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Lutheran Campus Ministry

What’s UP with Campus Ministry

This month by Pr Kevin Clark, Lutheran Campus Ministry, Kansas State University (0513)
 

LCM at KSU Celebrates 75th Anniversary!

2013 marks 75 years since the first KSU Lutheran Student Association was formed! In 1938, the Lutheran Student Association began meeting twice a month, and enjoyed monthly meals on Sunday evenings at First Lutheran Church of Manhattan. Leadership for LSA was provided by students, pastors, interns, and lay leaders from First Lutheran.

In 1957, the first “Luther House” at 915 Dennison was purchased to provide a gathering place for students near campus. In 1965, National Lutheran Campus Ministry of the ALC and LCA called Pastor Don Fallon as the first full-time Lutheran Campus Pastor at Kansas State University.

LCM weathered many changes, including great social changes during Pastor Don’s 24 years as Campus Pastor. During this time, the Lutheran Student Movement was born, and LCM moved out of the old Luther House into an Ecumenical Campus Ministry building.

In 1989, Pastor Craig Sommer was called to LCM at KSU. In order to provide more visibility on Campus, the search began for a new separate facility for LCM. In 1993, Pastor Jayne Thompson began her ministry at KSU LCM. During her time, the current Luther House at 1745 Anderson was purchased and remodeled, and LCM students at KSU voted to become a Reconciling in Christ Community. From 2005 to 2008, Rev. Patty Brown-Barnett and Intern Cheryll Armstrong-Kaukis provided interim leadership. Kevin Clark, the current Campus Pastor, was called in June of 2008.

Lutheran Campus Ministry at KSU is marking our anniversary with celebration events and some special anniversary year goals. On February 15th, we celebrated an Open House at Luther House, the home of LCM at KSU. In October we will celebrate our 3rd Annual LCM Dessert Auction, and on November 17th, our anniversary celebration culminates with a banquet to be held at 1st Lutheran Church in Manhattan. We will gather starting at 12:30pm and begin the banquet at 1:00pm. We hope you will be able to join us!

For 2013, our 75th Anniversary Year, we have set the following goals:

  • To have 75 students participate in LCM events
  • To have 75 alumni participate in celebration events
  • To reconnect with 75 alumni with whom we have lost touch
  • To receive contact info for 75 incoming Freshmen
  • To have 75 congregations partner with LCM for financial and prayer support
  • To raise $75,000 of support for LCM

You can help us reach these goals by praying for students and LCM, participating in our celebration events, sending us the names and contact information for alumni, sending us the names of incoming Freshmen at KSU (or other schools—we can get the contact info to a Lutheran ministry in that area), asking your congregation to consider supporting Lutheran Campus Ministry in our Synod, or by making a donation toward our goal of $75,000 for our 75th Anniversary.

Thank you!

Pastor Kevin Clark

 

What’s UP with Campus Ministry

This month by Pr Rebecca Boardman, Lutheran Campus Ministry of St. Louis

Religion AND Politics?!

For most American families, “religion and politics” are paired with “sex and money”—topics NOT to be discussed at the dinner table or in mixed company. Yet it is impossible to avoid politics in the media—and religion has woven into many of these conversations on both sides of the aisle. Why have we been told it is polite to avoid these topics when in fact they are heatedly being discussed ALL around us?!

For the vast majority of our college students, this is the first presidential election in which they are eligible to vote. While voting enthusiasm may diminish with time—I bet you still remember your very first election! So, in fact, it is timely for us to be having a discussion group this semester at St Louis University on Religion and Politics.

While there are thousands of books published on the matter—I selected a rather unusual choice: Shane Claiborne’s Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical. He spoke at our National Youth Gathering in New Orleans this summer and was truly inspiring to the 33,000 gathered!

Each week I am moved by the thoughtful reflections, challenging questions, and heartfelt beliefs that surface during this discussion. Lutheran Campus Ministry is a place where all voices are welcome—and I’m continually impressed by the diverse yet respectful conversation we are able to have. The media pundits could learn something from these students! As they are actively trying to discover their beliefs—it is a great privilege to assure them of God’s justice and mercy for our world.

I hope your faith community is also able to engage with the important political issues of our day with the same kind of curiosity, courage, and compassion. Our synod’s dedication to Lutheran Campus Ministry is an outward demonstration we value young adults a present and future leaders of both our church and society. Please join with us in making this a lasting commitment!

 

Renovation/Addition Project Takes Off

By Kevin Boatright, President, LCM at KU, Inc. [0812]

The renovation and addition project at the future LCM facility at KU started earlier this month.  The local Campus Ministry Board is working with a local contractor and the expectation is the project may be essentially completed by December 1.  The following images show the excavation work being done on the multi-purpose/chapel space addition to Westwood House:

LCM in Lawrence to have new home

Led by Bishop Jerry Mansholt, more than 50 students, alumni, members of Westwood Lutheran Church, Bishop Emeritus Charlie Maahs, and many other friends of Lutheran Campus Ministry at KU gathered Saturday November 19th for the ceremonial ground breaking for Westwood House, the future home of LCM in Lawrence. The Lutheran Campus Ministry community joined in singing, prayer, and breaking ground for the new ministry home. 106 years (and a day) after Carl Wilhelmsen, the first pastor of Westwood Lutheran Church preached his first sermon in Kansas City, his granddaughter, Norma Nielsen, turned over the first shovelful of earth for Westwood House. Architect Mike Myers joined in the celebration to present an initial set of drawings for the new ministry center. Construction is scheduled to begin early in 2012, with completion in time to start ministry in the fall. Located just across 19th Street from Oliver Hall, Westwood House will provide an ideal location for student outreach with the KU community. The front of the house will be used as a coffeehouse and gathering space, while a new chapel multipurpose space will be built at the rear. The Lutheran Campus Ministry community is grateful to all who have contributed time, energy, and financial resources to making this new beginning possible. You all are invited to the dedication of the new home on October 14th, 2012, as we celebrate the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Lutheran Student Association of America in Lawrence, and 50 years of staffed ministry at KU.

Symbolic ground-breaking at Westwood House on November 19.

Campus Ministry Month Donations

Many thanks to those who made special contributions to Lutheran Campus Ministry in observance of the synod Campus Ministry Month. The following congregations made donations through the synod office. Many others (not listed here) made direct contributions.

  •  Faith Lutheran — Oberlin, Kan.
  • Garfield Lutheran — Garfield, Kan.
  • New Hope Lutheran — Onega, Kan.
  • Reformation Lutheran — Wichita, Kan.
  • St. John Lutheran — Kensington, Kan.
  • St. John Lutheran — Russell, Kan.
  • St. Mark Lutheran — Clayton, Mo.
  • St. Paul Lutheran — Glasco, Kan.
  • St. Paul Lutheran — Valley Falls, Kan.
  • Trinity Lutheran — McPherson, Kan.
  • Upper Wolf Lutheran — Robinson, Kan.
  • Zion Lutheran — Everest, Kan.

Links and Additional Information

Lutheran Campus Ministry outside of Central States Synod

Have a student outside of KS-MO? No problem! You can find the nearest campus ministry on the ELCA website: http://archive.elca.org/scriptlib/DHES/directory/site_list.asp.

ELCA Lutheran Campus Ministry

Click ELCA Lutheran Campus Ministry for the home page of the churchwide expression.

Connect Students on Campus

Campus pastors at many colleges and universities do not receive the names of Lutheran students attending their school. You can help them contact Lutheran (and other interested students) through the ELCA student referral website. By providing the names and contact information you help make their transitions to college life easier. Go to: Find a Ministry or Person.