Inspire, Summer 2000

Alumni Profile: Circle of Friends y The Circle Never Be Broken • • T he old-fashioned idea of a circle letter is alive and well among some Cedarville graduates. In spite of the trend toward e-mail and phone calls, a group of women are enjoying this form of communication in special ways. When Maria Biggs'95 heard about the idea of a circle letter she decided to try it with a group of her friends. When a participant gets the letter, which is really a packet of letters and pictures, she removes her letter and anything else she has included and puts in her updates. This group of friends also includes a prayer request list that dates back several years allowing them to see how God has worked. The women say they look forward to the letters and enjoy the contact with each other. Knowing that they all are keeping up with each other in the same way adds to the feelings of closeness to each other. As one of the writers puts it,"When I get the circle letter, I make myself a cup of tea and settle down for a wonderful visit with my friends." Today the letter is still circulated among the women who at one time lived together in the same dorm,Faith Hall. Maria is now a third grade teacher at East Knox Elementary School in Bladensburg, Ohio, while Darlene Borgman '96 is a nurse in Gaylord, Michigan. Other members of the group include Marcy Johnson Brennan '94 of Chicopee, Massachusetts,a technical writer; Melissa Kohlbacher '95, a teacher in Horseheads,New York; Lorna Woodard Morse '95,a librarian in McComb,Ohio; Celia King '95, an instructor at Malone College, Canton,Ohio; and Tiffany Beheler Bockmann '95,a pastor's wife who recently left her career to be a full-time mother. Also included are Faith Linn '83, who was the resident director of the dorm where the girls lived, and Sandra Millikin Entner'59, who taught a Bible study that several of the girls attended at Cedarville. In July 2000,the women will gather for a five-year reunion and enjoy the friendships that have only deepened over time. After five years, the letter continues. Since the circle began, at least two other groups of friends have started their own circle letter. One member of the circle stated,"Just imagine what will have been shared in this letter should it continue for 20 years! Already we've experienced a multitude ofjoys and sorrows within our small group. We've shared everything from marriages to broken hearts ... births to deaths ... job promotions to cancer. What ajoy it is to see God work and to have this rare privilege of sharing every aspect of life with special friends.' Inspire 15