Our hope at The Seattle School is to be led by our alumni and their stories–how they labor to live out their calling among the people and communities they serve. Recently we had the opportunity to catch up with Sonja Lund, MDiv 2023 and understand how The Seattle School helped shape her path.
How did you find and choose The Seattle School? And how is it helping you today?
I first heard of the Seattle School through offhand comments from people I met who were students there. In each of those folks, I noticed an openness of spirit and an ability to listen attentively and “see” a person in a way that I rarely got to experience from others. As I discerned a call to chaplaincy, I thought of those people and knew I wanted to learn at the place that had trained them.
I was deeply attracted to the Seattle School’s relational and interdisciplinary approach to education. I knew that a traditional Master of Divinity program would focus more on the skills required for teaching and leading a congregation; because that was not my path, I wanted something that would teach me what I would need to show up well for my future patients and their families. I’m so grateful I made the choice I did.
What are you up to now?
I’m a full time hospice chaplain in King County, Washington. I travel from Shoreline to Federal Way to provide spiritual and emotional support for people in their final months of life, as well as their families. These folks let me into their homes and lives and I’m so honored by the trust they place in me.
What’s your favorite part(s) about your work? (anything else you’d like to share on your process/evolution?)
I love the wide variety of people I get to meet! I’ve cared for world travelers, artists, lawyers, circus performers, and all kinds of wild characters, but even the most seemingly “simple” patient has richness and a story that I’m honored to hear.
My favorite chaplain visits have been ones where I’m attending to someone at the very end of their life. There’s a sacredness in standing alongside someone at the threshold between life and death. I often read John O’Donohue’s blessing for the dying and invite family members to share stories with me as we stand around the person. It’s a very special experience and I feel so lucky whenever I get to provide that care.
How does your training at The Seattle School inform your work?
My approach to chaplaincy is deeply informed by the Seattle School’s emphasis on Story, particularly the role of storytelling in processing trauma. Chaplains listen more than anything else we do, and I have seen the healing that comes from inviting people to share deeply about the painful things in their lives. I wonder if I would have centered storytelling so much from the get-go if I hadn’t been educated by TSS.
What else would you like to share with us?!
The chaplain world is remarkably small! One of my colleagues knows some of my Seattle School professors from ministry gatherings. I’ve been able to advocate for a hospitalized hospice patient with a chaplain from the residency cohort after mine. It’s a wonderful feeling to know that you’ll find friends anywhere you go because of this vocation.
What advice would you give to students starting at The Seattle School?
Grad school inherently tests your relationships and your sense of balance in your life, just from the sheer volume of work asked of you alongside the demands of jobs, partners, children, and friends. The Seattle School also incorporates a lot of mind and soul work that can be challenging to your sense of self and stability if you’re not prepared. As much as possible, be intentional about taking time away from your studies to re-ground with the people and things that are most important to you. You’re a whole human being, not solely a student. (This is good advice for working chaplains too.)
Learn more about our Master of Arts in Theology & Culture with a Specialization in Chaplaincy