An Update from Fort Wayne

LM-A seminary student Corrie Steel and his wife Di share their impressions of life in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The Steels, with their four daughters, arrived in the US three weeks ago and are already immersed in seminary life.

Corrie writes:

After hitting the ground running, we are finally starting to feel like we are settling in. Having sold/ given away everything, we came to Fort Wayne with only a suitcase each and have had to try and furnish a house and make it as liveable as possible in a short space of time. We are still eating our dinners on the living room floor, but we are enjoying it (I tell the kids it's like camping). Despite this, morale is still high and we are enjoying every moment.

The seminary and church community have been very supportive here, and everyone is only too willing to help out. We have had many offers of help, and the furniture/clothing co-op and food co-op at the seminary have been very helpful, supplying us with basic needs and furniture etc. The house is slowly being furnished.

I have really enjoyed the daily worship life of the seminary, with daily chapels during the week, and a divine service on Wednesdays. All the students and staff take the time out of their day to gather in worship and receive the gifts of God's forgiveness, through His Word and Sacraments. It has been extremely edifying to be surrounded by staff and students all worshipping together, and there is a real sense of reverence for God's Word, and the things of God are treated as holy - a little taste of heaven, you might say.

Academically it has been great, very challenging and you are pushed very hard, but also very supported. The Biblical languages are very important at the seminary and must be learnt so that you can read the scriptures in their original languages, so my first course is ten weeks of intense Greek - however I do have an advantage thanks to Dr Hultgren and all he has taught me. The library is amazing, and a theologian's dream - wall-to-wall with theology books, and a historical books section, with some old Book of Concords, and books written by Luther and Melanchthon from the 1500s.

The seminary also looks after the international students, and I have enjoyed getting to know the other international students. There is one from every continent this year (except Antartica of course). We have had dinners at a few of the professors' houses with the other international students, and it has been great getting to know them and their journey, especially those from China and what they have had to go through to get to Fort Wayne, and how God has provided for them every step of the way - it made our journey look easy!

After visiting as many Lutheran churches as we could in our first two weeks here (there are quite a lot!), I have been placed at Emmaus Lutheran Church for my fieldwork, under Pr Roy Olsen. I will be here for two years until I am placed on vicarage in my third year. We attended the Divine Service at Emmaus today where I was installed and got to know the congregation and to meet everyone. They were very welcoming and supportive, and I look forward to serving them over the next two years, and learning as much as I can from Pr Olsen.

One aspect that has stood out for me is the Bible teaching that happens in between services, and during the week. There is a real emphasis on teaching the Bible, and all the congregation hangs around for the classes. This is something that I will bring back with me to Australia, as we all need to be catechised in the doctrines of the faith, and know why we believe what we believe, something I feel we may have gotten away from in Australia.

The staff and students often ask about the situation in Australia, and want you all to know that they are praying for you all and everything that is going on, as we as a family are also praying for you all.

Thank you to LM-A and to all the people who are supporting us and praying for us, it is greatly appreciated. Looking back over our journey to get here, we can see God's hand in it all, and how he has provided for us along the way, despite our own mis-steps and stuff-ups. He truly is a gracious God!

In Christ,

Corrie

Di's perspective:

Well it's been three weeks since we set off on this new venture to the other side of the world. Corrie has had to hit the ground running, commencing his orientation and Greek studies only a few days after arriving. Thankfully, we were blessed to be met by Corrie's Aunty Linda from Dallas on our arrival and benefited greatly from having her help in our first week, buying necessities for our house and securing a car.

Mine and the girls' attention has been spent greatly on researching and touring the abundance of Lutheran schools, to find the right fit for our girls and one suited to our location. Cate, Eloise and Sylvie commenced school last week and, thus far, have enjoyed their days.

Little things have brought us much excitement, including seeing the squirrels and rabbits from outside our dining room window on day one, taking in the 'Americanness' of the schools and calling Cate a Freshman, and trying a few of the commercialised American foods.

From the outset, we have felt overwhelmingly welcomed by the seminary and wider Lutheran community. The reverence of the services, the approachability from all levels of faculty, the comradery witnessed between the men, and the love and support poured out by the Seminary Women's Assembly - Corrie, I and the girls feel like we are in a very unique and good place. A community rich in loving and serving thy neighbour.

For us, as a family, a good year or more leading up to our departure was a time of giving it to the Lord as to whether it was His will for us to embark on this journey. In our preparations, we made many mistakes unknowingly - we didn't have correct visa paperwork, we cut our visa interview date way too fine, to the point where everyone around us were wide-eyed and nervous for us. Yet, things that we thought were impossible, completely out of our control, fell into place more beautifully than we could have even planned. God's providence was amazing and left Corrie and I standing in awe on a number of occasions.

There have been challenges. Leaving the security of our country, income, owning our house, and friends and family, particularly elderly parents, does push us out of our comfort zone. I would be dishonest if I didn't say I have moments of 'What have we done?' But with prayer, I am swiftly comforted by the peace that only God can give. We know this is God's calling for Corrie to train for the ministry. We know that His Word says about being trained in the correct doctrines. We know that the LM-A in conjunction with LCMS hold true to the Lutheran Confessions and the Word of God. We are grateful for this opportunity and for all the work of those involved in the LM-A, and for the prayers of everyone following our story. Please continue to pray for us. May His will be done.

God Bless you all,

Dianne.