Concordia University, Nebraska

Concordia Nebraska recognizes church work students at Sending Service

Seward, NE (05/13/2026) — On Friday, May 8, Concordia University, Nebraska recognized the university's professional church work graduates at a Sending Service. The worship service is an opportunity to celebrate the university's graduating church work students before they either take a call, begin an internship, or further their education.

The service was started eight years ago by Concordia Director of Dual Credit, Dr. Beth Pester. When Concordia was known as Concordia Teacher's College, Lutheran teacher graduates experienced something similar to Lutheran seminaries' Call Day at the time of their graduation. Pester sought to celebrate Concordia professional church work graduates and created the Sending Service with the help of Rev. Dr. John Mehl, Executive Director of Mission of Christ Network. The event is now a beloved university tradition.

"All of Concordia's graduates have been equipped to serve God through their vocations, the Sending Service is designed to celebrate the preparations that professional church work graduates have received to go out and serve the world specifically through church work careers," said Pester.

The Sending Service recognizes graduates from all five professional church work fields: pre-seminary, pre-deaconess, director of Christian education, director of parish music and Lutheran teachers, as well as Classical Lutheran Educator and Christian teacher graduates.

At the service, each graduate walks across the stage during the worship service and is recognized. The future education plans, internship or church work call is announced at that time. The service is a meaningful opportunity to celebrate the graduates who go out into the world to serve as the hands and feet of Jesus.

Church work students being recognized this year include:

Pre-Seminary

Caleb Babisak, Fate, Texas

David Claridge, Leander, Texas

Hunter Remington, Bristow, Oklahoma

Pre-Deaconess

Nora Betts, Scranton, Pennsylvania

Alison Galchutt, O Fallon, Missouri

Emma Kettelhake, Unionville, Michigan

Abigal Yakimow, Brighton, Michigan

Director of Parish Music

Rachel Brinkman, Plymouth, Minnesota

Jacob Huber, Seward, Nebraska

Timothy Mars, Cody, Wyoming

Director of Christian Education (DCE)

Cadence Fulfs, Plattsmouth, Nebraska

Ella Gilzean, Shingle Springs, California

Christina Gronefeld, Centralia, Missouri

Luke Lawrenz, McPherson, Kansas

Kayla Korb, Burley, Idaho

Rileigh Watts, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Classical Lutheran Educator

Lars Gindler, Collinsville, Illinois

Christian Teacher Diploma

Emily Wood, La Vista, Nebraska

Lutheran Teacher Diploma

Rachel Ada, De Soto, Kansas

Emily Amisano, Lincoln, Nebraska

Caroline Beck, Guthrie, Oklahoma

Kyra Becker, Auburn, Nebraska

Emma Borgschatz, Plainview, Minnesota

Meredith Boster, Fulshear, Texas

Ernest Clausing, Seward, Nebraska

Samuel Dunbar, Lambertville, New Jersey

Hannah Ethridge, Fulda, Minnesota

Leah Fett, Guthrie Center, Iowa

Ian Fiala, Seward, Nebraska

Bethany Gebhardt, Seward, Nebraska

Joshua Jurchen, Seward, Nebraska

Hannah Kruse, Hutchinson, Minnesota

Megan Lange, Citrus Heights, California

Alayna Laughridge, Waterloo, Iowa

Ellie Lehr, Omaha, Nebraska

Alex Lorenz, Affton, Missouri

Emily Loseke, Leigh, Nebraska

Anna Maxson, Fort Wayne, Indiana

Carrie Meyr, Saint Louis, Missouri

Mayra Molina, Stanton, Nebraska

Brock Olson, Omaha, Nebraska

Travis Parsons, Round Rock, Texas

Kylyn Robbins, Houston, Texas

Grant Rohde, Reed City, Michigan

Paige Roiger, Fairmont, Minnesota

Hannah Schaefer, Albany, Oregon

Hannah Schauer, Union, Illinois

Harley Storie, Valley Park, Missouri

Meghan Strater, La Vista, Nebraska

Logan Walgate, Saint Charles, Missouri

Hannah Weaver, Stewardson, Illinois

Trista Wetzel, Harford, South Dakota

Isabella Wolter, Benson, Minnesota

Isabella (Schmid) Woodburn, Rockford, Illinois

About Concordia University, Nebraska

Concordia University, Nebraska, founded in 1894, is a fully accredited, coeducational university of The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod located in Seward, Nebraska, which currently serves more than 1,700 students. Concordia offers more than 100 undergraduate, graduate and professional programs in an excellent academic and Christ-centered community that equips men and women for lives of learning, service and leadership in the church and world. For more information, visit cune.edu.

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