New Students, Fall 2004

Finding God's Grace in a Garage:
Erika Strobel

Erika Strobel of Reading, PA, says she discovered herself fitting into God's plan for her life in June 2003 while spending 10 days in Argentina "visiting the work of our brothers and sisters in Christ there." She saw many needs for assistance. She watched as milk was provided to women and children. She saw first aid and medical devices being donated and educational seminars being organized. "I noted Jesus' presence not only in the work that was finished, but also in the future projects and plans being described." Erika recalls seeing the devastating results of flooding that had impacted an entire province dedicated mostly to agriculture. "In the middle of the devastation was a small Lutheran congregation that began worship in a garage and by God's grace had grown to need a larger worship space." She saw the groundbreaking at the site for a new church, made possible by funding from a partner church in her home Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod. Seminarians she met in Argentina encouraged her to consider her call to become a pastor. During an assembly of her synod back home, LTSP seminarian, now graduate, Katie Lyon, inspired her to apply to LTSP. "I know that God's will is for me to be part of the LTSP community, the only place that can appropriately prepare me for multicultural and Latino ministry in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America." Erika's father, the Rev. David Strobel, is bishop of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod. Erika is a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Reading, PA