FIRST LOOK
Master of Divinity graduate Sean Sheppard sings with fellow graduates as the Commencement ceremony begins May 17, 2025.
Photo: Sid Hastings
ON THE COVER
ON THE COVER caption
Master of Divinity student Benjamin Oesch, his wife, Amelia, and their infant daughter, at the Call Day service April 30, 2025.
Jill Gray
PRESIDENT
PUBLISHER
Dr. Thomas J. Egger
Dale A. Meyer
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Dear friends,
“‘You are my witnesses,’ declares the Lord” (Is. 43:10 ESV).
Everyone testifies to something. In Old Testament times, the great empire of Babylon boasted in the might of their gods to overthrow Jerusalem and to destroy the Lord’s temple. With their military victory, they were confident that their gods were superior.
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Vicki Biggs
Vicki Biggs
MANAGING EDITOR
MANAGING EDITOR
Ken Ohlemeyer
Melanie Ave
ART DIRECTOR
Beth Hasek
ART DIRECTOR
Jayna Rollings
DESIGNER
Courtney Koll
DESIGNERS
Michelle Poneleit
WRITERS
Jayna Rollings
Sarah Maney
Marissa Nania
WRITERS
Ken Ohlemeyer
But Babylon’s testimony was false. The Lord is eternal; the gods of Babylon were man-made idols. The one true God, the Holy One of Israel, used Babylon to punish His people, but He also promised to save His people. And when God acts to bring salvation to His people, He calls them to bear witness. “You are my witnesses.”
Later, in Isaiah 52–53, God promises that ultimate salvation will come not through political rescue, but through the Suffering Servant who will bear our sins in His body and pay for our iniquities with His blood. Thanks be to God that He has fulfilled this promise for us in Jesus.
Sarah Maney
Dr. David Peter
Daniel Mattson
Thus, Concordia Seminary exists to prepare witnesses of God’s saving work. The same God who saved His people Israel has acted in the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ to save all sinners. Of this we are witnesses! Just as Isaiah proclaimed both the fact that God punished His Old Testament people through exile and that God would save and restore them once more, so the church proclaims to all the world both the Law and the Gospel, all with the goal of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Lisa Mills
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Kati Gaschler
Travis Scholl
Jill Gray
Sid Hastings
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Sarah Maney
Jill Gray
Marissa Nania
Sid Hastings
Ana Nebeker
Courtney Koll
Michael Thomas
Sarah Maney
Michelle Poneleit
Harold Rau
Concordia
As we celebrate God’s gracious sending out of another class of seminarians into His harvest field, we thank God for them and we pray for them. May God bless them as they serve in locations across the country and around the world. May God strengthen them and give them joy in their ministry. May God encourage them and make His Word to dwell in them richly. And may God speak through them, as they are His witnesses, testifying to the love of God for this world, the giving of His Son.
Is. 43:10 ESV continues, “‘You are my witnesses,’ declares the Lord, ‘and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me.’” The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the eternal Good News. There is no other god, and there is no other salvation. May we all be witnesses of His love, that all might believe and be saved.
In Christ’s love, Dr. Thomas J. Egger, President
Photo:
President Dr. Thomas J. Egger encourages graduates before the Commencement ceremony begins. Photo: Sid Hastings
SUMMER 2025 ISSUE
Concordia Seminary serves church and world by providing theological education and leadership centered in the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ for the formation of pastors, missionaries, deaconesses, scholars and leaders in the name of The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod.
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Copyright © August 2025, Concordia Seminary, 801 Seminary Place, St. Louis, MO 63105. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the prior written permission of Concordia Seminary.
BEARING WITNESS TO THE
BY DR. DAVID PETER
“Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?” is the question asked of witnesses in a court of law. They are adjured to testify to what they have seen and heard as faithful witnesses.
The Lord spoke through the prophet Isaiah to summon and to send His people to be His witnesses: “‘You are my witnesses,’ declares the Lord” (Is. 43:10 ESV). As in a courtroom, the people of Judah are summoned to the witness stand to testify to what they have seen and heard.
“‘YOU ARE MY ’ DECLARES THE LORD” witnesses, (IS. 43:10 ESV).
What have they experienced to which they may testify? They had beheld the gracious work of the
Lord on their behalf. They had been chosen to be God’s special people by covenant. He had promised His blessing and protection upon them. He acted on that promise by delivering Israel from slavery in Egypt and providing them with a bountiful land. Despite their repeated waywardness, God held true to His love by disciplining His children and rescuing them from their enemies. In Isaiah’s day, the Lord delivered Jerusalem from a deadly siege of the Assyrians by slaying 185,000 enemy troops. Time and again God had been a faithful Savior to His people. Indeed, through the mouth of Isaiah, the Lord promised an even greater liberation through a greater exodus — rescue from sin and its curse, deliverance from death itself.
Even as He had been a faithful Savior to His people, God summoned the people of Judah to be faithful witnesses to His salvation. They are called to testify among themselves and to the nations around them that the Lord is the only God, “that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me” (v. 10). Furthermore, they bear witness that the Lord is their sole Savior (v. 11).
THREE GENERATIONS OF Witnesses
People of Judah
God summoned the people of Judah to be faithful witnesses to His salvation. They are called to testify among themselves and to the nations around them that the Lord is the only God.
The Apostles
Following His death and resurrection, Jesus summoned His disciples to be His witnesses. On the evening of Easter, He appeared to them in the upper room and said: “You are witnesses of these things” (Luke 24:48 ESV).
Today’s Christians
This process of summoning and sending witnesses continues today. Certainly, God summons all Christians to bear witness to His saving work in their lives. They do so by testifying of Christ’s redemption for all.
BY MARISSA NANIA
“Two words come to mind when I think about recruitment at the Seminary: prayer and relation.”
— Rev. Joel Heckmann
“Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Luke 10:2 ESV). These words guide the mission of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis as its Enrollment team works to raise up the next generation of pastors and deaconesses.
“Two words come to mind when I think about recruitment at the Seminary: prayer and relation,” says Admissions Officer Rev. Joel Heckmann. “We begin every effort with prayer, entrusting this work to our crucified, risen and ascended Lord Jesus.”
From campus visits and one-on-one calls to social media content and lay partnerships, the Seminary is engaging students, families and congregations in diverse ways — and watching God provide.
A RENEWED SENSE OF URGENCY
The Seminary’s current recruitment efforts are grounded in long-standing priorities while encompassing fresh approaches. The need is significant and the goal is clear: increase enrollment across all programs while ensuring each prospective student feels supported and valued.
“This work is ultimately about people,” Heckmann says. “Whether we’re meeting students on campus, on the road or over the phone, we want them and their families to know that they matter — and that we’re here to walk with them.”
As the church faces an aging clergy roster and many congregations experience pastoral vacancies, the call to recruit new church workers is a high priority. But Heckmann emphasizes that the Seminary’s goal is not just higher enrollment — it is preparing faithful, wellformed students who are answering God’s call to serve.
CONNECTIONS THAT MAKE THE DIFFERENCE
Personal relationships are at the center of recruitment. “We’re building relationships with hundreds of prospective students each year,” Heckmann says. “The format might vary — phone, Zoom, in person — but the goal is always the same: helping students discern how God is leading them.”
That connection often begins online. Media such as the “Under the Fig Tree” podcast, videos, and blog and social media content introduce students to the Seminary community. “Many current students reference the podcast as helpful in their discernment,” Heckmann
CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 >
says. “They appreciate hearing about the different paths to ministry.”
For others, a visit to campus is the turning point. Events such as Vocatio: High School, Vocatio: Retreat and personalized campus visits let prospective students and families experience Seminary life firsthand. “Many students today describe a visit to campus as one of the most impactful portions of their discernment process,” Heckmann notes.
One such visit last fall included three young brothers — sons of Rev. Zachariah and Claire Burgdorf — who explored campus while visiting their grandparents, Rev. Philip and Deaconess Jillene Houser, longtime residents of the St. Louis area. During their stop at the Seminary, the boys climbed to the top of Luther Tower, pausing beside the bells of the carillon and taking in the view. Their joy and curiosity reflected the heart of the Seminary’s welcome: planting early seeds of interest and helping even the youngest visitors imagine a future of faithful service.
And the connections extend well beyond the Seminary grounds. “Our faculty, staff and students travel throughout the country and even internationally to meet the next generation of church workers,” Heckmann says. One example: Called to Serve events — hosted in LCMS congregations — provide a meal, a Bible study on vocation, updates on enrollment
and practical resources for those interested in the Seminary or in helping to identify and encourage prospective seminarians.
EQUIPPING THE WHOLE CHURCH
The Seminary’s recruitment work is strengthened by a growing network of laypeople, pastors and volunteers across the country.
One unique initiative is the Army of Volunteers (AOV) — a grassroots effort inviting LCMS members to participate in recruitment where the Seminary cannot always be present. “Any LCMS Lutheran can participate,” Heckmann says. “We currently have more than 50 AOV members — and we’re always looking for more.” Volunteers pray, identify and encourage prospective students, share Seminary content and sponsor visit events.
Admissions officers also conduct regular check-in calls with applicants. “We love to call our applicants to pray with them, share God’s Word and make sure they know what comes next,” Heckmann says. “It’s a simple gesture, but it shows that we care about the whole person.”
The Seminary also is working to expand outreach among Hispanic and bilingual men who may be called into pastoral ministry. “With the Hispanic population continually increasing, it’s vitally important that we raise up pastors who can minister among this community,” Heckmann says.
It’s never too early to explore a call! The Burgdorf boys get an early look at Seminary life, starting with a close-up of the campus’ carillon bells. Photo courtesy Deaconess Jillene Houser
During Vocatio: High School, students participate in small group Bible study as they consider a future of service in pastoral or diaconal ministry. Photo: Kati Gaschler.
REAL STORIES, REAL IMPACT
One encouraging example of recruitment bearing fruit is in the Sunshine State, where Director of Enrollment Rev. Jesse Kueker forged a relationship with the LCMS U group at Florida State University, Tallahassee, Fla.
“Through Called to Serve events and consistent visits, multiple students from that group are now enrolled in the M.Div. Program,” Heckmann says. “Had Rev. Jay Winters not invited Rev. Kueker to visit and recruit among his LCMS U students, it’s likely these men would not have ended up at Concordia Seminary. God be praised!” It takes the whole church, working and laboring together, to encourage more men to the pastoral office.
It is a testament to how consistent outreach and personal relationships can lead prospective students to consider church work — and find their place at the Seminary.
HOW OTHERS CAN HELP
Recruitment is not the task of one department — it is the calling of the whole church.
“Faculty regularly meet with prospective students during campus visits and participate in our faculty phone-a-thon, where they call prospective students to offer encouragement and answer questions,” Heckmann says. “Pastors are often the first to identify and encourage someone to consider church work. And alumni give prospective students a picture of what formation at the Seminary really looks like.”
Donors also play a vital role, making possible the financial aid, programs, services and outreach efforts that allow students to discern their call without financial barriers.
But perhaps the most powerful support is also the most personal. “To support recruitment, I echo Rev. Kueker’s words: Encourage them!” Heckmann says. “Ask, ‘Have you ever thought about going to the Seminary?’ Take them to lunch. Pray for them. Connect them with us. We would love to come alongside them in prayer and conversation.”
A HARVEST TO COME
The work of recruitment is challenging — but filled with hope.
“The task is daunting and may at times feel impossible,” Heckmann says. “However, the same Lord who calls us to pray for more pastors and deaconesses is the one who Himself will provide them.”
As the Seminary looks to the future, it continues to pray, connect and trust in the one who provides the growth.
“The church always needs pastors, deaconesses, missionaries and other leaders to bring the gifts of God to His people,” Heckmann says. “And Christ is faithful. He will not fail to provide.”
Marissa Nania is a communications specialist at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.
Dr. Ronald R. Mudge, Seminary provost, connects with prospective students as part of the phone-a-thon outreach. Photo: Sarah Maney
TORNADO STRIKES St. Louis
SEMINARY RESPONDS WITH FAITH AND FORTITUDE
BY SARAH MANEY
On May 16, a powerful EF3 tornado ripped through St. Louis, with peak winds of 152 mph. The storm carved a 23-mile-long path of destruction, up to half a mile wide, damaging thousands of buildings, injuring at least 38 people and claiming five lives.
Among the impacted areas was Concordia Seminary, struck just hours after the Theological Diploma Service concluded and causing the evening’s
Commencement exercises to be postponed. While the campus suffered considerable damage — especially to trees and power lines — no injuries were sustained.
Rising to the Challenge
Steve “Ray” Allen, site director of maintenance repair with C&W Services, recalled the frantic hours after the storm hit.
“After the tornado, the phones were nonstop. Everyone had an emergency, and we had to quickly figure out our priorities,” says Allen. “Power lines were down near several faculty houses — that became our top concern. Then we turned our focus to the chapel, which had some windows blown out.”
As Allen coordinated the initial response, a call came in that would change everything: a volunteer from Lutheran Early Response Teams (LERT) was asking to help. Allen, unfamiliar with the group at the time, soon learned just how prepared and committed they were.
“They didn’t just show up — they arrived like an army,” Allen says. “Thirty people, all with their own equipment — chainsaws, skid steers, high lifts.”
A volunteer helps clear the path. Photo: Kati Gaschler
A stump transformed into a cross. Photo: Marissa Nania
LERT volunteers, who serve as part of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod’s (LCMS) Disaster Response ministry, are trained to respond in times of disasters.
The tornado felled over 150 trees across the campus. But with swift coordination, 75 volunteers helped clear the path to Chapel Plaza by the end of the first day — and made it possible for the Commencement exercises to proceed the following evening.
“It was amazing,” Allen says. “People brought food, water — everyone just pitched in. We wrapped up around 4 p.m. It was a huge blessing.”
A Commitment Beyond Cleanup
LERT’s support did not end after day one. Volunteers remained on campus for seven consecutive days, assisting with recovery and pledging to return monthly for the next year to grind stumps and continue restoration work.
“We do this because we’re blessed,” says Kris Schuldt, a LERT team leader. “We believe we’re called to be the hands and feet of Jesus. We serve with joy and gratitude — wherever we’re needed.”
Beyond manpower, the team donated a stump grinder and provided chainsaw safety training to Seminary staff and students.
“Kris came out and trained six people right away,” Allen says. “He’ll be back to train even more local LERT volunteers. It’s about more than just cleanup — it’s about preparing us for the future.”
Allen also marveled at the near-miraculous way many of the trees fell. “About 95% of them landed in the one direction that avoided serious damage. Just a twofoot difference in some cases, and it could’ve been devastating. We were completely blessed.”
On May 25, during campus devotions, LERT volunteers presented a symbolic gift to Seminary President Dr. Thomas J. Egger: a cross-section from a felled oak tree, signed by the volunteers. It now serves as a powerful reminder — of the storm’s force, of God’s protection and of the unwavering strength of the community.
Sarah Maney is the communications manager at
Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.
Volunteers gather for the day. Photo: Kati Gaschler
A large tree lies uprooted on the north side of the Chapel of St. Timothy and St. Titus. Photo: Kati Gaschler
Calls INTO THE PASTORAL MINISTRY
Unless otherwise noted, all calls and assignments were in the Master of Divinity (M.Div.) Program or Master of Arts (M.A.) plus Deaconess Certification Program (DCS) and announced on Call Day, April 30, 2025. Find photos, lists and more from Call Day at csl.edu/callday.
ABBREVIATION KEY
CHS: Center for Hispanic Studies
CMC: Cross-cultural Ministry Center
DCS: Residential Deaconess Studies
EIIT: Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology
M.Div.: Master of Divinity
ODS: Online Deaconess Studies
RAR: Residential Alternate Route
SMP: Specific Ministry Pastor
Master of Divinity student Ethan Boester awaits news of his first call during the Call Service. Photo: Sid Hastings
Deaconess student Jessica Thompson hugs Director of Deaconess Studies Dr. Jennie Asher.
Photo: Sid Hastings
CALL DAY CALL DAY
2025
ATLANTIC DISTRICT
Alessandro Rubino: The Life Lutheran Church, Old Westbury, N.Y. (SMP Winter 2025)
CALIFORNIA-NEVADA-HAWAII
DISTRICT
Jacob Eisinger: St. Mark Lutheran Church, Elko, NV (SMP Summer 2025)
Steven Tomac: Faith Lutheran Church, Yerington, NV (SMP Winter 2025)
Kanagasabai UmaShankar: Messiah Lutheran Church, Ewa Beach-Oahu, HI (CMC)
CENTRAL ILLINOIS DISTRICT
Jacob Friedrich: Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Jacksonville, IL
Ethan Hart: Salem Lutheran Church, Salem, IL
ENGLISH DISTRICT
Joel Lissy: Mount Olive/Saint John’s Lutheran Churches, Beaver Falls/ Ambridge, PA
Vincent Mroz: LCMS Eastern District, Williamsville, NY (EIIT)
Phillip Twietmeyer: Hope Lutheran Church, Levittown, PA (SMP Summer 2025)
FLORIDA-GEORGIA DISTRICT
Timothy Handrick: All Saints Lutheran Church, Blairsville, GA (RAR)
Rochenel Jean-Jacques: Peace Lutheran Church, Naples, FL (EIIT)
Jacob Scheler: St. Paul Lutheran Church, Boca Raton, FL
Kenneth Sherman: St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church, Lakeland, FL (SMP Spring 2025)
Stephen Wareham: Messiah Lutheran Church, Valdosta, GA
INDIANA DISTRICT
Brady Gurganious: Zion Lutheran Church, New Palestine, IN (SMP Winter 2025)
Jeremy Seger: The Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer, Evansville, IN (SMP Winter 2025)
Sean Sheppard: Promise Lutheran Church, Fort Wayne, IN
Jason Yunker: The Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer, Evansville, IN (SMP Winter 2025)
IOWA DISTRICT EAST
Noah Russell: King of Kings Lutheran Church, Cedar Rapids, IA
IOWA DISTRICT WEST
Joseph Eggerman: Saint Paul Lutheran Church, IA
KANSAS DISTRICT
Robert Choate: Bethany Lutheran Church, Overland Park, KS
Nathan Harkins: Faith Lutheran Church, Abilene, KS (M.Div. Fall 2024)
Matthew Vatthauer: Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Clay Center, KS
Bishop/President of the
Atlantic District Dr. Dien Ashley Taylor delivers the sermon for the Call Service. Photo: Sid Hastings
Photo: Sid Hastings
MICHIGAN DISTRICT
Martin Banks: St. Michael Lutheran Church, Wayne, MI (SMP Summer 2025)
Peter Burch: Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Britton, MI
Christopher Harding: St. Paul Lutheran Church, Trenton, MI (SMP Summer 2025)
MID-SOUTH DISTRICT
Benjamin Heinz: Athens Lutheran Church, Athens, TN
MINNESOTA NORTH DISTRICT
Hayden Brown: Zion Lutheran Church, Alexandria, MN
MINNESOTA SOUTH DISTRICT
Bradley Asmus: Eastern Heights Lutheran Church, Saint Paul, MN (SMP Summer 2025)
Timothy Contreras: Trinity Lutheran Church, Janesville, MN
Kendall Davis: Concordia University, Saint Paul, MN
Michael Ewert: First Lutheran Church, Glencoe, MN
Joel Symmank: Woodbury Lutheran Church, Woodbury, MN (SMP Summer 2025)
MISSOURI DISTRICT
Brett Arrasmith: Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Marshall, MO
Eric Bear: LCMS Office of International Mission, St. Louis, MO
Matthew Gerzevske: Timothy Lutheran Church, St. Louis, MO (M.Div. Fall 2024)
Daniel Heitshusen: Grace Lutheran Church, Aurora, MO
Erik Johnson: Concordia Lutheran Church, Maplewood, MO (M.Div. Fall 2024)
Eric Ronsick: Trinity Lutheran Church Egypt Mills, Cape Girardeau, MO (SMP Winter 2025)
Christopher Shearman: Lutheran Development Group, St. Louis, MO (RAR)
James “Brock” Stockland: Trinity Lutheran Church, Clinton, MO
Daniel Wallis: Holy Cross Lutheran Church, St. Louis, MO (EIIT)
Benjamin Wescoatt: Saint John Lutheran Church, St. Louis, MO
NEBRASKA DISTRICT
Michael “Paul” Kasaty: Christian Lincoln — A Lutheran Ministry, Lincoln, NE (SMP Winter 2025)
Timothy Reicks: Saint John/ Saint Paul Lutheran Churches, Burwell/Chambers, NE (RAR)
Joel Ripke: Peace Lutheran Church, Columbus, NE (SMP Summer 2025)
NEW ENGLAND DISTRICT
Jacob Rhodes: First Lutheran Church, Boston, MA
NEW JERSEY DISTRICT
Luke Elowsky: Christ Memorial Lutheran Church, East Brunswick, NJ
NORTH DAKOTA DISTRICT
Dylan Meyer: Saint Andrew Lutheran Church, West Fargo, ND
NORTH WISCONSIN DISTRICT
Jonathan Chapa: Trinity Lutheran Church, Merrill, WI
NORTHERN ILLINOIS DISTRICT
Cruz Aguilera: Iglesia Luterana San Pablo, Aurora, IL (CHS)
Ethan Boester: Saint James Lutheran Church, Chicago, IL
Micah Brown: Immanuel Lutheran Church, Batavia, IL
Christian Dollar: Trinity Lutheran Church, Burr Ridge, IL
Luis Gonzalez: Iglesia Luterana San Pablo, Aurora, IL (CHS)
Ethan Luft: Saint Andrew’s Lutheran Church, Park Ridge, IL
Thaddeus Wielgos: Fellowship of Faith Lutheran Church, McHenry, IL (SMP Summer 2025)
NORTHWEST DISTRICT
Nathan Schmidt: Lamp Ministries Inc., New Haven, MI (CMC)
OHIO DISTRICT
Alexander Kauffman: Holy Cross Lutheran Church, North Canton, OH
PACIFIC SOUTHWEST DISTRICT
Davin Alberson: Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church, Holtville, CA
Dawa Dawa: Oromo Lutheran Church, San Diego, CA (EIIT)
Sean Deming: Faith Lutheran Church, Moorpark, CA
Joel Held: Edgewater Lutheran Church, Eastvale, CA (CMC)
Justin Wood: Saint John Lutheran Church, Covina, CA
ROCKY MOUNTAIN DISTRICT
Benjamin Davis: Sangre de Cristo/Christ Our Savior Lutheran Churches, Taos/ Angel Fire, NM (SMP Summer 2025)
Benjamin Oesch: Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, Centennial, CO
Master of Divinity student Brett Arrasmith receives his call documents and a handshake from Director of Placement Dr. Glenn Nielsen. Photo: Sid Hastings
Timothy Onnen: Christ Lutheran Church, Montrose, CO (SMP Winter 2025)
Benjamin Vanderhyde: Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church, Wray, CO (M.Div. Fall 2024)
Daniel Vanderhyde: Colorado Lutheran High School Association, Parker, CO
SOUTH DAKOTA DISTRICT
Thomas Penrod: Emmanual Lutheran Church, Gettysburg, SD (SMP Winter 2025)
Tanner Sutcliffe: Risen Savior Lutheran Church, Tea, SD
SOUTH WISCONSIN DISTRICT
Christopher Dhuse: Saint John’s Lutheran Church, West Bend, WI
Joshua Teggatz: Elm Grove Lutheran Church, Elm Grove, WI
SOUTHEASTERN DISTRICT
Eugene Bostwick: Peace Lutheran Church, King George, VA (SMP Winter 2025)
Zachary Bultemeier: Trinity Lutheran Church, Henrico, VA (SMP Winter 2025)
Mark Esser: NewThing Lutheran Church, Towson, MD
William Ward: St. Matthew Lutheran Church, Bel Air, MD (SMP Summer 2025)
SOUTHERN DISTRICT
Tommy Lee: Messiah Church, Prattville, AL (SMP Winter 2025)
Jacob Phillips: Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Southaven, MS (SMP Winter 2025)
Frederick Sylvester: Bethel Lutheran Church, New Orleans, LA (SMP Winter 2025)
TEXAS DISTRICT
Daniel Brummet: Resurrection Lutheran Church, Spring, TX
Daniel Bueckman: University Lutheran Chapel, College Station, TX
John Cotner: Messiah Lutheran Church, Corpus Christi, TX (SMP Winter 2025)
Timothy Douglas: Living Savior Lutheran Church, Montgomery, TX (SMP Summer 2025)
Jaime Gonzalez: Comunidad Cristiana Expansion, Rockwall, TX (CHS Fall 2024)
Noah Menke: Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Dallas, TX
Walker Nery: Bethel Lutheran Church, Dallas, TX (CHS)
Jonas Ntagawa: Bethel Lutheran Church, Dallas, TX (EIIT)
Jae Park: Lamb of God Lutheran Church, Flower Mound, TX (EIIT Winter 2025)
CONCORDIA SEMINARY, ST. LOUIS
Master of Divinity Student Joseph Eggerman, his wife, Dreama, and their two daughters celebrate his new call outside the chapel. Photo: Jill Gray
Calls INTO THE DIACONAL MINISTRY
CENTRAL ILLINOIS DISTRICT
Rachel Hart: Salem Lutheran Church, Salem, IL
Bridgette Sharp: Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Springfield, IL (Fall 2024)
IOWA DISTRICT EAST
Ieva Russell: King of Kings Lutheran Church, Cedar Rapids, IA
INDIANA DISTRICT
Michele Doel: St. John’s Lutheran Church & School, La Porte, IN (Fall 2024)
KANSAS DISTRICT
Alyssa Choate: Bethany Lutheran Church, Overland Park, KS
Lara McComack: Calvary Lutheran Church, Topeka, KS
MICHIGAN DISTRICT
Laura Bauer: Good Friend Ministries, Traverse City, MI (ODS Summer 2025)
MID-SOUTH DISTRICT
Robin Moyer: Mid-South District — LCMS Board of Directors, Cordova, TN (ODS Winter 2025)
MISSOURI DISTRICT
Kan Hsu: Immanuel Lutheran Church, Olivette, MO (EIIT Fall 2024)
Jessica Thompson: Redeeming Life Ministries, Sappington, MO
Helen Zhang: Immanuel Lutheran Church, Olivette, MO (EIIT Fall 2024)
NORTHWEST DISTRICT
Grace Macduff: Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Kennewick, WA (ODS Winter 2025)
SOUTH WISCONSIN DISTRICT
Stephenie Hovland: St. John’s Lutheran Church, Portage, WI (ODS Summer 2025)
SOUTHERN DISTRICT
Alene Kidd: Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Pineville, LA (ODS Winter 2025)
TEXAS DISTRICT
Maria Barron-Valadez: Comunidad Cristiana Expansion, Rockwall, TX (CHS Fall 2024)
Fabiana Dos Santos: Comunidad Cristiana Expansion, Rockwall, TX (CHS Fall 2024)
Master of Divinity student Adane Erjabo is all smiles as he is congratulated by faculty after receiving his vicarage assignment.
VICARAGES
ATLANTIC DISTRICT
Benedict Baroi: United Bengali Lutheran Church, Woodside, NY (EIIT Fall 2024)
Edward Biswas: United Bengali Lutheran Church, Woodside, NY (EIIT Fall 2024)
Tyler Martin: Resurrection Lutheran Church, Garden City, NY
CALIFORNIA-NEVADA-HAWAII DISTRICT
Albert Levy: Trinity Lutheran Church, San Rafael, CA (CMC Fall 2024)
Isaiah Mudge: Shepherd of the Valley/ First Immanuel Lutheran Churches, San Jose, CA
Cory Paine: Saint John Lutheran Church, Willits, CA (SMP Fall 2024)
ENGLISH DISTRICT
Charles Wallace: Chapel of the Cross Lutheran Church, St. Louis, MO
FLORIDA-GEORGIA DISTRICT
Ronald Jones: Bethany Lutheran Church, Leesburg, FL (SMP Fall 2024)
Zachary Boeyink: Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, Warner Robins, GA
Caleb Gustafson: Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Jacksonville Beach, FL
Phanet Metayer: Grace Tabernacle Evangelical Lutheran Church, Fort Lauderdale, FL (EIIT Fall 2024)
Deaconess student Alyssa Choate during the Call Service. Photo: Sid Hastings
Photo: Sid Hastings
Stephen Moore: Grace Lutheran Church Winter Haven, FL
Collins Sita: Redeemer Lutheran Church, Englewood, FL
Lawrence Queen: Woodlands Lutheran Church, Montverde, FL ( SMP Fall 2024)
INDIANA DISTRICT
Jarred Burns: Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church, Indianapolis, IN (SMP Winter 2025)
Max Johnston: Immanuel Lutheran Church, Seymour, IN
Matthew Nelson: Cornerstone Lutheran Church, Carmel, IN
IOWA DISTRICT EAST
Tyler Linneman: Trinity Lutheran Church, Hampton, IA
Andrew Vought: Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Iowa City, IA
IOWA DISTRICT WEST
Shane Neumann: Saint John’s Lutheran Church, Kiron, IA (SMP Fall 2024)
KANSAS DISTRICT
Ryan Milbrath: Zion Lutheran Church, Linn, KS
Jonah Wilson: Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church, Olathe, KS
MICHIGAN DISTRICT
Karl Camp: Saint Lorenz Lutheran Church, Frankenmuth, MI
Master of Divinity student Ryan Pfendler (center) celebrates his vicarage assignment with Rev. Chuck Schlie (left) and Rev. Jim Mueller (right) from Messiah Lutheran Church, St. Charles, Mo. Photo: Sid Hastings
Paul Engelhardt: Our Savior Lutheran Church, Lansing, MI
Robert Moore: Messiah Lutheran Church, Clio, MI
John Pegg: Trinity Lutheran Church, Port Huron, MI (SMP Fall 2024)
Brad Thomas: Saint Peter’s Lutheran Church and School, Eastpointe, MI (SMP Winter 2025)
Jarod Vorseth: Saint Luke Lutheran Church, Haslett, MI
MID-SOUTH DISTRICT
Michael Saxton: Grace Lutheran Church, Knoxville, TN (RAR)
MINNESOTA NORTH DISTRICT
Joshua “Blaise” Longhurst: Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Moorhead, MN
MINNESOTA SOUTH DISTRICT
Isaac Hedstrom: Glory of Christ Lutheran Church, Plymouth, MN
MISSOURI DISTRICT
Steve Allen: Saint John Lutheran Church, St. James, MO (SMP Fall 2024)
William Bible: Village Lutheran Church, Ladue, MO
Nathan Bublitz: Hanover Lutheran Church, Cape Girardeau, MO
Jamie Dennis: Chapel of the Cross Lutheran Church, St. Peters, MO (SMP Winter 2025)
Meseret Gobena: Christ Memorial Lutheran Church, Saint Louis, MO
Justin Hilton: Immanuel Lutheran Church, Olivette, MO
Gavin Johnson: LCMS Office of International Mission, St. Louis, MO
Robert Laird: Our Savior Lutheran Church, St. Charles, MO
Noah Oloff: Trinity Lutheran Church, Springfield, MO
Ryan Pfendler: Messiah Lutheran Church, St. Charles, MO
Ryan Philpot: Saint Paul Lutheran Church, St. Joseph, MO
Steven Steingraber: Immanuel Lutheran Church, Saint Charles, MO
Luke Symmank: Bethlehem Lutheran Church, St. Louis, MO
MONTANA
DISTRICT
Adler Rickords: Saint John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Laurel, MT
NEBRASKA DISTRICT
Aaron Carlson: Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Kearney, NE
Aaron Hedlund: Christ Lutheran Church, Lincoln, NE (SMP Winter 2025)
Timothy Hoffman: Our Savior Lutheran Church, Norfolk, NE (SMP Fall 2024)
Timothy Nordquist: Divine Shepherd Lutheran Church, Omaha, NE (SMP Fall 2024)
Ross Petersen: Our Savior Lutheran Church, Norfolk, NE (SMP Fall 2024)
NORTHWEST DISTRICT
David Gallagher: Community of Christ — Saint Luke’s, Federal Way, WA (SMP Winter 2025)
Jonathan Kopecky: Hope Evangelical Lutheran Church, Seattle, WA (CMC Spring 2025)
Jonathan Theander: Grace Lutheran Church, Pocatello, ID (CMC Fall 2024)
NORTH WISCONSIN DISTRICT
Joshua Henry: Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Webster, WI (SMP Winter 2025)
Kurtis Polodna: Pilgrim Lutheran Church, Green Bay, WI
NORTHERN ILLINOIS DISTRICT
Brian Gonzalez: New Song Community Church, Aurora, IL (CHS Fall 2024)
Nestor Teni: New Song Community Church, Aurora, IL (CHS Fall 2024)
OKLAHOMA DISTRICT
Daniel Sellers: First Lutheran Church, Ada, OK (SMP Fall 2024)
PACIFIC SOUTHWEST DISTRICT
Wesenachin Asfaw: Christ Lutheran Church, Costa Mesa, CA (CMC Spring 2025)
Adam Dougherty: Salem Lutheran Church and School, Orange, CA (CMC Fall 2024)
Gregory Gonzalez: Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, Henderson, NV (CMC Fall 2024)
Mark Kempf: Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Scottsdale, AZ (SMP Fall 2024)
Carlos Mestayer: Redeemer Lutheran Church, Ontario, CA (CMC Fall 2024)
Alexander Parker: Concordia Lutheran Church, Chula Vista, CA (CMC Fall 2024)
Chaubert Pierre: Saint Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church, Los Angeles, CA (EIIT Fall 2024)
Benjamin Strohschein: Orange Lutheran High School, Orange, CA (SMP Winter 2025)
Tyree Toney: Mountain View Lutheran Church, Las Vegas, NV (CMC Fall 2024)
Gustavo Valderrama: Saint James Lutheran Church, Imperial Beach, CA (CHS Fall 2024)
Scott Viesselman: Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Winnetka, CA (CMC Fall 2024)
ROCKY MOUNTAIN DISTRICT
Blake Brockman: Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Lakewood, CO
David Runkel: Summit of Peace Lutheran Church, Thornton, CO
Craig Wenzlick: Family of Faith Lutheran Church, Peyton, CO (RAR)
SELC DISTRICT
Grant Burnham: Saint Luke’s Lutheran Church and School, Oviedo, FL
SOUTH DAKOTA DISTRICT
Yohannis Yohanne: Faith Lutheran Church, Sioux Falls, SD (EIIT Fall 2024)
SOUTH WISCONSIN DISTRICT
Danniel Christensen: Our Savior/Trinity Lutheran Churches, Baraboo/Wisconsin Dells, WI
SOUTHEASTERN DISTRICT
Andrew Borseth: Ascension Lutheran Church, Charlotte, NC
Eric Carlson: Redeemer Lutheran Church, Fredericksburg, VA (SMP Fall 2024)
Raymond Dubert: Our Savior’s Way Lutheran Church, Ashburn, VA (SMP Fall 2024)
Franklin Field: Saint Matthew’s Lutheran Church, Marion, NC (SMP Spring 2025)
Tristan Jones: Saint Stephens Lutheran Church, Hickory, NC
Gilbert Kajuna: Our Savior’s Way Lutheran Church, Ashburn, VA (SMP Fall 2024)
Joseph Lewis: Lamb of God Lutheran Church, Landover Hills, MD (EIIT Fall 2024)
Christopher Reed: Resurrection Lutheran Church, Cary, NC (SMP Winter 2025)
SOUTHERN DISTRICT
Benjamin Smith: The Lutheran Church of Vestavia Hills, Birmingham, AL
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS DISTRICT
Nathaniel Bauman: Trinity Lutheran Church and School, Hoyleton, IL
Matthew Beaty: Emmaus Lutheran Church, Dorsey, IL (RAR)
Nathan Tritch: Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Hamel, IL
TEXAS DISTRICT
Alexander Allsing: Saint Mark Lutheran Church, Houston, TX
Steven Cashio: Zion Lutheran Church and School, Georgetown, TX (SMP Fall 2024)
Adane Erjabo: Lamb of God Lutheran Church, Humble, TX
Roberto Espitia Gómez: Grace Lutheran Church, Arlington, TX (CHS Spring 2025)
Philip Frank: Redeemer/Saint Paul Lutheran Churches, Alpine/ Monahans, TX (SMP Fall 2024)
Alfredo Gonzalez Calderon: Iglesia Vida Nueva, Houston, TX (CHS Fall 2024)
Matthew Johnson: Immanuel Lutheran Ministries, Temple, TX (SMP Winter 2025)
Thomas Larsen: Faith Lutheran Church, Grand Prairie, TX (EIIT Fall 2024)
Christophe Rusare: LINC South Texas, San Antonio, TX (EIIT Fall 2024)
DEACONESS Internships
FLORIDA-GEORGIA DISTRICT
Yrida Gómez: Pelican Lutheran Church, Naples, FL (CHS Spring 2025)
Martha Guerra: Immanuel Lutheran Church and School, Brandon, FL (CHS Fall 2024)
Marilyn Hernández: Pelican Lutheran Church, Naples, FL (CHS Spring 2025)
Angélica Cepeda Martínez: Iglesia Luterana Confesional Conexion, Naples, FL (CHS Spring 2025)
Rebecca Folsom McCoy: Epiphany Lutheran Church and Preschool, Tallahassee, FL (ODS Fall 2024)
Betsy Ramírez: Iglesia Luterana Confesional Conexion, Naples, FL (CHS Spring 2025)
Gloria Velásquez: Iglesia Luterana Confesional Conexion, Naples, FL (CHS Spring 2025)
Gilma Zepeda: Iglesia Luterana Confesional Conexion, Naples, FL (CHS Spring 2025)
MINNESOTA SOUTH DISTRICT
Lydia Grabau: Trinity Lutheran Church, Northfield, MN
Heather Zellman: Immanuel Lutheran Church, Gaylord, MN (ODS Fall 2024)
MISSOURI DISTRICT
Kathleen Beegle: Lutheran Deaf Outreach, St. Charles, MO (EIIT Fall 2024)
Connie Kipp: Lutheran Deaf Outreach, St. Charles, MO (EIIT Fall 2024)
Aine Molvik: LCMS Office of National Mission, St. Louis, MO
Abigail Reynolds: Peace Lutheran Church, St. Louis, MO
Pamela Vue: Bethlehem Lutheran Church, St. Louis, MO
NEBRASKA DISTRICT
Kristen Schiefelbein: Calvary Lutheran Church, Lincoln, NE (ODS Fall 2024)
NORTHERN ILLINOIS DISTRICT
Nicole Morales: New Song Community Church, Aurora, IL (CHS Fall 2024)
OHIO DISTRICT
Julia Witt: Zion Lutheran Church, Cincinnati, OH
SELC DISTRICT
Rachel Wegener: Saint Luke’s Lutheran Church and School, Oviedo, FL
TEXAS DISTRICT
Lucia Jaimez Cortez: Grace Lutheran Church, Arlington, TX (CHS Spring 2025)
Rosy Portillo Rubio: Faith Lutheran Church, Grand Prairie, TX (CHS Spring 2025)
Lorri Sanchez: Mount Calvary Lutheran Church and Preschool, La Grange, TX (ODS Fall 2024)
TOTAL
CALLS, VICARAGES AND DEACONESS INTERNSHIPS
Stats
FARTHEST CALL OR ASSIGNMENT: EWA BEACH –OAHU, HAWAII
4,126.5 MILES FROM ST. LOUIS, MO. LCMS DISTRICT WITH MOST CALLS AND ASSIGNMENTS: MISSOURI 22
Master of Divinity student Noah Oloff and his wife, Abigail, look forward to beginning their vicarage in Springfield, Mo.
Photo: Jill Gray
Students join in praying together before the assignment of vicarages and deaconess internships April 30, 2025.
Photo: Sid Hastings
Dr. Ryan Tinetti: FAITH, FORMATION & PASTORAL CALLING
BY SARAH MANEY
Dr. Ryan Tinetti’s office paints a picture of his personality: A funky brown recliner. Shelves brimming with books. A wall collage of theologians and writers. Duke University swag. And a photograph from his ordination day June 27, 2010, at Faith Lutheran Church in Seaside, Calif., — standing beside his wife, infant son and a young Dr. David Schmitt.
Tinetti settles into the aforementioned recliner. “Did you notice the baby ducks?” he asks, pointing outside his window, towards the Seminary fountain.
I hadn’t. I was scrolling through my phone ahead of beginning this interview.
That small exchange sparks a larger conversation about attention, presence and the quiet war against distraction. For Tinetti and his family, the solution was deliberate: they traded in smartphones for flip phones to create space. To be fully present — to God, to each other, to the world around them.
That posture of presence shapes everything about Tinetti’s life: his family, ministry, teaching — and writing. His forthcoming book, “The Quiet Ambition,” (Intervarsity Press, November 2025) is grounded in this ethos. Drawing from 1 Thess. 4:11 NIV, “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life …” the book is a call to embrace a different kind of success. One marked not by noise or notoriety, but one that sees God’s grace in the small and hope in the ordinary.
“Our culture celebrates loud ambition,” he says. “But God often works through
quiet lives, small unnoticed acts of faithfulness.”
In addition to being a writer, Tinetti is an assistant professor of Practical Theology at Concordia Seminary. The road that led him here wasn’t linear — but like everything else in his life, it has been marked by the steady, guiding presence of his Savior.
Faith Journey Begins
Tinetti traces the beginning of his faith formation to being raised in a
denominationally-split household. His father belonged to a devout Roman Catholic Italian family and his mother was a committed Lutheran. One Sunday, he attended Catholic mass with his father; the next, he was in the pews of a Lutheran church with his mother. The family worshipped together only on major holidays — Christmas and Easter — a spiritual rhythm that shaped Tinetti’s early exposure to the Christian faith.
When he reached middle school, Tinetti’s parents encouraged him to choose. Tinetti ended up being confirmed in his mother’s LCMS church and he stuck with that. Now confirmed, ministry wasn’t really on his radar at all — until college.
With a love for writing and storytelling, Michigan State University (MSU) offered him a canvas to explore those gifts in the area of journalism. But college is often a time of transformation, and for Tinetti, that change came not in a lecture hall
Dr. Ryan Tinetti delivers a sermon in the Chapel of St. Timothy and St. Titus. Photo: Sarah Maney
but in a Bible study held in his dorm. Through his involvement with a campus ministry (then called Campus Crusade for Christ, now Cru), he began engaging with Scripture in new and deeper ways. While leading Bible studies and participating in campus ministry events, something stirred within him: a passion for the Word, a hunger for theology and an urge to share that truth with others. Yet at that time, Tinetti was part of a more evangelical, non-denominational environment. It wasn’t until a Christmas break conversation with his Lutheran pastor back home that the theological tug-of-war reached a turning point.
His pastor cut to the heart: “Where are you at theologically? Are you Lutheran?” Tinetti initially brushed it off with a simple response: “I love Jesus.” But the pastor pressed further, challenging him to consider what he truly believed — about the Sacraments, salvation and the role of grace.
To help him reflect, the pastor handed Tinetti a book by Professor Emeritus Dr. Robert Kolb titled “Make Disciples, Baptizing: God’s Gift of New Life and Christian Witness.” As he read, Tinetti revisited key biblical texts with fresh eyes. One passage stood out — Titus 3:5 (ESV): “He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.” Until then, Tinetti had understood Baptism as a symbolic act, not a sacramental one. But that verse — and others like 1 Peter 3:21, which declares, “baptism now saves you”— challenged and ultimately transformed his perspective.
Through the lens of Scripture and the clarity of Lutheran theology, Tinetti came to see Baptism not as a human expression of faith, but as a divine means of grace. “It was in that study of Baptism where I recognized Baptism is God’s work, not ours,” he recalls. What followed was a season of intense study, prayer and
discernment. By the end, the conclusion was clear: “I realized — I am a Lutheran.”
A Call Abroad, A Call to Ministry
Still unsure about pursuing formal ministry, Tinetti joined LCMS World Mission to serve in Bangkok, Thailand, for a transformative year teaching English as a Second Language (ESL). While teaching ESL, Tinetti met his future wife, Anne — also serving in the same mission program.
Though he initially delayed proposing, God’s timing prevailed. Anne received a call to serve as a third grade teacher at Grace Chapel Lutheran School in Bellefontaine Neighbors, Mo. Soon after, Tinetti returned to the U.S. and within months, they were engaged. The long-distance leap of faith turned into a lifelong journey together.
“MINISTRY ISN’T
A
TERMINUS. IT’S A TRAILHEAD.”
–Dr. Ryan Tinetti
By now, Tinetti’s internal compass was pointing firmly toward ministry. Friends and mentors had already begun affirming his gifts in teaching and preaching.
Returning stateside, Tinetti enrolled at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis where he graduated in 2010. During his formation, mentors like Professor Emeritus Dr. Jeff Gibbs and Professor of Practical Theology Dr. David Schmitt shaped his thinking and practice.
After five years in the parish, the “itch” for academic inquiry returned. Drawn to the academically rigorous Doctor of Ministry Program at Duke
Divinity School in Durham, N.C., Tinetti studied under homiletics legend Dr. Richard Lischer, today the James. T. and Alice Mead Cleland Professor Emeritus of Preaching at Duke — also a graduate of Concordia Seminary.
Studying outside the LCMS offered Tinetti valuable perspective. “You realize the things we, as Lutherans, take for granted — like Law and Gospel — are foreign concepts to many Christians,” Tinetti explains. In his cohort, he was one of two students from a denomination that does not ordain women. This challenged Tinetti to better articulate and defend his beliefs with both conviction and humility.
Discipleship and Formation: Theology Lived Out
Tinetti’s academic focus on discipleship, spiritual formation and applied theology comes to life in his role as a Seminary professor. For Tinetti, all theology is practical theology. “Jesus says, ‘Follow me,’ not ‘Sit there while I lecture.’”
Ministry, Tinetti insists, is lived out in the ordinary — walking through the neighborhood, noticing what is on the coffee shop bulletin board, knowing the texture of your place and people.
To those discerning a call to ministry, Tinetti offers a striking metaphor. “Ministry is not a terminus; it’s a trailhead,” he says. In other words, it’s not the final destination, but the start of a lifelong journey. One that may take you across the world or just across town but will always invite you deeper into God’s story.
“God’s going to call you to places you couldn’t imagine,” Tinetti says. “And it’s a joy to be a part of it.”
Sarah Maney is the communications manager at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.
FROM SEARCH TO Seminary
THE JOURNEY OF ZACHARY ESHELMAN
BY SARAH MANEY
When Zach Eshelman typed the words “Law and Gospel” into a search engine, he wasn’t expecting a life-
changing theological pivot. But in God’s providence, that curious search marked the start of a journey that would eventually lead him to become Lutheran — and enter the Master of Divinity (M.Div.) Program at Concordia Seminary.
Eshelman’s story is not one marked by dramatic conversion or sudden
revelation. His story is the quiet and steady unfolding of faith — an unassuming but profound testimony of God’s work over time.
A Path Unplanned
Raised in a home where Christmas and Easter services were optional, Eshelman didn’t have any understanding of Christianity. “I couldn’t really tell you anything about Christianity until midway through high school,” he recalls. His comprehension of the Christian faith was a gradual process, influenced by friendships, teachers and a growing sense of spiritual inquisitiveness. “I just realized at one point, ‘Oh, maybe I believe what my friends have been telling me.’”
His Baptism came in a small, Calvinist, non-denominational church plant meeting in a high school auditorium in rural Tucson, Ariz. At that point, he wasn’t aligned with a particular theology or denomination — just seeking to learn more about Christianity itself.
College became a key season in Eshelman’s faith development. During his first two years at a small school in Ohio, he encountered a uniquely diverse campus ministry group led by Christians from a broad spectrum of traditions: Southern Baptist, Eastern Orthodox, Catholic, Evangelical and Korean Pentecostal. It was enriching, if not chaotic. Amid the variety, Eshelman remained on a mission to deepen his understanding.
That pursuit led him to a large Bible church where he first encountered a typological reading of Leviticus — how the Law points to Christ. Intrigued but lacking vocabulary, he simply Googled “Law and Gospel.” The result? A host of Lutheran resources that opened a door he had not known existed.
“This distinction that Lutherans were using — it wasn’t necessarily unique to them, but it was their thing,” he
Zach Eshelman and his wife, Charlotte, stand in front of their church. Photo: Courtesy Charlotte Eshelman.
explains. That theological clarity resonated with him.
Discovering Lutheranism
A spring break visit to a Lutheran Bible study at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Ariz., became another turning point. The discussion focused on John 16 and the Lutheran view of the Sacraments, and it deeply resonated with Eshelman. Returning to his eclectic campus group and sharing the idea that “Christ is present in the Sacraments,” he was met with blank stares. “That was one of those moments where I realized, ‘Oh, Lutherans think differently on this — and I think the way Lutherans do.’”
Eshelman transferred to Baylor University in Waco, Texas. Although situated in the heart of Baptist country, he discovered a local LCMS church, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, just outside of Waco. There, under the guidance of Vicar Peter Haugen, he continued to grow in his understanding of Lutheran distinctives. His connection to The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) deepened, even as he remained involved with Reformed University Fellowship (RUF), appreciating its emphasis on liturgy and theology.
After graduation, Eshelman spent several years teaching, including two years at Concordia Middle School in Taiwan through the LCMS. There, he discovered a strong sense of vocational calling.
“I realized I’m a teacher,” he says. “Whatever happens next, I’m going to be a teacher doing whatever they’ve told me to do.” That clarity has shaped his hopes for ministry, particularly in the context of campus work, international service or theological education.
Seminary and Formation
At Concordia Seminary, Eshelman has found the kind of formation for which he was hoping. Unexpectedly, it is the language courses — Greek and Hebrew — that have had the deepest impact on him. “I would argue that the
language classes are some of the best pastoral care classes,” he reflects. That insight comes after a full year studying under Dr. Philip Penhallegon, professor of Exegetical Theology, who would highlight minute details in the text. “He would point out a little dot. ‘Do you see this little dot here? See how it changes the entire meaning of this word?’”
That kind of precision, Eshelman believes, extends far beyond grammar and syntax. “This level of specificity is crucial for learning the languages,” he says, “but I’d argue it’s even more vital for the kind of soul care we’re expected to give. It teaches us to notice the little things like the way someone’s expression shifts slightly after hearing some news. In learning to read Scripture closely, we’re also learning to be present and attentive in real-life situations. And that presence, that attentiveness, is incredibly important.”
As he looks toward the future, Eshelman is excited about possibilities that blend
teaching and ministry. Campus ministry remains a dream, rooted in his own story of being evangelized by students and teachers in a public high school. “Schools have played such a big part in my becoming a Christian,” he reflects. “It would be amazing to be the one sharing the Gospel in those settings.”
For those discerning a call to ministry or wondering whether the Seminary is the right path, Eshelman offers this perspective: “If you have a small sense of it, the easiest way to go through that discernment process is to go farther — dive in and let God figure out what happens on the other side.”
It is a fitting conclusion from someone whose own path to the Seminary started not with certainty, but with a question typed into a search bar.
Sarah Maney is the communications manager at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.
Zach Eshelman and his wife, Charlotte, attend a friend’s wedding. Photo: Courtesy Charlotte Eshelman
DR. GREGORY SELTZ
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS AWARD RECIPIENT
BY KEN OHLEMEYER
Dr. Gregory Seltz never expected the call from Seminary President Dr. Thomas J. Egger. Usually, calls to Seltz, executive director of the Lutheran Center for Religious Liberty (LCRL) in Washington, D.C., warn of legislation threatening religious freedoms or other challenging news. “When I get phone calls, it’s usually about some legislation that’s trying to put us out of business,” he explains.
Instead, Egger was naming Seltz the 2025 Distinguished Alumnus Award recipient. Seltz is a three-time Concordia Seminary
alum: he earned a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) (’86); a Master of Sacred Theology (S.T.M.) (’94); and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) (’17).
“To have the Seminary recognize my work was deeply meaningful,” Seltz says. “The award touched on my services as a church planter, pastor, the Lutheran Hour Speaker, and my role today to protect the church in my work in Washington.”
Seltz is in his eighth year leading the LCRL in the nation’s capital where he provides input, education, advocacy and resources in support of religious liberty, the sanctity of life and God’s design for marriage on behalf of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod’s (LCMS) congregations, schools, universities and seminaries.
The award recognizes Seltz’s ministry across multiple settings — from urban streets to university classrooms, from radio broadcasts to government advocacy. His career has taken him from mission pastor roles in Dallas and New York City and urban ministry in Manhattan to teaching theology and cross-cultural ministry at Concordia University Irvine, Irvine, Calif., before becoming the voice of The Lutheran Hour broadcast.
Born in Detroit, Seltz enjoyed a typical Michigan childhood — playing basketball, attending church and excelling academically. His strong Christian faith developed through his Lutheran family and teachers at Lutheran High School West.
His basketball prowess earned honorable mention from the Detroit News. He was a member of the 1977 All-Metro team, during the same era when Earvin “Magic” Johnson dominated Michigan high school hoops. After graduation, Seltz headed to the University of
Michigan with dual ambitions: pursuing medicine and walking onto Coach Johnny Orr’s Wolverines basketball team.
University life quickly challenged his faith. “They were laughing at my beliefs in biology class,” he recalled. “I didn’t see how being a Christian got in the way of doing excellent work in the lab.”
While at Michigan, Seltz began taking classes at nearby Concordia University Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor, Mich., (CUAA). The faculty there made a profound impression.
“Not only were there great science teachers, but also great men of faith,” Seltz says. These professors recognized his potential and urged him toward ministry. Though he respected pastors, Seltz never envisioned himself in the pulpit.
Their encouragement proved transformative. By his sophomore year, he transferred fully to CUAA, abandoning his Michigan studies for religious training. He immersed himself in theological education, learning both ancient Greek and Hebrew.
“YOU NEED TO BE MATURED BY THE WORD BEFORE YOU CAN BE USEFUL AS A PASTOR.”
–DR. GREGORY SELTZ
Basketball remained central to Seltz’s life at CUAA and later at Concordia Seminary. “I loved playing basketball at the Seminary. I think that was very instrumental,” he says. The court offered balance to his rigorous academic pursuits.
Seminarian Gregory Seltz during his playing days for Concordia Preachers. Photo: Concordia Seminary archives
His theological education provided the essential depth he desired. “I needed to go deep into the Scriptures and to be challenged,” Seltz says. The ancient languages he mastered proved particularly valuable. “I really learned how to read the Scriptures. You need to be matured by the Word before you can be useful as a pastor.”
At the Seminary, Seltz found exceptional talent both on the court and in the classroom. “Ron Rall was our coach and we had 14-15 guys who could play,” he remembers. “These were guys who were well-rounded and also great pastors.”
Seltz credits his teammates’ “muscular faith” for shaping his ministry philosophy, suggesting their disciplined approach to basketball translated meaningfully to spiritual leadership.
“IT’S HIS MINISTRY, NOT YOUR MINISTRY.”
–DR. GREGORY SELTZ
Two key mentors influenced Seltz during his Seminary years: Dr. Norman Nagel impressed him with an ability to simplify complex concepts always getting to the heart of the Gospel, while Dr. Guido Merkens, Seltz’s vicarage supervisor, instilled in him his strong missional spirit. “You can use any opportunity to reach a person for Christ and Merkens taught me how to do that,” Seltz says.
Family also has played a crucial role in Seltz’s ministry journey. “My wife, Yvette, is gifted and she’s been a great partner. I think she’s the better evangelist of the two of us,” he says. “Our daughter, Devin, is just a joy to us. She embodies the Gospel in a way of which I couldn’t be prouder.”
Reflecting on his ministry path, Seltz maintains humility despite his accomplishments. He speaks passionately about his urban ministry work and Ph.D. pursuit while acknowledging the
setbacks and challenges, including the difficult decision to leave The Lutheran Hour for Washington.
Through it all, Seltz learned that “it’s His ministry, not your ministry.”
“Be open to the fact that He can take your skills and abilities and even your weaknesses, and they can all be useful in His hands,” Seltz says.
The award recognizes Seltz’ service as a faithful witness across diverse ministry settings, always emphasizing that the church belongs to Christ alone. “You don’t do these things because you’re looking for accolades,” he says. “You do them because you’re supposed to do them.”
Ken Ohlemeyer is the executive director, communications at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.
Dr. Gregory Seltz. Photo: Sid Hastings
PLANTING A LEGACY THAT Grows
BY MARISSA NANIA
When Jim Rowe finalized his estate plan, he knew it was important to include Concordia Seminary. For him, it wasn’t just a financial decision — it was an act of service.
“You take what you have, and you try to make it useful for someone else,” Rowe says.
Planned gifts like Rowe’s help cultivate long-term support for the Seminary’s mission — forming servants of Christ who will carry the Gospel into the world and sow faith for generations to come.
Roots of a Generous Life
Raised in Oberlin, Ohio, Rowe grew up in a home that had once been a stop on the Underground Railroad. Drawn to math and science, he enrolled at Parks College of Aeronautical Technology in East St. Louis, Ill., after graduating high school in 1944. He served in the U.S. Navy near the end of World War II and later earned his master’s degree in theoretical and applied mechanics from Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.
It was in Ames that he met Phyllis, his wife of 66 years, and became a Lutheran. The couple married in 1950. After a second stint in the Navy as a communications officer, Rowe began a long and fruitful career in aeronautics and space, ultimately serving as vice president of marketing for Aerojet.
Throughout his retirement, Rowe has continued to cultivate service — volunteering with IRS tax assistance
programs and providing meal delivery and safe driving classes for the elderly. At 98, he continues to reflect on the many blessings of his life.
“Every time there was a hiccup in my life — and I can count them — shortly after, something would happen that made it the best thing that ever happened to me,” he says. “It just turned around.”
A Seed of Connection
Rowe first became connected to the church’s educational institutions through a donor dinner hosted by Concordia University Irvine (CUI), Irvine, Calif., in 2003. It was there he met Mike Jaeger, then a development officer, with whom he has maintained a decades-long friendship.
“Concordia Irvine is really great,” Rowe says. “Just like the Seminary in St. Louis sending us all our pastors. The church’s universities and seminaries do great work.”
That evening planted a seed that has since blossomed into lasting commitment. Since then, Rowe has supported a variety of ministries, including Vision 2025, Lutheran Hour Ministries, the Salvation Army and
Powerhouse Ministries, a program for individuals transitioning out of incarceration or addiction.
“It’s about bringing people into a life that is constructive and giving to others,” he says.
Including Concordia Seminary in his estate plan was a natural extension of that desire to nurture transformation and growth. “It’s about giving,” he says. “Right from the start and right through to the end.”
Planting with Purpose
Rowe says his bequest to the Seminary is undesignated — meant for “whatever is most needed for whatever amount we can give.” What matters most is that the gift continues to bear fruit.
Wearing his Navy cap, Rowe poses with a bloom from his garden that he tends with pride.
Photo courtesy Kevin Rogers and Concordia University Irvine
“If you want to plant a seed for the good of mankind, you need to do it in a place that grows more seeds,” Rowe says. “And that’s what the Seminary does — because each one of those people who leave the Seminary is going to do the same thing all over again. He or she is going to grow a bunch of other seeds just by what they do. I say ‘he or she’ because I am grateful for what the women, as deaconesses, are doing in the church in this day and age too. Today’s world is very different from what it was a hundred years ago, and it takes a much more diversified approach to reach people.”
Sowing Beyond Your Lifetime
Rowe hopes his story will inspire others to consider planting their own legacy through planned giving — no matter their financial situation.
“We don’t have a lot, but what we have, we’d like to have it be very constructively used after we die,” he says. For Rowe, that constructive use means sowing seeds of service that will continue to grow in the lives and ministries of future church workers.
“If people want to do something that makes a lasting difference,” he says, “this is it.”
Planning a Lasting Harvest
By including Concordia Seminary in his estate plans, Rowe is giving more than a gift — he is planting a legacy rooted in service, generosity and faith. His gift will bear fruit in the lives and ministries of future church workers long after his own story is complete.
Marissa Nania is a communications specialist at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.
Discover Planned Giving
Like many people, you may be wondering what planned giving is. Planned giving is a way to integrate your personal, financial and estate planning goals. The right planned gift may provide you with tax and income benefits while helping Concordia Seminary, St. Louis further our mission of preparing church leaders. Here are some of the most common planned gifts you can make:
Your will or trust may include a gift of a specific asset, a dollar amount or a percentage of your estate to our ministry. Bequest
Charitable gift annuities and charitable remainder trusts
These plans can provide you with lifetime income while also leaving a charitable gift to the Seminary.
You can establish an endowment at the Seminary that provides everlasting support for our mission while also creating a lasting legacy of your generosity. Endowments
THERE ARE MANY WAYS YOU MAY BENEFIT FROM PLANNED GIVING. CONTACT US: PHONE 800-822-5287 ENVELOPE plannedgiving@csl.edu
Rowe holds photos of Phyllis, his beloved wife of 66 years, and himself. Photo courtesy Kevin Rogers and Concordia University Irvine
What’s happening
Egger reappointed to second term
Dr. Thomas J. Egger has been appointed to a second fiveyear term as Seminary president by the Board of Regents. Egger, who has served in the role since 2021, was reappointed following a formal review process mandated by The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) Handbook. Board Vice Chairman Dr. Michael Staub led the review, which included input from internal and external stakeholders.
“President Egger, with God’s help, has proven himself to be an outstanding administrator, scholar and churchman,” said Rev. W. Max Mons, board chairman. LCMS President Dr. Matthew C. Harrison called Egger’s service “a wonderful gift.” Egger joined the Seminary faculty in 2005 after pastoral ministry in Iowa and became the 11th president since the Seminary’s 1839 founding. “Serving Concordia Seminary is a joy and privilege,” Egger said.
President Dr. Thomas J. Egger. Photo: Jill Gray
Multiethnic Symposium a success
Some 270 people gathered for the 2025 Multiethnic Symposium, held May 6–7 under the theme “Learning From Each Other: Catechesis That Raises Up Multiethnic Leaders for the Kingdom.” Sessions sparked conversations about how the church can form leaders with the knowledge, skills and spiritual maturity to faithfully serve God’s kingdom. Attendees also enjoyed rich cultural and theological experiences, including the 19th Annual Lecture in Hispanic/Latino Theology and Mission, a Festival of Nations and a Hymn Festival featuring Laudamus, the St. Louis Lutheran Chorale, instrumentalists and musicians. Also, a new 4-session video-based curriculum called “Befriending Neighbors” was introduced to assist congregations in serving immigrants.
Rev. Stephen Heimer (‘11) plays trumpet and sings with Mariachi San Pablo during the Hymn Festival.
Photo: Michael Thomas
Dollar receives FASPE Fellowship Summer Carillon Concerts ring out
Ph.D. candidate Christian Dollar was selected for the Fellowships at Auschwitz for the Study of Professional Ethics (FASPE) this summer. Dollar, one of 14 participants chosen for the 2025 Clergy & Religious Leaders Program from a competitive international applicant pool, traveled to Germany and Poland for a two-week seminar to examine ethical failures of clergy during the Holocaust. He also collaborated with Medical and Journalism Fellows to explore ethical constructs across professions. “FASPE presented a unique opportunity to study the triumphs and failures of leadership from diverse viewpoints,” Dollar said. The program examines clergy complicity in Nazi policies and addresses the ongoing need for ethical leadership. As a researcher focusing on theology and human rights, Dollar has presented on Martin Luther’s doctrine as tools for resisting systemic evil. He is the sixth Seminary student to receive a FASPE Fellowship.
FASPE Fellowship recipient Christian Dollar. Photo courtesy Christian Dollar
Music lovers visited campus Tuesday evenings in June for the annual Summer Carillon Concerts as part of the 2024-25 Concordia Seminary Music Series. Guests brought lawn chairs, blankets and picnics to enjoy music and fellowship on the Main Quadrangle. The free concerts also were broadcast live on KFUO Radio. The carillon’s 49 bells have played atop the 156-foot Luther Tower since 1971. “The carillon series is a gift to our neighbors and the wider Lutheran community,” said Dean of Chapel Dr. Jon Vieker, noting the carillon is one of only 175 such instruments in North America. Featured performers included Wim Van den Broeck of Belgium, Toni Raats of the Netherlands, Carson Landry of Rochester, N.Y., and Jeremy Chesman of Springfield, Mo.
Campus
guests gather in the Main Quadrangle to picnic and enjoy the sounds of the carillon. Photo: Anna Nebeker
Faculty authors honored
Faculty members were honored for published work during the 2024-25 academic year at the 16th annual Author Reception May 13 in the Kristine Kay Hasse Memorial Library. The event was co-hosted by Concordia Publishing House. Dean of Faculty Dr. David Peter said, “We celebrate the contribution that our faculty members make to the church in researching and writing resources for pastors, church workers, theologians and laypeople.” Scholarly publications ranged from commentaries and translations to articles in theological journals and collaborative works spanning historical, systematic, exegetical and practical theology disciplines. For a complete list of authors scan the QR code or visit csl.edu/newsroom.
Faculty and friends gather in the Hasse Library to celebrate new publications. Photo: Marissa Nania
Students attend
Vocatio: High School
High school students interested in Seminary education or vocational ministry arrived on campus for Vocatio: High School June 21-27. The weeklong retreat provided the opportunity to explore God’s calling while experiencing Seminary life. Participants engaged in theological conversations, heard from Seminary professors and attended a Concordia University System college fair. Group sessions focused on Lutheran faith, aspects of vocation and ministry calls. Students also learned about the admissions process and the St. Louis area while enjoying recreational activities. “Events like this where I could spend time with other like-minded youth from across the country helped me know I wanted to serve in the Lord’s church as a pastor,” said Rev. Craig Reiter, admissions officer.
Vocatio: High School participants gather for a group photo on the steps of the chapel. Photo: Marissa Nania
Commencement 2025 caps
186th academic year
The Seminary celebrated 73 graduating students and three distinguished guests at its 2025 Commencement exercises rescheduled to May 17 due to severe weather. Festivities began May 16 with the Theological Diploma Service where Dr. James Voelz, graduate professor of Exegetical Theology, who retired at the end of the academic year after 50 years of teaching, delivered the sermon. Rev. Matthew Anker, president of Lutheran Mission – Australia, gave the Commencement address May 17, urging graduates to keep Christ “front and center” in their ministry. During the ceremony, Dr. Gregory Seltz received the Distinguished Alumnus Award, Dr. Christopher Mitchell received an honorary Doctor of Letters and Anker received an honorary Doctor of Divinity. As Seminary President Dr. Thomas J. Egger closed the 186th academic year, he said to the graduates, “Keep your eyes fixed on Him, even as His eyes will continually watch over you. He Himself will lead you forth as you proclaim the Gospel.” Read more at csl.edu/newsroom.
The Seminary’s 2025 graduates listen to the Commencement address.
Rev. Timothy Scharr installed
Rev. Timothy Scharr was installed Aug. 22, 2025, as director of placement during the opening service of the 2025-26 academic year. A Detroit native, Scharr graduated from Concordia University Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor, Mich., in 1980; earned his Master of Divinity from Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind., in 1984; served as president of the LCMS Southern Illinois District from 2010-25; and has been assistant pastor at Messiah Lutheran Church in Carlyle, Ill., since 2020. Scharr succeeds Dr. Glenn Nielsen, who has served as director of placement since 2017 and will remain on faculty as a senior professor of Practical Theology.
Rev. Timothy Scharr. Photo courtesy of Rev. Timothy Scharr
Photo: Jill Gray
Upcoming Seminary Events
September 16-17
REGISTER BY:
Sept. 2, 2025
October 5-7
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Sept. 15, 2025
October 9-10
REGISTER BY:
Sept. 15, 2025
Theological Symposium
Nicaea 1700: This symposium seeks to answer questions such as: How does a Christian not only recite but also live out the Creed? How does Nicaea provide a framework for dealing with issues the church faces today? laptop csl.edu/symposium
Vocatio Retreat
Vocatio: Retreat is a three-day retreat held in the spring and fall for college students and second-career men and women that offers an opportunity to rest in God’s Word and learn more about the path to full-time service as a pastor, deaconess, missionary or chaplain. laptop csl.edu/admissions/visit/vocatio-retreat/
Alumni Reunion
A special welcome is extended to the jubilarian class of 1975; the silver anniversary class of 2000 and alumni from class years ending in “5” or “0.” The class of 2020 will be specially recognized. laptop csl.edu/alumni-reunion