It's Reason to Celebrate!

So graduation on Sunday was pretty great. As one of the Children, Youth, and Family ministry students - I was proud to see names on the list of graduates that most folks around the seminary don't know.

This year, Luther Seminary graduated 13 Distance Learning (DL) students in the Master's of Arts program for Children, Youth, and Family Ministry. These not-so-familiar faces serve and learn in a unique way. While working in children, youth or family ministry someplace - like a congregation in Fargo, ND or the synod office in North Carolina. These dedicated students often manage full-time ministry, 1/2 time classes, families, and everything else from miles away. They take online courses and gather here on campus in St. Paul 2 - 3 times per year. These 1 - 2 week intensive classes require lots of reading and writing before and after the time in St. Paul - and several hours of lecture each day. I tell you from experience - there is a reason they are called "intensive."

I started seminary as a pseudo-DL student (only because I knew I was coming to St. Paul at some point). Not everyone who feels the call to theological education and ministry can uproot and leave as I did. It has been fun to get to know the DL students through their time with us for intensives. I am proud that Luther graduated the largest class of DL students yet this year.

Congrats - you DL grads!