Student Profiles

Tsena Dinssa  |  Mari Nyberg  |  Diane Krauszer  |  Norma Trimble  |  Bill Miller

Tsena Dinssa

"I was born and raised Lutheran, but the TEEM program has allowed me to learn more about who I am and what my mission is," Tsena Dinssa said. Born and raised in an Oromo Lutheran community in Ethiopia, Africa, Dinssa's story offers an alternative understanding to "traditional Lutheran."

The Oromo people have a long history with Lutheranism. German and Scandinavian Lutheran missionaries began proselytizing among Oromo communities starting in 1885, about the same time as the early Lutheran churches in America were formed. "What many people may not realize is we have a Lutheran heritage also," Dinssa said.

As the Lutheran church in America grew and formed, so did the Lutheran church in Ethiopia. In fact, to this day the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY) is the world's largest Lutheran church next to the Church of Sweden, according to the Lutheran World Federation. "The main problem in the Lutheran church in Africa is there is no place to sit!" Dinssa said with a laugh.

The Oromo Lutheran communities are not limited to Ethiopia either; to date there are 18 Oromo Lutheran churches who are currently working with ELCA synods all over the United States. Dinssa currently serves one such church in Richardson, Texas.

"Our people pass through so many social and political things," Dinssa said. "There is not a lot of political stability [in Ethiopia], and people often have economic problems, which are two of the leading motivations for immigration ... Our mission is to use Oromo immigrants to be in service to the world. God has a plan for us - he brought us this far on purpose."

Dinssa continues to serve Dallas Oromo Evangelical Lutheran Church in Richardson as he completes his last year of the TEEM program. He started the program in October 2007 and has been pleased. "I found [the TEEM program] very relevant and interesting in terms of what I'm actually doing at my church," Dinssa said.

"What excites me about the TEEM program is I am able to see changes within my church and ministry and understand how I am growing in the midst of that. We have grown from nine worshipping members to 47, and that is not easy. TEEM has been a great support and had a positive impact on my ministry."

Mari Nyberg

As a woman who has seen more heartache than most, Mari Nyberg's enthusiasm is as contagious as it is baffling. "What I love the most is [that] there is nothing that happens to you [that] does not come in handy and work for the benefit of all," she said.

After losing a partner to cancer and surviving cancer herself, Nyberg reevaluated her life. "I asked myself, 'If I would have died what would I have regretted?' My main regret was that I didn't go to seminary."

Now, nearly ten years later, Nyberg is less than a year away from being a synodically authorized minister in the ELCA. She serves as pastor at two churches in the Turtle River Program, a collaboration of five Lutheran churches located within in a 125 mile radius of Grand Forks, N.D., where she has been for several years. She will continue to minister to Turtle River Program after she has completes TEEM next spring.

One of TEEM's major tenets is for students to use their ministerial context in their learning. "It seems the entire program is focused on the question 'What have you learned and how can you use it?' That gives me so much joy - I can't even stand it!" Nyberg said.

For example, just prior to a weeklong intensive course at PLTS, Nyberg wrestled with what to say at the pending funeral of a parishioner battling the final stages of cancer. "I knew she was either going to die when I was gone or soon after I returned. I knew what I was going to say at her funeral, but I didn't quite have it all resolved yet."

During one of the last classes, a professor paused his lecture to briefly share with the class that a friend of his had recently died of cancer. He was writing a book about the experience and wanted to share with the class. "[He] talked about how Thomas saw Christ's wounds and recognized him. His point was the wounded one is the one whom we can trust. When we hurt, we know the wounded one and we become wounded healers," she said.

"It was beautiful. I'm not sure how many of us in the room were crying, but I know I was. I returned home and learned my parishioner had died. My professor's writings on wounds became a wonderful part of my funeral sermon."

As her time in the TEEM program comes to a close, Nyberg reflects on the people who have been a fundamental part of her journey. "A major problem in rural/remote ministry is isolation. Within the TEEM program, there is no such thing - this is my family. To be on the journey together is a gift."

Diane Krauszer

When Diane Krauszer received her Master of Divinity from a seminary in the Reformed Church of America, she likely never imagined that she would return to seminary almost 30 years later. "There were many times in my life when I asked God, 'Why am I here? What am I doing?'" Krauszer said. "God does not always take straight lines and that's the bottom line."

After receiving her M.Div., Krauszer moved to Kodiak Island, Alaska with her newlywed husband, where they served in ministry for 15 years. When their time on Kodiak Island came to an end, the Krauszers moved inland to Wasilla, Alaska.

Soon after their move, Lutheran Social Services asked the Krauszers to manage a non-profit thrift store that also was responsible for a number of non-profit programs in the community. "When they first asked me I told them, 'No way. The last place I'd ever work is a thrift store, it'd drive me crazy!' That wasn't the last time I learned not to make an ultimatum with God."

What started off as a small thrift store in an 1,800 square foot facility run by Krauszer, her husband and one unpaid volunteer, ended up being much more. In the 11 years that the Krauszers managed the store, it grew to 14 employees in a 13,000 square foot facility.

But, it also brought Krauszer to where she is today. While serving the thrift store, the Krauszers were invited to a picnic at Trinity Lutheran Church in Palmer, a neighboring town of Wasilla, an event which Krauser called "the first step in the next part of our life."

Krauszer quickly became involved in the church life at Trinity and served in various leadership roles, such as chair of the call committee and as a "fill in" pastor when needed. Involvement at Trinity felt like a perfect fit due to her theologically and experientially diverse background. She says that of almost 90 congregation members, only about one-third have an ELCA background. "I often tease we're a multi-denominational family because, well, we are."

Eventually Krauszer recognized that God had a bigger plan for her, so she approached her bishop about the call she felt to parish ministry. After much discussion, Krauszer was recommended to the TEEM program to fulfill the requirements for ordination in the ELCA. While completing the TEEM program, Krauszer continues to serve at Trinity, where she is rewarded and challenged by the diversity of her ministry.

"That [diversity] poses an interesting challenge in itself. I get to explain how Lutheranism differs from the other faiths that are present in our congregation. For example, I recently did a full immersion baptism on a 10-year-old girl because her father couldn't quite break with his Baptist roots. 'She has to choose to be baptized,' he'd say to me. Finally I looked at her and said, 'It's time. The great thing is if we screw it up, it doesn't matter because it's God's work anyway...The gift [of Lutheranism] is the affirmation that God is at work in all of this. God has already done it and is doing it."

Norma Trimble

Norma Trimble's ministry is an invaluable resource to the Native American community of Portland, Oregon, which numbers more than 38,000 people. While is on the path to ordination through the TEEM program, Trimble serves at Augustana Lutheran Church, where she leads Open Circle, a worship that honors the Native American and Alaskan traditions.

Through the TEEM program, Norma is able to follow the path to ordination through classes at Pacific Luther Theological Seminary [and Luther Seminary(?)], while still playing a vital role in keeping Open Circle an active ministry. She is on-track to be ordained in 2011, whereupon she will remain in her role at Open Circle.

Open Circle, which has been a part of Augustana Lutheran in Portland, Ore. for more than a decade, has a weekly worship that features flute and drumming as well as the burning of sage and sweet grass. While worship attendance varies due to events in the Native American community, such as funerals and pow wows, Trimble says they have about 20 consistent members and usually about another 20 non-members at worship weekly.

In addition to her education through the TEEM program, Trimble also takes classes at the Vancouver School of Theology, where she is able accompany her understanding of Lutheran theology with a more in-depth understanding of Native American spiritual beliefs. Trimble finds the combination best aids her ministry at Open Circle.

An important part of Open Circle's ministry is work with the Native American Rehabilitation Center of the Northwest, a residential, comprehensive treatment program located in Portland, Ore. for American Indians and Alaska natives suffering from substance abuse. Through ministry with the Center, Open Circle works to bridge the gap between Christianity and Native American spiritual beliefs.

Trimble plays an essential role in this, working side-by-side with people through the treatment process, and offering them a place to come and worship in a setting that will feel comfortable to them. She says many of the people she counsels are not Christians and often know little about Christianity. Yet, they will come to worship, where they learn the Christian message and beliefs. Often, they will want to become baptized into the Christian faith, but will want to know more about Christ first in order to feel that they deserve to be baptized.

To each of these people, Trimble brings a patient heart and great deal of love, offering them an understanding of both the Native American spiritual teachings and the Gospel message of God's grace for them. "My favorite thing in ministry is spreading the Word and educating people of Christ's teachings, His grace, how it's similar [to Native American beliefs]," she says. "[The Native American's have] similar stories [to the] parables. [The] belief systems are so similar."

Bill Miller

Bill Miller has served Peace Lutheran Church in New London, Minn. with his musical gifts as the lay minister of music and prayer for 17 years. While Miller has been in ministry as a church musician since 1975, he has felt for some time that he is called follow the path toward ordination - a call which he is now following as a student in the TEEM program. "The only thing I know is that I feel called to ordained ministry... I don't know the path that will take but I'm excited to see where that leads," he said.

Miller knew that path toward ordained ministry through a traditional Master of Divinity degree was not the right fit for him. He has already earned two master's degrees and says earning an M.Div. degree is simply not a priority. "Everyone goes through a discernment process," he said. "That's true for everybody in whatever call they have. TEEM is just one way people can be ordained."

Miller has enjoyed his return to the classroom, and has found his seminary education builds on much of what he's already been doing in ministry. "Because I've been in ministry as a lay minister, I'd almost call it validation for what I've been doing before," he said.

Now finishing his first year as a TEEM student, Miller says he thoroughly enjoys the challenge the courses offer and appreciates that he can use what he learns directly in his context, a factor he finds to be absolutely crucial. Miller is embracing his work toward ordination saying, "I'm a lifelong learner. I'm constantly looking for deeper meanings in Scripture. You see God's hand in the Old Testament and New Testament. You see God's hand in the broad sweep of things. I'm excited to use it in my ministry context."