Worshiping together, growing together and changing together are just a few of the ways Trinity Lutheran Seminary shares its values with its students.
And those inclusive ideals are something that students and alumni carry with them throughout their everyday work serving their communities.
In this case, it was an alumnus, Tom Pairan, MDiv ’11, who made a call to Moses Edwards Jr., who is on track to earn his Master of Divinity degree from Trinity in 2025.
Rev. Pairan leads Calvary Lutheran Church in Chillicothe and occupies an office just across an alleyway from where Pastor Edwards guides the parishioners at First Baptist Church of Chillicothe.
Pairan had an idea to unite the congregations once again for “God’s work. Our hands.” Sunday, a mission of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, which took place Sept. 8.
“Our congregations have a long history of working together in various ways that predates Pastor Edwards and me,” Pairan says.
Edwards says Pairan suggested joining the two congregations for an ecumenical service. “I thought it was a great idea,” Edwards adds.
Parishioners from Calvary first visited the Nickens Heritage Center, which celebrates First Baptist’s 200-year history in the community. “After that, they came to our church for service,” Edwards says. “There was a bit of curiousness. Our cultures are very, very different. We are a Black Baptist culture, and we like to let the Holy Spirit lead a lot. We are a lot more talkative in church. I call it a dialogue where we talk back.”
Pairan says his congregation also learned more about the history of the broader community through the exchange. For his part, Pairan says he had been studying the history of churches in anticipation of Calvary’s 125-year anniversary. “We weren’t here first but we have a place here downtown,” he says. “We try to work together, especially with our closest neighbors.”
He says despite distinctions in theology practice, the congregations are more alike than they are different. “The more often we can do things together and remind ourselves of that fact, the better,” says Pairan. “We have to stay focused on what we have in common. We can accomplish more together than separately.”
The two churches are already making plans for more activities together, including a Super Bowl party, which includes donations for the local food pantry, and a possible advent service.
Both Pairan and Edwards say this type of ecumenical outreach aligns with what they learned at Trinity. “It’s kind of practicing what they are preaching and preaching what they are practicing,” Pairan says.
“We’re all just working together for the betterment of the Kingdom,” Edwards agrees. “Being a student at Trinity Lutheran has really opened my eyes to other denominations and working with other people. By going to Trinity Lutheran, I’m able to hear different voices. The gospel speaks to different people in different ways. Trinity goes out of its way to make sure every single voice is heard.”
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