New Students, Fall 2006

Karen Kelly

I HAVE BEEN A LUTHERAN ALL OF MY LIFE. In high school I invited my boyfriend to attend church with me. We just thought church was a date to which our parents could not object. Little did we know where it would lead! We got married, but like so many young adults, drifted away from the church. We started attending again when we were expecting our first child. Eventually, my husband felt called to become a pastor. He applied to and started classes at LTSP. It seemed like it could not have come at a worse time. My mother was dying of cancer. Her death was the beginning of a series of traumatic events. I hit rock bottom and believe it was at that point when God was finally able to reach me.

During the past year, I started hearing that "still, small voice" and it was telling me to go to seminary. I knew I did not have the gifts for parish ministry, but when I attended the SEPA synod assembly last spring, I learned that my nursing background could be combined with ministry through the MAR, Diaconal Ministry program at LTSP. I applied and here I am! Through the MAR program, I will have the opportunity to gain much theological knowledge in the classroom and in the clinical setting through CPE and field education. I hope to be able to work in both a hospital and a hospice setting with the eventual goal of becoming a chaplain or grief counselor. I'm very thankful for the opportunity to attend LTSP.