New Students, Fall 2001

A Dream No Longer Deferred

Marjorie Keiter has long dreamed of becoming a Lutheran pastor. Her early involvement in the church included activities that brought her great joy – music, vacation church school, camp and Luther League. In fifth grade she wondered what it would be like to be an overseas missionary. As a youth she had to come to terms with the reality that it wasn't possible then for women to become pastors. She settled on majoring in English at Wittenberg University and planning for a teaching career. The spouse of Pastor John Keiter, an LTSP alum who serves in Lansford, PA, she supported her husband in his ordained ministry and found that her musical skills were appreciated in congregations the couple served. Through the years Marjorie kept hearing the call, but even after women were being ordained family and other responsibilities seemed to preclude pursuing her goal. Those responsibilities included parenting, teaching, selling real estate, serving as a church musician and caring for Vietnamese foster children. She earned a Master's degree and a Ph.D. along the way too. Now the time has come when Seminary preparation makes sense for her. Marjorie has taken "the leap of faith" and left a secure teaching position at East Stroudsburg University to pursue a lifelong goal. "Now that I've started classes," she says, "I feel as though I've come home."

Karyn Denise Bodenschatz | Perucy Butiku | Javier Davila
Diedone Diela | Linda Furia | Cheryl Hensil | Claus Hoppe
Marjorie Keiter | Aaron Klink | Kimberly Leffler
Karen B. Safstrom | Shelly Satran | Crystal Schrader
Judith Sullivan | Gloria W. Walker | Richard Yost