At our recent Discover Lord of Life conversation, I couldn’t help but gush about the many reasons why I sense the Spirit of God is moving in and through us in mighty ways!
In addition to being a vibrant, growing church that welcomes and serves all in the name of Jesus, our commitment to life-long learning (we host seven adult Bible studies, Sunday morning learning for children and youth, plus faith resources for young families), and our focused efforts for reaching out and consistently serving our communities, Lord of Life is also a teaching parish for seminary students as they prepare for ministry.
The four-year journey to become a pastor in our denomination, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), is a blend of biblical, theological, and leadership coursework at a seminary, an eleven-week intensive at a hospital or care facility, and a variety of experiences within various church communities.
One of the crucial components of this journey is putting all the theory and classroom work into action in a congregation or other pastoral context. This internship is an opportunity to experience the full breadth of ministry and grow in leading, listening, and loving. It’s more learning by doing than only by mere observation.
Lord of Life has been an internship site for six seminary students! You may remember a powerful sermon, serving moment, or pastoral visit from Bob Akins, Tom Pairan, Lucas McSurley, Corey Wagonfield, Alec Brock, or Laura Applegate, who is currently serving among us. As we announced on social media this week, we’ll welcome Nicole Kiefer in August for the next two years (pictured).
Our community of faith is an attractive site for seminaries and students because we are a multi-generational congregation that hosts both traditional and contemporary worship. We offer a plethora of learning and serving opportunities each month for students to experience. We are connected with community partners as we work for justice and equality issues including LGBTQIA+, housing, food insecurity, addiction, and more. Our space is bustling every day of the week, not only with our various ministries, but also hosting our thriving 100+ Lord of Life Christian Preschool, various recovery groups, multiple Scout troops, and Vida Eterna Iglesia Luterana (Eternal Life Lutheran Church) Latinx congregation.
Here’s the beauty of being a teaching parish for seminaries. Theology students come to us to learn. While here, we try to expose them to the full spectrum of ministry moments, including all the things listed above, plus strategic planning, facility expansion and renovations, staff dynamics, and visits to hospitals, care facilities, and homes. During this season of formation, we are a place that gives permission for students to explore their faith, try out new things, make mistakes, and through it all be surrounded by a loving community. Imagine how brave they are to jump in and preach in front of hundreds of people! But there’s more to the story.
There is also a huge benefit to us! We learn from our seminary students. Fresh from higher education, they stretch our hearts and minds with recent scholarship, help us lean into new directions where ministry and congregational life is heading, and infuse enthusiasm for fresh expressions of how the Spirit of God is at work among us.
Thank you for the many ways that you make this essential learning possible. Your patience and encouraging words help shape future leaders in confidence and grace. Your financial generosity makes this season of training possible. We have over $40,000 in the mission spending plan for seminary intern costs this year. Your prayers help equip our congregation for the work to which we have been called.
What a joy that our journey continues to be a holy cycle of give and take, comfort and risk, love and forgiveness. Thank you for investing in the future of our congregation, the Christian Church, and the world.
Living and learning,
Pastor Lowell