First year teacher Lydia (Armbrecht) Hoft ’25 gives thanks for time at Concordia Nebraska

Lydia (Armbrecht) Hoft ’25 was first exposed to Concordia University, Nebraska on her oldest brother Isaiah’s ‘19 move in day as she was about to enter seventh grade. Subsequent Christmas at Concordia concerts that she attended with her family in the years that followed solidified her love for the university. 

“There were a couple years in high school where I was sure I would not follow in my family’s footsteps at Concordia Nebraska, but God clearly had other plans,” she said. “My love for the music at Concordia and the small town life really won out!” 

Hoft has a bachelor of music degree in K-12 music education and her Lutheran Teacher Diploma from Concordia Nebraska. She said being a member of the University A Cappella Choir was a highlight of her college experience. 

“I loved singing the Gospel daily. I needed it, and I knew that those who heard needed it too,” she said. “The only thing that shines brighter in my memories is the lifelong friendships that were forged over my four years. We had faith, music, a love for fun and the occasional hardship in common, and I know that those friends I made at Concordia will be in my life forever.” 

She said she also has great affinity for St. John Lutheran Church in Seward and the church’s ministry team. 

“In the year that I was finishing school and my husband Nathan had graduated, he served as the interim youth worker at St. John,” she said. “This opened doors to relationships I would not have had otherwise. We truly love our St. John family, and we miss it dearly.” 

Hoft said numerous university faculty helped her discover her purpose. 

“Every member of the music faculty at Concordia had a hand in molding my heart and mind,” she said “I discovered through this molding that I wanted to teach others to love music and hold tight to the promises of God communicated through it.”  

Hoft is currently called to serve as director of music at Child of God Lutheran Church and School in St Peters, Missouri.  

“Every member of the music faculty at Concordia had a hand in molding my heart and mind. I discovered through this molding that I wanted to teach others to love music and hold tight to the promises of God communicated through it.” 

“This involves teaching preschool through eighth grade music and serving as the church musician. My degree technically does not involve church music, but I felt prepared to enter into this service anyway because of required keyboard proficiency in the music program as well as further piano lessons, music history and music education classes, and general education of the LCMS music tradition in various church services and experiences,” she said. “I have always loved our hymns and held them close to my heart, and Concordia only deepened that. Additionally, my Lutheran Teaching Diploma courses developed me theologically to be able to teach the faith in my music classes and even step in to teach a religion class every once in a while.” 

She said her time at Concordia Nebraska strengthened her faith in Jesus Christ. 

“At Concordia, the Word of God and the Divine Service are prioritized and handled with great care,” she said. “The Holy Spirit works, and God keeps His promises, so faith grows. Thanks be to God!” 

Hoft teaches general music on Mondays and Wednesdays for Kindergarten through eighth grade. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, she prepares for Sunday church, the next day of music and upcoming deadlines and events. Friday mornings also include visits to early childhood classrooms (ages two to four) for music class. She spends Friday afternoons teaching sixth through eighth grade art. This winter, she will also serve as the assistant coach for the girls’ basketball team. 

“The kids are the most difficult and the most fulfilling part of the job,” she said. “I feel fulfilled when my students are able to participate in our music activities to the fullest, and the best days are when they have a lot of fun with those activities. I love singing, smiling and laughing with them. I love watching them work hard and then succeed at something. The best minutes of my job are spent listening to the whole school sing the hymn of the month in chapel.”  

Hoft comes from a family of six Concordia Bulldogs, and she married one, too. Those Bulldogs include mom Donna (Spomer) Armbrecht ’91 and dad Andy Armbrecht ’89, brother Isaiah and sister-in-law Audrey (Rich) Armbrecht ’20, sister Emma (Armbrecht) Brockman ’22 and brother Simeon Armbrecht ’28. 

“My husband Nathan Hoft ‘24 and I met as camp counselors at Camp Io-Dis-E-Ca in Solon, Iowa the summer before I came to Concordia, after his freshman year. Now he attends Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, and we are blessed to live on the beautiful campus. We do not currently have children but look forward to that phase of our lives!” 

Hoft loves to take walks, cook, read historical fiction, spend time talking and playing games with friends and playing pickleball.  

“We lead a pretty simple life, and that is just how I like it!” she said. 

To celebrate National Lutheran Schools Week, throughout the month of January, Concordia Nebraska will highlight stories of faculty, staff, alumni and students who have been impacted by or serve in Lutheran education. National Lutheran Schools Week provides more than 1,800 preschools, elementary schools and high schools with the public opportunity to proclaim and celebrate God’s work among us in schools of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.