Higher education As a service project, campus
ministry students at the Univer- sity of Maryland, College Park, cleared weeds and cleaned up a
prayer labyrinth at Mar Lu Ridge, an ELCA outdoor ministry near Frederick, Md.
Road trip!
Campus ministry students visit a seminary, camp & congregation By Kirsten Petersen
F
our days. Seven Lutheran college students. One red minivan. Hitting the highways with the Lutheran Stu- dent Association at the University of Maryland, Col-
lege Park, was more than an adventure. It was a spiritual experience. The four-day road trip last May included a mix of vocational discernment, volunteer work and quality time with Mother Nature. The group visited the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg (Pa.); Mar Lu Ridge, a Lutheran outdoor ministry near Frederick, Md.; Lake Anna State Park in Spotsylvania County, Va.; and Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, Fredericksburg, Va. At the seminary, Virginia Price, an ELCA pastor and
director of admissions and spiritual formation, and Julie Stecker, associate director of admissions, led a session on vocational discernment. College students grapple with this subject on a regular basis. Is this the right major? Am I pursuing the right career? Price and Stecker emphasized that people don’t need to choose one path in life. God calls each of us to serve others in the way that brings us the greatest joy. “That conversation further directed my attention toward the things that God is calling me to do, and how to use scientific knowledge [that I love] to help others,” said Danielle Pedersen, a junior majoring in kinesiology. Price and Stecker focused on Scripture (Micah 6:8) and a quote from theologian Frederick Buechner: “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep glad- ness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” Throughout the trip, during car rides and at campsites, the students
46 The Lutheran •
www.thelutheran.org
reflected on the meaning of those words from Scripture and a great theologian.
At Mar Lu Ridge, students shared heartful prayers at a
campfire service. “I rarely get to hear this type of prayer in our normal LSA services,” said Kristen Burson, a phys- ics graduate student. “It was a joy.” For a service project, students cleared weeds from a prayer labyrinth at Mar Lu Ridge. Clearing and restor- ing that spiritual space was a reminder for the group that the gifts of time and energy can go a long way toward improving a community. Camping at Lake Anna State Park was rich with experiences: hiking, swimming, games and roasting marshmallows. For Jacob Birkholz, a junior majoring in bioengineering, it wasn’t just about the chance to connect with nature. During campsite conversations, “I got a good chance to really get to know my friends a lot better,” he said.
During a Sunday morning service at Christ Lutheran, the students witnessed young people’s interpretation of Scripture as the congregation’s youth led the entire ser- vice: readings, prayers and sermon. The LSA group didn’t need a cross-country road trip to get closer to God. But three states and four days were just enough to learn lessons about spirituality and vocation. As Birkholz put it: “Lutherans are just too cool people to not do things with.”
Petersen traveled with her campus ministry group at the University of Maryland, College Park, where she is a sophomore. She is a member of Christ the Servant Lutheran Church, Montgomery Village, Md.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76