Campus clips: Featuring future church workers

The monthly “Campus Clips” column includes brief reports from LCMS day schools, campus ministries, universities and seminaries.

Dr. Paul von Kampen (left), director of Choral Activities at Concordia University, St. Paul (CSP), conducts area high school students during the Second Annual CSP Twin Cities Honor Choir on Feb. 9 at CSP. (CSP)

High school honor choir

On Monday, Feb. 9, Concordia University, St. Paul (CSP), St. Paul, Minn., hosted the Second Annual CSP Twin Cities Honor Choir, bringing outstanding young singers together for an entire day of music-making. The event, started in 2025 by CSP Director of Choral Activities Dr. Paul von Kampen, is open to all high school students in Grades 9–12, offering them a chance to experience and interact with choral music at the collegiate level.

Students were selected via in-person or online auditions, with more than 100 students vying for a spot in the ensemble. Ultimately, 70 students were selected, representing 13 high schools from three different states. Throughout the day students were engaged in three full rehearsals with von Kampen and the CSP Chamber Choir as they prepared four pieces of music. The event concluded with a performance for family and friends featuring both the honor choir and the University Christus Chorus, CSP’s flagship touring choral ensemble.

Von Kampen noted that the majority of these students come from local LCMS and Christian high schools, so highlighting the university’s church work programs is a key component of the event. He added, “We make a point throughout the day to put our faith front and center. We believe singing is a gift from God, and to be able to join together with so many young people who share that belief leaves a lasting impression.”

A two-year participant of the honor choir agrees. “I can’t help but get excited about eternal worship in paradise because of both honor choirs I have gotten to participate in. If we [are] able to produce such music on earth, imagine how heavenly everything will sound when we join all the saints to worship our Savior for eternity.”

Church work students take part in a luncheon at Concordia University, Nebraska (CUNE), on Feb. 24. (CUNE)

Church work student luncheon

More than 300 students attended a recent church work student luncheon at Concordia University, Nebraska (CUNE), Seward, Neb., on Feb. 24. The event included networking opportunities, a taco and nacho lunch buffet, and remarks by Mick Onnen of Lutheran Hour Ministries of Nebraska as well as a panel of church workers who serve at St. John Lutheran Church in Seward.

CUNE’s church work programs include Lutheran teacher diploma, director of Christian education, director of parish music, pre-seminary, pre-deaconess and classical Lutheran educator certification.

Learn more at cune.edu/churchwork.

Serving during spring break

This year during spring break, a group of 17 students and three staff members from Concordia University Wisconsin (CUW), Mequon, Wis., spent the week helping families in Avery County, N.C., who are still rebuilding after Hurricane Helene in September 2024.

The team partnered with Lutheran Early Response Team (LERT), a ministry of the LCMS Office of National Mission (ONM). Their home base for the week was Camp Linn Haven, an LCMS summer camp that shares its campus with Mountainside Lutheran Church in Linville, N.C. Students assisted with river cleanup, yard restoration, grading and landscaping, and clearing fallen trees left behind by the storm.

Student coordinator Quinn Miller, who helped organize the trip, said, “We received strong support from our Synod in St. Louis through LERT. Through the experience, we saw how important mission work is in extending the church’s hand to communities in need.”

As they worked, students met residents eager to share their experiences of the storm and the process of rebuilding. Miller said hearing residents’ stories strengthened the group’s faith.

“These people came together and placed their hope in God,” he said. “We were humbled by the community’s boldness to hold fast to their faith during a season of suffering.”

Read more.

Streamlined admission

Concordia University Chicago (CUC), River Forest, Ill., recently announced its participation in a new direct admission program, sponsored by the Concordia University System. The program streamlines the application process for graduating seniors from any LCMS high school, homeschool or partner school. It takes effect immediately for high school seniors in the class of 2026, with more robust offerings beginning in the 2026–2027 academic year.

“Going from an LCMS high school to [CUC] should be as easy as moving from one room in the family home to another. It’s all one family, one home, just different rooms. That’s the goal of the direct admission program,” said CUC President Dr. Russell Dawn.

Additional information regarding academic programs, scholarships, campus visits and admission timelines is available at cuchicago.edu. Questions and information related to the direct admission program at CUC may be directed to Kyle Thoms, CUC assistant vice-president of undergraduate enrollment, at kyle.thoms@cuchicago.edu.

For more information about the Concordia University System, visit cus.edu.

Seminary Sunday

The Rev. Dr. Jon Bruss, president of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne (CTSFW), and the Rev. Dr. Tim Puls, director of CTSFW Alumni and Church Relations, visited St. John’s Lutheran Church in Orange, Calif., on Sunday, Feb. 15, for a “Seminary Sunday.” Bruss preached at two services and presented a seminary update during the Bible study hour about the current strategic plan at CTSFW.

Later in the day, Bruss and Puls joined church work students from Concordia University Irvine (CUI), Irvine, Calif., for “family dinner.” A family from the area hosts weekly Sunday dinners for CUI church work students and their friends, building Christian community and supporting students who intend to serve the church after college.

Celebrating 100 years

Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, will celebrate 100 years at its Clayton, Mo., location with a special service in the Chapel of St. Timothy and St. Titus at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 26.

The celebration, themed “O Christ the Living Stone — A Lasting Legacy, a Firm Future,” provides the opportunity to give thanks for God’s faithfulness over a century of theological formation and service on the present-day campus as well as to reflect on the seminary’s ongoing mission of preparing pastors, deaconesses and other leaders for service to the church and world. A light reception will follow the service.

Those unable to attend in person can watch the livestream of the event at csl.edu/live.

Posted April 2, 2026