By Jenny Scott
June 2021
FLAME (Future Lutheran Administrators-Midwest Educators) was developed to help prepare future leaders learn administrative skills, as well as solidify and enrich those skills in current leaders. The cost for each participant to attend FLAME is $500, so financial support is essential. In the past three years, the NID has supported twelve future leaders in the program.
The FLAME program takeaways in areas of best educational practices, leadership development, and other practical aspects of guiding a Lutheran school have been extremely beneficial to early childhood directors and Lutheran school administrators. Two of those NID educators are Eric Rogers and Matt Tuomi, both of whom attended the intensive three-day program during the summer of 2019 at Concordia University in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
“Christ at the center of all we do as educators and administrators is the prevailing theme at FLAME,” said Rogers. “I came away with very practical and beneficial ideas to take back to my school and implement immediately.”
FLAME participants are taught to care for each family and student by getting to know them and their needs. Rogers returned home with a goal of creating a culture of community at his school, along with a true sense of belonging for each student and family member. He believes this is crucial for keeping families connected to both church and school. FLAME has greatly helped him to support his personal Christian witness in his classroom and in his interactions with school families.
“It has grounded me in the realization that apart from Christ, we can truly accomplish nothing in this ministry,” said Rogers. “Christ is key.”
“The FLAME program was insightful and well executed,” said Tuomi. “The presenters gave real knowledge from their own experiences. They utilized lots of group work and collaboration to put you in the shoes of an administrator and tackle the real and challenging problems our schools face.”
Even though Tuomi is already in an administrative position, the program allowed him to reflect deeply about his own methods and techniques for executing his role and his witness. He feels all new principals should experience this education.
Of course, related to the interpersonal relationships that FLAME advocates is the importance of worshipping together in Church and Bible studies. Both Rogers and Tuomi are thankful that in-person worship at their respective churches has resumed.
“God has made it clear that we are to worship together, commune together, and work together for his glory,” said Tuomi.
And Rogers shared, “Having the technology to communicate via video conferencing has been a true blessing, but there is just no substitute for in-person Christian worship and fellowship.”
WITNESS: Encouraging personal witnessing, congregational engagement with their community, support of our NID partnerships and missions and sharing in a world mission field together.