Greetings from Wartburg Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa! It is with great joy that I write to you and update you on life here in Dubuque.

My first 4 weeks here have been filled with change. Moving 13 hours from home is change enough, then I also have moved back into an academic life. Going from my home in Kylertown to a "large" dorm room here at Wartburg has been interesting. I have learned what is necessary in life and how compactly I can live. I have also expeirienced a change in the size of the town I am living in. Dubuque is a nice area. It is filled with all types of new adventures. I can go from the streets of downtown to the open feilds within minutes. There are enough resturants and coffee shops that I feel like I will never have time to try them all.

As for campus life, my classmates and I are growing closer together each day. At the time of this letter we are halfway through our 6 week Summer Greek program. Within these six weeks we will have 2 semesters of information. That alone will tell you how intense our class time is each day. Our professors have been great helps to us and seem infinately patient with all of our questions. Like wise as we journey together as a class we have learned how our strengths can help each other with our weaknesses.

One thing that we all have in common is that, we all have found our way to this place through the guidence of the Holy Spirit working in us and those around us. In our times of daily prayer and worship we are reminded of that greater work of God that is happening around us beyond our training in the Greek language. We have been drawn together not only for this acidemic experience but also to bring together our life experience. How appropriate it is that the big theme of Wartburg Seminary is Life Together.

Truely we are on this life changing journey together. Now, I'm not just talking about those of us here at Wartburg. You too are on this life changing journey. We may be seperated by miles but the same God leads us in this life together. I pray that the Holy Spirit is working in you also. I pray that as I stretch and grow in my faith you will also. I will be anxious to hear what is happing in the life of Holy Trinity and all its family members, as I am sure you will await word of what is happening here.

Now here is my prayerful challenge and request to you all. Do not let the only contact I and other the other students of the congregation, have with you be the monthly new letter. I encourage and challege you to personally contact us. Let us know that you are thinking of us and praying for us. Emotional support during these times of change has a greater effect than you can imagine. A phone call, e-mail, or even a postcard will re-fuel a student in ways that words have a hard time expressing. There is great rejoicing when we can check our mail boxes and we have recieved something that lets us know that we are being thought of.

As the body of Christ we are called to reach out to others. The same encouragement needed by my fellow students and I is needed by many in our communittees. The same postcard or phone call that re-fuels a student can have the same effect on others. We need to reach out and remind those that we have not seen or talked to that they are remembered and they are in our prayers.

God is using all of us to touch the lives of others in many and various ways. Reach out and touch someones life.