Concordia Seminary, St. Louis celebrated 19 students today on their path to becoming pastors and deaconesses in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS).
Ten students in the Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP) [1] Program received their vicarage assignments, five Center for Hispanic Studies (CHS) [2] students received their vicarage assignments and four CHS students received their deaconess internship assignments during a special service in the in the Chapel of St. Timothy and St. Titus.
“Those entering into the SMP Program as vicars will be adding course work and vicarage responsibilities to their already full and busy lives of work and family responsibilities and other life vocations God has given to them,” said SMP Program Director Dr. W. Mart Thompson [3]. “While the program is demanding and requires significant sacrifice and commitment, their hard work will certainly bear fruit for the sake of the Gospel as they are formed for the Office of the Ministry to become pastors in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.”
The SMP Program is a four-year distance-education program in which men receive theological education in the setting in which they will continue to serve — as pastors of congregations or in other ministries of the LCMS — following certification, call and ordination. Local pastor-mentors work with SMP students to provide day-to-day guidance, encouragement and prayer.
The following SMP students received vicarage assignments:
- Alan Boezi, Pinnacle Lutheran Church, Rochester, N.Y., LCMS Eastern District
- Jonathan Christopher, All Nations Lutheran Church, University City, Mo., LCMS Missouri District
- Donald Edie, Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church, Saint Robert, Mo., LCMS Missouri District
- Matthew Emery, Trinity Lutheran Church, Arcadia, Mich., LCMS Michigan District
- John Schultz, Pilgrim Lutheran Church, Green Bay, Wis., LCMS North Wisconsin District
- Jonah Schutte, St. John Lutheran Church, Houghton Lake, Mich., LCMS Michigan District
- Jacob Sitze, Christ Lutheran Church, La Mesa, Calif., LCMS Pacific Southwest District
- John Stacy, St. Matthew Lutheran Church, Mapleton, Iowa, LCMS Iowa District West
- Kory Walstad, Crown of Life Lutheran Church, Rigby, Idaho, LCMS Northwest District
- Andrew Wise, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Kingsland, Ga., LCMS Florida-Georgia District
The CHS is a distance-education program that offers theological education and leadership in the Lutheran tradition from and for U.S. Hispanic/Latino communities. Instruction is in Spanish and considers the rich diversity of Hispanic cultural contexts in its theological and pastoral reflection.
“We are delighted to welcome these new students to the Center for Hispanic Studies and give thanks to God for our partnership with them and their districts in their formation as pastors and deaconesses,” said CHS Director Dr. Leopoldo A. Sánchez M. [4] “We pray that, through their ministry and service, many generations of Hispanics and beyond will be blessed with the joy of the Gospel.”
The following CHS students received vicarage assignments:
- Carlos Loturo Gonzalez, Iglesia Luterana Manantiales de Vida, Houston, Texas, LCMS Texas District
- Aldo Martinez Rosas, Grace Lutheran Church, Ennis, Texas, LCMS Texas District
- Daniel Moreno Salazar, Iglesia Luterana Manantiales de Vida, Houston, Texas, LCMS Texas District
- Gustavo Reynoso, Iglesia Luterana Manantiales de Vida, Houston, Texas, LCMS Texas District
- Omar Sarmiento Ramirez, St. John Lutheran Church, Mansfield, Texas, LCMS Texas District
The following CHS students received deaconess internship assignments:
- Dayana Fernández, pending, Iglesia Luterana Manantiales de Vida, Houston, Texas, LCMS Texas District
- Veronica Garza Esparza, pending, Iglesia Luterana Manantiales de Vida, Houston, Texas, LCMS Texas District
- Gladys Rosales Lopez, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Harlingen, Texas, LCMS Texas District
- Sara Zambrano, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Harlingen, Texas, LCMS Texas District
The Seminary recognizes and celebrates calls throughout the year although the campus’ primary Call Day [5] celebration typically is held in April. During call celebrations, students receive their first calls to ministry as well as assignments for vicarages and deaconess internships. The Seminary’s next primary Call Day is set for April 23, 2024.
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) [6]. To learn more, visit csl.edu [7].