Concordia Seminary, St. Louis is pleased to announce the return of audio files on its Web site designed to assist pastors in their sermon preparation. The files feature Concordia Seminary faculty members translating the Old Testament and Gospel lessons assigned for each Sunday in the three-year series of Scripture readings utilized in many Lutheran churches. The availability of these files was interrupted due to the break in the Seminary's class schedule between the spring and summer terms. The Web address for the files is www.csl.edu/Lection.htm.

The audio files are now supplemented with an electronic discussion board, "Lectionary at Lunch Forum." Since its inception three weeks ago, more than 150 individuals and have joined the discussion group. Participants include pastors, Seminary faculty, students, and vicars, and many other interested individuals. The resource may be accessed at http://portal.www.csl.edu/forums.

The discussion board has proven extremely popular," commented Rev. Glen Thomas, vice president for seminary relations at Concordia Seminary. "We are pleased to offer it as another resource for those who wish to have an online discussion of the texts and to proclaim them with fidelity and meaningful application."

The audio files may be accessed in three different formats: RealAudio(r), Windows Media(r) and MP3. The first two formats may be played while online. Files in the third format, MP3, may be downloaded free of charge and played at any time, not requiring the user to be online. Links to sites which provide free, downloadable players for the sound files are also available on the Seminary's Web site.

The files are changed every Friday to those which treat the assigned readings for the following Sunday. The current posting treats the Old Testament and Gospel readings assigned for the Third Sunday after Pentecost, June 20. Professors R. Reed Lessing and Jeffrey Gibbs are the featured professors for the current Old Testament and Gospel lesson lectures.

For more information, contact Rev. Glen Thomas, vice president for seminary relations , Concordia Seminary, 801 DeMun Ave., St. Louis, MO 63105; 314.505.7371; thomasg@csl.edu.