Archives for January 2026

We continue to closely monitor the situation on the ground in the Twin Cities. At this time, RFS 2 will move forward at Mount Olivet as planned. We have been in touch with our partners at Mount Olivet—they are excited to welcome us and remain prepared to host us in the midst of these challenging times. We feel confident in the safety planning that is already in place and in our ability to adapt quickly if circumstances change. Please remain attentive for additional updates by email throughout this week. There are plenty of seats still available on the bus between campus and Mount Olivet, and we know that some are feeling a sense of heightened vulnerability related to transportation. Please feel free to sign up to ride the bus, even if you had not previously planned to do so. A Luther staff or faculty member will be present on the bus. Any student with questions or concerns is encouraged to connect with our interim dean of students, Shamani Shikwambi. Please direct all other questions to academicdean@luthersem.edu.

In this devotion, Steven Nelson ’76 M.Div., reminds us to listen to the prophet’s revelation: “Do not give in or give up. You are not alone.” Read today’s God Pause.

We will gather in the Chapel of the Incarnation today—Monday, January 12 at 11 a.m.—for a communion service with guest preacher William P. Brown, the speaker for this year’s Rutlen lecture. Brown is an ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the William Marcellus McPheeters Professor of Old Testament at Columbia Theological Seminary.

Dear Luther Seminary Community,
We are writing to share that Ron Hosek, our longest-serving maintenance technician, concluded his time with Luther Seminary last week. Ron has been a familiar face on our campus for over a decade. During his long tenure, he played an essential role in the care and upkeep of our buildings and grounds. We want to acknowledge his history with the seminary and express our sincere gratitude for the dedication he brought to the maintenance of our facilities. We thank Ron for his many years of contributions to our campus.
—Operations and Technology, Finance and Human Resources

We’re starting a monthly zoom gathering for women of the ELCA who attend Luther Seminary. It will be a time to gather, encourage, and uplift one another as we ground ourselves in our Lutheran heritage. If you are interested in attending, email BillieJo Shahan, bshahan001@luthersem.edu, and indicate which days of the week and what times of day would work best for you.

We encourage faculty and staff to be part of Winter RFS 2 at Mount Olivet next week even if you are not teaching. There will be multiple ways to participate:

• Join us on January 14, 15, or 16 for worship at 8:00 a.m. in Serley Chapel, to the right of Mount Olivet’s main sanctuary.
• Join us any day for lunch at 11:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall. In particular, faculty are encouraged to attend on January 14 and staff are encouraged to attend on January 15.
• Sign up for a support shift to help make RFS a success. Check out available roles and sign up for a shift by adding your name to the support schedule.

Contact academicdean@luthersem.edu with any questions.