Nebraska Lutheran Campus Ministry - Lincoln at the Lutheran Center is an ELCA campus ministry serving students, faculty and staff. In 1919 the Lutheran Student Club was organized at the University of Nebraska. By 1923, a committee of Lutheran Student Work, including pastors and members of congregations near the campus, provided the first connection of the Lincoln churches to the emerging student o
rganization. In 1933 the work of the student organization was placed under the supervision of a local pastor on a part-time basis. Petersen was installed as the first full-time Pastor for the National Lutheran Council Students in Lincoln, Nebraska, on November 17, 1946 at First Lutheran Church in Lincoln, Nebraska. Shortly thereafter, The Lutheran Student Center was erected in 1951 in what would later become the center of the campus. In 1958, a chapel was added to the original structure. Alvin Peterson, or Pastor Pete as he was more commonly known, served from 1940-1975. In addition to Pastor Pete, Pastors Bruce Berggren, Roger Sasse, Larry Meyer, Fritz Lampe and Eric Bostrom have served as installed pastors of the Lutheran Center. Pastor Adam White is the most recent Campus Pastor. Numerous seminarians have served the Lutheran Center as interns. The seminary internship program at the Lutheran Center has served as a wellspring for Lutheran Campus Ministers throughout the United States. Lutheran Center alumni serve as pastors, deacons, and lay leaders across the country in congregations, campus ministries, and other ministry locations. Additionally, student staff have enriched the life of the ministry. Students have served as music directors, hosts, peer campus ministers, and in other roles. In the 1960's, 70's, 80's and 90's, the Lutheran Center was consistently one of the largest and most vibrant Lutheran Campus Ministries in the United States. Two capital campaigns were launched in the 2010s to update the building and prepare it for new generations of students. Through the support of alumni, churches, community members, and grants, the Cross at the Heart Campaign and the All Things New campaign successfully raised $6 million to rebuild the Lutheran Center at the heart of the UNL campus, allowing the ministry to continue debt-free. The old building was decommissioned in June 2019 and the new building project was officially completed with the dedication service in August 2021. Throughout the decades, the support of alumni and community has been vital in the continued success of the Lutheran Center ministry, community, and outreach.