LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1981, Page 232

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232 HIGHER EDUCATION

Straub, principal of St. Paul Lutheran School, Millington,
Mich., and Dr. Conrad Kercher, professor in the Divison of
Animal Science, University of Wyoming, Laramie, a layman,
were elected at the 1979 convention in St. Louis.

Several changes occurred in the membership of the execu-
tive staff of the Board for Higher Education during the past
biennium. Chief among them was in the position of executive
secretary. After an unprecedented 24 years of outstanding
service on the staff, 18 of them as executive secretary, Dr.
Arthur Ahlschwede, described at the last convention as “Mr.
Higher Education,” retired from that position. During the
search for a replacement in the months that followed, Dr.
Ahlschwede continued to provide the same high-quality service
and leadership until a new executive secretary was secured.
The Board for Higher Education joins the entire Synod in
expressing its gratitude for the unselfish service and leadership
provided by this outstanding Christian educator. Dr. Ahlsch-
wede is continuing to serve the Synod at the request of its
President, particularly as coordinator of Task Force II, as a
representative expert in higher education to our partner church
in Brazil, and in activities related to the Forward in Remem-
brance effort. His assistance to the newly chosen executive
secretary has been of great value.

Beginning June 1, 1980, Dr. Walter L. Rosin, former presi-
dent of St. Paul’s College, Concordia, Mo., assumed the position
of executive secretary. During the biennium, Dr. Lester Bayer,
after almost 11 years of valuable service as associate executive
secretary, accepted a call to Concordia College, Bronxville,
N.Y. Dr. Delphin Schulz, associate executive secretary, and
Miss Gert Moddelmog, administrative assistant, continue to
provide outstanding services. The continuity of their knowledge
and experience has been invaluable during the transitional
period.

In an effort to provide services to the colleges and seminaries
during a time of economic decline, a new position has been
created: manager of financial services and systems. Mr. James
Winston, formerly an employee with the Internal Audit
Department of the Synod, has assumed this responsibility. The
addition of Mr. Winston has not increased the number of
executive staff members. In fact, when it is remembered that
only a few years ago the staff operated with five members, it is
clear that one position still remains unfilled.

During the past biennium a change of presidents took place
at three synodical colleges. Rev. Ray Halm, a parish pastor and
a member of the Board for Higher Education, was elected to the
presidency of Christ College Irvine to replace Dr.
Charles Manske, who resigned his position in order to devote
full time to teaching. Upon the retirement of Dr. Willis Wright,
Dr. Julius Jenkins was chosen as the president of Alabama
Lutheran Academy and College, Selma. Dr. William Keel was
inaugurated as president of St. Paul’s Collegein January 1981,
succeeding Dr. Walter Rosin, who became executive secretary
of the Board for Higher Education.

Regular Activities

The board in its entirety met bimonthly during the
biennium; it also met for a number of special meetings related
to the calling of the executive secretary and the design for
education of seminary students in Canada. It has continued
the practice of holding the majority of its meetings on the
campuses of the educational institutions of the Synod in order
to acquire firsthand knowledge of the programs and conditions
at these schools and to establish a closer rapport with their
administrations, faculties, and staffs.

In addition to the board meetings, various committees met
at intervals. Chief among these is the Curriculum Committee,
which reviews all program and curriculum proposals of the
schools for the board. A special thanks is due to Dr. Martin
Kirch of Seward, Nebr., and Dr. Erich von Fange of Ann Arbor,
Mich., who served on this committee together with members of
the board. A Pastoral Program Evaluation Committee has also
been meeting during the past year. In addition to time involved
in meetings, the members of this committee have devoted
many hours of personal time to the preparation of working
materials that will be used to prepare a final report. A special
thanks is due to Dr. Martin Haendschke of Concordia Semi-
nary, Saint Louis, Mo.; Dr. Allen Nauss of Christ College,
Irvine, Calif.; Dr. Milton Rudnick of Concordia College, Saint

Paul, Minn.; Prof. John Saleska of Concordia Theological
Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind.; and Dr. Erich von Fange of
Concordia College, Ann Arbor, for their insight and contri-
butions toward this venture.

Following past practice, overall evaluative visits, under the
direction of the executive staff of the Board for Higher Educa-
tion, were scheduled on several campuses. Because of the
reduction in staff and the lack of funds, especially those related
to travel costs, the schedule of such visits on each campus over
a three-year period could not be maintained. It is the intention
of the staff to schedule more visits for the future so that within
several years the original schedule can be followed and
maintained.

A special thanks is also due to Dr. J. A. O. Preus for his
continued support of the higher education enterprise of the
Synod and to Dr. Norman Sell, who has been most understand-
ing and helpful to the board and to the colleges and seminaries —
in their plans for funding needed repairs and improvements.

Concluding Statement

Trusting the Lord’s promise of His presence and His
blessing, the Board for Higher Education looks forward with
anticipation to the continued development of possibilities for
greater service by the higher education institutions of the
Synod and to the role which it will have in that development. It
is aware of many of the obstacles that confront these efforts,
but it is also very much aware of the grace of God in Christ
Jesus, which caused the apostle Paul to say, “I can do all things
through Christ who strengthens me.” That message of God’s
love and forgiveness and the promise of life now and forever
through His Son is a message that is desperately needed in the
world today. The Board for Higher Education is determined
that by God’s grace it will do all within its power to assist the
schools of the Synod in spreading that message of grace, of
power, and of life.

Walter Rosin, Executive Secretary

6-02

Report of Colloquy Board for
Pastoral Office and Teaching Ministry

The colloquy program of our church is designed to give
opportunity to those who decide later in life to become full-time
workers in the church as pastors or teachers.

The Colloquy Board for the Teaching Ministry consists of
the presidents of our terminal schools for teacher training at
Bronxville, Milwaukee, Portland, River Forest, St. Paul,
Seward; and now Ann Arbor is to be added to that list.

This program is designed to help teachers who were grad-
uated from secular schools as teachers to serve as parochial
teachers in our schools throughout the Synod. Altogether 35
men and women have availed themselves of this opportunity to
join the ranks of certified teachers in our parochial schools.

The following men and women were colloquized and cer-
tified for the teaching ministry since the 1979 St. Louis
convention:

Concordia College, Bronxville, N.Y.: Paul J. Schildwachter
and Karen D. Medhus.

Concordia College, River Forest, Ill.: Julie Anacker, James
Found, Marilyn Graham, Rodger Grulke, Jerry Jiter, Ross
King, Katherine J. Koehler, Peggy Lewis Nieting, Constance
Oien, Maylene Rapp, David Rochlitz, David Saunders, Les
Self, Dwight Stelling, Linda Waldron, and Gladys Wendt.

Concordia College, St. Paul, Minn.: David Deffner, Claire
Kostbar, David Sauer, and Ruth Schepman.

Concordia Teachers College, Seward, Nebr.: Randy Guffey,
James Hanson, Julie Koenemann, Reta Livermore, James
Mackie, Sandra Mendians, Rogene Meyer, David Ruth, Marvin
Sneller, Ralph Skov, Debra Timm, Shirley Vogel, and Alan
Winegarden.

The Colloquy Board for the Pastoral Office in our church is
made up of a Vice-President, appointed by the President of the
Synod, and the presidents of our two theological seminaries.
Dr. Preus appointed the First-Vice-President of the Synod to
serve on this board, along with Dr. Robert Preus of our Ft.