The Tusculum College band program’s winter concert on Tuesday, Feb. 26, will feature a musical celebration of the joy and wonder of childhood as well as a tribute to the victims of the Newtown, Conn., shooting.

The concert, which is free and open to the public, will begin at 7 p.m. in the auditorium of the Annie Hogan Byrd Fine Arts Building. Performing will be the Concert Band, Handbell Choir and Jazz Band.

David Price, director of the Band Program, has chosen selections for the concert that relate to the happiness that children bring as well as some pieces that are tributes to the youngsters and teachers who lost their lives in the Newtown, Conn., shooting.

The Concert Band will be performing “Stardance,” “Hallelujah” “Children of the Shrine,” “Bridges” and “Dances of Innocence.”

The  Handbell Choir will be performing Pachelbel’s “Canon of Joy” and “Hymn of Promise.”

The Jazz Band will perform “Fantasy,” “Pick Up the Pieces,” “Children of Sanchez” and “Birdland.”

The band program began in 2010 with the formation of a pep band and has grown to include a Marching Band, Concert Band, Jazz Band, Handbell Choir and various small ensembles.

 

Technology is quickly evolving, causing significant changes in culture that affect churches as they seek to engage younger generations, according to the Rev. Carol Howard Merritt.

Although church members from other generations do not have to embrace the technology and methods of communications of those in their 30s and younger, it is important to have an understanding of how those technologies and cultural changes affect how the younger generations lives, said Rev. Merritt, who is leading the annual Theologian-in-Residence lecture series at Tusculum College. The Theologian-in-Residence series is co-sponsored by the Holston Presbytery and Tusculum College with funding assistance from Ron Smith.

“Many churches were formed in a certain time period and now we must realize that this is a time when  the family structure looks different, work structure looks different and our society looks different, said, Rev. Merritt, author of “Tribal Church” and “Reframing Hope” and co-host of God Complex Radio and blogger for Christian Century and Huffington Post. “It is difficult and oftentimes it can cause intergenerational tension.”
Three things that often get in the way when churches try to minister in a new time and a new way, she said, are the differences between customs and traditions, the “invisible rule book” and desecration of the sacred.

Author Diana Butler Bass has written about the differences between customs and traditions, defining customs as things that people do year after year and defining traditions as those things that embody who a congregation is and have a greater historical meaning, she noted.

For example, Rev. Merritt said when she served as a pastor at a church in urban Washington, D.C., she was charged with getting more of the young families to come to the Wednesday night dinner. The custom was the Wednesday night dinner and the traditions it represented included building relationships and studying Scripture together intergenerationally.

When she implemented changes she thought would attract younger families such as making child care available and implementing new programs, still no one came.  Finally, one member told her that their work schedule and family responsibilities made it physically impossible to return to downtown D.C. for the dinner.

In discussing the issue, one member suggested that Wednesday night dinner be taken to people’s neighborhoods. Families from the church in various neighborhoods began hosting the dinner in their homes and then having Bible study afterwards, Merritt continued, and attendance went from six people to a 100 people meeting at homes throughout the D.C. area.

“As church leaders, we may not always be able to keep customs going because work structures look different and the culture looks different,” she said. “But that doesn’t mean that traditions are not important. They are important to the identity of the church, who we are as Christians, who we are in our communities and our work in the community.”

The “invisible rule book” can also be a stumbling block for new members and young adults, who may not know the unwritten rules that are just understood by long-time members, Merritt said.  Interested in becoming involved, they may find their suggestions are not given any positive response and become disengaged, she noted.

Church leaders have to find a delicate balance between being open to new ideas and getting people involved and looking to the wisdom of history, Rev. Merritt said.

The desecration of the sacred also causes some intergenerational friction, she continued. “When you have something holy and something sacred and someone comes in and tries to take it or change it around, you have a gut reaction to want to defend it.”

“Imagining our intergenerational ministry and trying to engage younger generations using technology as a way in which we tell our stories while realizing the importance of the sacred things – keeping and protecting them, can be a incredibly difficult job for many of us. So many pastors tell me that sometimes they feel like they are pastors of two different churches.”

A recent Pew survey showed that an increasing number of people who say they are spiritual but not religious which contrasts with a survey about 50 years ago when a large number of people said they are religious but not spiritual, she noted.

Some experts say that this reflects anti-institutionalism embraced by the younger generations and the narcissism found in society, she said, while others say that it shows a longing for God, to connect with God and worship God in a meaningful way.

The average adult in their 20s and 30s has been affected by the rise of school debt and uncertain employment situation, which has resulted in many having part-time jobs or having to change jobs frequently, she said.  They have also been told they need to wait to get married until they are financially stable, Rev. Merritt continued, but then it seems you need to get married with two incomes to be financially stable.

“It is important for churches to understand that sometimes they are not able to commit to community and churches,” she said.

Young adults may be hesitant to come to church because they feel as if they must have a good job, spouse and children to be accepted, she said, and others who wait to get married until they are older may be ashamed of that fact.

This nomadic generation has learned how to remain connected with each other through such means as Facebook and Twitter, she said, and the church needs to be open to how it can make connections to this generation.

“As the body of Christ, we need to realize the promises of God are not just for us, and we need to always think about how we translate it to a new generation, to our children and our children’s children.”

Many young adults are not interested in being a member of a church, and Rev. Merritt said she talks to them about membership using the metaphor of being the member of a tribe, “to be cared for mind, body and spirit and to be able to care for others mind, body and spirit.”

Merritt will continue her discourse on Feb. 19 with a session about the importance of stories to younger adults. The series will conclude Feb. 26 with a look at how churches can faithfully respond to changes in culture.

The sessions begin at 10 a.m. in the Chalmers Conference Center in the Niswonger Commons on the Tusculum College campus. There is no charge to attend the lecture series, but reservations are required as lunch is provided in the college’s cafeteria. For more information or to register, please call 423-636-7304 or email eestes@tusuclum.edu.

Andy Goellner, a senior from Denver, Colo., was recognized as “Student of the Block” for the fourth academic block at Tusculum College.

The Student of the Block Award recognizes Goellner for his excellence in the classroom, his extracurricular work with local businesses and his leadership on campus and as part of the athletic program. He was presented the honor during a ceremony in the Living Room of the Niswonger Commons, where a plaque recognizing his accomplishments will be displayed. The Office of Student Affairs established the award to recognize students for their academic achievement, leadership on campus and contributions to the college community.

Goellner is a triple major, studying business management, accounting and sport management. Coming to Tusculum as a recruit for the men’s soccer team, his dedication to his academics and his sport have made an impact felt beyond the field and classroom.

“Andy is so deserving of the Student of the Block award,” said Dr. Michelle Freeman, assistant professor of business administration, in her nomination of Goellner. “He approaches every task given to him with 150 percent enthusiasm, and he has more self-motivation than 99 percent of the students I have ever had the privilege of teaching. Andy is much more than a wonderful academic student. His morals and overall zeal for life are evident in any conversation one has with him. He seeks to engage others, and he loves the opportunity to help bring others to his level. He motivates them without them knowing what he is doing.

“He is always a leader in a team project, but a leader who listens to other points of view and comes up with a truly collaborative solution. He consistently looks for the opportunities out there to advance him in his goals.”

Dom Donnelly, assistant athletic director for media relations, also nominated Goellner for the honor. “It has been my esteemed honor in knowing Andy these past five years,” he wrote in his nomination. “He is one of the most well-rounded students I have been associated with in my 13 years at Tusculum. He has been the recipient of honors from the Tennessee Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance and the National Association for Sport and Physical Education. His community service activism has been exemplary.”

Goellner has been listed on the college’s athletic honor lists throughout his Tusculum career and was named the South Atlantic Conference 2012 Athlete of the Year for men’s soccer for his achievements in athletics, academics and service. Goellner started for three years as goalkeeper for the soccer team and served as captain each of those years. Last year, he was named to the Sports Launch “Thirty Under 30” list of young professionals in the field of sports management, recognizing college students and young professionals under the age of 30 who epitomize one or more of the attributes within the sports industry: hard work, innovation, creativity, leadership and entrepreneurship.

A founding member of the “Help Me Help You” program that provides students an opportunity to assist small businesses in the community, Goellner is also involved in the college’s Center for Economic Development and Entrepreneurship, which has been established to expand services to businesses. “These programs have been a major part of my Tusculum College experience over the past couple of years, and I have taken a great deal out of helping all of the participating small businesses,” he said.

Goellner is also a member of the Alpha Chi Honor Society, the Bonner Leader student service program and the Tusculum Business Club. He served as an academic tutor and has been a teaching assistant for Dr. Dale Gibson, professor of physical education, for the past three years.

Dr. Gibson is one of the faculty and staff members that Goellner helped motivate and encourage him to succeed. Goellner says his experience as a teaching assistant has allowed him to gain an “amazing insight into the sports world, as well as gain experience in administrative duties involved in running an education department.”

Dr. Freeman and Craig Wright, a former faculty member in the School of Business, are also noted by Goellner as professors who have made a significant impact on his academic career.

He is also appreciative of the opportunities that he has been given by Donnelly to work in athletics. During his sophomore year, Goellner worked at baseball games helping with the scoreboard and music and since that time has worked in many different aspects of athletics. “He has given me responsibilities during game operations not usually given to students, and I am very thankful for the opportunities and experience it has allowed me to gain.”
There are three accomplishments in which Goellner takes pride. One is his success in playing soccer, not only at Tusculum, but also time he spent with a semi-professional team in Mississippi and a professional team in Colorado. Another is his academic success, finishing his undergraduate work with three majors and a 3.75 grade point average. The third involves his community engagement and service.

“I am very proud of how well the ‘Help Me Help You’ program has taken off at Tusculum College and expanded into a career center,” he said. He recalled the time he spent with a specific business. “Together with another student, Jordan Ottinger (Newport, Tenn.), we were able to develop and implement an entire accounting management system, which includes cost tracking, pricing, invoicing and billing, over a spring break period,” he said. “The business was in desperate need of an easy system to use that accomplished these tasks and it has allowed their business to take off over the past year.”

Graduating in May, Goellner has ambitions to work for a few years to gain valuable on-the-job experience and then attend Stanford University or an Ivy League institution to obtain his Master of Business Administration. His ultimate goal is to be the president, general manager or chief executive officer of a major professional sports team or a Fortune 500 sports-related company.

A home-schooled student, Andy is the son of Craig and Jan Goellner and a sibling to Matt, an architecture major at Judson University, and Jessie, a fashion and business major at Harding University.

Churches have the unique opportunity in today’s society to nurture intergenerational connections, said the Rev. Carol Howard Merritt during the first session of the Theologian-in-Residence lecture series at Tusculum College.

Rev. Merritt, author of “Tribal Church” and “Reframing Hope,” is leading the annual series, which is co-sponsored by the Holston Presbytery and Tusculum College with funding assistance from Ron Smith.

As the session began, Merritt asked participants to pair off into twos and share with each other the various factors that helped form them as a person, including political, technological and cultural forces that were important to their development. She then asked individuals to share with the whole group the things that were important to them.

Influences of family, church, parents who had experienced the Great Depression and rationing of World War II and the acceptance of what parents and governmental authorities said as truth were among factors mentioned by some of the older attendees, which included a number of people in their 60s through 90s.

People in their 40s or younger talked about the influences of technology in their lives, a distrust of government and other authority and the impacts of tragedies such as the Challenger explosion, the Columbine and Virginia Tech school shootings and the Sept. 11 attacks.

Through what people expressed of their own histories, the shifts in society can begin to be seen, said Merritt, who is co-host of God Complex Radio and blogger for Christian Century and Huffington Post. For many mainline denominations, the 1950s and 60s are seen as a time of great building, not only of buildings and other facilities, but congregations as well, she continued, but a transition began in the late 1960s and 1970s with the Vietnam War, political scandals and even scandals involving church leaders that has changed how younger generations think about authority.

Changes are also occurring in commerce away from the idea that “bigger is always better,” she noted. “But, something has changed. Right now, there is a longing for smaller communities and smaller things. There is a movement toward going back to the idea that we could have enough for everyone if we shared.”

In churches, more small groups are being creating and there is a greater appreciation for small churches, Merritt said.

“Communication has changed,” she continued. “Almost everything is at your fingertips now. That can be exciting and it can be scary.”

Asked about the challenges this instant availability and expectation of information can create when a time for discernment is also needed, Merritt said that she would advise that all communications be as open and gracious as it can possible be.

“Each generation communicates differently and that can be incredibly frustrating to church leaders who don’t have all the time in the world to communicate in all those ways,” she said.

While significant changes have occurred, there is a need for connectedness that continues, Rev. Merritt noted. Mobility has been always been a part of the American way of life, she continued, but those in their in 20s and 30s change jobs about every three years and that can be result in them moving away from family and friends often.

“This can be isolating and lonely for young adults who are longing to connect with others and establish roots,” Merritt continued. “When these people walk in to church, we have what they are seeking, that sense of connection … mutual care and respect.”

While serving as a pastor at a church in Washington D. C., she said, the church began offering sermons in a podcast, a step which was taken with some trepidation because of a fear that offering it electronically would hurt attendance. However, she said, the church experienced an increase. The sermons kept people connected when they were not able to attend services and increased their desire to become more engaged in the church and to come to experience the worship service.

In any congregation, there is a dominant generation that makes decisions about programs and how church funds will be used. While this is not wrong, she said, a church will greatly benefit if that generation is able to be open to ideas from the other generation, paving the way for an intergenerational church to form.

But, this openness will not be present in every congregation, and an intergenerational congregation can be nurtured in other ways, Merritt noted.

A church can offer a different style of worship service or partner with a congregation that may be meeting in someone’s home to share space or host an emerging church, she said.

An emerging church is a term given to a group formed by people who typically have left either strict fundamentalist congregations or a mega church, she explained. All are different.  Some have times of silence during their worship, others study together to discern scriptures rather than having a preached message and others may have marked prayer stations.

Merritt will continue her discourse next Tuesday, Feb. 12, when she will focus on how technologies, such as social media, are changing how people do “church” together. The series continues on Feb. 19 with a session about the importance of stories to younger adults and will conclude Feb. 26 with a look at how churches can faithfully respond to changes in culture.

The sessions begin at 10 a.m. in the Chalmers Conference Center in the Niswonger Commons on the Tusculum College campus. There is no charge to attend the lecture series, but reservations are required as lunch is provided in the college’s cafeteria. For more information or to register, please call 423-636-7304 or email eestes@tusuclum.edu.