Concordia Blog Cabin

Fireworks and Kazoos Ready for St. Louis July 4th Celebration

St. Louis is the best place to be for the 4th of July! Downtown activities start with the 131st Annual Veiled Prophet Parade at 10:00 a.m. The parade, first modeled after New Orleans’ Mardi Gras celebration, was started by a group of businessmen who wanted to promote the City of St. Louis. Today, the floats are as imaginative and colorful as they were at the first parade in 1878.

Stick around after the parade to see downtown food vendors and live bands as part of Rockin’ the Landing. Fair St. Louis and Live Off the Levee will also have family-friendly events and concerts happening at the Soldier’s Memorial area of downtown St. Louis.

I think the most exciting event happening during this year’s celebration is an attempt to get St. Louis into the Guinness Book of World Records. Several thousand people are expected to join together at Laclede’s Landing in the world’s largest kazoo ensemble. People can pick up kazoos throughout the day at various venues on the Landing. The world record attempt will take place at 4:30 p.m. This week, 5,200 teenagers at a youth conference set an unofficial kazoo world record. I think St. Louis is up to the challenge!

The 4th of July festivities will conclude with a spectacular fireworks display near the Gateway Arch. “Professional Travel Guide” called the St. Louis display one of the top 10 fireworks displays in the nation!

Alison Moeller – Recruitment Events Coordinator

Coming This Fall: Contemplate...

If you’ve ever contemplated becoming a pastor or deaconess, what better way is there to explore those thoughts than to attend an event by the same name?  “Contemplate…” is held at Concordia Seminary once during each fall and spring season. The event is designed to answer questions you may have about seminary life and fulfilling God’s calling for you as a pastor or deaconess.  You’ll have the chance to meet other future students while attending chapel services, breakout sessions, and panel discussions. Are you concerned about relocation, financial aid, or the admissions process?  We’ll have staff members and seminary professors ready to answer your questions and put you at ease. This fall’s session will be held October 9 – 11. Don’t miss your chance to experience Concordia Seminary!

Alison Moeller – Recruitment Events Coordinator

Missouri = Lowest Gas Prices in Nation!

Do soaring gas prices have you considering parking your cars and dusting off your bicycles & rollerblades?  Desperate times call for desperate measures!

As I researched the national average for a gallon of gasoline, I stumbled upon the most recent survey conducted by AAA.  According to the June 2008 survey, Missouri has the LOWEST price for gasoline compared to all other states in the US!  How exciting!  Missouri is actually recognized for a good thing!!

However, at even the cheapest gasoline average in the nation, $3.80 isn't exactly cheap.  To help remedy the high cost of gas, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) has joined with Metro St. Louis in order to celebrate National Dump the Pump Day.  Dump the Pump Day is designed to encourage people to get out of their cars and walk, bike or use public transportation to conserve fuel and reduce the environmental impact of everyday commuting. 

As an incentive for St. Louis area commuters to get out of their vehicles and try public transit, Metro is offering a FREE one-day pass for Dump the Pump Day.  The free pass is valid for Thursday, June 19th only, and allows commuters to try MetroBus and MetroLink for the entire day.

I have received my free one-day pass and I am pumped about using the MetroLink on Thursday in order to transport me from Concordia Seminary's campus to Busch Stadium for the I-70 Series (St. Louis Cardinals vs. Kansas City Royals) game!!!

Laura Moehlman - Life Transitions Coordinator

Tests, tests, and more tests. But wait there's more!

We in the admissions office have come to the realization that taking the Entrance Level Competency Exams (ELCEs) is not what most of you would like to be doing on a Saturday morning, or Saturday afternoon, or Monday evening, or anytime actually.  However,  I have good news for you.

I cannot tell you we are doing away with the exams.  The exams do play a valuable role in assuring our faculty that every incoming student is starting out at the same level of competency (No student left behind kind of thing).

So, since we cannot help you out here, we thought we would help you by giving you a greater window of opportunity to take these exams.  This is what we came up with: a prospective student can take the Old Testament, New Testament, and Christian Doctrine exams from May 1st to April 30th.  Additionally, a prospective student can take the Greek and Hebrew exams anywhere between August 1st and July 31st. For example, if you plan to begin the Seminary in the Fall of 2009 you can already begin taking your entrance exams in OT, NT, and CD.

Even though you will still only have three attempts to pass each respective exams, our hope is that a broader window will allow for more time to study at less busy times of the year.

Will this help you?  We sure hope so.  We want to see you succeed!

Summer Bells

June has returned to the campus of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.  With June come concerts on the Carillon in Luther Tower.  Concerts are held each Tuesday during the month of June at 7pm.  Guest artists come to Concordia Seminary from as nearby as Springfield, IL and this year from as far as Australia.

The Carillon concerts are a great way spend a relaxing evening perhaps enjoying a picnic or a bottle of wine.  They are free and open to the public.  Check out the details for the balance of the 2008 Season and join us for an upcoming Carillon Concert.

Paul Philp - Admissions Counselor

"Meet Me at the Muny - The Muny in Forest Park"

The Muny is one of the great treasures of the St. Louis area!  The Muny is an outdoor theater that runs Broadway productions.  It is nestled in Forest Park just a short distance from Concordia Seminary.  Each summer the Muny has about seven productions that run for a week each.  These shows have included many major Broadway hits and also featured some of the biggest names of the stage.

The Muny is definitely a different venue to watch a Broadway production.  Some of the usual trappings of the theater are not there - but they are replaced by a unique natural beauty.  Sure the planes on approach to Lambert add an interesting sound track while mingled with a passing siren.  These things are just part of the unique blend of art and nature around the Muny stage.  The productions are magnificent.  Rain might put a damper on the show at times but even that often does not keep the show from going on.

Serious theater goers are part of the Muny audience each summer.  They are not the only ones who are there however.  Many families bring children for their first taste of Broadway.  The mix of the audience is all part of the fun.  Everyone can enjoy the Muny because the tickets are reasonably priced.  Even the most expensive season ticket section is still a great deal when compared to something like the Fox (another one of the magnificent theatersof St. Louis). 

My season tickets just arrived in the mail yesterday.  I am a little less of a spender on these kinds of things - so I bought the cheap seats.  My seats, the cheap seats, are still great seats and they only cost me $49 for the entire season!  Better still, especially for seminary families on a budget are the FREE SEATS!  There are seats in the back section of the Muny that are absolutely FREE for every show.  They are first come first served, so get there early.

This year the Muny is celebrating 90 years of bringing Broadway to Forest Park.  So come on out and enjoy the Muny Magic and "Meet Me at the Muny - the Muny in Forest Park!" The Muny website is at www.muny.org and it is a great place to visit to learn more about this St. Louis treasure.

Paul Philp - Admissions Counselor

Hidden Treasure

There are so many different places to go & experience in St. Louis that it can seem overwhelming at times.  Not only are there the old favorites, such as the Gateway Arch, Grant’s Farm, and Forest Park, but there are also many hidden treasures in this great city.  For me, a native St. Louisan, the hidden treasures of St. Louis are easy to overlook while planning activities for visitors or for my own family.   

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To remedy this oversight, the May 2008 issue of St. Louis Magazine has compiled ‘101 Things Every St. Louisan Must Do.’  The must-do list not only mentions the old favorites, but it also mentions hidden treasures found in & around St. Louis.  To my delighted surprise, Concordia Seminary was a hidden treasure, mentioned on this elusive list!  Nestled between Ted Drewes Frozen Custard (a local favorite) and the Anheuser-Busch Tour (a tourist favorite) is the following blurb:

         

"Every St. Louisan must taste an Espresso Macchiato or Classic Mokka Jave from the original Kaldi's Coffeehouse on Demun, drunk across the street on the peaceful grounds of CONCORDIA SEMINARY, early on a spring morning."

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Even though I would probably opt for a frozen drink this time of year, I certainly would have no problem enjoying the cool beverage on the "peaceful grounds of Concordia Seminary!!!"

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Laura Moehlman

Life Transitions Coordinator

Click here to see the article in St. Louis Magazine

+ The Rev. Dr. Jaroslav J. Vajda +

The Rev. Dr. Jaroslav J. Vajda was one of the most prolific hymn writers in the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod.  His hymns fill the pages of our denominational hymnals as well as those of numerous other denominations.  His hymns are filled with many magnificent images and clearly proclaim Christ.  On Saturday, May 10, 2008, Dr. Vajda was called to his eternal rest.

Just over a year ago, Concordia Seminary hosted a hymn festival which celebrated the hymnody of Dr. Vajda.  This festival was an opportunity to rejoice and give praise to God for the prolific hymnody of Dr. Vajda.  Through the texts of Vajda's hymns the Gospel is boldly proclaimed.  Dr. Vajda was able to be in attendance for this hymn festival.

Dr. Vajda now rests from his labors.  The words of his hymns will continue to fill our hearts and voices as we praise our Lord and God at Concordia Seminary, throughout the LC-MS, and throughout Christendom.  As we sing, we rejoice in the same confidence Dr. Vajda confessed during his earthly life.  We rejoice in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the hope of eternal life in Him!

Further information about Dr. Vajda may be found at:  http://music.cph.org/2007/vajda.asp and http://www.legacy.com/stltoday/DeathNotices.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=109531223.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Paul Philp - Admissions Counselor

Big Fun on the Bayou

The Bayou came to Concordia Seminary last Thursday! No, the fountain outside of the library didn’t flood.  I’m not talking about all the spring rains in St. Louis.  I’m talking about jambalaya, alligator sausage, crawfish and bread pudding.  You could smell this feast across the entire 72-acre campus.  I won't forget the looks from passers by as they turned their heads in awe of the spread in front of Loeber Hall. What was going on?

Rev. Paul Ernewein, a 2007 Concordia Seminary graduate and Pastor of The Village Lutheran Church in Lacombe, Louisiana, began a tradition during his four years of seminary studies.  Paul, a New Orleans native, cooked up a feast of jambalaya every year for the seminary campus community.  After about a year serving in the Office of the Holy Ministry, Rev. Chef Paul returned last Thursday to keep that tradition alive.  This year Paul added a surprise element to the feast—crawfish.  Paul was accompanied by one of his church members, Mr. Bob Schaefer.  Ever want to know how to eat a crawfish?  Download Bob’s instructional video!

What do jambalaya and crawfish have to do with the Gospel?  The annual jambalaya fest is sponsored by Concordia Seminary’s Office of Admissions and Ministerial Recruitment.  It’s a time for the admissions staff to rejoice with soon-to-be vicars, deaconess interns and pastors in the assignments the Lord has given them.  It’s a time to encourage these folks to identify potential pastors and deaconesses as they get ready to head to their respective congregations.  As they go forth in the Lord’s service, we pray that by the power of the Gospel others in their care may be inspired also to say, “Here am I, Lord, send me.”

Thank you, Paul and Bob for making the journey up here to St. Louis to keep this tradition going!  Thank you to all of you students who are heading to vicarages, internships and pastoral calls!  The Lord be with you as you go forth in the name of Jesus!

Rev. Joel Fritsche, Admissions Counselor

 

 

A Weekend with 3,600 Lutheran Teachers

To some, spending a weekend with almost 4,000 teachers may well sounds like a scary prospect!  Last weekend I had the privilege of doing just that and it was anything but scary.  I am not sure if the numerous teams playing volleyball in the exhibit hall two doors down felt the same way, but I found the enthusiasm of the 3,600 Lutheran Teachers at the Lutheran Education Association Convocation in Minneapolis to be refreshing.

The Lutheran Church -- Missouri Synod has a grand heritage in the realm of education.  Numerous people have had their faith fed and nourished by faithful servants of God in the classrooms of our Lutheran Schools.  These dear saints of God have, in many cases, sacrificed many things in order to be a strong presence in the lives of their students.  By strong presences, I mean to say that many of these teachers have filled the roles that too many parents have not.  These teachers have lovingly taught their students many things, most importantly that they are sinners in need of a savior and that they have a Savior, Jesus the Christ.

All too often, Lutheran Schools have increasingly been viewed as a drain on the budgets of the congregations that support them.  Spending a weekend with many of these Lutheran Teachers and having served a congregation that supported a Lutheran School, I would argue that the drain on the budget, where it may exist, is overwhelmingly offset by the great benefits these teachers provide.

In the congregation that I served, my most active families were among those who sent their children to the day school.  Many of the adult catechumens that I was privileged to instruct came from the parents of day school students.  Without this important piece of the ministry in that congregation, the ministry of the congregation would have been lacking.

Many of the students at Concordia Seminary were just placed into their first calls and vicarages.  I hope that those who are so blessed as to serve in congregations that are connected to Lutheran Schools will give thanks for the many blessings that these schools and the faculties associated with them will bring into their ministry.  For those of you considering attending Concordia Seminary to prepare for pastoral ministry or service as a deaconess, I hope that you will count among one of the blessings you will have in your future service to be working with a Lutheran School.

Lutheran Schools are one of the greatest blessings that the LCMS has been blessed to receive.  Take just a few moments to give thanks to God for these great blessings and if you are fortunate enough to be in a congregation with a school, be sure to give your school teachers your heartfelt thanks also!

Paul Philp - Admissions Counselor