News page
News
In addition to the events listed in the
Schedule of Events page, there are lots of other things going on in,
around or involving the
Duke Lutheran Community. This is the place to share them!
It may be an announcement, good news to share of a personal nature, a
prayer request, a burden to share, or it might just be a recommendation
for a really good movie or performance.
Here is what is currently going on...
- The Spring Break Mission Trip was a great success! 6
students accompanied Chaplain Bill to Washington DC for the
week of March 9, 2008, where we were exposed to and participated in a
variety of
urban minstry programs for the aged, hungry, abused and homeless.
Our primary goal is to obtain a better understanding of the
problem, and to reflect on how we as Christians are called to
respond. We also worshiped twice daily, formed community, and
generally had a wonderful experience. We returned to Durham on
Saturday, March 15,
2008.
- Duke Lutheran John Kolba will be finishing his Master's degree in
Electrical Engineering this spring, but his career path is taking a bit
of a non-traditional turn. He will be pursuing work in the
theater, following a long-held passion. He has landed an
internship position for the summer with the American Dance Festival at
Duke, and is actively working on possibilities for the fall. Good
luck, John!
- On January 21, over a dozen Duke Lutherans gathered in the Duke
Chapel Sanctuary at 4:30 pm, to be met by Sam Hammond, who has been
playing the carillon in the Chapel Tower for over 30 years. Sam
was kind enough to take us up in the small (we needed shifts!) elevator
to the top of the tower, to see the instrument, be amazed at the view,
and hear him playing. A wonderful time for all.
- We are pleased to welcome the participation and support of the
members and staff of Grace Lutheran Church, LCMS, in Durham.
Pastor Brian Chestnut will be a repeating guest presider and preacher
at our Sunday worhsip gatherings this spring. The congregation
has made a financial commitment to our ministry and is looking for
other ways to be involved, for example as surrogate parents to our
students. Thanks to all at Grace for their efforts. Welcome
aboard!
- Duke Lutherans "adopted" a Durham family for Christmas,
through the Duke Community Services Council. We gathered both
funds and gifts in kind from our students, then took a shopping
excursion on Thursday, 12/6, to purchase gifts for this
single mother and her two sons and one daughter. We wraped the
presents after our regular gathering on Friday, 12/7, and delivered
them
on Monday, 12/10.
- The following is a message from Pastor Thomas Colley of St.
Paul's Lutheran Church to the Duke Lutherans community: "New things
are happening at Duke Lutherans and St. Paul's Lutheran Church. Those
of you who were able to be present at our Sunday evening worship and
dinner on November 11, 2007, heard the announcement of a change
in the staffing for Duke Lutherans. With the goal of enhancing the long
term stability and continuity of the ministry, I have asked Chaplain
Bill Dahl to expand his existing responsibilities for graduate and
service ministries to include undergraduate ministries and worship. At
the same time, Vicar Andrew Bansemer will phase out of his active
physical involvement on the Duke campus, concentrating more on ministry
at St. Paul's. He will, however, continue to be involved with Duke
Lutherans as and when his unique skills are needed. Change often
produces equal measures of both exhilaration and anxiety. With your
support and prayers, I am confident that both Bill and Andrew will
thrive in their new challenges, and that these changes will result in
an even more vibrant Lutheran life at Duke. If you have any questions
or concerns about this new arrangement, please do not hesitate to
contact Chaplain Bill, Vicar Andrew (vicar.stpauls@verizon.net;
919-698-7781), or myself (t.colley@verizon.net; 919-489-3214) Yours in
Christ, Rev. Thomas Colley"
As Pastor Colley indicated, please contact any one of the three of us
if you have any questions.
- September 14-16, Duke Lutherans traveled to the North Carolina
coast (just south of Wilmington) for our annual beach retreat.
Staying in a humble but comfortable cottage just off the beach itself,
we spent most of 2 days in recreation, fellowship, worship and
reflection time. Our theme was the need we all have for "time
alone in a deserted place to pray." The musical talents of Vicar
Andrew and his guitar were on display to good effect. On Saturday
evening, during a contemplative period alone on the beach just as
darkness fell, we were treated to the sight of dark clouds racing
across the sea towards us, in a display of power that caused us to
reflect on the even greater power and glory of the Creator who controls
even the elements.
- A major new initiative began this fall at
Duke
Lutherans. In keeping with our Lord's instructions that we "love
one another as I have loved you" (John 15:12), we will be giving our
students the opportunity to engage in loving, consistent and sustained
ministry to members of the Durham community surrounding Duke.
Regular visitations have been made to residents of The Forest at Duke
Retirement Community, and to an afterschool program at EK Powe
Elementary School, just off East Campus. Next fall other
sites may be included, such as Dillon Academy for Boys in
Butner, NC (Dillon is a residential facility for male youth
involved
in the criminal justice system), an evening ESL program for adults
and
two group homes operated in Durham by Lutheran Family Services of the
Carolinas,
which need young adults to be in relationship with their adolescent
residents. We are very excited to have this chance to respond to
God's great gift of Grace to us in Christ by serving those who might
otherwise be strangers to us.
- Duke Lutheran John Overcash is a trombone player in both the Wind
Symphony and the Jazz Ensemble at Duke. The Jazz Ensemble Jazz
Ensemble has its final concert of the year on Friday, April 11th,
8:00pm, in Baldwin Auditorium on East Campus. However, also note
the Prism Concert (Wind Symphony, Jazz Ensemble,
Chorale, Musicum Collegium, Djembe, Orchestra, and Chamber groups will
all be represented), on Saturday, April 12th, 3:00pm (less than 1 hr
with reception afterwards), also in Baldwin Auditorium.
For details on performances, go to Jazz Ensemble
Schedule:
- Duke Lutherans Ginger Hunter and Kristina Warren are members of
the Duke University
Chorale. Here is a list of their remaining concerts this spring:
Saturday, April 12 - Chorale sings in Music Dept. ensembles concert
Saturday-Sunday, April 19 and 20 - Spring Oratorio concert with Chapel
Choir: Britten's War Requiem
Friday, April 25 - Celebration concert
PLEASE NOTE: Locations and times vary. Some of these events
may require advance ticket
purchases. See Duke
University Chorale for details.
-
Anyone
visiting this website should be aware of the critical role
being played by Eric Taylor. Eric is a member of St. Paul's who
works as an IT Support Analyst for Orange County, North Carolina, but
who
has been generous with his time in helping with the entire process of
obtaining our own domain name ("DukeLutherans.org"), of desigining the
pages found there, and of the coding and programing required in order
to make it all possible. By reaching out to us in our need and
committing his own time to working with us, Eric is embodying the
fundamental command of our Lord to love our neighbors. Thanks,
Eric, for all your good work, and thanks to your wife, Jennifer, for
loaning you to us! This year, Eric is also being assisted by John
Overcash ('08), who has volunteered to take responsibility within the
group for website and communications.
If you have news of any event, occurence or opportunity of interest to
fellow Duke Lutherans, please submit your information to Duke Lutheran News
so that
we can share it with the community.
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