Questions About 8 ELCA Seminaries

[Jeremy Loesch]

Don't know about you, Bishop/DP Benke, but for me there is often more uphill than downhill on this other side of 65. Had to shovel the snow in two short outings rather than in one grand slam. But, Amen! Brother! We still got game.

Be careful doing that.  I had a friend who was only 68 drop from a heart attack last year while shoveling.  Sometimes it is worth hiring neighbor kids or grandkids...

Just finished here - very fluffy snow, which is good.  We lost a neighbor about four years ago to the snow-shoveling-widowmaker-heart-attack.  Didn't need to happen, but he persisted until he could persist no more.  In the big cities/neighborhoods, there are roving crews with shovels after any and every snow.  Easy-peasy, but I'd still rather do it myself.

Dave Benke

We probably have about a foot on the MD/DE border.  Very dry and powdery snow.  I'll shovel that all day (and by all day, I mean with fifteen minute breaks with the kids every hour) rather than the five inches of soggy snow we had in December.  All men are created equal; snow is different.

Jeremy

[LutherMan]

Don't know about you, Bishop/DP Benke, but for me there is often more uphill than downhill on this other side of 65. Had to shovel the snow in two short outings rather than in one grand slam. But, Amen! Brother! We still got game.

Be careful doing that.  I had a friend who was only 68 drop from a heart attack last year while shoveling.  Sometimes it is worth hiring neighbor kids or grandkids...

Just finished here - very fluffy snow, which is good.  We lost a neighbor about four years ago to the snow-shoveling-widowmaker-heart-attack.  Didn't need to happen, but he persisted until he could persist no more.  In the big cities/neighborhoods, there are roving crews with shovels after any and every snow.  Easy-peasy, but I'd still rather do it myself.

Dave Benke

We probably have about a foot on the MD/DE border.  Very dry and powdery snow.  I'll shovel that all day (and by all day, I mean with fifteen minute breaks with the kids every hour) rather than the five inches of soggy snow we had in December.  All men are created equal; snow is different.

Jeremy

Glad to hear it is the fluffy, dry and powdery snow.  Just don't overdo it guys.  I have only had to sweep snow with a broom this winter...
Nothing to write home about.

[Pilgrim]

Tim notes: While y'all were "enjoying" your snow shoveling, I was debating between an 8 or 9 iron from 130-yards with a light breeze.

[Dave Benke]

Tim notes: While y'all were "enjoying" your snow shoveling, I was debating between an 8 or 9 iron from 130-yards with a light breeze.

Must have been a light breeze into your face, or older clubs, because you should be striking that 8 iron about 145.  Man up.  Hit the 9. 

If I'm really, really on, I can hit the PW 130.  But that's in smackdown adrenaline mode.  Our District 2nd VP, who is on this board, can punch it out there a long long way with any stick in the bag.

Dave Benke

[GalRevRedux]

Tim notes: While y'all were "enjoying" your snow shoveling, I was debating between an 8 or 9 iron from 130-yards with a light breeze.

...and now we know where all the men have gone....

[mariemeyer]

Tim notes: While y'all were "enjoying" your snow shoveling, I was debating between an 8 or 9 iron from 130-yards with a light breeze.

...and now we know where all the men have gone....

Here in New England the women have gone out to help men shovel snow.  Like it says in Genesis 2, we are their God ordained helpers. 

[Dave Likeness]

In the heartland of the Midwest, Pastor Donna
spends part of her winters cheering for the
Fighting Illini basketball team.  May Coach John
Groce resurrect the men's program sooner rather
than later.

[Dave Likeness]

Marie, this raises the question, "Was their
snow in the Garden of Eden?"  Since Adam
and Eve needed no clothes and had perfect
temperature of 72 degrees, there was no
snow in paradise.

Bottom Line: The first helpmates in history
never shoveled snow.

[Satis Est]

To return momentarily to the original question (Huh?):
 
    I have a personal reason to be concerned regarding the state, financial as well as otherwise, of the ELCA seminaries. I have a child who is quite seriously in the discernment phase regarding a call to ordained ministry. Hence, starting to look at and learn about the seminaries. I am filled with awe, as well as fear and trembling. There is much to be concerned about, not just finances but other matters as well. So my fervent prayer is that these schools manage to get their acts together and straighten up and fly right.

    One thing I think has not helped has been the lack of financial support of its seminaries by the ELCA. My own synod does not contribute a cent to any of the seminaries. The good news is that this was a matter of some discussion at the last synod assembly, and the person who went on to be elected bishop stated this was something that had to change in the future. I hope it does. It does no good to sit around and wring our hands and moan and groan about the state of seminary education if we aren't willing to commit ourselves to financial support and ownership. You get what you pay for, and I think the ELCA proves that with what we have been willing to pay for with the seminaries.

[Brian Stoffregen]

To return momentarily to the original question (Huh?):
 
    I have a personal reason to be concerned regarding the state, financial as well as otherwise, of the ELCA seminaries. I have a child who is quite seriously in the discernment phase regarding a call to ordained ministry. Hence, starting to look at and learn about the seminaries. I am filled with awe, as well as fear and trembling. There is much to be concerned about, not just finances but other matters as well. So my fervent prayer is that these schools manage to get their acts together and straighten up and fly right.

    One thing I think has not helped has been the lack of financial support of its seminaries by the ELCA. My own synod does not contribute a cent to any of the seminaries. The good news is that this was a matter of some discussion at the last synod assembly, and the person who went on to be elected bishop stated this was something that had to change in the future. I hope it does. It does no good to sit around and wring our hands and moan and groan about the state of seminary education if we aren't willing to commit ourselves to financial support and ownership. You get what you pay for, and I think the ELCA proves that with what we have been willing to pay for with the seminaries.

When we had a "daughter of the congregation" attend seminary, the school requested that we try to fund all or at least part of her tuition. We weren't able to do that - that congregation was usually behind in their mortgage payments. It's not just the synods, but also congregations who need to think more about helping seminarians with their expenses.


At the same time, when our son went on to get his Masters (in electrical engineering,) there was no synod or congregational support for his school expenses. (He did receive some nice scholarships and grants throughout his six years of college.)


I've known medical doctors and school teachers who will have their loans forgiven if they work a period of time in less than desirable locations, e.g., small, rural communities - or even schools in Yuma - with a lot of poverty. Perhaps if Thrivent or some group could offer that kind of incentive. It could help both students and rural, isolated, poorer congregations.

[Dave Likeness]

Satis Est, your concerns are legit.  Both the
ELCA and the LCMS as national church bodies
contribute very little to the budgets of their
seminaries.  At one time the LCMS contributed
40 percent of their seminaries budgets, today
it is 1 or 2 percent.  Probably similar for ELCA.

Bottom Line: Until the national Lutheran church
bodies provide adequate financial support for
their seminaries, then they will continue to face
uncertain futures.

[Richard Johnson]

    I have a personal reason to be concerned regarding the state, financial as well as otherwise, of the ELCA seminaries. I have a child who is quite seriously in the discernment phase regarding a call to ordained ministry. Hence, starting to look at and learn about the seminaries.

Well, you'd best encourage her or him toward your and my alma mater! 

[Brian Stoffregen]

As I understand it, when a friend felt called into the Roman Catholic priesthood, his diocese paid for all of his seminary expenses; and there is the expectations that he will serve in that diocese throughout his ministry. His ordination was a diocese-wide event - too large for either church building in the town where the rite took place.


I did confuse the bishop and some other people as I wore my clerical collar to the ordination - and a pectoral cross - something ordinary priests do not wear, but only bishops and higher-ups in the Catholic church. It gave me an opportunity to visit a bit with the bishop, though.

[Donald_Kirchner]

Bottom Line: Until the national Lutheran church
bodies provide adequate financial support for
their seminaries, then they will continue to face
uncertain futures.

And that funding is supposed to come from...where?  Sounds a lot like looking to the Federal gov't "funding."

Bottom line: What's wrong with schools facing uncertain futures?

[Pilgrim]

Must have been a light breeze into your face, or older clubs, because you should be striking that 8 iron about 145.  Man up.  Hit the 9. 
Dave Benke

Tim, laughing, responds: I've seen pictures of you. You have more "core" and thus more "torque" than I! I followed Greg Norman's advice - take one more club and swing easy!