I’m sure by now you’ve had hundreds of accolades and comments. . . but I wanted you to know how touching in so many different ways your book was to me.  I just finished it tonight.  I can relate to the role of Billie w/Ryan – I pray I can continue to be as diplomatic as she was.  He seems to be experiencing something similar to what you did at the beginning of your collegiate journey.  The angst (although my experience was only through high school w/Jordan) of wondering what God was waiting for – how and when Jordan’s work ethic would pay off.  Interestingly, in the end, the truth prevailed.  Silly me!  I learned to just “Be still and know!”

   And Alyssa’s dream is beginning to be fulfilled by her time spent on the football field with the CUW Falcons!  I can only depend on the Lord to take that to the next level since I do not know how to help her to it in any other way.

   And then there’s the enduring of the “humilating tag of helicopter Mom” when in fact, I just REALLY like my kids and being with my kids and it will just have to be what I am.  I think they’re amazing people and they often lift me up!  I want to affirm you – the love we have for our children is put in our hearts by our Father in heaven.  Loving them to the best of our ability is what He would want of us!  That comes through in your writing loud and clear.

   But mostly, I could relate to your spiritual awakening at St. John’s.  As I look back on how I even got to CUW, how I even had the opportunity to learn about Jesus – definitely in God’s plan to use CUW as the place that I would come to know Him!  Thanks for sharing your story!  I was blessed by it!

Julie Chojnacki Buuck

Hi Dr. Ferry,

This is Dave Kolander, pastor at Christ the Lord Lutheran, Brookfield (WELS).  My daughter Anna is a sophomore at Concordia and is presently an RA.  She is very involved in the choir, voice, piano and drama programs.  Right now she is getting ready for the fall musical.  (My nephew Thomas is also a student at CUW.)

I am writing to tell you I just finished reading Faith in the Freshman.  Thank you for your wonderful book.  I laughed and cried throughout, as I relived many of my own experiences (with both my daughters Anna and Emma (Wisconsin Lutheran High School 2009, 2012) and my son Ryan (WLHS 2006)) — and as I rejoiced with you as you shared the Holy Spirit’s work with you and with your family. 

Having been blessed with parents who shared their faith with me, I cannot even imagine the humbling joy it musht have been to have been able to pass back to the previous generation the great things the Lord has done.  Thank you for sharing that message in such an interesting, insightful, and delightful way.

God bless and keep you in his Son,

Dave Kolander

P.S.  I also have my own fond memories of some of the great football, basketball, and baseball games we had against Milwaukee Lutheran, when I was a student long ago at Northwestern Prep in Watertown (now called Luther Prep).

Personally, I don’t have much appetite for church politics.  Houston left me wondering whether the political polarization that I observed resembled the sort of factionalism St. Paul complained about when writing to the Corinthians.  While folks in New Orleans routinely exchange “high fives” with strangers walking past, people in Houston exchanged suspicious glances sizing up who was on which side.

In my work as president of CUW, I try to transcend the politics of the church.  We have lots of stakeholders and constituents, and among them are people of varying perspectives — even from within the LCMS.  That is why I enjoy working with the young people.  That is why I have “faith in the freshman” (I can’t write in my blog without a plug for the book).

So, let me throw out a few questions.  What happens to young people that causes them to become cynical when they get older?  What happens to the fresh faith of freshmen that moves so many of them to factionalism later on?  Why do the “high fives” of youth turn into suspicious whispers of adults?

Maybe you think my impressions are off base?  I’d be interested in yours.

Dear Dr. Ferry,

I wanted to drop you a note just to let you know that someone outside your “intimate inner circle” thoroughly enjoyed your book.  I could relate to your story on so many levels and was amazed that both of us even have a daughter named Rachel (ours however is Rachael).  The years for me have flown by also and can’t believe I will be turning 50 very soon.

Your inferences to TV and music choices just made me chuckle.  I haven’t thought about some of my favorites from way back then for far too long.

I have always believed that everyone has a story to tell.  My take on yours is that thus far it’s quite a love story.  Thank you for sharing it and bringing me down memory lane.  Thank you for your continued guidance at CUW — it’s the right place for my kids to be.  Most importantly, I offer thanksgiving for you as such a faithful Shepherd.

I would like nothing better than to meet Andrew someday.  He is remarkable in so many ways and CUW would be lucky to have him as a leader.

Kyle was very happy with his own personalized copy — he appreciated your kind words.  His final season is rolling by way too fast and just thinking about his run ending soon really makes me sad.  We are very excited for CIT though and hope to be able to say hello at some point during the tournament.

Sincerely,

Sue Barth and Family

Faith in the Freshman Cover

I’d certainly love to see you at the Thursday, November 19th “Launch” of “Faith in the Freshman” at Concordia’s Todd Wehr Auditorium.  Join me from 7-9 p.m. for some storytelling, refreshments, and friendly conversation.  Here is a chance to get a little Christmas shopping done early!  Copies of this story of hopes and hoops will be on sale, and I will happily sign one for you or your gift recipient. We can even gift wrap one, if you like!  Join us!

Click here for a map to the event.

Patrick Ferry in the Ozaukee News Graphic – October 2009

Once a semester our Student Government Association sponsors a forum for me and other administrators on campus to interact with students.  Usually on a Monday night, SGA leaders were careful to avoid scheduling the forum on an evening when the Packers might be on TV.  They were obviously less concerned about avoiding a conflict with my beloved Denver Broncos who were en route to their sixth straight victory with a win over division rival San Diego.  That’s okay—I’d rather spend an evening with Concordia students any time!

We have been doing these forums for many years.  In fact, we probably started doing them in some form or another already my first year in office in 1997 and have done them ever since.  For the most part the issues that concern students do not vary too much.  Food service and meal plans, residence life concerns, parking—the sort of things you might expect given that these pertain to student’s basic needs regarding what they eat, where they live, and how they are going to get around.  Last night was no exception.  We had a great crowd who gathered to eat pizza and chew the fat with the administration!

I expected questions about parking.  Since enrollment has continued to increase the volume of cars on campus has also grown.  We have tried to encourage some ride sharing.  In the past we have resisted charging a parking fee.  A fee might discourage people from bringing cars to campus unless absolutely necessary, and we may need to revisit that idea in the future.  Recently the Mequon Planning Commission approved our plan to add some additional spaces.  That should alleviate our problem for the rest of this year, but I don’t imagine that spirited discussions about parking will end any time soon, not with winter looming.  Once the snow flies the situation becomes even more complicated as the need to plow and the uneasy pedestrian access from some of the more remote lots come into play.

Most of the questions about food service dealt with the kinds of concerns that you would likely find on most college campuses.  Students would like more variety in their menus and hours of availability that more conveniently fit their schedules.  I anticipated that we might have more concerns than in the past since this year we adopted a “tray-less” service approach in the dining hall as a part of our Christian environmental stewardship initiatives.  Simply put, people waste less food when they don’t have trays.  We also use lots less water in the dish room since we don’t have to wash all those trays.  Admittedly, it is more of a hassle to juggle plates, and cups, and silverware.  Sometimes a few trips are required to get everything to the table to begin a meal.  The new approach is not without glitches, but it does save food, water, and is the right thing to do.  Sodexo, our excellent food service provider, continues to look for ways to make the dining experience better for our students, and they are responsive to student input.

In sum, most of the items raised by Concordia’s students relate to their quality of life which, naturally, they are eager to see improved.  My hope is that they will continue to find the university’s administration equally eager to make their living—and learning—experience the best that it possibly can be.  Certainly, our growing student population is both a testament to the fact that Concordia is meeting the needs of an ever-increasing number of college students, and also a challenge to continue to build out the infrastructure of support in staff and facilities to ensure that everyone is enjoying an opportunity to learn and grow here.

The students who attended last night’s forum were gracious and respectful.  Each one who stood to raise a question thanked us for coming and spending time with them.  I thank them—for being here and for all that they do make Concordia such a special place.

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