At a special chapel service on April 28, family, students, and faculty celebrated the 40th anniversary in the ministry of Professor E. Allen Sorum.
E. Allen Sorum was born May 21, 1956, in Conrad, Montana, to Edward and Patricia Sorum. Prof. Sorum was received into the fellowship of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church (WELS) in Des Moines, Washington, through adult confirmation in 1973. Attending public schools through high school meant that Prof. Sorum got to enjoy Northwestern College of Watertown, Wisconsin, for five years instead of the usual four, graduating in 1979. Prof. Sorum graduated from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 1983. He received our seminary’s STM in 1995 and a DMin in Urban Missions from Westminster Theological Seminary in 1996.
Prof. Sorum served Garden Homes Lutheran Church from his graduation in 1983 until his call to Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2004. Since 2004, Prof. Sorum has served on the faculty, teaching New Testament, missiology, and pastoral leadership. He also is a member of the Pastoral Studies Institute team serving as director from 2004 to 2021. He has also served as a part-time outreach pastor at Christ Lutheran Church in Big Bend since 2021.
On May 29, 1981, Allen married Lisa Harris of Shelby, Michigan. Lisa’s service and joy has been to support her family through these years. She continues to partner with her husband in Christian mission. Lisa recently was blessed to be asked to serve as an emergency teacher in Christ Lutheran School’s first and second grade classroom.
The Sorums have been blessed with four children. Charis is married to Michael Meyer (Vernon, Wisconsin). Their children are Griffin, Violet, Caleb, and Jordyn. Nathanael is married to Linzi (Greendale, Wisconsin). Their children are Evelyn, Myles, Josiah, and Isla. Micah is married to Erica (Crestline, California). Ana is married to Michael Cherney (El Paso, Texas). Their children are Gideon and Lewis Allen.