LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1983, Page 253

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PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION

St. Paul’s has known both prosperity and adversity through
the past century as it served its important mission. There have
been myriad changes in the world and in the church during the
past 100 years, and there have also been changes at St. Paul’s,
but there has never been a diminishing of the school’s commit-
ment to Christ and His Word or to the church and its saving
mission. Young men and women have equipped themselves for
a lifetime of service in the church as pastors and teachers, as
misisonaries and professors, and in many church-related
positions. But hundreds have also equipped themselves for
Christian life and witness and responsibility in a variety of
other professions and in a wide spectrum of opportunities for
service and leadership in the church, in the home, and in the
community.

In keeping with our mission, we have chosen the centennial
theme of ‘‘Praise for the Past—Faith for the Future.” We do,
indeed, have every reason to give praise to God for His many
blessings on our school and on the church through our
graduates who are serving throughout the Synod. Wealso have
“faith for the future,” that St. Paul’s will be given further
opportunities to continue the education of full-time church
workers and dedicated lay people who will serve.

Program

St. Paul’s provides a comprehensive educational program
at the high school and junior college levels. The first two years
of college courses in pretheological, teacher education, director
of Christian education, social worker, and deaconess programs
are offered. These courses articulate with those of the four-year
colleges of the Synod and are transferable to these schools.

In addition to church-worker programs, St. Paul’s College
offers a Christ-centered college curriculum in liberal arts and
business. The liberal arts program provides a broad-based
educational background for those students who may not have
made a career choice and wish to explore available options, as
well as those students who wish to fulfill their general educa-
tion requirements prior to majoring in a chosen field. The
business program offers secretarial, accounting, and general
business courses with either college transfer or immediate job
opportunities at the end of two years. During the past academic
year a two-year restaurant management career-oriented curri-
culum was developed.
~* The high school continues to be the only secondary school
supported by the Synod. It serves the needs of high school age
youth who may not have a Lutheran high school in their home
community. The high school program also offers these young
people an opportunity to begin preparation for church work
during their high school years. These young people receive not
only a thorough founding in our Lutheran faith and life-style,
but also the opportunity to accelerate their education by taking
courses in the college department while they are still in high
school. Qualified high school juniors with a grade average
between B and C are permitted to take college courses and
receive college credit that can also be applied to their high
school graduation requirements. The acceleration program not
only saves the student time and money but also saves the
Synod education expenses, along with giving a number of
those who enter church work an extra year of full-time church
work service.

Finances

St. Paul’s continues to struggle to meet rising costs brought
on primarily by inflation and rising energy rates. While the
Synod has been most generous in its support, the amount of
synodical funds allocated to St. Paul’s has remained constant,
causing a decrease in the total percentage of budgetary support
from synodica] sources. This decrease in synodical funding
has resulted in a need to expand the efforts of our development
staff to secure funds from organizations, congregations, and
individuals who are committed to the cause of Christian
education. Student tuition and fees have also increased over
25". in the last two years as students and parents are being
called upon to share more of the burden of costs.

————

Facilities

Forward in Remembrance funds have been, or will be,
utilized for various campus improvements, primarily for the

203

purpose of making the campus more energy efficient. Roofs on
four campus buildings have been replaced, an energy audit has
been conducted, improvements in the heating system have
been accomplished, and new windows are being installed in
campus buildings. In addition, repairs and improved insula-
tion of the swimming pool building are contemplated.

Faculty

The faculty continues to be the strength of St. Paul’s,
dedicated to the mission of providing a Christ-centered educa-
tion for the student body. During the past biennium various
staff changes occurred. Those leaving the staff were:

1981 19x2

Kevin Sherping None
David Waldmann

James Sohl (deceased, Oct. 14, 1981)

Sharon Krueger

Norman Gienapp (retired)

Woodrow Kurth (retired)

Joining the staff were:
1981

Sandra Schoenleber
Roger Steitz

1982

David Rogner

Several staff who left were not replaced in order to reflect
decreased enrollment and economies of operation.
The following faculty advanced in academic rank:

Richard Buesing, to associate professor, 1982
Gary Fuchs, to associate professor, 1982
Leonard Fiedler, to associate professor, 1982

Dr. Darwin Schrader earned a Ph.D. in classical languages
from St. Louis University in 1981, and Mr. Fred Boettcher
earned a master in education from Central Missouri University
in 1982. Mr. Harold Block, registrar, was granted a sabbatical
leave for the 1982—83 academic vear to pursue a colloquy
program at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.

Board of Regents

The Board of Regents has continued to provide dedicated
and positive Christian leadership and service to St. Paul’s.
Present members are Mr. John Lottes, chairman; Rev. Clemens
Mehl, vice-chairman; Mr. Marcus Schweder, secretary; Rev.
Leonard Aurich, Mr. Wayne Clements, Mr. Roger Eichler, Mr.
Lester Golz, and Mr. Wayne Walquist. These gentlemen meet
regularly and give of their time and talents without compensa-
tion to set policy for the operation of St. Paul’s College. The
Synod owes each of them a debt of gratitude.

Conclusion

We are grateful to our heavenly Father for His century of
blessings upon the work at St. Paul's, and we are grateful to the
Board for Professional Education Services, the officers of The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, and the many congrega-
tions, pastors, and laymen of our church for their continued
support and prayers. We commit ourselves to continuing the
mission of St. Paul’s and our Lord as we enter our second
century.

William R. Keel, Executive Officer

6-08
Concordia College, Edmonton, Alberta

Spiritual Life

God richly blessed our Church’s mission at Concordia
College in many ways during the past two years. Nowhere was
growth seen more vividly than in the area of spiritual life.
Under leadership of the Coordinator of Spiritual Life numerous
new programs were inaugurated to focus the campus commun-
ity on the centrality of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

A “Pastor of the Week” program was begun in the fall of
1981. Local congregations provide time for their pastor to live
for several days on the Concordia campus in a preaching,