Complete text -- "The Six Degrees of Sarah Voorhees"
17 April
The Six Degrees of Sarah Voorhees
I had completely forgotten about the following until just moments ago...the Spirit must have been at work. |
| Rev. Sarah Voorhees |
This was stunning to me, because this was not the first time that I had heard the name Sarah Voorhees mentioned. Several classmates of mine at Wartburg also know this person named Sarah Voorhees through various connections.
Sarah Voorhees is a pastor who serves Trinity Lutheran Church in Carrington, ND. As far as I know, I've never met her myself, but I have heard her named dropped on numerous occassions.
Because of this, I have come to one or two conclusions:
1) Sarah Voorhees is the center of the Lutheran Universe
2) Every Lutheran should be able to trace themselves to Sarah Voorhees through no more than 6 people.
I'm not sure which one is more accurate, but if number 1 is true, than number 2 has to be true, too, right?
If any of my blog readers out there know Sarah Voorhees, please drop a comment and let me know if you know her, and how.
"The Six Degrees of Sarah Voorhees" could very well become an excellent game for Lutherans to play. If this becomes a new game that sweeps across the ELCA, just remember, it started on frontrowlutheran.com.
Posted by jwiese1999 at 20:13:03 - Category: General
Comments
Scott Ehle wrote:
I have heard Shane talk about her a few times...so is that one degree of separation?
04/17/07 20:57:29
Justin Wiese wrote:
Scott: I think that actually would be 2 degrees of separation. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wik... for more info.
04/17/07 21:40:25
Charlene Barnes wrote:
I know her because I went to seminary with her. She was also the intern at my church in Omaha, NE 2 years before me. In addition, I take a class with her fiancé! I think she is the center of the Lutheran universe!!
04/17/07 22:44:59
jwiese1999 wrote:
Surprisingly, I know Charlene Barnes because we were in the same Internship Cluster (Nebraska) together.
ARG! Another person I know that knows Sarah! :-)
Does anyone know where Sarah went to college? For some reason, I think she was at Dana College for a time...
ARG! Another person I know that knows Sarah! :-)
Does anyone know where Sarah went to college? For some reason, I think she was at Dana College for a time...
04/17/07 23:18:54
Sarah Voorhees wrote:
Um, I am Sarah Voorhees, and I find it shocking that I am the center of the Lutheran Universe. Despite the fact that I've lived in 7 states now, I still find it surprising that someone I don't know is writing about me on their blog. How did this get started, please?
04/17/07 23:48:04
Kristin Neitzel wrote:
Way to go, Justin! You are freaking out my good friend! I've known Sarah for a long time...we went to college together. However, I think she & I would both agree that we have more fun memories of times together AFTER college when we got to hang out while she was traveling in my area for her work!
04/18/07 00:22:41
Vickie and Kris Brown wrote:
My husband and I too, know this Sarah Vorhees person!! We went to seminary together and then we served in South Dakota and were able to visit her a couple of times! She is the center of the Lutheran Universe! And an awesome person!!
04/18/07 07:45:32
Matthew Short wrote:
Um - she's staying at my house tonight - does that count as NO degrees of separation?
(By the way, for any questioning this - she is on her way out of town, has an early morning flight out of the cities, and is a good friend of my wife and I. She regularly uses our guestroom as a pitstop on her travels.
She may, indeed, be the center of the Lutheran universe!
(By the way, for any questioning this - she is on her way out of town, has an early morning flight out of the cities, and is a good friend of my wife and I. She regularly uses our guestroom as a pitstop on her travels.
She may, indeed, be the center of the Lutheran universe!
04/18/07 12:46:12
Diana Luscombe wrote:
Sarah Voorhees happens to be one of my dearest friends, as well! In fact, we have such a special relationship that periodically she will reach right out and pinch my butt!! I guess that means there is not much separation between us at all, huh? I am delighted to find out she is the center of the Lutheran Universe!
04/18/07 12:52:50
britt wrote:
Justin, several weeks ago, we decided that Jim Rowe is the center of the Lutheran universe and it is 6 degrees of Jim. nothing against Sarah. maybe we could do both, parity for the genders
04/18/07 13:20:05
jwiese1999 wrote:
britt--I suppose Jim could be done for parity's sake. However, from the FrontRowLutheran worldview, not only is Sarah the center of the Lutheran universe, but also, each and everyone one of us is the center of the Lutheran universe, right?
That paradox just totally blew my mind...
That paradox just totally blew my mind...
04/18/07 13:45:44
Jen Fredrick wrote:
Sarah was my roommate for 2 1/2 years at Luther College. What degree of separation is that?
04/18/07 18:11:05
jwiese1999 wrote:
If I understand the Six Degrees theory correctly, if you know Sarah directly, that would be one degree of separation. Since I don't know Sarah directly (not yet), but I know people that know Sarah, I am separated from Sarah by 2 degrees of separation (I know Kristin, Kristin knows Sarah).
So for those of you who have either lived with Sarah, have had Sarah sleep in your house, or if you have pinched her rear end (Diana), then you all know her through 1 degree of separation. :-)
Hopefully that clarifies things for you out there.
So for those of you who have either lived with Sarah, have had Sarah sleep in your house, or if you have pinched her rear end (Diana), then you all know her through 1 degree of separation. :-)
Hopefully that clarifies things for you out there.
04/18/07 18:59:21
Alena Lamirato wrote:
ok - so I was with Justin when he came up with this theory. We were together for the Nebraska Synod first call get to know the synod program. I am a LTSG senior and some how Sarah came up in a discussion, even though Justin does not know Sarah. Sarah was a senior when I was a middler. I guess we were talking about people we might know at one another's seminaries and the rest, as they say, is history. I am first degree seperation, which would make Justin second degree, right?
04/18/07 19:53:47
Lee Griess wrote:
Well, well, well.... I always thought Sarah would be famous. As her Internship supervisor and now Assistant to the Bishop in the Nebraska Synod, does this mean that Sarah is now the center of the Nebraska Synod, too? That wouldn't be so bad, actually. Also, according to the Degrees of Separation theory, anyone who gets to know me now will be just 3 degrees off? So all of you may want to send me your mobility papers......
I had to try!
I had to try!
04/19/07 06:56:36
Jenn (Christensen) Millspaugh wrote:
I too, lived with Sarah in college, so I am one degree separated. My current job is Director of Youth Ministry for SE-MI Synod, so most of the Michigan Lutherans are 2-3 degrees out... Whoo-hoo! I know someone famous now!
04/19/07 10:09:19
mark wrote:
I KNOW SARAH VOORHES!
I've even MET her! In fact, I removed some lizard thing from her front door step so that she could get into her house, because she was paralyzed with fear.
So, really, I saved the life of the Center of the Lutheran Universe.
Does that make me some sort of hero?
I've even MET her! In fact, I removed some lizard thing from her front door step so that she could get into her house, because she was paralyzed with fear.
So, really, I saved the life of the Center of the Lutheran Universe.
Does that make me some sort of hero?
04/20/07 15:59:10
jwiese1999 wrote:
mark--yes, it does make you some sort of hero. what kind, however, remains to be seen.
perhaps you are an intergalatic hero...
then again, maybe you are a "peanut butter and jelly sandwich" kind of hero...
Hmm...I wonder which is the better of the two...perhaps they are both equally important.
perhaps you are an intergalatic hero...
then again, maybe you are a "peanut butter and jelly sandwich" kind of hero...
Hmm...I wonder which is the better of the two...perhaps they are both equally important.
04/20/07 16:16:33
MBrock wrote:
So, one day, in Chicago, I got on a bus to go to a meeting, and I was talking with a friend who was an admissions director at Philadelphia Seminary. I asked her if she knew one of my new friends from Gettysburg Seminary, Sarah Voorhees. She didn't. However the man sitting in front of us turned around and said, "I know Sarah Voorhees. She did her internship with my congregation in Nebraska." That was three years ago. I'm so glad others are finally realizing that SV is a nexus, and a lovely one at that.
04/24/07 13:32:27
Erin Herbert wrote:
I met Sarah through her fiance but would now like to consider myself first degree. And I also experienced a Voorhees bonding with a tablemate at the 2005 churchwide assembly. I have recently taken the Sarah Voorhees connection to the North Carolina Synod.
In general though, don't you think its an eerily small Lutheran world?
In general though, don't you think its an eerily small Lutheran world?
04/25/07 13:53:54
Zach Hoffman wrote:
One day I was working in a tiny office building in Pennsylvania's northwoods when my boss burst throught the door and told me all about the outstanding date he went on with Sarah Voorhees. Now Sarah and I are colloquialism pals and I'm as excited as can be to serve as the best man in the upcoming wedding (she and Chad Hershberger's that is).
Zach Hoffman- Oracle, AZ
Zach Hoffman- Oracle, AZ
04/25/07 17:58:34
Justin Wiese wrote:
The list just keeps growing and growing! Awesome...
04/25/07 18:19:26
Alyson Smith wrote:
I also met Sarah through her fiance, but I fell in love with Sarah when she drove a rather large family sedan through a normally small walking trail...scattering Lutherans of all ages.
04/26/07 11:54:15
e. isaackson wrote:
This is very, very funny. I was also a classmate of Sarah's at seminary. I've got connections with Lutheran people in MN, SD and ID. So, that connects her to Lutherans in a few more places.
05/04/07 22:05:16
K. Brundage wrote:
I too know Sarah from Seminary. She was actually the first female Student Association President at LTSG. I guess it was only a matter of time before she became famous.
05/05/07 16:12:54
Steve Hand wrote:
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.. I can't believe there's an article out there about her..
I was part of Gettysburg College's Lutheran Studen Movement when she was the chapel intern. Absolutely incredible human being, a close friend & confidant, and one with whom sadly I've lost touch. Heard she moved back east from ND- any idea how I can track her down?
I was part of Gettysburg College's Lutheran Studen Movement when she was the chapel intern. Absolutely incredible human being, a close friend & confidant, and one with whom sadly I've lost touch. Heard she moved back east from ND- any idea how I can track her down?
05/12/07 15:39:10
Eric Danielson wrote:
I'll second Steve's comment, mostly because Steve and I were roommates and so knew Sarah in the same capacity.
05/15/07 15:39:57
Laura wrote:
Oh, my gosh, this is just too funny! I heard about this 'blog' but I didn't realize it was this long and interesting!!! Obviously I know PS and consider her a very good friend. She is currently a Pastor at my church in wonderful, Carrington, ND. She may be the center of the Lutheran Universe... BUT this madness has to stop ... as humble as Sarah is this might just inflate her ego a bit! LOL!!!
05/22/07 19:44:11
jwiese1999 wrote:
I totally know Sarah Voorhees after encountering her at Shane Koepke's ordination. Read more about it at http://www.frontrowlutheran...
07/11/07 16:54:02
Allen C wrote:
I stumbled upon this completely by accident as I searched for Lutheran blogs to read. I too know Sarah Voorhees, not only did we got to seminary together but I serve a parish just about fity miles north of her in ND. Which in ND terms is practically next door. I would say she is at *least* the center of the Lutheran Universe if not the whole universe.
08/21/07 14:58:15
melissa wrote:
I used to live with SARAH VOORHEES at LUTHER COLLEGe...okay, we were freshwomen but we had a blast!
And friends ever since!
love this blog!
And friends ever since!
love this blog!
09/07/07 19:27:02
Denise wrote:
I lived with Sarah Voorhees at Luther College too! For two years. I would think that would count as negative degrees of separation!!! I also lived with melissa! Where does that put us in the universe?
09/07/07 22:44:14
Pam Shelton wrote:
I worked with Sarah at Dana College and we are (unfortunately now) long distance friends! I miss her and if anyone with less degrees of separation talks to her soon, please let her know that! I also know Justin. Frankly, you simply cannot swing a dead cat by the tail without hitting someone that attended or worked at Dana College. So how's that for random...I know Sarah, I know Justin and apparently I know where a few dead cats are. I personally prefer live cats but that is what happens when you throw random sayings into blogs...you have to follow it through! :-)
11/16/07 16:38:37
Mark wrote:
I know Sarah Voorhees Hershberger.
AND I went to Dana College.
But I'd rather not get hit by a dead cat.
And I'm also a little saddened by the fact that I'm not the Center of the Lutheran Universe... But then, I has basked in Sarah's glory, so I can understand how she's been bestowed such an honor.
AND I went to Dana College.
But I'd rather not get hit by a dead cat.
And I'm also a little saddened by the fact that I'm not the Center of the Lutheran Universe... But then, I has basked in Sarah's glory, so I can understand how she's been bestowed such an honor.
11/17/07 21:12:50
Mark wrote:
and, apparently, i also "has" poor grammar
11/17/07 21:14:21
Megan (Tucker) Mueller wrote:
Very random...I know Sarah because I was friends with her in high school...I was searching the net to see what she was up to...and it does not surprise me to see where she is today!
12/16/07 21:40:36
Sarah Hershberger wrote:
Hi everyone. Sarah, again. Nice to see how many of you have 'fessed up to knowing me! :) If you, like Megan, are just finding me now after years of not knowing what I've been up to, could you leave your email address so I can get in touch with you? Thanks.
Sarah V. Hershberger, CLU
:)
Sarah V. Hershberger, CLU
:)
12/20/07 09:56:36
jwiese1999 wrote:
Following up on Sarah's comment:
If you would, put your email in the "email" form box rather than in the text of the message. That should make things "better." In theory. :-)
I've been forwarding all of your comments to Sarah as I get them. It's kind of like a fan club, but way better, because...well, it just is.....way better.
If you would, put your email in the "email" form box rather than in the text of the message. That should make things "better." In theory. :-)
I've been forwarding all of your comments to Sarah as I get them. It's kind of like a fan club, but way better, because...well, it just is.....way better.
12/20/07 11:32:55
Naomi Olson wrote:
So I randomly stumbled across this blog while doing researh on performing the commendation of the dying...and I just had to add that I know Sarah because we went to the same seminary and she gave me my tour of campus when I came to visit before I was an actual student! She encouraged me to choose a great schoo...thus, I concur she must be the center of the Lutheran universe!
01/28/08 10:12:37
virginnylee wrote:
I met her at camp Mount Luther in PA a few summers ago. She was engaged (now married to) the camp director. I was a part of the Two to Camp program with Project Connect and was just there for a week. This is a fun game!
03/23/08 20:39:54
Sara Spohr wrote:
I know Sarah Voorhees too. We both interned in Nebraska at the same time (2003-04).
Besides the lovely intern retreats, I specifically remember attending a Concordia College Choir Concert at St. Cecelia's in Omaha with Sarah, as well as a UNL production of "Guys and Dolls" at the Leid Center in Lincoln.
I'm so sad to say that I have not kept in touch with the center of the Lutheran Universe.
Besides the lovely intern retreats, I specifically remember attending a Concordia College Choir Concert at St. Cecelia's in Omaha with Sarah, as well as a UNL production of "Guys and Dolls" at the Leid Center in Lincoln.
I'm so sad to say that I have not kept in touch with the center of the Lutheran Universe.
04/24/08 13:36:15
Nichole Colsch/Michael Elsbernd wrote:
My husband and I went to Luther College with and sang lots of great Lutheran choral music with Sarah. Indeed, you seem to have found the hub of the Lutheran universe . . . Soli Deo Gloria!!
Greetings from First Lutheran Church, Sioux Falls, SD -- the EDGE of the Lutheran universe!
Greetings from First Lutheran Church, Sioux Falls, SD -- the EDGE of the Lutheran universe!
08/08/08 21:59:18
Lyssa wrote:
I found this page from Sarah's facebook page- I think it's awesome that she's the center of the Lutheran universe! I was at LTSG with Sarah, and I'm pretty sure that I was her tour guide when she came to check the place out before she took the plunge to move there.
I've always said that the Lutheran world is a small one, but these comments really demonstrate that. Not only do I recognize several of these other Sarah-fans, but I learned from reading this that Shane went to sem and is now pastor Shane... I knew him ages ago when we worked together at Lutheran Lakeside Camp! Wild.
I've always said that the Lutheran world is a small one, but these comments really demonstrate that. Not only do I recognize several of these other Sarah-fans, but I learned from reading this that Shane went to sem and is now pastor Shane... I knew him ages ago when we worked together at Lutheran Lakeside Camp! Wild.
10/06/08 01:48:17
Danielle Erdley wrote:
OK, so I have known about this blog for a while - meeting Justin at the Crossways training in the NE Synod last January. I believe we even called Sarah to let her know that we had met.
For the rest of you - Sarah went to seminary with my husband Aaron. We chatted at the Greek picnic, and the rest, as they say, is history. We've had quite a few adventures which I'm sure make the universe even smaller. It probably happened while Sarah and I were busy making curtains for our house while watching the Sound of Music or randomly breaking into show tunes in the middle of the Seminary campus and then laughing hysterically - come to think of it, there was a big drop in tourism while we were there.
In an additional twist - if we hadn't been one degree seperated, we would have been three. Chad (Sarah's husband) is the camp director at Mount Luther. The caretaker of Mount Luther is my husband's cousin. Oh - and Chad almost bought my husband's grandma's house!
See, just more proof of Sarah's amazingness!
For the rest of you - Sarah went to seminary with my husband Aaron. We chatted at the Greek picnic, and the rest, as they say, is history. We've had quite a few adventures which I'm sure make the universe even smaller. It probably happened while Sarah and I were busy making curtains for our house while watching the Sound of Music or randomly breaking into show tunes in the middle of the Seminary campus and then laughing hysterically - come to think of it, there was a big drop in tourism while we were there.
In an additional twist - if we hadn't been one degree seperated, we would have been three. Chad (Sarah's husband) is the camp director at Mount Luther. The caretaker of Mount Luther is my husband's cousin. Oh - and Chad almost bought my husband's grandma's house!
See, just more proof of Sarah's amazingness!
10/18/08 19:38:34
Bob Ierien wrote:
I know Sarah! Though she might not want to admit to knowing me...at least not in a call interview...
11/15/08 22:09:11
Sarah Gioe wrote:
I just went out for hot chocolate with her in New York City.
12/05/08 19:30:07
Dan May wrote:
I know Sarah in person--just had lunch with her in fact (I even have witnesses!). After reading this blog, I wonder if she is running from the law...PA, NE, SD, ND, NY, many other places...makes you wonder about her...
I met her husband before she did, and heard about her before being blessed by her presence.
I met her husband before she did, and heard about her before being blessed by her presence.
12/17/08 15:33:02
brent johnson wrote:
I know Sarah through my friend Scott who was one of my youth group members when I was living with Super Lutheran Todd Buegler after working with Lutheran Youth Encounter with a young man who married Sara's sister, then Scott went to Luther, met Sarah, introduced me years later, and made my life a complete circle. If she isn't the dead center of the Lutheran Universe, she is the centermost galaxy.
01/23/09 23:35:39
Darwin Garton wrote:
I don't believe I know Sarah. Ok I'm sure I don't know Sarah however I do know both Alena Lamirato and Lee Griess. Raising another question regarding this six degrees of seperation theory. If one knows multiple persons who are 0 degrees of seperation from Sarah does one then become a faction whose denominator is the total number of people who know Sarah and whose numerator is the total number of persons who know Sarah and who also know you? One must assume that would make one closer to the center of the Lutheran Universe simply through applied mathematics.
02/05/09 22:42:28
Beth Ann Lechtenberger Stone wrote:
I know Sarah. I've worked with Sarah. And Dan Quayle is no Sarah Voorhees Hershberger, I can tell you that!
I know many Lutherans, having now worked in the church in five different synods. Sarah and I live about five miles apart now in central PA. So I figure, between the two of us, there's a black hole developing somewhere in Union County that is the REAL center of the Lutheran universe!
I know many Lutherans, having now worked in the church in five different synods. Sarah and I live about five miles apart now in central PA. So I figure, between the two of us, there's a black hole developing somewhere in Union County that is the REAL center of the Lutheran universe!
05/12/09 14:44:33
Nancy Bartelt wrote:
Sarah actually lived in our home for an entire summer, as the self-proclaimed "girl upstairs" which was of course, a hoot. She was doing her CPE at the time. Also, she sang in our wedding, and we sang at hers, and my husband knew her before I did, tho I knew people that knew her (so maybe I knew about her) before I knew him. Clear as mud, right??? This blog oughta make her day anytime it's turning blue! Wow!
09/21/09 14:20:47
Meredith Killian Askey wrote:
I know Sarah from Camp Nawakwa in PA, so I have only 1 degree of separation; found this site through her link to it on her facebook page.
As a math person, let me explain that Sarah could be considered the center of the ELCA universe if each ELCA member is a node on the ELCA graph, and points are connected if one person knows another person. This is called a "simple graph" in math parlance. The distance between any two people, then, is the shortest path from one person to another using the connection of knowing that person. Since the ELCA universe is pretty tight, I'd venture to guess that the maximum "distance" between any two ELCA Lutherans is actually less than 6 - i.e. that any two Lutherans could be connected in less than 6 jumps of "a knows b who knows c who knows d."
From a mathematical point of view, it is entirely possible for more than one person to be the "center" of this graph of the ELCA universe, as the center is simply the person or people who are most often part of the shortest distance between two other people.
As a math person, let me explain that Sarah could be considered the center of the ELCA universe if each ELCA member is a node on the ELCA graph, and points are connected if one person knows another person. This is called a "simple graph" in math parlance. The distance between any two people, then, is the shortest path from one person to another using the connection of knowing that person. Since the ELCA universe is pretty tight, I'd venture to guess that the maximum "distance" between any two ELCA Lutherans is actually less than 6 - i.e. that any two Lutherans could be connected in less than 6 jumps of "a knows b who knows c who knows d."
From a mathematical point of view, it is entirely possible for more than one person to be the "center" of this graph of the ELCA universe, as the center is simply the person or people who are most often part of the shortest distance between two other people.
12/30/09 16:09:57
Meredith Killian Askey wrote:
edit: she must show up most often as part of the shortest *path* between two other Lutherans. OK I'm done nerding out now.
Math and religion DO mix! :-)
Math and religion DO mix! :-)
12/30/09 16:15:06
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