Volunteer, Service, and Graduate Fair – Nov. 19, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

In just over a week, Career Services and the Spiritual Life Center are co-sponsoring the “VSG” – Volunteer, Service and Graduate Fair. This is an opportunity for the community to talk with representatives from several service year programs, seminaries and divinity schools. If you want to change the world, one of these opportunities may be for you.

If you are considering how faith will fit into your professional life, and what your faith might challenge you with your future, you should meet Ben, Nathan, and the other representatives. A few of you may be considering seminary, or divinity school. You may be considering ministry or another church vocation (Christian education, music, youth ministry). The seminary and divinity school representatives want to meet with you and let you ask as many questions as you can think of.

If you have thought about doing a year of service work after you graduate, or taking a year off to work in a non-profit agency, you will find great opportunities that provide housing and a living stipend while you discern your path and what your life work might be. Since I am a Disciples of Christ pastor serving at a Disciples of Christ College (yes, LC is church-affiliated), I know the most about the XPLOR program. Recent LC students with the XPLOR Program have worked with children’s programs, music activities, as well as human trafficking awareness. Another student served in Ferguson, MO, helping to heal racial wounds after the series of divisive events. In the past two years we have had four students enter the XPLOR program and one enter the Lutheran Volunteer Corps. LC has a strong tradition of graduates entering the Peace Corps.

No matter what age you are, a sense of vocation is vital to the professional life of faithful people. Having a vocation used to mean that you were a priest, pastor, or missionary, but I use this word in a much broader context. Vocation means finding the work you are passionate about – finding the life calling that your faith drives you to. Some are lucky that the way we earn wages at our day job coincides with our passion and service. Others’ daily work is unrelated, but that work allows them to pursue their passion at other times. Most adults spend as many waking hours in their places of employment as they do at home, so using your day job to transform your corner of the world is an amazing opportunity. If you are a student, ask your faculty about why they teach, and you will probably hear their passion for education in the response. Faithful living, helping people, and changing the world are noble aspirations, but you can actually do all three.

I invite you to the VSG Fair in the Drysdale Student Center on the 19th. If you want a chance to talk with a representative more individually, let me know – I am gathering a dinner list.

Blessings, Stephanie