The Friends of Westfield House

New Staff Installed at Westfield House

Rachel Mumme — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:08:19 +0000

The Rev’d Jonathan Mumme and his wife, Deaconess Rachel Mumme, were installed into their respective positions at Westfield House on January 14^th, 2012. Jonathan is teaching systematics and church history at Westfield House, serving as assistant pastor at Resurrection Lutheran Church, and is a missionary of the LCMS in Cambridge. Rachel is focusing her efforts on communications and development for the Friends of Westfield House, as well as student recruitment for Westfield House. Rev. Brent Smith, Regional Director for LCMS World Mission in Eurasia, carried out the installations into the LCMS missionary roles with personal words of encouragement for the Mummes. Chairman Jon Ehlers installed Mumme into his roles as tutor and pastor. Bishop Em. Jobst Schöne of the SELK in Germany preached for the occasion, using the text from 1 Corinthians 2:1-10. He ended the sermon with these words of comfort, “You are Christ’s – what a privilege, what a foundation to start your work: not with persuasive words of human wisdom, rather in much weakness, fear, and trembling, but at the same time in demonstration of the Spirit which is in you and with power. You are Christ’s – therefore don’t be afraid. Amen.”

Present at the service were a number of guests, from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of England, the Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church in Germany, and from the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. The Rev’d Keith Boheim, Executive Director of The Marvin M. Schwan Charitable Foundation, was also kind enough to make the long trip for the installations. The Schwan Foundation has been very generous to the Friends of Westfield House; it was an honor to have Pastor Boheim in Cambridge for this event.

After the service the congregation members arranged for a lovely reception, welcoming Jonathan and Rachel into their new positions and congregational home. It was a wonderful celebration and joy to see people gathered from so many different parts of the world.

Tutor Mumme Ordained

Rachel Mumme — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 15:07:11 +0000

On January 6^th, 2012, Tutor Jonathan Mumme was ordained into the Office of the Holy Ministry. The Divine Service took place at St. John Lutheran Church in Wheaton, Illinois, with the ordination carried out by Rev. Dr. Scott Bruzek. Former Westfield House tutor and current professor at Concordia Wisconsin, Rev. Brian Mosemann, preached from the Gospel lesson for Epiphany, Matthew 2:1-12. The service was glorious, with music written specially for the day by Kantor Jonathan Mueller, and the participation of many pastors and other men studying toward ordination.

Mumme is called through the LCMS Board for International Mission to teach systematics and church history at Westfield House and to serve as assistant pastor at Resurrection Lutheran Church in Cambridge. He will also have some responsibilities for theological education in Eurasia as part of his work with the LCMS Board for International Mission. After graduating from Concordia Seminary in 2006, Mumme went on to further graduate study under the direction of Prof. Dr. Oswald Bayer in Tübingen, Germany. His dissertation, titled “Die Präsenz Christi im Amt am Beispiel ausgewählter Predigten Martin Luthers, 1535-1546.” (The Presence of Jesus Christ in the Office of the Ministry on the basis of selected sermons of Martin Luther, 1535-1546), awaits review from the theological faculty in Tübingen.

Mumme and his wife, Rachel and their daughter, Miranda moved to Cambridge in December of 2011, while his official duties as Tutor commenced with the start of the Lent term on January 9^th.

A New Beginning

Rachel Mumme — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:57:00 +0000

The Friends of Westfield House was started by Westfield House Alumni in order to provide leadership in the development, support and promotion of Westfield House as a resource and centre for international theological study. We sponsor student scholarships, renovate and maintain academic and residential facilities, support the library and expand its collection, as well as raise awareness of Westfield House through various electronic and printed media.

Westfield House exists to provide Lutheran theological education in the Cambridge context. Students at Westfield House enjoy individual tutoring, are privy to lectures at Cambridge, and take part in classes taught by Westfield House’s faculty.

There are many exciting changes happening at Westfield House these days. New staff, a new residence hall, and new students all make for new beginnings here in Cambridge. In the coming weeks, Westfield House will celebrate its 50th anniversary and embark on the next half century. This new site for the Friends of Westfield will be a place for you to find news about life at Westfield House, photos and stories of its international students and faculty and learn about ways to support the work going on here.

You can stay connected to the Friends of Westfield House through this site, through our Facebook page, or via email or phone. Whatever your affinity to Westfield House in the past or the present, we’d like to invite you to be a part of Westfield House’s future.

Installation of New Tutor and Diaconal Coordinator

Westfield House of Theological Studies — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:03:44 +0000

The new academic term begins with the installation of a new faculty member at Westfield House. On Saturday, 14th of January at 2.00 pm in the Chapel of St. Titus Westfield House will celebrate the installation of Jonathan Mumme as international tutor and Rachel Mumme as project coordinator. The Revd. Drs. theol. Jonathan Mumme grew up on a farm in Minnesota and attended Concordia University, River Forest (now C. U. Chicago), where he graduated with a major in theological languages and a minor in English (2000). His course of seminary studies included time spent at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Westfield House, Oberursel Berlin. In addition to his studies, he served as a fieldworker at Zion Lutheran Church (Mascoutah, Illinois), as curate under the Revd. Dr. Gottfried Martens at the St. Marien Gemeinde (Berlin/Zehlendorf, Germany), as curate under the Revd. Karl Bollhagen at Trinity Lutheran Church (Hampton, Iowa), and twice as research assistant to the Revd. Dr. Norman Nagel (professor of systematic theology at Concordia Seminary and former preceptor of Westfield House). During his year in Iowa he became engaged to Deaconess Rachel Kennell of Milwaukee; they were married in2005. Upon completion of his M. Div. in...

Installation of New Tutor and Diaconal Coordinator

Westfield House of Theological Studies — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:03:44 +0000