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Mark your calendars for an annual tradition at Luther Seminary . . .
Wednesday, December 17 at 11 a.m. in the Chapel lobby and dining areas (OCC)
Everyone is invited—students, staff, and faculty—as we gather for cocoa, cider, coffee, and treats and enjoy this year’s Do-It-Yourself Nativity and a community lunch from Andiamo Italian. Join us for fellowship and snacks, some light-hearted fun participating in or watching colleagues as we recreate a completely unique nativity, share a community meal, sing carols, and celebrate coworkers who have reached various milestones. Let us know if you plan to attend and how you’d like to engage using this online Advent Open House + Holiday Extravaganza form. Check all columns that apply.
– Treats. Bring a dozen of your favorite Christmas cookies, bars, or other treats to share.
– DIY Nativity. Join the frivolity
– Lunch. Join us for a delicious community meal
– Milestones. Sharing annual employee recognition toward the end of lunch

Join us January 25–27, 2026, for a 3-day retreat that explores God’s call on your life. We will explore the biblical witness on divine calling and God’s ongoing calling in our lives. There will be time for rest, play, worship, and prayer. Throughout the retreat we will use storytelling and the witness of community and faith practices to dig deeply into our stories and the story God is unfolding in each of us. We will gather at Shores of Saint Andrew Bible Camp in New London, Minnesota. Participants will have the opportunity to carpool to/from campus or meet at the retreat center. The cost of the retreat including 2 nights lodging and 6 meals is $200—thanks to the support of a Luther Seminary grant. Scholarships are available for current Luther Seminary students thanks to the Stewardship Leaders Endowment Lab grant—email Ashley Wheeler (awheeler002@luthersem.edu) for more information. Retreat enrollment is limited, so register soon. Registration closes Monday, December 15. The retreat is led by Steve Thomason, Dean of the Chapel and Faculty, Ashley Wheeler in Candidacy and Contextual Education, and Jen Gruendler in Admissions.

Want to share something in an upcoming edition of Inside Luther News, the seminary’s internal e-newsletter? Send your announcement to communic@luthersem.edu. Submit items for the December edition by Wednesday, December 10. Inside Luther News content is meant to be somewhat broader in scope—seasonal announcements, monthly reminders, stories about recent events or news of upcoming projects—than the daily Community Announcements posts and emails.

In this devotion, Elizabeth Schoenknecht ’04 M.Div., writes that Isaiah here promises relief from the burdens of life—injustice, war, division, abandonment, isolation. Read today’s God Pause.

You are invited to join in community faith formation every weekday at 11:00 a.m. CT. We gather in a variety of ways and places. See the schedule below to see how you can join us in-person and online.

Monday, December 1, 11:00 a.m. CT
Text Study with the chapel staff on Zoom (link in email).

Tuesday, December 2, 11:00 a.m. CT
Contemplative Practice in the Meditation Chapel and on Zoom.

Wednesday, December 3, 11:00 a.m. CT
Service of Holy Communion — Chapel of the Incarnation and livestreamed.
Fall Graduate Recognition and Advent 1
Preacher: Jennifer Wojciechowski, Assistant Professor of Church History

Thursday, December 4, 11:00 a.m. CT
Lunch Church in the OCC Dining Room
Speaker: Jen Gruendler, Associate Director for Enrollment Services

Share your prayer requests.

Please extend a warm welcome to Rahfat Hussain, who starts today as chief financial officer for both Luther Seminary and Augsburg University. Rahfat brings extensive higher education and nonprofit financial leadership expertise, most recently serving as CFO at the Minnesota Historical Society. Prior to that position, he served for 17 years in various financial roles at the University of Minnesota, including being named the inaugural director of the Finance Operations Center, a centralized shared services operation for the university. We are grateful for our collaborative partnership with Augsburg and are thrilled to have found in Rahfat an experienced, energetic leader ready to step into the unique role of CFO for both institutions. His first day on-site at Luther will be Friday, December 5.