Hi, I’m Leah Lehner, the Seminary Coordinator sharing a little bit about how God moved in our time together Jan 4-6. Because our distance learning program has increased, and we still maintain a high value on relationships as part of formation, students have an extra day together when they gather for the 3 in person classes per year. Each September, January, and May, students all take the same class in person, worship, have time with spiritual formation groups, and participate in Process and Integration.

When we gathered for Wednesday Community Day after Christmas break, there was a major snow storm on that day! However, 12 of the students and 3 of the staff were still able to participate, and more were able to arrive for the class on Thursday and Friday.

Because we couldn’t access the side roads to the parking lot, we improvised and held our community process and integration at my house, while my kids and husband were also snowed in. It turned out to be very sweet, as my 3rd grader could join in the service project, husband in meals, and 6th grader in worship time. They got to experience what I experience regularly - learning from the MDiv students.

Our service project this year was for Settled, a tiny house homeless community in St. Paul, MN where Rose Larson, a 4th year at MI, is an intentional neighbor to people coming out of homelessness. This is just one way she lives in ministry and sharing the love of Jesus. Rose organized a service project where we prepared socks and care packages and cards for outreach to people holding signs and living on the streets. We weren’t able to drive and do the outreach that day, but students brought care packages for their trips home and who knows how God will use that. Student’s asked lots of questions about how parts of Rose’s ministry could possibly apply in their own contexts. They explored the idea of building tiny homes on church land, or using their space for people to shower or be prayed for or pick up food. The next day many of the students went out to visit the Settled site.

Students processed in small groups about what they’ve learned, been encouraged by, or are wrestling with in the classes they have taken so far. Eric McIntyre led us in a time of worshiping together and sharing.

During and after dinner we played games (MarioKart, Dixit) and Maria challenged us to an outdoor snow competition.

It was a great day of catching up before they jumped into the course on Funerals. Below are some pictures from our Process and Integration Day in January where students worshiped, discussed, and served.

Here are some pictures from Funerals class and worship from Thursday and Friday. Working hard or hardly working?