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News
Update from Esther Sianipar
Luther Seminary supports whole-heartedly for international students to remain at Luther during the coming academic year. A July 6th announcement from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) sought to require that resident international students take courses in person during the 2020 fall semester, despite COVID-19 concerns. However, a recent update indicates that the Trump Administration just dropped the policy for all international students to depart to their countries for taking online courses. I have not heard yet from the Seminary the official statement of our status due to this rapid change.
In the meantime, I am continuing to finish my Clinical Pastoral Education by mid August at Lutheran Social Services and praying that I can begin my internship in the Fall. Good news is that I have been hired right before this statement came out, to do a part time for two years a pastoral internship at ComoParkLutheran Church. This position will start in the fall if my Endorsement Interview goes well which is scheduled for Aug 17th, and that the Seminary is able to come up with different models of learning for international students. Please keep me, international students and the Seminary’s administration in your prayers. I just could not imagine if I have to go home to take classes online and my candidacy process as a pastor may be on hold.
These couple of weeks have been overwhelming and stressful. But I continue to find peace and rest in God and in people such as yourselves, the community of Luther Seminary and my CPE cohort that pray and support for our well-being in the US.
So this is the update on my status as a student. Jonah is doing well this summer. We don’t know yet what the school is going to do in the fall, but I find peace and hope in the Lord.
Please stay well and safe.
Thank you and blessings,
esther
Jake Roselius
Jake Roselius, “I received my Zulassungsbescheid or Notice of Acceptance to attend a Masters of EU Law at The University of Hamburg, one of Germany’s top 11 Excellence Universities in October.
I’m thrilled to be studying in Germany again and am looking forward to working in the EU in a diplomatic capacity upon conclusion of my studies!”
Greetings from the Diakonia Community
For those of you who are unfamiliar with this lay leadership program, Diakonia is a two-year educational program that teaches, equips and motivates individuals to respond to their baptismal calling to serve Jesus Christ in all aspects of their daily lives through freely-responsible servanthood.
The Diakonia program was started in the Synod three years ago as a means to train and develop lay persons to assist rostered leaders in doing the work of the local church. Since the program began, 35 students have graduated and are serving their local churches in various ways. Some of you have received a copy of the Diakonia brochure in the mail in the past few days. It was sent as an introduction to the Diakonia program for the Grand Canyon Synod.
Over the next 10 to 14 days, graduates from the Diakonia program will be calling you to ask questions about Lay Leadership. We are interested in how the Diakonia program might help you in your ministry. We pray that you will take a few minutes to listen and answer their questions as we work on ways to increase lay leadership in the Synod.
If you would like more information about the Diakonia program, visit our website at www.diakoniaaz.org or send an email to mike@diskoniaaz.org.
We hope this email finds you safe and well!
Thank you.
Statues of Limitations?
Dr. Calvin Schermerhorn and his family attend ULC/LCM. Professor Schermerhorn teaches American History at ASU with an emphasis on Antebellum history and slavery in particular. He has also researched, written and spoken about Jim Crow and racism in the US from the Civil War until today. What follows are his thoughts and observations concerning the current movement to take down Confederate statues. Calvin ends with questions for us to consider. To this I have to add my own personal wonderment: As a Lutheran, what do I think about Martin Luther statues? I have spoken to Jewish Studies, the Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict, ASU classes, and a couple congregations concerning Luther’s Anti-Semitism. What, indeed????
Thank you, Calvin for writing this for us!
Download the Article (PDF)
Let Us Now Remove Famous Men
Calvin Schermerhorn