Nearly 50 prospective students attended the annual “Taste of the Sem,” a visitation event that took place Jan. 14-16 on the campus of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. This year registration exceeded the limit of participants, placing some interested students on a waiting list. The event was designed to allow young men in high school the opportunity to experience Seminary life with the help of current students.

“It was very encouraging to see the great excitement in the faces of these young men as we discussed deep issues of the pastoral office and our lives in Christ,” commented Rev. Kyle Castens, associate director of ministerial recruitment at Concordia Seminary.

The event featured Bible study, prayer and discussions concerning the Office of the Holy Ministry. Participants were matched one-on-one with Seminary students and accompanied these students to their resident field education congregations on Sunday morning and to classes and chapel service on Monday morning. High school participants also were given a tour of the campus and the opportunity for dinner and discussion with Seminary faculty members.

One participant commented, “This was the first opportunity I have had in a long time to be with a group of Lutheran peers. It is such a change, and a welcome one to have.” Another participant said, “This event was wonderful and I encourage anyone who is interested in attending the Seminary to participate.”

The next scheduled visitation events are Exploring Church Careers Event and Exploring the Pastoral Ministry, which will take place July 29-Aug. 1, and Aug. 1-4, respectively. While the ECCE is offered for young men and women in high school, the EPM is offered only for young men in high school. The two events are designed to identify, inform and encourage youth with respect to church work vocations. They will include Bible study, on-site visitation opportunities with those serving in the featured work vocations and opportunities for youth to gain college and seminary information pertaining to each of the featured vocations. The ECCE will include information regarding a wide variety of church work vocations, and the EPM will focus exclusively on the pastoral ministry. Registration information will be mailed to all pastors, high school principals, guidance counselors, DCEs, etc., on Feb. 15. Registration for these events will begin March 1.

For more information concerning these events for high school youth, or the programs of preparation which lead to service in the pastoral ministry, contact the Admissions Office, Concordia Seminary, 801 Seminary Place, St. Louis, MO 63105; 1-800-822-9545; admissions@csl.edu. Additional information on the high school programs is also available on the Seminary’s Web site at www.csl.edu/HighSchoolYouth.htm.