OH Swing, April 11-12, 2007

I recently traveled with some of my colleagues from the other seven ELCA seminaries to Ohio for our last trip to the ELCA colleges for this school year (many colleges hold graduation the first weekend in May). It was my first time visiting Capital University, Columbus, OH and Wittenberg University, Springfield, OH. With these two added to my list I have now visited 18 out of the 28 ELCA colleges; not bad. It is wonderful our denomination offers such high quality education for its young people.

Our first stop was Capital University. Here I had an opportunity to preach in chapel and more importantly to celebrate the festival of Easter once again; it was a joyous experience. After chapel we were able to meet with prospective students over lunch and spend time answering their specific questions regarding seminary study.

Again at Wittenberg we had similar opportunities to gather with students during chapel and over lunch.


It was an interesting time to be on the road with my colleagues, for this is the time that each seminary's scholarship award letters are being received by prospective students for next fall. So not only did we meet students who had received these letters and were discerning which seminary they were going to attend, but we also received phone calls from students letting us know whether they were attending our seminary or another.

For example, one young man was deciding between three seminaries - Southern, Philadelphia, and Luther - and he chose Southern. Now one might think, boy that must have been an uncomfortable trip with such competition in the air; but it wasn't. In fact the whole trip was very collegial. Yes, each of us who works in admissions is eager for students to come to our school because we are proud of what we can offer as a theological institution; but more importantly, we want what is best for the student and for the church as a whole. I admire my colleagues for this attitude and I think each of our institutions, and the church, is better served because of it.

My thanks to three Luther Seminary alumni for hosting us: Pastor Kurt Keljo, campus pastor at Capital; and husband and wife Pastors Rachel Sandum Tune and Andy Tune, campus pastors at Wittenberg. It was a pleasure to meet them and bring them greetings from their alma mater.