Please Help Me Go to Seminary!

Hi, I'm Amanda "Day" Hefner, a soon-to-be seminarian from Nebraska.  I am thrilled to start my studies at the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago (LSTC) this fall, engaging in the first year of a curriculum completely redesigned around the idea of "public church."  As a lay leader at Grace Lutheran Church in Lincoln, NE, I have gotten to experience this kind of engaged church through ministries like our young adult faith discussion group, our refugee resettlement project, our partnership with Lincoln Literacy, and other efforts we've made to connect with the community.  My love for serving the church has also deepened through a year on staff at the Nebraska Synod office, as well as through serving on Grace's church council, teaching confirmation, helping lead the youth group, preaching, and assisting in worship.  I look forward to becoming an ordained pastor in the ELCA so that I may begin to give back the much that I have been so graciously given.

(Please visit my blog if you are interested in reading about some of my experiences, my writings on the church, and the sermons I've written.)

While I have been granted a full tuition scholarship along with generous support from my church, Grace Lutheran in Lincoln, I still find myself coming up way short for living expenses; and am also finding that scholarship opportunities are incredibly slim for first year seminary students.  I've started this gofundme page, hoping to cover more of the deficit I anticipate in my living expenses in Chicago.  I am deeply grateful for any support it may generate and welcome contributions of all amounts.  Thank you.