School for Lay Ministry

Many ELCA synods provide lay schools of ministry that offer certification after training to lay people who wish to participate more fully in their congregations and in their daily lives. In partnership with the synods of the ELCA of Northeastern, Northwestern and Southeastern Minnesota; Eastern and Western North Dakota; and South Dakota, Luther Seminary offers programs that fulfill some of the requirements for these synods.

Topics:
Pastoral Care: Sharing in the Healing Ministry of the Church
Our call is to share Christ’s healing with our brothers and sisters who are ill, injured, in crisis, grieving, dying, lonely or separated from the faith community by infirmity. In this workshop, we will unwrap our unique gifts for this ministry and address its special challenges. We will learn how to prepare for and follow up intentionally with visits; how to engage helpfully in difficult situations; how to deepen prayers of intercession and acts of healing; and how to collaborate companionably with clergy, family members and others in pastoral support. Very importantly, we will identify strategies for self-care—how to recognize our personal limits, maintain boundaries and when to ask for help. We will work through some of the problems you face and celebrate your personal experiences of faithful care for God’s children.

An Invitation to the Psalms
This class will offer an introduction to reading the Psalms with attention to the poetry, different types and the theology of the Book of Psalms. We will cover the basics of how to read, understand, and apply the psalms in our daily lives.