Archives for November 4, 2025

In this devotion, Marlene Elmstrom ’94 M.Div., encourages us to be bold in our petitions to God, confident not in our own righteousness but in our baptism into Christ. Read today’s God Pause.

We gather at 11:00 a.m. CT in the OCC Meditation Chapel and on Zoom (link in email) for contemplative practice of your choice—mindful sketching, centering prayer, or however you choose to engage silence. Facilitated by Dean of the Chapel Steve Thomason, we read the text and then practice in silence for 15 minutes. Afterward, you are welcome to sit in fellowship or go about your day.
Share your prayer requests.

Come for brake-fast with pancakes and bread on November 5 from 8:30–9:30 a.m. in the OCC café! This is the second “Brake Bread” opportunity to gather around bread, jam, and pastries while building deeper community connections and celebrating a campus space—this time the café. Supported by an Endowment Lab Grant from Thrivent, these braking bread events are intentional moments to build relationships, listen to one another, laugh together, and celebrate the good work and learning being done among us. Please join us in this holy space to love one another more deeply in a time of uncertainty. If you have questions, email Emily Rova-Hegener in Contextual Learning, erovahegener001@luthersem.edu.

Check out this week’s blog post from Dean of the Chapel Steve Thomason—All Saints Week.

In an election season marked by much fear, anxiety, and uncertainty, may we be comforted by a prayer from Karl Barth, shared on our brief Karl Barth bibliography. Here is the original prayer from the Center for Barth Studies.

The dropping temperatures are especially cold for our newest students unused to Minnesota’s quickly changing seasons. Because most international students arrive from warm-weather countries, they have no cold-weather clothing to bring with them. International Student and Scholar Affairs (ISSA) is collecting warm-winter gear in good, usable condition for our international students. Along with winter coats, most needed are hats, scarves, neck gaiters, gloves, mittens, boots, sweaters, and sweatshirts. Adult sizes only, specifically:
– Men’s: medium or large; boots sized 9 (one sized 10.5, one sized 11.5/12)
– Women: one medium, one large; boots sized 7
You may bring your donations to Student Affairs in Bockman 249 or leave them in the tub outside the office. No additional clothing is being accepted at this time. Any items not used by our community will be donated locally to those in need. Questions? Contact Stanley Ayashim, Residential Life Coordinator, or Chenar Howard, ISSA Director. Thank you!