Nominations of high school youth to attend the annual Exploring Church Careers Event (ECCE) and Exploring the Pastoral Ministry (EPM) event on the Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, campus are being received at a record rate. The nomination process opened on March 1 and through March 5, a total of 108 nominations had been received.

"This is the most nominations we have ever received in the first four days of the nomination process and we are very encouraged by this tremendous response," commented Rev. Glen Thomas, vice president for seminary relations. "I want to emphasize, however, that there still is plenty of room for additional youth to attend since a nomination is not the same as a registration. All nominees are mailed a registration form after they have been nominated. No one is registered until the completed registration form and fee are received by us. I encourage pastors, teachers, DCEs and others in our church to continue to nominate gifted youth who would benefit from these events."

The July 31-Aug. 3 ECCE features Bible study, on-site visitation opportunities with those serving in the featured work vocations and opportunities for youth to gain college and seminary information pertaining to each of the featured vocations. Admission personnel from the Concordia University Schools and Valparaiso University assist throughout the event. A $50 registration fee is the only charge youth pay to attend the ECCE, in addition to travel costs. All activities, meals during the event and on-campus lodging are provided at no cost to participants. Travel scholarships are available to ensure that travel costs do not prevent youth from attending. ECCE registration is limited to 80 high school youth, male or female.

The EPM will take place Aug. 3-6 on the Seminary campus and will allow 50 young men of high school age the opportunity to study theology with Seminary professors, worship with the Seminary community, hear pastors discuss the joys and challenges of the pastoral ministry, take part in a Servant Event and attend a St. Louis Cardinals baseball game. The two events are designed to identify, inform and encourage youth with respect to church work vocations. While the ECCE will include information regarding a wide variety of church work vocations, the EPM will focus exclusively on the pastoral ministry. A $60 registration fee is the only charge for youth to attend the EPM. All meals and lodging at the event are provided free of charge.

"We are excited about the chance to offer this experience for young men who are starting to feel the desire to serve our Lord in the pastoral ministry," commented Thomas. "Many young men we encounter in recruitment travel have said they would really enjoy the chance to experience Seminary life for a few days, and we want to encourage them to do so."

Publicity and nomination forms for the ECCE and EPM were sent in February to all Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) pastors, youth directors, directors of Christian education, high school principals, high school teachers and guidance counselors. Nomination forms may be printed from the Concordia Seminary Web site (www.csl.edu/nomination.htm). Those who attended a previous ECCE will not be eligible to attend ECCE 2004 so that the largest number of youth possible attend this event over the years. However, those who have attended a previous ECCE or EPM are able to attend this year's EPM.

The ECCE is made possible by a $150,000 grant Concordia Seminary received to assist in the process of identifying, informing and encouraging high school youth toward service in church work careers. The grant is from Lilly Endowment Inc., headquartered in Indianapolis, Ind.

For more information on the ECCE or the EPM, contact the Admissions Office, Concordia Seminary, 801 DeMun Ave., St. Louis, MO 63105; [email protected]. Additional information for both events is also available on the Seminary's Web site (www.csl.edu/EcceEPM.pdf).