In This Issue
Signs of hope
Godly play in a virtual sandbox
News from LSTC
Winter Farmer's Market at LSTC
"Thin Ice" at LSTC
Multicultural Conversation
Teaching religion & science
Music at LSTC
Student blog
More from LSTC's Centers
Valpo Alumni Wordfest
LSTC Guild Spring gathering
Who needs a will?
Seminary Sampler Night
2014 Leadership Conference
Your gift to LSTC matched
Opportunities

 
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Mission Statement


The Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago forms visionary leaders to bear witness to the good news of Jesus Christ.   
  

    

 

Signs of hope

 

Spring!

By the time this e-newsletter gets sent, we'll be digging out from a late-winter snowstorm. But today I saw a brave bulb sending up two green shoots in LSTC's muddy front garden. I got to wade through puddles and walk on dry sidewalks. I can see grass (albeit matted and brown) that I haven't seen since December. I'm beginning to think spring will arrive, after all.

 

LSTC is another sign of hope for me. The deep commitment of those who come here to study fills me with hope for the church and the world. They do this not for themselves, but in the name of Christ for the sake of others.

 

We're in the season of anticipation at LSTC. Seniors now have their synod assignments and most of them are in conversation with their new bishop, taking the next step toward a first call. Middlers soon will hear about internship site assignments for next year. Juniors are locking in CPE sites for the summer. Even though this is Reading Week at LSTC, there's a lot of movement below the surface - like the life that is waiting to spring forth from the slowly thawing ground.

 

We're ready for the next season to arrive.

 

Blessings in this season of lengthening days,

 

Jan Boden

Director of Communications and Marketing

[email protected]


Godly play in a virtual sandbox

   

Dave Berg

Pastor Dave Berg (2002, M.Div.)

Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Rochester, Minn.

by Erin Schmidtke

 

Sometimes doing God's work means thinking differently. That's what Pastor Dave Berg did. He and his congregation are trying something new at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Rochester, Minn. On March 16, they will host an interactive forum at 7 p.m. on vocation and purpose. It's part of their new initiative called the Sandbox Cooperative, which draws its name from the creative and ever-changing space children make when they play in sandboxes together.

 

The forum will take place at Studio 324 in Rochester, but it's also available for live streaming at www.sandboxcooperative.com. This new type of ministry stems from a restructuring the congregation did eight years ago. As a 3,000-member church, they had to figure out how to reach different groups effectively. Berg, who serves as the Generation X, Y and Z pastor, said of the restructuring, "Our philosophy has been: one generation blesses the other." Read more   

 

News from LSTC

 

Theologian Mitri Raheb to speak at LSTC

On Tues., April 1, history and theology will come to life. Internationally-acclaimed theologian Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb will speak on his latest book, Faith in the Face of Empire, which draws parallels between the impact of empire in both biblical history and Palestine today.

 

Raheb will preach in LSTC's Augustana Chapel, 1100 E. 55th St., at 11 a.m., followed by a light lunch and a presentation and book signing in LSTC's Common Room (350). There is no cost to attend or registration required for this event, which is open to the public. Read more   

 

Download a poster for this event here.  



This Saturday: Winter Farmer's Market at LSTC

 

LSTC's Green Zone and Faith in Place will host a Winter Farmer's Market at LSTC on Sat., March 15, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. This market will feature locally-produced honey, jams, and baked goods along with whatever winter produce is available. It's a family-friendly event with activities for children and cooking demonstrations for adults. Local experts will lead 45-minute classes on composting, congregations growing food to share, and access to fresh food in urban food deserts For more information, contact Amy Westphal at  [email protected].


See documentary "Thin Ice" at LSTC on March 17

 

At 6:30 p.m. on Mon., Mar. 17, the LSTC Green Zone and Zygon Center for Religion and Science will show the documentary "Thin Ice: The Inside Story of Climate Science" for the Future of Creation class. Dr. Raymond Pierrehumbert, Louis Block Professor of Geophysical Sciences at the University of Chicago, who is featured in the film, presents a lecture at 8 p.m. Both events are free and open to the public. More information here  


Multicultural Service and Witness Conversation

     

Part Four of the Multicultural Conversations sponsored by Albert "Pete" Pero Jr. Multicultural Center will be held at LSTC on Fri., March 21 from 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. in Room 350. This session will draw on the wisdom of the gathered community to explore multicultural service and witness in the church. Admission is free. Contact Dr. Cheryl Stewart Pero at [email protected] or Francisco Herrera at [email protected] for more information.


Teaching religion and science at LSTC

     

Terry Baeder, director of field education, and Lea Schweitz, director of the Zygon Center for Religion and Science, recentlyrecorded a podcast at the Adler Planetarium about "Teaching Religion and Science across the Seminary Curriculum."  You can listen for free here  (episode 155). You must download iTunes to listen.  


Music at LSTC

 

Chicago Chamber Choir

Sunday, April 6 at 4 p.m., in the Augustana Chapel at LSTC, the well-known Chicago Chamber Choir presents music for organ and choir in the program, "Where the Wild Songs Are." Artistic Director Timm Adams will conduct Benjamin Britten's "Rejoice in the Lamb" and other works. To purchase tickets, visit the website.

 

26th Annual LSTC Gospel Choir Concert

Come celebrate the beginning of the LSTC Gospel Choir's 2nd quarter-century with their concert, "Every Praise!" on Sun., April 13 at 4 p.m. in the Augustana Chapel at LSTC. Admission is free, but a freewill offering to support the Grover Wright and Rev. Carole A. Burns Scholarships will be gathered. It's an afternoon of Gospel music that you won't want to miss. Download the poster.


Read the latest student blog

 

Student bloggers share their experiences in diaconal ministry formation, as part of the dual degree program, and on the senior class fundraiser. Read it here.


More from LSTC's Centers

 

The Bible and Qur'an course offered in Waukegan, Ill.

Professors Ghulam-Haider Aasi and Mark Swanson will teach this popular course at the Islamic Foundation North in Waukegan, Ill. The course will meet Sundays, March 23, 30, April 6, and 13 from 2-4 p.m. For details contact Sara Trumm at [email protected] or 773-256-0708.

 

The Future of Creation lectures Mondays at LSTC

Zygon Center for Religion and Science invites you to Monday evening lectures from February thru April. Each week, two experts examine key elements to developing effective, equitable, and sustainable responses to environmental degradation. The free lectures are at 6:30 and 8 p.m. in Room 208 at LSTC. See details for each week here.


Register today for April 3 Valpo Alumni Wordfest at LSTC 

 

Prize-winning essayist Eula Biss will read from her work at a special Valparaiso University Alumni Wordfest Event on Thurs., April 3 at LSTC. Valpo extends an invitation to Valpo alumni and their guests, and the LSTC community. The evening begins with light appetizers and wine at 7 p.m. The reading starts at 8 p.m., with dessert and book signing afterwards. Tickets are $15 per person. Register by March 28 by calling Martin Buinicki, Friedrich Professor of American Literature, at 219-464-5320 or email [email protected].


LSTC Guild Spring gathering in Schaumburg  

 

On April 5, the LSTC Guild, which is dedicated to assisting LSTC's international students, will hold its Spring gathering at Lord of Life Lutheran Church, 119 W. Wise Rd., Schaumburg, Ill. Registration begins at 9:30, with brunch at 10 a.m., followed by a program led by LSTC international students. Cost is $10. Please contact Guild President Jean Nye at [email protected] for more information.


Who needs a will?

 

Every adult who owns anything, has children and cares what happens at the time of her or his death.  Also, anyone who believes in lifelong stewardship and wants to remember favorite ministries of the ELCA. For more information on creating a will for yourself, contact Mark Van Scharrel at 773-256-0676 or [email protected].

Seminary Sampler Night at LSTC

 

Encourage someone you know to explore their call and life at LSTC at Seminary Sampler Night on April 23. Contact Scott Chalmers at [email protected] or 773-256-0727 or see the website for more information.


Fear Not: Risk, Ministry
and the Gospel

 

2014 Leadership Conference and Seminex 40th Anniversary Celebration


What do faithful leaders do when they need to take a risk for the sake of the integrity of the gospel and their call? The 2014 LSTC Leadership Conference explores that question, using the 1974 walkout of faculty, staff, and students from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, and the formation of Christ Seminary-Seminex as a starting point. The Rev. Heidi Neumark  will be the conference keynote speaker.

 

The 2014 Conference will be held in conjunction with a Seminex 40th anniversary celebration that takes place June 17. Former LSTC President William Lesher is the keynote speaker. A celebration dinner begins at 6:30 p.m.

 

Separate registration fees for each day are: June 17: $50, Seminex Celebration Dinner $25; June 18 conference: $75. Online registration begins Fri., March 14 on LSTC's website. Or email [email protected].

 

Hotel accommodations are at the new Hyatt Place Chicago-South in Hyde Park. To reserve a room, visit Hyatt. Use the group code G-SEMI online.

 

Your gift to LSTC matched until June 30

 

Please remember that generous donors have extended the LSTC Annual Fund Challenge for a third year, offering to match $500,000 of new, renewed, or increased gifts to the Annual Fund received by June 30, 2014. Your gift will be matched if it is:

  • New - If your first gift to LSTC was June 1, 2011 (or anytime since then), 100% of your gifts this year will be matched dollar for dollar.
  • Renewed - If you "got back on board" and started giving again to LSTC since June 1, 2011, your gifts will be matched again this year dollar for dollar.
  • Increased - If you've increased your giving the last two years, your "increase" will be matched dollar for dollar again this year.

It's easy to make a gift online at  http://www.lstc.edu/alumni-friends/giving/ or contact the LSTC Advancement Office at 773-256-0712.


Opportunities at LSTC       

 

March - European Descent Heritage Month

Mar. 15, 9 a.m. - Winter Farmer's Market

Mar. 21, 10:30 a.m. - Multicultural Service and Witness Workshop

April - Asian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Apr. 1, 11 a.m. - Mitri Raheb visit

Apr. 1, 12:20 p.m. - Manz Organ Series Recital

Apr. 3, 7 p.m. - Valparaiso Wordfest $

Apr. 5, 9:30 a.m. - LSTC Guild Spring Meeting, Schaumburg, Ill.

Apr. 6, 4 p.m. - Chicago Chamber Choir $

Apr. 13, 4 p.m. - 26th Annual LSTC Gospel Choir Concert

Apr. 23, 4:30 p.m. - Seminary Sampler Night

 

For more information about LSTC events see our Events Calendar.

 

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