By Cheryl Magness
As Idonis King prepared to receive his call documents at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis (CSL), on April 23, his anticipation was palpable. Waiting in the line of seminarians queued up to receive their calls, King gently bounced in place. As he approached the front of the line, the bouncing turned to jumping. When it was King’s turn, the Rev. Dr. Glenn Nielsen, CSL director of placement, chuckled. “Idonis, you’ve had a lot of faculty members rooting for you and pulling for you, and the time has come.”
As the assembly laughed and cheered, King pumped his fists in the air; gave Nielsen a high five and a hug; and proceeded to hug, in turn, the eight other Synod and seminary leaders waiting to offer their congratulations. Turning to the next candidate in line, seminarian Christopher Knepper, Nielsen joked, “No hugs, Chris.”
Nielsen’s words to King, and King’s joyful response, represented the feelings of many across The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) as both seminaries held this year’s call and assignment services. At CSL, a total of 112 students received first calls to pastoral and diaconal ministry or assignments as vicars and deaconess interns during services on April 23. At CSL’s sister seminary, Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne (CTSFW), 86 students received calls and assignments during services on April 23 and 24. An additional four deaconess students at CTSFW received placements on May 16, and four deaconesses who had already received placements were recognized.
“Pastoral and diaconal formation is at the heart of who we are and what we do here,” said the Rev. Dr. Todd Peperkorn, director of vicarage and internship for CTSFW. “This formation happens because of the congregations around the country who partner with us in this wonderful work. Thank God for the people of the LCMS, and for these men and women who have offered themselves up for service in Christ’s church.”
The Rev. Michael Mohr, president of the LCMS Central Illinois District, preached on John 16:16–22 for CSL’s vicarage and deaconess assignment service. He noted with a smile how appropriate the text was for students preparing to leave for vicarage or internship: “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.”
Then, turning serious, Mohr warned the students to be alert to Satan’s attack. Satan knows that he can’t get the Father to deny His children, so instead he seeks to get the children to deny their Father. “You will be attacked not just in your mind and in your spirit but in your body and your office as well,” Mohr said, before reminding the students of where both they and those they will serve can find their strength: “With eyes fixed upon Jesus, their hearts and yours will rejoice, and no one can take that joy from you.” Idonis King would no doubt agree.
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Posted on June 20, 2024
