“Inclusive, caring and peace-minded” for anyone who passes through the door are words that Pastor Susan Boyer and her La Verne Church of the Brethren congregation follow. Yet the effort to keep the Church as an open, inclusive community is at odds with a summer 2011 denominational Annual Conference directive.

by Kristen Campbell
photography by Cameron Barr

Pastor Susan Boyer is disappointed in the Church she calls home. Boyer’s lineage goes back to the near beginning of the Church of the Brethren, a historic peace church that founded the University of La Verne. But she knows that the Church does not offer women or members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community the respect they deserve. Even though the La Verne Church of the Brethren is not in alliance with the national opinion to exclude members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, the membership continues to feel committed to inclusion and the rights of the LGBT within the denominational structure. This is a conflict situation with the national denomination because it holds to a 2011 Annual Conference decision of intolerance.

Intolerance. It has been cast out of many major denominations, but still many others are not as willing to move forward with the ever-changing times. The Church of the Brethren denomination only accepts LGBT members in positions of leadership in a “don’t ask, don’t tell” style. Yet, the La Verne Church of the Brethren’s mission is to create a “Christian community” that is “open, inclusive, caring and peace-minded.” The Church welcomes all, no matter their race, ethnicity, gender or even sexual orientation, despite the national Church of the Brethren’s official stand on exclusivity.

The struggle for change

“I’ve had a lifetime love affair with the Church of the Brethren,” Charles L. Boyer wrote in a September 2010 issue of Messenger Magazine, published a few weeks after his death. “But as I grew in this Church that I love, I became aware of polarities developing.” Charles, more fondly known as Chuck, served as the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference moderator from July 1992 to June 1993 and was a former pastor at the La Verne congregation. During his time as moderator, an article published in the February 1993 issue of Messenger quoted him on his philosophy of engaging inclusive leadership in the denomination. In the article, Chuck indicated that he was ready to accept homosexual and bisexual people in positions of church leadership. “I knew my stance would be controversial, but I did not expect the furor it aroused,” Chuck wrote. After he was quoted, and it was published, Chuck received four form letters on which several hundred Brethren signed their names, calling for his resignation. Many personal cards were mailed to his home, detailing how he was the “tool of satan” and should stop believing what he preached. “Chuck was the last prophetic voice in leadership. He was completely honest regardless of the consequences,” Eric Bishop, 2011 La Verne Church of the Brethren moderator, says.

Valerie Beltran, Chuck’s daughter and associate professor of education at the University of La Verne, says her father realized early on that leaders of the denomination were not willing to stand up for what was right, in the name of holding the denomination’s beliefs strong. Looking off, picturing her father, Valerie says, “I apologize for crying, but my dad fought his hardest, but he did it in a way that was respectful. As Carol Wise [former associate pastor of the La Verne Church] says, ‘he was a peacemaker and a disturber of the peace.’ He would stand his ground, but he would do so peacefully and calmly.” Valerie says her mother would get phone calls asking how it felt to “be married to a fag” or telling her to “rot in hell.” “Yet, despite this hate mail and calls for his resignation, my father responded to every letter and every phone call with upmost respect,” Valerie says.

Conference brings hardship to fighters

The Church of the Brethren holds an Annual Conference, which determines denominational business. High level policy decisions are voted on, workshops are offered, and the exhibits are plentiful. Queries, or questions to be discussed, are brought to the delegates for voting. The spirit is intended to harmonious, consensual and team building as the delegates hammer out denominational issues.

But this past year was different. Members of the La Verne Church of the Brethren congregation left the 2011 Annual Conference, held in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with a sour taste. “Annual Conference was a painful, heartbreaking experience this year,” Susan Boyer wrote in the La Verne Church of the Brethren Intercom in the September 2011 issue. These reactions were anchored in the Intercom by other La Verne delegates in attendance and then relayed to the congregation following the crucial and altering Annual Conference decision: a vote to affirm a 1983 statement, titled, “Human Sexuality from a Christian Perspective.” The vote adopted all amendments made within the past 28 years. “In essence, the delegates approved a recommendation to return both items of business to the sending bodies, reaffirm the 1983 paper and keep talking with each other about human sexuality outside of the formal process,” Stan Noffsinger, Church of the Brethren general secretary, says. The document itemizes how the Brethren feel about homosexuality and backs up these opinions with Biblical verses and guidelines. In essence, it says homosexual love and covenantal relationships are immoral and should not be made public nor permanent. This Annual Conference statement was adopted in its entirety, and the decision was made to continue conversations about the issue without the query process. The La Verne Church of the Brethren delegates, along with delegates who represent other welcome and loving Church of the Brethren communities of worship, were furious. Their attempts to sway and to convey their emotions were met with hostility and not accepted by the Church at large, culminating to the point of a death threat made to a lesbian leader. “Many of us are aware of the level of hostility toward LGBT people and the level of fear,” says Wise. “So while it was very disturbing, on some level, it was not surprising.” Wise is currently executive director of the Brethren Mennonite Council for LGBT Interest. Not coincidentally, she is a leading woman in a struggle against the grain. “Are we practicing love and hospitality, or are we practicing exclusion and fear? I think it is a struggle for the soul of the denomination in terms of the type of people we will be,” says Wise.

The theme of the 2011 Conference was “Gifted with Promise: Expanding Jesus’ Table,” which was met with differing opinions, especially with the issue of inclusion at hand. “It was ironic that as we are excluding groups of people, our theme is designed to expand and include others,” Randy Miller, Messenger editor and La Verne Church of the Brethren member, says. “I feel that everybody should have—and has a place at the table. We too easily point the finger and too quickly rush to judge. If I were to err, I’d rather err on the side of compassion than judgment.”

“In 2009, the process to discuss the inclusion of the 1983 document started,” says Tim Harvey, the current Church of the Brethren moderator. “It began with a query that was brought to the floor about covenant relationships between two persons of the same sex. This year, the decision was to leave the 1983 human sexuality paper unchanged, and it reaffirmed the business position of the Church of the Brethren in regards to homosexuality.” Harvey wishes that the Church of the Brethren members could do a better job at taking their conversations deeper. He says the conversations are only at ground-level and are not thinking about those involved. “These people are ones that we care about, no matter which side we are on. I hope the Church can find a better way to talk this over,” Harvey says. “I am willing to work with all who walk in my Church, but it is too easy for the Church to fracture over such topics.”

How the other side feels

The September 2011 Messenger issue was met with furious and passionate letters to the editor. The magazine reported what had occurred at the Annual Conference and included an article written by moderator-elect Robert Krause explaining why he said “yes” to a nomination from the floor, instead of allowing a Standing Committee approved all-woman ballot slate to go forward to the delegates. The October 2011 issue presented the strong and differing opinions of the Messenger readers, totaling five pages of copy, representing an equal balance of views. Publisher Wendy McFadden felt it necessary to write a forward saying that “the opinions expressed in letters to the editor are not necessarily the opinions of Messenger. And that the opinions in the letters published are roughly proportional to those received.”

Benjamin Haldeman from Greencastle, Pa., writes in his letter to the editor, “After reading the September Messenger letters to the editor, a reader could conclude that many in our denomination have chosen to follow the god [sic] of this world instead of the God of heaven. Woe to us if we reject the law of God and Yeshua, our Savior.” The opening of Haldeman’s letter details that Church of the Brethren members need to follow the God who saved them, not the one who says everyone is loved by one another. Writes P.V. Lee Smith from Mount Pleasant, Pa., “I am hurt and deeply troubled at seeing people place emotions or psychology as a greater authority than scripture. It grieves my heart to see the denomination treat holiness as if it is of little importance. I find myself dismayed that we spend more time debating what God has clearly said…instead of saving souls and being obedient.”

Gays as leaders in the community

The Church of the Brethren denomination’s identity statement, “Continuing the work of Jesus. Peacefully. Simply. Together,” serves as guidance to the denomination but is not a creed. The Church prides itself in not having one, and its website boasts that it does not have a set of rules. “We simply try to do what Jesus did,” says the site. “At the La Verne Church of the Brethren, we’ve been open and welcoming for a while—probably long before my time at this congregation,” Bishop says. “It’s just the right thing to do.” Bishop says that the Church as a whole sees being a member of the LGBT community incompatible with being Christian, but the La Verne Church thinks otherwise. He says they are stuck in the middle of the current “lightening rod issue” because they want to allow people a place of worship where they feel safe, comfortable and fit in.

Bishop adds that the La Verne Church has it as a goal to model the denominational identity statement. “I do not understand how someone can believe in the Brethren motto and not be accepting. Injustice is the center point of our differences. We have LGBT friends, and they are whom we seek to protect from any more harm.”

“Why do so many people hate gay people?” Wise said during an October sermon at the La Verne Church of the Brethren. “It’s not really hate though. It’s more fear because people read the bible a certain way.” Said Miller, in his editorial published in the October 2011 Messenger, “It is rather presumptuous of us to assume God is finished speaking to us…Alexander Mack and the other founders of the Church of the Brethren were onto something when they claimed no creed but the New Testament. They left the door open for the wind of the Holy Spirit to blow among us, breathing new insights and understandings of God’s will. Who are we to shut that door? Who knows, if the wind blows just right, there may even be room for Jesus—should he wish to become a Christian.”

Although the La Verne congregation withheld its denomination financial commitment in the months following Annual Conference, the total sum was released to Noffsinger at year’s end, along with a conditional letter explaining the delay. The letter, drafted following a November all-Church Council meeting, details the congregation’s concerns “over the direction of the Church.” The letter cites that 2012 La Verne Church giving will hinge on changes the membership wants to see happen by June 2012 within the denomination as a whole. The General Secretary answers he is doing all he can to serve all members of the Church in order to restore and rebuild relationships across the entire denomination. Says Bishop, “We will keep doing what we normally do. The actions we asked for were not a demand, but for now, we will give our quarterly commitment until June. If the higher denomination does not have any sign of willingness to move, we would reconsider giving contributions. If we see change, we will reassess what has occurred.”

La Verne’s requests include the following: (1) acceptance of the Brethren Mennonite Council for LGBT Interests as a Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) project; (2) BMC’s welcomed presence at Annual Conference, symbolized with that organization’s right to host an official booth; and (3) listing of steps taken to ensure a safe and welcoming environment at all Church of the Brethren sponsored conferences. The denomination heard the message. November 2011, BMC received denominational go ahead to feature a booth at the 2012 Annual Conference, and a BVS project was offered thereafter in winter 2012. “I think we will go toward justice socially, and the Church will sadly follow rather than lead the way. There are congregations like La Verne that offer amazing leadership,” Wise says.

“If I, as a heterosexual man, received this kind of castigation during this time, think what our homosexual and bisexual brothers and sisters live with for their entire lifetimes,” wrote Chuck Boyer just before his death. “This is an example of how religion promotes hatred and exclusiveness—two things Jesus fought so hard against. As we examine options open to us, let us think about creating two denominations and encouraging both to love each other as we go our separate ways. The Church of the Brethren has split several times since 1708. These divisions were not entered into lightly, nor would this one be.”

Although most Churches of the Brethren are modest, the La Verne Church stands immense, like a German cathedral. Founded in the late 1800s, it is called a home of worship to nearly 300 members every Sunday.

Local couple affected

The La Verne Church of the Brethren is known for its inclusive nature and welcoming environment, no matter a person’s sexual orientation. Composer, songwriter and church accompanist Shawn Kirchner is no stranger to this welcome environment. He and his partner Ryan Harrison, who is not a member of the denomination, are well-known to the La Verne congregation and consider themselves loved with open arms by all.

Ryan says he and Shawn met while both were working for the University of La Verne. When Shawn invited him to sing in a small ensemble at the Church, he never left the scene. Ryan says he felt safe being openly gay in the La Verne congregation but would not be too sure about any other Church of the Brethren. He says he cannot remember a time when he, or his relationship, felt discriminated at the La Verne Church. Together, they regularly provide music at weddings, memorial services and other special events.

“[Conservative Brethren] cannot make me feel differently about myself or my beliefs, no matter how hard they try or pray about it,” Ryan says. “The issue for me isn’t whether or not I feel safe in the wider denomination, but whether I feel valued and accepted as equally as others. I do not feel this at the denominational level today, but it doesn’t cause me to feel fearful. Sad, yes. Angry, sometimes. But in the end, I guess I fall back on the fact that this is small stuff, certainly not the center of my world.” Ryan says that since he comes from a very diverse religious background, and is not a member of the Church, his views are not typical. But he feels like the Church is his home due to its loving, peaceful and open environment. The Annual Conference affected more than just the members wanting to see change in the inclusion of the LGBT community; it affected those who are, in fact, members of LGBT. “Shawn and I are church musicians and have led music at the denomination’s Annual Conference before. But that was several years ago, and with the recent shifting climate…I’m not sure that we would be welcome on a denominational stage anymore,” Ryan says. The two played a major musical role in the 2003 Boise, Idaho Annual Conference, and, again, in a 2004 nationally televised CBS Christmas Eve service that featured the Church of the Brethren.

According to Ryan, there have most likely been leaders in the Church who “were lesbian or gay” at the denominational level and were accepted because they were not “out” publicly. He does not believe that the denomination is ready for an LGBT community member to be in denominational leadership because it would “only add fuel to the fire. This whole thing will either burn itself out or consume and burn up everything. Nothing stays the same, but spiritually centered people, I believe, are better able to adapt to changes, whatever they look like.”

Names of inclusion hang on a two-sided easel in the La Verne Church of the Brethren foyer. The name tags beckon a warm welcome to fellow members and visitors, boosting the Church’s inclusive mission.

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Gardening for the benefit of others, Mike and Michael Wolfsen share some of the fruits of their labor with a local food bank. The Wolfsens, part of the community garden founding committee, now serve as managers and messengers to the community plot holders. / photo by Nicholas Mitzenmacher

by Jennifer Cuevas
photography by Nicholas Mitzenmacher

The garden overflows with vegetables—tomatoes, watermelon, bell peppers, squash and chilies. Near the garden is a large tree, and its shade is a relief on this blazing hot La Verne day. Sitting under the tree is Michael Wolfsen, who co-manages the La Verne Church of the Brethren garden, named “Peace and Carrots.” Her husband, Mike Wolfsen (his formal name is spelled Michael too) is also in the garden. With a shovel in hand and a barrel nearby, Mike digs with patience and precision into an empty garden patch under the sunny October sky. It is a task he has done many times. The Wolfsens spend at least a few hours a week here, sometimes more in the peak harvest season. It is a labor of love project, and they, along with their fellow gardeners members, are happy to share the fruits—and the veggies—of their labor. “Peace and Carrots” is more than just a symbolic gesture of good will; it literally feeds local people in need. More than 900 pounds in fresh fruits (such as strawberries and watermelon) and vegetables (including varieties of tomatoes, squash and corn) have been donated to a Pomona-based food bank called “The Beta Center,” from the garden’s first year harvest.

About two and a half years ago, the Wolfsens, along with a committee of parishioners, proposed to change an unused grassy lot into a communal garden. The detailed process required Ms. Wolfsen, along with her original nine committee friends, to present twice before the La Verne Church of the Brethren Church Council to discuss the pros and cons of environmental, legal and logistical concerns. The garden program was eventually passed, and the organic garden was born. “We used the old pre-school area that was covered in grass and converted it to the garden area. Even the posts from the fence were recycled from that lot. It really is a ‘green’ space,” says Michael.

There are 28 individual plots in the ground and four raised beds. “The ground plots are 4 X 12, and all of the areas have an automatic drip irrigation system to conserve water,” she says with enthusiasm. The garden does not use pesticides; instead it relies strictly on organic products, such as “Bumper Crop,” to help amend the soil. The original garden committee members (Dot Hess, Deb Jahnke, Bev Rupel, Vern Jahnke, Christine Meek, Barbara Smythe, Tracy Taylor, Mike Wolfsen and Michael Wolfsen, chair; plus new members Anne Lilje and Susan Shibuya) want the garden to be a self sufficient, inspiring community service experience. To help these concepts flourish, gardeners have free access to mulch, compost, tools and literature for reference—plus support from their fellow gardeners and garden committee members. Additionally, there is an area in the corner of the garden, where the public can leave household food scraps, like used coffee grinds, banana peels and egg shells (except for meat), to make compost for the garden. Garden clean up days are open to the public.

The gift that keeps on giving

Part of the garden’s mission is to donate a portion of each harvest to the Beta Center food bank, a project run by Inland Valley Hope Partners. This Pomona-based non-profit organization feeds thousands of local residents monthly. Claudia Yerena, food security manager at Beta Center, accepts donations from the public on the organization’s behalf and has seen first-hand how food can also feed someone’s spirit. “All our clients were very grateful for the hard work put into growing the vegetables. I am extremely grateful to Peace and Carrots for all their donations. Thank you.”

The idea of service is a virtue echoed by the Church of the Brethren. “In our Church, we don’t proselytize. We believe in action and service. The garden helps us fulfill this idea of service and helping one another,” says Mike. Members hope the garden continues to be a vehicle for community service and a way to fulfill the most basic human need—to provide food to function as a human being. “I can’t tolerate the idea of some kid who is out there hungry. We are fortunate enough to be middle class now, but Mike and I both grew up where sometimes you had to eat oatmeal for dinner because there was no food. If a kid goes to school hungry, he can’t learn. Food is important for learning,” says Michael.

Peace and Carrots

Initial news about the garden sparked interest from Church members and local residents. The idea has caught on. The garden’s ground breaking fall harvest 2010 included both novice and experienced gardeners, including a judge, a professor, students, a minister, a graphic designer/writer, a 13-year-old Eagle Scout and children as young as 3. Peace and Carrots publishes a quarterly newsletter, “Gleanings,” and accepts non-church members. Participation costs $40 for one plot, per year (cycle from Jan. 1 – Dec. 31) or $25 for six months. Applications are available in the Church of the Brethren’s office, 2425 E St., and are reviewed by the committee. Upon being assigned a plot, the gardener has up to two weeks to cultivate and plant. The garden patch cannot be left fallow for more than three weeks.

Although there is a sense of independence, the idea of collective support is key. “One of the great things about gardening in community is it allows you the support of other gardeners—not that they do the gardening for you, but there is always somebody who can help. Some have more expertise in something you may want to grow and can share tips,” says Janet Ober, associate minister of the La Verne Church of the Brethren, also a recent gardener.

Tools of the trade are available in the garden tool shed—free mulch, compost and literature—to help gardeners maximize harvests. Besides bringing a green thumb, participants must bring the actual seeds to plant and other amenities, such as a pair of gloves.

“We’re still pretty new to it. But the way Michael and Michael set things up, you get a lot of support, a lot of help, and the watering is all automated. It’s about as easy as gardening can get for novices like us,” says Chuck Duffie, a local graphic designer and writer, who participates with his wife and two children. His youngest daughter Nara was inspired first by the garden concept and encouraged her family to join. “I heard about the garden early on, when Michael introduced it to the Church Board, but I didn’t reserve a space at that time. When my youngest daughter Nara saw the garden herself—saw everything growing right there behind the Church—she felt very strongly about being a part of that. So she was the one who led us to the garden,” says Duffie. He and his family were motivated so much, that they started a home garden too; now 100 percent of their Peace and Carrots harvest goes to the Beta Center.

Ober is new to gardening as well and decided to try it out last spring. “You don’t have to be an expert gardener to be a part of this garden.” Starting in April, she planted a variety of tomatoes, corn, watermelon and bell peppers. “It’s fun and inspiring. And you can see who had luck with some foods more than others. Like this year, others planted corn, but I was the only one who had edible corn so other gardeners asked me what I did different to help them next time. You see others’ successes and draw inspiration.”

Even while it is cold, gardens can overflow with fresh vegetables. “In California, in the winter, you can grow ‘cool’ vegetables that do well in cool weather,” says Michael. According to the popular garden website, Burpee®, some of the types of veggies that do well in La Verne’s winter gardens include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, Kale, celery, collards, beets, peas, Chinese pea pods, fava beans, lettuce, radishes and basil.

Creativity flourishes in the garden

For Sean Bernard, University of La Verne associate professor of writing, the idea of the garden was the perfect concept to bridge food literature with creative writing. In spring 2009, he utilized the garden as a tool to inspire his students to write about food. “Students had to go out twice a semester to help in the garden,” says Bernard. “We planted spinach, tomatoes, strawberries, peas, cilantro, garlic, beats, radishes and other food with success.” It is a course he plans to offer again. “You decide what to plant. And when you plant your own food, you discover that it’s insanely better. Tomatoes off the vine are fantastic. I don’t think that it necessarily tastes better because it’s organic, but because it’s fresh.”

Peace and Carrots is more than just planting fruits and vegetables in the garden. Participation in the garden space cultivates a sense of unity in community and continues to be a powerful public service project that extends self-sustaining goodwill, far beyond the borders of 4 X 12 patches of land.

To learn more about the Peace and Carrots garden initiative, visit the office of Church of the Brethren in La Verne at 2425 E St., (909) 593-1887 or visit www.lavernecob.org.

Also see the companion piece, “Planting is not just for the pros: Seven steps to create a vegetable garden.”

Gardening is a family affair for Chuck Duffie and daughters Nara, 7, and Hanako, 9. The Duffies, who contribute their vegetables to the Beta Center food bank, say their cherry tomatoes were their main summer harvest. / photo by Nicholas Mitzenmacher

Sean Bernard, ULV associate professor of writing, nurtures the writing growth of his students along with his bean plants in the Peace and Carrots garden. His creative writing students work in a vegetable plot and then engage in inspired writing focused on food literature. / photo by Nicholas Mitzenmacher

Following the donor brick entrance path, gardeners at the Church of the Brethren are reminded of early sponsors who sold personalized bricks to launch the project. The bricks were placed in the pathway located in the community garden’s main entrance. / photo by Nicholas Mitzenmacher

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Myrna Wheeler, beloved and prominent figure in the La Verne community, became a Trustee at the University of La Verne in 1985. After being diagnosed July 2009 with leukemia, Myrna was given a thousand origami paper cranes by the Enberg family, which are a symbol of hope and eternity in Japan. / photo by Courtney Droke

by Megan Sebestyen
photography by Courtney Droke

“It is a joy to be generous”; wise words from a woman who learned them, and earned them through a life bookmarked by gifts of community service. After becoming a cornerstone to the political and community connections within La Verne—serving as a guiding light for Pacific Southwest Conference Churches of the Brethren and supporting the re-creation of the University of La Verne under President Stephen Morgan—Myrna Wheeler has given more than time and money. She gave her life in pursuit of her passion.

Myrna Wheeler: University of La Verne alumna, University trustee, adviser to the University president, Church of the Brethren minister to older adults, active church constituent and Hillcrest Homes Chaplain. She gave of her life and fueled her service with her joy. During the last six months of her life, Myrna received the blessings and accolades of the community she served when she faced terminal leukemia. “When you are blessed, you want to give,” Wheeler reflected. “One of my first blessings was being at La Verne College.”

A leader in the making

A freshman in 1956, Myrna said that the small size of the campus made her feel at home. “We were very close-knit, just like a big family.” Church was a big part of college life; attending weekly services was mandatory, and even graduation took place inside the La Verne Church of the Brethren. The same minister who married Myrna and her ex-husband Denny was also Myrna’s sociology professor. Nevertheless, Myrna said she was proud to see diversity, campus growth and more opportunities on the La Verne campus today, as they were not available to her.

Myrna participated in the first Summer Service Program in 1957 at the Covington Church of the Brethren in Kent, Wash. During the 12 week program, Myrna believed she laid the groundwork for her future, finding that her passion was working to help others. “That experience probably shaped me more than any other one experience. It made me very aware of the differences in people.” She remembered accompanying the pastor to call on neighbors, to tell them about the church program. “We walked into a hovel that was filthy. The couple both were mentally deficient, and it appeared also so were their five or six children—all running around with few clothes on and with very unsanitary conditions. While I am a big proponent of government not interfering with reproductive rights, I did see the necessity of education and support services for challenged couples,” said Myrna.

After graduation, she began teaching and working in the Covina Unified School District Pregnant Minor Program. Her experiences were vivid. “One time, a student and her 4-month-old son were abandoned by her parents. They literally packed up and left the state while my student was in school, leaving no contact information. I was able to provide a home for mother and son for about five months, until other relatives found a place for her. This story underlines my belief that for many of my nearly 1,000 students, in my 27 years of teaching pregnant teens, that often the pregnancy is the least of the girl’s problems—abandonment, drugs, alcohol, abuse and gang activity often were part of these girls’ lives,” said Myrna.

In another instance, “a 14-year-old student was determined to keep her baby, even when her parents forbid it. They, at ages 32 and 33 did not want to be grandparents. The girl delivered; she was put in a foster home near school. The baby was placed in a foster home in Los Angeles. Every day, this girl pumped her breast milk and froze it, got on a public bus and went to feed her baby in Los Angeles. After a month of this rigorous routine, her parents relented—they realized that she was serious about being a good mom,” said Myrna.

Creating a bond in La Verne

Myrna never lost touch with her alma mater. She began “Gang Dinners” in 1960, a tradition that brought her college friends together for once-monthly potlucks. While living one year in Temple City, she found that she missed her friends; they had been a big part of her life. So the “old group” came together to share memories over meals. “The community of relating to people is so important,” says Myrna. “On campus, you meet people you want to be lifelong friends with.”

She stressed the importance of friendships made in college, “since college is the time when people typically change the most.”

Her long-time friendship with the ULV president went to a new level in 1985 when she was elected to the University Board of Trustees. Steve Morgan reflects fondly about his long-time friend. “I told her recently that when I grew up I’d like to be like her,” muses the president, explaining that Myrna serves as an example for the type of person he wishes everyone would strive to be. “I think Myrna reminds me to be positive and thoughtful and to champion the values important to me.” On the Board of Trustees, Myrna played a key role in shaping the school’s future through gifts of her time, advice and financial backing. “I think I bring a point of view that perhaps the office of the president doesn’t get very often. The kind of thing I am good at is reconnecting back to the original purpose of the University,” expressed Myrna.

Julia Wheeler, Myrna’s daughter and development director in University Advancement, explains that Myrna “took action and made community.” Julia’s two sons Ben Sankey and Brandon Sankey are freshman and senior ULV students. Julie is also a La Verne alumna.
From this generosity, this service, these connections, has come contentment. “I believe each one of us is responsible for our own happiness,” explained Myrna. “If we look back on the history of La Verne from its founding to today, we’ve seen enormous change. Myrna’s legacy to La Verne is to perpetuate our values in a changing world,” says Steve. “She’s been a constant reminder of those values most important to La Verne.”

Myrna’s trustee leadership gift extends from the Campus Center to service on the Finance Committee, Executive Committee and Committee of Student Affairs. “You get back so much more than you give when you are generous,” mused Myrna. “It’s more than just financial generosity; it’s about being generous with your time, with who you are in the world and giving people the benefit of the doubt.” To commemorate her work, Myrna’s name is forever emblazoned on both the Campus Donor Wall and the door of Student Affairs in the new Campus Center Building, locations she herself chose, carrying her work with student affairs close to heart.

The biggest project, recalls Steve, was when Myrna chaired the 1991 Centennial Celebration, an 18-month undertaking to celebrate the 100th anniversary of ULV. “She was a very effective leader,” Morgan recounts. “When Myrna speaks, people listen.” Myrna recalled the time she spent working toward the year-long celebration as, “the most fun time I had. The whole faculty, staff, everyone just rallied around with these great ideas.” She remembered that the school had a special celebration that entire year; each month held a different event.

Additionally, Myrna served as an adviser to the president, guiding him concerning political ramifications of University decisions. Myrna, Steve elucidates, was so well connected within the community that she could predict the effect of University decisions on the community. “Myrna has really been a valuable guiding source. Myrna has always had a very helpful perspective on how to include the Church in the vision of La Verne and still continue to expand. She has been very helpful on how to frame traditions in a modern context.”

Early in Morgan’s presidency, he faced tough decisions during a time when women were not in academic leadership roles. Consequently, he tried to assist women seeking office positions. As Morgan attests, Myrna offered valuable assistance and insight, as she was “firm and very much in favor of moving women into leadership positions. Myrna is a champion of issues of diversity and inclusion. She’s very respectful of people’s beliefs and backgrounds.” These stories and contributions reach deep into a bottomless well. Morgan’s eyes alight with stories yet unshared. “If I could think of anyone who epitomizes what we stand for at La Verne, it would be Myrna.”

An asset to the community

But Myrna’s generosity is not just limited to the school. The day after her 2001 retirement from teaching, Myrna began work as the chaplain at Hillcrest Homes, a La Verne retirement community located just blocks from the University. “I knew that was where I wanted to be. It is a population that has a lot of stories to tell,” attested Myrna.

Since then, while serving as a minister to older adults for the Church of the Brethren and as the Hillcrest chaplain, she gave time and energy to groups like Harps for the Spirit, a Claremont-based program that performs soothing, live harp music for the seriously ill and The Association of American University Women. She served as cabinet member for the National Older Adults for the Church of the Brethren and delivered as a speaker at a Church of the Brethren national Annual Conferences, attended by more than 1,000 people.

“She is probably the most generous woman I’ve ever met—with her energy, her time, her finances,” says Susan Boyer, pastor at the La Verne Church of the Brethren and colleague of Myrna’s for the past seven years. “She’s also got more energy than anybody I’ve ever met. Myrna’s not ever a complainer. She just works hard and feels it a privilege to be involved in people’s lives. It’s taught me a lot.”

When she learned she had leukemia, Myrna retired from her church positions. Her fellow Church members gave a gift they knew she would like best: a $5,000 charitable donation in her name to Heifer Project, International. The gifts she has given all her life have amounted to unparalleled respect and admiration from her colleagues. “She’s remarkable. She is just like no one else,” says Susan. “I consider her a heroine, a friend and a mentor.” Emotional at the compilation of memories, Susan explains that Myrna has been at the heart of the Church, an integral part of the foundation. “She’s a builder. She helps build people’s lives. She’s just amazing.”

“Shawn Kirchner, church organist and long-time friend of Myrna, says, “I have appreciated her warm friendship. It really can’t be overstated how much of a positive impact Myrna makes in whatever groups she finds herself in. She holds so many things together and is a role model in so many ways—of good humor, of a great work ethic, of friendliness, of how to seize the day, of great generosity. What a spirit.”

With her health failing, Myrna continued to hold her tenacity and strength, powered by her beliefs. “She has a deep and profound faith. She is a strong feminist. She is a progressive Christian. She does not seem to be worried about things,” says Susan. “She has that incredible faith.”

Myrna hoped her work at the University showed students that “one person can make a difference. I think people can make a difference in lots of different arenas.”

And Myrna has not, will not, ever truly leave the University and its students. “I believe in life-long learning,” she declared, “I don’t believe you ever stop learning.” For those who hold to that belief and give of themselves, Myrna’s life philosophy will be theirs.

Myrna Wheeler died Jan. 9 in her San Dimas home after fighting acute myeloid leukemia. She was 70.

Cornerstone of Myrna Wheeler’s life, the La Verne Church of the Brethren has served in partnership with the University of La Verne since its founding. Brethren services were originally offered in a College building. In 1902, the Church location was moved to its present day location at the corner of Bonita Avenue and E Street. The sanctuary (above) dedication followed in 1930 and has been the constant location for University of La Verne baccalaureate services. / photo by Courtney Droke

The Heifer Project

One of Myrna Wheeler’s many philanthropic choices was The Heifer Project International. This program, created under the guidance of the Church of the Brethren, takes a holistic approach to build sustainable communities, end world hunger and poverty, and care for the earth. Areas of global initiative include teaching environmentally sound agricultural techniques, animal management training, and enforcing gender equity and education about HIV/AIDS.

Last year, Heifer Project had 869 active projects in 53 countries and 27 states. The major program, “Pass on the Gift” donates animals and provides training to families in need. The families can then build a sustainable income from the animal and pass on the animal’s offspring to other needy families.

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Intuitively captivating his audience at the La Verne Church of the Brethren with his deft rendition of both classical and contemporary masters, Shawn Kirchner offers a dramatic and passionate musical delivery that leaves his listeners mesmerized. / photo by Courtney Droke

by Jaclyn Mittman
photography by Courtney Droke

The city of La Verne is home to the music man: Shawn Kirchner. His piano playing resembles a modern day Mozart, but to those who know him, he is simply a versatile composer.

As an organist, pianist, composer, singer and songwriter, Shawn has developed an impressive list of musical abilities. His gift of improvisation, interpretation, playing by ear and sight-reading places him among the most talented musicians in the Los Angeles area.

Trained in classical music, he continues to expand his musical talent to new styles such as folk, gospel, jazz and pop. Shawn has also developed what he calls “bluegrass piano,” which integrates the “virtuosity of a bluegrass band and the piano.” Another interesting ability: his use of improvisation by imitating particular playing styles of many classical composers.

Even though Shawn can imitate the styles of many composers, he still aspires to be like Mozart. He shares that Mozart was always enjoying his music and having fun. Shawn says he wants the singers and musicians to enjoy their experience when he writes music for them, similar to the way Mozart had enjoyed sharing his music. “[Mozart’s] music was always about beauty,” Shawn says. “He has always been a huge hero to me.”

Shawn delivers concert level music Sunday after Sunday for the La Verne Church of the Brethren. But aside from serving as pipe organist and pianist, he also performs with the Los Angeles Master Chorale as a tenor at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, directs his own jazz quartet and works as a freelance pianist. He also offers voice teaching and music coaching. He is a musician’s, musician. Music is Shawn Kirchner’s life. “Shawn is a patient teacher, and he inspires perfection in his students,” says Steve Biondo, ULV music department coordinator.

Shawn has always had music in his veins since his Iowa birth in 1970. He played the melodeon at age 5 and wrote his first song at 8. “It just made sense how to put the notes together,” he says.

The Church of the Brethren nurtured his musical upbringing. As a 4-year-old triplet, he sang at the church with his brother and sister. Piano lessons followed from a neighborhood woman, whom Shawn claims as his major musical inspiration, along with a junior high teacher. “I would not have a career today without that neighbor,” Shawn says. “I am a strong believer in teachers and how they influence their students.”

Other influences came from radio. He describes himself as “a sponge” when it comes to any music or style. His dad listened to country, and his mom listened to classical music, which may have triggered his love for bluegrass. Shawn lives in these musical worlds and has an open respect for others. He even went through an opera phase, which he laughs at now because while he tolerates it, he does not particularly enjoy it. Surprisingly, when Shawn matriculated at Manchester College in Indiana, he did not pursue his musical abilities, but instead majored in peace studies. He later found his way back into music, or as Shawn explains, “I had taken a detour.” Graduate school found him pursuing choral directing. Following, he was a vocal coach and pianist in Chicago. There, he played for Neil Rosenshein’s studio at the Lyric Opera’s Center for American Arts. He also worked as an accompanist in the voice studio of Elsa Charlston and Catherine Malfitano.

The University of La Verne originally brought Shawn west. With his Brethren heritage, he jumped at the opportunity and become the new choral director in 1999. He remained in the position until 2001, he says, because his love for performing made him feel stifled, and he wanted more time to write, compose and perform. Shawn won many friends at ULV. “He is a fabulous pianist, a world-class composer, particularly of choral music and songs, and, though incredibly gifted, remains humble and completely caring of others,” says Reed Gratz, chair of the ULV music department.

He joined the Los Angeles Master Chorale in spring of 2001. Since then Shawn has found the Chorale to be life changing. “The Chorale has wonderful singers and musicians who can read a level of musicianship that is challenging and inspiring,” shares Shawn. “It really is a privilege to make wonderful music.”

Shawn and the Master Chorale performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl. Under the Master Chorale’s music director Grant Gershon, he has sung in several collaborations with Steve Reich, including two recordings for Nonesuch Records and in a performance at the New York City Lincoln Center, in honor of the composer’s 70th birthday.

Recently, Shawn has put most of his musical focus into songwriting. “Meet Me on the Mountain,” his latest, prompted critic Meryl Ann Butler, writer for OpEd News, to say it brings an “added dimension of emotional depth to the scenes and characters that inspired them.” Shawn says it took about five months of song writing, two days of recording and three to four months of “fine tuning” in order to complete “Meet Me on the Mountain.” The fiddler/violinist from the ‘Brokeback Mountain’ soundtrack also played on his album. “I loved the ['Brokeback Mountain'] soundtrack,” he says. “I was really inspired by the music. The movie was also very gripping, and every character had a gripping role. It was like the songs were there, just waiting to be written.”

Shawn’s work can also be heard on many soundtracks such as “Lady in the Water,” “License to Wed,” “Horton Hears a Who,” “National Treasure II: Book of Secrets,” “Race to Witch Mountain,” “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” and the upcoming “Sex in the City II.” He has been able to participate on these soundtracks because of his work with the Chorale. “You have to be involved in all aspects of music,” Shawn says regarding the Chorale. “They do all different things, and you have to be able to read music on site, so the Chorale is well set up to do movie soundtracks.”

Some of Shawn’s compositions and arrangements are performed worldwide in concert halls, churches, schools and on radio and television. “Tu Voz,” a sonnet choral setting by Pablo Neruda, premiered at the Walt Disney Concert Hall May 2007 and was commissioned by the Los Angeles Master Chorale. In Spring 2010, there will be a recording with the Los Angeles Master Chorale for a Christmas album, one-third of which will be Shawn’s arrangements.

His biggest highlights? “The honor of having the L.A. Master Chorale perform my choral pieces in various concerts.” Shawn often performs as a duo with Ryan Harrison, a tenor soloist and performing artist, in bluegrass, folk, country and gospel renditions. Ryan adds an interesting vocal dynamic to the duo, while Shawn combines his incredible talent as a pianist and a songwriter, using recreated jazz masterpieces. Ryan performed the lead vocals for “Meet Me on the Mountain.” There, Butler describes Harrison’s voice as “numinous and evocative; rich, strong and captivating.”

The duo began to further explore jazz and expand their repertoire when the jazz club Hip Kitty opened at the Packing House in the city of Claremont. Shawn’s jazz quartet is a frequent performer there, with Ryan, Robbie Davis on bass and Biondo on drums. The quartet plays classical and original jazz tunes to entertain the Hip Kitty guests. They also periodically play at the Pop Champagne and Dessert Bar in Pasadena, Calif.

“Shawn is a great musician and a rare talent as a composer and a performer,” Biondo says. “It’s always fun to play music with him because you just know it will be special. [He] is one of the finest musicians I know,” Biondo shares. “He is a great pianist as well as a soulful singer. He is a perfectionist about his own original music and very specific with regards to how any composition is performed and interpreted.”

All this praise rolls off Shawn. For him, as La Verne’s designated “Music Man,” it is all about sharing the music in you, enjoying the musical moment and living a life that only Mozart could play.

Shawn’s notable recordings

Recently, Shawn Kirchner has put his musical focus into songwriting. His impressive list of recordings include: “Enter the Light of Life,” a CBS nationally broadcast Christmas Eve special; “Glimpses of Freedom,” a fund-raising CD for the organization On Earth Peace; “Kindling Live!” and “Spark the Fire,” with the folk group Kindling; “A Choral Christmas: the Juniata College Concert Choir”; “Holy World,” original material; and, most recently, “Meet Me on the Mountain,” a mix of bluegrass, country and folk inspired by the film, “Brokeback Mountain.”

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