Faith development is an integral component of any student’s experience at Luther Seminary. Luther Seminary nurtures a strong faith community through daily chapel, musical ensembles, spiritual formation and ecumenical activities.
Worship activities are coordinated by the Dean of the Chapel and chapel staff.
Chapel
Worship is at the center of our life together. For that reason we gather for chapel every day that we have class as we set time aside for prayer, praise and proclamation of the gospel through word, sacrament, music and silence.
While rooted in the Lutheran tradition, worship of God at Luther Seminary reflects the rich diversity and traditions of our community. From Taizé services to contemporary praise music, to traditional hymnody and global music, we incorporate these varied expressions while making a joyful noise. Faculty, staff, students from all degree programs, international students, and guests from the wider church community all join together to preach and offer their gifts and passions in worship and music leadership.
Seminary choir
The choir is open to students, faculty, staff, family members, and friends of the seminary community. All are welcome. The ability to read notated music is helpful but not required. Send an email to chapel@luthersem.edu to keep informed about the Seminary choir.
Other community participation
Luther community members also contribute to worship life through additional volunteer opportunities:
- Assisting Ministers, Communion Assistants, Ushers/Greeters
- Cantors/Songs Leaders who help lead congregational singing
- A pickup brass ensemble which occasionally accompanies worship
- Various instrumental and vocal groups (contemporary and global)
- Liturgical Visual Art
- Liturgical dance and movement
Contact the chapel office if you are interested in volunteering for various leadership roles in worship.
Spiritual direction
Spiritual direction is a practice which pairs an individual who has been trained in the art of Christian listening with a person or a small group of individuals interested in tending to their spiritual lives. Through attentive listening to God and to the Holy Spirit’s presence and movement in the stories, questions, and experiences of an individual, the spiritual director offers wisdom and encouragement to those seeking a deeper relationship with God.
How do I find a spiritual director?
There are several options:
- Group direction: We have enlisted qualified and trained spiritual directors who are willing to provide group direction at no cost. You may form your own group, or we will help connect you with a group. If you are interested in this form of spiritual direction, contact the seminary pastor at sempastor@luthersem.edu
- Individual direction: The following organizations offer individual spiritual direction which you may arrange on your own. Most of these have a fee of $60-75 an hour, but many also say they will negotiate the rate based on the student’s ability to pay.
- Sacred Ground Center for Spirituality, 1890 Randolph Avenue, St. Paul), 651-696-2798
- Christos Center for Spiritual Formation, 651-653-8207, info@christoscenter.org
- Loyola Spirituality Center, 389 N. Oxford Street, St. Paul, 651-955-4292
- Benedictine Center, 651-777-7251, benedictinecenter@stpaulsmonastery.org
Ecumenical Community
Welcoming diverse Christian faith traditions
Luther Seminary students come from a variety of Christian faith traditions. More than 35 denominations are represented among the 120+ ecumenical students enrolled at Luther Seminary. This represents nearly a third of the student body. The seminary recognizes that the presence of and appreciation for individuals from a variety of Christian traditions is one of the strengths of an excellent theological education.
Faculty members at Luther Seminary are Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist, Episcopalian, Catholic and Coptic Orthodox Christians. This diversity is a gift not only to the seminary, but to the church as a whole.
- Faculty and staff work with ecumenical students to find resources for meeting both degree and denominational course requirements.
- Ecumenical students are invited to gather together informally throughout the school year to build relationships.
Ecumenical students ask important questions, challenge longstanding assumptions and contribute substantively to theological conversation. Students of all denominations benefit from greater ecumenical diversity at Luther Seminary.