We owe a debt of gratitude to Lois Bode DMLC ’67, Kelly Diersen DMLC ’95, and the volunteers who have done so much to help preserve and present the history of our blessed school. Many of the historical articles featured in InFocus magazine through the years were made possible due to our Archives team.

Lois Bode freely gave many hours each week as our volunteer archivist for several years. In 2016, Kelly Diersen was hired by the MLC Alumni Association as a temporary archives project manager. Kelly’s temporary funding will come to a close December 15.

With the loss of these two key leaders and no funding available, the MLC Archives will go into a hibernation status as of December 15. To prevent loss or damage to items currently in the Archives, access will be prohibited. New items will still be welcomed and safely stored, but they will not be processed or researched. It is our goal that at some point in the future, an archivist will be hired to revive our efforts.

To learn more, visit mlc-wels.edu/history.

Adapted by Professor Emeritus Arnold Koelpin

Martin Luther liked to celebrate Christmas with the freshness and spontaneity of a child. He composed the Christmas hymn “From Heaven Above to Earth I Come” to be enacted as a family Christmas pageant. Published in 1535, it may well have been written for the previous Christmas, when his son Hans was 8 and his daughter Lenchen was 5.

Imagine: Near the Christmas tree stood a cradle. Most likely Luther himself, with his fine tenor voice, took the part of the angel and sang stanzas 1-2, where the angel announced: “From heaven above to earth I come to bear good news to every home.” Perhaps his wife, Katie, continued the angel’s announcement in stanzas 3-4, and then together, in stanza 5, they invited the children to come to the cradle.

The Luther children, like shepherds, were probably waiting not far from the cradle: John (Hans), Elizabeth, Magdalena (Lenchen), Martin, Paul, and Margaret. “Look now, you children, at the sign” was their cue. They took up the song at stanza 6: “How glad we’ll be that it is so! With all the shepherds let us go.”

We can imagine them approaching the cradle, individually or together, as they sang each of the subsequent stanzas, marveling at the Christ-child and inviting him into their hearts. And finally, the entire family joined in the closing doxology of stanza 15: “Glory to God in highest heaven!”

You can reenact this inclusive and intimate family Christmas pageant in your home, whether you have just a few people or a large group. Find the pageant, with hymn stanzas and the easy-to-use instructions, at mlc-wels.edu/go/luther-christmas.

Note: *Elizabeth died in infancy, but we have included her in the pageant nonetheless.

Dr. David Wendler, Professor Emeritus DMLC ’70, received an Outstanding Service Award from the University Council of Jamaica, the accreditation agency for that country. He has worked many years both as a member of the Education Standards Committee, which sets accreditation standards for their colleges and universities, and as an assessor of the quality of the institutions. He received the award at the 30th Anniversary Awards Luncheon in Kingston, Jamaica, in October.

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This feature was originally published in the MLC InFocus, Spring 2018 issue.

Fifty members of Victory of the Lamb-Katy TX added a twist to their annual crawfish boil this year. In addition to the games, Cajun music, and tasty crawfish, they also took a freewill offering for MLC’s Congregational Partner Grant Program (CPGP).

At their spring event, newly dubbed “Crawdads for MLC Grads,” members gave $1,617. Through CPGP, MLC matched $1,000, and a generous donor matched the rest, raising Victory of the Lamb’s gift to $3,234.

Organizer Kevin Begnaud said: “As a congregation we have a lot of respect for ministerial education. This is one of the core values of our congregation. It’s particularly true of the vicar program and how it encourages and develops young men for their roles as pastors. Additionally, we recognize the importance of MLC in fostering a sure foundation for pastors, called workers, and laypeople, a foundation that will lend itself to seeing them appropriately prepared for their (and His) work.”

Several alumni attend the Texas church, including Pastor Nathan Buege WLS ’02, Amy Buege ’98, Charles Buege DMLC ’69, Ruth Buege DMLC ’71, and Vicar Noah Willitz ’14. Several younger members have MLC in their sights.

Begnaud began having the crawfish boils at his house several years ago “because it was an opportunity to have many church and non-church friends hang out together.” When the annual event was moved to the church, Begnaud and several others continued to act as host, donating time and food, so that all proceeds could go to the church. This is the first year they’ve donated the members’ donations to MLC.

As for the crawdads themselves, Begnaud says he’s continuing a family tradition of “providing a repast of high quality and spiciness.” What he throws in the pot includes crawfish, sausage, corn on the cob, red potatoes, yellow onion, garlic cloves, mushrooms, and—we’re quite sure—secret ingredients he refuses to reveal.

“I believe dedicating this gift to MLC was a great idea,” he concludes, “and I look forward to continuing such efforts well into the future, until they bury me with my pot!”