Goshen College “home concert” to benefit Bluffton student-athletes

Goshen. Ind. — An offering will be taken to benefit Bluffton University student-athletes and their families during the “Home Concert” by the Goshen College Men’s Chorus, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, March 4, in the Church-Chapel.

The concert will be the concluding worship service of the chorus’ Spring Tour. It will feature music, songs, prayer, a slide show, and humorous observations from the West Coast tour, Feb. 23-March 3.

In addition, prayers will be offered for the Bluffton University community. Goshen College President James E. Brenneman will speak about the Bluffton tragedy. And an offering will be taken to benefit Bluffton student-athletes and their families.

The decision to modify the program was made Saturday by Brenneman, Vice President for Institutional Advancement Will Jones, Associate Professor of Music James Heiks, the director of the chorus, and Brian Wiebe, executive director of the Music Center at Goshen College. They also decided to redirect the offering to Bluffton.

“We will be gathering as a community to celebrate the homecoming of our men’s chorus, to give thanks for their safe return, and to offer prayers and support for the Bluffton community,” Brenneman said. “We hope this also will be one expression of the support by the men of the chorus for Bluffton.”

A charter bus carrying members of the Bluffton baseball team crashed early Friday, killing students Tyler Williams of Lima, Ohio; David Betts of Bryan, Ohio; Scott Harmon of Lima, Ohio; Cody Holp of Arcanum, Ohio; and the bus driver, Jerome Niemeyer, and his wife, Jean Niemeyer, both of Columbus Grove. In addition, 29 people were injured, three seriously.

Robin Bowlus, Bluffton’s public relations director, expressed appreciation Saturday for Goshen’s College’s gesture.

“So many people are contacting the university from across the country offering financial support,” Bowlus said. “Our hope is that this kind of love and compassion and support is natural for our community and our state and our country.”

However, Bowlus said Bluffton University would need help for quite a while.

“This has been a sad and tragic situation on our campus and we’re going to need prayers and support in the coming months,” Bowlus said. “Our grieving is not going to end when the memorial services end.”

Besides Sunday’s concert, the Goshen College community will gather at 10 a.m. Monday — the day students return to classes from spring break — at the Church-Chapel for a service of prayer and remembrance.

The Goshen College community feels a close connection to those at Bluffton University because of extensive family ties, friendships and professional relationships. Like Goshen College, Bluffton University is affiliated with Mennonite Church USA.

Key facts

When/where: 7:30 p.m., Sunday, March 4, at College Mennonite Church.

Program: The Goshen College Men’s Chorus Spring Tour Program, a worship experience in song, featuring choral repertoire from many time periods and geographical locations. There also will be reflections about the tour, prayers for the Bluffton University community, and a special message from President Brenneman.

Offering: Donations will benefit a fund established for the Bluffton University baseball team student-athletes who were involved in a charter bus accident Friday, March 2, in Atlanta, Ga.

How to help

A fund has been established for the Bluffton University baseball team student-athletes killed or injured in the charter bus accident on March 2, in Atlanta, Ga., and for their families.

The bus was on its way to Florida for the team’s first games of the 2007 season. Four student-athletes, Tyler Williams (Lima, Ohio); David Betts (Bryan, Ohio); Scott Harmon (Lima, Ohio) and Cody Holp (Arcanum, Ohio); and the bus driver, Jerome Niemeyer, and his wife, Jean Niemeyer, both of Columbus Grove, Ohio, were killed in the accident.

Contributions can be made by check payable to Bluffton University and mailed to: Citizens National Bank, 102 S. Main Street, Bluffton, Ohio, 45817. Please note “Baseball Team” in the check’s memo line. Credit card contributions can be made by calling 1-419-358-3324 during the university’s business hours.

Funds will be available to the baseball players involved in the accident and their families.

Editors: For more information about this release or to arrange an interview or request a photo, contact Goshen College Public Relations Director Richard R. Aguirre at (574) 535-7571(office), (503) 551-7974 (cell) or rraguirre@goshen.edu.

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Goshen College, established in 1894, is a residential Christian liberal arts college rooted in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition. The college’s Christ-centered core values – passionate learning, global citizenship, compassionate peacemaking and servant-leadership – prepare students as leaders for the church and world. Recognized for its unique Study-Service Term program, Goshen has earned citations of excellence in Barron’s Best Buys in Education, “Colleges of Distinction,” “Making a Difference College Guide” and U.S.News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” edition, which named Goshen a “least debt college.” Visit www.goshen.edu.