{"id":56682,"date":"2025-08-07T18:13:01","date_gmt":"2025-08-07T18:13:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/ccv\/?p=56682"},"modified":"2025-12-11T14:07:56","modified_gmt":"2025-12-11T14:07:56","slug":"celebration-of-the-confluence-and-a-transition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/ccv\/2025\/08\/07\/celebration-of-the-confluence-and-a-transition\/","title":{"rendered":"Celebration of The Confluence and a Transition"},"content":{"rendered":"

This blog post is bittersweet. We want to both celebrate our successful Confluence event which happened in June and we also want to say farewell to Gretchen Roeck, our Program Director.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Thank you, Gretchen!<\/span><\/h2>\n

Gretchen has led the Confluence for the last two summers and has stewarded this program incredibly well. She is most grateful for the relationships and connections she has made with folks in and outside of Augsburg.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But Gretchen won\u2019t be going far! <\/span>Starting in September she\u2019ll be joining the Riverside Innovation Hub here at Augsburg University as their Certificate Programs Development Specialist. In this new role she’ll be <\/span>responsible for researching, developing, and implementing educational programs for congregational members, community leaders and the Augsburg young adult community under the Riverside Innovation Hub<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Celebrating The 2025 Confluence<\/span><\/h2>\n

The Confluence 2025 is in the books! It was a fabulous week fille<\/span>d with learning in and outside the classroom, new friendships, and personal insights about ourselves and the communities we come from and live in.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The week was a celebration of difference and the way our differences bring us together. Our participants and Augsburg student mentors spoke four different languages and hailed from six different countries and nations. They came from seven different congregations in Minnesota, Iowa and Texas and six Christian denominations. They identified as queer and gender fluid, differently abled and neurodivergent. In all of these differences they made space for each other\u2019s voices, experiences, gifts and growing edges. They connected through laughter and games, prayer and singing, deep listening and conversation.<\/span><\/p>\n

We took more steps towards being a fully bilingual program thatwelcomes both Spanish and English speakers. This work was possible through the ministry of Pastor Yesenia Morales Bahena who served as our onsite language and cultural interpreter in the classroom and in worship. Pastor Yesenia also translated many classroom and worship materials before the program began. Thank you Pastor Yesenia for helping us expand the reach of the Confluence and explore its depth.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At the Confluence we think of vocation as the confluence or intersection of God\u2019s story, the world\u2019s story and our personal stories. Every day we explored these three different stories with hugely gifted team of teachers, professors, pastors, storytellers and community leaders. As we studied each story we asked participants to consider the themes and spaces of resistance and resilience. We asked them: As you learn about God\u2019s story, the world\u2019s story and your own stories, what are the people, places, biblical stories, poetry, music and art that gives you life? \u2013 that strengthens your resilience and supports you in following God\u2019s call? At the same time, what breaks your heart? What are you called to resist and work against?<\/span><\/p>\n

At the Confluence, we learned about the God of life who defeats death. We learned that God stands with people and communities struggling to live on the margins. We learned that God calls us to resist the death-dealing practices of the world and to fill up our cups with joyful and serious resilience. We learned that we are never alone and we are always in community. God calls us to build communities where all people are seen and heard, valued and respected \u2013 and each of us has a role to play in building up that beloved community.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Many thanks to all the people in and outside of Augsburg who helped make this week happen: Professor Jeremy Myers (Executive Director of the Christensen Center for Vocation), Pastor John Schwehn (Augsburg Campus Ministry), Lucus Carlson (Augsburg Campus Ministry Pastoral Intern), Professor Chris Stedman (Augsburg Department of Religion and Philosophy), Dr. Jimmy Hoke (Biblical scholar, teacher and writer), Pastor Yesenia Morales Bahena (Nokomis Heights Lutheran Church), Jim Bear Jacobs (Healing Minnesota Stories), Jenean Gilmer (Sabo Center at Augsburg University), Alyssa Schwitzer, Kent Goodroad and company (our fabulous musicians), Nate Crary (Christ the King Lutheran Church), Grace Porter (Immanuel Lutheran Church), Sarah Runck (Mt. Olivet Careview Home) and our Augsburg student mentors who brought the magic: Stephen Nushann, Klaus Solko, Danielle Roberson, Michelle Kulah and <\/span>Tegest Asmare.<\/span><\/p>\n

A special thanks to Shannon Obey and Brittney Brown in Augsburg Events, Augsburg Catering, and the Department of Public Safety, who made all the behind the scenes details happen.<\/span><\/p>\n

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