Archives for December 10, 2021

Join us at 11 a.m. in the Chapel of the Incarnation for an Advent/Christmas carol sing. Professor Rolf Jacobson, professor of Old Testament and The Alvin N. Rogness Chair of Scripture, Theology, and Ministry, will offer a homily.

The Faith+Lead team is pleased to announce several new grants. Lilly Endowment Inc. has awarded Luther a $1 million Pathways Phase 2 grant to help fund the development of Faith+Lead Academy. Faith+Lead Academy creates opportunities for non-degree learners to connect with God, deepen and expand their understanding of the Christian tradition, and discover new ways to lead in today’s world. Courses for this curriculum will be clustered into pathways, providing guided learning experiences for leaders based on their needs, contexts, or roles. Within five years, the seminary hopes to offer 200 courses and 25 pathways to 15,000 learners from diverse church bodies throughout the United States and the world. We will experiment with financial models with the goal of making the courses affordable as well as accessible.

We have also received a $500,000 challenge grant from the Offutt Family Foundation to support several innovation initiatives, including Faith+Lead Academy, the Seeds Project, and Faith+Lead Coaching.

Finally, we were awarded a $450,000 grant from Trinity Church Wall Street in New York City that will go towards the ongoing work of the Seeds Project and its Fellows for 2022 and 2023. The Seeds Project is an incubator/accelerator for entrepreneurial ministry leaders working at the intersection of Gospel and culture.

If you have any questions about the grants or the Faith+Lead team, contact Dwight Zscheile.

Luther Seminary has a campus alert system provided by Omnilert for urgent communications regarding campus safety, including weather-related closings or cancellations. This service is available to anyone with a Luther Seminary account. We strongly encourage all members of the Luther Seminary community to sign up on Luther Seminary’s Omnilert sign-up page.

Luther Seminary’s COVID-19 protocols have required masks since the beginning of the pandemic, and this requirement remains in effect. Given the high COVID-19 test positivity and case rates in Ramsey and Hennepin counties as well as the new omicron variant, it is important for us all to adhere to this standard whenever we are on campus, regardless of our vaccination status. Masks can protect you and others, especially those who have not been vaccinated, such as children under 5.

Our mask policy remains limited to indoor areas; masks are not required outdoors. Individuals may remove masks when in private offices, but please remember to wear your mask in hallways.

Thank you for complying with our mask requirements. Helping one another stay healthy is one of the key things we can do to support community.

If you missed Ministry Matters Session 3 – here is the link for a replay.

Ministry Matters Session 3 focuses on the Bible and the LGBTQIA+ community. David Scherer moderated a discussion with Ashlei Cramer and Aubrey Thonvold of ReconcilingWorks about how issues within the Bible affect LGBTQIA+ people and the community.

Ministry Matters is a student led six-month series for Christian public leaders to learn about the LGBTQIA+ community, its unique spiritual past, and the amazing opportunities ministry holds for the community. Each session is 90 minutes and will focus on a key topic/issue.

Ministry Matters 3 Links to Materials

Please see below for the links referenced in the Ministry Matters 3 Meeting:

For more conversation on religious freedoms and the Equality Act, check out this helpful Frequently Asked Questions page.

The statistics from this slide come from the book “Welcoming and Affirming.” Its accompanying book is “Queerfully and Wonderfully Made.”

Today’s devotional comes from “Transforming: The Bible and the Lives of Transgender Christians” by Austen Hartke.

To read more from Bishop Michael Curry check out Bishop Curry’s page on the website of the Episcopal Church.

If you are interested in learning about Manna and Mercy, visit the Manna and Mercy website.

Different Lens’ to view scripture come from Reconciling Scripture for Lutherans: On Sexuality and Gender Identity.

Additional resources include:

Movement Advancement Project

The study “My Mind Was Changed” by Auburn Seminary

ReconcilingWorks
and the ReconcilingWorks Worship, Liturgy, and Scripture page

Race Forward

Reformation Project

Here’s a survey for all.