Christmas at Concordia weekend kicks off holiday season

Weekend activities included open house and Scholarship Parade of Homes

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.

Media Attachments

Tree_Lighting_2018.jpg

The Concordia Chamber Choir led Christmas carols at the annual tree lighting on Wednesday, Nov. 28.

Christmas_at_Concordia.jpg

The Concordia A Capella Choir, under the direction of Concordia’s Professor of Music Dr. Kurt von Kampen, perform during one of the Christmas at Concordia concerts.

Sarah

Brutlag