The $1 million matching grant received by Concordia Seminary, St. Louis to provide financial aid for future pastors has been enlarged to $1.5 million. The grant is being used to encourage donors to offer gifts which will be matched, dollar-for-dollar and will be used exclusively to provide full-tuition support for residential Concordia Seminary students preparing to serve as pastors. The matching grant has a June 30, 2003 expiration date.

“The original $1 million grant was received from a Lutheran couple who wished to remain anonymous,” commented Leonard Fiedler, the Seminary’s vice president for development. “This couple’s generous leadership has inspired others to join the effort to provide full-tuition support for tomorrow’s pastors. We are grateful for this enthusiastic response on the part of God’s people and we encourage donors to act quickly since this matching grant expires on June 30. Every gift received through June 30 and designated for financial aid for our students will be matched until the $1.5 million amount is reached.”

Concordia Seminary has experienced dramatic enrollment growth which has produced an increased need for financial aid support. The past three years have witnessed the three largest incoming classes of new students since the early 1980s. Enrollment data for the coming year is on-pace to produce the largest incoming class since the early 1970s.

Donors can take advantage of the matching grant by contacting the Seminary via its toll-free phone number, 1-800-822-5287 or by utilizing the Seminary’s new online donation function on its Web site (www.csl.edu/donate.htm). A credit card may be used to make an offering for full-tuition assistance and donors can designate that their gift be matched, doubling the effectiveness of their gift.

Concordia Seminary remains committed to a full-tuition partnership which covers tuition costs for the church’s future pastors. This full-tuition partnership has been in effect at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis since January 1999. While students face expenses for books and room and board, their tuition is covered through a partnership involving gifts from the student’s home congregation, home district and donors to Concordia Seminary.

For more information, contact the Seminary’s development office at the phone number listed above, or by e-mail (develop@csl.edu) or by writing to Concordia Seminary, 801 DeMun Ave., St. Louis, MO 63105.