LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1995, Page 132

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To Give Thanks for Concordia
Theological Seminary As It Celebrates
Its 150th Anniversary in 1996

RESOLUTION 5-01 —
Overture 5-14 (CW, p. 204)

Wuaereas, God willing, Concordia Theological Seminary,
Fort Wayne, Ind., will in 1996 celebrate 150 years of its ex-
istence and service in The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod; and

Wuereas, During this period the seminary has been the
Lord’s instrument in training more than 4,000 pastors for
ministry in the Synod and has also furthered the theologi-
cal education of many pastors through its graduate and ex-
tension programs; and

WHEREAS, Throughout its history the seminary has,
under God, maintained without interruption a steadfast-
ness in the teaching of the doctrine set forth in the Holy
Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions; and

WHEREAS, In recent yéars, as in its early history, the
seminary with characteristic missionary zeal has shown a
flexibility in the mode of delivery of theological training in
order to meet the needs of, and challenges to, the church;
and

WHEREAS, The seminary has through the years and
under the blessing of the Lord enjoyed the presence on its
campus of enthusiastic, consecrated students and the ser-
vice of dedicated, capable presidents, professors, adminis-
trators, and staff persons who furthered the seminary’s
mission of preparing pastors to “Preach the Word” (the
seminary’s motto); and

WHEREAS, The seminary by God’s goodness has through
the years received the faithful prayers and financial sup-
port of the members of the Synod’s congregations and has
educated many students from their families; and

WHEREAS, The seminary will celebrate its sesquicenten-
nial during the months of the year 1996 and will at that
time seek to complete an ingathering of funds and pledges
for student aid in a 150th Anniversary “Preach the Word”
Thank Offering (the reception of gifts is already underway);
therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
assembled in its 59th convention in St. Louis thank the
Lord of'the church for His gracein
* giving Concordia Theological Seminary to the Synod for
150 years; ;
providing more than 4,000 graduates from this seminary
to serve as pastors in the Synod since the time of the
seminary’s founding in 1846;
enabling the seminary to maintain scriptural and con-
fessional orthodoxy in its theological programs, while pi-
oneering in the delivery of alternate route theological ed-
ucation to certain groups in the field;
providing the seminary with faithful, dedicated, capable
leadership, faculties, and service personnel for the

133

5. Higher Education

~

Committee 5 Chairman Roger D. Pittelko

achievement of its mission of preparing pastors to
“Preach the Word”; and

opening the hearts of the people of the church to furnish
substantial prayer and financial support of the seminary
and its programs, and to encourage likely men to study
for the ministry;

and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod encourage its congregations to
take note of the seminary’s 150th anniversary celebration
during a worship service on Reformation Sunday, 1996, at
which thanks is given to God for His grace in establishing
Concordia Theological Seminary, maintaining it for 150
years, and blessing the church through the students it has
prepared for pastoral service in the Synod; and be it fur-
ther

Resolved, That congregational members also be invited
on this day to contribute a gift to the seminary for a stu-
dent-aid endowment, as a part of a second $1,500,000
phase of its 150th Anniversary Thank Offering; and be it
finally ;

Resolved, That the Synod urge all in the church to pray
the rich and abiding blessing of Almighty God upon Con-
cordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind., its faculty,
administration, staff, students, and programs of instruc-
tion, that the seminary may continue to provide the church
with many able ministers of the New Testament for service
in this country and in mission fields overseas through the
years to come.

Action: Adopted (3).