Christmas at Concordia weekend kicks off holiday season
Weekend activities included open house and Scholarship Parade of Homes
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SEWARD, NE (12/07/2018) Christmas at Concordia weekend Nov. 30-Dec. 2 included three events as part of Concordia University, Nebraska's annual Christmas celebration: Christmas at Concordia concerts, a community open house and Christmas tree lighting, and the Scholarship Parade of Homes. Cattle Bank & Trust provided generous support for each of the events.
Four Christmas at Concordia concerts brought more than 3,000 guests, including Seward County residents, residents from Nebraska and other states, Concordia alumni, students and others to St. John Lutheran Church near campus. The concerts featured the Cantamus Women's Choir, Male Chorus, Concordia Handbell Choir, University Brass Ensemble, University A Cappella Choir and University Symphonic Band.
Scripture readings, original music from Concordia faculty and traditional hymns that invited congregation participation were part of the celebration. Songs included "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," "Angels We Have Heard on High," "A Stable Lamp is Lighted" and "Joy to the World," among others.
Concordia hosted the annual community Christmas open house on Wednesday, Nov. 28 in the Weller Hall lobby. The open house also included the traditional Christmas tree lighting, where the two large trees on each side of Weller Hall's front entrance were lit. The lighting was followed by Christmas caroling led by Concordia's Chamber Choir, along with refreshments served in the Weller Hall lobby afterwards.
The 24th annual Scholarship Parade of Homes featured homes owned by Jon and Tina Marroquin, Kyle and Allison Garrett Johnson, Aaron and Emily Nix, Greg and Shelly Mueller, and Larry and Susan Biel. All homes have unique structural and design elements and are decorated in celebration of Christmas. The Scholarship Parade of Homes has raised more than $80,000 in cumulative scholarship funds since it began in 1995.
Members of the Women's Cantamus Choir, conducted by Dr. Jeffrey Blersch and accompanied by Dr. Elizabeth Grimpo, include (in alphabetical order by state, city and then last name):
Dorothy Cook, freshman, Eagle River, Alaska, alto I
Sarah Huhn, senior, Valley Center, Calif., soprano II
Jasmine Cody, freshman, Alamosa, Colo., alto I
Erin Johnson, sophomore, Brighton, Colo., soprano II
Joanna Sherrill, freshman, Lakewood, Colo., alto I
Alia Brand, freshman, Longmont, Colo., soprano II
Morgan Consier, senior, Holstein, Iowa, soprano I
Janis Wagner, freshman, Indianapolis, Ind., alto II
Elizabeth Ericksen, senior, Le Mars, Iowa, soprano I
Grace O'Neal, freshman, Spirit Lake, Iowa, soprano II
Emma Armbrecht, freshman, Williamsburg, Iowa, alto I
Jayme Lowe, senior, Atchison, Kan., alto I
Mikayla Lowe, freshman, Atchison, Kan., alto I
Jenna Fredrickson, sophomore, Concordia, Kan., alto II
Olivia Johnson, junior, Kansas City, Kan., alto I
Rachel Krome, junior, Fairmont, Minn., soprano I
Whitney Borchardt, freshman, Henning, Minn., alto I
Hope Clark, freshman, Montrose, Minn., soprano II
Rebekah Rusert, senior, Truman, Minn., alto II
Rachel Eaton, sophomore, Carl Junction, Mo., soprano II
Amanda McDowell, junior, Columbia, Mo., soprano I
Britney Lewis, freshman, Lees Summit, Mo., soprano II
Sarah Brutlag, senior, St. Louis, Mo., soprano II
Alison Coomer, junior, Troy, Mo., soprano I
Danae Welling, senior, Ashland, Neb., soprano I
Rebekah Henschen, freshman, Bancroft, Neb., soprano II
Allison Story, freshman, Clay Center, Neb., alto II
Autumn Johnson, freshman, Fremont, Neb., alto II
Brooke McNiel, senior, Holdrege, Neb., soprano II
Beth Shaw, junior, Kearney, Neb., soprano I
Marlaena Sucha, freshman, Kearney, Neb., soprano I
April Bayer, senior, Leigh, Neb., alto I
Allana Blakeman, junior, Lincoln, Neb., soprano II
Chelsea Irwin, senior, Lincoln, Neb., alto I
Christina Merrill, sophomore, Lincoln, Neb., alto II
Anna Ramsdell, freshman, Milford, Neb., alto I
Arianna Rathke, senior, Norfolk, Neb., alto I
Stephanie Barry, junior, Omaha, Neb., alto II
Shelby Betterton, junior, Omaha, Neb., alto II
Morgan Brumm, sophomore, Seward, Neb., alto II
Malia Rolf, freshman, Seward, Neb., soprano II
Shelby Todd, sophomore, Staplehurst, Neb., alto II
Emma Heidorn, senior, Utica, Neb., soprano II
Rebecca Hoffschneider, junior, Utica, Neb., alto I
Sierra Jacob, senior, Winnebago, Neb., alto I
Kacy Meyer, junior, Jenks, Okla., soprano I
Allison Taylor, junior, Oklahoma City, Okla., alto I
Katherine Trempala, freshman, Carrollton, Texas, soprano II
Katerina Fuller, junior, Dallas, Texas, alto I
Cristina Sanchez, sophomore, La Grange, Texas, alto II
Victoria Cameron, junior, Kent, Wash., soprano II
Grace Huesmann, freshman, Jackson, Wis., soprano I
Abigail Wisniewski, senior, Withee, Wis., alto I
Members of the Male Chorus, conducted by Paul Soulek, include:
Darius McVay, sophomore, Concord, Calif., bass II
Garion Consier, senior, Churdan, Iowa, tenor II
Isaac Golke, senior, Okoboji, Iowa, tenor II
David Epperson, senior, Panora, Iowa, tenor I
Kaleb Weinkauf, senior, Basehor, Kan., bass II
Broderick Schofield, freshman, Sylvan Grove, Kan., bass I
Joshua Marlatt, freshman, Mound, Minn., tenor II
Ethan Symmank, senior, Woodbury, Minn., tenor I
Brett Mueller, freshman, Concordia, Mo., tenor II
Dane Wolfgram, sophomore, Bismarck, N.D., bass II
Dane Pedersen, senior, Columbus, Neb., bass II
Zachary Staehr, sophomore, Grand Island, Neb., tenor I
Christopher Warneke, junior, Hastings, Neb., bass I
Aaron Ferguson, junior, Hyannis, Neb., bass I
Stephen Duffy, freshman, Kenesaw, Neb., bass I
Daniel Duffy, freshman, Kenesaw, Neb., tenor I
Joshua Hendrickson, junior, Seward, Neb., tenor I
Matthew Murphy, junior, Seward, Neb., bass II
Caleb Silcott, senior, Seward, Neb., tenor II
John Kastner, junior, New York, N.Y., bass I
Justus Utecht, senior, Rosebud, S.D., bass II
Aaron Jackson, sophomore, Palestine, Texas, bass I
Micah Ramage, sophomore, Pasadena, Texas, tenor II
Lewis Kasparek, junior, The Woodlands, Texas, bass II
Brennan Deforest, senior, West Jordan, Utah, tenor II
Evan Bohman, junior, Appleton, Wis., tenor II
Zeb Uden, sophomore, Cedarburg, Wis., bass II
Members of the Concordia Handbell Choir, conducted by Jessica Kite, include:
Breann Huber, junior, Arvada, Colo.
Jacob Roggow, senior, Cottage Hills, Ill.
Whitney Pottschmidt, junior, Seymour, Ind.
Elizabeth Frakes, senior, Wichita, Kan.
Hannah Davis, senior, Coon Rapids, Minn.
Allison Mackie, senior, Columbus, Neb.
Nathan Klaumann, senior, Fairbury, Neb.
Elizabeth Bergdolt, sophomore, Grand Island, Neb.
Caleb Staehr, junior, Grand Island, Neb.
Jonathan Rippe, senior, Gretna, Neb.
Stephanie Barry, junior, Omaha, Neb.
Rachel Dorn, senior, Houston, Texas
Aaron Jackson, sophomore, Palestine, Texas
Victoria Cameron, junior, Kent, Wash.
Members of the University Brass Ensemble, conducted by Wendy Schultz, include:
Sam Smith, junior, Broadlands, Ill., tuba
Jonathan Grant, senior, Waterloo, Ill., trumpet
Josiah Schultz, senior, Bay City, Mich., euphonium
Jacob Mikkelson, junior, Bellevue, Neb., horn
Britnee Fear, senior, Hershey, Neb., tuba
Hannah Birtell, sophomore, Holdrege, Neb., horn
Lydia Jeppesen, senior, Pleasant Dale, Neb., trumpet
Joshua Hendrickson, junior, Seward, Neb., euphonium
Shiloh Richters, sophomore, Utica, Neb., trumpet
Caleb Ristvedt, senior, Utica, Neb., trombone
Members of the University A Cappella Choir, conducted by Dr. Kurt von Kampen, include:
Aaron Christiansen, sophomore, Palmer, Alaska, bass II
Matthew Wahlers, freshman, Napa, Calif., bass I
Samantha Pietanza, junior, San Diego, Calif., alto II
Breann Huber, junior, Arvada, Colo., alto II
David Krueger, senior, Aurora, Colo., bass II
Bethany Schilling, junior, Denver, Colo., soprano I
Jacob Roggow, senior, Cottage Hills, Ill., bass II
Ruth Alliger, junior, Fort Wayne, Ind., soprano II
Bethany Zeckzer, freshman, Fort Wayne, Ind., alto II
Matthew Gerhold, senior, Atkins, Iowa, tenor I
Jeramy Willis, senior, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, tenor II
August Bollhagen, freshman, Hampton, Iowa, bass II
Alex Kaldahl, junior, Spencer, Iowa, bass I
Isaiah Armbrecht, senior, Williamsburg, Iowa, bass I
Matthew Patron, freshman, North Newton, Kan., bass I
Nathan Patron, senior, North Newton, Kan., tenor I
Christopher James Jr., junior, Topeka, Kan., tenor I
Elizabeth Lange, senior, Topeka, Kan., alto II
Elizabeth Frakes, senior, Wichita, Kan., alto I
Austin Theriot, senior, Lake Charles, La., bass II
Josiah Schultz, senior, Bay City, Mich., tenor II
Zachary Mueller, freshman, Frankenmuth, Mich., tenor I
Sarah Mueller, senior, Hemlock, Mich., soprano II
James Gramzow, freshman, Royal Oak, Mich., bass I
Brooke Ann Duerr, freshman, Warren, Mich., soprano II
Jonathan Chapa, junior, Buffalo, Minn., bass II
Hannah Davis, senior, Coon Rapids, Minn., alto I
Albert Boldt, senior, Hewitt, Minn., tenor II
Brandon Holmes, junior, Waconia, Minn., bass I
Max Johnston, freshman, White Bear Lake, Minn., bass II
Cadence Klemp, senior, Winona, Minn., soprano II
Vanessa Marsh, senior, Concordia, Mo., soprano I
Caleb Fischer, sophomore, Jefferson City, Mo., bass II
Charlotte Lines, sophomore, Marshall, Mo., soprano II
Emma Brand, junior, Springfield, Mo., alto I
Erin Rowland, senior, St. Peters, Mo., alto II
Evan Johnson, junior, Sweet Springs, Mo., bass I
Alison Ebel, senior, Billings, Mont., soprano II
David Ehrke, freshman, Alma, Neb., tenor I
Alexandra Ryks, sophomore, Bellevue, Neb., alto II
Allison Mackie, senior, Columbus, Neb., soprano I
Grant Stadler, freshman, Columbus, Neb., bass II
Paige Stadler, senior, Columbus, Neb., soprano II
Nathan Klaumann, senior, Fairbury, Neb., tenor II
Garret Drews, freshman, Fremont, Neb., tenor I
Alyssa Hoeft, sophomore, Garland, Neb., soprano II
Elizabeth Bergdolt, sophomore, Grand Island, Neb., alto I
Jonathan Rippe, senior, Gretna, Neb., tenor II
Trenton Bruntz, freshman, Hastings, Neb., tenor II
Megan Kroeker, sophomore, Henderson, Neb., soprano I
Jacee Pfeifer, sophomore, Holdrege, Neb., alto I
Amy Guenther, sophomore, Lincoln, Neb., alto II
Rebekah Guilford, freshman, Lincoln, Neb., alto I
Cecilia Minchow, freshman, Lincoln, Neb., alto II
Audrey Rich, senior, Lincoln, Neb., alto I
Sarah Rogge, senior, Milford, Neb., alto II
Nicholle Harstad, freshman, Norfolk, Neb., alto I
Shanda Fujan, sophomore, Oakland, Neb., soprano I
Avery Kesar, sophomore, Omaha, Neb., bass I
Thomas Johnson, junior, Omaha, Neb., bass I
Jazmyn Yates, senior, Omaha, Neb., soprano II
Anna Watters, sophomore, Panama, Neb., alto I
Christian Watters, sophomore, Panama, Neb., tenor I
David Dieckhoff, senior, Seward, Neb., tenor II
Kayleah Moravec, senior, Seward, Neb., soprano I
Melody Niemoth, senior, South Bend, Neb., soprano I
Jacob Sumpter, senior, Superior, Neb., tenor II
Tabitha Ristvedt, freshman, Utica, Neb., soprano II
Keziah Bruns, sophomore, Waco, Neb., alto I
Alyssa Montana, junior, Long Island, N.Y., alto I
Noah Freeman, sophomore, Bend, Ore., tenor I
Amos Utecht, sophomore, Rosebud, S.D., bass II
David Woelmer, senior, Allen, Texas, bass I
Timothy Rasch, senior, Denton, Texas, bass II
Melinda Buhler, junior, Fort Worth, Texas, soprano I
Emma Gremmer, senior, New Braunfels, Texas, alto II
Joshua Frerking, sophomore, Tomball, Texas, bass II
Corrianne Cain, junior, Cedarburg, Wis., alto II
Aaron Huesmann, sophomore, Jackson, Wis., bass II
Kaitlyn Bolin, senior, Kenosha, Wis., alto I
Sarah Benz, sophomore, Kewaskum, Wis., alto II
Sophia Hoelz, junior, Milwaukee, Wis., alto II
Members of the University Symphonic Band, conducted by Andrew Schultz, include:
David Krueger, senior, Aurora, Colo., baritone sax
Naomi Bauer-Moon, senior, Chipita Park, Colo., oboe
Paul Hammes, senior, Colorado Springs, Colo., bassoon
Gabriel Jofre, junior, Sterling, Colo., clarinet
Paul Symes, senior, Woodland Park, Colo., clarinet
Samuel Smith, junior, Broadlands, Ill., tuba
Hayden Rensner, sophomore, Effingham, Ill., trumpet
Jonathan Grant, senior, Waterloo, Ill., trumpet
Bethany Zeckzer, freshman, Fort Wayne, Ind., alto sax
Whitney Pottschmidt, junior, Seymour, Ind., oboe
Delaney Doremus, junior, Grimes, Iowa, flute
Katherine Wehling, senior, Liberal, Kan., flute
Valery Rostek, junior, Norton, Kan., tenor sax
Leah Werling, senior, Solomon, Kan., clarinet
Elizabeth Frakes, senior, Wichita, Kan., flute
Matthew Goltl, junior, Wichita, Kan., percussion
Josiah Schultz, senior, Bay City, Mich., euphonium
Emma Odorico, senior, Houghton Lake, Mich., alto sax
Emma Holthus, freshman, Dayton, Minn., clarinet
Hannah Watt, sophomore, Fairmont, Minn., bass clarinet
Lauren Holmlund, freshman, Maple Grove, Minn., flute
Joshua Marlatt, freshman, Minnetrista, Minn., trumpet
Cora Olson, freshman, Trimont, Minn., clarinet
Brandon Holmes, junior, Waconia, Minn., trumpet
Sarah Armbrust, freshman, St. Louis, Mo., percussion
Alexis Burrow, senior, Concordia, Mo., trumpet
Sonja Brandt, junior, Knob Noster, Mo., bass clarinet
Sarah Brutlag, senior, St. Louis, Mo., flute
Vinh Pham, freshman, St. Louis, Mo., euphonium
Malia Ebel, sophomore, Billings, Mont., clarinet
Dane Wolfgram, sophomore, Bismarck, N.D., percussion
Bar-Lee Klein, freshman, Arapahoe, Neb., flute
Danae Welling, senior, Ashland, Neb., tuba
Rebekah Henschen, freshman, Bancroft, Neb., trombone
Jacob Mikkelson, junior, Bellevue, Neb., horn
Jonathan Deardoff, junior, Bennington, Neb., percussion
Dane Pedersen, senior, Columbus, Neb., tuba
Paige Stadler, senior, Columbus, Neb., trombone
Macey Kroeger, junior, Dannebrog, Neb., oboe
Emma Smith, senior, Ericson, Neb., percussion
Seth Hart, junior, Fairbury, Neb., trombone
Nathan Klaumann, senior, Fairbury, Neb., percussion
Autumn Johnson, freshman, Fremont, Neb., alto sax
Elizabeth Bergdolt, sophomore, Grand Island, Neb., horn
Abigail Huggins, sophomore, Grand Island, Neb., clarinet
Caleb Staehr, senior, Grand, Island, Neb., baritone sax
Zachary Staehr, sophomore, Grand Island, Neb., trombone
Jonathan Rippe, senior, Gretna, Neb., euphonium
Trenton Bruntz, freshman, Hastings, Neb., trumpet
Chris Warneke, junior, Hastings, Neb., alto sax
Megan Kroeker, sophomore, Henderson, Neb., flute
Britnee Fear, senior, Hershey, Neb., tuba
Hannah Birtell, sophomore, Holdrege, Neb., horn
Brooke McNiel, senior, Holdrege, Neb., euphonium
Rebekah Guilford, freshman, Lincoln, Neb., trumpet
Lukas Sollberger, sophomore, Louisville, Neb., trumpet
Amelia Schlichting, sophomore, Lyons, Neb., clarinet
Elizabeth Kelley, sophomore, McCook, Neb., percussion
Dylan Cookus, freshman, Milford, Neb., percussion
Luke Blomenberg, sophomore, Norfolk, Neb., trumpet
Shelby Betterton, junior, Omaha, Neb., flute
Thomas Johnson, junior, Omaha, Neb., clarinet
Avery Kesar, sophomore, Omaha, Neb., trumpet
Rose Nigh, freshman, Omaha, Neb., tenor sax
Abigail Jeppesen, sophomore, Pleasant Dale, Neb., clarinet
Lydia Jeppesen, senior, Pleasant Dale, Neb., trumpet
Kyra Kennedy, sophomore, Purdum, Neb., bass clarinet
Josh Hendrickson, junior, Seward, Neb., euphonium
Nolan Homp, sophomore, Seward, Neb., trombone
Brittan Taylor, sophomore, Seward, Neb., percussion
Shelby Todd, sophomore, Staplehurst, Neb., clarinet
Sara Kettelhake, sophomore, Tecumseh, Neb., alto sax
Rebecca Hoffschneider, junior, Utica, Neb., flute
Shiloh Richters, sophomore, Utica, Neb., trumpet
Caleb Ristvedt, senior, Utica, Neb., trombone
Tabitha Ristvedt, freshman, Utica, Neb., alto sax
Keziah Bruns, sophomore, Waco, Neb., horn
Elizabeth Gierke, freshman, Waverly, Neb., flute
Madeline Smith, senior, Wood River, Neb., alto sax
Jessica Berg, freshman, Brandon, S.D., horn
Erik Fuerniss, freshman, Delmont, S.D., trombone
Tatianna Fuerniss, sophomore, Delmont, S.D. tenor sax
Hannah Wiedebush, sophomore, Mansfield, S.D., trumpet
Karissa Ternus, freshman, Sioux Falls, S.D., trombone
Rachel Dorn, senior, Houston, Texas, percussion
Sarah Benz, sophomore, Kewaskum, Wis., alto sax
Aaron Huesmann, junior, Jackson, Wis., trumpet
About Concordia University, Nebraska
Concordia University, Nebraska, founded in 1894, is a fully accredited, coeducational university located in Seward, Nebraska, that currently serves more than 2,500 students. Concordia offers more than 100 undergraduate, graduate and professional programs in an excellent academic and Christ-centered community that equips men and women for lives of learning, service and leadership in the church and world. For more information, visit cune.edu.