Volunteer Spotlight

Cheri (Bruner) Armstrong

Published: May 26, 2020

Editor’s Note: We are taking this opportunity to introduce you to a new volunteer at the Fort Wayne Alumni Center. Cheri (Bruner) Armstrong g73 and her husband Dick g70 returned to Fort Wayne from Denver, Colorado, after having served various para-church ministries over the past 50 years. We are delighted to publish here Cheri’s testimony that she wrote to share with you.

“’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”
--Jeremiah 29:11

Through a series of God-ordained events, I started attending a Youth for Christ club held at my school Thursdays at 7:30 a.m. during my freshman year of high school. TA Strader g60 led that high school club. In my sophomore year, one particular morning he didn’t play games, he didn’t have us sing, he just stood there and shared how Jesus Christ died for my sins, and that if I accepted Him as my Savior and Lord, he would direct my life here on earth and give me eternal life in heaven. I had heard the words before, but God drew me to himself and gave me understanding that day.  I made an appointment with TA and on April 23, 1966, I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.

After processing through the discipleship program at Youth for Christ, several things immediately happened. TA introduced me to his home church, Mt. Olive Missionary Church in Peoria, Illinois. He also arranged for a ride to and from church any time I wanted to attend. The youth pastor was Bob Moening g66 who told me that if I could get to the youth group activities, he would make sure I got home. These were very important details since my mother was a single mother raising four daughters and working two jobs.

I started using my knowledge, experience, and God-given gifts to serve others. Instead of boredom, I had a purpose. I started volunteering at the YFC office… stuffing mailings, making banners, typing mailing lists, assisting the Campus Life Club at high school, even playing tympani at the rallies and helping with youth group activities.

I attended Youth Conference at Fort Wayne Bible College my junior and senior years of high school with others from Mt. Olive. I found the place where I wanted to go to college. God provided…I had the grades to get into college, and with scholarships and working two on-campus jobs, I was able to attend FWBC entering the fall of 1968.

Because of my six-year percussion experience, I played in the band at FWBC and was asked to participate in “The Messiah” performances at Christmas, the Youth Conference Band, and accompanied the Singing Collegians when they did concerts in the Fort Wayne area.

I grew through the Bible classes, loved the music of chapel, loved Dr. Tim Warner g50 sharing about missions, and learned the passion of the missionaries sharing in chapel. Through Christian Education classes with Dr. Fran Simpson. I learned processes, procedures, attention to details, and to always carry an extra projector bulb.   

I met my husband Dick Armstrong g70 in an Adolescent Psychology class my sophomore year. Since Dick was the program director for Youth Conference that year, we spent our “date” time working on Youth Conference details. Permission was granted to announce our engagement in April during Youth Conference Week and we were married in August of 1970. I re-entered as a married student and continued until graduating in 1973.

Through life-struggles, reoccurring illnesses, and job transitions God continues to provide his goodness and faithfulness to me. Romans 8:28 states,

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Over the years, my responsibilities have been to oversee many volunteers, part-time, and full-time staff. My goal has always been to help each person use all the abilities that God has given them, to their full extent so they know they are a valued asset to God’s team. No matter what the age, each of us is of value to God.  We can serve Him with the abilities, experience, and knowledge that we have gained in a lifetime. That is why I volunteer at the Fort Wayne Alumni Center.  God has given me so much; I just want to honor him by serving in any way I am capable.

And one more thing…When I get to Glory, I’m going to play my drum for Him… and He will smile at me! And hopefully say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”

Volunteer Spotlight

Peg Buuck g67

Written by: Paige McNinch g20

Published: Mar 13, 2020

Peg (DuPree) Buuck g67 was originally connected to your Alumni Center in a time of immense trial and pain. Following her husband Lon’s accident in 2016, she reached out for support and prayers. “They prayed for us through the whole ordeal, and I got reconnected with a gal I knew who was in my class, [Sharon (Walter) Hull g67], and she was just a champion,” Peg recalled. After nine months, Lon unfortunately passed away, but Peg remained connected with the Alumni Center, leaning on their prayers and support.

Inspired by the Alumni Center’s care, Peg decided to start volunteering, when asked by Michael Mortensen g91, as a way to give back. “They were there when I needed them, and they prayed for me,” she said. “I guess I’m just really grateful that they were there to help me in my time of need, and I feel that it’s important for me to help in return.”

Despite her short time on the volunteer team, she already knows that the work she’s done and will do will all be for the glory of God. “God’s will for me is the same as it always has been my whole life. It’s to glorify him,” she said. “It’s not the work you do; I mean, it is, because he leads you into things that he’s given you gifts to do, but how I see God’s will for me right now is to glorify him whatever he puts in front of me to do.”

Although she hasn’t had the opportunity to do much for the center, Peg is willing to do whatever is needed to help out. “There’s just a feeling of grace and camaraderie,” she noted. “I enjoy being around Christians who love the Lord and are trying to accomplish something.”

Peg’s servant heart has been a blessing to many already. During one of the Alumni Center’s busiest seasons, Reunion Weekend Fall 2019, Peg was willing to work with another volunteer to assemble the 50^th Reunion Class Memory booklets and to prepare the nametags. Stephanie (Cox) Demorest g93, Alumni Center Coordinator, says that Peg’s assistance was “invaluable in finalizing reunion preparations.”

Not only financial donations, but also volunteer services, keep the ministry of your Fort Wayne Alumni Center alive and moving forward.

Editor’s Note: Might you have a couple hours or more available during a month, where you can volunteer, like Peg? Click here to communicate with Stephanie.

Volunteer Spotlight

Shellie Burden g91

Leading Team of Prayer Warriors

Written by: Andrea Osmun g05

Published: Sep 27, 2016

The spirit of the Lord is still moving among the people of the Fort Wayne campus. A team of prayer warriors led by Fort Wayne alumnae Shellie Kale-Burden g91 and Cathy (Diller) Schrock g90 cover the alumni and former faculty and staff in prayer on a regular basis. The act of interceding for the Fort Wayne family has served as a powerful way to keep everyone connected.

Shellie became one of the alumni prayer team’s leaders three years ago, when Alumni Director Michael Mortensen g91 asked her to volunteer in this role originally held by Violet (Egly) Ringenberg g45.

“With our charge to care for our alumni, I thought of no better way to do this than to pray for them,” Michael shared. I asked ‘Ma Ringenberg’ to start the team in 2009, and she built the team up to about 18 members until her passing. I then asked Shellie, who had served on the team to take the lead.”

“While hesitant at first, because of the ‘large shoes’ to fill of Violet, Shellie agreed and has been so faithful. She coordinates the prayer requests making contact with our team, but she also documents the requests and submits reports, which is really appreciated,” Michael concluded.

Shellie saw it as an opportunity to connect with alumni and serve from her home, but it became much more than that.

“Any time you pray for someone consistently, it creates a bond, even if you don’t know that person or didn’t go to school with that person,” Shellie said. “I want to know updates on how you’re doing and where you are in life. Prayer changes the person who prays as much as the person you’re praying for, maybe more.”

The alumni prayer team is now made up of 30 volunteers from all over the United States from Hawaii to Indiana, who span several generations of Fort Wayne graduates. Shellie said she’s never met some of the volunteers in person, but they all share the common bond of prayer and love for the Fort Wayne campus. She has become close friends with them through sharing prayer requests over e-mail and Facebook.

“Cathy does the text messages, and I send out emails,” Shellie said. “Whenever alumni have a prayer need, they contact Michael or one of us, and we send it out to the members of the team. We’re praying for them. If we can get an update, we’ll send it out, but a lot of times we don’t get updates. God understands and knows their needs, and we continue to pray as they come to mind.”

Any alumni who have a prayer request may contact Michael at (260) 744-8790 or alumnifw@taylor.edu or Shellie at faithful2j@gmail.com, with “alumni prayer request” in the subject line.

“You have 30 alumni in multiple time zones praying for you,” Shellie said. “That’s the body of Christ. That’s what the Church -- with a capital C -- is all about.”

The Fort Wayne alumni prayer team is always open to more volunteers. As Shellie said, “The more, the merrier.”