Fighting Aggie of the class of 26, Lauren an Ocean Studies Major hopes to do research in the middle of an ocean. She loves animals, and reading books, and grew up coming to Aggie Football games.
Lauren grew up as an Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) member and remembered Pastor Jerry speaking at her congregation, Palm Valley Lutheran when she graduated from high school. “The senior banquet,” Lauren remembered, “had Pastor Jerry as a speaker, and he told us about Treehouse and I decided then to go and see what Treehouse was.”
Lauren came to the Texas A&M Ice Cream social, that is a part of Howdy week and went to several faith based groups and none of them seemed to be the one. “I went to other booths at the TAMU ice cream social and didn’t click.” Lauren said, “I clicked here.”
“I knew Treehouse was the place for me, the first worship gathering after Treehouse’s Ice Cream Social,” Lauren stated. “Pastor Jerry asked a question, and we were going around answering, and then someone else asked a question and Pastor Jerry said I don’t know. It showed me I didn’t need all of the answers.” Treehouse is a safe space to live in the question. We are Lutheran and love the simultaneously saint and sinner aspect of life. Questions aren’t things to shy away from. “I was looking for a place that would allow me to stay connected to my faith because I was going to lose it completely. I needed a place I could ask questions because it seemed we always needed to have answers.” Lauren proclaimed, “And Treehouse was a place I could ask questions.”
“I am very glad Treehouse exists,” Lauren remarked, “because I know there are people who are freaked out about asking questions, needing to know all the answers. Treehouse is a safe space to ask questions and know no one will think you are stupid.”