LSTC Advancement Diaries: The Road Show
At LSTC, our Advancement team has taken their show on the road, literally, to share the exciting updates and new developments happening at LSTC to members of our community around the country. This is the first in a series of behind-the-scenes accounts of how our Advancement team breaks barriers and innovates to support the continued success of our institution.
No, the road show is not a Barnum and Bailey event but a Lutheran thing. The road show is a location-specific fellowship showcasing ways God does amazing things at the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago. And yes, dear reader, many amazing things are happening at the seminary. We cannot keep these to ourselves.
Early December 2023, Chicago
Imagine early December 2023 in Chicago. The snow. The cold. The Chicago Bears beat the Detroit Lions…again. This time is the birth of the road show. Not ideal, but we were so proud of our new space, which was not quite finished yet.
As a team, the staff began planning months in advance. We had never had an event at our new location. Remember, we had just moved from 55th Street into our right-sized location one mile closer to the lake. Staff, faculty, and students were enjoying our new office space, classrooms, and small group meeting spaces. This space was remarkable and needed to be exhibited to our alumni and friends who care deeply about the future of the seminary.
Staff generated a robust invitee list. Many LSTC alumni, Lutherans, and donors live in greater Chicago. We approached these folks with zeal, knowing they would be excited to see this new space.
We planned an active program. There would be staggered tours, food, and a presentation.
On the day of the first road show, the tour went well. Few touched the food, and attendees asked fantastic questions that few others than President Nieman could answer. The event went well, but it was clear that to reach a critical mass of people, we would have to go to them.
Spring 2024, St. Louis
Now zoom forward to spring, this time in St. Louis: the Missouri Botanical Garden blooms, and the St. Louis Cardinals are back. Staff no longer planned the road show alone, but we worked collaboratively with local Lutheran leaders to plan an event at the right time and place. They suggested Rev. Rafael Malpica Padilla speak. Less than one year prior, he accepted his appointment as the Damm Chair in Leadership and Director of Latine Ministry and Theology at LSTC. Local leaders provided another helpful suggestion: ask a recent LSTC graduate leading a St. Louis congregation to begin the meeting in prayer. This advice created an attractive agenda. As a team, we were ready.
The second road show in St. Louis was educational, recreational, and relational. It provided meaning and hope for the future of the seminary system in the United States. We understood that while the future would not necessarily look like the past, it would be recognizable. God is doing amazing things at LSTC.
The follow-up to this event was a grand 50th anniversary celebration of SEMINEX later that summer. Moreover, the St. Louis attendees asked for an update; they invited us back!
Fall 2024, Chicago
We are planning a third road show at an ELCA church on the north side. Again, we are working with local Lutheran leaders to create an attractive event where we can showcase the ways that God is at work among the faculty, students, and staff. There is so
much negative news which can often affect our view of our faith, but the road show exists to share with audiences the bright light that illuminates our seminary.
It is time to talk about the future of our church. It is time to reimagine, reinvent, reaffirm, and renew. If you agree, contact us at advancement@lstc.edu to schedule a road show for your community.