On April 22, calls to serve as pastors in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) were issued to 122 students at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. In addition, 98 students received assignments to serve as vicars. Vicarage is a one-year internship that M.Div. and Alternate Route students preparing to serve in the pastoral ministry must complete.

Of the 122 Concordia Seminary students called to serve as pastors in the LCMS, three are from the Seminary’s Center for Hispanic Studies (CHS), 13 are from the Distance Education Leading To Ordination (DELTO) program, two are from the Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology (EIIT), and two are from the Cross-Cultural Ministry Center (CCMC). One student received a call to serve in a mission field outside the United States in Southeast Asia, which was arranged through the LCMS Board for Mission Services.

Of the 98 students who received vicarage assignments, four are from the CHS and one is from the EIIT. Students in the CHS and EIIT programs serve their vicarages concurrently while taking classes over a period of three to four years.

In addition to the 220 calls and vicarage assignments, one DELTO student and two CCMC students are awaiting calls; and one residential student is awaiting a vicarage placement. In each of these cases, the details of calls to specific sites are being finalized and should be completed soon. Great care is exercised in both the candidate call and the vicarage placement processes to ensure that the best possible match is realized between the seminarian and the ministry site.

Concordia Seminary also celebrated the presentation of seven deaconess students who were assigned internships, and four deaconess candidates who were assigned calls. Two deaconess students are awaiting their internship assignments. Of the seven deaconess students who received internship assignments, three are from the CHS.

The Missouri District received the most vicars from Concordia Seminary, with 13 vicars assigned, followed by the Nebraska District with seven. The Missouri District issued the most calls with 14, followed by the Michigan District with nine.

The Office of Vespers and Assignment of Vicarages took place at 3:00 p.m. in the Seminary’s Chapel of St. Timothy and St. Titus. Dr. Gerhard C. Michael Jr., president of the Florida-Georgia District of the LCMS, served as preacher. Officiants for the service included Dr. Dale A. Meyer, president of Concordia Seminary; Dr. Glenn A. Nielsen, director of the Seminary’s vicarage and deaconess internship programs; and Dr. William G. Utech, director of the Seminary’s resident field education program.

The Service of Praise and Assignment of Calls, also held in The Chapel of St. Timothy and St. Titus, took place at 7:00 p.m. Dr. Ray G. Mirly, president of the Missouri District of the LCMS, served as preacher. Officiants for the services included Dr. Dale A. Meyer and Rev. Robert P. Hoehner, the Seminary’s director of placement. LCMS President Dr. Gerald B. Kieschnick greeted the candidates immediately after they received their calls. The calls were presented to the students by Dr. C. William Hoesman, president of the Michigan District of the LCMS.

A complete listing of the calls and vicarages issued is available on the Seminary’s Web site at www.csl.edu.