Natalie Barletta – Opinions Editor
One of the hardest parts about going to college is leaving your home community behind, and having to start over in a new place. Once you have left your old home for a new one, whether it’s going five minutes away or five hours away, you are bound to crave that sense of community in your new environment. In the New Haven area, Luther House strives to be that for college students.
Luther House is located at 27 High Street, just down the road from the Yale British Art Museum, and a few blocks away from the New Haven Green. “[Luther House] is very interactive and open. We get a variety of undergrad and grad students in addition to members of the community,” says Pastor Kari Henkelmann Keyl, who is the pastor at Luther House. Recently, I had the privilege of meeting Pastor Keyl at Luther House to talk about her job. Pastor Keyl has been an ordained Lutheran minister since 1990, and is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, also known as the ELCA. As I was talking to Keyl about her job, I could tell she was extremely passionate about her work at Luther House. Her personality is warm and welcoming. Keyl invites people who are interested in talking about faith or life in general to give her a call or text, and check out the Luther House website or Facebook page.
Luther House is focused on making a difference in the community through social justice work. Community events give students a chance to use their skills to help others. Luther House welcomes people to make connections, come for prayer, and ask big questions.
Three events are held weekly during the academic year. The first is held on Sundays at 5:00 pm: People gather for worship, where there is prayer and discussion of issues pertinent to the community. After the service, there is a free meal home made by local congregations. On Mondays at six, a dinner is held, followed by Bible Study. “Mondays are more student led,” says Keyl. The topics discussed are picked out by the students. Both worship and Bible study are held at Luther House.
Finally, Luther House’s Taizé Prayer and Song takes place on Tuesdays at 9:15 pm, at the Dwight Chapel on Yale’s Old Campus. Taizé prayer was originally developed by a community of monks in Taizé, France. People pray in a small group and sing simple songs that can be learned easily, without instrumental accompaniment. Religious affiliation is not required to be a part of the Luther House community. “[You] just have to be someone who’s asking questions and wants to be with others,” Keyl says. “Everyone is welcome.”
In addition to prayer, there’s also a chance to volunteer. It takes place on Thursdays at 6 pm. Students can come help underprivileged youth in New Haven with their homework. It’s a great opportunity to do good in the community, reaching out and helping others.
While I was touring Luther House, I could tell that it was an open and inviting environment, similar to the personality of its pastor. Pastor Kari has been working at Luther House for three years. She wears many hats at Luther House. For instance, in addition to being a pastor, she also tends to the Community Garden at Luther House, which grows fruits and vegetables, and then donates them to people in need. In addition to being active at Luther House, she is active on the Yale campus. “I really like the opportunity to engage with students,” she says. “I look for ways to connect with what you’re learning at school to real life.”
Luther House is a place for everyone. You don’t have to be a student at Yale, or even religious. It’s a place where people can go to make connections, a welcoming community, and even just a home away from home for those near and far.
