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In this devotion, Stanley Ayashim ’21 M.A. says that not every invitation is worth accepting.
Read today’s God Pause.

Students, Spring RFS 1 (February 27-March 1) and RFS 2 (March 4-6) are both on campus at Luther Seminary. As you make final preparations for travel and learning, please review these reminders and resources:

• February 24 is Syllabus Day
• Spring 2026 RFS schedule
• Spring 2026 Moodle site

Contact academicdean@luthersem.edu with any questions.

* Any student who hasn’t yet booked a hotel should contact the hotels directly to verify availability. We have arranged shuttles with Doubletree-Roseville and Fairfield-Mendota Heights. Students are welcome to stay elsewhere but will need to arrange their own transportation. Students attending the Tuesday night soup dinner will need to arrange their own transportation.
* Seminary ID cards can be made for you ahead of RFS. Email a request (with headshot attached) to Peter Susag (psusag001@luthersem.edu) before Wednesday, February 25.

Let’s gather on Zoom on Tuesday evenings during Lent. It begins on Tuesday, February 24 at 7 p.m. CT. Pastor Steve will host a simple time where we will check in with each other, read scripture, pray, and reflect on our Lenten theme: Encounter. We’ll begin at 7 p.m. and finish by 7:45. The Zoom link is on the LS Community shared Google calendar and shared in daily emails.

If you have not yet registered for a spring term course, consider taking CL 4532 Cultivating Church in Everyday Life. Dave Male, the instructor for this course, is a respected church leader in England and a pioneer in the Fresh Expressions movement in the UK. Register for credit or to audit during spring RFS 2.

Several spots remain for the travel course Mission in a Post-Christian Society: Learning from the UK, which occurs June 6-13, 2026. Contact Jody Nyenhuis, jnyenhuis001@luthersem.edu, to find out more about how to make travel to Europe a part of your theological education plan.

Interested in small town and rural ministry? Consider attending the annual Rural Ministry Conference at Wartburg Seminary this March 8–10. The event is in Dubuque, Iowa, and explores the theme “Managing Change and Transforming Conflict in Congregations: Leading in an Age of Polarization.” Speakers David Brubaker, Peter Soli, and Beth McCaw will guide large-group presentations. There are multiple workshops. Thanks to donors, most expenses for this experience will be covered for up to three students. Please express your interest promptly to secure your place by sending an email to Jon Anderson, Rural Ministry Director, janderson008@luthersem.edu. Transportation will be provided for those three Luther Seminary students. People who may be closer to Wartburg and interested should also be in touch. This year, a Zoom version of the conference is available. This will also be supported if you are an interested student.