Archives for October 2026

In this devotion, Deborah Jorgens ’19 M.A., says the life of faith isn’t easy and living it out in community is a gift. Read today’s God Pause.

Reminder: Our Portico Open Enrollment presentation will be held this Wednesday, October 14, 9–10:30 a.m. CT in OCC 10. Portico representatives will be on campus to present plan details, review key updates for the 2027 plan year, and answer any questions you may have. (See Zoom option in the calendar invitation). Other reminders:

• Open Enrollment Window. Open Enrollment officially begins on Monday, October 19. Watch for your email invite directly from Portico starting that day (sent in batches over a few days). Everyone will have two full weeks to complete enrollment.
• Overview of Benefit Changes. Calendar invites and the 2027 Overview of Benefit Changes/premium rates have already been sent out.
• Recording. If you are unable to join us live, the presentation will be recorded and shared with all faculty and staff afterward.

If you have any questions ahead of Wednesday’s session, please email Carrie Johnson (cjohnson007@luthersem.edu) or Joe Ahrens (jahrens001@luthersem.edu).

Come and sing with us! All students, faculty, and staff are welcome to join the Luther Seminary Chapel Choir. We rehearse weekly 12:15–1:15 p.m. after Wednesday chapel and sing about once a month during Wednesday worship. People of all singing and music-reading abilities are welcome. Please fill out this online form to indicate your interest.

Students, faculty, staff, join my former NYC parish, Saint Thomas Church 5th Avenue, this Wednesday, October 14 at 6 p.m. CT, for this year’s John Henry Hobart Theology Lecture with Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury. Rowan Williams served as Archbishop of Canterbury from 2002 to 2012, leading the worldwide Anglican Communion through a period of profound challenges. Twenty-five years after 9/11, he will reflect on questions that concern us all: How can we resist the temptation to turn strangers into enemies? How do we rebuild trust in a divided world? How can we rediscover the bonds of solidarity that make genuine community possible? Archbishop Rowan was himself in Manhattan on September 11, 2001, and his experience that day inspired his moving book “Writing in the Dust.” I hope you will join this call for what promises to be an exceptionally thoughtful and inspiring evening. Registration for Twenty-Five Years after 9/11: Strangers, Neighbors, and the Work of Solidarityi s required.
—Timothy Higdon

In this devotion, Deborah Jorgens ’19 M.A., says there is only one true God worthy of our praise. Read today’s God Pause.

Join us for our second “Brake Bread” event on Tuesday, October 13 at 11:30 a.m. by the oak trees in front of Bockman Hall. We will be learning about forest bathing with David Motzenbecker and about the seminary’s landscape with Caleb Rollins, our seminary archivist. Wear a jacket if the weather is a bit cooler and rainy. If it is raining hard, we’ll go inside, but we’ll strive to be outside with the trees. Also, this is a phone-free event—please do not bring your phones. After the outdoor portion is over, we’ll head into Bockman 116 to “Brake Bread” and share further conversation. We look forward to seeing you there! “Brake Bread” events are brief monthly gatherings where we learn about some of the unnoticed and significant pieces of our communal past, present, future and break bread together. Note that “Brake Bread” events are not a lunch but a light serving of bread and pastries. Please bring a lunch if you would like to add more to your plate. If you have questions about these events, contact: Mary Hess (mhess@luthersem.edu), Caleb Rollins (crollins001@luthersem.edu), or Emily Rova-Hegener (erovahegener001@luthersem.edu).