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.
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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
The South Carolina Synod of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
We also hold membership in LuMin,
the Lutheran Campus Ministry Network
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WELCM
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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
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.
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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.
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He enjoys walking, cooking, and gardening with his wife, Lyn, playing his guitar, reading, and, occasionally, binge-watching an interesting TV series.
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He and Lyn serve as staff to their two cats.
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He is very excited to serve the welcoming, open, and inclusive community that is WELCM.
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If you would like to contact him, you can email Pastor Hahn here. He'd love to "hear" from you!
STUDENT LEADERS
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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.
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.