Junior Alison Galchutt answers the call to serve as a church worker

Concordia University, Nebraska junior Alison Galchutt – who goes by Ali – is majoring in journalism and public relations and is also in the university’s pre-deaconess program. She also takes organ lessons and is in the Cantamus women’s choir. She is also involved in a number of campus clubs including Bulldogs4Life, Mission-Minded Students and the campus pre-seminary/pre-deaconess club.  

She chose to attend Concordia Nebraska because of the university’s Lutheran identity and Christian focus.  

“Finding my way to Concordia was a process, because it was always very important to me that I was close to my family,” she explained. “When I lived in Topeka, Concordia Nebraska was only three hours away from home. However, my world was rocked when my dad, who is a pastor, received and accepted a call to serve in St. Louis. While seven hours is not very far compared to the distance some of my friends are from home, I did not want to be that far away from my family. Up until about a month before my high school graduation, I was determined that I was going to go to college in St. Louis and live with my family there. However, God had other plans for me, and He worked through things like support from friends and family and a poor visit to a college in St. Louis to help me realize that Concordia was where I should be.” 

It has been amazing to meet so many other students with a heart for service to the Lord. I have also been blessed by my professors; they obviously care about my individual growth as well as the growth of each and every one of their other students. I am very grateful for the opportunity to go to Concordia.

She said her time at Concordia Nebraska has been filled with rich friendships and ample worship and Bible study opportunities. She also appreciates her kind and supportive professors. 

“My professors have greatly contributed to not just my academic development, but also my development as a person,” she said. “They take an interest in my life and success. While I know my professors are very busy, they always make time if I have a question, whether my question is about their class or something else.”  

She said that no matter what opportunities her future holds, her time at the university is preparing her well. 

“My time at Concordia has most certainly helped me to grow in my faith through the community of faith here, the opportunities for worship, the opportunities to volunteer and serve others, and so many other small ways,” she said. I want to become a deaconess. I do not have a particular vision of what I want that to look like, but I know the Lord will put me where He wants me to be.”  

Galchutt is the oldest of five children. She has three younger brothers and one sister. She was homeschooled by their mother through high school. Her father became a pastor before she was born and has been in church work ever since.
“My favorite part of attending Concordia Nebraska is the people I have met,” she said. “It has been amazing to meet so many other students with a heart for service to the Lord. I have also been blessed by my professors; they obviously care about my individual growth as well as the growth of each and every one of their other students. I am very grateful for the opportunity to go to Concordia.” 

Galchutt said that answering the call to pursue church work was not a hard decision for her. 
“Honestly, it is hard for me to envision a career besides church work,” she said. “I have a lot of church workers in my family: my parents, my dad's parents, various aunts and uncles…so I have grown up surrounded by it. I would say that definitely had a big impact on me, seeing so many of my family members commit their lives to the service of the Lord.” 

In the pre-deaconess program at Concordia University, Nebraska, students are prepared with a broad, liberal arts education supplemented with a base of theological and sociological courses designed to help them further their education at the seminary level. Here, students study Scripture, learn Greek and Hebrew and be immersed in the university’s Christ-centered environment, which doesn’t end with theology classes but extends all throughout campus, from classroom to dorm to the locker room to the cafeteria. At Concordia, we equip students to serve as the hands and feet of Christ and be His witnesses through our church work programs.