The Rev. Howard Wennes California Lutheran University will mark its 50th anniversary during a Founders Day Convocation at 10 a.m. Fri., Oct. 23 in Samuelson Chapel.   The Rev. Howard E. Wennes, president emeritus of CLU, will reflect on the event’s theme, “Celebrating CLU’s 50 Years of Legacy and Faith,” in his keynote address.   The Thousand Oaks resident will also receive the Christus Award during the service. The award is presented annually to someone who’s done an outstanding job building a bridge between the university and the church and/ or has made significant contributions to higher education in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).

Wennes came to CLU in 2005 as director of church relations and assistant to the president for university ministries and later served two terms as interim president.

A former bishop of the Grand Canyon Synod, Wennes has served in leadership posts for ELCA throughout the world.

He’s played an active role in international and ecumenical alliances, including hunger and humanitarian relief efforts in Africa and Asia.

The anniversary event is free and open to the public. The chapel is near the corner of Olsen Road and Campus Drive in Thousand Oaks. For more information, call the church relations office at (805) 493-3936.

—Nancy Needham