On Friday, Sept. 18, Augustana University celebrated the rededication of the Chapel of Reconciliation following the completion of a $4.4 million donor-funded renovation and expansion project — renewing a space that has served as a place for worship, reflection and community for more than four decades.
“As much as the renovations are about supporting functionality, it’s also supporting what the university values — faith, daily worship and spiritual well-being,” said Rev. Ann Elizabeth Rosendale, senior university pastor and vice president for mission integration at AU. “The investment certainly is practical, but it is also very much symbolic. Not very many colleges and universities are renovating their chapels, and Augustana is. I am so proud of that.”
Worship space on campus has evolved over the years — transforming from a sanctuary in the gymnasium to a dedicated worship space, which serves as the “heart of campus.” The chapel was built in 1981 and remained largely unchanged until last year. The renovations — envisioned by Koch Hazard Architects and led by Beck & Hofer Construction of Sioux Falls — began in the sanctuary in May of 2025. Significant donor support allowed for upgrades that included a wall of east-facing windows, enhanced lighting, new flooring and paint, and a state-of the art audiovisual system unveiled in October 2025. The pastors’ offices also got a refresh, and were rededicated as The Williams Campus Pastor Office through the generous support of the family and friends of Rev. Dr. Bruce Williams ‘62.
The addition of the gathering place was completed in April, while renovations to the chapel’s narthex and plaza continued into the spring and summer.
The Fenstermacher Bue Narthex
Made possible through the support of Dr. Joseph “Joe” Fenstermacher ‘56, The Fenstermacher Bue Narthex created a more welcoming space to gather and linger after each service. Fenstermacher, who spent the majority of his career as a neuroscientist studying brain disease, said his best memories of the chapel were shared with his wife Mary Ann (Bue) ‘56, who passed in 2020 from dementia-related complications.
“I would sit down next to my wife, and I would hold her hand,” Fenstermacher said. “We would hear the sermon and the readings from the Bible. My most pleasant memories are of sitting with her in the chapel during those services.”
Now, the narthex bears his name and his wife’s maiden name — a name Fenstermacher said matches the space perfectly.
“Her maiden name was Bue, and in Norwegian, that means beautiful,” he said. “And she was beautiful — my beautiful Mary Ann.”
The narthex also holds six of a 14-piece art collection depicting the life of Christ, which once served as the reredos in Augustana’s chapel-gymnasium. Painted by the late Professor Emeritus of Art Robert “Bob” Aldern ‘51, the reredos was commissioned by the American Lutheran Church (ALC) and served as an important backdrop for the International Luther League Convention held in Miami Beach, Florida, in 1961.
Tired and faded from years of display and moves, the reredos was in need of restoration. With help from several Augustana art students and John Peters, Eide/Dalrymple Gallery & Liturgical Arts coordinator and instructor of sculpture & 3D design, Aldern’s daughter, Noreen Aldern Groethe, repaired and restored the paintings.
“It’s a labor of love,” said Groethe, who owned Aldern Art Studios in Minneapolis, Minnesota, at the time it was being restored. “What a responsibility it is to be painting the face of Christ. As an artist, you hope people are going to sit, look at the paintings and feel something.”
The collection is known as “The Rogness Memorial,” donated to Augustana in honor of the late Paul Rogness ‘58. Fenstermacher and Rogness were good friends and teammates on the football team.
“It pleases me to no end that the paintings will be in the narthex because I knew Paul well,” said Fenstermacher. “My oldest son’s name is Paul — partly in honor of Paul Rogness.”
The Jerstad & Limburg Gathering Place
Named in memory of Campus Pastor Rev. Mark A. Jerstad and Professor of Religion Rev. Dr. James “Jim” W. Limburg, the Jerstad & Limburg Gathering Place was made possible through the generous support of the Jerstad Family and Limburg Family Foundations. The space honors Augustana leaders whose lives reflected faith, learning and service.
“They (Mark and Jim) were good friends and had a close working and personal relationship,” said Jim’s son, Paul Limburg ‘87, a member of Augustana’s Board of Trustees. “They would always trade creative ideas for how to engage the Augustana community more broadly.”
Honoring their close friendship and legacy, the Limburg and Jerstad families partnered to fund the new gathering place, designed to welcome all members of the campus community, much like Mark and Jim once did themselves.
“Augustana is unique,” said Paul. “It’s an institution that provides both an experience and education to students on campus. Anything that we can do to help support the continued mission of Augustana and the chapel is very worthwhile.”
The gathering place, located on the north side of the building can host up to 95 people and addresses the long-standing need for students and staff to have a meeting space for religious and non-religious events and activities. The space has wall-to-wall windows that fill the room with natural light and offers views of the campus green.
Sandy (Skustad) Jerstad ‘79, who had a highly successful career as head coach of Viking Softball, associate professor of Health, Physical Education & Recreation (HPER) and senior women’s administrator, was married to the late Mark Jerstad — who helped inspire the creation of the original chapel building.
“He really felt that there should be a chapel at a Christian college and there should be a community space where people can get together in Christian love,” Sandy said. “He met with the people who were in charge of things and explained how important it would be to have a chapel right in the middle of the campus — he would love where it is today.”
A labyrinth set into the floor of the gathering space offers a path for prayer and reflection. As students, faculty and staff move through the room, the intricate design allows them to slow down, listen and notice God’s presence. The room also features a podium designed and built by Dr. Scott Boyens ‘91, Augustana Athletics team physician, and a team of woodworkers who attend Our Savior’s Lutheran Church.
The Torness Rasmussen Plaza
The Torness Rasmussen Plaza, made possible through the generous support of Jane (Torness) Rasmussen ‘72 and John Rasmussen, extends to the Morrison Commons. The open outdoor space offers additional seating for conversation and reflection, along with a new north entrance to the chapel.
“The chapel is like a wheel with spokes,” said John. “You can go off to the library, to a classroom in another building, to the Morrison Commons or off to your dorm. But the center of the wheel — where all the spokes come together and turn the wheel — is the chapel.”
Jane, who studied English education and social work at Augustana, and John, a former U.S. Army officer and community banker raised their three children with a deep appreciation for Lutheran higher education. Throughout their lives, the Chapel of Reconciliation has remained a meaningful place of solace and reflection for their family.
While reminiscing about the relationships and memories the chapel holds for them, the couple is excited about what the chapel has become.
“When you look back on a college experience, that’s a lot of what you remember is those relationships with professors and other students,” said Jane. “You get to know those people in a really personal way, and I think the chapel was and still is one of the ways that you get to know people more deeply.”
As the Chapel of Reconciliation enters its next chapter, the renewed spaces serve as a testament to the generations of Augustana alumni and supporters who have invested in its future.
“These renovations certainly reflect and allow us to live out some of the core values of Augustana,” said Augustana President Stephanie Herseth Sandlin. “It’s a place where people dedicate time to come together to center individually and collectively. What that means for each person may be different, but at its core, it’s about our Christian foundation and our value of community.”
And it means just as much to the students who utilize the updated spaces.
“College in general is a time to really explore and expand your faith and having the chapel here at AU has allowed me to do that in numerous ways — from meeting people from different parts of the world to people with different faiths,” said John Mortrude ‘28, chapel president and Buntrock Scholar. “The chapel is that piece that brings it all together and allows me to expand my faith in so many different ways and explore new things about myself as a person while still learning about others.”
Another addition to the plaza that the campus community can expect to see later this fall is the 45-foot Hamre Bell Tower, designed by Professor Emeritus of Art Steven Thomas ‘80 and made possible through the support of John Hamre ‘72 and his wife, Julie. The base is already in place, featuring the Augustana seal and a plaque bearing the Hamre name. The structure will also support eight Whittington Chime Bells — creating a full octave of sound. The bell tower is expected to arrive in early November with a dedication ceremony to follow.
To learn more about Augustana’s Office of Faith & Spiritual Life, visit augie.edu/faith.
