Christmas spirit fills the air during 2016 Christmas at Concordia weekend

Christmas at Concordia weekend Dec. 2–4, 2016, 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.

Four Christmas at Concordia concerts brought more than 3,000 Concordia students, faculty and staff, alumni and community members to St. John Lutheran Church near campus. The concerts featured the Women’s Chorale, 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,” “O Savior of Our Fallen Race,” and “A Stable Lamp is Lighted,” among others. 

Concordia hosted the annual community Christmas open house, made possible through the generous support of Cattle National Bank & Trust Co., on Dec. 4 in the Cattle Conference Room of the Janzow Campus Center. The reception included Christmas music and decorations and holiday-inspired refreshments.

The open house also included the traditional Christmas tree lighting near the university’s Holthus Family Plaza just north of the Janzow Campus Center. The lighting of the tree was sponsored by Concordia University, Nebraska, and Cattle National Bank & Trust Company. Community members are invited to visit the Christmas tree in the plaza at any time.

The 22nd annual Scholarship Parade of Homes featured homes owned by Marlin and Marge Burkey, Jay and Tami Ferris, Rob and Julie Hermann, Tim and Rita Hughes and Nathan and Heather Myers. All homes have unique structural and design elements and are decorated in celebration of Christmas. The Scholarship Parade of Homes has raised more than $65,000 in cumulative scholarship funds since it began in 1995.

Members of the Women’s Chorale include (in alphabetical order by state, city, last name):

• Annie Pico, freshman, Mesa, Ariz., soprano I
• Laura Wiederrich, senior, Lodi, Calif., alto II
• Ashley Johnson, senior, Long Beach, Calif., soprano II
• Samantha Pietanza, freshman, San Diego, Calif., alto II
• Sarah Huhn, sophomore, Valley Center, Calif., soprano II
• Miriam Lipke, freshman, Alamosa, Colo., soprano I
• Jordan Haywood, sophomore, Arvada, Colo., alto I
• Breann Huber, freshman, Arvada, Colo., alto II
• Katarina Borg, freshman, Elizbeth, Colo., soprano II
• Allison Caudle, senior, Greeley, Colo., alto II
• Megan Vieselmeyer, sophomore, Holyoke, Colo., soprano II
• Grace Stults, junior, Monte Vista, Colo., soprano II
• Abigail Wichael, sophomore, Parker, Colo., alto II
• Annie Schmidt, sophomore, Rifle, Colo., alto I
• Brianna Bossle, senior, Coral Springs, Fla., soprano II
• Alaina Ruszkowski, junior, Orlando, Fla., alto II
• Christina Bernard, Port-au-Prince, Haiti, alto I
• Larissa Geyer, senior, Arlington Heights, Ill., alto I
• Quincy Wyatt, senior, Effingham, Ill., alto I
• Amanda Segebart, sophomore, Sioux City, Iowa, alto I
• Anne Jesgarz, sophomore, Shelbywille, Ill., soprano II
• Karina Keating, senior, Woodstock, Ill., soprano I
• Elizabeth Moses, sophomore, Columbus, Ind., soprano II
• Morgan Eggert, senior, Atkins, Iowa, alto II
• Robin Consier, sophomore, Churdan, Iowa, alto I
• Megan Barz, junior, Dubuque, Iowa, alto I
• Morgan German, sophomore, Holstein, Iowa, soprano I
• Elizabeth Ericksen, sophomore, Le Mars, Iowa, soprano I
• Rebecca Eichler, senior, Webster City, Iowa, alto II
• Jayme Lowe, sophomore, Atchison, Kan., soprano II
• Daria Heuer, freshman, Hanover, Kan., alto I
• Olivia Johnson, freshman, Kansas City, Kan., alto I
• Mariah Huneke, freshman, Sabetha, Kan., alto I
• Taryn Schuette, freshman, Sabetha, Kan., alto I
• Leah Werling, sophomore, Solomon, Kan., alto I
• Emily Fehn, junior, Hemlock, Mich., soprano II
• Rachel Krome, freshman, Fairmont, Minn., soprano I
• Samantha Welch, sophomore, Glencoe, Minn., alto I
• Shannon O’Brien, junior, Winona, Minn., alto II
• Amanda McDowell, freshman, Columbia Mo., soprano I
• Victoria Kobak, freshman, Jackson, Mo., alto II
• Emma Gottschamer, junior, Lees Summit, Mo., alto I
• Emily Wolf, sophomore, Purdy, Mo., soprano II
• Emma Brand, freshman, Springfield, Mo., soprano II
• Zoe Moore, freshman, Saint Joseph, Mo., alto I
• Tationa Trice, sophomore, St. Louis, Mo., alto I
• Rebekah Rusert, sophomore, Truman, Minn., alto II
• Alison Coomer, freshman, Wentzville, Mo., soprano I
• Samantha Coomer, junior, Wentzville, Mo., soprano II
• Emily Theiss, senior, Raleigh, N.C., alto I
• Faith Osborn, freshman, Oakes, N.D., soprano II
• Erika Borslien, senior, West Fargo, N.D., alto II
• Marol Feickert, senior, Lawrenceville, N.J., soprano I
• Sarah Groeling, freshman, Albuquerque, N.M., soprano II
• Alexandra Lillis, sophomore, Buffalo, N.Y., soprano I
• Alyssa Montana, freshman, Centereach, N.Y., soprano II
• Kiera Morgan, junior, Rochester, N.Y., soprano II
• Adrianna Shaw, freshman, Bassett, Neb., alto I
• McKenzie Akeson, junior, Chappell, Neb., soprano II
• Lauren Loop, sophomore, Columbus, Neb., alto II
• Allison Mackie, junior, Columbus, Neb., soprano I
• Naomi Ristvedt, senior, Crete, Neb., soprano II
• Hope Moural, junior, Fremont, Neb., alto I
• Amanda Ruether, junior, Fremont, Neb., soprano I
• Noelle Show, freshman, Fremont, Neb., soprano II
• Jensen Anderson, freshman, Goehner, Neb., alto II
• Carly Rushman, junior, Gurley, Neb., alto I
• Bethany Shaw, freshman, Kearney, Neb., soprano I
• Magboula Bi, freshman, Lincoln, Neb., alto II
• Allana Blakeman, freshman, Lincoln, Neb., soprano II
• Chelsea Irwin, sophomore, Lincoln, Neb., soprano II
• Emma Schmeling, junior, Louisville, Neb., alto II
• Shelby Betterton, freshman, Omaha, Neb., alto II
• Sarah Rogge, sophomore, Milford, Neb., alto II
• Kelly Langer, junior, Spalding, Neb., soprano II
• Angelica Blomenberg, senior, Norfolk, Neb., soprano I
• Danielle Harstad, senior, Norfolk, Neb., alto II
• Katherine Draucker, sophomore, Ogallala, Neb., soprano II
• Melody Niemoth, sophomore, South Bend, Neb., soprano II
• Emma Heidorn, sophomore, Utica, Neb., soprano II
• Rebecca Hoffschneifer, freshman, Utica, Neb., alto I
• April Bayer, sophomore, West Point, Neb., soprano II
• Sierra Jacob, sophomore, Winnebago, Neb., alto I
• Kristen Wagner, freshman, York, Neb., soprano II
• Emilia Mugnolo, junior, Brunswick, Ohio, alto I
• Kacy Meyer, freshman, Jenks, Okla., soprano I
• Allison Taylor, freshman, Oklahoma City, Okla., alto I
• Rosa Gonzales Purihuaman, junior, Lima, Peru, alto I
• Liliana Barrientos, freshman, El Paso, Tex., alto I
• Katerina Fuller, freshman, Dallas, Tex., alto I
• Victoria Cameron, freshman, Kent, Wash., alto I
• Abigail Wisniewski, sophomore, Thorp, Wis., alto I

Members of the Male Chorus include:

• Jacob Roggow, sophomore, Moro, Ill., bass II
• Mark Esser, post baccalaureate, Ft. Wayne, Ind., tenor I
• Garion Consier, sophomore, Churdan, Iowa, tenor II
• Isaac Golke, sophomore, Milford, Iowa, tenor II
• David Epperson, sophomore, Panora, Iowa, tenor II
• Kaleb Weinkauf, sophomore, Basehor, Kan., bass II
• Matthew Will, freshman, Wichita, Kan., bass II
• Josiah Schultz, sophomore, Bay City, Mich., tenor II
• Andrew Mussell, senior, Buffalo, Minn., bass I
• Ryan Maser, senior, Little Canada, Minn., bass I
• Ethan Symmank, sophomore, Woodbury, Minn., tenor I
• Kenton Burgess, junior, Lees Summit, Mo., tenor II
• Nathan Elbert, junior, Albuquerque, N.M., bass II
• Peter Deberny, sophomore, Buffalo, N.Y., tenor I
• Dane Pedersen, sophomore, Columbus, Neb., bass II
• Joel Ristvedt, sophomore, Crete, Neb., tenor II
• Erik Hart, junior, Fairbury, Neb., tenor I
• Michael Sanderson, junior, Hastings, Neb., bass I
• Aaron Ferguson, freshman, Hyannis, Neb., bass II
• Michael Duffy, junior, Kenesaw, Neb., bass II
• Eric James, freshman, Omaha, Neb., bass II
• Ryan Sanchez, sophomore, Omaha, Neb., bass II
• Benjamin Middendorf, junior, Scotia, Neb., bass I
• Colin Renkert, freshman, Sidney, Neb., bass I
• Brodie Oshel, freshman, Seward, Neb., tenor I
• Zachary Roth, freshman, South Sioux City, Neb., bass I
• Justus Utecht, sophomore, Rosebud, S.D., bass I
• Lewis Kasparek, freshman, The Woodlands, Tex., tenor II
• Evan Bohman, freshman, Appleton, Wis., tenor II
• Joel Prince, junior, West Allis, Wis., tenor 

Members of the Concordia Handbell Choir include:

• Ryan Gross, senior, Riverside, Calif.
• Quincy Wyatt, senior, Effingham, Ill.
• Rachel Keseman, senior, Freeburg, Ill.
• Karina Keating, senior, Woodstock, Ill.
• Elizabeth Moses, sophomore, Columbus, Ind.
• Kelsey Adcock, junior, Wamego, Kan.
• Emma Gottschamer, junior, Lees Summit, Mo.
• Rebecca Souer, senior, Moorhead, Minn.
• Micah Holten, junior, Nicollet, Minn.
• Allison Mackie, junior, Columbus, Neb.
• Jonathan Rippe, sophomore, Gretna, Neb.
• Emily Meisinger, junior, York, Neb.
• Grace Woelmer, senior, Allen, Tex.
• Rachel Dorn, sophomore, Houston, Tex.

Members of the University Brass Ensemble include:

• Ryan Gross, senior, Riverside, Calif., trumpet
• Cole Wohlgemuth, junior, Alton, Iowa, euphonium
• Jonathan Grant, sophomore, Waterloo, Iowa, trumpet
• Josiah Schultz, sophomore, Bay City, Mich., euphonium
• Britnee Fear, sophomore, Hershey, Neb., tuba
• Lydia Jeppesen, sophomore, Pleasant Dale, Neb., trumpet
• Joel Ristvedt, junior, Crete, Neb., horn

Members of the University A Cappella Choir include:

• Cameron Christiansen, senior, Palmer, Alaska, bass II
• Joe Pierson, senior, Van Buren, Ark., bass I
• Hope Taylor, senior, Foothill Ranch, Calif., alto I
• Laura Wiederrich, senior, Lodi, Calif., alto II
• Jacob Fink, junior, Long Beach, Calif., bass I
• Ryan Gross, senior, Riverside, Calif., tenor II
• Lindsay Sampson, junior, Tustin, Calif., alto I
• Abby Schellpfeffer, junior, Centennial, Colo., alto II
• Benjamin Leeper, junior, Denver, Colo., bass I
• Bethany Schilling, freshman, Littleton, Colo., soprano I
• Meredith Locke, junior, Winter Haven, Fla., soprano I
• Jennifer Reynolds, senior, Ft. Wayne, Ind., alto I
• Eric Henson, freshman, Herrin, Ill., tenor II
• Jacob Henson, junior, Herrin, Ill., bass I
• Matthew Kortze, junior, Rockford, Ill., bass II
• Sarah Krause, junior, Rockford, Ill., soprano II
• Matthew Gerhold, sophomore, Atkins, Iowa, tenor I
• Jeramy Willis, junior, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, tenor I
• Ruth Alliger, freshman, Marshalltown, Iowa, soprano II
• Emily Jensen, senior, Sioux City, Iowa, alto I
• Alex Kaldahl, freshman, Spencer, Iowa, bass I
• Isaiah Armbrecht, sophomore, Williamsburg, Iowa, bass I
• Christopher James, freshman, Topeka, Kan., tenor I
• Nathanael Patron, sophomore, North Newton, Kan., tenor I
• Austin Theriot, junior, Lake Charles, La., bass II
• Daniel Spaulding, sophomore, Armada, Mich., bass II
• Charlotte Mueller, senior, Frankenmuth, Mich., alto II
• Emily Sievert, junior, Frankenmuth, Mich., soprano I
• Sarah Mueller, sophomore, Hemlock, Mich., soprano II
• Hannah Davis, sophomore, Coon Rapids, Minn., alto I
• Laura Hedstrom, junior, Lakefield, Minn., alto II
• Rebecca Souer, senior, Moorhead, Minn., alto II
• Cadence Klemp, junior, Winona, Minn., soprano II
• Emily Kollbaum, senior, Concordia, Mo., alto I
• Vanessa Marsh, sophomore, Concordia, Mo., soprano I
• Timothy Mehl, junior, Concordia, Mo., bass II
• Karl Rovey, senior, Springfield, Mo., bass II
• Benjamin Hayter, senior, Union, Mo., tenor II
• Allison Ebel, junior, Billings, Mont., soprano II
• Albert Boldt, sophomore, Hewitt, Minn., tenor I
• Eric Souer, senior, Moorhead, Minn., tenor I
• Micah Holten, junior, Nicollet, Minn., tenor II
• Mason Koeritz, senior, Northrop, Minn., bass I
• Brandon Holmes, freshman, Waconia, Minn., bass I
• Caleb Worral, junior, Fargo, N.D., bass II
• Mallory Parrish, junior, Auburn, Neb., soprano II
• Ann Spilker, junior, Ashland, Neb., alto I
• Megan Sparling, senior, Columbus, Neb., alto II
• Stephanie Sparling, sophomore, Columbus, Neb., soprano I
• Paige Stadler, sophomore, Columbus, Neb., soprano II
• Naomi Ristvedt, senior, Crete, Neb., alto I
• Nathan Klaumann, sophomore, Fairbury, Neb., tenor II
• Lauren Staehr, senior, Grand Island, Neb., alto II
• Jonathan Rippe, sophomore, Gretna, Neb., tenor II
• Audrey Rich, sophomore, Lincoln, Neb., alto II
• Clara Rich, senior, Lincoln, Neb., alto I
• Paul Nelson, senior, Norfolk, Neb., bass I
• Micah Most, sophomore, Ogallala, Neb., tenor II
• Tyler Miles, senior, Omaha, Neb., bass II
• Jazmyn Yates, sophomore, Omaha, Neb., soprano II
• Joshua Brumm, sophomore, Seward, Neb., bass I
• David Dieckhoff, sophomore, Seward, Neb., tenor II
• Kayleah Moravec, sophomore, Seward, Neb., soprano I
• Elisha Scheiber, junior, Seward, Neb., alto I
• Lauren Wilcox, junior, Seward, Neb., soprano II
• Heather Rasch, senior, Jos, Nigeria, soprano II
• Timothy Rasch, sophomore, Jos, Nigeria, bass II
• David Woelmer, freshman, Allen, Tex., bass I
• Grace Woelmer, senior, Allen, Tex., alto II
• Emma Gremmer, sophomore, New Braunfels, Tex., alto II
• Aaron Strackbein, junior, San Antonio, Tex., bass II
• Corrianne Cain, freshman, Cedarburg, Wis., soprano II
• Aaron Huesmann, freshman, Jackson, Wis., bass II
• Kaitlyn Christensen, sophomore, Kenosha, Wis., alto I
• Sophie Hoelz, freshman, Milwaukee, Wis., alto II
• Victoria Welter, senior, Slinger, Wis., soprano I

Members of the University Symphonic Band include:

• Ryan Gross, senior, Riverside, Calif., trumpet
• Miriam Lipke, freshman, Alamosa, Colo., clarinet
• David Krueger, sophomore, Aurora, Colo., baritone saxophone
• Naomi Bauer, sophomore, Chipita Park, Colo., oboe
• Paul Hammes, sophomore, Colorado Springs, Colo., bassoon
• Paul Symes, sophomore, Woodland Park, Colo., clarinet
• Brianna Bossle, senior, Coral Springs, Fla., percussion
• Samuel Smith, freshman, Broadlands, Ill., tuba
• Josh Wudtke, senior, Collinsville, Ill., percussion
• Sydney Heimann, senior, Galesburg, Ill., trombone
• Micah Schalow, sophomore, Rockford, Ill., trombone
• Jonathan Grant, sophomore, Waterloo, Ill., trumpet
• Karina Keating, senior, Woodstock, Ill., flute
• Whitney Pottschmidt, freshman, Seymour, Ind., oboe
• Cole Wohlgemuth, junior, Alton, Iowa, euphonium
• Charity Espinosa, junior, Clarinda, Iowa, euphonium
• Delaney Doremus, sophomore, Grimes, Iowa, flute
• Dorian Doremus, senior, Grimes, Iowa, percussion
• Janelle Adams, junior, Andover, Kan., flute
• Kaleb Weinkauf, sophomore, Basehor, Kan., alto saxophone
• Elizabeth Frakes, sophomore, Ellinwood, Kan., flute
• Caleb Wehling, senior, Liberal, Kan., percussion
• Katherine Wehling, sophomore, Liberal, Kan., flute
• Valery Rostek, freshman, Norton, Kan., tenor saxophone
• Leah Werling, sophomore, Solomon, Kan., clarinet
• Kelsey Adcock, junior, Wamego, Kan., clarinet
• Matthew Goltl, freshman, Wichita, Kan., percussion
• Molly Goltl, junior, Wichita, Kan., alto saxophone
• Matthew Will, freshman, Wichita, Kan., horn
• Josiah Schultz, sophomore, Bay City, Mich., euphonium
• Carlie Mueller, senior, Frankenmuth, Mich., alto saxophone
• Rachel Krome, freshman, Fairmont, Minn., trombone
• Megan Suter, senior, Owatonna, Minn., percussion
• Brandon Holmes, Waconia, Minn., trumpet
• Alexis Burrow, sophomore, Concordia, Mo., trumpet
• Katelyn Rankin, freshman, Concordia, Mo., flute
• Todd Brueckner, senior, Farrar, Mo., oboe
• Sonja Brandt, freshman, Knob Noster, Mo., bass clarinet
• Karl Rovey, senior, Springfield, Mo., trumpet
• Sarah Brutlag, junior, St. Louis, Mo., flute
• Erika Borslien, senior, West Fargo, N.D., clarinet
• Adrianna Shaw, freshman, Bassett, Neb., trumpet
• Jacob Mikkelson, freshman, Bellevue, Neb., horn
• Megan Seim, senior, Chapman, Neb., bass clarinet
• Dane Pedersen, sophomore, Columbus, Neb., tuba
• Paige Stadler, sophomore, Columbus, Neb., trombone
• Joel Ristvedt, junior, Crete, Neb., horn
• Naomi Ristvedt, senior, Crete, Neb., flute
• Macey Kroeger, freshman, Dannebrog, Neb., bass clarinet
• Erik Hart, junior, Fairbury, Neb., trumpet
• Seth Hart, freshman, Fairbury, Neb., trombone
• Nathan Klaumann, sophomore, Fairbury, Neb., percussion
• Caleb Staehr, sophomore, Grand Island, Neb., baritone saxophone
• Lindee Schultz, freshman, Hastings, Neb., clarinet
• Christopher Warneke, freshman, Hastings, Neb., alto saxophone
• Britnee Fear, sophomore, Hershey, Neb., tuba
• Brooke McNiel, junior, Holdrege, Neb., euphonium
• Emma Haas, sophomore, Lincoln, Neb., percussion
• Audrey Rich, sophomore, Lincoln, Neb., horn
• Clara Rich, senior, Lincoln, Neb., alto saxophone
• Angelica Blomenberg, senior, Norfolk, Neb., oboe
• Cara Colligan, junior, Norfolk, Neb., clarinet
• Andrew Daughton, freshman, Norfolk, Neb., flute
• Cassie Boeka, senior, North Platte, Neb., trumpet
• Katherine Draucker, sophomore, Ogallala, Neb., flute
• Shelby Betterton, freshman, Omaha, Neb., flute
• Jazmyn Yates, sophomore, Omaha, Neb., flute
• Lydia Jeppesen, sophomore, Pleasant Dale, Neb., trumpet
• Micah Jeppesen, junior, Pleasant Dale, Neb., trombone
• Jordan Schut, senior, Scriber, Neb., tenor saxophone
• Cole Berry, senior, Seward, Neb., trombone
• Josh Hendrickson, freshman, Seward, Neb., euphonium
• Collin Renkert, freshman, Sidney, Neb., percussion
• Rebecca Hoffschneider, freshman, Utica, Neb., flute
• Caleb Ristvedt, sophomore, Utica, Neb., trombone
• Madeline Luehr, sophomore, Wood River, Neb., alto saxophone
• Heather Rasch, senior, Jos, Nigeria, horn
• Allison Seeliger, junior, Edmond, Okla., clarinet
• Anna Holle, freshman, Stewartstown, Pa., percussion
• Mikayla Eifert, junior, Houston, Tex., trombone
• Alberto Barrientos, senior, El Paso, Tex., tuba
• Rachel Dorn, sophomore, Houston, Tex., percussion