Lead by retired Lutheran Pastor Jerry Laehn, the Ecumenical Discussion Group meets one Thursday a month in the Prayer Garage of the CRSSJ.

“We always try to start out with a meal of some kind and then have a very brief Bible study,” Laehn said.

From 6 to 7 p.m., this group chats over the meal and fills Reverend Laehn and his wife in on life at Grinnell. The group is tightly knit and very friendly, adopting the effortless charm of their leaders. At 7, Reverend Laehn leads the group in a cursory discussion of a Bible passage.

The group was originally a Lutheran Discussion Group when it was started by Reverend Laehn in the fall of 2005. Since then, it has evolved to fit the needs of the students. It now welcomes anyone interested in studying the Bible, regardless of denomination. The group usually has anywhere from 2 to 10 people in attendance, depending on student availability and interest on campus.

“I really like this group,” said Jessica Byerly ’11, a member since her first year at Grinnell.
Group members are especially appreciative of the food provided by the Laehns, citing the Snickers Salad as their favorite dessert