CONCORDIA SEMINARY, ADOPT-A-STUDENT!

The Finance Committee has estab-lished an account for the Adopt-A-Student program. Anyone may contribute any amount at any time. When the account reaches $500, we will adopt a student as a congregation. We can then work toward another student, and so on. There is a bulletin board next to Classroom 107 in the CMC with all the information on this program. Check it out, and see what this is all about. Folders are also available in the narthex. The seminarians hope to welcome you to the program. For more information, contact the Church Office and visit the website atwww.csl.edu/friends/adopt-A-Student.    

SUPPORT OUR LCMS—St. Louis and Ft. Wayne Seminaries! In today’s culture, strong pastors and church leaders are more important than ever. The Seminaries have been empowering men and women to fulfill God’s call to ministry in the U.S. and worldwide. As Christians, we can all play a role in creating effective church leaders. Pray for God’s blessings on the Seminary’s students, faculty and staff. Participate with a gift to support the future of the LCMS. One way could be to Adopt-a-Student (see John Smith for details). For more information, call 1-800-822-5287, or visit the Seminary website, www.csl.edu.

CONCORDIA SEMINARY, ST. LOUIS CELEBRATES 175 YEARS!

In today’s culture, strong pastors and church leaders are more important than ever. The Seminary has been empowering men and women to fulfill God’s call to ministry in the U.S. and worldwide. As Christians, we can all play a role in creating effective church leaders. Pray for God’s blessings on the Seminary’s students, faculty and staff. Participate with a gift to support the future of the LCMS. One way could be to Adopt-a-Student. For more information, call 1-800-822-5287, or visit the Seminary website, www.csl.edu. 

Standing together, students and sponsors overcome the single greatest obstacle to students coming to the Seminary — affording it! By overcoming this challenge you are making an eternal difference as the students you prepare now will proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ today and for decades to come. In faith, these seminarians have come to Concordia Seminary. Now you can encourage them with your prayers and make their preparation financially possible. 

"IT ‘S A GREAT TIME TO BE IN THE CHURCH, AND IT ‘S AN EXCITING TIME TO BE A PASTOR" 

In the 2017Winter Concordia Seminary publication, an article featured and quoted our fourth year seminary student, Casey Kegley. He expressed some of his attitudes and feelings. 

"Christianity can open doors and start conversations, but "reaching others with the hope of the Gospel requires listening." And even more than listening, he explains that we need to live differently so that we stand out to others. The article, entitled, "Preparing Pastors for Today’s World", stresses caring for the "hearts of people." Casey said, looking forward to Call Day and his first placement into the ministry, that "he hopes to equip the people he shepherds to show and share the Gospel with their families, friends, and colleagues. I’m just going to give people what I believe, because God has done some pretty cool stuff in my life, and I can tell them that He has done that for them as well."  

This is the kind of pastor that our Adopt-a-Student participation is preparing. He asks, "Are people going to see the evidence of Jesus in me?" This is the business of preparing pastors and insuring the future of the church in a day of "decline in attendance and other challenges facing the church." Our participation supports Casey and others like him who will enable the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod to not only continue, but thrive. Casey and our other seminarians need your support. Please consider helping by contributing to ADOPT-A-STUDENT.

News from the Seminary!

Four of our seminarians are pastors. Peter Deberny is serving Grace Lutheran on Long Island, near where he did his vicarage. Joshua Hahn has been a vicar at Immanuel in Giddings, Texas. They have called him to remain as an associate pastor, while he completes his seminary classwork there. Caleb Worral is at Shepherd of the Lake in Garrison, Minnesota. Nathaniel Konkel from Fort Wayne Seminary is serving a dual parish in northern Minnesota—St. Paul in Bruno, MN and Peace in Finlayson, MN. Also, two of our students have been assigned vicarage—James Doebler at Prince of Peace in Crestwood, Missouri and Kyle Mollenhoff at St. John in East Moline, Illinois. All of these men were helped by our Adopt-a-Student Ministry, which is sponsored by our congregation, but entirely funded by individual donations. Please consider joining this ministry as we send our prayers and blessings with these men and their families to their new homes. You can also join this ministry by personally sponsoring students. Contact John W. Smith for information.

MISSIONARY UPDATE

Our Fort Wayne Adopt-a-Student, Rev. Philip Jaseph, was ordained and assigned as a new missionary in Uruguay. His mission will be to plant new LCMS churches and to support the mercy ministry efforts of the Uruguayan Lutheran Church. His wife, Rachel, is a Deaconess and is joining him to serve in Uruguay. Rachel recently came to COS and did a presentation to further inform us about their assignments. They will need some support and financial assistance to help with their work. A picture card in the tract rack in the CMC lobby talks more about the Jasephs and explains how you can help in their mission.