We rejoice with the 194 seminary students who received first Call placements and assignments as pastors, deaconesses, vicars, and deaconess interns during the Call Day services on April 28 and 29. There were 113 assignments made out of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis (CSL) and 81 assignments made out of Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne (CTSFW).

Call Day 2020 by the numbers:

• 194 total students

• 103 first call placements as pastors

• 3 first call placements as deaconesses

• 83 assignments as vicars

• 5 assignments as deaconess interns

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Call Days of both seminaries were held online—for the first time in either seminary’s history. Despite the nontraditional format, Seminary Presidents Dr. Dale A. Meyer (CSL) and Dr. Lawrence R. Rast Jr. (CTSFW) encouraged the students to embrace their unique circumstances.

“In the 181 years of Concordia Seminary, there has never been a class like yours. Years from now, you’ll tell your children and grandchildren, ‘We were the coronavirus class. Call Day was virtual!’” said Meyer. “You are being sent to flesh-and-blood people, with hurts and hopes, with joys and sorrows. And you’re being sent by the spirit of the Lord Jesus to draw alongside them in their walk toward home and their walk toward life.”

“Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen, teaches Hebrews 11:1. Our faith is being tested, but we are not overcome. Our patience is tried, but we remain faithful,” said Rast. “For in all things, our risen Lord Christ continues to care for His church by providing able servants of the Word. We had hoped to celebrate it in a different setting. More importantly, we have hope because Christ is risen. He is risen indeed. Alleluia!”

You can re-watch the live services and see complete lists of each seminary’s assignments and Calls by clicking one of the buttons below.

Now, please join us in giving a special welcome to the pastors and vicars who received calls and assignments to the Minnesota South District!

Pastors:

• David Jander: Trinity Lutheran Church, Carver

• Joshua Parrish: Redemption Lutheran Church, Bloomington

• Tyler Werner: Trinity Lutheran Church, Faribault

 Vicars:

• Andrew Asp: Woodbury Lutheran Church, Woodbury

• Joshua Dub: St. James Lutheran Church & School, Howard Lake

Welcome to the Minnesota South District, pastors and vicars!

About Concordia Seminary
Concordia Seminary, St. Louis provides Gospel-centered graduate-level theological education for pastors, missionaries, deaconesses, scholars and other leaders in the name of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS). To learn more, visit csl.edu.

About Concordia Theological Seminary
Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne forms servants in Jesus Christ who teach the faithful, reach the lost, and care for all by preparing men for the pastoral ministry, as well as men and women for other service in the church, through programs offering an understanding of the Christian faith that is Christ-centered, biblically based, confessionally Lutheran, and evangelically active. To learn more, visit ctsfw.edu.