Saturday morning, March 24, more than 200 men converged on Marysvilles Bethlehem Lutheran Church at 51st and Grove. Most were from Puget Sound counties. Others traveled from Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Oregon and Idaho. Ages ranged from the low twenties to mid-eighties. A contingent of bikers braved the rain to attend.
Bethlehems Pastor Jack Richards, Director of Mens Ministries Doug Haugen, Bishop Chris Boerger and Dr. Rollie Martinson from St. Pauls Luther Seminary set the mood which caromed between profound and funny and earthy.
Though similar gatherings had been held elsewhere, Saturdays conference broke all attendance records, confirming that Bethlehem Lutheran Church has become a magnet for Christian activists.
Aside from a catering crew it was an all-male day, a coming together to puzzle over basics like, where have I come from? Where am I now? Where am I going? At issue was a concern that too many American males arent maturing as soon as they should and that too many parents, workers and voters cling to adolescence into their twenties, thirties and beyond. Marysvilles local production staff was identifiable by hard hats and orange and yellow safety vests chosen to emphasize the theme, Building Men.