12/03/2014

Trinity's Mid-week Blast for December 3, 2014

Trinity's Alumni Council is Changing the Map

Advent greetings to you, as we anticipate the birth of the one who announces the reign of God.

Members of Trinity's Alumni Council have worked hard toward the implementation of a new plan for Trinity graduates to connect with one another and the seminary. The idea is the brainchild of alumni council member, Pastor Kim Hester ('07), who serves St. Luke Lutheran Church in Portland, Oregon. Born out of a deep commitment to Trinity and a strong desire to strengthen connections between Trinity and its alumni, Pastor Hester took a look at a map of the United States and formed eight alumni hubs in the United States and a ninth for international alumni. The alumni council unanimously supported this vision and began to go about the work of identifying pastors, associates in ministry, diaconal ministers, and deaconesses who might serve as hub coordinators. Council members were assigned to the hubs highlighted on the map found on Trinity's website.

Alumni hub coordinators are members of the Trinity Alumni Association who network with alumni in their respective hubs, alerting them to events on campus and inviting them to alumni gatherings scheduled throughout each hub with Trinity staff and faculty. Coordinators also maintain and update accurate contact information for alumni in their hubs, encourage participation in the annual Trinity Days event in late September, and participate in four meetings of the alumni council held throughout the year - three via Skype/Google Chat and one on campus at the time of Trinity Days.

By the way, Brian McLaren will be the speaker for the 2015 Trinity Days, September 24-25, 2015.

Alumni support of Trinity is crucial for any number of reasons. We need our alumni to identify women and men with gifts for ministry and to share contact information for these persons with our Admissions staff. We need alumni to speak well of Trinity and the new initiatives that are changing the shape of theological formation in this place. Finally, we need our alumni to annually support the Trinity Fund at some level. As many know, the 20% threshold of alumni support is a key factor in Trinity qualifying for a variety of grants.

Your brother in Christ,

Brad Gee, '87
Vice President for Advancement
Trinity Lutheran Seminary