Support the Seminarian - Sergiu Trifa

Sergiu Trifa (bottom left) snaps a selfie with Ukranian refugees he led to safety in Romania in 2022.

Support for Seminarian 
Sergiu Trifa 

Sergiu Trifa is a native Romanian currently in his second year at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, IN with the goal of becoming a Lutheran pastor. He's the son of Rev. Sorin-Horia Trifa, a Romanian pastor who works with the LCMS. His story is one of faith in action, most notably his mission work in Romania, where in 2022, he led thousands of Ukrainian refugees from their war torn communities to safety in Romania. 

The cost associated with pursuing a seminary degree in Pastoral Studies is formidable, and sometimes a huge obstacle for students. Zion has designated special offerings and other financial support to assist this young man in his journey toward becoming a pastor, as part of our broader efforts to support the development of more full-time church workers for our Lutheran congregations!

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, 
God’s Peace be with you always! 

First and foremost, I pray that you had a wonderful celebration of Christmas! Also, I wish that you have a Blessed New Year! As this calendar year ends, I want to bring you another update on my progress through the Seminary, as I am getting closer and closer to the moment I will re-ceive my vicarage assignment. That will be in the second half of April, after Easter. 

This second year of Seminary, which is almost halfway done, has been such a transformative and changing year for me. In fact, my whole experience at the Seminary has been so. I entered the Seminary unsure of what to expect. And there was and continues to be a ride on a roller coaster. There are times when you feel like you got a hold of everything, but that goes away the next day when you realize there is just so much that you don’t know about what you thought you knew. And that is part of the experience–humbleness. 

All in all, many other experiences have formed me. Preaching, teaching, doing a lot of research for what I have to say or write, providing care, and most importantly, observing and learning. Learning about God, learning theology, learning how to behave and act in different situations. All of these will continue to form me, as I am continuing my studies. 

As of this moment, I am taking the following classes: Ministry in a Pluralistic Context, Lutheran Confessions I, New Testament Greek Readings, Revelation, Pastoral Counseling, Theologia I: Baptism, and Field Education. All of them are very insightful and the professors do an excellent job teaching us. I am enjoying my time in these classes. 

Thank you sincerely for all that you are doing for me! Thank you for your support, for your good thoughts, and for your prayers. They mean a lot! 

In Christ, 
Sergiu Trifa