Whitfield, Widenhofer receive 2008 Distinguished Alumnus Awards

The 2008 Distinguished Alumnus Award for Lifetime Achievement is presented to Luther Whitfield, senior pastor at New Covenant Worship Center in Fort Wayne, IN. Luther Whitfield is a graduate of St. Paul Lutheran School and 1979 alumnus of Concordia Lutheran High School.

Mr. Whitfield began his career as an elementary school teacher after he studied elementary education at Concordia College, River Forest, IL, and then completed a bachelor of elementary education at Indiana University in June, 1984. He and his wife Margo have three children, Tiffany, Mycal, and Renata. Tiffany is a class of 2000 Concordia Lutheran High School graduate and Renata is from the class of 2006.

The opportunity to become the Director of Urban Ministries for Youth for Christ in Fort Wayne drew him to a new role in ministry. With a modest beginning of 45 teens and no physical facility, Luther’s ministry at Youth for Christ was blessed and led to the creation of the Primetime Community Center which serves over 1000 students weekly. In 2004, Mr. Whitfield then began the New Covenant Worship Center in the same Primetime Community in partnership with the Chapel. Over the past three years it has grown to an attendance of nearly 400 people on Sunday mornings. “We are impressed with his success working with the cultural diversity in the urban ministry. Pastor Whitfield is a bright light for Jesus in this community, leading many to a faith in Christ. I am proud to know him as a dedicated man of God and graduate of Concordia Lutheran High School,” stated Dr. Robert Dettmer, 2005 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient.

Luther Whitfield has also achieved many honors and awards and is sought as a national speaker on youth issues. Included in these honors are:1990 Outstanding Youth Leader, Groups Ministry Magazine: Loveland, Colorado, the 2001 Prince Chapman Community Service award, the 2002 Youth for Christ USA Reconciliation Award, and the 2004 Youth for Christ National Service Award from City Life Ministry.

Executive Director of Concordia Lutheran High School, David Widenhofer, states that, “Luther is living evidence of how the Lord uses Lutheran Schools to plant and nurture the seeds of faith and Christian ministry and how they mature over time through the power of God’s Spirit.”

The 2008 Distinguished Alumnus Award for Service to Concordia is presented to David Widenhofer, Executive Director of Concordia Lutheran High School and a 1963 graduate.

His 40-year career in LHS’s began at Martin Luther High School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1968 where he taught, coached, and served as Director of Student Services. In 1985 he began serving seven years as Principal of Lutheran High School Northwest in Rochester Hills, Michigan during which time he led the design and construction of a new high school. He came to Concordia in 1992 as Principal and later was named Executive Director.

During Widenhofer’s tenure at CLHS a two-phase, $8 million master plan for facilities was concluded in 2001 with the Zollner Stadium Project. Major remodeling and improvements included the library, media production are, the Study Center, Administrative Offices, the athletic complex – indoor and outdoor, the outdoor environmental science area, a new school entrance, Cafeteria and the Worship / Conference Center. Restructuring of Business Operations, new efforts to build the Office of Advancement, focusing on Marketing CLHS, and the appointment of an Enrollment Management Coordinator have had major impact on Concordia in a variety of ways.

Widenhofer has served as Chairman and as Secretary of The Association of Lutheran Secondary Schools and led the transition to more independent, effective organization. He often presents on topics related to leadership and Lutheran schools, and in 2004 received the prestigious ALSS Paul Lange Award for Leadership. He was President of the Indiana Non-Public Education Association, a PROJECT GENESIS Consultant for initiating Lutheran schools, a graduate of Leadership Fort Wayne, and from 1999 – 2008 served as Chairman of the Board of the Ronald McDonald’s House Charities of Northeast Indiana.

Last updated on Tuesday, August 26, 2008