FROM THE
PRESIDENT BRINGING LIGHT AND LIFE INTO A DARK WORLD
SERVING IN THE MIDDLE
FIRST LOOK: EGGER INAUGURATION CONCORDIA SEMINARY, ST. LOUIS 1
ON THE THE COVER COVER ON
First-year Master of Divinity caption Kauffman student Alexander helps clean up a community garden as part of an Orientation week servant event Aug. 25. Photo: Jill Gray
Dr. Thomas J. Egger. Photo: Jill Gray
Greetings, friends, in the name of Christ! PUBLISHER Dale A. Meyer PRESIDENT Dr. Thomas J. Egger
EXECUTIVE EDITOR EXECUTIVE EDITOR Vicki Biggs Vicki Biggs
MANAGING EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR Melanie Ave Melanie Ave
ART DIRECTOR ART DIRECTOR Jayna Rollings Beth Hasek
DESIGNERS DESIGNER Michelle Poneleit Courtney Koll Jayna Rollings WRITERS
WRITERS Tim Barker Sarah Maney Lukas Deaconess Rebekah Daniel SarahMattson Maney Mills Dr. Philip Lisa Werth Penhallegon Travis Scholl PHOTOGRAPHERS
Jill Gray PHOTOGRAPHERS Harold Rau Jill Gray Rebekah Lukas Sid Hastings Sarah Maney Courtney Koll Sarah Maney Michelle Poneleit Harold Rau
Each academic year we choose a theme to set the tone for our work together. This year our theme is “Your word is a lamp to my feet” from Ps. 119:105 (ESV). It is so rewarding to teach at Concordia Seminary! There is nothing quite like walking through biblical texts together with our students and seeing the light in their eyes and on their faces. God Himself has spoken in the Scriptures, and God Himself is speaking to our students through that same Word. It is a Word that propels them to Christ and that brings Christ to them. It is a Word that gives them life and strength and purpose and hope. God’s Word gives them light, and I can literally see it on their faces! When God speaks His Word, amazing things happen. Light appears and dry land and vegetation. The sun, moon and stars are set on their courses. Waters teem with fish and the skies with birds. Man and beast walk in gardens of paradise. When God speaks His Word, amazing things happen. Demons flee. Storms quiet. Paralytics walk. Lepers are cleansed. The dead live. When God speaks His Word, the baptized are clothed in Christ’s righteousness and claimed as God’s children. When God speaks His Word, the foulest sinner is pronounced righteous and free. When God speaks His Word, the light of hope dawns in the darkest places of disillusionment and despair. O Lord, speak to us! May Your Word sound forth, more and more, and reach into our cold hearts. May Your Word sound forth, more and more, and reach forth to the sad and hiding hearts of so many who do not yet know You. For You alone have the words of eternal life! It is so rewarding to teach at Concordia Seminary! The students who come to study with us are offering their lives to bring this light-giving Word of Christ to others. They study the Bible, Lutheran doctrine, church history and the practical skills of ministry. And as they prepare, like I said, it is a joy to see the light of God’s Word shining in their eyes, on their faces, and — I know it is true — in their hearts. Thank you for your prayers and support for Concordia Seminary! I hope that you, too, are happy to declare, “Your word is a lamp to my feet!” Blessings in Christ,
Concordia Seminary magazine magazine is is a a Concordia Seminary member of of the the Associated Associated Church Church Press Press member and the the Evangelical Evangelical Press Press Association. Association. and
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Dr. Thomas J. Egger, President
