• About LCMNet
  • About LCMNet

About the Lutheran Campus Ministry Network

ELCA Campus Ministry tagline:
Building Community, Expanding Minds, Deepening Faith, Inspiring Service


Lutheran Campus Ministry (LCM) is a vital legacy of outreach, discipleship, vocational discernment, and development of servant-leaders. Building on five centuries of the Reformation since Martin Luther's ministry at the University of Wittenberg, campus ministry is at the leading edge of how the church is engaged with the world. Lutheran Campus Ministry leans into God's good future at the intersection of faith and reason, science and values, higher education and the domination-free reign of God in Christ who is for all people.


Recent years have seen major transitions in how the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is engaged in Lutheran Campus Ministry. With encouragement from ELCA churchwide staff, we who serve in Lutheran Campus Ministry will work together to strengthen our shared mission.


In the past, LCM relied on churchwide campus ministry staff to:

  1. Gather campus ministry news and share it with the entire LCM network
  2. Advocate for LCM and its funding at synod, regional and churchwide levels
  3. Conduct screening interviews and offer guidance for leadership transitions
  4. Organize and lead new campus ministry staff trainings
  5. Offer professional mentoring and support for campus ministry staff
  6. Collect and review annual reports and summarize for churchwide reporting
  7. Coordinate quadrennial ministry reviews and guide local boards
  8. Gather, produce and share ministry resources and program ideas
  9. Offer support to Lutheran Student Movement
  10. Organize regional and churchwide gatherings for campus ministry
  11. Resource local board development and fundraising

After major churchwide downsizing, the ELCA churchwide staff supported the initiative of Lutheran campus ministers to form an independent voluntary association affiliated with the ELCA.

To redevelop and sustain comprehensive support for LCM, an initial interim leadership team was formed to develop a network of staff serving in ELCA-affiliated campus ministries. This initial team included:

Frank Anderson, Communications

Brian Bennett, Ministry Resources

Rebecca Boardman, National Conference

Kevin Clark, Ministry Reviews

Kathy Fick, Funding Development

Chris Heavner, Youth Coordination

Darin Johnson, Administration

Jim Norlie, Administration

Zach Parris, Lutheran Student Movement

Jessica Short, New Staff On-Boarding

Kari Jo Verhulst, Interfaith/Ecumenical Relations

Thanks to the pioneering work of this initial team and much input from LCM colleagues, on 7 May 2015 the Lutheran Campus Ministry Network was incorporated as a non-profit religious organization with the following mission:


"Lutheran Campus Ministry Network is an association to strengthen and sustain ELCA campus ministry by forming collegial relationships, training professional leaders, and advocating for ministry on college and university campuses."


The first regular Board of Directors was elected at the June 2015 national LCM staff gathering and the first annual meeting of LCMNet. LCM Staff Members elected one Board Member from each of the nine Regions of the ELCA. The current LCMNet Board is listed on the LuMin-Network.com website at this link.


Current and former LCM staff are especially encouraged to attend the annual LCMNet gathering. Other ELCA and synod staff who work with LCM are also most welcome to participate. Don Romsa is ELCA churchwide staff for LCM and has been of great assistance since the formation of LCMNet.


Anyone who would like to support the work of Lutheran Campus Ministry is warmly encouraged to make a donation at this link. Thank you for your help!


If you would like more information about LCMNet,

email LCMNet at this link or admin[at]LCMNet.org (replace [at] with @).
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