Tis the season! So, you know you are applying to seminary.  Now what?  Once the paperwork of the application is complete, isn’t that it?  Well, since many of you will be traveling home for Thanksgiving and Christmas, here are some tips on how best to prepare yourself and those closest to you [who will likely support you through seminary] so you do not lose focus…or tragically, your holiday appetites.

1. Talk with your pastor. Ask for his guidance and prayer before, during and after acceptance into seminary.   Remember, he was there. His insights and encouragements are valuable.
   
2. Prepare your home congregation. Talk with members, and maybe even attend a council meeting to prepare them for your enrollment.  Remember, financial support will be asked of your home congregation, so the earlier you can prepare your church for this in their budget, the better.
3. Show your family and friends the course catalog. [For those relatives who might be interested], the catalog gives a very nice layout of what you will be studying and training. Discuss with them your vocational goals, and fears…and ask them for their support.
   
4. Keep in touch with your Admissions Counselor. He/She wants you to be confident about your choice to attend seminary, and we know there can be various hills and valleys en route to that proverbial destination.  Allow them to counsel, pray for and direct you in your situations.  Remember, each Admissions Counselor was where you were, too.
5. Moving preparations. If you are renting, you will want to give your landlord at least 60 days notice of your leaving. This will all depend on when you can start classes (Summer/Fall). Similarly, if you own a home, putting it on the market or finding renters could be best accomplished sooner rather than later-since the state of the housing market is so turbulent.  Otherwise, moving is “simply” a matter of deciding what you will be able to bring, or need to liquidate, in order to live comfortably in a residence hall room (if single) or in a home/apartment in Fort Wayne (if married). Houses or apartments in Fort Wayne can be found on this website, but there are more websites, too. Please ask our Relocation Coordinator, Marsha Zimmerman, if you need those. marsha.zimmerman@ctsfw.edu
6. Personal Prayer! Uncertainty abounds in making major life changes.  However, our certainty and comfort always comes from Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit.  Calling on him in both times of need and thanksgiving offers us the assurance of our Lord’s unchanging love, care and protection for us.
7. Reading. Along with your regular Scripture readings, these are additionally helpful in seminary preparations. “Why I am a Lutheran” by Robert Preus.  “Pastoral Care under the Cross” by Richard Eyer, and “Life Together” by Dietrich Bonheoffer.  More extensive reading lists will be sent post-acceptance into seminary.
8. Word and Sacrament. While this goes for all Christians, it is important that future seminarians and deaconess students receive God’s good and gracious gifts on a regular basis, in preparation for enrollment.  This is part and parcel of the seminary’s worship life.  God’s Word and His Sacraments benefit and reassure us of eternal life, salvation and the forgiveness of our sins; the very Means that God may call you future pastors to be stewards of, and you future deaconesses to point the lost to.

Applying for seminary is not simple paperwork, or a phone call from the Admissions Department giving applicants the “green light” to come.  Formation as a servant of the Word, and a servant of Mercy begins with the very unique relationship that God has formed with each of us at our Baptisms.  Our desire to serve God does not inherently come from ourselves, but from the good and perfect work God has done in Christ Jesus. Prepare yourself with humility and hope that you will learn and know what it means to be a confessor of Christ-crucified. Seminary is an invaluable step in shaping each student to be like our Lord; giving them a solid foundation on which to stand so they may be sent out to reach, teach and care for all.

After all, God gives us the various people mentioned in the above list to reach, teach and care for us. While it is a comfort to know that we are temporarily not alone in our situations, ultimately we have been given a Savior that assures us of our eternal communion with He, the angels, archangels, and and all the company of Saints.  We are truly never alone because Jesus applied Himself on our sinful behalf- thanks be to God!