Sabbatical Week Deadline Extended!

How do you defend your faith in a skeptical environment? The Sabbatical Week course on Christian Apologetics at the end of June is getting closer - have you registered? We have met our minimum registration, but would love to have a larger group of participants! The registration deadline has been extended beyond June 1st - it is not too late to sign up!

Theme: How do you present and defend your faith today in a skeptical environment? A course on Christian Apologetics
Instructor: Prof. Dr. Jonathan Strand, CUCA
Date: June 27-30, 2011
Who: All Pastors, Deacons, DPS, and Teachers are welcome to attend
Place: Concordia University College of Alberta (Hosted by CLS & CUCA)
Cost: $250

More info here: http://www.concordiasem.ab.ca/academics/SabbaticalWeek.php

Sacred Convocation Information

Where to watch, placements, program, etc. Click here.

Fostering Pastoral Collegiality

Early this week, CLS held its 2nd annual Pastoral Gathering. Pastors from the Edmonton region and further afield were invited to join in a day of conversation. This year’s forum centered on the topic “The Pastor and Synod.” The discussion was attended about a dozen guests, along with members of the seminary faculty.
The afternoon opened with a keynote address by Dr. Edwin Lehman, president emeritus of Lutheran Church – Canada. He spoke about the proper understanding of synod as a joyful walk together on the same path. It is not a forced lock-step, nor is it an individualistic free-for-all, but it is a walk in which the people move together toward the same goal and look out for one-another’s well-being.
With these thoughts in mind, the group divided into two, with each of these groups discussing two different sets of two theses dealing with the relationship of pastor and synod. These theses were designed to be provocative, and were intended to be open-ended. Opinions and insights were shared. After a forty-minute discussion, the group reassembled. Members of each group spoke about the insights gained from their discussions, as the plenary group continued the conversation. The day then ended with a wine and cheese reception.
Those who were present agreed that the day was both enjoyable and beneficial, as pastors were free to discuss the topics and gain insights from one another and to simply enjoy one another’s company. The seminary looks forward to hosting the 3rd Annual Pastoral Gathering next year.

Where to next? Sacred Convocation; 2 weeks away

That question is front of mind for vicars and candidates at CLS. At the 27th Sacred Convocation on May 27th, five vicars and two pastoral candidates will receive the answer, as they prepare themselves for the next chapter of service in Jesus' name. Darren Dressler, Todd Guggenmos, Vince Moore, James Prophet, and Mark Schultz are awaiting vicarage placements; Ian Wemyss and Lorne Reddemann are awaiting their first call. David Morton, a colloquy student, will also receive his Theological Diploma.

The Sacred Convocation combines into one service, events which used to be divided into three parts. It marks the completion of what is known as the “holy circle,” in which candidates who were given to the seminary by the church to prepare them for service, have completed their education and are now given back to the church for service to the people of God.

After a service of praise and of hearing the word of God, candidates for vicarage (which normally takes place as the third year of the four-year program of pastoral preparation) are presented to receive their assignments to a congregation of Lutheran Church–Canada. These candidates will spend a year under the supervision of an LCC pastor gaining hands-on experience in ministry.

The convocation continues with the granting of degrees. Those entering the ministry receive the degree of Master of Divinity, indicating that they have completed their academic preparation for the holy ministry. This is then followed by the granting of the Theological Diploma, which states that the candidate has been certified for the holy ministry (which includes personal as well as academic suitability). Immediately after receiving the theological diploma, the candidate receives his first call into the holy ministry, thus completing the “holy circle.”

The Sacred Convocation will be webcast live on CLSTV. Viewers can download the full program which is available on the Sacred Convocation 2011 page. 

License to Preach

The Master of Divinity program starts with a year-long orientation session. In a sense, this must be what it seems like for first year seminarians. In these eight months they are introduced to isagogics, exegesis, systematics, homiletics, and several other new things cleverly gathered together with theological buzz words. Scott Gamble and Roland Starke have reached that time of the program where they probably feel like the orientation is finally over. You see, one notable milestone for all first year full time Master of Divinity students comes at the completion of a course called Preaching 1. The objective is to learn and practice an orderly method of preaching doctrinally sound, contextually relevant sermons. Major emphases are the sermon writing process, sermon delivery, and distinguishing between Law and Gospel. While enrolled in this course, students received the privilege of preaching twice in worship services of their assigned fieldwork congregations; Scott at Christ the King Lutheran Church with Rev. Vic Esperanza (CLS '01) and Roland at Concordia Lutheran Church with Rev. Mark Hennig (CLS '03).

L-R: Prof. Kraemer, Roland Starke, Scott Gamble, Pres. Zeuch

Once a seminarian completes Preaching 1, he receives a License to Preach in Lutheran Church–Canada, and can also anticipate being scheduled to preach on occasion in the daily seminary chapel services. On Monday, May 2nd, Roland Starke and Scott Gamble received their Preaching Licenses. Please join us in congratulating each of them upon reaching this seminary milestone.