Alumni Spotlight on Luanne Cantrell MDiv ‘11: Answering the Call Beyond the Pulpit
Since earning her Master of Divinity in 2011, Luanne Cantrell has forged a ministry path that exemplifies flexibility and faithfulness to God’s call. As the Community Support Services Coordinator for the Channahon Fire Protection District in Illinois, Cantrell finds herself ministering not from a pulpit but in the midst of crisis, providing comfort and resources to those navigating life’s most challenging moments.
Cantrell’s role, a culmination of eight years as a volunteer chaplain and her pastoral experience, was recently formalized into a full-time position. “I have been endorsed by the ELCA Chaplain Corps for specialized ministry in the fire service,” she shares, describing her work supporting residents during traumatic events like residential fires and medical emergencies. This unique calling is grounded in her ability to be “a calming presence in the face of chaos,” a skill honed during her Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. Reflecting on that formative summer, she likens it to Dickens’ famous line: “It was the best of times, and it was the worst of times.”
Cantrell credits her time at LSTC with shaping her resilience and adaptability. Seminary stretched her theologies and ideas beyond her comfort zone, but it also forged relationships and memories that remain dear to her today. “My favorite memories are hanging out with my classmates in the refectory and sharing stories and laughing,” she recalls. “And my favorite professor was Dr. Kurt Hendel, and we are still friends today.”
For Cantrell, ministry is both a confirmation and a challenge of vocation. While parish ministry once felt ambiguous, her current role offers clarity and purpose in every incident. “I know exactly what to do and why I am there handling each incident,” she says. Her sense of calling is reaffirmed as she walks alongside individuals facing crisis, echoing LSTC’s mission of working for peace and justice. “Crisis and trauma happen to everyone,” Cantrell explains. “In my position, I’m there to provide comfort, encouragement, and tools to restore life to a sense of normalcy.”
To those considering non-traditional ministry paths, Cantrell offers encouragement: “Listen to God’s voice! Do what you feel God is calling you to do, even though it’s outside the box of what’s expected… That is your true calling.”
Her advice for those discerning a call to seminary is equally heartfelt: “Go for it! Will it be hard? Yep. Will it be scary? Most likely. Will you be making an impact on people’s lives for the better? Absolutely. And when you feel like you can’t take one more step…remember God is right there walking with you.”