Conference on Worship, Theology and the Arts 2025 at St. Olaf College

Buenos días, y’all! And a warmest howdy from St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN.

You may be wondering, “what is Pastor Sergio doing in St. Olaf College, let alone Minnesota?” I had the privilege of being one of the plenary speakers for the 2025 Conference on Worship, Theology and the Arts at St. Olaf College. In particular, I would like to lift up for you all the person of the Rev. Dr. Charlene (Char) Cox, who serves as the Director of Programming, Engagement and Innovation for Congregational Thriving at The Lutheran Center of St. Olaf College. I first met the Rev. Dr. Cox during my Master’s of Divinity program at Wartburg Theological Seminary. She was the Director of Contextual Education and was instrumental in sending me to you all as your 2020 Pastoral Intern.

She reached out to me at the beginning of the year with the opportunity to be a plenary speaker for this year’s Conference: CWTA 2025- Nourishing Vocation. The Conference on Worship, Theology, and the Arts has been repurposed for congregations and their leadership to learn about practical ways of implementing congregational musical programs, discipleship programming, and art. It is by practitioners, for practitioners. Several of my classmates from Wartburg Theological Seminary were either speakers, conference leadership or attendees. You could say that this was a reunion for Wartburgers, and Olies.

I spoke about the transformative power of spinning stories about being fed and feeding others. Plenty of jokes, some insightful questions, and a whole lot of tortillas. The sermon from July 28 that I gave from CTK was a sample of what I eventually delivered at St. Olaf, with one noticeable difference. I compared Jesus to a Mexican Abuela (grandmother) who is always making sure that we are being nourished. And we are like little children waiting for abuela to finishing wrapping the last metaphorical tamales in order to feed all of us. What kinds of stories are telling about ourselves if we see ourselves as grandchildren to an Abuela-God?

¡Bendiciones y la Paz!
Pr. Sergio Rodriguez