Testimonials
From
United
Churchmen & Women Scholarship Recipients
After working full time for many years in my “chosen”
profession and volunteering in ministry, it became apparent to me that my
greatest joy was ministry. The idea of
attending school as a non-traditional student was a bit frightening but yet so
exciting. Following six years of Lay
Academy at the UCC Wisconsin Conference I was quick to realize that learning
and having the confidence to share God’s grace was a true passion. United Churchmen & Women have allowed me
to experience an education filled with challenges, excitement and comfort. The support that I have received reveals not
only financial support but also supportive prayers and thoughts for success in
God’s plan. Gratitude and thanks cannot
begin to express my appreciation for the scholarship that has been provided to
me by the United Churchmen & Women.
This gift has provided me the assurance that God’s intentions are indeed
the precise journey I should travel as well as the faith and support of the community.
-Kim Anderson, 2012 Delmar Meyer Scholarship Recipient
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Just
as it takes a village to raise a child, it takes our brothers and sisters in
Christ to support seminarians. The pursuit of ordained ministry needs faithful
support from many. I have been blessed to have much support from my home
church, the church I serve, and now the United Churchmen & Women. I am very
thankful for the financial gift, as well as the encouraging words and prayers
they have provided. As I continue my seminary education, I am grateful for the
myriad of ways I am supported from the larger faithful communities through the
United Churchmen & Women.
-Beth
Petzke, 2012 Donald Lorfeld
Seminary Scholarship Recipient
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The journey towards ordained ministry is one
which contains many hurdles and challenges.
This process is not one that an individual would want to undertake
without the prayers and support of others.
The scholarship that the United Churchmen & Women offered me
signifies the prayers and support of not just a few individuals, but the
backing of an entire region. I am
forever grateful for all of the individuals and all of the congregations that
the United Churchmen & Women is comprised of. When the challenges are great, knowing that
there is a community standing behind me, gives me the strength to persevere and
see the journey through to completion.
-Nathan Athorp –
2011 Donald Lorfeld
Seminary Scholarship Recipient
I have
long appreciated the support that United Churchmen & Women offered me
while at Lakeland College. I remember so well feeling encouraged by
the scholarship I received as I had entered college on quite
a leap-of-faith. I was a non-traditional student
with three young children, working part time as a server, and not
having been in a classroom for 15 years. Wondering how on earth I was
going to financially survive was an
ongoing concern. Receiving word that United Churchmen &
Women believed in me persuaded me even more to believe in
myself. I'm grateful to this day.
-Reverend Judine Duerwaechter
James
Schleif – Testimony
It was almost a year ago that I first started to
entertain ideas about attending seminary.
I attended the United Churchmen and Women Banquet last year and heard
the presentations for Eden Seminary and the frank discussion regarding the need
for future generations of theological practitioners. Leaving the banquet that night a fellow
congregation member looked at me and said, “That’s what you should do Jim,
attend Eden Seminary and start a second career”. Here I am a year later in the final three
weeks of my first semester at Chicago Theological Seminary!
I retired from my primary career in nuclear power in May
of 2012. As I dabbled in some
semi-retirement work, several orbiting planets came into focus, and I started
to seek guidance related to attending seminary and pursuing a second career in
ministry. The application and admission
process was daunting in its own right however I amazingly had the opportunity
to attend Eden Theological Seminary and Chicago Theological Seminary. We settled on Chicago because the flexibility
of only being gone from home two nights a week made the decision doable.
Entering seminary meant putting semi-retirement work
completely on the back burner. I have
found that for me to attend a full time course load requires my full
attention. The thought of three years
with minimal retirement income and the price of a seminary education has set my
retirement financial plan on edge.
Considering this reality, I want to express my sincere and deepest appreciation
to the United Churchmen and Women for honoring me with the Donald Lorfeld Seminary Scholarship. Being this year’s recipient was totally
unexpected and a great surprise. This
scholarship and the assistance that I have received from my home congregation,
Grace Congregational United Church of Christ in Two Rivers, makes the task
ahead seem plausible.
The fact that I have confidence that the financial
picture will come together allows me to focus my efforts on my studies. The amount of work has totally exceeded my
expectations, however, I can truly say that my study at seminary is the most
exciting thing I have done in my life. I
guess that means I made the right decision.
I thank the United Churchmen and Women for assisting me and the long
line of previous undergraduates and seminarians who have also been blessed by
your efforts.
With my greatest thanks and appreciation,
James
Schleif,
2013
Recipient of the Donald Lorfeld Seminary Scholarship
Chicago
Theological Seminary
Grace Congregational United Church of Christ, Two Rivers,
WI