The Nourishing Vocation Project is delighted to introduce our first NVP Fellows: Keerthana Babu and Naomi Meints 

Keerthana Babu (she/her/hers) is a Senior majoring in Religion and Greek. She is interested in pursuing a career in ministry and academic theology, and will be attending seminary next Fall. She’s excited about the educational opportunities that will come from being an NVP Fellow!

Naomi Meints (she/her/hers) is a Sophomore majoring in Religion and Sociology/Anthropology with a concentration in Nordic Studies. She earnestly cares about the goals of the project and is interested in the opportunity to have a job that is relative to her interests that will help expand her experience. 

In this Q & A, they each describe what drew them to this project, what they hope to contribute, and what they hope to gain.

What excites you about being a Nourishing Vocation Project Fellow? 

Keerthana: I wish to pursue a career in ministry and academic theology and will be attending seminary next Fall, so I am excited about the educational opportunities which would come from being a Nourishing Vocation Project Fellow. I would gain a better understanding of pastoral responsibilities and learn how to work with a congregation. I am also excited to write more blog posts for the Lutheran Center and spend time thinking and talking about my own faith. I have written many Christian theology papers at college, but I wish to write in a less-academic, more-spiritual way which motivates other people to think about their Christian faith and vocation. I am passionate about discussing faith and spirituality, helping other people develop their faith lives and relationships with God, and serving in a position which will prepare me for the future pastoral role to which I feel called. 

Naomi: I was really intrigued by the project. From what I have read, I can say I earnestly care about the goals of the project and would love to collaborate on it. As a Religion and Sociology/Anthropology major, I am passionate not only about religion but also about cultures and people. It is my goal and  passion to work with people and be able to collaborate across cultures for a collective good. I not only love to learn from other experiences and cultures, but have a deep love for my own home culture, with a connection to the Lutheran church being part of that. That being said, I believe the most loving thing to do is to examine the issues within this culture, especially pressing issues of inequality and crisis, and work to openly communicate and collaborate for a better future for this faith community.

Tell us about your experiences with faith-based organizations, spirituality, and congregational life.

Keerthana:  I only started going to church in college even though I have been Christian since high-school. Due to this, I do not have a lot of experience with a traditional congregation. However, I volunteer during Sunday services and am part of many other organizations. I am the VP for Spiritual Life and Growth on the St. Olaf Student Congregation Council, work as an Interfaith Fellow (IFF) for the Lutheran Center, am the Founder and President of Langues de Feu (a French Bible Study and Christian Fellowship student organization on campus), and am on the Student Inter-religious Council (SIRC). In my roles I have led several book club discussion meetings, planned meetings and created opening and closing prayers for groups, collaborated with College Ministry and student organizations to host a Diwali Celebration on campus, interviewed an alum about the spiritual benefits of providing virtual communion to Lutheran congregations, and more.  

Naomi: I identify as a Lutheran Christian and I was raised in a Lutheran family where faith played a big part in our lives and culture. My mom taught Sunday School, my dad often spoke in church, and I was usually helping with Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, hand bell choir, and volunteering as acolyte. As my family left our church in search of one that was a better fit for the family, I spent a lot of my teenage years studying religion and exploring my own spirituality at home. I spent that time reading the Bible, theological texts, and learning about other traditions to broaden my own understanding. I found that my own spirituality became very important to me, especially in times of crisis, and I made the decision for myself to continue to be a Christian into my adult life. 

I am now part of the St. Olaf Student Congregation and attend services at Boe Chapel every Sunday. I care deeply about this congregation and have become quite involved. I try my best to attend volunteer events with the church as well as Bible study and other community based events, including exploring ones outside of Boe, such as Intervarsity. I often bake the Communion bread before services at Boe, which has given me a chance to see behind the scenes and become personally close with the pastors. I have started volunteering to help during services, typically assisting with Communion. Most importantly, however, I value the relationships and community that grows through the congregation and appreciate the unity that can come with gathering. In fact, I met my two closest friends on campus through the congregation, so I believe in the power a faith organization has to bring people together.

This project is part of a larger “Thriving Congregations” initiative. Why do you think “thriving congregations” are important? 

Keerthana: Thriving congregations are more important now than ever before since the Church is losing a lot of members, especially from younger generations. I would consider a congregation “thriving” if it offers a safe space for spiritual growth, reflection, education, and strong supportive community fellowship for everyone in the congregation. A thriving congregation would be a faithful Christian community which acts in a Christ-like way not only within the congregation, but also to neighboring communities. The Church is called to be the body of Christ and serve humanity, which can only succeed if congregations thrive by learning how to embody Christ-like love and service. I believe this would increase church membership, since many people would no longer feel alienated and wish to leave. I also believe thriving congregations would foster a good sense of community and help combat racism and inter-religious strife. 

Naomi: I believe in the goals of the Thriving Congregations Initiative as a Christian and a member of the St. Olaf community. I am not only an active member of the faith but also a person interested in culture and helping foster good community relationships. I, like many, am disheartened by the current state of many of our faith communities. I understand the culture of my country, region, and faith and hope to improve it. With our country facing massive changes and unrest, especially related to race, gender, and economic issues, I believe the church should be working as a source of light and positive change rather than a participant or bystander in oppression. Many have turned away from the church due to many within it misrepresenting the faith and causing harm to others. I also believe many young people I’ve talked to, Christian or not, feel out of touch with the traditional Lutheran church. I believe looking honestly within our organizations to improve for the betterment of our communities both inside and outside of the church is the most pressing and loving thing to do. I want to help improve faith organizations to present themselves and behave as we are called to, as representations of God’s love. I believe in continuing and improving the church as someone who believes in its importance to myself, my culture, and the world as a whole. 

As Nourishing Vocation Project Fellows, Keerthana and Naomi will be working on resource development, qualitative research, social media presence, and congregational relations. We are delighted that they have joined the project and look forward to the contributions that they will make. Welcome aboard, Keerthana and Naomi.