T A B O R . E D U / S I G N A T U R E - C A M P A I G N
From the President
Follow along with Dr. Glanzer’s travels and campus happenings on Twitter. He can be found at www.twitter.com/ presglanzer
The year was 1966. Then President Roy Just had recruited Jack Braun to come and lead the drama department, plus begin a Center for Religion and Drama. The vision was for Tabor to be known for the bringing together of Christian faith and theater. Christian theater was something new at that time. At the center of the dream was constructing an auditorium north of the administration building, where the science building now stands. When presented, the idea was rejected, and President Just was told to raise money to eliminate debt. Later, under President Vernon Janzen, the dream was part of the TC 6.3 campaign to build a library addition, music building and an auditorium for worship and the arts. Enough money was raised to build the library addition.
Art is an expression of the church. When we create, empower, produce and give, we are most like God. We engage in an act of worship when we imitate Him and make beautiful things out of the world that He gave us.” Then in 1990 the music education building was built, but no auditorium. During the next 20 years other needs became urgent and were met: the Campus Recreation Center, parking lots, the Solomon L. Loewen Natural Science Center, student housing and the Joel H. Wiens
Stadium and Pendery Athletic Center, but still no auditorium. Now is the time—time to fulfill the dream. I can’t help but wonder what Tabor would be like if an auditorium had been built to house the Center for Religion and Drama. What would Tabor look like if we were known for our contribution in the arts to the church in America? What would be our place in the Seeker movement in evangelicalism? Might this have led us to being recognized and part of the Christian film industry? We can only speculate. In God’s economy, however, it is never too late. Now is the time—time to increase our influence in the ministry of the arts in the church and culture. At the core of the desire to build a Center for the Arts is a desire to serve the church—training young men and women to lead worship, enhancing worship with music and the arts, and preparing young adults to creatively reach our society with the good news of Jesus. Now is the time—time to provide a home for Tabor College’s choral and instrumental music programs and state-of-the-art classrooms for the visual arts. It is time to give to our community a place for artists and musicians to express, create and influence. The Center for the Arts is not about bricks and mortar. It is about people, programming and ministry. The Center for the Arts is about preparing people through our programs for a life of learning, work and service for Christ and His kingdom. Will you help make a 48-year-old dream finally become a reality? Will you join the many supporters who have already given to the Signature Campaign? Will you respond with generosity? Will you help us reach our goal and make Tabor College a better place for our future students? Now is the time.
President Jules Glanzer