Luther Seminary makes sure students have the opportunity to learn–and take to heart–the principles of stewardship. As their guide, they have a group of dedicated volunteers called the Luther Seminary Stewardship Council. This team of lay leaders and clergy believes that stewardship is a joy and a natural part of Christian living.
“The vision of the council is to foster the development of Christian stewards and stewardship leaders in the students of Luther Seminary,” said Nan Grube, chair of the Stewardship Council since 1993. The council has done this in a variety of ways. Most notably, it holds yearly seminars for seniors and their spouses. It also advocates teaching stewardship in the classroom.
In 2001 the council created a stewardship sermon prize for interns. Each year interns are invited to submit a sermon they wrote and preached on stewardship. An audiotape of the sermon must accompany the entry. As incentive the first prize is $500. This year the new interns also received a book of stewardship sermons from the council.
The Stewardship Council also presented at FirstWeek, Luther Seminary’s week-long orientation for new students.
Council is a Gift of Stewardship in Itself
The Luther Seminary Stewardship Council was born out of a concern. James Braulick was a businessman from Northfield, Minn. who believed passionately in the need for Christian stewardship. How can Luther Seminary teach this, he asked. President David Tiede took Braulick’s question under advisement, and devised a volunteer council of lay leaders and pastors to see to students’ stewardship education.
In addition, one or two seminarians serve as student liaisons. Braulick served as the first chair of the Stewardship Council, but died just a year later. His legacy continues, however, as does that of Arthur Larson, an engineer who created an endowment for stewardship education. Larson died in 1999, but the council uses income from his gift to continue their ministry.
Stewardship Council:
- Mark Borseth, Pastor
Gethsemane Lutheran, Minneapolis, Minn. - Paul M.Cross, Pastor
St. Mary Magdalene Lutheran Church, Savage, Minn. - Paul Gilje
Burnsville, Minn. - Nan Grube
Minneapolis, Minn. - Jerry Herbolsheimer
Plymouth, Minn. - Deborah Hutterer, student
Hudson, Wis. - Gary L. Langness, Retired Pastor
Lilydale, Minn. - Rebecca Larsen
Central Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, Minn. - Harris Lee, Retired Pastor
Minneapolis, Minn. - Anne Losby
South St. Paul, Minn. - Christopher P. Nelson, Pastor
Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, Minn. - Robert (Rob) H. Nelson, Pastor
Lands Lutheran Church, Zumbrota, Minn. - Joel M. Quie, Pastor
Prairie Lutheran Church, Eden Prairie, Minn. - Norman W. Wahl, Pastor
Bethel Lutheran Church, Rochester, Minn. - Patrick Ziems, student
New Prague, Minn.
Luther Seminary Staff:
- Patricia J. Lull, Dean of Students
- Laure Schwartz, Office Manager, Contextual Ministry Education
- Glenn R. Taibl, Major Gifts Consultant
- David L. Tiede, President