Connect with ‘Set Apart to Serve’ at convention

Sheryl Tietz works with students at Jesus Our Savior Lutheran Preschool in Winnebago, Neb., on Wednesday, Jan. 11. (LCMS/Erik M. Lunsford)

Like the rest of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), Set Apart to Serve (SAS), the Synod’s church work recruitment initiative, is busily preparing for the upcoming Synod convention.

SAS will have a significant and visible presence at the convention via:

A series of videos highlighting SAS that will be shown throughout the convention proceedings; and

An opportunity in the Exhibit Hall to see the partnership underway among SAS, the Synod, the Concordia universities and both LCMS seminaries.

In addition, the 2023 Convention Workbook contains a detailed report on SAS on Pages 26–28 that includes updates on:

The SAS pilot program;

The development of an SAS curriculum in cooperation with Concordia Publishing House;

Collaborative efforts between SAS and stakeholders across the Synod; and

The second-career phase of SAS, which seeks to increase awareness and opportunities for those open to or considering church work as a second career, especially as a pastor and Lutheran schoolteacher.

There are also a number of overtures related to SAS and pastoral education, which are printed in the Workbook beginning on Page 321.

The Rev. Dr. James Baneck, executive director of the LCMS Office of Pastoral Education, said, “Set Apart to Serve is the collaborative effort of everyone in the Synod to build a culture of church work formation and recruitment in every family, congregation and school. From one generation to the next, the church responds to Christ’s words, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest’ (Matt. 9:37–38). This is what God’s people do so that our children, grandchildren and all God’s people know Jesus Christ for their life and salvation.”

For more information, visit lcms.org/sas.

Posted June 15, 2023