University of Arizona Lutheran Campus Ministry 2021 Update
2021 Assembly Reports: View reports for our 2021 assembly on our assembly report page and in this collection of blog posts.
As our world fundamentally shifted this year, so did our campus ministry!
Our U of A students completed about 95% of their classwork online—-which often left them isolated and exhausted by screen time. Most of our students lived in Tucson but a handful spent the year at home across the country. Therefore, we shifted our programming to shorter discussion groups online about various faith topics AND added Thursday “take-out/patio” dinners. The beautiful Arizona weather allowed for socially-distanced outdoor meals the entire year and our new community to thrive. We were unable to plan retreats safely but we had a few hikes, interfaith Zooms, and learned about advocacy and voting rights with local non-profits. Despite the obstacles, our community grew in beautiful and unexpected ways. We delight in their hunger for justice & equality and faithful curiosity.
Just as many of your churches faced uncertain finances we did as well. After a bleak summer/fall our December Appeal to supporters sparked a great response. We also joined Arizona Gives Day for the 1st time and were excited by this support. Even in a global pandemic, THANK YOU for the strong support and investing in young adult ministry. We are equipping young adults with an adaptable faith lens to guide them throughout their lifetime. This year certainly proved how eager students are to build relation-ships and engage in service to others! When forced to be in isolation, they reclaimed the ancient hunger for community.
As we have been navigating this pandemic year, two of our ecumenical partners have withdrawn from our building, the Campus Christian Center. Therefore, we’ve been engaged in prayerful discernment about our next steps and have come to realize God is calling us to find a new home. We have had 50+ years in one place but believe a smaller facility will allow our ministry to thrive. We are grateful to be included in the Grand Canyon Synod Appeal to help us raise funds for a down payment on a new home near campus.
“LCM has been a such a supportive community for me in my four years at the UofA. Between the delicious food and the engaging conversations, I always feel at home! It can be difficult to navigate our roles in society as a college student, but LCM provides a safe space to discuss social justice issues, discover our vocations, and explore our passions.”
