Taylor University Pillars at Taylor University TUFW Alumni Publications Publications for TUFW and Predecessors Spring 2013 The orF t Wayne Vine Fort Wayne Alumni Center Heritage Association Follow this and additional works at: https://pillars.taylor.edu/tufw-alumni-publications Part of the Higher Education Commons Recommended Citation Fort Wayne Alumni Center Heritage Association, "The orF t Wayne Vine" (2013). TUFW Alumni Publications. 16. https://pillars.taylor.edu/tufw-alumni-publications/16 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Publications for TUFW and Predecessors at Pillars at Taylor University. It has been accepted for inclusion in TUFW Alumni Publications by an authorized administrator of Pillars at Taylor University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. CARE Spring 2013 CONNECT 008 CELEBRATE opefully spring has sprung in your area of the country or the world. It seemed like winter went on and on this year. Fort Wayne did not Hreceive much snow, but we had many cloudy, cold days—my least favorite. Despite the long winter, made more difficult by the loss of our dear friends Cyril Eicher g32 and Violet (Egly) Ringenberg g45, I am thankful for the increased FW Vine is published two times opportunities I had to visit with Fort Wayne campus per year for Fort Wayne Campus alumni for Share YOUR Voice sessions. alumni and friends by the In each of these times together, we talked about the Fort Wayne Alumni & Friends creation of the Fort Wayne Alumni & Friends Resource Resource Center and the Taylor Center—its purpose and mission. We talked about key University Alumni Relations functions and words. We talked about perceptions Office. Copyright ©2013 Taylor and realities. I truly enjoyed dialoguing with and University®. listening to our alumni. While we are not finished, as I want to hear from Send address corrections and mailing updates to: more of you outside the Fort Wayne area, I believe Fort Wayne Alumni & Friends we have concluded that our mission has to be about Resource Center, 915 W. Rudisill caring, connecting, and celebrating what God has Blvd., Fort Wayne, IN 46807, or done and continues to do through our Fort Wayne call (260) 744-8790. campus alumni community. E-mail: [email protected] or Fortunately, God brought Kathryn Fenstermacher online at fw.taylor.edu c13, a Professional Writing intern, to pick up much of the writing of our publications, the FW Falcon Opinions expressed by e-newsletter, the FW Vine mini-magazine, and Fruit individuals in this publication do from the Vine, our new blog. This allowed me more not necessarily reflect the views time to work on a four-year review for the Taylor of Taylor University®. University President’s Cabinet and to attend more Share YOUR Voice sessions. The Fort Wayne campus was founded in 1904 as the Fort Thank you Kathryn! You have been a God-send, and Wayne Bible Training School. I believe our alumni will truly appreciate your work and It was renamed Fort Wayne ministry in this issue of the FW Vine. Our focus is on Bible Institute, Fort Wayne communicating how we are caring, connecting, and Bible College, Summit Christian celebrating with a plan for our continuance. Hope to College and later became Taylor hear YOUR voice soon. University Fort Wayne. Founded in 1846, Taylor University is one We care, connect, and celebrate, of America’s oldest Christian liberal arts colleges. Over 2,000 graduate and undergraduate students from 46 states and 24 foreign countries attend Taylor, where majors in 50 fields of study Michael D. Mortensen g91 are available. Director of FW Alumni & Friend Relations 4 Cover to Cover A Kingdom View Alumni and friends remember "Prayer Mom" Violet Ringenberg and look for ways to continue her legacy of care. 2 A Legacy of Giving The Eicher family carries on the campus legacy—even after death. 6 Distinguished Campus Servants Check out the newest faces on our Distinguished Campus Servants page. (http://fw.taylor.edu/distinguished-servant/) 9 2 CARE A Kingdom View Violet Ringenberg, 1923-2013 passes on the "Prayer Mom" baton by Kathryn Fenstermacher cs13 oyful. Hospitable. Supportive. Faithful. basis. “She was such a faithful friend of the alumni Prayerful. and friends,” said friend and fellow Auxiliary J Hundreds of words could describe member Ruth Steiner gTU51, whose husband beloved friend and “Ma” Violet (Egly) Paul gTU50 served as the FWBC Chairman of Ringenberg g45, who entered her the Board. “When you were around her you had Heavenly Home on Feb. 4, 2013. Violet was that positive, can-do feeling.” one of the most cherished servants to grace Violet was admired for her leadership the Fort Wayne campus, devoting more than in many areas on campus. But she is 50 years of service to students and alumni remembered most for her participation in the alike. Many still grieve the woman who was Auxiliary’s “Prayer Mom” ministry, serving as a mother to them in so many ways, gently a prayer mom to more than 30 students over guiding them during their student days. the years. The program paired students with They face emptiness where her welcoming Auxiliary members committed to praying figure once stood. But sorrow blends for them throughout the year. Some prayer with joy as we reflect on Violet’s life and moms chose to invest further, inviting envision the beautiful ways her legacy of students into their homes and getting to caring will continue in the future. know them personally. Violet was among Violet’s primary legacy was one of prayer. them. “I think she probably did that more than Whether leading within the Women’s many of us,” said Caroline (Perry) Gerig g61, Auxiliary or volunteering for Phonathon, wife of former FWBC President Don Gerig she always had a prayer on her lips. As head g62, who served with Violet in the Women’s of FW Alumni Volunteer Prayer Team until Auxiliary. “She was a special person.” 2013, Violet received prayer requests from But Violet didn’t have to be an official alumni around the world and prayed for prayer mom to invest in students’ lives. each by name. “She was an encourager,” said Rich Sommer g79, a classmate and Joyce (Wiggle) Gerig fs61, a close friend roommate of Violet’s son Gary g79, claimed and volunteer. “If you had a prayer concern, Violet was like an adopted mother to him. you knew ‘Vi’ was going to pray about it.” He occasionally stayed overnight at the No less important was Violet’s commitment Ringenberg home, did his laundry there to service, especially involving relationships. As once or twice, and was part of a large crowd a pastor’s wife, Violet’s door was always open. of students the family regularly invited over She loved students, and made herself accessible after church. “We’d have 18 to 32 kids at to them by attending campus events on a regular her dinner table every Sunday afternoon,” Sommer said. “She kept doing it year after in the sense that what was important [to God] year, month after month. Her hospitality was important to her.” was second to none.” For Violet, prayer and service were Kelly McMichael g76 and his wife were foremost. Sommer said Violet taught students among the weekly visitors to the Ringenberg what Christian service is all about. “Violet was household. McMichael met Violet through a great visionary,” he said. “She always knew Woodburn Missionary Church where he if she helped us, that we were going to be able completed his Christian Service assignment. to impact other people.” Violet didn’t need to “She was very supportive of my work there,” step into a classroom to do so. She modeled it McMichael said, “and often encouraged me through her life. in that.” McMichael, who did not have a close Outside the classroom, on a deeply relationship with his mother, developed a personal level, Violet upheld the Fort Wayne special relationship with Violet, whom he campus legacy in her own special way. The considered his “surrogate” mother. Resource Center now offers you a chance Violet’s mothering influence continued long to model this kind of service to students after McMichael left Fort Wayne. They kept following in your footsteps, albeit on in touch, and when Violet called him during another campus. Phonathon each year she asked what his needs In the spirit of Violet Ringenberg—a prayer were so she could pray for them by name. “I mom to many students and a mother-figure appreciated that touch that she had, that she to many more—we would like to revive the was concerned with what was happening in “Prayer Parent” program by pairing Fort my personal life,” McMichael said. “She was Wayne alumni and friends with current really one of the most significant women in students at Taylor University. ministry that I knew.” We are looking for volunteers to break Violet cared for students like they were down old barriers, to learn a new name her biological children. But she was keenly and see a new face, and to continue Violet’s aware that they were her spiritual children, work among the next generation. Accept too. “Violet had such a Kingdom view,” Steiner the baton – email [email protected]. said. “She was responsive to the heart of God 4 CELEBRATE Cover to Cover The Yalunka people of West Africa celebrate Their first complete Bible translation by Kathryn Fenstermacher cs13 t was Sunday morning, Feb. 3, 2013. A crowd gathered in the village of Yatia, Republic of Guinea, West Africa. Among Ithem were the native Yalunkas, some of whom had traveled from nearby Sierra Leone.