Alliance Umutoni Ishema ‘25 loves connecting with people. When she arrived on campus in the fall of 2021 from her hometown of Rilima, Rwanda, she immediately wanted to connect with people at St. Olaf so she got involved in dance. Over the past 3 years she has been involved in the Krash Dance Crew and D-Vine, a dance/vocal group inspired by K-Pop and other Asian music styles. As an international student, she wanted to connect with other international students and help make their transition to St. Olaf smoother, and her involvement in these dance groups allowed that to happen. Beyond dance, Alliance was also involved in the Student Congregation, serving on the congregation council and attending Bible studies. 

It was through her involvement in the Student Congregation that she heard about the opportunity to intern at Church Anew last summer. Pastor Katie recommended that she check out the job description, but she was initially hesitant. While she enjoyed connecting with people, she didn’t know that her academic interests in psychology and Asian studies connected to the type of work she would do at Church Anew. She knew she enjoyed being in Christian community while leading and being a part of Bible studies, but didn’t know if that was enough. After interviewing with Pastor Matthew, it became clear to her that her love of connecting with people in community, particularly Christian community, would serve her extremely well in this position. 

And serve her well, it did! In her work, Alliance even got to return to the thing she loves most about being in Christian community, studying the Bible. After Pastor Matthew suggested it, she led a Bible study for the staff of Church Anew. And while this was a highlight of her summer, Alliance reports that the best part of the summer was the chance to connect with people through listening and conversation. 

It was my first time actually connecting with Lutherans and I learned that we have so much in common. I didn’t think I would learn from a different denomination; I was reflecting on the sacraments from my own church but from the perspective of a different church. We have slightly different faiths, but I was able to learn from those differences.

Alliance Umutoni ishema ’25

The deepest listening that Alliance got to be a part of was in her role as a tech assistant on the Lutheran Center and Church Anew’s summer conversations for the shared A Living Catechism project. Born and raised Roman Catholic in Rwanda, Alliance was very interested to listen and learn about the ways in which Lutheran scholars, pastors, deacons, and lay people thought about their faith in the 21st century. She was most intrigued by a conversation she heard in one small group about expansive welcome at the communion table, especially for people with cognitive disabilities. Alliance was intrigued because her sister has severe autism, which prevents her from receiving communion in their home church because she is not able to go through preparation for First Communion. Alliance says the conversation she heard caused her to think, “But Jesus is for all so what about people like my sister? So is she never going to receive communion? The [Living Catechism] conversation felt like a place where I could talk about that, which felt liberating.”

These conversations also helped Alliance connect more deeply with the Lutheran Center’s mission to create space where, out of rootedness in Lutheran tradition, there is the opportunity for people of all faiths and spiritual backgrounds to connect and learn from each other. “It was my first time actually connecting with Lutherans and I learned that we have so much in common. I didn’t think I would learn from a different denomination; I was reflecting on the sacraments from my own church but from the perspective of a different church. We have slightly different faiths, but I was able to learn from those differences.”

I definitely want to keep working with people from different backgrounds because they bring their different experiences to conversations. Once they share their experiences, you are able to understand why we may think differently and believe different things.

Alliance umutoni ishema ’25

As Alliance looks to the future, she knows that her internship at Church Anew has clarified some things for her. In having the opportunity to connect with people across lines of religious and spiritual difference, she is excited to find work and community connection across difference. “I definitely want to keep working with people from different backgrounds because they bring their different experiences to conversations. Once they share their experiences, you are able to understand why we may think differently and believe different things.” As she has known in many parts of her life, it’s all about the people.