Retired Moravian pastor, Ray Troutman '53, passed away on May 27 in Winston-Salem, NC. He had served Moravian congregation for 37 years in North Carolina, Ohio, Florida, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.
Lewis Swaim '55, passed away on May 10 in Winston-Salem, NC. An ordained Moravian pastor, for 40 years he served congregations in North Carolina and Florida. He was the first Director of the Board of Homeland Missions in the Southern Province (Moravian Church) and founding pastor of Covenant Moravian in Wilmington, NC.
Gwyned Williams '60, died on April 12, 2011. Ned's pastorates in the Moravian Church included congregations in Ohio, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. He was a member of Central Moravian Church in Bethlehem, PA and played in the Trombone Choir.
On March 22 Wilton Schwanke '52 passed away in Eastland, Washington. An ordained Moravian pastor, he served as a missionary in Alaska from 1952-1977.
Samuel Marx '42, passed away on January 28 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Brother Marx had many years of service in the Moravian Church including more than 35 years of service to the Miskito and Creole peoples of Nicaragua and Honduras. In 2004 he received the John Hus Award from Moravian Theological Seminary.
Dorothy Farnham Osterhout Burcaw '85 & '91, died on November 11, 2010. Dorothy served as a teacher, chaplain, and director at Moravian Academy in Bethlehem, PA, and as associate pastor at Lititz Moravian Church. Until her death, she served as chaplain of Moravian Hall Square Retirement Community. She is remembered for the love and kindness she shared with everyone she met.
Lynn Hanninen '06, died on November 7, 2010. Lynn is remembered for her courage and spirit as she completed her MAPC degree while challenged by multiple disabilities. She had surgery in October and was never able to fully recover from complications of the surgery. A memorial service will be held Saturday, November 20 at 2:30pm in the Seminary Saal.
William A. Cranford '49, died on October 1, 2010. He provided leadership and service to Calvary, Wachovia Arbor, Rural Hall, Fulp, Enterprise, and Hopewell Moravian Churches in NC;
Fry's Valley and Dover South Churches in OH; Palmyra Moravian Church in NJ; and Newfoundland Moravian Church in PA. View Obituary
Henry Lewis '42, died on July 17, 2010. He served as the pastor for the Macedonia, Houstonvlle, New Philadelphia, Friedberg, Bethabara, Konnoak Hills, Fairview, Olivet, Bethesda, Community Fellowship, Fries Memorial, and Home congregations in NC; Midland and New Dorp Beach congregations in NY; Coral Ridge congregation in FL; and East Hills congregation in PA. He also founded Messiah Moravian Church in NC, served in a part-time role at Salem UCC in Allentown, PA, and was chaplain at Moravian College and Theological Seminary. View Obituary
Edwin H. Gianelli '74, died on June 7, 2010. He resided in Ephrata, PA.
Charles Lord '75, died on January 30, 2010. He is remembered as one who made a difference through the peaceful resolution of human conflicts, championed the rights of mentally ill persons, served as a teacher in missionary service in Rhodesia and Tanzania, and pastored UCC congregations in PA, Ohio, Wisconsin and Oklahoma. View Obituary
Vernon Nelson '58,
retired Moravian pastor and church archivist, died on January 26, 2009 after being struck by a car. Vernon served as Archivist for the Moravian Church, Northern Province from 1960 until his retirement in 2001. He presented the 2007 Moses Lectures in Moravian Studies at MTS on his research of the Valentine Haidt paintings commissioned for the 1753 headquarters of the Moravian Church, Lindsey House in Chelsea, England. A memorial service to celebrate Vernon's life will be held on February 27, 1pm at Central Moravian Church. View Obituary
Lew Thomas '59,
retired Moravian pastor, passed away on December 19, 2009. Lew served congregations in Bethlehem, Edmonton, Calgary, and Green Bay, Wis. He was also the Executive Director of Mt. Morris a Moravian camp and conference center near Wautoma Wis.
View Obituary
Lynette McRae, a recent MTS student, passed away on December 18, 2009. She began her studies at Moravian Seminary in 2004 and served as licensed lay pastor for First Moravian Church in New York City and Tremont Terrace Moravian Church in the Bronx.
Richard Splies '60, a former Moravian pastor, passed away on December 6, 2009. Richard served Moravian churches in PA, WI, and MN and as chaplain at Marquardt Manor in Watertown, WI.
View Obituary
The Rev. Polly Applefield ‘00 passed away on November 30, 2009, after a courageous battle with cancer. A former educator, she was ordained as a pastor in the Moravian Church – Southern Province in 2001.
View Obituary
Joyce Pfeiffer ’96 passed away on June 1, 2009. An ordained UCC pastor, she St. Peter’s Union Church of Mantzville, PA and Christ UCC of Jim Thorpe.
View Obituary
Fred Morgenstern ‘60 passed away on April 19, 2009 in Bloomington, Indiana. He served pastorates in Maryland, Ohio and Indiana, and in specialized ministry as a hospital chaplain.
Joseph Meranti '04 passed away on February 17, 2009. He worked as a computer programmer and was a very active elder of the Dunmore Presbyterian Church.
View obituary
|
|
|
|
|
| September 2011 |
| Deborah Lee-Hepburn '05 was appointed as Staff Chaplain at Shands at the University of Florida. Her role includes direct patient care, addressing and teaching faculty, medical staff, and utilization mgt personnel on Intercultural Communications for Black Family Systems, healthcare advocacy, Ecumenical Community Organizing, etc. |
| July 2011 |
2011 graduate, Charles Harewood will be installed as pastor of First Moravian Church, New York, NY on July 10.
|
| June 2011 |
On June 13, Judy Ganz '08, began serving as executive director of the Board of World Mission (BWM) of the Moravian Church in America based in Bethlehem, PA. Most recently she served as pastor of Edmonton Moravian Church in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
|
| May 2011 |
Mary Bielke ’00 has accepted a new ministry role as Chaplain with Heartland Hospice in Rockford, IL. She accepted a call to specialized ministry in the Moravian Church Northern Province and began on May 31, 2011.
|
| April 2011 |
Rick Bruckart ’82 has accepted a call to serve as pastor at First Moravian Church, Riverside NJ, beginning in April 2011.
On April 10, Neil Routh '90 was installed as pastor of the King Moravian Church in King, NC. Previously he had served as pastor of Christ Moravian Church in Winston-Salem, NC. He also is a member of the Moravian Theological Seminary Board of Trustees.
Following his official retirement on January 1, 2011, Gary Straughan '66 accepted an appointment to serve as the part-time pastor of the Moravian Church in Daggett, MI, beginning on April 1, 2011.
|
| February 2011 |
Edwin Aponte ’94 was appointed Research Professor of Latina/o and Latin American Christianity in the Center for World Christianity at New York Theological Seminary, starting December 1, 2010.
|
| January 2011 |
Rebecca Richie ’04, pastor of Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Canfield, OH, was inducted into her high school’s Athletic Hall of Fame on January 15, 2011 in Weatherly, PA. A 1998 graduate of Weatherly Area High, Rebecca had a career batting average of over .300 for the Lady Wreckers softball team and also served as the premier pitcher and leading them to an outstanding 17-5 overall record in 1998. Rebecca also lettered in golf and basketball and received the Laura Leininger Eckenroad Memorial Award in 1998 for her outstanding leadership and poise on the basketball team.
In April, 2010, Carol West '00 began serving as a hospice chaplain for Vitas Innovative Hospice Care in Newark, DE. She visits patients in their homes and in nursing facilities and journeys with them and their families as they face the final days of their earthly life.
|
| November 2010 |
Russell Williams '10 was ordained by Bishop Sam Gray on November 28 at Trinity Moravian Church. He accepted the call to serve as pastor of Moravia Moravian Church in NC, beginning December 1 and was installed December 5.
Lunnett Hilliars '10 was ordained into the Penn Northeast Conference of the United Church of Christ at Trinity UCC, Mt. Bethel, PA, on November 14, 2010.
The Rev Chris Giesler ’86 will be consecrated a bishop of the Moravian Church on November 13, 3:00 at Central Moravian Church. Chris is presently the pastor of Edgeboro Moravian Church in Bethlehem and serves quarter time as Youth Ministries director for the Moravian Church Eastern District. He had previously served as Chaplain of the College and Seminary.
|
| September 2010 |
|
Reid Lauderman ’10 was installed as a full-time pastor at Bethel and Goshen Moravian Churches in North Dakota on Sunday, September 19.
Beginning Monday, September 13, Rev. Kenneth
Daniel '89 will begin his appointment as interim president for Lancaster Theological Seminary. He replaces eight-year seminary president Dr. Riess Potterveld.
Three MTS Alumni were elected to the Provincial Elder's Conference for the Southern Province of the Moravian Church. Ray Burke '77 is the pastor of Clemmons Moravian Church, Clemmons NC. Ray has served pastorates in the Moravian Church for 33 years. After a career in music, Chris Thore '98 was ordained a Moravian pastor in 1999 and 10 years ago became the founding pastor of the new congregation, New Beginnings in Huntersville, NC. Neil Routh '90 has served the Moravian Church as an ordained pastor for 20 years.
On Friday, September 10, Rev. David Guthrie '86 was elected president of the Provincial Elder's Conference of the Moravian Church, Southern Province. David has served as executive director for the Board of Evangelism and Home Missions for the Southern Province and as pastor for Rolling Hills Moravian Church and Prince of Peace Moravian Church. He will begin his role as PEC president in November. For more information, click here.
Linda Lennon '98 will be installed as Pastor of St. John’s UCC in Richlandtown, PA on November 7, 2010 at 3:00 PM.
Josh Viste '09 was ordained a Deacon of the Moravian Church on Saturday, September 11, 2010 at Sturgeon Bay Moravian Church. He has accepted the call to serve the Millwoods congregation in Edmonton, Alberta Canada.
Dawn Volpe '85 has accepted a call to serve as Pastor of the Ephraim Moravian Church, Ephraim, WI. She will be installed at Ephraim on September 26th.
|
| August 2010 |
|
On August 29th, Reid Lauderman ’10 was ordained a pastor in the Moravian Church at his home congregation of Lititz Moravian Church. He will begin serving the North Dakota Moravian congregations in Bethel and Leonard in September.
Dennis Rohn '67 was installed as Pastor of the Sharon Moravian Church, New Philadelphia, OH on August 29th. He previously served Nazareth Moravian Church in Nazareth, PA.
Milo Loppnow '37 was honored for 70 years of ordained ministry in the Moravian Church on August 29th at Marquardt Village in Watertown, WI.
Ron Rice has accepted an appointment to serve as part-time pastor of the Reading Moravian Church, Reading, PA. He began this new ministry on August 1.
|
| July 2010 |
|
Marge Hassler '92 accepted an appointment to serve as part-time Pastor of West Side Moravian Church, Bethlehem, PA and began this new ministry on July 18th.
Lance Fox '06 was installed as pastor of the newly-formed MorningStar Moravian Church in Coopersburg, PA on July 25th. MorningStar is a result of the merger of the Grace Moravian Church in Center Valley and the Coopersburg Moravian Church. Lance previously served the Church of the Redeemer, Dublin, OH.
Kevin Kinsey '09 was installed as pastor of Easton Church of the Bethren in Easton, Maryland on July 25th.
|
| June 2010 |
|
Rev. Dr. Betsy Miller '85 was elected president of the Provincial Elder's Conference of the Moravian Church, Northern Province. She is the first woman to fill this role in the history of the Northern Province. The election took place at the MCNP 2010 Synod at Moravian College, Bethlehem, PA. Betsy has served as the director of Congregational Leadership and Resources for the Western District of the Northern Province, co-pastor and pastor at Lake Mills Moravian Church, chair of the Church's Task Force for Healthy Congregations Initiative, secretary of the Wisconsin Council of Churches, and chair of Fort HealthCare. Read more about Betsy and her new role.
The 40 year ministry of Archivist, Daniel Crews '70 was honored at an open house at the Moravian Archives of the Southern Province in Winston-Salem, NC. He was appointed an archivist of the Moravian Church, Southern Province in 1991. Before that, he served as pastor of Moravian congregations in the United States, England and the Virgin Islands. Read more about Daniel's work from the Winston-Salem Journal online.
The ScottCares Foundation, which awards college scholarships to promising young adults in the areas of the arts and technology, recognized John Jackman '82 as Humanitarian of the Year in the field of technology at an awards banquet on June 4 in Winston-Salem, NC. ScottCares annually recognizes four individuals who have substantially contributed to the Piedmont/Triad community in the areas of Arts, Education, Technology, and Community Service. Jackman, one of the founders of Comenius Foundation, was nominated for the award because of his extensive work in teaching filmmaking and lighting technology through his books and articles, and through his mentoring of many young people starting off in the filmmaking business. For more information visit Scottcares.
Ann Deppen Lutz '70 was honored with a 2010 Alumnae Awards from her undergraduate alma mater, Cedar Crest College (Allentown, PA), on June 4. Anna graduated from Cedar Crest in 1950 where she received the Butz Prize, awarded to the graduating senior who exerted the best influence in her college life and association. Lutz has activitely supported Cedar Crest for six decades. She became the first woman to graduate from Moravian Theological Seminary earning her MDiv in 1970. She served for many years with her husband, Earlin, as co-pastor of First United Church of Christ in Quakertown, where previously she had been director of Christian education. In 1983, she received the John Hus Award for excellence in ministry.
On May 24th, Robert Hachtman '09 was ordained in the United Methodist Church. He is pastor of Fritz Memorial UMC in Bethlehem, PA.
Don Hullenbach '08 is a district licensed pastor in the Church of the Nazarene. He has been serving the First Church of the Nazarene in Allentown since 2008, as well as managing his insurance agency.
Mark Ortwein '08 was accepted into a Ph.D. program in Systematic Theology at Duquesne University (Pittsburgh, PA) beginning in Fall 2010. He received a teaching assistantship which includes full tuition plus stipend to assist a faculty member in either research or teaching.
Jami Possinger '02 was installed as pastor of Hope Lutheran Church in Cherryville, PA on May 16th.
On May 3rd, Kerry Krauss '98 began serving as pastor of the Sister Bay Moravian Church in Sister Bay, WI.
April 2010 |
|
On April 18th, Scott Venable 79' was installed as pastor of Fairview Moravian Church in Winston-Salem, NC.
Cheryl Cottingham '08 was ordained on April 18th after accepting a call to serve as pastor of the Immanuel/New Eden Moravian Church in Winston-Salem, NC.
Michael Barnett '03 recently completed a nine-week art/writing residency as a teaching artist with the Lehigh Valley Arts Council in the Urban/Suburban Afterschool Arts Program working with students in middle school. Michael will also be serving on a panel discussion on Margaret Fuller at First Parish in Concord, MA, in honor of her Bicentennial Birthday Weekend, May 21-23. Margaret Fuller was the first woman social and literary critic and foreign correspondent for Horace Greeley’s New York Tribune from 1844 to 1850. In mid-July he will speak about Margaret Fuller at the annual Conversational Series at the Concord School of Philosophy at Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House in Concord.
March 2010 |
|
Patty Garner '98 served as the presiding pastor at the 238th Moravian Easter Sunrise Service in Winston-Salem, NC. It is estimated over 10,000 people attended the service.
After 45 years in the pastorate and 30+ years of studying prophecy, Robert Kramer '53, has published three books: THE REVELATION AND THE RAPTURE—-ARE WE THERE YET?, What the Bible Really Says About That, and A Guided Tour through the Revelation. He also writes and edits a bi-monthly eight page Bible study periodical, Second Thoughts which is sent to 1100 addresses across the U.S. Robert lives in Denver, Pennsylvania.
Maisha Surgeon '07 has recently accepted the position of full time therapist at Underwood Memorial Hospital in Woodbury NJ. She also oversees the hospital's mentally ill and chemically dependant track.
February 2010 |
|
Included in the “25 Years Ago Today” almanac section of the February 28, 2010 edition of the Express-Times (Lehigh Valley) newspaper , was a reference to the research and writing that Professor Emeritus Howard Cox was doing on the Bach Bible.
Glenn H. Asquith, Jr., retired professor of Pastoral Theology, has recently published a chapter in Vol. 3 of Religion, Death, and Dying, edited by Lucy Bregman (Praeger Publishing) entitled “Protestantism and Death Rituals.” The 3-volume work covers Perspectives on Death and Dying (Vol. 1), Special Issues (Vol. 2), and Bereavement and Death Rituals (Vol. 3). Dr. Asquith’s chapter includes a discussion of the historic and contemporary Moravian practice of reading a lebenslauf (memoir or life story) at funeral services as a good example of a Protestant ritual that assists mourners with their own grief process.
Dean Emeritus David A. Schattschneider has recently completed a stint as President of the Board of Managers of the Moravian Historical Society and is currently President of the Board of Trustees of the Moravian Music Foundation (http://www.moravianmusic.org/). He was an 'outside examiner' for the Ph.D. oral examination of a Danish Moravian minister at the University of Aarhus in June 2009. This unique experience provided an introduction into Danish academic life and an opportunity to visit the historic Moravian settlement of Chriistiansfeld in southern Denmark. He has contributed a chapter titled, "Moravians Approach the Inuit: Theories and Realities," in the volume Moravian Beginnings in Labrador (Newfoundland and Labrador Studies, Occasional Publication No. 2, Memorial University, 2009).
On January 1, Erdmute Frank '03 began serving in specialized ministry in Herrnhut,Germany, guiding guests on interpretive tours and teaching them about the Moravian Church. Her ministry will be to groups as well and individual visitors, for a few hours or several days, Moravians and non-Moravians, to people from all over the world. This call utilizes her English skills as well as her experiences, knowledge and faith. If you are considering a trip to Herrnhut, please consider contacting Erdmute to serve as your guide.
Two United Methodist congregations in the Hazelton, PA area that are led by Moravian Seminary alumna are beginning a shared outreach ministry to members of the community whose native language is not English. Rev. Carol Vinson Lawfer '94 and Rev. Drena Miller '01 have been instrumental in creating this all-volunteer ministry that will begin serving the community with classes on basic English instruction. Future plans include offering courses on citizenship and basic computer skills. A small computer center is being established with computers that have been donated, and an after-school homework assistance program for neighborhood children and youth is planned as resources and personnel become available.
View all alumni updates in the archives... |
 
 
|
