Concordia Nebraska recognizes church work students at Sending Service

On Friday, May 8, Concordia University, Nebraska recognized the university’s professional church work graduates at a Sending Service. The worship service is an opportunity to celebrate the university’s graduating church work students before they either take a call, begin an internship, or further their education. 

The service was started eight years ago by Concordia Director of Dual Credit, Dr. Beth Pester. When Concordia was known as Concordia Teacher’s College, Lutheran teacher graduates experienced something similar to Lutheran seminaries’ Call Day at the time of their graduation. Pester sought to celebrate Concordia professional church work graduates and created the Sending Service with the help of Rev. Dr. John Mehl, Executive Director of Mission of Christ Network. The event is now a beloved university tradition. 

“All of Concordia’s graduates have been equipped to serve God through their vocations, the Sending Service is designed to celebrate the preparations that professional church work graduates have received to go out and serve the world specifically through church work careers.”

“All of Concordia’s graduates have been equipped to serve God through their vocations, the Sending Service is designed to celebrate the preparations that professional church work graduates have received to go out and serve the world specifically through church work careers,” said Pester.  

The Sending Service recognizes graduates from all five professional church work fields: pre-seminary, pre-deaconess, director of Christian education, director of parish music and Lutheran teachers, as well as Classical Lutheran Educator and Christian teacher graduates.  

At the service, each graduate walks across the stage during the worship service and is recognized. The future education plans, internship or church work call is announced at that time. The service is a meaningful opportunity to celebrate the graduates who go out into the world to serve as the hands and feet of Jesus. 

Church work students being recognized this year include: 

Pre-Seminary 

Caleb Babisak, Fate, Texas 

David Claridge, Leander, Texas 

Hunter Remington, Bristow, Oklahoma 

Pre-Deaconess 

Nora Betts, Scranton, Pennsylvania 

Alison Galchutt, O Fallon, Missouri 

Emma Kettelhake, Unionville, Michigan 

Abigal Yakimow, Brighton, Michigan 

Director of Parish Music 

Rachel Brinkman, Plymouth, Minnesota 

Jacob Huber, Seward, Nebraska 

Timothy Mars, Cody, Wyoming 

Director of Christian Education (DCE) 

Cadence Fulfs, Plattsmouth, Nebraska 

Ella Gilzean, Shingle Springs, California 

Christina Gronefeld, Centralia, Missouri 

Luke Lawrenz, McPherson, Kansas 

Kayla Korb, Burley, Idaho 

Rileigh Watts, Colorado Springs, Colorado 

Classical Lutheran Educator 

Lars Gindler, Collinsville, Illinois 

Christian Teacher Diploma 

Emily Wood, La Vista, Nebraska 

Lutheran Teacher Diploma 

Rachel Ada, De Soto, Kansas 

Emily Amisano, Lincoln, Nebraska 

Caroline Beck, Guthrie, Oklahoma 

Kyra Becker, Auburn, Nebraska 

Emma Borgschatz, Plainview, Minnesota 

Meredith Boster, Fulshear, Texas 

Ernest Clausing, Seward, Nebraska 

Samuel Dunbar, Lambertville, New Jersey 

Hannah Ethridge, Fulda, Minnesota 

Leah Fett, Guthrie Center, Iowa 

Ian Fiala, Seward, Nebraska 

Bethany Gebhardt, Seward, Nebraska 

Joshua Jurchen, Seward, Nebraska 

Hannah Kruse, Hutchinson, Minnesota 

Megan Lange, Citrus Heights, California 

Alayna Laughridge, Waterloo, Iowa 

Ellie Lehr, Omaha, Nebraska 

Alex Lorenz, Affton, Missouri 

Emily Loseke, Leigh, Nebraska 

Anna Maxson, Fort Wayne, Indiana 

Carrie Meyr, Saint Louis, Missouri 

Mayra Molina, Stanton, Nebraska 

Brock Olson, Omaha, Nebraska 

Travis Parsons, Round Rock, Texas 

Kylyn Robbins, Houston, Texas 

Grant Rohde, Reed City, Michigan 

Paige Roiger, Fairmont, Minnesota 

Hannah Schaefer, Albany, Oregon 

Hannah Schauer, Union, Illinois 

Harley Storie, Valley Park, Missouri 

Meghan Strater, La Vista, Nebraska 

Logan Walgate, Saint Charles, Missouri 

Hannah Weaver, Stewardson, Illinois 

Trista Wetzel, Harford, South Dakota 

Isabella Wolter, Benson, Minnesota 

Isabella (Schmid) Woodburn, Rockford, Illinois 

At Concordia, we equip students to serve as the hands and feet of Christ and be His witnesses through our church work programs. Whether you want to be a Lutheran educator or Director of Christian Education or a pastor, deaconess or parish musician, you’ll be prepared to share the love of Jesus around the world. Learn more about Concordia’s church work programs here.