes.” The tenors joined, the altos sang their note in accord, and then the sopranos sang the line for the fourth time.

In four-part harmony we sang the proclamation, “And every eye shall see Him.” Then the chorus concluded with just the question, “Friend, will you be ready when Jesus comes?” Singing that, and repeating it every night, increased the desire for all to know and trust the love and grace and forgiveness of our Savior. I will always be grateful that God pressed this passion into my life at Hillcrest. Behold, He comes. And every eye will see Him. Friend, will you be ready when Jesus comes?

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1947: Lillian (Njaa) Overland, Stewart Watson, Bert Egstad, Morris Larsen,Sally(Stephenson)Overgaard,RobertOvergaard 1952: Ken Vesta, Darlene (Tyson) Gleesing, Mabel (Benson) Helland, Ken Aure, Marjorie Boe, Leland Erickson 1957: John Monson, Jackie(Pearson) Jorgensen, Solveig (Windahl) Lande, Curt Kavlie

1962: Front Row: Carol (Underdal) Folden, Susan (Hodnefield) Patterson, Glennis (Egge) Enrud, Marilyn (Foss) Martinson, Janelle (Rangen) Swenson, Liz (Haga) Mercer; Second Row : David Egge, Merlin Larsen, Walter Olson, Dave Swenson; Third Row: Ron Powell, David Pedersen, Ed Monson, Dave Malvig, Glenn Troness, Steve Hexom

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1967: Front Row: Nancy (Tweed) Osmundson, Eunice (H Frey, Becky (Sandberg) Gregersen, Lorna (Tonneson)P (Halvorson) LaBrosse; Second Row: Sandy (Tonneson)F (Vorvick) Strand, Doreen (Simonson) Lazicki, Marie (Es Eisenberg, June (Mjelde) Wader, Priscilla (Blikstad) Pa Jacobson, Sandra (Gilbertson) Erickson, Shirley (Egge (Skoglund) Holverson, Bev (Soma) Hanson, Karen (Walk Michael Paulson, Richard Raimo, Robert Vall, Dennis Ward

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DEDICATION of the It is the honor of Hillcrest Lutheran Academy to name a gallery of exhibits celebrating 100 years of ministry at HIllcrest in memory of Joseph H. Levang. The J.H. Levang Gallery was dedicated during the Centennial Graduation.

J.H. Levang was a strong proponent of Hillcrest Lutheran Academy and the advancement of the Gospel through rigorous Christian education. Levang wrote on one occasion that “Christian education is an investment in youth, in our leaders of tomorrow, in future pastors, evangelists, missionaries, church leaders, Christian dads and mothers of tomorrow. It is an investment in much prayer, much patience, much giving, and much faith in a God. Who can take our young people, save them and transform them into vessels of great honor to His Name.”

The Levang Gallery is an open display in Hillcrest’s main hall that communicates the history of God working through the Church of the Lutheran Brethren in the form of Lutheran Brethren Schools. The gallery holds a series of artifacts that document stories from Hillcrest’s history and ongoing ministry.

Currently the gallery is displaying microphones from the Lutheran Hour Ministry that existed at Hillcrest during the 1940s and 50s, a series of microscopes from the first class of Hillcrest students in 1916, a baseball bat from Hillcrest’s Girls Athletic Association, and a set of desks from Hillcrest’s classrooms during the 1950s. The Church of the Lutheran Brethren has contributed to the current display with the E.M. Broen Guitar from the 1900s and a series of artifacts from the early days of Lutheran Brethren Schools that started the mission movement in China. Display boards in the gallery offer a snapshot of the foundation of ministry that established Hillcrest Lutheran Academy, while also revealing how the Gospel continues to go out from Hillcrest.

GOLDEN

The gallery displays will update in the future, highlighting anniversaries and celebrations in the ministry of Lutheran Brethren Schools and Hillcrest Lutheran Academy. To view the gallery through a virtual tour online, please visit ffhillcrest.org/levang-gallery.

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dson, Eunice (Hexom) Pitman, Diane (Frey) Sutten, Julie (Jackson) Larsen, Marlene (Luckey) na (Tonneson)Pommrehn, Anita (Balkan) Thompson, Lorilee (Torgerson) Mundford, Marilyn dy (Tonneson)Faul, Connie (Christopherson) Renneke, Becky (Tungseth) Nordlund, Margaret zicki, Marie (Esther Andreasen) Magenta, Diane (Askeland) Christenson, Gloria (Brandvold) la (Blikstad) Parker, Crystal (Overland) Veum; Third Row: Janet (Salvesen) Soholt, Roger , Shirley (Egge) Johansen, Jane (Egge) Ashbrenner, Lynn (Soderquist) Malveg, Michelle on, Karen (Walker) Nelson, Dale Vesta, Dave Veum; Fourth Row: Mark Soholt, Herb Freeland, all, Dennis Ward, Steve Christiansen, WIlliam Nilsen, Gary Erdahl, Steve Amberson, Ken Borseth

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1972: Front Row : Pam (Tweed) Heimdal, Tess (Endrud) Sohalt, Barb Overgaard; Second Row: Melinda (Gjerness) Gardner, Mary (Stennes) Carlson, Val (Moline) Hobbs, Sandra (Christenson) Ward; Third Row: Ken Heimdal, C.J. Jacobsen, Mariann Vetrhus, Deb (Schauland) Wyse, Carol (Nelson) Rubow 1977:FrontRow:EthanBjornlie,KennethAustin,Norman Dalholt, James Swanson; Second Row: Scott Kvamme, Charlotte (Moline) Stalcar, Naomi (Larson) Rogness, Nancy(Patch)Sasse,OrlinRogness ;ThirdRow:Howard

2007

Aandahl, Linda (Senum) Brue, Lori (Kavlie)Tysver, Jodi (Christenson) Brasel, Liz (Peterson) Hoagland 2002: Front Row:Rebekah (Henrickson) Morrissette, Liv Ronnevik, Allison (Christensen) Wyatt, Kristin (Bjornlie) Erickson; Second Row: Jane (Gunderson) Stephens, Vanessa (Malecha) Jacobsen, Tara (Tysver) Carlson, Julie Gundersen; Third Row: Luke Hansen, Wayne Stender, Nick Hansen 2007: Front Row: Rachel Boerner, Amy (Tolbert) Lee

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HAYLEY FILIPPINI (H'17) Hayley Midland Filippini (H’17), a loving young woman with a special light, entered the gates of Heaven on December 9, 2016. Hayley passed peacefully at home surrounded by her family. Hayley was a bright young woman who loved God and shared that love with a smile and special light that was apparent to all with whom she came in contact. Hayley loved being a senior at Hillcrest Lutheran Academy in Fergus Falls, MN. She was a member of the National Honor Society, was senior class treasurer, played volleyball and softball, and participated in cheerleading. She loved giving all her available time to the things she cared about most: her church, Tuscarora, and many foundations that support children with cancer. Hayley’s love for Hillcrest will tarry in her class as they form a named endowment to support students desiring to attend Hillcrest Academy.

MARK HENDERSON (H'88) Mark Henderson (H’88) passed away March 22nd after a long battle with cancer. Mark graduated from Hillcrest in 1988, making an imprint on many for the sake of the Gospel.

Mark is remembered as a wonderful husband, father, son, friend, brother, and counselor. His love for life and the Lord were shared with many. Mark obtained a Masters in Pastoral Counseling and became an integral part of the counseling staff at Wayzata Free Church.

Mark helped individuals and couples find hope and healing through a deeper understanding of God's love.

He shared his experience and knowledge by mentoring and training other pastors and lay teams globally. God bless the memory of Mark Henderson.

DIANE KAYE IHRKE (BS‘84) Diane Kaye Ihrke (BS‘84) was born February 6, 1957 to parents Arles and Margaret Ihrke in Fosston, MN. She attended elementary school at Lengby until it closed and continued her schooling at Fosston High School where she graduated in 1975. She attended Duluth AVTI and obtained her Licensed Practical Nurse degree. She moved to Fargo and work in the neonatal intensive care unit. She continued her education there, obtaining her AAS degree in Nursing.

She moved to Fergus Falls, where she attended the Lutheran Brethren Bible School, attaining her AAS degree in Bible. She worked in the women’s dormitory in proceeding years, finding herself drawn back to Hillcrest later in life.

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Diane worked at Lake Region Medical Center for several years and has worked at various positions in the community. Her greatest joy was becoming a mother to Samuel and Zekiel. She diligently taught them to love Jesus and to trust Him in all things. She lived for Jesus, loved her boys, and supported her community through kind acts, words of encouragement, and baking bread.

She taught many friends how to bake bread, make lefse, homemaking skills, and had recently started teaching a CNA class for Hillcrest students. Her primary station for serving the Lord seemed to continually revolve around Hillcrest students. She mentored girls in the dorm through her position as Head Dean in the early 2000s, finding herself continuing to speak life into the lives of young women as she raised her sons through grade school, ensuring their opportunity to know the Lord through their high school training at Hillcrest Academy. Diane was loved and will be missed dearly by her friends and family at Hillcrest Lutheran Academy.

RAYMOND SEAVER (H’52) Raymond Seaver (H’52) was born to Ray and Aline (Edson) Seaver on August 26, 1934. He lived his childhood years fully in North Minneapolis. He graduated from Hillcrest Lutheran Academy and went on to study at Augsburg College. He graduated with a degree in business administration after which he obtained a Master's Degree in Hospital Administration from the University of Minnesota. He met Ardith (Ardy) Kilde and they married in 1955 in Ebenezer Lutheran Brethren Church. Together they had five children, sixteen grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren.

A career in healthcare administration took Ray and Ardy to LeSueur, MN where he served the community as hospital administrator. He would next work with the Abbott Northwestern system in Minneapolis where he eventually served as the founding director of the Minneapolis Heart Institute. His retirement in 1994 brought an end to twenty-five years of commuting fiftyfive miles from LeSueur to Minneapolis.

Throughout life Ray and Ardy were blessed by active involvement in the life of their local congregation. They met in the choir at Ebenezer Lutheran Brethren Church in South Minneapolis and were part of the church planting team that established Oak Hill Lutheran Brethren Church in Bloomington. After enjoying many years of active involvement in First Presbyterian Church in LeSueur, they were again part of a church plant team which God used to establish Word of Life Lutheran Brethren Church in LeSueur.

A L U M N I U P D AT E S

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OBI TUA RI ES (RAYMOND SEAVER CONTINUED)

Ray and Ardy settled into Fergus Falls in 1997 and found life to be full and rewarding as they connected with new friends in the community and at Bethel Lutheran. Ray enrolled in Seminary and received a Master's of Divinity Degree. He took up writing as a way to encourage others.

What began as a weekly email devotional evolved into the publication of two books which have blessed many in all walks of life.

Ironically, after investing so much of his life in health care administration, Ray would be the beneficiary of skilled compassionate health care as he lived with kidney cancer for the last fifteen years of his life. He spoke gratefully of the grace of God that he received in answer to prayer and through the work of the University of Minnesota Cancer Center and later the Lake Region Cancer Center. His last days were beautifully impacted by the care extended by staff at PioneerCare Short Stay, Mill Street Residence, and Lakeland Hospice. He died on December 5, 2016 and awaits the resurrection promised in Christ.

RICHARD VETTRUS (H’56) Richard Vettrus (H’56) was born the third child of Rev. Ole and Clara (Olson) Vettrus when they served Zoar Lutheran Brethren Church in Superior, WI, on October 23, 1938.

Pastor Vettrus graduated from Hillcrest Lutheran Academy and later Lutheran Brethren Seminary, both in Fergus Falls, MN. He also attended Fuller Seminary in Pasadena, CA and received a Masters in history from Wagner College in Staten Island, NY. Richard served congregations in Floral Park and Brooklyn on Long Island, NY as well as Nanuet, NY, Princeton, NJ, Pasadena, CA, West Union and DeWitt, IA with interim pastorates in Arvada, CO, Eugene, OR, and Rolette, ND. At age 78, Rev. Richard Vettrus, passed away on Monday morning, February 6, 2017 at Trinity Hospital, Minot, ND after an extended illness.

He was serving as interim pastor of Ebenezer Lutheran Brethren Church of Rolette, ND at the time. Rev. Vettrus completed his call in serving the Lord faithfully until his final days. God bless the memory of Richard Vettrus.

ELWIN BURNELL WALVATNE (H’48) Elwin Burnell Walvatne (H’48) was born on July 20, 1930 in Fergus Falls, MN, the son of Edwin and Bertha (Chensvold) Walvatne. Growing up in Fergus Falls, he attended Hillcrest Academy, graduating in 1948. Elwin went on to attend Moorhead Teacher's College and graduated from Lutheran Brethren Seminary in Fergus Falls in 1954.

Elwin began his career in ministry at Bigfork, MN and continued to serve churches in Antler, ND; Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Cooperstown, ND; Malta, Montana; and Lake Mills, IA. On April 29, 1970, Elwin married Hanna Hatlevoll at Emanuel Lutheran Brethren Church in Edmonton, Alberta. After retiring in 2003, Elwin returned to Fergus Falls, and served as an interim pastor in other locations.

Elwin loved the Lord and ministering to people. He also loved to sing and play music. An avid reader, he read many books, and especially enjoyed reading the Bible. Elwin enjoyed the outdoors and was a gardener.

Reverend Elwin Walvatne, 86, of Fergus Falls, died Sunday, January 29, 2017, at PioneerCare in Fergus Falls. God bless the memory of his faithful servant, Elwin Walvatne.

STELLA KAY WALVATNE Stella Kay Walvatne, infant daughter of Jonathan and Ahna (Lacey) Walvatne (H’11) was delivered into the arms of Jesus on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, 2016, at Sanford Hospital, Fargo, ND. Ahna writes:

“This Thanksgiving Jonny and I are beyond thankful for the gift of eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ.

November 23rd was our sweet Stella Kay’s due date and the day that we dreamed of bringing her home, but the Lord had a different plan of the place she would call home. Our baby girl is being held tight in the arms of her Heavenly Father. Although we are at a loss for words and don’t fully understand why, we cling to the promise that God’s plan for her is far greater than we can fathom. We are extremely thankful for the 40 precious weeks that we were able to spend with her before she was called home.

Stella Kay, you taught your dad and I how to love in a way that we never knew was possible. We love you, baby girl, and can’t wait to see you again.”

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Visit Hillcrest Weekend Begins for Prospective Students Girls Volleyball

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6 Pep-Fest Homecoming Football Game vs. Bertha-Hewitt (7pm) Friends and Family Gathering After Football Game All School Rock-n-Bowl

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7 Parent Teacher Conferences Homecoming Carnival Boys and Girls Soccer Double-header President Installation Service Late-night Show and Worship Night

FOR UPDATES VISIT ffhillcrest.org/homecoming

PAID

FERGUS FALLS, MN PERMIT #14

NON-PROFIT US POSTAGE

Hillcrest Lutheran Academy 610 Hillcrest Drive Fergus Falls, MN 56537

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5

CONNECTION

(October 5-7)

HILLCRESTCONNECTION

HOMECOMING WEEK 2017

TO ORDER THE BOOK VISIT ffhillcrest.org/centennialbeacon The Centennial Beacon is a 10"X10" coffee table book comprised of 24 stories coming from Hillcrest's history over the past 100 years.

Historian and author Steve Hoffbeck has compiled some of the most poignant stories that have defined Hillcrest Academy. It presents vivid images from Hillcrest's Levang Gallery that give visual perspective to the stories that have shaped Hillcrest Academy.

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You will be able to view never before seen photos of Chinese missionaries who worked at and attended Hillcrest Academy and the Lutheran Brethren Bible School. There are also photos of the early days at Hillcrest, of students playing sports and in classroom settings that show a story of Hillcrest's past that continues into the future.

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