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Advent Vespers 2013

The Augsburg Choir performing at Advent VespersAdvent Vespers, 2013:
Friday, December 6, 2013, at 5 & 8 p.m.
Saturday, December 7, 2013, at 2, 5, & 8 p.m.

Advent Vespers celebrates the beginning of the Christmas season with traditional and contemporary hymns, anthems, and carols. The Augsburg College Advent Vespers celebration is one of the largest holiday music events in the Twin Cities, with more than 10,000 worshipers participating annually.

Held in the beautifully renovated Central Lutheran Church in downtown Minneapolis, this celebration combines more than 300 participants including choirs, instrumentalists, readers, and a full liturgical party.

The services highlight the majesty of the space at Central Lutheran Church. Follow the drama of the processions and capture the splendor of the sounds from the massed choirs scattered throughout the sanctuary.

Seating envelopes are required for each service. You may order seating envelopes beginning November 1.

Group Reservations
Groups of 20 or more may wish to take advantage of reserved seating on the main floor at the 2 p.m., service on Saturday. To reserve space at this service or for additional information, contact Cathy Knutson at 612-330-1279 or knutsonc@augsburg.edu.

Volunteers Needed: Advent Vespers

On Friday, December 6, and Saturday, December 7, 2013, Augsburg will again host Advent Vespers at Central Lutheran Church, 333 South 12th Street, Minneapolis. This annual worship celebration welcomes nearly 10,000 people and we very much need volunteers to usher at all five services.

On December 6, services are at 5:00 and 8:00 p.m. Ushers are needed at Central one hour prior to each service. Ushering involves handing out programs, taking seating envelopes and opening and closing the doors at certain times during the service; clear instructions are provided. Ushers who volunteer at both services are provided a box dinner.

On December 7, services are at 2:00, 5:00 and 8:00 p.m. Again, ushers need to arrive at Central one hour prior to each service. A snack is provided between services for those who can volunteer at both the 2:00 and 5:00 services; a boxed dinner for those who volunteer at both the 5:00 and 8:00 services. Volunteers who can help with just one service are welcome!

Please contact David Hamm at hammd@augsburg.edu to volunteer.

The Augsburg Associates Invite All to Celebrate Velkommen Jul

Velkommen Jul
Friday, December 6, 2013
11 a.m., Christensen Center

The Augsburg Associates invite the Augsburg community to celebrate Velkommen Jul as a most delightful way to begin the Advent season.  The festive mood greets everyone with a beautifully displayed Scandinavian boutique on the first floor of the Christensen Center.  There, guests will find delicate and delicious cookies, candies and breads, as well as a wonderful collection of gifts, ranging from candles, napkins, and ornaments to table linens, specialty handmade greeting cards and other irresistible items for sale.

After shopping, all are invited to the upper level in the Center, where there will be an array of tables laden with delicious Scandinavian goodies, beautifully presented for all to enjoy. Lively conversation, accompanied by good coffee and lefse, is the order of the day. Donations are welcomed and appreciated as all are returned to Augsburg students in the form of scholarships from the Associates. Come and join the celebration on December 6 and don’t forget to wear your Norwegian sweater! 

Dr. Gracia Grindal '65 Retires from Luther Seminary

After 30 years of service, Dr. Gracia Grindal ’65 retired from her position in June as professor of rhetoric at Luther Seminary. She has contributed greatly to the Luther community and also to the larger world of church music and hymnody. One of the many lasting contributions Dr. Grindal has made is the annual “Singing of the Faith” event.

In special honor of Gracia, the annual Singing the Faith Hymn Festival, hosted by the Luther Seminary FRIENDS, was held on October 27 in celebration of the Lutheran Reformation and featured selected hymns and readings. This year, Finnish composer Kari Tikka premiered a new commissioned setting of the Apostles’ Creed.

The Augsburg Choir, under the direction of Peter Hendrickson ’77, was the featured choir for this event. Following the program, those in attendance enjoyed a Finnish-themed Smorgasbord, including lutefisk.

Dedication of the Charles S. Anderson Music Hall

On Friday, September 27,  the Augsburg community gathered to dedicate the Charles S. Anderson Music Hall in honor of Augsburg’s 8th president, Charles Anderson, who served as president for 17 years, from 1980 to 1997.

President Pribbenow welcomed the guests and stated that “the legacy of Charles Anderson is very much the foundation for the College’s work today and in the future. We are honored to recognize him by naming the Charles S. Anderson Music Hall.”

College Pastor Sonja Hagander and Associate Pastor Justin Lind-Ayres led family, colleagues, alumni and friends in the blessing of the building.  Members of the Augsburg choir and band joined the celebration.

Roz Nordaune ’77, Regent Emerita, and Jeff Swenson ’79, Athletic Director, paid tribute to Chuck.  Jeff described Chuck as a “student-first decision maker and a competitor, who was a confident and compassionate leader.”

Roz, who knew Chuck both as a student and a Regent, said, “His qualities of accessibility, inclusion of Augsburg’s constituencies, always open to discussion and debate and a wonderful sense of humor were always evident to me as my involvement with my alma mater evolved over many years.”

Kathy Tunheim, Regent Emerita Chair during the tenure of President Anderson, sent a letter and shared, “Chuck was so proud of Augsburg.  He believed in the importance of the College’s work–for its students and for the world they will serve.  He had such confidence in the people who were committed to Augsburg’s future.  He was truly a willing servant leader.”

Kristin Anderson, Augsburg Art Professor and daughter of Charles Anderson, remarked that the naming of the Music Hall in honor of her father is especially fitting as music was important to him throughout his life. “He understood the many important roles this space could play – not just for music majors, but for people like him, who were deeply committed to music but who pursued other gifts and professions,” said Kristin.

Strommen Executive Speakers Series to Feature John Taft, Chief Executive Officer at RBC Wealth Management

Strommen Executive Speakers Series John TaftFeaturing John Taft, Chief Executive Officer at RBC Wealth Management,
November 7, 2013, 5:00-6:00 p.m.,
Christensen Center, East Commons

“Stewardship: Lessons Learned from the Lost Culture of Wall Street”
Please join us on Thursday, November 7, for the first Strommen Executive Speakers Series event of the academic year. Our featured speaker is John Taft, CEO of RBC Wealth Management. A noted national speaker and author, Taft makes a compelling argument that Wall Street leaders and institutions experienced a failure to fulfill their stewardship responsibilities by putting their own interests before the interests of the constituencies they serve.

Taft defines stewardship simply as: “choice for service.” Personal insights and accounts of events from his life, as well as anecdotes from others, help illustrate the concepts of stewardship–and help bring what it means to be a steward to life in an exciting and intellectually stimulating way.

Light refreshments will be available prior to the event and free pizza will be served after the event. The event and pizza are free. Please register by November 4 by .

Center for Leadership Studies Workshop

Thursday, October 10, 2013
Exploring Your Leadership Style: Discover your Information Processing Preferences
Presenter: Tom Morgan
Kennedy Center, Room 303
5:30 p.m. social time with refreshments; 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. workshop

Who should attend? Individuals and/or teams who want to enhance their leadership skills and effectiveness.

Discover your information processing preferences through I Opt. I Opt is a leadership assessment tool used in professional development that will help you understand how you gather, process and act on the information that is all around you. This information shapes the way you approach leadership. To effectively lead others, it’s helpful to understand the strengths and vulnerabilities of your own approach.

Prior to the workshop, participants will complete a short online survey (fewer than ten minutes). The results of this survey will be used to generate a personalized report that each participant will receive at the workshop. These Advanced Leadership Reports identify information processing preferences, providing insights into issues that people bring with them everywhere they go. Tom Morgan, a certified I Opt interpreter, will explain the I Opt model and help you get the most out of your individual report.

Registration

To participate in the workshop, please RSVP by e-mail to Patty Park at parkp@augsburg.edu by Monday, October 7. You will receive an e-mail reply with directions for taking the I Opt survey. You must be present at the workshop to receive the survey results. Space is limited, so register soon.

The I Opt survey and report has a value of $25.00, but we are able to offer it for $10.00 per participant in combination with the workshop. Your $10 payment will be collected at the beginning of the event.

Do you know of others who are interested in participating in this workshop? If you have colleagues, friends, or family who would benefit from this workshop, please have them contact us soon.

Opening Career Opportunities for Auggies

On Tuesday, September 24, Target Corporation was on campus to recruit for several open positions, which is a common occurrence – what was unique about this particular event were the recruiters were three Augsburg College graduates (Samantha Drost ’11, Austin Wagner ’13 and Laurie Barger ’12). Alumni working in the business community understand the uniqueness of the Augsburg degree and many seek to infuse the Augsburg spirit in their workplace by creating career and internship pipelines.

The and have been hard at work fostering relationships with alumni working in the business community – the result, unique internship and career opportunities available only to Augsburg students in top twin cities corporations, non-profits, and educational centers.

If you or your company would like to open opportunities to Augsburg students please contact the Strommen Center at  612-330-1148 or email careers@augsburg.edu.

Explore Your Life’s Calling… Examine Big Questions!

This retreat taking place November 17-19, at the Spirit in the Desert Retreat Center in Carefree, AZ, is for graduates of colleges and universities of the ELCA who are either nearing or currently living in their 3rd Chapter of Life. It is a retreat to explore personal life callings, passions, meaning, and purpose. Vocation!

Grounded in the truths of your own stories and questions, and guided by the Circles of Trust® model based on the work of author and educator, Parker Palmer, this retreat invites you to step with intention into examination of the big questions of life – your identity, meaning, purpose, and calling. “Given my abilities and my (changing or changed) circumstances, how can I make a difference?”

The format is discussion oriented. DO NOT EXPECT LECTURES!

This retreat is part of the Vocation for Life initiative, a collaborative venture of several colleges/universities related to the ELCA. Facilitated by faculty and staff leadership of colleges of the ELCA and Portico Benefit Services, hosted by Spirit in the Desert.

*If you’d like to retreat a bit longer and add a day before or after, please contact Cyndy Warnier at Spirit in the Desert for availability at: (480) 488-5218 or at cyndy@spiritinthedesert.org

Cost:
Packages include program, meals and lodging.
$180 per person double occupancy
$215 per person private room
(limited availability)
$120 per person for commuters (meals & program)

Register online at  or by calling 480-488-5218 by Tuesday, October 10, 2013.

Your Future is Brewing at Augsburg: Graduate and Adult Undergraduate Program Preview

Photo of Indeed Brewing Co. Text reads "IN THE CITY: Degree Programs Preview at Indeed Brewery Wednesday, Novermer 6 at 5p.m.Come and experience one of Augsburg’s many perks–an urban location, in the heart of Minneapolis. Our “In the City” events highlight some of the city’s most notable venues. Join us at taproom at 5 p.m., on Wednesday, November 6, and get a taste of seasonal brews and Augsburg’s weekend graduate and undergraduate adult degree programs.

Send questions by email to, gradinfo@augsburg.edu or call 612-330-1101. For more information and to register online, go to .