by Ron Glusenkamp
M.Div. Class of 1980

The great theologian Yogi Berra once said, "You can observe a lot just by watching."
When I think back to my days in seminary (circa 1976-1980) I know that I did a lot of watching. At the time I didn't quite realize what I was watching or really observing. But, since being a pastor for almost 28 years, I realize now that I was watching Spiritual formation and Spiritual direction at work. I was watching some amazing exegetes preach and some amazing preachers do exegesis. I watched and observed the lively and loving proclamation of the Gospel in word and also in deeds. 

At seminary I remember studying the passage from Jeremiah 31 and having my mind, my heart and my soul being changed by the Good News. I was raised in a traditional, conservative Lutheran home. Memorization was easy for me and I had lots of theological words and Bible passages on my internal hard drive. I knew that God was omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent. However, I was surprised, (thank God for that) by the liberating news that this all-knowing, ever-present and all-powerful God promised to forget our sins and does so in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It truly was an amazing grace moment for me. A moment that I try to share with people all the time as I attempt to live out my personal mission statement to enlighten, entertain and evangelize. 

 Read the rest of Ron's story.

 

 

 

In August, the executive committee of LSTC's board of directors, with the authority of the full board, approved the themes and first-year goals for a five-year strategic plan. The six themes of the plan are:

Work on the plan began in September 2007, when the Strategic Plan Leadership Team made up of administration, faculty, staff, students, and board members, met with Consultant Joanne Soliday of Performa Higher Education. The planning process included meetings with every on-campus constituency, a group of local pastors, and use of surveys of bishops and alumni. The themes of the plan are a direct result of the concerns and issues raised by these constituencies.
 
Read the plan. 
 
A Planning Stewardship Team will oversee the implementation of the plan.

 

The importance of liturgical and confessional Lutheran worship at LSTC and the teaching of worship for the future leaders of the church, "are supported by this gift in an ongoing way and enable me to share the blessings that I have received," says Dr. Braatz. The gift comes out of his conviction that worship nurtures and enlivens one's faith, while the traditions and rituals found in worship provide stability - an anchor - for one's life. 

 

His vision is that the Gordon A. Braatz Chair in Worship will further solidify and emphasize his, and LSTC's, priority of providing seminarians with the skills for leading worship and the theological foundation undergirding worship and liturgy. LSTC's long witness of excellent professors of worship will enter a new phase this winter with the inauguration of the Gordon A. Braatz Chair in Worship. The Rev. Benjamin M. Stewart will be the first faculty member to occupy the endowed chair.
 
Braatz, recently retired associate pastor and director for worship at Central Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, Minn., has been a friend and supporter of the seminary for several years.  He graduated from the University of Minnesota with a Ph.D. in clinical psychology in 1967. He earned an M.Div. from Northwestern Seminary, St. Paul, Minn., in 1971.  He has served parishes in the Twin Cities while working as a psychologist for the Department of Veterans Affairs. Since retirement from parish ministry, Braatz continues some involvements as a psychologist, and he remains an avid traveler.  

 

LSTC Class of 1978 Reunion at LSTC

October 8-9, LSTC hosted a 30-year reunion for its class of 1978.  I was honored to spend two days with these 12 graduates, who together represented 360 years of public ministry in the ELCA.

"LSTC turned me into a pastor," says Pastor Mark Peterson. "I think of Joe Sittler teaching me grace - Walter Michel receiving a standing ovation for his lecture on the book of Job - Morrie Niedenthal teaching me how to include my story in God's story when I preach." Other members of the class expressed gratitude for the education they received at LSTC.

The class of 1978 has spent 30 years responding to the call of the Holy Spirit. Pastor Wayne Dreyman said, "Just when my wife Ann and I had decided that we were never going back to New Jersey again, the phone rang. The Spirit moves in mysterious ways."  Many of his classmates shared similar stories of God's call to unexpected places and ministries.
 

I was especially drawn to the stories of the women graduates of the class of 1978 because they were among the pioneering women pastors in the ELCA. "I waited a long time for my first call," said Pastor Christine Meyer, "because my bishop didn't think I would be safe in a call in the city." Attending seminary was a leap of faith for another graduate, Pastor Janet Fechner-Pelletier: "At the time, this whole woman pastor thing was still very new; I mean you could go to seminary, but who knew if anyone would want you when you were done."

The class was thrilled to be back at LSTC, their alma mater. Their astonishment at the new Augustana Chapel (with its "amazing" sacristy and the Roby Prayer Chapel) was matched only by their astonishment at the refurbishment of Free-B, which along with Jimmy's, was the locus of many of their happy seminary memories. Pastor Rod Ozmun shared with me that the only decoration at Free-B used to be the large logo on the floor that read "Jesus Saves; Moses invests."

What an honor and privilege it was for me to spend these two days with our class of 1978! Many thanks to Dan Ward, who convened this reunion. (Read his sermon, preached in Augustana Chapel October 9, 2008.)

 

If you would like your graduating class to celebrate a significant reunion at LSTC, please contact me at jnipp@lstc.edu.

Jessica Nipp, Diaconal Minister
Director for Advancement
jnipp@lstc.edu