Alumni/ae Stories
Read about where a Luther Seminary education has taken
these alumni/ae.
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Christian Holleck '99
Pastor, Mount Hope Lutheran Church
Pontiac, Michigan
“Studying another belief system has enabled me to come to a deeper understanding of Christianity”s unique claims,” said Christian Holleck, '99, a graduate of Luther Seminary”s Islamic Studies program and pastor at Mount Hope...
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Dennis Larson '96
Minister of Worship and Music, Our Savior’s Lutheran Church
Greeley, Colorado
As Minister of Worship and Music for a 1,200-member congregation, Dennis Larson keeps very busy. “I am organist and choir director, as well as director of the adult handbell ensemble and worship band. I supervise those leading the children's...
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Kristine Stache '02
Doctor of Philosophy Student
“The first on-line course I took was the Pentateuch course with Dr. Richard Nysse. It was a combination class, meeting on site once a week with discussion groups working online. I chose the course because I was already working full time and...
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Kris Linner '87
Chaplain, Lyngblomsten Care Center
St. Paul, MN
Kris Linner was working as a social worker with the elderly, when she felt called to enter seminary. “The 'still small voice” within would no longer be still. My thought was that I would go to seminary and get this yearning for studying...
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Mark Reitan '71
Pastor, Trinity Lutheran Church
Lynnwood, Washington
The idea of call is near and dear to Mark Reitan”s heart. He serves as senior pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lynnwood, Wash. “The whole business of call and resisting call is a very real thing,” he said. “You have to...
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John Nelson '02
Associate Pastor
Transfiguration Lutheran Church
Bloomington, Minn.
“When I was little, people would ask me 'Are you going to be a pastor like your daddy?”n’t recalls John Nelson. His answer? “No!n’t Now, a Luther Seminary graduate, Nelson serves at Transfiguration Lutheran in Bloomington, Minn.
“Following college I had two choices, go to seminary or move to Vail, Colo., and be a ski bum—I went to Vail.n’t But God”s call followed him there. “The Lutheran church in Vail asked me to run the mountain top worship services each Sunday,n’t Nelson said. “God was saying, 'Fine, Jonah, you can run, but I”ll just put you to work here!””
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Jeff Rohr '83
Director of Outlaw Ranch and Atlantic Mountain Ranch
Custer, South Dakota
Jeff Rohr”s very first job was as a ranch hand at Outlaw Ranch. He spent 10 summers working at camps as a young person. “It was during these summers that my own personal faith in God was formed, and I decided to become a pastor.” ...
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Mark Brown '82
Regional Representative for Jerusalem and the Middle East, Lutheran World Federation
Jerusalem, Israel
The Rev. Mark Brown, '82, started April 2004 as Lutheran World Federation's regional representative for Jerusalem and the Middle East.
The Lord makes strange days for Palestinians and Israelis, locked in a struggle for the same Holy Land.
"It's easier to be a faithful Christian here," he says quietly. "You're prompted every day to wake up and reaffirm that today is the day that the Lord has made."
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Jill Abenth '03
Jill Abenth says she came to Luther Seminary for herself.
“I had been turned on by a couple of (college) religion classes, and wanted to study more,” she said. “But I soon realized that I was being prepared for work that I...
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Beverly Self '02
Associate Pastor
Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church
Springfield, Ohio
“Going to St. Paul was like going to Mecca,n’t explains Beverly Self, describing her feelings about coming to a place so rich with Lutheran culture. To listen to Self speak of her background, her family and her views of Lutheranism is to listen to a poet.
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