Erik(a) Michael(le) Boss
they/them/their
Master of Divinity
What is your favorite memory of your time at LSTC?
It is difficult to name just one memory because there have been so many opportunities for our small community to come together and share our love of God and God’s people. One of my favorite memories at LSTC was the baby shower thrown for my family in the spring of 2024. Marvis, Olivia, and Leah worked together with L. to craft a low-waste event that ensured that we had the proper supplies necessary to care for our newborn, that we had a network of friends to help us in the first days of Cadence’s life with dog walking, grocery shopping, meal prepping, and more, and that demonstrated the joy of people coming together from many places and spaces to celebrate new life. Thank you to all who helped us in this time of our lives, to Sara Trumm who created fun activities to get to know our baby, to Pastor Erik who offered a lovely blessing, and to LSTC for bringing people together over and over again.
What was the most meaningful class you took?
The most meaningful class I took was the seminar course offered by Dr. Thomas, the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference in Atlanta, 2023.
How did you feel supported during your seminary journey? Were you the recipient of any major scholarships? What communities or people uplifted you during your studies?
I felt supported by LSTC’s staff who allowed me to explore my identity, practice event planning, practice political, spiritual, and community organizing, and who supported me during some of the most stressful years I have ever experienced, especially Dean Chalmers. I felt supported by LSTC’s faculty, by too many professors for me to name. I received support from individuals and churches that contributed to my education throughout my time at LSTC, most prominently Bethany Lutheran Church in Cherry Hills, Colorado. I would also like to thank the many churches that supported me anonymously. I would like to thank the generous contribution of the Jack Sersig Scholarship, the Wingate Memorial Scholarship, the CCME scholarship, the Synod Grant Scholarship, the Fund for Leaders Scholarship, and the class of 2023 for their CPE scholarship. Finally, thank you to the anonymous donor who heard me speak at the Queer Symposium in 2024. With all this help I have felt cared for throughout my time at LSTC.
What are your post-graduation plans?
I plan to finish my internship, complete the essays for my approval interview, and then get approved for rostered ministry for Word and Sacrament. I hope to be called to parish ministry.
How did LSTC shape you as a future leader of the public church?
LSTC taught me about my own personal biases more deeply than my psychology degree ever could have. LSTC taught me that I need to be gentler and kinder to myself, while also stretching me to know myself and my world better.
