Disaster to Harvest: The Making of the Mahtomedi Huddle

Gavin Bowser • April 17, 2026

Devastation.

Loss.

Fire.

That’s what struck the home of the Wyse family this past fall.

In the fall of 2025, Danielle and Craig Wyse (coaches at Mahtomedi High School) lost their home and all of their belongings in a sudden midnight fire. By God’s grace, their family was unharmed physically, but the emotional weight and uncertainty that followed were immense. In the days after, their community showed up (church, friends, family), rallying around them in every way possible. And in the middle of the disruption, they chose to trust the Lord.

In the wake of this loss, they found themselves needing rides for themselves and their kids to and from both the high school and the middle school. It was in this season that something quiet, but significant, began to grow.

For some time, they had been planting a vision in their daughters’ hearts: “What if there was FCA at the middle school?”

It hadn’t taken root yet, but that was about to change thanks to a simple ride that Craig received from a middle school teacher.

During the drive, she shared how impactful she believed the high school FCA was. She knew the Wyse family and mentioned their daughters. Then she said something unexpected. She began talking about the need for FCA at the middle school. Craig didn’t even know she shared the same saving faith in Jesus Christ. But she continued, sharing that teachers and staff had been quietly praying for a space where students could gather around Jesus and the Word, just like at the high school.

Craig knew immediately that this wasn’t random.

Soon after, they reached out to FCA East Metro Area Rep, Gavin Bowser, “Is this possible?”

Gavin's answer was simple: "YES."

What followed was something only God could orchestrate. Rachel Flatten, a youth leader to the Wyse girls and a middle school art teacher, stepped in. Laura Tussey, a middle school language arts teacher, joined her. The Wyse girls began inviting others to lead. And students stepped forward - middle schoolers with a genuine desire to see their peers know Jesus!