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Listening for God’s voice

Minot State University students explore ministry through Lutheran Campus Ministries internships

Andrea Johnson/MDN Pictured in the front row are Lutheran Campus Ministry interns Cassie Stauffer, Adam Barden, Paige Dolan and Karen Langemo; back row, Rev. Christoph Schmidt, intern Nicole Klug and Dominique Buchholz, vocational internship director.

Minot State University students are exploring their faith and possible opportunities for ministry through a unique internship program sponsored by Lutheran Campus Ministry’s Vocational Internship Program.

Interns Karen Langemo, Nicole Klug, Adam Barden, Paige Dolan and Cassie Stauffer are living at the old First Lutheran Church Rectory, participating in programming and taking part in direct ministry experience under the guidance of local faith leaders. The program is offered in partnership with Bethany Lutheran Church, Bread of Life Lutheran Church, Christ Lutheran Church, First Lutheran Church and Zion Lutheran Church, the five ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Churches of America) churches in Minot.

Since the program launched this fall, the students have taken part in regular Bible study and a once a month dinner service, a church service held at the dinner table. They also have taken part in faith and film night. The showing on Nov. 6 at the “Emmaus House” was “He Named Me Malala,” an intimate portrait of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai, who was targeted by the Taliban and severely wounded by a gunshot when returning home on her school bus in Pakistan’s Swat Valley.

Each of the interns is sponsored by a different church and work on programming with mentors.

Langemo is sponsored by Christ Lutheran; Klug by Bread of Life Lutheran; Barden by Bethany Lutheran; Dolan by First Lutheran Church and Stauffer is sponsored by Zion Lutheran.

During the homecoming parade earlier this fall, they were on hand to serve coffee and doughnut holes to the parade watchers.

While Langemo and Barden are both interested in making some type of ministry a long term career, other students are exploring other ways they can serve their faith communities with their personal gifts.

“I do a lot of leading music with the worship band at Bethany,” said Barden, who is still discerning what type of ministry will be in his future.

Stauffer is interested in creating an event called “For Love of the Arts” where all interns, church members and others in the community will be encouraged to share their gifts at an event in February.

Stauffer, who is artistic, is working on an interactive sculpture during services and lectures on art history. She said she has gotten a lot of support from professors and staff in preparing for her lectures.

Dolan, who plans to become a teacher, has found joy in helping with Bible school classes for elementary school children.

Langemo, who is interested in ministry, is part of a book study with the pastor at Christ Lutheran, has led devotions and will have the opportunity to deliver a sermon in December.

Church mentors help the interns discuss what they are good at and what they want to work on doing to stretch their horizons.

Dominique Buchholz, the vocational internship director, meets with the group of students every other week. The students discuss ways to pray and listen for God in their lives and to help discern the right way for them to serve God in their own lives.

Lutheran Campus Ministries received a grant of $100,000 to explore more deeply its role in helping college students reflect on faith and calling in their lives. Lilly Endowment Inc. awarded the Campus Ministry Theological Exploration of Vocation Initiative to Lutheran Campus Ministries  as part of its national initiative to strengthen the work of campus ministries serving public university campuses. Lutheran Campus Ministry-MSU is one of 53 ministries awarded funds through the Campus Ministry Theological Exploration of Vocation Initiative in 2015.

Rev. Christoph Schmidt of Lutheran Campus Ministries said they would eventually like to expand the program to perhaps include other areas, perhaps at Lutheran Social Services.

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