Happy Birthday, Holden!
When we think of a birthday celebration, we think of friends and family gathering together, celebrating, giving thanks and anticipating all the possibilities to come. It is in this spirit that all of us are invited to celebrate Holden’s 50th Anniversary, remembering the significance of Holden to our own story and anticipating the Village’s next 50 years.
The Holden Forerunners lived up to their title as they gathered in the Village for a reunion in July 2011.While reminiscing on the hiking trails and passing the peace at worship, they helped to usher in a year of remembering, celebrating, and looking forward to the future.
Then, beginning in the fall of 2011, we kicked off celebrations with two gatherings, one in Minnesota and the other in Washington. Other gatherings will be schedule throughout the year to share stories of grace found and lessons learned along the Holden road.
Whether you are in the Village, downlake, on Facebook, breaking bread with new acquaintances or listening to archived teaching sessions, there will be ample opportunity to recollect memories of Holden Village. With gratitude and grace, we will celebrate together the gift of Holden Village and prepare to share the bounty with those who will discover Holden Village in the future.
Adapted from Stacey Jutila’s article by the same name found in the Spring 2011 edition of the Village Voice.
Why 1962?
What is the true “birthday” of Holden Village? Looking through old Holden Newsletters and speaking with Holdenites, one will find that this question has been debated much throughout the history of the Village. Early anniversaries celebrated 1961 as the beginning, but since the 25th anniversary we have celebrated 1962 (the first year that Holden’s summer program focused on the Village as a church center for renewal) as Holden’s official birth year.
Though 1962 is now recognized as Holden’s official birthday, one could argue for celebrating many other important dates as crucial starting points for the Village: perhaps June 7, 1957, when Wes Prieb, inspired by an article in the Anchorage Daily News about the closing of the Holden Mine, envisioned a Christian youth camp in the abandoned mining village; or April Fool’s Day 1960, when Wes ironically wrote his final letter to the Howe Sound Mining Company, leading to the Surprising Gift of Holden Village to the church. June 23, 1960, when the Howe Sound Mining Company wrote to Wes saying they were indeed transferring ownership of “The Holden Village” to LBI (the Lutheran Bible Institute, now Trinity Lutheran College) could also be considered a birth date for Holden Village. The 1963 arrival of Holden’s first director Carroll Hinderlie can certainly be considered a formational date for what we have come to know as Holden Village.
As we celebrate 50 years, there are many important dates to remember and celebrate. We may each have our own special days or years we remember from our personal experiences with Holden: the first year you came to Holden, a time you were able to bring a friend to Holden for their first visit, or perhaps the year you met a lifelong friend, or your favorite summer working on staff.
There are many aspects of Holden to commemorate and be grateful for as we celebrate the 50th Anniversary. Most of all, we celebrate the gift that is Holden and the gift of Grace we find in Christ, in and among us.
Adapted from Josh Post’s article by the same name found in the Spring 2011 edition of the Village Voice.
