Unity of the Spirit May 21, 2008
Posted by Rev. Jared Tucher in LCMS, Office of Holy Ministry.add a comment
In the May 2008 newsletter to pastors, President Kieschnick has some good words regarding the unity of the Spirit.
A word from St. Paul: “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:1-3).
The unity we have as Christians is a precious gift of God. If it then behooves us as Christians to “maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace,” how much greater is our responsibility in this regard as ordained ministers of the Gospel?
While much could be written about these few verses in Ephesians, I find a comment in Kretzmann’s Popular Commentary worth sharing: “By striving after the virtues named by the apostle: love, peace, meekness, humility, long-suffering, patience, the Christians maintain the unity of the Spirit given to them in the Word. As soon as these virtues are disregarded, the result is dissension and disagreement, division and sectarianism.” It’s my prayer that all of us-and I begin with myself-will exhibit these virtues and maintain the gift of unity given us by God’s Spirit.
May this be our prayer!
Candidate Placements and the 33 April 24, 2008
Posted by Rev. Jared Tucher in LCMS, Lutheran, Office of Holy Ministry, Seminary.add a comment
On Tuesday, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis held its Vicarage Assignment and Candidate Placement services. At those services, all vicar-elects were placed, while 20 pastor-elects were not placed. Of those 20, 3 were special cases. That left 17 men without calls to a congregation. St. Louis also had 5 deaconess-elects without calls.
On Tuesday evening, my alma mater, Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne, held its Vicarage Assignment service. All vicar-elects were placed. The following evening, the Candidate Placement service was held. 13 men were left without calls to a congregation. 8 men also chose to pursue graduate studies. It’s possible that those men also were left without calls and chose to pursue further studies in hopes that calls would be forth-coming. Dr. Fickenscher said that it was his hope that all men would be placed into the Office of Holy Ministry by the end of July. We continue to pray for all of these men as they enter the role of shepherd and for those who continue to wait for calls.
