top of page
welcm house

Winthrop Ecumenical Lutheran Campus Ministry, or WELCM (pronounced "welcome") is an outreach of Grace Lutheran Church  and the South Carolina Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), in service of Winthrop University.

HOME

WELCM

OUR MISSION

WELCM's mission is to create an inclusive faith community for Winthrop students that explores and strengthens their relationship with God by cultivating Christian discipleship.
Through worship, prayer, fellowship, service, and study, we gather to grow our connection and commitment to God, ourselves, and one another.

WHAT WE DO

WELCM hosts weekly Gatherings on Tuesday evenings during term at our beautiful location just off-campus. Dinner starts at 6 pm, followed by a program of teaching and discussion, or worship,

and prayer. 

WELCM worships at Grace on Sunday mornings, and enjoys regular fellowship activities, service opportunities, and spiritual retreats.

OUR COMMUNITY

WELCM welcomes you! We prioritize inclusivity, and seek to build an authentic, intersectional Christian community that reflects the diversity of Winthrop. Our members come from various church backgrounds; some are simply questioning

and questing.

Wherever you are

on your spiritual journey,

you belong with us!

ECUMENICAL

Ecumenism (eh-Q-mun-ism) is a focus on unity amidst diversity  within the whole body of Christ. By calling ourselves "ecumenical", we are signaling that all who are seeking God through the Christian faith are welcome to participate in our ministry.

LUTHERAN

WELCM is supported by

Grace Lutheran Church

The South Carolina Synod of the

 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

 

We also hold membership in LuMin,

the Lutheran Campus Ministry Network

2017.May.26.GLC Logo from Sig Huitt (1).

WELCM

If you are new to Lutheran traditions, our worship may be slightly more formal than you are used to. We read Old and New Testament Scripture passages aloud; we celebrate Communion every Sunday. Most of our prayers are written down, rather than improvised. Our ordained pastors wear collars, and include women, men, and nonbinary folks. 

CAMPUS MINISTER

nfh2_edited.jpg

Pastor Hahn, as he likes to be called, began serving as WELCM's campus minister on January 2, 2024. He brings an international perspective with him as he has lived and been educated in both the United States (M.Div., Harvard; PhD., Emory) and Germany.

He has served as parish pastor in Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Northern Germany and as campus minister at three different universities in the U.S.

He enjoys walking, cooking, and gardening with his wife, Lyn, playing his guitar, reading, and, occasionally, binge-watching an interesting TV series.

He and Lyn serve as staff to their two cats.

He is very excited to serve the welcoming, open, and inclusive community that is WELCM.

If you would like to contact him, you can email Pastor Hahn here. He'd love to "hear" from you!

STUDENT LEADERS

Each school year, WELCM has student leaders who facilitate social and service activities, serve as peer ministers offering spiritual support to fellow students, represent WELCM at LCM Region 9 events, and help with ongoing program planning.

 

This year, we are excited and blessed to have Savannah Rennell and Emmie Tatum as our Peer Ministers.

Screenshot 2024-09-16 at 3.45.46 PM.png
Screenshot 2024-09-16 at 3.46.51 PM.png

Emmie is an English major and a junior at Winthrop. She has been attending WELCM since 2024.   

Savannah is a Theater Education major and a junior at Winthrop. She has been attending WELCM since 2022. 

bottom of page