Terry McGonigal (1994-present) dean of the chapel
Last fall marked two  milestones in our family life as our son Brandan was married on Aug. 24 to Shawnda Butterfield, '06, here in Spokane, and on Dec. 15 our daughter, Shannon, was married to Dan Vandewarker in Escondido, Calif. I had the distinct joy and honor of performing both weddings, accompanied by Kevin Parker, '96, for Brandan and Shawnda's wedding, and by Suzette's brother Dennis, pastor of Emmanuel Faith Community Church in Escondido, for Shannon and Dan's wedding. To wrap up the year, all of us gathered, along with our son Keats and his wife, April, at Schweitzer Mountain in Sandpoint for Christmas skiing.

The spring brought sadness to the Whitworth community as we grieved the loss of freshman Dan Burtness, killed in a car accident. Dan was my freshman advisee, a remarkable young man whose faith in Jesus was contagious and whose commitment to share the joy of life touched everyone who knew him. Dan's parents and siblings are amazing people, filled with an unshakeable confidence that comes from the assurance of Jesus' resurrection. At the memorial service held here in the chapel, Dan's dad described "unspeakable grief and amazing grace, all in the same moment." Somehow in the midst of all of life's tangled web, Jesus keeps breaking through, with grace, with truth, with joy. We have experienced all of these during this academic year, as we have tried to serve our students in a way that will provide them the opportunity to experience God's love in Christ. May God's peace be with all of you.