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Greetings!
Welcome to another edition of ePilgrimage!
Information and inspiration for the future you as you consider the seminary . . . this is ePilgrimage.
Last month's inaugural issue can be found on our blog www.seminaryblog.com or click here.
April 19, 2008
Dr. Adam Francisco, guest professor of historical theology here at Concordia Theological Seminary, will lead a one day seminar on Islam and the challenges churches face in reaching out to Muslims with the Gospel of Jesus.
This day-long seminar will focus on these pertinent issues:
- Muhammad and the Origins of Islam
- A Christian Response to the Challenge of Islam
- Political Islam Today
- Muslims and the Gospel
call 260-452-2266.
This is your opportunity to visit Concordia Theological Seminary. Our spring ICV will give you the opportunity to:
- Worship with the seminary community
- Meet your brothers and sisters in Christ who are considering the seminary just like you!
- Sit in on classes
- Meet your professors
- Tour the campus
- See the Food and Clothing Co-ops in action
- Find out about Financial Aid
- Hear about the new curriculum
- Check out the affordable housing options in Fort Wayne
- And so much more!
Come see for yourself!
Come away with me . .
. and rest a while
These excursions are done twice a
year. The first is a joint retreat with the other deaconess training
programs of the LCMS. This has served our ladies well as an opportunity to
meet others in the same vocational training, and secondly, it helps to form
a wider support system within our Church at large, especially
as deaconesses approach
their future internships and
placements. The last joint retreat was October
2007 in Springfield, Illinois,
at Camp Cilca, with approximately thirty women in
attendance. The Associate Directors of the two seminary programs, Dcs. Gloria
DeCuir and Dcs. Rose Adle, each led a topic for discussion, respectively “Art
Therapy” and “Deaconesses and Depression.”
There was an overwhelmingly positive response, and many relationships were
formed from the retreat. The goals of the weekend had been accomplished!
By Deaconess Intern Melissa DeGroot
Twice a year, our deaconess
students are whisked away from campus to retreat, re-charge, and re-connect
with each other. Why? Well, with competing full- or part-time course schedules,
working, childrearing, and being a wife, deaconess students’ training at
graduate school can be quite a challenge, even if it is found among these many
blessings. Even Jesus withdrew from the crowds (Luke 9:10; Mark 3:7, Mark 6:31)
to rest and be with His disciples. Retreating from the everyday is just what
the good doctor (Dr. Arthur Just, that is) orders for the benefit of the
students. Along with some down time, each
retreat focuses on discussing pertinent vocational topics along with the daily
prayer offices (with Dr. Just at the helm) to facilitate the students’ time
away together.
The second of the two retreats is
done exclusively with our program as time and opportunity permit. After a long
winter of snow and cold—especially this year—it is not difficult for our women
to look forward to coming out of hibernation of Phoebe House (our on-campus
residence hall) to get out and play. Our
next retreat is fast approaching at the end of this month.
We are delighted that St. John’s in Columbia
City, Indiana, is
allowing us to utilize their fellowship hall and chapel. Also, Deaconess Intern
Rachel Thompson will be leading the discussion topic, “Diaconal Care to the
Sick and Dying,” a topic in which she has been specializing in during her
internship this year at Meriter Hospital in Madison,
Wisconsin.
While discussing intriguing topics,
re-charging and renewing in the hope of life eternal is all the more vital. Retreats
are good and healthy and they offer new perspectives. Yet we know that we all are
still sinners. Even in our healthiest states, we recognize that our
commissioned and consecrated labors are still the Lord’s work. We, and all believers, are motivated by the
Gospel, and faith is given to our Triune God’s children only by Him through His
Word and Sacraments.
Deaconess Intern Melissa DeGroot just returned from three weeks in South Africa. There she took a class taught by CTS's own Dr. Lawrence Rast at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Tshwane. You can join her for the retreat next year when you are a deaconess student!
We rejoice in the gifts God
provides (daily bread) to our students to get away, so they might be refreshed
to learn these things and make them their own, even as they are formed into caring,
compassionate, and theologically trained servants for Jesus Christ and His
Church (1 Timothy 4:6–16).
Deaconess Intern Melissa DeGroot just returned from three weeks in South Africa. There she took a class taught by CTS's own Dr. Lawrence Rast at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Tshwane. You can join her for the retreat next year when you are a deaconess student! What if you had to manage more than $100,000 over the next couple years? Would you just figure it out month to month or would you put together a plan? Would you listen to the advice of people who want your money or someone who has money of their own?
The truth is, over the next few years you WILL have to manage tens of thousands of dollars—your income. So what is your plan? Is debt an issue? What happens when something unexpected comes your way? How will you manage a change in income when you come to the seminary?
Concordia Theological Seminary realizes that our students and alumni are dealing with financial stress. Education isn't cheap and often it is difficult to see how all the ends will meet. Take a minute and fill out this survey so that we can gather solid information on where we are financially so that we can offer the best help possible. Take it for your own benefit; take it for the benefit of your neighbor.
Here's another gem from the blosphere: an oldie but goodie on what it takes to become and be a pastor. Thanks to Rev. Walter Snyder of Ask the Pastor for his words of wisdom.Rev. Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri.
Somewhere Along the Way . . .
Somewhere along the way you've considered serving the church
as a pastor or deaconess. But, the road is long and the way sometimes
isn't very clear. You haven't finished the journey yet. Maybe you've
applied and been accepted but just haven't finalized the move. Maybe
you're just beginning to think about service to the church and what God
might be asking of you. Maybe someone else has encouraged you to serve
the church.
Whatever your story may be, you've found your way to our
attention and so we want to encourage you to prayerfully consider
serving the church. Come see for yourself what seminary is all about.
Then, rather than wondering if this is what God has in store for you,
you can finally see the path laid out before you.
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friend who should also consider serving the church.