Contents Erin Bovendam: With love, kindness and generosity.................................................. Page 03 Kasey Wacker: She gives students a voice......................................................................Page 08 Betsy Roder: Carrying on the vision..................................................................................Page 14 Shirley Davidson: Shirley’s way: Volunteering for history..........................................Page 18 PUBLISHER Devlyn Brooks dbrooks@dlnewspapers.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Nathan Bowe nbowe@dlnewspapers.com
MAGAZINE EDITOR Tris Anderson tanderson@dlnewspapers.com
Elizabeth Vierkant evierkant@perhamfocus.com
ADVERTISING Britanie Rentz brentz@wadenapj.com Robin Stalley rstalley@perhamfocus.com Julie Lake jlake@perhamfocus.com
Michael Achterling marchterling@dlnewspapers.com COVER & PAGE DESIGN Jamie Holte fccspecialsections@forumcomm.com
PERHAM FOCUS
300 West Main Street, Suite C • Perham, MN 56573 p: 218.346.5900 • perhamfocus.com
Luminous is a special supplement to the Perham Focus, November 17, 2022.
WITH LOVE, KINDNESS AND GENEROSITY For Calvary Pastor Erin Bovendam, it’s all about the people BY NATHAN BOWE For Luminous
F
amily and spirituality are intertwined in the life of Erin Bovendam. Bovendam, 44, became lead pastor at Calvary Lutheran Church in Perham in autumn of 2020, after serving a congregation in central Pennsylvania for 14 years. Her husband, Chris Mathiason, is also a Lutheran pastor, serving parishes in Staples and Cushing, Minnesota. They have two children – Henry Mathiason is a ninth-grader at Perham High School and Ben Mathiason is a seventh-grader at Perham Middle School.
Pastor Erin Bovendam and her husband, Pastor Chris Mathiason. Contributed / Erin Bovendam
LUMINOUS 2022 | 3