Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 1969 · 48th Convention › Page 261
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1969, Page 261

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

HIGHER EDUCATION 261

Arlene Brauer (S)
Virginia Bremer (RF)
Victor Brown (RF)
James Brubaker (S)
Walter Cannon (S)
Gerald Dament (RF)
Robert Eggert (RF)
Raymond Frankle (RF)
Timothy Graves (RF)
Ronald Holub (RF)
Emma Hunt (S)
Roland Kelling (RF)
Terry Laubsch (RF)
William Lienick Jr. (RF)

Roger Luekens (RF)
Donald Luepke (RF)
Lloyd Miller (S)
Donald Mueller (RF)
Marvin Oestmann (S)
Udo Schmidt (RF)
Paul Rux (RF)

Leon Titus (SP)

Dale Trapp (RF)
Ronald Wickey (RF)
John Wirth (RF)
Robert Wunderlich (RF)
Donald Zielke (RF)
Paul Zuehsow (RF)

For the Deaconess Ministry

There were no applicants for admission to the deaco-
ness ministry by colloquy during the past biennium.

Ro.Lanb P. WIEDERAENDERS, Chairman
J. A. Preus, Secretary,

Colloquies for the Pastoral Office
Au H. SENsKE, Teacher Colloquies, River Forest
ARNOLD C. ERXLEBEN, Teacher Colloquies, Seward
Erto H. WarnkgE, Teacher Colloquies, St. Paul
ARNE Kristo, Deaconess Colloquies

(6-04)

Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Mo.
I

The Board of Control of Concordia Seminary, with
gratitude to God, who has graciously supported its ef-
forts and has directed the course of the institution and
kept His protecting hand over it, herewith makes its
regular report to the convention of The Lutheran
Church — Missouri Synod.

The past biennium was not without its tensions,
though the days of joy far outnumbered the hours of
serious concern. With few exceptions the members of
the Synod showed their confidence in the faculty. the
administration, and the board and continue to display
an understanding attitude as the seminary attempts to
serve the needs of the church for the latter third of the
20th century.

The Board of Control

New York convention elections resulted in a number
of changes on the Board of Control in the persons of
Messrs. Melvin C. Bahle, Paul G. Nickel, Erwin M.
Roschke, and Pastor John W. Ott. In the course of the
biennium the board met regularly in 21 sessions. The
meetings did not concern themselves merely with the
usual administrative business facing a Board of Control.
Many hours were spent with the faculty’s theological
advisory committee and the administrative personnel
during which the board was able to assure itself that the
seminary is in fact a faithful instrument of the Synod in
its function of preparing workers for the various min-
istries of the church for this day and age and is doing
this in accordance with Scripture and the Lutheran
Confessions as required by the Constitution and the By-
laws of the Synod. Whenever accusations to the con-
trary were made against seminary staff or faculty mem-

bers and presented to the board, they were carefully
studied. In every instance the board found that the
charges were neither new nor tenable. The board con-
tinues to take every opportunity to keep in touch with
theological trends so that it can faithfully discharge its
duties.

The President

It is with a somewhat heavy heart that the board
must face the fact that after 16 years of faithful service,
President Alfred O. Fuerbringer will, according to
Handbook regulations, retire as president of the semi-
nary. During his tenure the school has made significant
strides toward becoming one of the outstanding semi-
naries of the nation. As administrator he has excelled in
his ability to surround himself with a loyal staff, dele-
gating to them not only responsibility but the authority
commensurate with their task. His term of office was
characterized by a truly evangelical ministry. It is an
accepted principle that a school’s vitality is closely as-
sociated with the caliber of its faculty. President Fuer-
bringer was successful, under God, in building a faculty
that has been both confessionally and academically com-
petent for its task. This was accomplished in spite of the
low salaries allowed by the synodical budget. The board
wishes to take this opportunity publicly to commend
President Fuerbringer’s faithful service to the seminary,
the Synod, and the church at large. It asks the faithful
in Christ to join the board in prayer that the Lord of the
church will continue to grant him health and ample op-
portunities to continue to serve his Savior.

Student Life

An increasing percentage of the resident under-
graduate student body is married. Although still con-
siderably lower than at most seminaries, the present
percentage is 45. Married students create a greater sta-
bility in the total group because of the additional re-
sponsibilities assumed. The student wives meet reg-
ularly and carry out a kind of preservice program. At
the same time we have the problem of a more diverse
community. Many of the students live a good distance
from the campus, and of course greater interest centers
in family life. Our approach now is to promote com-
munity in and among natural groupings, at the same
time trying to bring students together across class lines
wherever possible to foster understanding and com-
munication. One area in which we are trying to make a
special effort is in student government, which is viewed
as an ally with faculty and board in planning and de-
veloping many aspects of seminary life.

In February of this year the students asked the
faculty for a 3-day period for extended discussions with
the faculty about curriculum, vicarage, student-faculty
relations, and other matters of mutual concern. The
faculty accepted the request and together with the stu-
dents met both in small groups and in plenary sessions.
The outcomes were very positive. The meetings fostered
a wholesome and open spirit between faculty and stu-
dents, worked better understanding and communication