Archives for May 2021

The Luther Seminary mailroom has moved from OCC basement to the Facilities Office in Bockman Hall, Room 130. All mail handling will continue as usual.

Please join us at 11 a.m. Central for Morning Prayer with Zach Bush on Facebook Live (note: you do not need a Facebook account to attend). 

Now that we are one year removed from the murder of George Floyd, we must ask ourselves this question: Who is God calling us to be in this moment? How are we called to dismantle systems of oppression that still reside in our city and become repairers of the breach? National performing artist and public theologian Reverend Sekou will lead us in a Holy Conversation about how Christian public leaders can become anti-racist militant non-violent resistors. Come with an open heart and mind!  

WHAT: Holy Conversation with Reverend Sekou
WHEN: Tuesday, May 25, 11 a.m. Central
WHERE: The Zoom link will be included in the community announcements email.
WHO: All are welcome who wish to be challenged and inspired!

For more information, please contact David Scherer (dscherer002@luthersem.edu).

Sekou’s Tiny Desk Concert

Sekou on Social Justice as a Spiritual Discipline

Sekou’s Bio: A leading public intellectual, Reverend Sekou has written two collections of essays, “Urbansouls: Meditations on Youth, Hip Hop, and Religion” and “Gods, Gays, and Guns: Essays on Religion and the Future of Democracy.” He has written widely on the 2011 killing of Mark Duggan by British police and the subsequent London riots, and is the author of the forthcoming “Riot Music: Race, Hip Hop and the Meaning of the London Riots 2011” (Hamilton Books).

Sekou was a visiting scholar at Stanford University’s Martin Luther King Education and Research Institute at the time of Michael Brown Jr.’s killing, and traveled to Ferguson in mid-August 2014 on behalf of the Fellowship of Reconciliation (the country’s oldest interfaith peace organization) to organize alongside local and national groups.

Hello, friends!

Grab a snack or a cup of coffee and bring your Bible and, of course, your wonderful self!

We will gather on Fridays, 9-9:45 a.m. Central, via Zoom for a time of check-in, prayer, and Bible conversation so we can continue to share, encourage, and grow with one another. This group is open to anyone in our Luther community including staff, faculty, students, and friends of Luther Seminary. The Zoom info will be included in the community announcements email. See you shortly!

If you have any questions you can email Joanna (jkathol001@luthersem.edu) or Esther (esianipar001@luthersem.edu).

Preacher: Cory Driver, M.Div. student
Be sure to join us in chapel at 11 a.m. Central as we support this fellow student of our community! The Zoom link will be included in the community announcements email.

Many of Luther Seminary’s on-campus students, faculty, and staff have received vaccinations or plan to be vaccinated in the near future. Based on surveys conducted with employees in April and with students in May, at least 93% of employees and 92% of students have received at least one shot or intend to receive the vaccine when eligible (99% confidence level).

As many people receive vaccines and COVID-19 cases in the United States decline, we are beginning to discuss returning to campus. As of now, employees may choose to return to campus for work. You do not need to use the building sign-up sheet to come to campus, but we do ask that you check in at Olson Campus Center (OCC) each day when you arrive until further notice.

In mid-June the seminary will have made a final decision about whether or not to hold fall classes on campus. Luther has already decided to open up on-campus housing to new residential students in September. The seminary’s buildings will remain closed to the general public.

As more people return to campus, we ask that everyone keep in mind the following:

• COVID-19 vaccines are strongly encouraged but not mandated.
• Masks are required in indoor common areas.
• Social distancing is required indoors.
• OCC and all classrooms have air conditioning, and MIRV filters have been installed per CDC guidelines. If you wish to have an air conditioning unit installed in your space in Bockman Hall, please submit a maintenance request to maintenance@luthersem.edu.
• Classrooms and common areas will be cleaned daily. Sanitizing solution and wipes are available for your use.