Concordia Seminary, St. Louis will begin its 178th academic year with a special worship service at 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 2, in the Chapel of St. Timothy and St. Titus.

Seminary President Dr. Dale A. Meyer will serve as preacher and will introduce the theme for the year, “By Grace Alone, Grace in His Son.” The theme is based on the hymn “By Grace I’m Saved.”

“Grace is the deepest motivation for joining us at Concordia Seminary, to immerse yourself body, soul and spirit in the grace God gives to each of us in our Lord Jesus Christ,” Meyer said. “And then we go forth, joyous in grace, because ‘we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard’ (Acts 4:20).”

One new professor will be installed: Dr. Peter Nafzger, assistant professor of practical theology (homiletics) and former pastor of New Life Church—Lutheran in Hugo, Minn. Dr. Joel Biermann, associate professor of systematic theology, will be installed as the Waldemar A. and June Schuette Professor of Systematic Theology.

Dr. Mark Seifrid, professor of exegetical theology, will be ordained in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) at the Opening Service. He has been on the Concordia Seminary, St. Louis faculty since 2015, after having undergone the LCMS colloquy process.

Also, the fall 2016 cohort of the Seminary’s Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP) program will receive vicarage assignments during the Opening Service while they are on campus for Orientation.

New students will attend Orientation Aug. 30 through Sept. 2. Students and mentors will participate in a servant event, joining with faculty and staff to serve the people of St. Louis. Tasks include landscaping at various Gateway Greening gardens, painting and cleaning at the Peace Center, and cleaning and performing maintenance tasks at Compass Education schools.

There also will be on-campus opportunities for students and families to become better acquainted with campus life during Orientation.

Classes begin Tuesday, Sept. 6.

The public is invited to the Opening Service. Concordia Seminary is located at 801 Seminary Place, St. Louis, MO, 63105.

Those who cannot attend the Opening Service may watch the livestream at www.csl.edu/live. Family and friends are invited to join in the celebration on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter by using #CSLorientation and #GraceInHisSon.

About Concordia Seminary
Concordia Seminary, St. Louis provides Gospel-centered graduate-level theological education for pastors, missionaries, deaconesses, scholars and other leaders in the name of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS). To learn more, visit www.csl.edu.