Epistle Work And Vocation Lstc

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EPISTLE LSTC FALL 2010 Magazine of the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago Work and vocation PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE This fall I am serving as the Acting President of LSTC ed names like Vööbus, Braaten, Hefner, Niedenthal, while President James Kenneth Echols is taking a sixBenne, Fuerst, Linss, Granskou, Kildegaard, Swanson, month sabbatical. I come to this temporary position Syre, Norquist, Fischer, Kuskkonen, Arnold, Scherer, from serving as the chairperson of LSTC’s Board of Lindberg, and others. It was one exciting, challengDirectors. I have found it to be fascinating, challenging, and sometimes contentious time in church and ing, and fun to be on campus on a day-to-day and society. week-to-week basis. It is much different than just Our times today are also exciting, challengattending board meetings a few times a year. I wish ing, and sometimes contentious. LSTC, especially that everyone could experience the LSTC commuthrough its faculty, is a place where students will nity on a daily basis. grow in their faith in the context of rigorous aca During the summer, I spent a fair amount of demic challenge. I believe the faculty at LSTC today time getting acquainted with the administrators is as dynamic and distinguished as the faculty of earand a few faculty members. Leadership at LSTC is lier days. in good hands. Our administrators are committed, The church needs visionary leaders today as competent, and hard-working. In the midst of many much as at any time in its history. LSTC’s curricuchallenges, they work hard to assure the future of lum, its international faculty and student body, its LSTC in a responsible and sustainable way. As the fall term began, students and faculty returned to campus. This big building has come alive again with a vibrant community. I participated in retreats for returning and new students as well as orientation activities. Dean of Students Pastor Terry Baeder, and our new Pastor to the Community and Cornelsen Director of Spiritual Formation, Joan Beck, provided the leadership and hospitality that President James Kenneth Echols, the Rev. Dr. Ralph W. Klein, and Acting President Philip Hougen at the inauguration of are so important to help the Ralph W. and Marilyn R. Klein Chair of Old Testament form a community. When daily worship began again under the direction of the commitment to its Lutheran Christian identity, and Dean of the Chapel, Dr. Ben Stewart, the center of its openness to culture and context make it an excelour community around Word and Sacrament came lent place to study. alive. LSTC is a Christian community with an aca As you can probably tell, I love this community demic mission; it is an academic community with a and this place. I am enthusiastic about its future. Christian identity. LSTC will continue to change in order to thrive in The faculty is perhaps LSTC’s greatest asset. It is the future. I am confident that LSTC is up to the a privilege for me to work with them. These people challenge of serving our changing church in this are world-class scholars who are people of faith. changing world. Our history is the story of adaptive change, able to meet new challenges. They are committed to the church and to their call to train visionary leaders for the church. Many of The dynamic community that is LSTC has much them are widely published in both scholarly journals to give in service to the church and the world. It is a and church publications. They care about their stuprivilege to be a part of this community. dents and the community that is LSTC. When I came to LSTC in 1968 for my senior year of seminary, the school was being put together from five predecessor institutions. The faculty list includ- FEATURES LSTC EPISTLE Fall 2010 • Volume 40 • No. 3 The Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, a seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, forms visionary leaders to bear witness to the good news of Jesus Christ. Vision statement LSTC seeks to build up the body of Christ and work for a world of peace and justice that cares for the whole creation. Visit www. lstc.edu or call 1-800-635-1116 for more information about LSTC’s programs, conferences and special events. Editor Jan Boden Designer Ann Rezny Contributors Jan Boden Joy Heine Kurt K. Hendel Philip Hougen Joy McDonald Colvet José David Rodríguez Linda Wimmer Communications and Marketing Advisory Committee David Abrahamson Mark Bangert James Echols Joy McDonald Coltvet Janette Muller Durk Peterson Tom Rogers Mark Van Scharrel LSTC Board of Directors Michael Aguirre Clarence Atwood, Jr. Myrna Culbertson Susan Davenport Gregory Davis Melody Beckman Eastman Kimberlee Eighmy James Fowler Trina Glusenkamp Gould, Secretary J. Arthur Gustafson Kathryn Hasselblad-Pascale Philip Hougen Greg Kaufmann John Kiltinen Mark Klever Susan Kulkarni Michael Last Roger Lewis Gerald Mansholt Sandra Moody Harry Mueller, Treasurer Peggy Ogden-Howe Durk K. Peterson Melinda Pupillo Gerald Schultz Sarah Stegemoeller, Acting Chair Harvard Stephens Jr. Keith Wiens Jean Ziettlow The LSTC Epistle is published three times a year by the Communications and Marketing Office. Printed on FSC certified paper with soy-based inks Alison Williams washes the feet of a student in the summer 2010 Serving Christ in the World program. 3 News from LSTC Robert Tobias dies at 91 Lea Schweitz named director of Zygon Center 4 La Vocación –José David Rodríguez on God’s call 5 Finding God’s call in the spiritual and the practical by Linda Wimmer 7 Working together: Religion and labor Kaila Hocchalter blesses Meggon Thornburgh's dog, Inara, in chapel on the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi. Equipping the Saints for Ministry 14 Campaign exceeds $56 million goal 15 Doing the most good: Closing congregations share gifts with LSTC by Jan Boden 16 Photos from the Klein Chair inauguration by Joy Heine 9 It all starts with baptism: Luther on vocation Departments President’s message inside cover by Kurt K. Hendel 11 Youth in Mission prepares seminarians for service by Joy McDonald Coltvet 12 2010-2011 Scholarship and Fellowship recipients Cover: Nick Spehar carrying out one of his many ministries at LSTC Photo credits: Hannah Berridge, Jan Boden, Dan Hille, Tricia Koning Opportunities at LSTC 2 Faculty notes 18 Class notes 21 Transitions 24 Opportunities at LSTC Chapel Music Series features Chicago premiers at Bach for the Sem Center. Each week will have a special focus, including African sisters and brothers on campus, and youth. A revival service will be held every Thursday that month. For event details watch http://centers. lstc.edu/mc/en-us/. Hear new music by Robert Buckley Farlee and Thomas Gabriel at Bach for the Sem on Sunday, January 9, 2011, at 4 p.m. at St. Luke Church in Chicago. This annual benefit for LSTC’s music program also includes the second part of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio and a carol setting by Herzogenburg, presented by Chicago area musicians and singers under the direction of Mark Bangert. Tickets are available by calling 773-256-0712. Free Chapel Music Series concerts in December, February and March are at the Augustana Chapel at LSTC. On December 5 at 7 p.m., Dean of the Chapel Ben Stewart and Cantor to the Seminary Daniel Schwandt lead a service of Advent Lessons and Carols. A Center of Christian-Muslim Engagement for Peace and Justice will co-sponsor The Salaam-Shalom Music Project on February 27, 2011, at 4 p.m. Members of Chicago’s Maxwell Street Klezmer Band join forces with Lebanese oud player Rami Gabriel and other musicians to present Middle Eastern music from Muslim, Jewish and Christian folk traditions and fusion pieces that accent the musical similarities and interdependence of these religious cultures. Cellist Eric Kutz and pianist Miko Kominami, the Murasaki Duo, return to the Chapel Music Series on March 27 at 4 p.m. for a concert that includes Chopin’s “Polonaise Brilliante” and Barber’s Sonata for Cello and Piano. Experiencing God through Preaching and Worship Don’t miss the 2011 Leadership Conference, April 4-5, 2011. Keynote speakers are Maxwell Johnson, professor of liturgical studies at Notre Dame University, and Craig A. Satterlee, Axel Jacob and Gerda Maria (Swanson) Carlson Professor of Homiletics at LSTC. You will be invited into the holy mystery of weaving together the elements of the liturgical rites of worship. Details will be in the mail and on LSTC’s website in January. Join the annual Sacred Texts Conference on March 13 Spend an afternoon at Grace Lutheran Church, 200 N. Catherine, LaGrange, Ill., discussing the similarities and differences in the sacred texts of the three Abrahamic faiths. Write Sara Trumm at strumm@lstc. edu or call 773-256-0708 for more information. Sustaining Creation “The Future of Creation: Foundations for a Just and Sustainable World,” brings together scientists, theologians, and leaders of faith communities to explore how we can work together for a just and sustainable world. The weekly lecture series at LSTC begins February 1, 2011, at 6:30 p.m. See details for the series at www.zygoncenter.org, the website for series sponsor Zygon Center for Religion and Science, or call 773-256-0670. Online courses at LSTC Are you curious about seminary-level courses? Take an online course taught by LSTC faculty. New courses begin January 31. Choose from Church History II taught by the Rev. Dr. Peter Vethanayagamony, Israel’s Prophets taught by the Rev. Dr. Klaus-Peter Adam, Lutheran Confessional Heritage taught by Dr. Lea F. Schweitz, Life and Letters of Paul taught by the Rev. Dr. Ray Pickett. See http://www.lstc.edu/lifelong-learners/online-learning.php for course descriptions. Contact Dorothy Dominiak at ddominia@lstc. edu or 773-256-0726 to register. Are you receiving LSTC’s monthly e-newsletter? You may subscribe to the E.pistle at www.lstc.edu/communications/e.pistle.php. Each e-newsletter includes a list of upcoming opportunities at LSTC. February is African Descent Heritage Month “Sankofa” is the theme for African Descent Heritage Month events planned by LSTC’s Multicultural 2 News from LSTC Robert Tobias, professor emeritus of ecumenics, dies sions of the second round of Lutheran-Orthodox dialogue in North America and wrote books and articles related to his work, including Heaven on Earth: A Lutheran-Orthodox Odyssey. Tobias was an avid pilot, sailor, skier, and gardener. He held degrees from Phillips University in Oklahoma, Union Theological Seminary in New York, and the University of Geneva in Switzerland. In his last days, his wife, Gertrude, transcribed Tobias’ words of gratitude: “Pilot, pastor, professor, there’ve been great touchdowns from Canada to Mexico, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, with students, pastors, family, friends, and fellow explorers in the magnificent panorama of heaven on earth. Thank you all.” From the Racine Journal-Times obituary. A remembrance of Dr. Tobias will appear in the next issue of the Epistle. The Rev. Dr. Robert Tobias, 91, died in his sleep on Wednesday, October 6, 2010, at United Health Systems, Kenosha, Wis. Dr. Tobias served as professor of ecumenics at LSTC from 1964 until his retirement in 1987. He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Gertrude (Trudy) and their six children, seven grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. A funeral service was held October 10 at Holy Communion Lutheran Church in Racine, Wis.    “Robert Tobias helped shape LSTC’s ecumenical mark through his many relationships with leaders in other Christian denominations,” said LSTC’s Acting President Philip Hougen. “He was also the first head of the doctor of ministry program at LSTC and it still reflects his and the seminary’s commitment The Rev. Dr. Robert Tobias to ecumenics.” After World War II, Tobias was assistant director of the Department of Inter-Church Aid and Service to Refugees of the World Council of Churches with special responsibilities for East Europe and the Orthodox churches. He was a World Council of Churches observer of the Geneva sessions led by Eleanor Roosevelt in drafting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. For his work in Europe, Tobias was made a Commander of the Royal Order of the Phoenix by King Paul of Greece. In Yugoslavia he was decorated by patriarchs German and Pavel with the Order of St. Sava. Tobias also received the “key to the city” in Geneva. Before joining the faculty at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, Tobias was professor of theology at Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, Ind. He continued his visits with Orthodox Church leaders in East Europe and served on numerous commissions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and other ecumenical and international organizations. Beginning in 1983, Tobias co-chaired the ses- Lea F. Schweitz appointed director of Zygon Center for Religion and Science Dr. Lea F. Schweitz, assistant professor of systematic theology/religion and science at LSTC, has been appointed director of the Zygon Center for Religion and Science by the center’s co-sponsors, the Center for Advanced Study in Religion and Science (CASIRAS) and the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. She has served as the associate director of the Zygon Center for more than two years. Dr. Gayle Woloschak continues as associate director of the Zygon Center after serving as director from 2007-2009. Dr. Karl Peters, president of CASIRAS, said, “Dr. Schweitz will lead the Zygon Center in engaging a new generation of scholars, scientists, and religious leaders with the living legacy of founding figures like Ralph Wendell Burhoe, William Lesher, and Philip Hefner.” Dr. James Kenneth Echols, president of LSTC, concurred, “We aim to train visionary leaders with both a rich appreciation of history and a bold sense of possibility for the future. In her scholarship and her teaching, Dr. Schweitz brings both of these qualities to the present and pivotal moment.” Schweitz earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and philosophy at Luther College and master’s and doctoral degrees in philosophy of religion at the University of Chicago Divinity School. Her doctoral work explores how early modern philosophers like Leibniz can contribute to our contemporary views of personhood. continued on page 6 3 La Vocación José David Rodríguez looks at God’s call by Jan Boden In Scripture and in the history of the church, each period challenges believers with a different set of circumstances. In his book, La Vocación, published earlier this year in the Abingdon Press “Ministerio Series,” José David Rodríguez looks at the concept of vocation in the history of the church from the Old Testament to the present. He uses historical and theological approaches to examine the call to ordained ministry, the call to teaching, and the call to understanding the church. The final chapter of the book examines the Latino experience of call. “I assert that there is one call from God, but a variety of expressions,” says Rodríguez, Augustana Heritage Professor of Global Mission and World Christianity. Education for Emerging Ministries (TEEM) program is using La Vocación as a textbook. It is also being used in Latin American seminaries and Rodríguez has made presentations about it in Puerto Rico and Mexico. La Vocación is available directly from AETH’s online bookstore at http://aeth.org.previewc40.carrierzone.com/ sma12/. Watch for notices of the English translation from Fortress Press. . Excerpts from the translation of La Vocación It is important to point out that this power of God’s word to call us to being is the foundation of all the other expressions of the call to believers. Whether or not we believe in God, obey or disobey him, follow him or give his presence our backs, our life becomes reality because God calls us to being. This faith conviction is central to our understanding of our call, because what will make it possible for us to respond to it with diligence and faithfulness, despite difficulties and challenges we might encounter, is our certainty that every expression of God’s call carries with it the same power of the original call God made us into being. Consequently, the call God makes to us in any manner of its varied expressions constitutes, not only an invitation to be and do something, but also a promise of his reality. God not only calls us to being and to follow him, but also makes us his followers. He not only offers us a new life, but also produces and makes possible that new life in us. ____________________________________________ The Rev. Dr. José David Rodríguez Used by TEEM program, others La Vocación, scheduled to be released in English translation by Fortress Press in 2011, is being distributed by the Association for Hispanic Theological Education (AETH), an organization composed of about 400 Protestant Latino leaders in the United States. The association has developed original theological works in Spanish for the Hispanic community in the U.S. and Latin America. Theologians are commissioned by AETH to write introductory books and commentaries on the New Testament, Old Testament, missions, ethics, and individual books of the Bible. Rodríguez was invited to write the one on vocation and Christian call. The Latino component of the ELCA’s Theological Faithfulness to the gospel brings great difficulty many times. Each person is called to decide whether or not to expose him or herself to it. But if we decide to follow our Lord in these situations, we will realize that there is nothing that can overwhelm us with fear and anxiety, even when our enemies do their best to cause us damage and difficulty. In fact, there is only one secure place in this life for every believer, and that place is found when—in our discernment— we reach the conviction of the power of God’s promise to be with us always to strengthen us and to inspire our hearts and minds with the power of His presence and will to withstand any kind of difficulty, danger, and confrontation. 4 Finding God’s call in the spiritual and practical: Joan Beck, Cornelsen Director of Spiritual Formation by Linda Wimmer (2010, M.Div.) Colorful tissue paper butterflies adorn Joan Beck's office windows, a children's Easter project that, she confides, also provides a great basis for a children's sermon. These symbols of transformation are also a reminder that Beck has come a long way on her journey to LSTC. Avoiding and answering God’s call Laughingly describing herself as “pan Lutheran,” she was baptized in a Wisconsin Synod church in Minneapolis, but attended a Missouri Synod church with her family starting when she was in the fifth grade. Very involved with her youth group at church growing up, Beck made a conscious decision against studying theology, majoring instead in German at Valparaiso University. Her call story involves a pivotal moment that came as she neared graduation. A friend and classmate headed for Concordia Seminary asked her, “Why don’t you go to seminary with us?” Beck did, entering Concordia and becoming one of three or four female students among the 350 students who left with 43 faculty members to form Christ Seminary-Seminex. On internship, she was sponsored by the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches (AELC) and sent to Tri-Lutheran Campus Ministry and a congregation in Denton, Texas. She met some resistance because of her gender: the campus ministry would not sponsor a female intern, and one bishop told her she was violating Scripture. “I told him I believed God had called me and given me gifts for ministry,” Beck recalls. “I think I gave him something to think about.” She appreciated the experience she gained during this period. “I learned how to do theology in the trenches in St. Louis and how to stand up and fight for important things.” Cornelsen Director of Spiritual Formation and Pastor to the Community Joan Beck with her turtle, Bruno call,” she said. It was a half-time position at a church in Oregon. In the meantime, Beck earned a master’s degree in rhetoric. She also ran Sunday school and adult education at one congregation while doing visitation for another. In addition, she did a lot of pulpit supply. She appreciated the opportunity to experience worship and became acquainted with a number of congregations in Eugene and Springfield, Ore. Beck heard about the Cornelsen position at LSTC soon after its creation, while walking with a pastor and neighbor. She applied. When the position came open a second time, she applied again and was delighted to receive the call. Learning how the church works After internship, Beck finished her master of divinity degree at Luther Seminary, assuming that, because the American Lutheran Church had been ordaining women since the 1970s, she would be placed more quickly. She was wrong. “Churches work relationally, and no one knew me. It was six years until I was placed in my first Discovering ways to guide herself and others Beck is especially enthusiastic about future possibilities in spiritual formation at LSTC. She describes her approach as “spongelike,” paying attention, showing up, noticing patterns and becoming aware of people’s expectations, all of which she expects will 5 influence her development of longer-term goals for the position. To nurture her own spiritual life, Beck engages in morning and evening prayer using the New Zealand prayer book daily and attends chapel at LSTC. Making collages is another of her spiritual practices. Beck would like to explore an indigenously Lutheran approach to spiritual formation and appreciates skills-based approaches. She hopes that spiritual formation at LSTC “contributes a sense of lived relationship with God that sustains students’ lives and ministries.” Beck believes that “God has brought me here for a reason,” and she is looking forward to discovering “what grows organically out of my presence and witness” at LSTC. Her only sadness at LSTC is watching birds fly into her office windows daily; not all of them survive the experience. Her most immediate practical project involves finding ways to steer birds away from colliding with the glass of the chapel windows. New decals, placed on the windows of Beck’s office, warn the birds to turn away from the sky and trees mirrored in the glass. “It’s helped, but some birds still fly into the reflection,” Beck said. Her persistence and willingness to try new paths may help Beck find ways to guide even the birds. News from LSTC continued from page 3 New staff will support online courses, use of technology for teaching and learning Rachel K. Wind joins LSTC Advancement Office Scott Chalmers and Jeff Fitzkappes have been hired to support LSTC faculty, students and staff with the design and use of technology for teaching and learning with particular focus on online courses. Scott Chalmers will work approximately 20 hours a week as teaching and learning technologist. He holds a Ph.D. in biblical studies from LSTC and has designed and taught online courses for LSTC, Trinity Lutheran Seminary and Lewis University. Jeff Fitzkappes, a Ph.D. student at LSTC, will serve as assistant teaching and learning technologist for 10 hours per week. Fitzkappes earned a master of arts degree in Christian thought through a distributive learning program from Bethel Seminary, St. Paul, Minn., which included both intensive oncampus and online courses. The two part-time positions are funded by a grant from the Floy L. and Paul F. Cornelsen Charitable Foundation. In July, Rachel K. Wind (2010, M.Div.) joined the LSTC Advancement Office as a regional gift officer. She will be meeting with congregations, alumni and donors in the northeast (Boston to Washington, D.C.), Wisconsin, Minnesota, the Caribbean Synod, and a portion of the Metropolitan Chicago area to advance the seminary’s mission of forming visionary leaders to bear witness to the good news of Jesus Christ. Wind says she chose to study at LSTC because of its relevance to where she feels the church is going. She holds a degree in social work from St. Olaf College. 6 Working together: Religion and labor by Joy Heine, (2003, M.A.) Diaconal Minister Human beings are created “in God’s image” (Genesis 1:27) as social beings whose dignity, worth and value are conferred by God. Sufficient Sustainable Livelihood for All, 1999 Social Statement of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America the cost of basic necessities like food, clothing and gasoline have risen. Working for dignity and respect When I began my internship, all I knew about unions came from newspaper articles where unions were viewed as a negative force that upset people by creating conflict and tension. I quickly learned that through union organizing many traditionally lowwage jobs turn into good, family-sustaining, middle class jobs. In 2001, I began my seminary internship with Interfaith Worker Justice. My internship goals were to educate, organize and mobilize the religious community to help improve wages, benefits and conditions for workers. I was assigned to the labor union UNITE, which was advocating for women who worked at BBJ Linen, a fine linen laundering facility. They were fed up with constant changes to their work hours and low wages with no increases in pay after eight years of employment. Several of the women had sought help from the local congressional representative. He recommended they talk to organizers at UNITE about forming a union. They did, and were fired. Working for sufficient and sustainable livelihood The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America lays out a moral imperative around economic life in the 1999 social statement, Sufficient Sustainable Livelihood for All. The statement affirms that we, as people of faith, are called to be part of an economic system which includes all of God’s children, especially those living in poverty. This system includes a sustainable livelihood. People should be able to work and receive compensation, which, at the very least, provides for their basic necessities. At the very most it is sufficient—enough, but not too much. Finally, it creates a sustainable environment for people and the rest of creation to survive now and in the future. In recent years, the economic gap between rich and poor has been widening and the U.S. is losing its middle class. Many top CEOs now make 400 times more than the average salary of their company’s employees. This gap has occurred since the last century, when CEOs' salaries averaged 20 times more than the company’s average worker. When pay increases are given to employees, they do not keep up with the cost of living. Labor statistics show gains in productivity without commensurate increases in compensation. At the same time, Joy Heine at a labor rally in Chicago I saw parallels between unions and religious communities. Like religious communities, unions want the best for those who work hard for a living: fair wages, safe working conditions, healthcare benefits and respect for workers. Labor unions, like religious groups, are not perfect. They are comprised 7 of human beings. Organizers desire to empower workers to stand up for themselves and, united, to change their working conditions. People of faith want to end poverty and wage theft. Kim Bobo, in Wage Theft in America (2008), offers this definition: “Wage theft occurs when workers are not paid all of their wages, workers are denied overtime when they should be paid it, or workers aren’t paid at all for work they’ve performed.” Labor unions are the most powerful antipoverty and anti wage-theft vehicle around. Both union organizers and people of faith desire a world where livable wages are the norm and workers can do more than just provide for their basic necessities. Laity United for Economic Justice in Los Angeles and directed by Lutheran Pastor Alexia Salvatierra, walked down Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills with a banner reading, “All Religions Believe in Justice.” They stopped in front of two hotels, which, after a long struggle, had agreed to negotiate a fair contract with their workers. Here they placed bowls filled with milk and honey – biblical symbols of the promised land – along with baskets of Easter lilies. But to a hotel that had refused to sign the new contract, they instead brought bitter herbs, the Passover symbol of slavery. Within three weeks, all of the hotels they had called to accountability had signed new and fair contracts with their low-wage workers. We all deserve to make enough money to support our families. Religious communities have a powerful moral voice which can support workers struggling for jobs that pay living wages and benefits to support their families. Together, we can ensure that there is a sufficient, sustainable livelihood for all. Working together for change My work with Interfaith Worker Justice and various labor campaigns has convinced me that in order for us to have economic stability in the U.S., labor laws will need to change and employers will need to be held accountable to respect their workers through compensation and fair treatment. I’m also convinced that partnerships between labor and religious communities can make a difference. Several years ago, during the Easter season, over 150 religious leaders organized by Clergy and Take action to learn more about labor issues and work for a sufficient, sustainable livelihood for all. Visit www. lstc.edu/lifelong-learners/resources. Worker Justice Reader a resource for seminarians and congregations Joy Heine has compiled and Interfaith Worker Justice has published A Worker Justice Reader: Essential Writings on Religion and Labor (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2010). It is available from the publisher at www.maryknollsocietymall.org and Amazon.com for $24.00. While at Interfaith Worker Justice, Heine had worked with a number of professors who asked for written resources on labor and religion. She gathered key writings on labor and economic issues from a variety of faith traditions, including Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim. The essays cover the crisis U.S. workers face, the history of the religion-labor movement, what religious traditions say about work, the theology and ethics of work, and the religion-labor movement today. 8 It all starts with baptism: Luther on vocation by Kurt K. Hendel, Bernard, Fischer, Westberg Distinguished Service Professor of Reformation History The Christian life is a life of faith active in love. How do Christians live lives of love and service? What opportunities do they have to do so? What are the specific contexts for service, for love, for doing good works that serve God and the neighbor? Luther’s doctrine of vocation answers these questions. of the priesthood of all believers and of vocation, both of which were informed by his baptismal theology. His ideas did not only have theological importance, but they also had significant social and political implications. All are priests It all starts with baptism. Luther insisted that in baptism human beings receive faith and are reborn. The punishment of sin is taken away. They are marked Defining vocation Vocation does not only refer to the professions or jobs that people are pursuing or intend to pursue, although they are also included in this concept. Rather, Luther insists that all other roles, responsibilities and callings that human beings have in life are vocations. Thus, being a wife or a husband, a daughter or son, a citizen, a member of a congregation, a student, are all vocations. For Luther, vocations are all the various responsibilities and roles in life that human beings have. These are the specific opportunities God provides to serve God and the neighbor. Eliminating hierarchy of “estates” During Luther’s time, the leaders of the church, indeed, the whole society, differentiated between the so-called spiritual and temporal estates. (Estate here means a group or groups of people who pursue a particular vocation, calling or profession.) Only the priests, monks and nuns were considered to be part of the spiritual estate. They had special privileges, both in God’s eyes and in the eyes of the society of that day. They alone were fully involved in the service of God. Thus only their callings were truly pleasing to God because these spiritual people did what was called the opus Dei or the work of God. The lay people were the temporal estate, and they pursued callings which were necessary for the society to function politically, economically and culturally. However, their vocations were neither as important nor were they as pleasing to God as the vocations of priests, monks and nuns. In short, the laity could not and did not serve God as the clergy and the members of monastic orders did. There was, therefore, an essential difference between the clergy and the laity which had all kinds of spiritual implications. Lay women and men were clearly secondclass citizens in God’s realm or kingdom. Luther rejected this worldview with his doctrines Pastor Craig Mueller introduces a newly-baptized member to the congregation at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Chicago. with the sign of the cross and become spiritual people. Thus all are priests, whether they are ordained or remain lay people. In “To the Christian Nobility,” Luther asserts: It is pure invention that pope, bishop, priests, and monks are called the spiritual estate while princes, lords, artisans, and farmers are called the temporal estate. This is indeed a piece of deceit and hypocrisy. Yet no one needs to be intimidated by it, and for this reason: all Christians are truly of the spiritual estate, and there is no difference among them except that of office. Paul says in I Corinthians 12[:12-13] that we are all one body, yet every member has its own work by which it serves the others. This is because we all have one baptism, one gospel, one faith, and are all Christians alike; for baptism, gospel, and faith alone make us spiritual and a Christian people. …As far as that goes, we are all consecrated priests through baptism, as St. Peter says in I Peter 9 not my own advantage but theirs. I will use my office to serve and protect them, listen to their problems and defend them, and govern to the sole end that they, not I, may benefit from my rule.” In such manner should a prince in his heart empty himself of his power and authority, and take unto himself the needs of his subjects, dealing with them as though they were his own needs. For this is what Christ did to us [Phil. 2:7]; and these are the proper works of Christian love. (“Temporal Authority: To What Extent It Should Be Obeyed,” 1523) 2[:9], “You are a royal priesthood and priestly realm.” …It follows from this argument that there is no true, basic difference between laymen and priests, princes and bishops, between religious and secular, except for the sake of office and work, but not for the sake of status. They are all of the spiritual estate, all are truly priests, bishops, and popes. But they do not all have the same work to do. …A cobbler, a smith, a peasant—each has the work and office of his trade, and yet they are all alike consecrated priests and bishops. Further, everyone must benefit and serve every other by means of his own work or office so that in this way many kinds of work may be done for the bodily and spiritual welfare of the community, just as all the members of the body serve one another [I Cor. 12:14-26]. This advice, addressed to a ruler, is, of course, applicable to all Christians. All are called to imitate Christ and to focus on the needs of the other as they fulfill the various callings of life. When people of faith serve others in such ways, they may be assured that God works through them: Fulfilling our Christian vocations This, then, is the great glory with which the Divine Majesty honors us: It works through us in such a manner that It says that our words are Its words and that our actions are Its actions, so that one can truthfully say that the mouth of a godly teacher is God’s mouth and that the hand which you extend to alleviate the want of a brother is God’s hand. (Lectures on Genesis, 1535-1545) Since all believers are priests and spiritual people, all the vocations they pursue are spiritual and Godpleasing, as long as they are done in faith and benefit other human beings. These vocations are spiritual because spiritual people pursue them. All the callings that Christians have are God’s gifts and blessed opportunities to serve God and the neighbor. When Christians faithfully fulfill the obligations of their various vocations, they can be assured that they serve God. Luther, therefore, advises: Living coram Deo With his doctrine of vocation, Luther reminds Christians that all of the callings they have in life are opportunities to serve God and the neighbor. As people of faith they have the privilege of using these opportunities to exercise their freedom in service and to express their faith in loving actions. Such actions are truly good works that please God and benefit those whose lives they touch. The Christian life, to which believers are called in their baptism, is a life of faith, of service, of love, of good works. It is a life lived coram Deo, in God’s presence, and it reflects the life Christ lived for the sake of the whole creation. Such a life is not easy, but it is a blessed and faithful life. May it be the life you live. For these works have been commanded by God, and for this reason they are truly divine works, whether you are a pupil and learn letters, a maid and sweep the house with brooms, or a servant and tend horses or do other things. A monk, of course, leads a more burdensome life and wears more sordid garments; but that he serves God— this he will nevermore be able to say truthfully, as can those who serve the household, the state, or the church. (Lectures on Genesis, 1535-1545) If believers want to be certain that they serve God and others, they must strive to follow the example of Christ. Luther describes how a Christian ruler should fulfill his office: This is a portion of Kurt Hendel's presentation to the high school students who explore vocation during Youth in Mission’s “Serving Christ in the World” summer program. To read the three parts of the presentation and discussion questions, visit www.lstc.edu/lifelong-learners/ resources/ He should picture Christ to himself, and say, “Behold, Christ, the supreme ruler, came to serve me; he did not seek to gain power, estate, and honor from me, but considered only my need, and directed all things to the end that I should gain power, estate, and honor from him and through him. I will do likewise, seeking from my subjects 10 Youth in Mission programs prepare seminarians for service by Joy McDonald Coltvet, (2001, M.Div), director of admissions Serving Christ in the World and Beyond Belief, two of LSTC’s Youth in Mission programs, are designed to transform high school students’ faith, life and sense of God’s calling. But seminarians who work with youth through these programs find themselves transformed and better prepared to work with the whole people of God. Through the three-week immersion of Serving Christ in the World, the weeklong Beyond Belief Chicago servant trips, and as Outdoor Ministry Ambassadors at camps throughout the region, seminarians grapple with challenging questions, immerse themselves in daily ministry and foster a sense of gratitude. and multiple musicians,” Wilke said.“‘How do I hear God’s call?’ and ‘What do I do in response to God’s call?’ formed the basis of our discussion during ‘Sally time’ on Thursday. Even as I shared my call story, I was able to remember how I knew God in my life when I was their age… I was hoping to be able to contribute something to their program and I believe I did. Yet I know that I left there with much more than I gave.” Passions and interests shape ministry Alison Williams, (M.Div., intern), who served as a mentor last summer with Serving Christ in the World, had the opportunity to engage with high school youth at a time when they are exploring their own passions and interests. “To walk with them into situations entirely outside their worldview was amazing,” Williams said. “Just as they were confused and challenged about the issues that impact our world today, I saw their minds and hearts open up: Why do Muslim women wear head scarves? Why would composting be a way of worshiping God? How do the lives of Mexican people affect our lives? What difference can one person make in this world? We explored those questions and the world together. The most wonderful gift I’ve been given is the ability to look back on my life and see what passions and interests I had long before I ever considered seminary and how they play a huge role in my ministry today.” To learn more about Youth in Mission, visit http:// yim.lstc.edu/. To read more stories of life at LSTC, visit LSTC’s newest blog, “Taste and See: Morsels of life at LSTC” http://tasteandseelstc.blogspot.com/. Valuing all vocations “The most important role I had as an Outdoor Ministry Ambassador (OMA) was to listen to the stories of the camp staff,” said Zachary Johnson (M.Div. intern). “Each person I talked to had a wonderful faith story to share. It opened my eyes to recognize that all vocations are grounded in our baptism and to learn that there is a deep desire among young adults to have people who will walk with them as a representative of God’s love and guidance. Most young adults are hungry for direction. I learned they have wonderful gifts to share with all of creation.” Sally Wilke, now on internship in Walker, Minn., guided conversations about vocation while serving at the Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Center (LOMC) and Crossways/Waypost. Youth there shared their dreams. “Two wish to be pediatric nurses; one is a potential teacher who has been playing school as long as she can remember; and there were a couple of budding artists 2010 Serving Christ in the World mentors, Matt Stuhlmuller, Kevin Baker, Alison Williams, Kjersten Priddy, Zachary Johnson, and Youth in Mission Program Coordinator Kristin Johnson 11 2010-2011 Scholarship recipients The Munderloh Foundation has provided grants to 34 LSTC master of divinity students in 2010-2011. Recipients of the grants are asked to accept the challenge of recruiting others to seminary. From left to right, front: Ashley Hochhalter, Sarah Rohde, Sara Suginaka, Rebekkah Lohrmann, Dara Schuller-Hanson; Second row: Meredith Harber, Katy Harder, Amanda Bergstrom, Amy Gillespie, Emily Ewing, Jenna Pulkowski, Emily Hefty, Janice Heidlberger, Cuttino Alexander; Back row: Christina Garrett, Zachary Wagner, Nathan Sutton, Travis Meier, Monica Villarreal, Becca Ajer, Charles McKenna IV, Chris Honig; Not pictured: Christine Anderson, Lynn Bird, Sara Freudenburg-Puricelli, Laura Gerstl, Peder Hinderlie, Kaila Hochhalter, Matthew Keadle, Kara Propst, Betty Rendon Madrid, Rebecca Sheridan, Andrew Tyrrell, Mauricio Vieira. Fund for Leaders in Mission Scholarships include full-tuition scholarships awarded by the ELCA and partial scholarships from students’ synods or supporting congregations. Front row: Kwame Pitts, Sarah Rohde, Sara Suginaka, Andrew Rindfleisch; Back row: Meredith Harber, Nathan Sutton, Katy Harder, Amanda Bergstrom, Monica Villarreal; Not pictured: Becca Ajer, Alexander Raabe. Opal Dancey Awards support master of divinity students who are from states in the Great Lakes Region: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Meredith Harber and Mauricio Vieira are pictured. Laura Gerstl also received an Opal Dancey Scholarship. Zachary Wagner and Meredith Harber were named Congregational Fellows by the Fund for Theological Education. They each were nominated by their pastor and selected from a nationwide pool of applicants. The fellowship requires them to prepare for congregational ministry, have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 and have the intellectual and interpersonal gifts for pastoral leadership. 12 Timothy Weisman and Christine Anderson (not pictured) received Creative Teaching Ministry Grants, established by a recent LSTC graduate who wishes to remain anonymous. Grant applicants must create an arts-integrated multicultural Christian education curriculum for 13-18 year-olds on a specific theme supplied by the donor. Siebert Lutheran Foundation grants support students who are from Wisconsin. From left: Alexis LaChapelle, Amanda Bergstrom, Dara Schuller-Hanson; Not pictured: Edward Baseman, Laura Gerstl, Micah Sievenpieper, Timothy Tahtinen, Elisabeth Zant. Advanced Studies fellowship recipients Pimentel-Chacon receives HTIC award Other Advanced Studies Awards Jonathan Pimentel-Chacón, a first-year doctor of philosophy student at LSTC, has received an award from the Hispanic Theological Initiative Consortium (HTIC). The award is given by HTIC to increase the number of Latino/a students and faculty in theological education and better equip U.S. institutions to serve the growing Hispanic population. Chacón is studying systematic theology. Chacón comes to LSTC from the Universidad  Biblica Latinoamericana - Latin American Biblical University- and the Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica - National University of Costa Rica, where he was professor of theology and a researcher. He has also served as the director of the theological journal, Revista de Teologia Siwo. Chacon is interested in Latin American liberation theologies, the literature of Juan Carlos Onetti, Marxism and theology, the history of flesh in the Western tradition and patristics—Tertullian, Origen, Augustine and the monastic movement. He has published more than a dozen articles in theological journals and books.  William J. and Elizabeth M. Danker Fellowship (International student/ World Mission) Seo Young Lee Wiriya Tipvarakankoon Ji-Woon Yoo Prinstone Ben Mervin Boas Prince Vethamonickam Rajamony Niveen Sarras received the Christian Palestine Scholarship and an International Student Fellowship. Charavarthy Zadda received the Grover Wright Scholarship and an International Student Fellowship. Eleanor and Arnold Scherer Fellowship (International student/World Mission) Ju Young Kim Kathryn Sehy Endowed Fellowship (Interfaith) Iskandar Bcheiry Prince Rajamony E. Theodore and Mercia B. Bachmann Fellowship Seong Heon Lee International Graduate Student Scholarship Fund Kyung-Taek Hong Meredith Coleman Tobias, a new Ph.D. student studying theology and anthropology, received several prestigious awards: a Ford Foundation Fellowship, a Doctoral Fellowship from the Fund for Theological Education, and is one of four LSTC Robert Marshall Graduate Fellows. Robert Marshall Graduate Fellowships are awarded to North American students in LSTC’s Ph.D. program. Jeff Fitzkappes, Kevin Dudley, and Richard Frontjes, pictured here, and Meredith Coleman-Tobias, are the 2010-2011 Marshall Fellows. 13 Kevin Dudley has received the Covenant Cluster African American Doctoral Fellowship Award. Dudley currently teaches at Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio. He is also one of LSTC’s Robert Marshall Graduate Fellows. Adam Braun received the 2010-2011 Ralph W. Klein Fellowship in Biblical Studies. Nayoung Ha and Eun Ae Lee received the International Women’s Scholarship. Both are Ph.D. students. Equipping the Saints Campaign exceeds $56 million goal The Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago’s first comprehensive campaign, Equipping the Saints for Ministry, ended June 30, 2010, exceeding its $56 million goal by over $300,000 in realized and planned gifts in a three-year quiet phase and threeyear public phase of the campaign. “LSTC’s board and administration are grateful for the partnership of so many alumni and friends who gave generously to the seminary over the course of the campaign,” said the Rev. Dr. Philip Hougen, acting president of LSTC. Hougen served as co-chair of the campaign with his spouse, Diane, and Larry and Christie Tietjen. “The success of this campaign shows how much the church values the type of leaders LSTC forms for ministry,” said Janette Muller, Chair of the LSTC Foundation. “Good pastors, teachers, and leaders are essential for the future of the church. That was a key message of this campaign.” A campaign closing celebration was held on November 12 in Chicago, during the fall Board of Directors meeting. goal of $56 million in cash and planned gifts, the number of alumni making gifts to LSTC increased approximately 10% each year of the six-year Equipping the Saints for Ministry Comprehensive Campaign. Total alumni giving increased by 300% during that same period. Total number of donors to LSTC increased 15% during the campaign and gifts from donors increased by nearly 200%. Endowed and planned gifts up significantly Equipping the Saints for Ministry sought to grow LSTC’s endowment and increase the number of planned gifts made to the seminary. Gifts to restricted endowment funds, designated for scholarships or chairs, increased an average of 10% each year of the campaign. The number of planned gifts increased by 25% during the campaign and the total amount of planned gifts grew 75% to $35 million. “Gifts like these strengthen LSTC’s ministry and mission,” said Mark Van Scharrel, vice president for advancement. “We are grateful that so many people value the type of theological education LSTC provides for the future of our church and world.” Alumni, donor gifts increased 200% and more In addition to exceeding the ambitious fundraising $MILLION TOTAL GOAL $56,000,000 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 GOAL $30,000,000 GOAL $26,000,000 PLEDGE/ PLANNED GIFTS $19,267,836 GIFTS RECEIVED $10,755,100 LSTC FUND PLEDGES $812,500 PROGRESS $56,312,604 GIFTS RECEIVED $25,477,168 ANNUAL FUND 14 CAMPAIGN TOTAL Doing the most good Closing congregations witness to the Gospel through gifts to LSTC by Jan Boden Going to church usually means going to a certain place – a building where we worship, meet, share our stories over coffee and rolls, have potlucks and soup suppers, study God’s word in Sunday school or adult forums, practice with the choir, or lend a hand on a property committee workday. It’s what happens in the place we call church that makes it church. The “happening” and being church continue even when a congregation decides it’s time to close the doors of their particular church building. Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Maywood, Ill., and Wilmette Lutheran Church in Wilmette, Ill., are two congregations that concluded their ministries in particular places but continue to witness to the Gospel by helping form leaders for the future of the church. from where he went to seminary. A 1938 graduate of Chicago Lutheran Theological Seminary (Maywood), Pastor Smuzer became pastor of Emmanuel Lutheran Church in 1945 and served them faithfully and well until his retirement in 1986. He led the congregation through a new building expansion during the “baby boom” of the 1950s. Pastor Smuzer “never preached the negative, [he was] always positive,” one former member recalls. He was known throughout the neighborhood. After retirement, he was given the title “Pastor Emeritus” and continued to worship with the community he had led. Pastor Smuzer died on January 8, 1989. When members of Emmanuel Lutheran Church voted to close its doors, they chose to honor Pastor Smuzer by using a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the church building to create a scholarship for students who are preparing to serve smaller neighborhood parishes like Emmanuel. With 80% of their gift to LSTC they created the Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Maywood, Illinois, Scholarship in Honor of Pastor Wesley J. Smuzer. Emmanuel Lutheran scholarship honors a beloved pastor The Rev. Wesley J. Smuzer served almost his entire ministry at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Maywood, Ill., a small, neighborhood parish not far Pastor Robin Brown (2003, M.Div.; 2010, D.Min.) and members of Wilmette Lutheran Church present the congregation's documents to Metropolitan Chicago Synod Bishop Wayne Miller (1984, M.Div.) at the congregation’s closing service in October 2009. 15 Because they also value those who teach at seminaries and colleges, 20% of the $300,000 from Emmanuel Lutheran Church is designated for an endowment fund providing scholarships for Ph.D. students. a former Seminex professor, became our pastor. He invited many of his Seminex colleagues to lead adult forums at Wilmette Lutheran Church,” Smith said. Barb Hiller, congregation president of Wilmette Lutheran Church, worked with LSTC Ministry in Context students at Wilmette and continues to do so in her new congregation. “I’m very impressed with LSTC students. Helping them financially is what our gift is all about.” Lutheran Social Services of Illinois, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in South Africa, the Metropolitan Chicago Synod, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Lands will also receive gifts from the sale of the church property. With the money in its endowment fund, Wilmette Lutheran Church gave gifts to Holy Family Lutheran School in Chicago, Bethel New Life Ministries in Chicago, Bethania Ministry in India, the Howard Area Food Pantry (Evanston, Ill.), Interfaith Action Council of Evanston, and Lutheran Campus Ministry (Evanston, Ill.). Wilmette Lutheran Church shares its gifts In May 2009, after the congregation voted to close Wilmette Lutheran Church, members were invited to take part in the committees that would decide how to distribute the assets of the congregation. One committee worked to disburse the “holy things” such as paraments, altar furnishings and hymnals. Another committee dealt with the “mundane things” such as tables, chairs and kitchen supplies. Another committee worked to determine how the assets from the church’s endowment fund and the eventual sale of the church buildings would be distributed. “More people signed up to help decide where the money would go than for any other committee we’d had at Wilmette Lutheran Church,” said Pastor Robin Brown, who served the congregation from February 2006 until its final service on October 4, 2009. Doing good out in the world Barb Hiller, with remaining council members, has shepherded the sale of the property and disbursement of anything usable within the building. “Everything has been gifted,” Hiller said. “The kitchen things went to a community center, and we even found someone to take the radiators. It’s very emotional to go to the building and see it gutted. But we figured out the difference between bricks and mortar and God’s gifts.” In late October, Hiller and Pastor Brown were present at the closing of the sale. The property was purchased by a developer. Margye Smith said, “We had some discussion about what type of offer to accept for the property. Did we want to hold out for the very best price possible or did we want to get the money to the ministries that needed it? We accepted a compromise on the final price of the building to be able to distribute the gifts.” The gift to LSTC will be approximately $220,000. Approximately 20% of the gift will be used to provide scholarships for students entering seminary in September 2011. The remainder of the gift will provide endowed scholarships for both master’s level and doctoral students. “We were glad to give it,” Smith said. “Many in the congregation were convinced that we needed to leave the ‘bricks and mortar’ in order to do good work out in the world.” "How can we do the most good?" Margye Smith, a long-time member of the congregation, led the Major Assets Committee through a process of prayer and discernment. The committee first set guidelines and priorities for giving gifts to other organizations. “After considering a number of priorities, we chose four to guide our giving: the organization’s witness to the power of the Gospel, its need, the number of lives affected by the organization’s ministry, and how long the benefit of its ministry lasts,” Smith said. “We asked how we could do the most good with the money we had to give.” The committee also needed to decide which ministries were more appropriate for them to give money from the endowment fund or from the sale of the property. The endowment fund gifts could be distributed more quickly and in an exact amount. Gifts from the sale of the property would be made in percentages because the amount of the gift would depend on the final sale price of the property. Wilmette Lutheran Church decided to give 20% of the amount of the sale of its church building to the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. “Ties between LSTC and Wilmette Lutheran Church grew stronger decades ago, when Andrew Weyermann, 16 The Klein chair inauguration President James Echols thanks Ralph Klein during the September 15, 2010, inaugural ceremony as Pastor Jennie English, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Chicago, looks on. Ralph W. Klein, Esther M. Menn, and Marilyn R. Klein. Menn is the first Ralph W. and Marilyn R. Klein Professor of Old Testament. Dr. Peter Machinist delivered the lecture, “What is Wisdom for? The Problem of Ecclesiastes,” as part of the inaugural celebration. 17 FACULTY NOTES Klaus-Peter Adam, associate professor of Old Testament, conducted a Teaching Theologians Meeting workshop at the Annual Conference of “Lutherans Concerned” in Minn. July 9-11. He preached on Sunday, September 5, at St. John United Church of Christ in Naperville, Ill., (German service). Adam presented the paper “The Books of Samuel in Persian and Hellenistic Times” at the Society for Biblical Literature International Meeting in Tartu, Estonia, held from July 28-31. Adam published “Saul as a Tragic Hero: Greek Drama and its Influence on Hebrew Scripture in 1 Samuel 14,24-46 (10,8; 13,7-13A; 10,17-27)” in For and Against David. Story and History in the Books of Samuel BETL 232, edited by E. Eynike and/A. G. Auld (Leuven: Peeters, 2010). With Mark Leuchter, Adam co-edited Soundings in Kings: Perspectives and Methods in Contemporary Scholarship (Minneapolis, Minn.: Fortress Press, 2010). It includes his chapter, “Warfare and Treaty Formulas in the Background of Kings.” Mark Bangert, John H. Tietjen Professor Emeritus of Pastoral Ministry: Worship and Church Music, served on the planning committee for the 50th anniversary of Concordia Senior College, Ft. Wayne, Ind. The event took place August 4 – 6, 2010. Kathleen D. "Kadi" Billman, John H. Tietjen Professor of Pastoral Ministry: Pastoral Theology, preached at the commissioning service of the Greater New Jersey Conference of the United Methodist Church on June 4, 2010. She attended the Society for Pastoral Theology Conference held June 17 – 19. In July, Billman completed an 8-week online course sponsored by the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in partnership with the University of Wisconsin – Madison, designed to help theological educators explore pedagogical issues in online teaching and learning. In July, she also completed a 5-day intensive training in narrative counseling at the Evanston (Ill.) Family Therapy Center. for a model of balancing the “big brain” with the individual “cell.” Kurt Hendel, Bernard, Fischer, Westberg Distinguished Ministry Professor of Reformation History, made a presentation on the theme, “You will Be My Witnesses,” at the Metropolitan Chicago Synod Assembly June 4, 2010. He preached and presided at Ashburn Lutheran Church, Chicago, on June 13 and preached for Dana O’Brien’s ordination at Atonement Lutheran Church in Racine, Wis., on August 7. In June, he led the 2010 LSTC Youth in Mission Program participants in exploring “A Lutheran Understanding of Vocation.” James Kenneth Echols, president, attended the Northern Illinois Synod Assembly and led a Bible Study on “Faith and Practice: Study Scripture” on June 18, 2010. Echols also held a lunch forum on “Faith Practice – Invite/ Witness” during the assembly. He attended the Association of Theological Schools Biennial Assembly in Montreal held June 23–25. Philip Hefner, professor emeritus of systematic theology and senior fellow, ZCRS,was quoted by New York Times online commentator, Robert Wright, on July 13, following Hefner’s comment to him on Wright’s piece about the internet as a superorganism. Hefner suggested Wright look to Teilhard de Chardin Ralph Klein, Christ Seminary-Seminex Professor Emeritus of Old Testament, conducted forums on April 11 and 18 at Redeemer Lutheran Church, Hinsdale, Ill., and on May 2, 9, and 16 at Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chicago. Klein preached at Bethlehem on June 13, at Ashburn Lutheran Church, Chicago, on June 20, and at Christ the Mediator Lutheran Church, Chicago, on August 29. He was the keynote speaker at the 40th class reunion of Concordia Seminary on July 21. Klein authored reviews of The Architecture of Herod the Great Builder by Ehud Netzer, Jeroboam’s Wife: The Enduring Contributions of the Old Testament’s LeastKnown Women, and Judaism of the Second Temple Period, Volume 1: Qumran and 18 Apocalypticism by David Flusser for Currents in Theology & Mission (August, 2010). Edgar Krentz, professor emeritus of New Testament, published the article “Peter: Confessor, Denier, Proclaimer, Validator of Proclamation – A Study in Diversity,” in Currents in Theology & Mission (August, 2010). Alma and David Lindberg, professor emeritus of world mission and world religions, were married on July 28, 2010, in LSTC’s Augustana Chapel. Ray Pickett, professor of New Testament, received the Durstan McDonald Teaching Award from the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas, an Episcopal seminary where he taught before coming to LSTC. Pickett taught at the Lay School at Gettysburg Seminary June 21 – 25, and attended the San Juan Workshop on online education at the Seminário Evangélico in Puerto Rico August 19-20. He was the keynote speaker at the Arkansas/Oklahoma Synod theological conference held September 13 – 15. Barbara Rossing, professor of New Testament, was quoted in an article published in The North Jersey Record on September 23, 2010, concerning comments by Tim LaHaye’s author of the Left Behind series. Rossing distinguished between LaHaye’s understanding of prophecy FACULTY NOTES and the biblical notion of prophecy. On July 23, the Kansas City Star quoted Rossing in an article on the end times. Craig Satterlee, Axel Jacob and Gerda Maria (Swanson) Carlson Professor of Homiletics, gave the presentation "Worship Renewal and the Dynamics of Change and Transition” at the ELCA Partners in Evangelical Worship Training Event in Houston, Tex., held June 22 – 24, 2010. He delivered the Don M. Wardlaw Lectures, July 5 – 7, during the ACTS Doctor of Ministry in Preaching Program at LSTC. His topic was “Preach Jesus, Not Oprah: Proclaim Christ as Savior.” Satterlee gave the presentation “Telling Your Story of Faith” to Youth in Mission participants at LSTC on July 2. In August, he presented “Learning to Picture God from Those Who Cannot See: Picturing God in a Fragmented World” at the Societas Homiletica 9th International Conference at Yale Divinity School, New Haven, Conn. Satterlee spoke on “Preaching in Times of Congregational Transition” at the Upstate New York Synod Ministerium in Syracuse, N.Y., in September. Satterlee published the “Holy Week” section of New Proclamation: Year A 2011 Advent Through Holy Week (Fortress Press 2010), and “Affirming Christian Vocation,” in Sundays and Seasons 2011, Year A, Suzanne K. Burke, ed. (Augsburg Fortress, 2010). His articles,“Sirach 35: 12-17: Homiletical Perspective,” ”Psalm 84: 1-7: Homiletical Perspective,” “Job 19: 23-27a: Homiletical Perspective” are published at http://www.feastingontheword.net. Satterlee’s article “How Does Where You Hear Scripture Impact How You Hear Scripture?” appeared in the August 2010 issue of Currents in Theology & Mission. Church in River Forest, Ill. Stewart was a member of the teaching faculty at the Ghost Ranch Retreat Center in Abiquiu, N.M., in June 2010, where he taught “Baptismal Water and the Waters of the Earth.” Stewart was a guest lecturer at the University of Illinois at Chicago in September on the topic of “Trends in Green Funeral Practices.” Lea Schweitz, assistant professor of systematic theology/religion and science and associate director of the Zygon Center for Religion and Science, is the coorganizer of “The Wonder of It All: Faith and Science Discovery Series” presented in fall 2010 at the Lutheran Center. Details are at www. zygoncenter.org. Schweitz led the Wabash Center’s summer 2010 Teaching and Learning Workshop for Pre-Tenure Theological School Faculty. She presented “Leibniz’s Theodicy: Context and Content” at a conference at the University of Notre Dame in September. Schweitz published “On the Road with Religion-andScience and the Romance of the Past” in Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science Vol. 45, no. 2 (2010). Her review of Epicureanism at the Origins of Modernity by Catherine Wilson was published in The Journal of Religion, vol. 90, no. 3 (2010). Mark Swanson, Vogelaar Professor of ChristianMuslim Studies and Interfaith Relations and associate director of A Center of Christian-Muslim Engagement for Peace and Justice, published The Coptic Papacy in Islamic Egypt (Cairo, Egypt: The American University in Cairo Press, 2010). Mark Thomsen, retired director of advanced studies and visiting professor of world missions, has published a Japanese translation of Crucified Christ: 21st Missiology of the Cross, trans- Ben Stewart, Gordon A. Braatz Assistant Professor of Worship, served as the homilist in May 2010, for "Ring Forth, You Songs, Resound, You Strings," part of the Bach Cantata Series at Grace Lutheran 19 lated by Arata Miyamoto (2009, Ph.D.). Christine Wenderoth, director of the JKM Library and associate professor of ministry, attended the American Theological Library Association’s annual conference in Louisville, Ky., June 16 –20, where, she chaired the Teaching & Learning Interest Group and served on the education committee. Vítor Westhelle, professor of systematic theology, published the chapter “Hybridity and Luther’s Reading of Chalcedon” in Gudstanken aktualitet: Bitrag om teologiens opgave og protestantismens indre spaendigner: Festskrift til Peter Widman, Else Marie Wiberg Pedersen, Bo Kristian Holm, and AndersChristian Jacobsen, eds. (Copenhagen: ANIS, 2010). Westhelle has new website, www.vitorw.com. IN MEMORIAM In Memoriam Robert J. Werberig 1929 - 2010 Pastor, artist, sculptor, illustrator, and teacher Robert J. Werberig died on October 1, 2010. Pastor Werberig graduated from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Mo., and was ordained in 1957. He served congregations in Louisiana and Florida before joining the faculty of Concordia Seminary in 1965. He was a faculty member of Christ Seminary-Seminex from 19741980. Pastor Werberig then served Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Irving, Texas, for 15 years. He is survived by his wife, Alice, five daughters, one son, and ten grandchildren. A memorial service was held on October 10 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. Class of 1970 responds Gary Nickel of the Class of 1970 couldn’t attend the reunion at LSTC in April, but he was able to identify many of his classmates that others could not (and he helped us spell their names properly, too.) Bob Mueller also provided names of a few people who are not in the photo and corrected the spelling of one name. The class of 1970 was much larger than the informal photo indicates. It is the only LSTC class without a formal photo. Pastor Nickel recalls that there was some controversy about graduation preparations, a dress code, and attendance requirements that likely contributed to the lack of a photo. Informal photo of the Class of 1970 taken by Otto Sickert. Front row from left, starting with man in light colored jacket: Keith Nelson, Paul Hansen, Carl Malin, Roger Prehm, Bob Mueller, Wayne Kempe; Second row: Paul Dawson, Allan Rholfs, Fred Sickert, Eliguard Nasari (from Tanzania), John Leaf, George Johnson, Jim Walker, David Franzen; Third row: John Jack, Gary Schenk, Jon R. Fogleman, Neal Engbloom, Mike Zolnosky, Bill Berg,? Moihetuck? (sp?); Fourth row: Peter Manfred, (probably) Robert Maier, Fred Meyer, Bill Graf, (probably) David Peterson, Roy Poltrack, John Duffus; Fifth row: Wayne Strohschein, Mike Lagerman, Dennis Ellison, Richard Phalen, Dennis Carroll; Back row: Charles Infelt, Paul R. Swanson, Lynn Ertsgaard, Ron Mohr, Cy Warmanen, Albert Bodaski, Jim Robinson, John Heins, Martin Peterhaensel; Not pictured: James Clark, Brian Eklund, Carl Gauck, Brian Helge, Doug Holmgren, Ken Johnson, Thomas McCrone, Richard Merkner, Quinton Meyer, Gary Nickel, Kent Nylander, Carl Onofrio, Ken Suter Correction to class reunion photo Seated: Jim Walker, Albert Bodaski, Gary Schenk, Charles Infelt; Standing: John Heins, Ken Johnson, John Leaf, Paul Swanson, Keith Nelson, Fred Sickert (correction) 20 CLASS NOTES 1963 Larry D. Cartford (Augustana, M.Div.) has published a book entitled From Pastor to Atheist: A Non-God Way of Life. He explains his reasons for becoming a non-god person. For more information about his book, email Mr. Cartford at [email protected], or visit his website, www. frompastortoatheist.com. 1974 Dr. Paul Rajashekhar (Th.M.) is part of the faculty for the Western Cluster TEEM Program - Monterey Park Extension. He leads a session on systematic theology March 17-19, 2011, in Monterey Park, Calif. 1982 Dennis Kelly (M.Div.) was installed as pastor of the Lutheran Church of the Ascension, Northfield, Ill., on November 1, 2009, by the Rev. Carol Breimeier, Assistant to the Bishop, Metropolitan Chicago Synod. Richard Mark Weaver’s (Christ Seminary-Seminex, M.Div.), wife, Estelle Marie Weaver, died on July 4, 2010. Bishop Marcus Lohrmann of Northwestern Ohio Synod preached and presided at the funeral service held at Hope Lutheran Church in Bowling Green, Ohio. 1985 Mike Blair (M.Div.) celebrated the 25th anniversary of his ordination on September 24, 2010 at Luther College, where he serves as campus pastor. Janet Wittenmyer (M.Div.) was featured in an article in the suburban Chicago Southtown Star. For the past 17 years, Wittenmyer has served as pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Oak Forest, Ill. 1986 Melody Eastman (M.Div.) was LSTC’s representative at the inauguration of Philip Graham Ryken as the eighth president of Wheaton College,Wheaton, Ill., on September 17, 2010. Charles J. Miller (M.Div.; 1998, D.Min.) began a new call at Messiah Lutheran Church in Brownsburg, Ind., on August 16, 2010. 1989 Richard Wolff (M.A.), associate professor of speech, media studies and dramatic arts at Dowling College, published the article “The State of Media Curricula in Accredited Seminaries in the U.S.,” in the peerreviewed Journal of Media and Religion. The study examines media curricular at all 197 seminaries in the U. S. to analyze their media course offerings, exploring particular differences among seminaries of various church traditions. 1990 Martin Klammer (M.A.), professor of African studies and English, and the head of the African Studies Department at Luther College, Decorah, Iowa, co-authored a book with Blanche La Guma, In the Dark with My Dress on Fire: My Life in Cape Town, London, Havana and Home Again (Jacana Press, 2010). Dr. Eardley Mendis (D.Min.; 1993, Th.M.; 1997, Ph.D.) was featured in the September 2010 Lutheran magazine story telling how First Lutheran Church, Chicago, one of the congregations he serves, has been revitalized through its ministry to homeless people in its neighborhood. Eric Wooldridge (2010, M.Div.), also part of this ministry, secured for it a $1200 Fund for Mission grant. 1991 Pongsak Limthongviratn (Th.M.; 2000, Ph.D.) is teaching for the Western Mission Cluster TEEM Program- Monterey Park (Calif.) Extension. He is scheduled to lead a session on Lutheran Confessions December 16-17, 2010. 1994 D. Jensen Seyenkulo (Th.M.; 1999, Ph.D.) is on the faculty for the Western Mission Cluster TEEM Program - Monterey Park (Calif.) Extension, where he is scheduled to lead a session on Biblical Hermeneutics August 20-22, 2011. 1995 Karla Suomala (M.A.) associate professor of religion at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, presented the free public lecture “Interfaith Engagement on College Campuses: Case Studies in Cooperation and Conflict,” on September 23 at the Center for Faith and Life Recital Hall on the Luther campus. David Vasquez (M.Div.; 2001, D.Min.), campus pastor at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, presented “On the Move: Conversation about Faith and Migration,” an Internet 21 video event on August 12, 2010. He reflected on his sabbatical work on stories of migration in the Bible. Vasquez has developed a Bible Study resource on this topic. Vasquez presented a Luther Religion Forum lecture, “Faith on the Move: Migration Narratives in the Bible and in People’s Lives” at Luther College on October 21, 2010. 1999 Jen Nagel (Certificate of Studies) was received onto the clergy roster of the ELCA on September 26, 2010, at Salem English Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, Minn. Bishop Craig Johnson of the Minneapolis Area Synod preached. Sharon Stalkfleet (M.Div.) has been added to the ELCA roster of ordained ministers in the ELCA Sierra Pacific Synod. Stalkfleet, a pastor from Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries, serves Lutheran Ministry to Nursing Homes in Oakland, Calif. 2000 Michael Bradburn (M.Div.), joined the counseling staff at Samaritan Interfaith Counseling, Consulting and Education in Naperville, Ill. Ed Kruse (Certificate of Studies; 2003, D.Min.) led the LSTC Tithing and Stewardship Foundation workshop “Re-visioning Stewardship” at LSTC on Saturday, October 16, 2010. Jenny Mason (D.Min.) has been reinstated to the ELCA roster of ordained ministers. A former ELCA missionary in Santiago, Chile, Mason was removed from the clergy roster in 2001 for being an openly lesbian woman in relationship. She now works for a faith-based developer of affordable housing as a Congregational Partnership Organizer. 2002 Rebecca Gordon (M.Div.) announces the birth of Owen Allen Gordon on June 17, 2010. Owen weighed 9 lbs. 1 oz. and was 21 inches long. He was baptized on October 10. Pastors Jennifer and Seth Moland-Kovash presided at the baptism. Big sister Amelia is thrilled with her new baby brother. where he presented a session on church polity October 7-9, 2010. tor of Messiah Lutheran Church in Aledo, Ill. Elizabeth Lee (M.Div.) was ordained and installed at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Waupun, Wis., on September 26, 2010. Jason Chesnut (M.Div.) was ordained on September 4 at the Chapel of the Abiding Presence at Texas Lutheran University in Seguin, Texas. Pastor Chesnut has been called to serve as Associate Pastor at Central Lutheran Church in Edgerton, Wis. Jordan Miller-Stubbendick (M.Div.) has accepted a call to St. Timothy Lutheran Church in Beamus Point, New York. She will begin serving her new congregation on November 8, 2010. Elaine Watskey (M.Div.) began a call as Assistant to the Bishop for Candidacy in the Grand Canyon Synod on June 1, 2009. Patricia Volberding Decker (M.Div.) was ordained at St. Andrews Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on October 10, 2010. Bishop Michael Burk of the Southeastern Iowa Synod presided. Decker serves Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids as associate pastor. 2007 2009 John Hubers (Th.M.) has accepted a full-time position as instructor in missiology at Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa. Natalie Barnes (M.A.) was ordained and installed September 5 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Joppa, Md. Barnes serves Rivers of Life Community Church, an LCMC congregation. Jean Pagliaro (M.Div.) was featured in an article in the stories of faith in action section on the ELCA’s website (www.elca.org). It discusses the emergence of a Vision Board, instead of a church council, at Halfway Creek Lutheran Church near Homen, Wis., where Pagliaro serves as pastor. Jim Davis (M.Div) was ordained on September 26, 2010, at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bloomington, Ill. Bishop Warren Freiheit of the Central Southern Illinois Synod presided. Pastor Davis was installed at American Evangelical Lutheran Church in Gibson City, Ill., on October 3, 2010. Arata Miyamoto (Ph.D.) published Embodied Cross: Intercontextual Reading of Theologia Crucis (Wipf & Stock, 2010). He also translated into Japanese Dr. Mark Thomsen’s book, Crucified Christ: 21st Missiology of the Cross, which was recently published in Japan. 2008 Gregory Villalon (D.Min.) is part of the faculty for the Western Mission Cluster TEEM Program-Monterey Park (Calif.) Extension, 2010 Gwen Sefrhans (M.Div.) was ordained on October 31 at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Dixon, Ill. She has been called to serve as pas- Aaron Decker (M.Div.) was ordained October 17 at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Norwich, Conn. Bishop Margaret Payne of the New England Synod presided. Decker will serve as Associate Pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Holden, Mass., and as Director for Social Policy Advocacy for the New England Synod. Mark Fischer (M.Div.) was ordained at Trinity Lutheran Church in Des Plaines, Ill., on Saturday, July 31. Dr. Vitor Westhelle preached and Bishop Gerald Mansholt of the Central States Synod presided. Mark serves as pastor for St. Martin Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kansas City, Kan. 22 Todd Andrew Koch (M.Div.) was ordained on October 10 at First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tulsa, Okla. Dana O’Brien (M.Div.) was ordained and installed by Bishop Jeffrey Barrow at Atonement Lutheran Church in Racine, Wis. Dr. Kurt Hendel preached and Dr. Edgar Krentz presided at the service. Lois Ann Ryan (M.Div.) was ordained at Trinity Lutheran Church in North Bethesda, Md., August 28. Bishop Gregory Pile of Allegheny Synod presided. Ryan has been called to serve as pastor at Graef’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Cairnbrook, Pa. Linda Wimmer (M.Div.) was ordained on October 20 at Sillerud Lutheran Church, Balaton, Minn. She has been called as pastor of a tri-parish in North Dakota, Zion Lutheran Church in Towner, New Hope Lutheran in Upham, and First Lutheran in Willow City. Krista Zimmerman (M.Div.) was ordained on October 31 at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Dixon, Ill. She has been called as pastor of United Lutheran Church, Rockford, Ill. IN MEMORIAM Arthur Holmer Augustana Lutheran Seminary Class of 1949 The Rev. Arthur M. Holmer died on September 1, 2010. Pastor Holmer graduated from Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill. in 1942 and from Augustana Seminary in 1949. He was ordained in 1949 and he served First Lutheran Church in Harvey, Ill., Gethesmane Lutheran Church in St. Louis, Mo., and from 1962 until his retirement in 1985, Bethlehem Lutheran Church in St. Charles, Ill. Visitation was held September 6 in St. Charles, Ill. The funeral service was held at Bethlehem Lutheran Church on September 7, 2010. Pastor Mark Larson officiated. Pastor Holmer was preceded in death by his wife, Alice, in February 2010, and is survived by his children, Rev. Peter Holmer, Rev. Richard Holmer and Dr. Mary Essley. best known hymns are “Listen, God Is Calling,” “Gracious Spirit, Heed Our Pleading,” and “Christ Has Arisen, Alleluia.” Olson also served as a visiting professor at LSTC, Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, and Wartburg Seminary. He is survived by his wife, Louise, and their four children, Howard, Sharon, Timothy and Linda. Howard S. Olson 1922 - 2010 Augustana Lutheran Seminary Class of 1946 Pastor, missionary, author, music ethnologist, and hymnologist, Howard S. Olson, died on July 1, 2010, in Sun City Center, Fla. Memorial services were held at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Sun City Center on July 12. After graduating from Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, Minn. and Augustana Seminary, Olson was ordained in 1946, and served as missionary pastor and professor in Tanzania from 1946 until 1988. Olson earned a Ph.D. from Hartford Seminary in 1965 and was presented an honorary doctorate by Gustavus Adolphus and the Distinguished Alumni Award by LSTC. He is the author of six editions of a Swahili hymnal, a text for teaching Greek in Swahili, and hymns included in This Far By Faith, With One Voice, and Evangelical Lutheran Worship. His Raymond Olson 1937 - 2010 Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago Class of 1966 Pastor Olson died on August 13, 2010, at home in El Paso, Tex. Born in Stamford, Tex. on July 10, 1937, he earned degrees from Bethany Lutheran College in Lindsborg, Kan., and Central Lutheran Theological Seminary in Fremont, Neb., before earning a master of divinity degree from LSTC. Pastor Olson served two Texas congregations, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Marshall, from 1966 to 1970, and St. John 23 Lutheran Church in El Paso, from 1970 to 1998, when he retired. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Sue, their two daughters and their families. A funeral service was held August 19 at New Hope Lutheran Church in El Paso. A graveside service was held at Bethel Lutheran Church in Ericksdahl, Texas, on August 21. Erhardt Paul “EP” Weber Chicago Lutheran Theological Seminary (Maywood, Ill.) Class of 1962 (Ph.D.) The Rev. Dr. Erhardt Paul “EP" Weber, who served as the third president of Concordia University (LCMS), Portland, Ore., from 1958 to 1983, died June 20, 2010. Under his leadership, Concordia went from a two-year junior college to a fouryear university. A celebration of his life and ministry took place at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church, Portland, Ore., on June 27. TRANSITIONS (AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS) Staff Publications Jeff Fitzkappes, assistant teaching and learning technologist, published an article entitled “Prolific Consumption of Tech Goods Harms People and the Environment” in Journal of Lutheran Ethics (September, 2010). Godspeed Anthony Elia, associate librarian for reference and instruction at the JKM Library has taken a position as the new head of public services at the Burke Library of Union Theological Seminary/ Columbia University in New York City. Anthony came to JKM Library in March 2006 as librarian for academic technology. He became associate librarian for reference and instruction in late 2008. He is an active scholar and appeared on panels at the American Theological Library Association annual conferences. He also had a reputation, as Library Director Christine Wendroth affectionately noted in her farewell, to “suss out a free food event faster than a bloodhound.” We are grateful for Anthony’s fine work at istrar and assistant to the advanced studies program. Dr. Philip has worked as the registrar at Garrett JKM Library and wish him every blessing in his new position. Kwame Pitts, who served as assistant to the advanced studies program and assistant to the registrar since August 2009, has resigned her position to take on a new role at LSTC. Kwame is now a student in the master of divinity program. We are grateful for her work in two important areas of LSTC’s ministry and are delighted to be able to welcome her to LSTC in a new way. “Taste and See: Morsels of Life at LSTC” was initiated by the Admissions Office with the aid of Web Manager Roger Bottorff. Seven seminarians contribute regularly. You will find yourself returning to this blog, grateful for the insights and inspiration shared by these students. http://tasteandseelstc. blogspot.com/ New home Mary (Joy) Philip Evangelical Theological Seminary. She holds degrees from Marthoma College, Tiruvalla, India, and St. Thomas College, Kozhencherry, India. We are grateful that she will continue to share her gifts with the LSTC community and students. Joy Philip may be reached in the advanced studies office until noon, Monday through Friday, Office 343, 773-256-0762; and in the registrar’s office in the afternoons, Office 317, 773-256-0689. Her email is [email protected]. Ashley Spell, assistant to the vice president for advancement since August 2009 has left LSTC to pursue a career in interior design. The LSTC community wished her godspeed in her new vocation at a reception on September 28. We are grateful for her work with the campaign steering committee, the campus planning task force, and the web redesign task force. Welcome Mary (Joy) Philip (2004, M.A.; 2006, Th.M.; 2009, Ph.D.) has joined the LSTC staff as assistant to the reg- Lined up and ready to go on to a new life in other Chicago Lutheran schools New LSTC Blog You remember those student desks that you squeezed in and out of in classrooms – the one with the palette desktop attached to the chair? You may be relieved to learn that many of those desks have found new homes in Chicago area Lutheran grade schools and high schools. Bob Berridge and a crew that included his daughter, Hannah, helped deliver those desks to Lutheran High School North, St. John Walther Academy, New Hope Lutheran School, and the New Lutheran High School. Paul Lindblad helps unload student desks for St. John Walther Academy in Forest Park, Ill. 24 Clockwise from top left: The Rev. Dr. Kadi Billman blesses Sasha, Cantor Dan Schwandt’s dog; the LSTC community enjoys an ice cream social during Orientation Week; Meredith Harber, her dog, Steve, and Emily Ewing in chapel following worship on the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi; the Rev. Dr. Ralph Klein gives instructions to his grandsons during the inaugural celebration of the Klein Chair of Old Testament; Dean and Vice President for Academic Affairs Michael Shelley, Acting President Philip Hougen, McCormick Seminary Academic Dean Luis Rivera-Rodriguez, and JKM Library Director Christine Wenderoth cut the ribbon leading to the new public space for the JKM Library. 1100 East 55th Street • Chicago, IL 60615 • www.lstc.edu NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID Address Service Requested CHICAGO, IL PERMIT NO. 9556 Calendar of Events All events are at LSTC unless otherwise noted. Check www.lstc.edu/ events for details. December 5 7:00 p.m. Chapel Music Series— Advent Lessons and Carols January 9 4:00 p.m. Bach for the Sem at St. Luke Church, Chicago. For tickets call 773-256-0712 17 Noon Communion Service commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Augustana Chapel at LSTC 31 6:30 p.m. Advanced Seminar in Religion and Science—weekly series until May 2. See www.zygoncenter.org for details. February February is African Descent Heritage Month at LSTC. Watch www.lstc.edu for event details. 1 6:30 p.m. The Future of Creation: Foundations for a Just and Sustainable World—weekly lecture series until May 3. Free and open to the public. See www.zygoncenter. org for details. 13 International Hymn Festival and Advanced Studies Benefit at Faith Lutheran Church, Glen Ellyn, Ill. 17 11:30 a.m. “Men in power and in trouble: Masculinity in the Hebrew Bible, Abraham as a case study” presented by Dr. Klaus-Peter Adam 18 1:00 p.m. Interfaith skill training session led by Interfaith Youth Core. Contact Sara Trumm, strumm@lstc. edu, at A Center of Christian-Muslim Engagement for Peace and Justice for details. 27 4:00 p.m. Chapel Music Series – The Salaam-Shalom Project. 27-March 1 Seminary Sampler Write [email protected] or phone 773-256-0726 for more information. March 3 “Hearing the Word: The Global Christian Community Reads the Bible Together” annual Hein-Fry Lecture presented by Dr. Dora Arce. Contact Cheryl Hoth for more information [email protected] 13 1:00 p.m. Sacred Texts Conference at Grace Lutheran Church in La Grange, Ill. 27 4:00 p.m. Chapel Music Series featuring the Muraski Duo 30 Music that Makes Community, workshop with All Saints Company April 4-5 Experiencing God through Preaching and Worship—2011 LSTC Leadership Conference. For details watch www.lstc.edu/events/ conferences/.