Lutheran Campus Ministry at KU

True Story!

lcmadmin — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 19:05:35 +0000

Spring break in New York City is full of traditions: pizza in Little Italy, a scavenger hunt, serving the homeless, and of course watching KU play basketball at an alumni sports bar. But this year broke one of our least favorite traditions, the every other year winter storm. Instead of the wild windy snowy weather that has haunted us in even numbered years we had warm sun, and a wonderful week.

We served food to the homeless in the East Village, taught kids in the South Bronx about space flight, made soup at Catholic Worker, and explored the city. Each evening at midnight we reflected on the day’s events, and where we saw God at work in the city.

Spring Break Reunion Night is April 11th. Stop by Bethany at 7 p.m. for cheesecake and more stories.

Trivia Night is February 3rd!

lcmadmin — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 18:45:00 +0000

The eighth annual Lutheran Campus Ministry Trivia Night is February 3rd. Hosted once again by the great people of First Lutheran Church in Mission Hills, Kansas, this is a wild and wonderful evening which also helps support LCM’s spring break mission trip to New York City.

Teams of up to 8 players compete for the coveted “Trivia Bear” trophy, currently in the possession of Tender Loving Christians at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lawrence. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. on the 3rd, with trivia starting at 7 p.m. Enjoy the wonderful food and beverages provided by First Lutheran, or bring your own. Entry fee is $160 for a team. To sign up, email Shawn at lutherans@ku.edu!

Getting started!

lcmadmin — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 16:58:06 +0000

Led by Bishop Jerry Mansholt, more than 50 students, alumni, members of Westwood Lutheran Church, Bishop Emeritus Charlie Maahs, and other friends of Lutheran Campus Ministry at KU gathered Saturday November 19th for the ceremonial ground breaking for Westwood House, the future home of LCM in Lawrence. The Lutheran Campus Ministry community joined in singing,prayer, and breaking ground for the new ministry home. 106 years (and a day) after Carl Wilhelmsen, the first pastor of Westwood Lutheran Church preached his first sermon in Kansas City, his granddaughter, Norma Nielsen, turned over the first shovelful of earth for Westwood House. Architect Mike Myers joined in the celebration to present an initial set of drawings for the new ministry center. Construction is scheduled to begin early in 2012, with completion in time to start ministry in the fall. Located just across 19th Street from Oliver Hall, Westwood House will provide an ideal location for student outreach with the KU community. The front of the house will be used as a coffeehouse and gathering space, while a new chapel multipurpose space will be built at the rear. The Lutheran Campus Ministry community is grateful to all who have contributed time, energy, and financial resources to making this new beginning possible. You all are invited to the dedication of the new home on October 14th, 2012, as we celebrate the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Lutheran Student Association of America in Lawrence, and 50 years of staffed ministry at KU.

Groundbreaking Saturday November 19th

lcmadmin — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 16:47:15 +0000

After more than six years of hard work, waiting, hoping, dreaming and praying, we’re breaking ground on Westwood House, the new home for Lutheran Campus Ministry at KU! Come join the celebration on Saturday November 19th at 3 p.m., at Westwood House, 1421 W. 19th Street. Parking is available next door at the Islamic Center. A reception will follow afterwards. For more information, please contact Becky Foerschler at lutherancampusministryku@gmail.com

Groundbreaking scheduled for November 19th

lcmadmin — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 22:14:16 +0000

A ceremonial groundbreaking has been scheduled for the new home for Lutheran Campus Ministry at 1421 W. 19th, on November 19th. The new home has been officially named “Westwood House” in honor of Westwood Lutheran Church, a congregation which gave several substantial gifts to make this new home possible for Lutheran Campus Ministry. The groundbreaking date of November 19th commemorates the first sermon preached at Westwood Lutheran (before it was even named Westwood!) by the first pastor, Carl Wilhelmson, on November 18th, 1905. Mike Myers, our architect, hopes to have some sketches of the new facility available and on display for the groundbreaking. The full text of the recent press release continues below:

October 20, 2011
Contact: Shawn Norris (785) 550-6560; Kevin Boatright, (785) 550-2718

Lutheran Campus Ministry to have a new home at KU

LAWRENCE, KS – After nearly 50 years as a spiritual presence at the University of Kansas, Lutheran Campus Ministry (LCM) is about to have a physical home of its own in Lawrence, thanks in large part to the generosity of a Kansas City church that closed its doors in August.

“We’ve been housed in various places since our founding in 1962,” said Shawn Norris, campus pastor. “But by the start of the fall 2012 semester we’ll have a permanent address in a visible location just across the street from the campus. It does feel like the end of a long pilgrimage and the start of something new and exciting.”

LCM is a ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and its Central States Synod. Its mission is to be a center of worship, fellowship, witness, and service for students and staff at KU.

In June, LCM acquired the property at 1421 W. 19^th St. It is located near Naismith Avenue at the southern entrance to KU, within walking distance of six residence halls, Stouffer Place Apartments, Allen Fieldhouse, and the Ambler Student Recreation Center. Pending City of Lawrence approval, LCM plans to renovate the existing house and add on space for use as a chapel and multipurpose room.

“The generosity of Westwood Lutheran Church is what made it possible for us to purchase the property and plan the construction,” said Norris. The 105-year-old congregation, formerly located at 5035 Rainbow in Mission Woods, voted last summer to disband and sell its property. LCM and four other organizations shared in the proceeds of the sale: JayDoc Free Clinic at the KU Medical Center through KU Endowment, SAFEHOME assistance for survivors of domestic violence, Roeland Park Emergency Food Pantry, and the ELCA Disaster Response program. LCM was the single largest beneficiary.

Westwood also contributed to LCM from its memorials fund, and the Westwood Lutheran Women’s Group donated $4,000 to help furnish a new kitchen.

“Westwood strived to be a servant to the local community and the larger church throughout its history,” said Scott Schaefer, former president of the congregation. “These donations are part of that legacy, and a good way to continue our mission into the future.”

The new LCM facility will be named “Westwood House” in honor of the congregation, said Norris. Other congregations, alumni, and friends of LCM have also contributed to a fundraising campaign that began in 2009 and concludes in December. A symbolic groundbreaking ceremony is planned for November 19, and the facility will be dedicated as part of LCM’s 50^th anniversary celebration on October 14, 2012.

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Rock Chalk LCM Walk Too!

lcmadmin — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 21:52:36 +0000

Saturday’s walk walk was like a pilgrimage, full of memories and prayers. We started at Immanuel Lutheran Church at 15th and Iowa, where we gave thanks for our Lutheran sisters and brothers. Don and Jan Conrad fed us popcorn at their house on Crescent, site of many early campus ministry meetings. Then we walked down Jayhawk Boulevard together, stopping at the Kansas Union and ECM to give thanks. Charlie Maahs remembered preaching at Canterbury House on Louisiana, and we stopped to give thanks for the Episcopal Church. Then on to Bethany House and Trinity Lutheran Church, where the Lutheran Student Association started almost 90 years ago. We ended with food and friendship and a party at our new place, 1421 W. 19th Street. Besides the thanksgivings and the memories, the walk raised $4800 toward furnishings and programing at the new ministry home! Thanks to all who walked, helped, sponsored, provided food, and made the walk great!

Wednesday Food and Fun Night

lcmadmin — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 17:58:26 +0000

On Wednesdays this fall Lutheran Campus Ministry is hosting a food and fun night. A great home cooked meal, along with the chance to study, chill, play games, watch a movie. Each week will be different, check the calendar for the theme of the week. Sign up at Bethany House if you’d like to cook, and have a recipe you’d like to teach others.

Kickoff Worship and Cookout, Sunday the 28th

lcmadmin — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 19:13:42 +0000

We’re starting the fall semester (and our last year at Bethany House!) with our annual Lutheran Campus Ministry cookout, Sunday August 28th. Worship (Emma and friends have been updating our liturgy) is at 5 p.m., cookout at 6 p.m, and you’re invited to either or both. For dinner we’re serving up lawn games, color changing cups, with burgers (cow and vegan), side dishes and watermelon. God and the food are good.

Thank you Westwood.

lcmadmin — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 02:31:20 +0000

Today Westwood Lutheran Church in Mission Woods, Kansas held their closing worship service. Westwood began in 1905 in Kansas City, KS, as a Danish congregation, at the time named Our Savior’s Lutheran. The congregation moved, and changed its name, to Westwood, in the late 1940s. Westwood has long been a strong supporter of Lutheran Campus Ministry at KU, as well as other community organizations such as Jay Doc, the Roeland Park Food Pantry, and Safe Home.

Today the people of Westwood voted to continue this support, with a very very generous $400,000 gift to Lutheran Campus Ministry at KU. We are grateful to the congregation of Westwood. We are proud to continue the congregation’s rich history of outreach, and we look forward to carrying Westwood’s name on in our new building. This gift will make it possible for us to add a chapel on our new home, and do major renovation work on the building. With this wonderful donation we can now move into the final phase of the capital campaign, raising a final $200,000 to fund and endow new outreach from the new building!

Thank you Westwood for making this possible!

We own a house!!!!

shawn — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 23:50:58 +0000

We own a house!

Today we closed on a 2,000 square foot house at 1421 W. 19th Street in Lawrence. The location is great, near the corner of 19^th and Naismith, close to Allen Fieldhouse and within walking distance of six residence halls, KU family housing, and many apartment buildings.

We’ll be doing extensive renovation before we can move in. We appreciate your prayers, your contributions, and any help you can give with the remodeling process. We’ll have regular updates on our progress on this webpage.

Thank you again for helping us get this far!