"This is so generous," first-year seminarian Brandon Metcalf said Dec. 10 as he picked up gifts for his family from a congregation that had "adopted" them for Christmas. Ministerial Formation and Admissions Senior Administrative Assistant Diane Parker said there were 26 generous donors who purchased Christmas gifts for children of seminarians this year. Those donors included churches, Lutheran Women’s Missionary League groups and individuals. Their sponsorship adds to the spirit of community that marks the Christmas season. Metcalf and his wife, Dana, were excited to see their two-year-old son, Benjamin, open his gifts on Christmas morning. "There is something extra special about knowing that these gifts come from people who love our son although they have never met him," Metcalf said. "It’s just one more way that people embody Jesus' love and what it means to be the church."