We live out our Christian vocations in a complicated, often heartbreaking world. A big part of this calling is to open-heartedly embrace this world and dwell deeply with those who are suffering.

We also believe that we are free to follow Jesus’ summons down difficult, challenging paths because Jesus has promised to guide and accompany us along the way and to forgive and strengthen us when we fail.

At Luther Seminary—a diverse community full of faithful disciples following many different callings—we live out our journeys of faith together. And we lean into all of Jesus’ promises, trusting that the Holy Spirit will guide us to ever more faithful responses. In this issue, we explore stories where our vocations have led us down unforeseen paths.

The seminary’s reimagined Ph.D. program is helping current doctoral student Danielle Dokman and others respond to new opportunities for teaching and sharing the gospel around the globe.

Our refreshed graduate certificate program, which provides full-tuition scholarships and graduate-level education to lay leaders, is providing an educational foundation for those called to serve the church in our changing contexts. One of those places is Hearth Church, a missional church led by first-year M.Div. student Kaylee Vance that focuses on reaching individuals who have experienced religious trauma.

When congregations face existential decline, many are finding resurrection stories in their own closures as they seek to leave a faithful legacy that strengthens their local communities and invests in the future of Christ’s church.

The Holy Spirit leads each of us into and through our vocations. I am delighted to have been led by the Spirit to this calling as Luther Seminary’s president, where I have served for 10 years now. In the good work we have done together, we have been a community under the cross. As we minister in and with this broken world, I pray that the Spirit will continue to surprise us.

Grace and peace,

Robin J. Steinke
President