Ron Letnes Hometown: Moorhead, MN Current Home: Blaine, MN Major: History/ Political Science Additional Education: M.Div., D.Min. Email: ronlinlet@gmail.com
Concordia focused my life. Meeting and marrying Linda was the greatest plus. Being part of a seminar at Bleak House led by Dr. Elie Haney, I learned of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, whose writing focused my theology and ecclesiology. Bonhoeffer, coupled with history/ political science courses, experiencing the drama of the 1960s, living through JFK’s assassination, serving on the Student Senate for four years, being part of the Student-Exchange Committee in conjunction with Virginia Union University, marching in Concordia’s first Civil Rights March and hearing speakers like Stringfellow, Littell and Bennett stirred a life-long commitment to peace, justice and nonviolence. Conversations with Pastor Lee helped center my life and mentor a fuller understanding of ministry. Studies at Luther Seminary and the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago shaped 40 years of called ministry. I served 17 years in outdoor ministry as executive director of two camps: Shetek in southwestern Minnesota and Sky Ranch in Colorado, where I established the largest servant ministry in the ELCA. I served congregations in Milwaukee; Aurora and Denver, Colorado, and interims in Colorado and Minnesota. I founded the Southwest Minnesota District Racism-Sexism Task Force and worked with a Milwaukee ecumenical team to establish a community center. In Colorado I set up the Rocky Mountain Synod Nonviolence Resource Team, worked with an ecumenical team to write the Colorado Confession in response to Iraq and environmental issues and wrote a Colorado Confession Blog. Now retired in Minnesota, I founded the synodical team called ENGAGE: Lutherans for Gun Violence Prevention. I serve on the Board of Protect Minnesota, a nonprofit committed to gun violence prevention. Concordia’s Mission was majorly influential in shaping my callings. Linda and I have three children. Alyssa has four children and lives in Casper, Wyoming. Stephen, CC ’01, lives in Minneapolis and composes music for movies. Shana is married to Erik. They with their two children live just a mile from us. She and Erik served in the Peace Corps upon graduating from Concordia. Today Shana teaches immigrants and prepares them for college. Linda and I have much common ground. We are passionate about politics, sports, gardening, travel and how faith intersects life. My gratitude to Concordia for lifelong friends and meeting and marrying Linda. It has made life full. Soli Deo Gloria!
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