In the last two weeks, we experienced another amazing demonstration of God’s blessing on our synod. Candidates for the teaching ministry and staff ministry received their first calls on May 16 at Martin Luther College (MLC), New Ulm, Minn. Later the next week, at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (WLS), Mequon, Wis., pastoral ministry and vicar candidates received their assignments. We gathered during the call services in both locations to thank God for sending these workers into his harvest field.
Forty-seven teacher candidates with no geographic limitations accepted assignments into full-time ministry. In addition, 31 teacher candidates limited geographically received calls, and 17 teacher candidates were re-assigned to their current places of service. Two additional teachers received calls after their husbands received their vicar calls. Eighty-eight teacher requests to the Assignment Committee were not filled.
Three staff ministry candidates were also assigned. One additional staff ministry candidate had been permanently assigned to her current place of service earlier in the year.
The Assignment Committee received 108 requests for pastors. Forty-nine candidates were assigned, leaving 59 requests unfilled. Of the 49 assigned, 45 were 2026 seminary graduates and 4 were from previous classes. In addition, 3 men were re-assigned to their present place of service. After the Assignment Committee finished its work, 128 vacancies for pastorally trained men remained, bringing the percentage of vacancies for pastorally trained men down to about 10 percent. While this is a significant improvement, we pray that the Lord of the harvest continues to move his people to heed his call to service in the public ministry.
We thank God for these gifts to his church, and we thank his servants for their willingness to serve.
