Lutheran Theological Seminary Saskatoon

On Friday, May 29, the LTS community gathered for Convocation 2026, joining with our partners in the Saskatoon Theological Union for the 25th Joint Convocation.

As Chair of the Common Faculty, Rev. Dr. Kyle Schiefelbein-Guerrero welcomed graduates, families, faculty, and friends, reflecting on the joys and challenges of endings, beginnings, and transitions.

Convocation not only marks the completion of a degree or certificate, but it is also a ritual of transition for these graduates, “all of whom has experienced varying levels of change by forming knowledge, engaging with and sometimes wrestling against the ancestors of the faith, developing relationships of collegiality and communal suffering, and growing … growing in their understanding of what it means to be someone who leads amid the chaos of an ever-changing world.” Dr. Schiefelbein-Guerrero acknowledged that life transitions can be positive experiences filled with newness and/or negative experiences filled with loss or grief; and that both types of experiences can lead to a profound sense of uncertainty and asking, “What is next?”

“Convocation” in Latin means “a calling or coming together.” Dr. Schiefelbein-Guerrero noted that, for graduates of theological programs, the root vocare (call/vocation) takes on significant meaning: “The One who has called us together in this place is also the One who calls us from this place and into the world. The answer to ‘what is next’ is to listen – to discern – God’s call: the call that brought you, graduates, to your studies; the call that brought all of you here to celebrate; and the call that sends you forth.”

For this reason, Dr. Schiefelbein-Guerrero closed his address by stating that Convocation does not mark an ending but rather a beginning of what is to come, tying it with Sylvia Dunstan’s hymn “Bless Now, O God, the Journey,” which participants sang at the end of the ceremony. He concluded, “Graduates, you may not fully know the roads on which your upcoming journey may bring you but be assured that you do not travel them alone – for God has blessed and is blessing that journey, and we who are with you tonight will continue to accompany you as you go forth.”

The Saskatoon Theological Union gathered this April for a two-day Forum focused on shaping the future of theological education in our shared context.

Over April 21–22, participants engaged in worship, collaborative design, and deep conversation around mission, values, and the possibility of further integration. The Forum created space not only for strategic work, but also for relationship-building across our ecumenical community.

From presentations on current realities to hands-on prototyping sessions, the schedule reflected a commitment to thoughtful discernment and shared leadership.

We are grateful for the leadership of convenor Laureen Wray, for our faithful board members, for our students, for our faculty, and for our administrative team. You all contributed to this important work.