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Home » Prospective Students » The Community at Luther Seminary » Blogs » Student Travel Blogs | ||
2005 "College of Developers" EventJoin nine Luther Seminary students as they reflect on the the ELCA's "College of Developers" event in Nevada. They met with Bishop Mark Hanson and over 100 mission directors and developers from across the ELCA to explore the emerging church in the ELCA and in the world.This year's attendees and blog participants include: Nathan Anenson, Kevin Bergeson, Karin Craven, Renee Hesseltine, Rob James, Molly Juntunen, Tana Kjos, Linda Marlett, and Jedidiah Scharmer. Blog Entries Monday - January 24, 2005 Introduction Tuesday - February 1, 2005 "What happens in Vegas... will change the world..." Wednesday - February 2, 2005 From Nathan Anenson Thursday - February 3, 2005 Amazing Stories - Jedidiah Scharmer Monday - February 7, 2005 Asking the Lord of the Harvest . . .Is this where you need me? Tuesday - February 8, 2005 From Karin A. Craven, 08 February 2005 The Student Blog area of the Luther Seminary Web site contains personal Web logs (online journal entries) of Luther Seminary students. The information and opinions therein reflect individual thoughts, tastes and activities. They do not reflect official policies or positions of Luther Seminary. Monday - January 24, 2005 - top Introduction Welcome! We are on our way to join 11 other seminarians from 5 other ELCA seminaries, along with over 100 ELCA Mission Directors, and Mission Developers for the 2nd annual College of Developers in Las Vegas January 25-27th. Last year 6 Luther Seminary students attended the 1st annual event in Phoenix. We are very excited that this year 20 seminarians will join this group of missional leaders for a time of worship, prayer, networking, and learning. There will also be a pre-event where the ELCA Division for Ministry and Division for Outreach will bring together 20 developers whose first call was in mission development. We are excited for the opportunity to observe this time of reflection and research, as the ELCA explores new models of mission development and the possibility of first call placements in mission devleopment ministry. We are greateful that the grant from Thrivent has allowed us the opportunity to travel to this event, and we hope to use this Blog to share our experiences with the larger community. Tuesday - February 1, 2005 - top "What happens in Vegas... will change the world..." You should have been in Vegas last week because...God showed up in big ways. This event of ELCA mission developers/redevelopers and Division for Outreach staff ended up having 142 participants. Of the 142, 21 were seminary students from 6 of the 8 ELCA seminaries. It was an exciting time to be a part of the stories that everyone was sharing of how they are seeing God at work in their various places of ministry. The theme for the event was God's Mission: Leadership for Such a Time as This. The gathering came to adopt a slogan, "what happens in Vegas...will change the world" The energy and encouragment that we all left with will indeed change the world. Camino Real in San Antonio( where Jedidiah Scharmer is the intern) brought their music team and prayer team. Let me tell you, I have never experienced such amazing prayer. These people prayed hard, and believed in big ways that God was working through those prayers. A few of us attended a pre-gathering of first call mission developers. As someone called to start a church I was very encouraged by this gathering and by the passion that the ELCA has for starting new ministries. In 2005 the Division for Outreach has approved 51 new starts-saying that they will come up with the initial funding for these new ministries. The problem is that every year they start about 2/3 of their goal because they don't have the leaders. I know that there are people at Luther Seminary, and the other seminaries with the gifts for mission development, I know that if more people are exposed to this type of ministry they will pursue a call to mission development ministry. If you read this, and you want to know more about mission development I would love to sit down and have a conversation with you. Blessings, Rob James Wednesday - February 2, 2005 - top From Nathan Anenson On January 25-27, 140 leaders who are starting or redeveloping congregations in the ELCA (or are interested in doing so), gathered in Las Vegas for a time of sharing ideas, fellowship, training, worship, and prayer. As a seminarian interested in mission development, I have been able to attend this event the past two years. It has been a time of making some wonderful connections with people all over the ELCA. I have been refreshed being a part of this community, who is so open to doing whatever it takes to be the church in a way that exists for the world around it. The work these leaders are doing is incredibly difficult; but what else can we do? When we have been encountered by the God who loves the world unconditionally and that love has been made real in our lives through Jesus, what else can we do but share this love in word and deed with those around us? I consider it a privelege to be a part of this community on a mission: the mission developers of the ELCA specifically, and the many ELCA congregation who have jumped on board with what God is doing in the world. May we never forget what we have seen and heard, so that we may witness effectively to a world that desperately needs the saving love of God. Nathan Anenson Intern in Colorado Springs, CO Thursday - February 3, 2005 - top Amazing Stories - Jedidiah Scharmer The last days of January were spent in Las Vegas amongst some of the counties pioneers. Their vision: an expansion of the Kingdom of God into new places in the world. Those are my words, however, gathered in one of the most entrepreneurial yet fleshly laden cities of the world were men and women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America sharing their joys and pains of life out on the frontier of evangelical mission field in this country. It was an inspiring collection of dreamers, innovators, and out-of-the-box disciples of Jesus Christ who came to worship, pray and enjoy fellowship. The College of Developers, the name will hopefully be replaced by something a bit more true to the ethos of the gathering, is the second annual collection of mission planters, leaders of transformation, and perspective seminarians who's unabated call from God has been to take it all to the cross. The men and women I met those few days shared stories of tremendous realignment in their lives to the will of God. Stories about people who have taken everything they think and feel about the Church and hauled it back to the foot of the cross to ask Jesus. There are amazing stories of grace, courage, risk and God's provision. There is a story about a man who was bailed out by a pastor he had never met. The man then started dealing drugs out of the church building yet the pastor didn't quit but called him to repentance and faith. The man is now an evangelist in New Jersey helping plant a new community of faith. There is a story about a faithful people who were gathered by a mission planter five years previous yet never released into their baptismal promise to be ministers of the Gospel. The transformational leader now called to build up these new followers of Jesus is finding great joy, freedom, and unpredictability in coaching. There is a story about a community who leases a warehouse and has equipped it with state of the art sound and light systems so the best musicians in the city can jam there. The disciples only ask for a brief segment in the middle of the concert to preach about Jesus. There is a story about a non-ordained person starting a community of faith in its own space with its own leadership. There some of the members of the community don't even recognize the face of the lead pastor who mentors the core leadership group. But they do know Jesus. These are all people who don't care what it takes, how big the risk, or how much it's going to hurt to reach people who are dying to know a God who will wade through the filth of their lives, deliver them from the devil, and rebirth them to new life. We spent the week clinging to Jesus and resting in His care because only crazy people would dare to try it without His covering. If you have always wanted to live the adventure of a lifetime out on the edge with Jesus the College of Developers are people who do recon from the outposts of the Kingdom as they search for the lost and the wounded. There is great need for leaders on the frontier. Ask the Lord of the Harvest if you are one. Jedidiah Scharmer Monday - February 7, 2005 - top Asking the Lord of the Harvest . . .Is this where you need me? As a junior-plus M-Div, I had the privilege of attending the College of Mission Developers' gathering in Las Vegas during J-term this year. I wanted to meet flesh and blood people involved in face-to-face ministry who seek those "others" who are disconnected (or never connected) to Jesus, faith, and/or church. I wanted to hear their stories and know their needs and prayers of hope. In Las Vegas, we gathered – those doing and those like me, seeking insights. Wow. What is happening is changing the world, one heart and one soul at a time. The developers I met are a diverse group with one heart – they love God and it shows. They love people-and it shows. They give it all they have to-in their own words-"advance the kingdom." They talked about their losses and their gains and they enthusiastically shared their tools. We shared laughter, tears, encouragement, and the nuts-and-bolts of what this type of ministry is all about. We heard from Synod officials – and the Bishop – and how they want to support Developers and Development. I encourage any seminarian reading this who feels the slightest tug of curiosity or call to attend next year's gathering. (I am on the planning committee.) Meet the people and hear their stories first-hand. I know this experience is working itself through my own discernment process as I take my questions/calling to the Lord of the Harvest. If this is my calling, the experience will help me better prepare during my seminary career. I hope this helps you and may God be with you as you find your place in the Kingdom! Blessings, to you, dear co-workers in the Kingdom! Linda Marlett Tuesday - February 8, 2005 - top From Karin A. Craven, 08 February 2005 Have you ever felt drawn toward an event, knowing little about it except that you had to be obedient to the little voice that compelled you to show up and be present there? Such was my experience that led me to Las Vegas for the College of Developers Annual Conference. I went with curiosity and a willingness to be led by the Spirit. What I discovered was a people called out and gathered together to swap stories about what God is up to in their lives and communities, and how the Spirit is shaping new communities that call forth the "other" into partnerships of new life and growth. What I experienced was renewing worship and prayer as we engaged in conversations and questions about the emerging church in dialogue with culture. Now I have different images of the emerging church in this country. It is exciting to see God working in innovative ways. Although this conference was short, it was an intensive time of deep listening to those in the field that has allowed me to look at my call and my gifts in new ways. My imagination was freed to envision different opportunities to serve God in contexts that are more congruent with who I am. I am beginning to see more clearly where God may call me into ministry. The conference was a good counterpoint to seminary in that regard. While I already resonated with the biblical and theological foundations of the missional church from classes and my own reading, I couldn't imagine where God is calling me to be. Now I have an imagination enlarged by prayer and worship, and nurtured by pastors and lay people who told their stories of what God is up to in their communities. Part of the deepened imagination has to do with understanding leadership as falling in love with the people and receiving their love; dwelling in Scriptures; praying together to discern the spirit and mind of God for the community. I knew all that at an intellectual level, but experienced that dynamic in a more whole way throughout our gathered time together. My gifts and talents are needed, as are yours! And this was a time and a place where my experiences, interests, questions and love of God all came together! I appreciated all the different people connections that were made through conversations: area mission directors, lay people and pastors, seminarians from three other ELCA seminaries, and Luther students. What continues to cheer me is the commitment and passion from people in the Division for Outreach. Ask me about how they support pastors through coaching or how you can be in conversation with them. What I look forward to is trying to keep up with the other seminarians across the country who are interested in laboring in this field. Philadelphia Seminary had an amazing group of men from Cameroon, Liberia and Haiti who could teach us all so much. I hope that they will be an integral part of this conference next year. Perhaps you too are interested in what other seminary students are thinking and doing in the area of mission development. Come join our conversation! |
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