Faithful for generations

“My heart is full,” said Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (WLS) president Paul Wendland after the first service in synodical history with choirs from all four ministerial education schools. “It is clear that it takes a synod to make a seminary.”

That sentiment was clearly on the hearts of many in attendance at the two services at WLS, Mequon, Wis., on Sun., Nov. 17, where WELS President Schroeder preached. The boys in the choirs from Michigan Lutheran Seminary, Saginaw, Mich., and Luther Preparatory School, Watertown, Wis., were picturing themselves as students at WLS. The faculty members from those prep schools who were in attendance or watching the services on live online were renewed in their zeal to prepare those boys every day for the ministry of the gospel.

Every young man in the WLS choir came from Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn., and the connections between the choir members from those two schools were clear. After the services, people were taking many pictures of the family members from all four choirs. “I never thought I would get to see my son and my son-in-law in the same concert,” said one mother.

There was a concert aspect to the event, but its structure was a service. Wendland was the presiding minister, and the other three ministerial education presidents were the lectors for the three lessons. Schroeder’s sermon acknowledged the grace of God in blessing our church body with a seminary faithful to the verbally inspired Word of God for 150 years.

It is a rare blessing in the history of the Lutheran Church that the professors at a seminary and the seminary’s graduates remain faithful for that many generations, united in the mission of taking the unconditional gospel of Jesus to the world. May God continue to bless that great heritage.

By Rev. Paul Prange, administrator for Ministerial Education