Pietisten

2009 Pietisten Annual Meeting

March 7, 2009, Courtroom 317, Landmark Center, St. Paul, Minnesota

by Phil Johnson

Agenda:

Welcome: Editor Phil Johnson
Grace: Elder Lindahl
Eat and Visit
Call to Order, Managing Editor
Introductions
Poem: “This Much I Do Remember” by Billy Collins
Text Study, David
Poem: “The Voyage” Art Mampel
Thank yous:
Sharon Carlson
Max Carlson
Poem “Everything Twice” by William Stafford
“Inflation” by Art Mampel
Greetings: Mel Soderstrom, Lenard Hill, Bob Bach, Ed Nelson,
Poem: “The Gathering” by Yenta

Managing Editors & Secretary Treasurer’s Report

A. Financial report

a.Income: Donations 3236; gift memberships 183; Membership renewals up from 3477, Total income: 7904 (down ,2262)

b.This year to date 3991, Cash on hand, $400- printing bill paid

c.Subscriptions: total 992, Regular 762 Reverse, 230

d.Issues produced in 2008 – 1 plus

B. Other matters

V. Other business

VI. Reports & Greetings

Lenard J. Hill, Victoria, Australia, to the staff of Pietisten.

Mel Soderstrom: From all the readers of the Pietisten on the North Park campus we send you our warmest greetings...

Jay Phelan, Karl Clifton Soderstrom, Michelle Clifton Soderstrom, Mel & Joanne Soderstrom, David Parkyn, Kurt Peterson

And probably many more not mentioned. We appreciate your many years of work and writings.  We all look forward to every issue....Finally from those who have retired from the campus we also say thank you... Helen Fredrickson, Dorothy Vann, Gladys Larson, Don Frisk, Bob Apple and many more not mentioned

.

In conclusion remember the "Annual Fund"...It pays for books in the library and Carl Wistrom's salary (Ivar's son) now in charge of the physical plant...3rd generation of Wistrom's in that position.

Daffy Dave: Hello fellow Pietisteners.

Greetings and salutations from Daffy Dave!  Here's hoping you all have a blessed and fruitful gathering.  I now officially have you linked on the daffydave.com website under NEWS, REVIEWS, AND MORE.  I can't tell you what a thrill it is for a professional nut like myself to be included in your publication and to be on the cutting edge of the modern pietistic movement.  Thanks for all your wonderful and insightful articles, recipes, gardening tips, boating ads, humor and poetry, not to mention, the flattering and humbling opportunity to be a published clown!

May the Almighty Mystery of God and God's cosmic joking around ignite new visions of that very presence in your midst. --Daffy Dave

Poetry Editor’s Report

“The Bench” Art Mampel

Philosophy Editor — Arv Adell, Qatar Report

Navigation (& History) Editor

GREETING TO 2009 BAM (Big Annual Meeting) FROM NAVIGATION (& HISTORY) EDITOR

We got ready to go to kindergarten during a depression, and it appears that we may be preparing to enter the old folks’ home during one. That is the story of certain members of the Pietisten editorial staff. The names Adell, Mampel, Tredway come to mind. These three and others of their vintage are at the point where the term “depression” has two edges. Does it mean the kind of financial low that can be cured with the right stimulus package, or is it the kind of funk that is, at least these days, dealt with by pharmaceuticals? Well, there’s another way to deal with either kind of depression, and that is perusing the tasty vanilla pages of the journal/newspaper/op-ed semi-annual whose Annual Meeting tonight celebrates another year of adding victory unto victory, always intending (and delivering) blessing.

I’m wondering how we ever had a Depression in the thirties without cable television to keep reminding us that we were in one. Well, I’m through with CNN and MSNBC. My vow on March 7, 2009, made in draught-plagued Santa Fe, is to remain true in my reading and reflecting to the santa fe, the holy faith that keeps Pietisten going, never thirsty, drinking always from the water of life, the sure-cure for any depression.

Greetings from a far place,
the poem.
You shall meet, but you shall miss us
There will be a vacant chair
You shall linger to caress us
As you breathe your evening prayer.

Navigation (and History) Editor, Tom Tredway

On line Editor (Father of Axel whose Great Grandmother, Lorraine Johnson is here) Report:

For the most part, the website remains at status quo. In the past year, Pietisten Online has averaged about 2,000 visits per month. As in the past, many of those visitors find us through popular search engines and other sites, like Wikipedia. Many of the searches are for names, including Michael Groh, Kaj Munk, Paul Holmer, PP Waldenstrom, David Hawkinson, and Elder Lindahl, among others. We've also seen a large upswing in searches for Philip Keillor in the days since he passed away.

Besides our usual practice of publishing the online edition at a leisurely pace, Pietisten Online has also made strides in posting reader comments. As responses to the tributes to Michael Groh and Henry Gustafson came in, the Online Editor made sure they were quickly posted to let everyone enjoy the variety of feedback. Keep checking the website, and send any comments to the Online Editor.

Dear Pietistenistas,

Rumors have reached the western front that the Pietisten stimulus package does not involve complicated financial instruments, but instead genuine musical instruments. With strings attached. Go autoharp, fiddle, bass fiddle, and piano! We can feel the snow melting from here.

Best wishes,
Associate Editor, Nels Elde (Who wrote and article published in the scientific journal, Nature)

THE EPISTLE OF THE ROVING REPORTER TO THE PIETISTEN BRETHREN

To all that be gathered at the Pietisten Annual meeting, beloved of God. Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the pages of Pietisten. I long to see you, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. Now I beseech you, brethren, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you.

Therefore seeing we have this Pietisten ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God.

Finally, brethren, be of good comfort, be of good mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.

Dr. Bob Bach, Angels Camp, California

Awards

Hosts award: Max, Sharon
Founders Award: David and Peter
Distinguished Service: Sandy Johnson
Navigation: Tom Tredway
Poetry: Art Mampel
Translation: Tommy Carlson
Columnist: Glen Wiberg
Volunteers: Swansons and Johnsons
Reliability: Elder
Roving reports: Socko
Online: Karl Nelson
Ground of Being: Art Anderson