Worth Noting. 9 November Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

Transcription

1 114 Seminary Cres Saskatoon, SK S7N 0X3 Telephone: Fax: November 2015 Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ: Greetings from your Seminary in Saskatoon! Attached are resources that you are welcome, should you choose, to use on Christ the King Sunday, 22 November. Lutheran Theological Seminary Saskatoon exists to serve the Canadian church (especially the ELCIC) and society by helping Christians proclaim the Gospel and develop skills for various forms of public ministry. Seminary Sunday is one way LTS fulfills this mission. These resources can help congregations gather around the message of the Gospel, to hear Christ s call to follow, and to hold the ministry of our Seminary in prayer. What is provided: Sermon to go with Christ the King Sunday (Year B) lectionary texts Suggestions for hymn of the day Petitions to guide the prayers of the people A bulletin insert An FAQ about the seminary & our programs Worship leaders are invited to use all or just some of these resources. They are welcome to modify the sermon as they wish. This is also an opportunity to affirm the gifts of a member of the congregation by inviting him or her to preach the sermon text. On this Sunday, you may also wish to invite your congregation to offer a special gift to the seminary and to highlight significant contributions your congregation has made to the work of the seminary in the past. Have past congregation members gone on to become pastors? Have you previously (or do you now?) sponsored a special project or bursary at LTS? How many LTS (and predecessor seminary) graduates have served in your congregation? We are grateful for your shared partnership in training leaders for public ministry. We are also working on materials for a special Seminary Sunday in the new year. So if 22 November doesn t work for your congregation, there will be other opportunities! Blessings, Worth Noting The main part of the sermon is taken from the diary of Prof. Cam Harder, the day before he began seminary as an incoming student (a few decades back!). I like this piece for a few reasons: 1) It proclaims the gospel; 2) It is a real encounter with a seminarian preparing for ministry; 3) It shares the deep faith of a faculty member currently teaching at the Seminary. Pastor Tim Wray Director of Recruitment AFFILIATE COLLEGE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SASKATCHEWAN

2 Day Texts 2 Samuel 23:1-7 or Daniel 7:9-10, Revelation 1:4b-8 John 18:33-37 Suggestions for Hymn of the Day ELW 661 (LBW 390): I Love to Tell the Story ELW 660 (LBW 377): Lift High the Cross ELW 431: O Christ What Can It Mean for Us * *great lyrics, less familiar tune

3 Guided Prayers for the People (based on 2 Samuel 23:1-7) Let us pray for the church, remembering the words of David, that the Spirit of the Lord speaks through ordinary people. Lord, we marvel that you have chosen us as your servants and heirs, and that you have made us a part of your holy family. Extend the message of your Kingdom through our lives to our families, our colleagues, neighbors and friends. [Local ministry work may be named here (e.g., Sunday School, confirmation class, youth group, choir, church council, missional projects, etc.] Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer God, your word is upon our tongues because you have placed it in us. Your Spirit gives each of us the power to speak about why we have hope. Your Spirit is also calling members of the church to be public preachers and teachers. Guide those in our congregation who are being called to public ministry. Strengthen our Seminary and inspire our students as they grow as pastors, deacons, chaplains, and leaders in your church. [A petition for local students or candidates for ministry may be added here.] [You could also pray for the places that your congregation speaks publicly (seniors homes, prayer meetings, community school events, etc.) ] Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer One who rules justly because they fear God is like the light of the morning, gleaming in the rain drops on grassy land. Lord Jesus, you are our ruler, refreshing our lives with your grace each morning. Bless the work of all those who serve your will by tending to the weak, lifting up the lowly, caring for widows and orphans in their distress. [Congregational members who have decision-making power over others could be named here (social and healthcare workes, politicians, police and lawyers ). Social ministries or organizations that your congregation supports could also be named in prayer at this time (CLWR, local food banks, )] Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer

4 God, you have made an everlasting covenant that orders all things and provides our security. Grant faith in us to quell our anxiety about those things that are uncertain in our lives. In you is our security. Calm those whose lives have been thrown into chaos by accident, illness, or addiction. [Pray for those local concerns of your membership] Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer Against the flurry of this world s busy pace, make us bold as Christians to pattern our lives around your patient promises of peace, rest and salvation. We thank you for the faithful witness of the saints who have gone before us, and we await the day when we all will serve as priests around your throne, pointing to the One who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty, the Lamb of God, Christ our King, who lives and reigns with your and Holy Spirit one God now and forever. Amen.

5 Commonly Asked Questions about LTS in Here are answers to questions that we are commonly asked, for your information. Q. What types of courses does LTS offer? A. We have four main degree programs: Master of Divinity (MDiv)/Bachelor of Theology (BTh) - four years, preparation for ordained ministry Master of Theological Studies (MTS) - two years (no internship), advanced academic study of theology for interest or for PhD preparation Doctor of Ministry (DMin) - advanced, practical training for pastors Master of Sacred Theology (STM) - advanced, academic study for pastors Currently, we offer two certificates: Diaconal Ministry - two years (plus internship), preparation for consecration as a diaconal minister Lutheran Formation - one year (plus internship if deemed necessary), Lutheran training for those with an MDiv from a non-elcic/elca seminary who wish to be ordained in the ELCIC Recently, we have begun offering Discovery courses. These are non-credit lay classes for interest, for learning more about one s faith, or for gaining skills useful for work in the church. These courses have around contact hours and no graded assignments. They are offered either in person (not necessarily in Saskatoon) or online. Q. How many students are at the Seminary this year? A. Including three students who plan to start in January, we have eleven students in the Master of Divinity (or awaiting CTEL endorsement for the MDiv), one Master of Theological Studies, six interns, and three Diaconal Ministry students. Another six students are enrolled in the Doctor of Ministry program through LTS, including three Lutherans pastors. Many other students are taking or will take at least one class through LTS this year. We don t know the total yet for 2015, but in 2014, our Director of Finance prepared T2202A tax forms for 43 students!

6 Q. Tell me about the distance program. Can I take my courses online? A. Yes, many of our courses are available online. Check out the Course Offerings Brochure on our website for more information about those. Q. How long are courses? A. Almost all of our for-credit courses are intensives, taking place over one or two weeks (either on-site or by distance). A few classes are offered over a longer period of time. Q. How is the Seminary funded? A. LTS relies on a few different sources for funding: the four Western Synods (MNO, SK, ABT, BC) the Government of Saskatchewan donations from individuals and congregations tuition endowment revenue rental of dormitory rooms Q. I d like to come for a visit. How can I do that? A. We welcome visits from prospective students, alumni/ae, and anyone else. Your experience will be better if you let us know you re coming so we can make sure that the coffee pot is on. Give Joe Stolee or Pamela Giles a call at or or them at development.office@usask.ca!

7 10 Each of you should use whatever gifts you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God s grace in its various forms. 11 Anyone who speaks, should as one who speaks the very words of God. Anyone who serves, should with the strength God provides, so that in everything God may be praised through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 4: Each of you should use whatever gifts you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God s grace in its various forms. 11 Anyone who speaks, should as one who speaks the very words of God. Anyone who serves, should with the strength God provides, so that in everything God may be praised through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 4:10-11 LTS has been training men and women for ministry since Over 1200 of our alumni/ae pastors, diaconal ministers, missionaries, and chaplains have served faithfully as stewards of God s grace. The Seminary is supported by the four western synods of the ELCIC, which means all of us! J You can help support our seminary: Pray for our students, faculty, staff, and board When you see gifts for ministry in others, encourage them to consider attending seminary or at least taking a class! Send a gift by cheque, credit card, or online For more info, visit our website at luther.usask.ca Questions? Contact Joe Stolee ( joe.stolee@usask.ca) or Pastor Tim Wray ( lts.recruitment@usask.ca) LTS has been training men and women for ministry since Over 1200 of our alumni/ae pastors, diaconal ministers, missionaries, and chaplains have served faithfully as stewards of God s grace. The Seminary is supported by the four western synods of the ELCIC, which means all of us! J You can help support our seminary: Pray for our students, faculty, staff, and board When you see gifts for ministry in others, encourage them to consider attending seminary or at least taking a class! Send a gift by cheque, credit card, or online For more info, visit our website at luther.usask.ca Questions? Contact Joe Stolee ( joe.stolee@usask.ca) or Pastor Tim Wray ( lts.recruitment@usask.ca)

8 At Lutheran Theological Seminary Saskatoon, we help our students form patterns for faithful leadership in the world: We equip Christians to pay attention to what God is doing in the ordinary places we spend our lives We challenge students to think about What does this mean? for themselves and for others We create opportunities for context-based learning in the places where God is active in the lives of real people in real communities We seek to do this all in a spirit of gratefulness, joy and expectation for the hope we have in God through Christ Jesus The invitation is open for you and LTS to grow together. How can you study at LTS? Participate in a Discovery class online or in your area Come to Saskatoon for a 1 or 2 week on-site course Join a class from home over the internet Invite your pastor to take a course with you Attend our Study Conference in May (no homework!) Jump all-in and register for a degree program At Lutheran Theological Seminary Saskatoon, we help our students form patterns for faithful leadership in the world: We equip Christians to pay attention to what God is doing in the ordinary places we spend our lives We challenge students to think about What does this mean? for themselves and for others We create opportunities for context-based learning in the places where God is active in the lives of real people in real communities We seek to do this all in a spirit of gratefulness, joy and expectation for the hope we have in God through Christ Jesus The invitation is open for you and LTS to grow together. How can you study at LTS? Participate in a Discovery class online or in your area Come to Saskatoon for a 1 or 2 week on-site course Join a class from home over the internet Invite your pastor to take a course with you Attend our Study Conference in May (no homework!) Jump all-in and register for a degree program Levels of learning Discovery (non-credit, lay-level, for interest) Master s (for-credit, towards a degree) Doctoral (for-credit, advanced training for pastors) Levels of learning Discovery (non-credit, lay-level, for interest) Master s (for-credit, towards a degree) Doctoral (for-credit, advanced training for pastors)