Lead On, Mr. President

    This past weekend was the innauguration of Wartburg's 13th presdient, Rev. Dr. Stanley Olson. President Olson has come to us from the ELCA Synod ofice in Chicago and has a strong history in the church.  He is a relatable and confident leader that we trust the Holy Spirit has led to Wartburg in order to guide the community as we continue to live out God's mission in the world.
     The innaugural service included a sermon from the ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson who challenged all of us to look at our feet and the feet of our neighbors in order to put focus on how God continually calls us to move in mission.  This message set the tone for the rest of the service as we ritually welcomed President Olson into the office of the Wartburg Seminary presidency and bestowed upon him the seminary medallion. The tone is the missional call that we all accept when we accept the summons of the Lord.  We were not placing a new person into a position of prestige, but, rather, we were affirming a brother in common mission of God to lead in this missional community.
     It was an exciting day for all of us.  President Olson gave an address in which he outlined plans to strengthen Wartburg in the future as we move forward, continually seeking God's call.  As good Lutherans, we ruminated on this address and the innaugural service with lots of coffee and food (without coffee and refreshments I, for one, would be hard pressed to say that God could have been present at all).  But, alas, we shared goodly fellowship with the Presiding Bishop, President Olson, the Wartburg Seminary Board members, Bishops, other ELCA Seminary Presidents and ELCA College representatives, students, faculty and a number of family and guests.  It was good to share the experience as a national Lutheran community which helped us remember and experience that our call is not solely to Dubuque, IA, but to all that God has made.
     So, as you are now officially sworn into office, we look forward to working, studying, worshipping and living with you, President Olson.  Welcome to your new office as the 13th Presdient of Wartburg Theological Seminary!