Thursday Jan 2nd we kicked off the new year by hosting students and leaders from Trinity Lutheran Seminary (Columbus, Ohio) at Briarwood Retreat Center/Briarwood Leadership Center. These students were utilizing Briarwood as a staging place before heading to Cuernavaca, Mexico for a J-term Spanish language intensive. This is the second such group we have hosted from Trinity. The first two years ago in 2018.
They began their trip by meeting with myself and our NT-NL Synod, ELCA staff the Rev. Kris Totzke and Rev. Irma Banales. After time together for conversation and sharing the spent the afternoon and the next day visiting congregations in our Conferencia Latina NT-NL ELCA.
In this way they become better acquainted with how the Spanish they are learning can be utilized. Because of our commitment in NT-NL to Spanish language and bilingual worshipping communities they can visit rural, urban, and suburban communities engaged in this work within 60 miles of Briarwood. They also took advantage of some Texas culture by stopping at Whataburger.
We are grateful for this opportunity to partner with Trinity Seminary. It is part of the unique leadership development opportunities we have in NT-NL that can be a gift to the whole church. In coming years I pray this will grow and involve even more partners. Please join me in praying for these students and leaders in their journey and ministry. #NTNL #TrinitySem #BWTX #EnMisionJuntos #InMissionTogether
PS. I forgot to mention that Jan 2nd was also take kiddos to work day as school is still out so my older 2 came along for a day of learning, reading, and playing gaga ball.