On April 23, approximately 78 graduates of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, will receive calls into the pastoral ministry in The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod (LCMS). In addition, vicarage assignments will be issued to approximately 117 students. Vicarage is a one-year internship that prepares students to serve in the pastoral ministry.

"Call Day at Concordia Seminary is, in many respects, the most exciting time of the year," commented Dr. John F. Johnson, president of Concordia Seminary. "We are confident that those who will receive vicarage assignments and calls into the public ministry of the church have been well-prepared for the tasks of proclaiming the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and administering His life-giving and life-strengthening sacraments."

The "Office of Vespers and Assignment of Vicarages" will take place at 4:00 p.m. in The Chapel of St. Timothy and St. Titus on the Seminary campus. Rev. Herbert C. Mueller, Jr., president of the Southern Illinois District of the LCMS, will serve as preacher. Rev. Mueller's son, Herbert C. Mueller III, will be receiving his vicarage assignment during this service.

The "Service of Praise and Assignment of Calls" will take place at 7:00 p.m. in the chapel. Rev. Walter C. Tietjen, president of the California-Nevada-Hawaii District of the LCMS, will serve as preacher.

"We invite and encourage the public to join us on this exciting day," commented Rev. Glen Thomas, vice president for Seminary Relations. "It is a very special day in the life of our church as we give thanks to God for His gifts of these vicars and pastors to His church."

A listing of the calls and vicarage assignments will be posted on the Seminary's Web site (www.csl.edu) at 9:00 p.m. (central time zone) on April 23. Audio files of the services will be posted the following afternoon. For more information regarding the April 23 services, call the Seminary's Communications Department at 314-505-7374 or e-mail communications@csl.edu.