The first Tour de Sem of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, took place on May 7. A total of 19 participants, including faculty, students, spouses and friends from the Seminary community, bicycled 88 miles from St. Paul Lutheran Church, Columbia, Ill., to the original site of Concordia Seminary at Trinity Lutheran Church, Altenburg, Mo.
Prof. Jeffrey Kloha, assistant professor of exegetical theology and an avid bicyclist, led the ride. “This is important as another example of the fellowship that exists among the students, the participation of the faculty with the students and the emphasis on good health that is encouraged by the Seminary’s Health and Wellness Center,” Kloha commented. “The students learn that the professors can ‘school’ the students on the bikes, as well as in the classroom.”
The trip took place on the liturgical day for the commemoration of Dr. C.F.W. Walther. Beginning in Columbia, Ill., at 8:00 a.m., the first riders arrived at their destination after five hours. The ride ended with dinner and tours of the original Seminary site and other historical sites of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, provided by the Perry County Lutheran Historical Society.
“It was fun to train for it, fun to learn about my brothers who trained with me, and fun to see if I could actually complete the ride,” commented bicyclist Kevin McReynolds, a second-year student at the Seminary.
Many voluntary fitness groups are active on the Seminary campus, including the Multi Sport Fellowship, a group that promotes spiritual development, mutual encouragement and relationship-building between amateur walkers, runners and bicyclists.
For more information, contact Seminary Relations, Concordia Seminary, 801 Seminary Place, St. Louis, MO 63105; (314) 505-7370; [email protected] [1].