2001
The Voice: Fall 2001
Notes from the Alumni Office
A Passion for Mission
Effective organizations have clear missions and leaders with the passion to carry them out. This summer, tucked away in the Cabinet Mountains of northwest Montana, I found a ministry with both. Spending a week there with our church work group rejuvenated me for my own work.
Majestic View Ministries is a family camp ministry under the leadership of Clyde Miller. The camp is an odd assortment of cabins in various stages of renovation. But Clyde has a clear vision for this camp—a place of physical retreat and spiritual renewal for needy families. With holy passion, Clyde welcomes volunteers, supervises their skilled and not-so-skilled efforts, teaches, shares. No job is too big or too small in carrying out the mission of Majestic View.
My Montana mountain-top experience inspired me. Who wouldn’t be moved by placid lakes, roaring water falls, wildlife, and quiet times in the shadow of the mountains? But I also learned how important it is to keep the mission in mind—Clyde still looks forward to the day his mission becomes reality. I can see Dordt’s mission played out every day on campus. But some days I’m so bogged down with details that I forget why we’re here and what we're doing. Dordt College is committed to preparing young people to serve wherever God calls them. Alumni, faithful to their callings, confirm Dordt’s ministry. My mission is to support and nurture on-going relationships of alumni with Dordt and other alumni.
But even a clearly defined mission languishes without people of passion to support it. It’s your enthusiasm for Dordt and your testimonies of its life-changing influence that energize me. Your notes of thanks for an e-mail newsletter, appreciation for our helping locate a former roommate, and your encouragement to be faithful to Dordt’s mission that spur me on to greater service. Your passion pushes me to keep Dordt’s mission clearly before all of us and to keep working hard to carry it out.
New Website
The easiest way to keep up with what’s happening on campus and let
us know what’s happening in your life, is through our website (www.dordt.edu). If
you’re a frequent visitor to our website you’ve noticed that the website took
on a new look over the summer. The new look is designed for
easier navigation and updating. We’ve also added some features in recent months that
let you help us. We regularly have a list of alumni for whom
we have no current addresses. If you know the whereabouts of a classmate
that we’ve identified as “missing” and would be willing to pass their address
on to us, we’d appreciate it. We also invite you to use the
“prospective student referral form” to pass along the names of high school students
who may be interested in Dordt College. We value your continued interest and
input.
If your interests run toward the more creative, we’ve got an outlet for
you, too. Earlier this year faculty author and English professor James Schaap resurrected
a literary magazine that debuted on campus some thirty years ago. In its
new form it’s an on-line journal, but it is still dedicated to providing
a place for good writing by students and former students. You can check
out previous issues at www.dordt.edu/publications/arete/.
Dr. Schaap welcomes your submissions—and promises not to return them marked with red
ink!
Europe ’02
We are proceeding with our European tour plans for 2002. Professor Case Boot, undeterred by the terrorist attacks of September 11, encourages alumni and friends to join him for one or both tour options we’ve arranged. Option #1 is a bike and barge tour of the Netherlands, June 22-29. By day you’ll bike through the towns and countryside of Holland’s “Green Heart” while a refurbished barge serves as your traveling hotel for the week. Option #2 is a fifteen-day tour of the major cities and sites of interest in Europe, immediately following the bike-barge tour. Option #3 is to double your pleasure—do both tours—for far less than double the cost! It’s also possible to arrive in Amsterdam ahead of time and do some visiting and sightseeing on your own. Whatever option suits you, the alumni office and Emily Kellenberger or Jan Van Roekel at Travel Advantage are ready to help you work out the details.
