Recent Alum Awardees

2007 PLTS Presidential Alum Award

John L. Vaswig is a 1985 graduate of PLTS. He is senior pastor at Mountain View Lutheran Church in Edgewood, WA. Vaswig not only leads a vital West Coast congregation, he also is involved in social ministries at home and abroad and is a tireless supporter of seminary education. His congregation gives annually to PLTS but their commitment to training future ministers goes beyond financial giving. The $100,000 raised through their Centennial campaign in 2004 supports a program to introduce middle school and high school students to the possibilities of ordained ministry, as well as funding seminary scholarships. Vaswig’s commitment to social ministry is evident in his founding of the China Partners Network, which brings surgeons and therapists to China twice each year, and his leadership in building the Mountain View Habitat for Humanity house, which was funded by $75,000 raised in the Centennial campaign. Vaswig has served as a member of First Call Theological Education Task Force, the Board of Directors of the Spokane Food Bank, and the Board of Regents for Pacific Lutheran University. Besides being founder and president of the board of directors for China Partners Network, he holds the same titles at Lutheran Alliance for Affordable Housing. He also has participated in The Fund for Theological Education, an ecumenical group that strives to develop future church leaders and the Edgewood Community Food Bank. Vaswig graduated from Pacific Lutheran University in 1980. He and his wife, Monique, have three children.

2006 PLTS Alum Awards

Susan Langhauser and Roger Gustafson both graduated with honors from PLTS in 1990. They served their internship as a pastoral team at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Lafayette. They met as students at PLTS and were married in 1988. Currently, they are co-pastors of Advent Lutheran Church in Olathe, Kansas, a congregation which has grown from 350 to almost 1500. Bishop Gerald L.Mansholt writes: “This suburban congregation has grown and prospered under their excellent leadership and ministry. Their gifts complement one another and have helped this congregation to grow deeply as a spiritual community and outwardly as a congregation in mission.” He also noted that their congregation hosts a Laotian Worshipping Community and that they lead an annual home-building mission trip to Mexico. Roger and Susan have teamed on several projects: They co-chaired the ELCA Churchwide Assembly Host Committee (1993) and the Installation Committee for Bishop Gerald Mansholt, and they served jointly as their Area Ministry’s first Conference Dean. Both are internship supervisors. Susan, with her music background, has collaborated with Roger on the words and lyrics for a liturgical worship setting, “Service of Joy” by Tom Williams.

Roger and Susan have a son, Andy, who works in the commercial real estate market in Kansas City.

2006 PLTS Distinguished Ministry of Special Service Award

Rev. Susan Langhauser (M.Div. 1990) As a result of her book, Blessings and Rituals for the Journey of Life, (Abingdon Press, 2001) she has been a featured speaker for workshops and seminars on the subject of creating everyday rituals and marking sacred passages. She regularly writes the “Lesson and the Arts” section in Lectionary Homiletics preaching journal and has been a national trainer for Faith Inkubators educational systems.

Susan writes: Bishop Hanson said recently he had been thinking about “what an intriguing time it is to be in ministry,” as he reflected on a suggestion that he has the best call in this church. I’d like to challenge his claim because I have been blessed to be in a call that fits my spiritual gifts, with a partner whose gifts are amazingly complementary, and among a people who are hungry for God and willing to open themselves to learning, experiencing and sharing what God is up to in this place.

Susan was trained in vocal music and stage in New York City, while working for St. Luke’s Lutheran Church. She is actively involved in the local arts community as a member of the Advisory Board for the Allegro Community Childrens’ Chorus, the University of Missouri’s Stage Door Club and Jefferson Society, as well as the Kansas City Repertory Theatre’s Heritage Society. She is the convener for the Blue Valley Ministerial Association and a Chaplain for the Overland Park, Kansas, Police Department.

2006 PLTS Distinguished Ministry of Parish Pastor

Rev. Roger Gustafson (M.Div. 1990) In addition to serving as a pastor at Advent, Roger has served in several capacities in the Central States Synod of the ELCA: a member of the Pastor-to-Pastor pilot project; a member of the Bishop’s Pastoral Care Team, and chair of the synod’s Evangelizing Strategy Task Force. He now serves as chair of the Church Planters missions team for the Kansas City metropolitan area. He is a contributing writer for “Lectionary Homiletics” and “The Living Pulpit” periodicals. He also volunteers as a mediator at Johnson County Small-Claims Court, has served as a mediator in church leadership disputes and coaches mediation classes at Johnson County Community College. Roger also is a chaplain for the Overland Park, Kansas, Police Department.

Roger is a fan of rock and jazz music, motorcycles, downhill skiing and, since living in Kansas City, barbecue.