Established on 03.24.2022 by the family of Rev. Dr. Lynn Ronsberg †
Born in Fargo, ND, Lynn Renee Ronsberg was baptized on her family farm in Barnesville, MN, by her great uncle, Pastor John Ronsberg, a fact that made her very proud. She graduated from North High School (North St. Paul, MN) in 1971 and then attended Concordia College in Moorhead graduating in 1975 with a B.A. in social work and psychology.
Lynn continued her education with a desire to better serve those she encountered by achieving a Master of Science in Education in community counseling in 1988 from the University of Wisconsin, Superior. In 1994, Lynn became Reverend Doctor Lynn Ronsberg as she earned her Ph.D. in pastoral care and holistic health from the Union Institute in Cincinnati, OH.
With some reluctance of becoming a pastor, she began attending Luther Theological Seminary in St. Paul, MN; shortly thereafter all reservations vanished. In her words, “The call captured me and there was no turning back.” Lynn never again thought twice as ministry became her passion and life's work. Lynn graduated from Luther Seminary with a Master of Divinity in 1979. Again, in her words, “Ministry has fulfilled my life, enriched my faith in amazing ways, and I have been richly blessed by being a pastor. I can't think of anything I would rather do.”
Serving manifested in a variety of forms for Lynn. After being ordained at Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church in St Paul, MN, on July 15, 1979, she served as the pastor for several churches in MN, WI, and ND. She also served in nursing homes and as a campus pastor. Then, with her love of northern Minnesota and the Duluth area, she accepted her first call as an associate pastor at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Cloquet, MN, from 1979-1982. She then moved "home" once again, as she accepted a position as a campus ministry pastor at Concordia College in Moorhead and at Oak Grove Lutheran High School in Fargo from 1982-1986. A big part of her heart belonged to Concordia College, where she was also a member of the Board of Regents from 2005 – 2016. She served a number of congregations until her last call serving as the administrative pastor at Sharon Lutheran Church in Grand Forks, ND. Lynn loved all of her congregations and felt blessed for the many opportunities she had been given.
Aside from the ministry and those she served, Lynn’s passion in life was professional baseball. Lynn loyally followed her Minnesota Twins from when she was in grade school. She would record the final score of each game, winning or losing Minnesota Twins pitcher, and home runs for every game in a small calendar for over 60 years. She kept every calendar.
Lynn attended between 50 – 60 Minnesota Twins home games each year as she joined her sister and friends, known as “The Right Field Gang,” in the right-field bleachers at Metropolitan Stadium. Lynn knew the parking attendants, the ticket sellers, the ushers, the vendors, the Twins players, and even the broadcasters. She is the only baseball fan we knew who regularly had major league players and managers writing letters to her. Lynn loved baseball and had more inside baseball stories than you can imagine.
Lynn and her mother loved traveling together. A major league stadium was the destination of many of their trips. She was able to visit every major league stadium in the US and Canada, revisiting cities whenever a new stadium was erected. She also enjoyed visiting the Baseball Hall of Fame and even played a few innings on the ball field as well as walked through the corn with her mother and sister at the Field of Dreams ballpark in Iowa.
Lynn loved her family even more than she loved the Twins. She was also the best sister anyone could hope for and was always there for every family event including officiating at countless family weddings and funerals. She was affectionately known as “Uncle Lynny” and relished that role. Each one of her nephews and nieces was "her kid" and held a special place in her heart.
Lynn put her entire heart and being into the things she loved and believed in. It is in this spirit that this scholarship is being established at Concordia College which will help future students further their education. Lynn once said, " I love Concordia. It is where I grew up, where I feel most at home, and where I made many lifelong friends." Because of this, we are certain it was her hope and prayer that the experience students receive at Concordia be everything it had been to her; a place to love, a place to find lifelong friends, and a place to forever feel at home. The Rev. Dr. Lynn Ronsberg '75 Endowed Scholarship has been created in Lynn’s loving memory to support students as they prepare to go forth - a witness to their faith and in service to God and to our world.
"I have faith that God is leading and directing me, and that my call, wherever it is, is to step out at times into the unknown, carried by my faith that God works through me. Though sometimes that is frightening and at times more than I think I can do, I trust that the God who has called me will provide what I need and will work through my efforts."
- Pastor Lynn Ronsberg
The purpose of this endowed scholarship is to honor the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Lynn Ronsberg and to provide encouragement and support to students at Concordia College. The Rev. Dr. Lynn Ronsberg '75 Endowed Scholarship is awarded by the Office of Financial Aid to one or more students of any class and major. Preference will be given to students planning for a religious vocation or those planning to attend a seminary, school of theology, or divinity school following graduation. Preference will also be given to students involved with Campus Ministry at Concordia College or camping ministry (bible camps) and home parish youth ministry programs during the non-academic year.