The 186^th academic year for Concordia Seminary, St. Louis began Friday, Aug. 23, with the Opening Service in the Chapel of St. Timothy and St. Titus.

The Seminary anticipates 131 new students across its Ministerial Formation and Advanced Studies programs. The Opening Service concluded orientation for new students this week, and fall semester classes will begin on Monday.

During the Opening Service, Seminary President Dr. Thomas J. Egger preached on the 2024-25 academic theme, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus,” based on Heb. 12:2 and Ps. 141:8.

“Lord God, open our eyes and lift our eyes continually to behold Your Son,” Egger prayed at the conclusion of the sermon. “As we begin this new school year together, grant, dear Lord, that we may be a people with eyes fixed on Jesus. And send Jesus forth, soon, we pray, that we may look upon His face, and behold His scars, and serve and praise Him in unending joy.”

During the service, new faculty and a new staff member were installed: Assistant Professor of Practical Theology Dr. Sam Eatherton, who also serves as kantor and director of music arts and the Kreft Chair for Music Arts; Assistant Professor of Exegetical Theology Dr. James Fickenscher; Associate Professor of Historical Theology and the Director of Research, Assessment and Academic Programming Dr. Jason Lane; Assistant Professor of Practical Theology Dr. Ryan Tinetti; and Interim Campus Chaplain Rev. Dan Gilbert.

In addition, three current professors and one current staff member were installed into new positions: Professor of Exegetical Theology Rev. Joel Fritsche as the Buehner-Duesenberg Professor of Lutheran Missions, Associate Professor of Exegetical Theology Dr. Kevin Golden as director of Resident Field Education, Associate Professor of Practical Theology Dr. Ely Prieto as director of the Center for Hispanic Studies and Admissions Officer Rev. Jesse Kueker as interim director of recruitment.

In all, four new faculty and eight new staff were recognized, and 11 faculty and staff were recognized for new positions.

Also during the service, 43 distance students who received their vicarage and internship assignments were recognized.

The following Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP) students were assigned as vicars:                                                     

• Steven Allen, St. John Lutheran Church, St. James, Mo., LCMS Missouri District
• Eric Carlson, Redeemer Lutheran Church, Fredericksburg, Va., LCMS Southeastern District
• Steven Cashio, Zion Lutheran Church and School, Georgetown, Texas, LCMS Texas District
• Raymond Dubert, Our Savior’s Way Lutheran Church, Ashburn, Va., LCMS Southeastern District
• Philip Frank, Redeemer and St. Paul Lutheran Churches, Alpine and Monahans, Texas, LCMS Texas District
• Timothy Hoffman, Our Savior Lutheran Church, Norfolk, Neb., LCMS Nebraska District
• Ronald Jones, Bethany Lutheran Church, Leesburg, Fla., LCMS Florida-Georgia District
• Gilbert Kajuna, Our Savior’s Way Lutheran Church, Ashburn, Va., LCMS Southeastern District
• Mark Kempf, Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Scottsdale, Ariz., LCMS Pacific Southwest District
• Shane Neumann, St. John Lutheran Church, Kiron, Iowa, LCMS Iowa District West
• Timothy Nordquist, Divine Shepherd Lutheran Church, Omaha, Neb., LCMS Nebraska District
• Cory Paine, St. John Lutheran Church, Willits, Calif., LCMS California-Nevada-Hawaii District
• John Pegg, Trinity Lutheran Church, Port Huron, Mich., LCMS Michigan District
• Ross Petersen, Our Savior Lutheran Church, Norfolk, Neb., LCMS Nebraska District
• Lawrence Queen, Woodlands Lutheran Church, Montverde, Fla., LCMS Florida-Georgia District
• Daniel Sellers, First Lutheran Church, Ada, Okla., LCMS Oklahoma District
• Eric Sigmon, St. John’s Lutheran Church, Conover, N.C., LCMS Southeastern District

The following Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology (EIIT) students were assigned as vicars:

• Benedict Baroi, assignment pending, United Bengali Lutheran Church of America, Woodside, N.Y., LCMS Atlantic District
• Edward Biswas, assignment pending, United Bengali Lutheran Church of America, Woodside, N.Y., LCMS Atlantic District
• Thomas Larsen, Faith Lutheran Church, Grand Prairie, Texas, LCMS Texas District
• Phanet Metayer, Grace Tabernacle Evangelical Lutheran Church, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., LCMS Florida-Georgia District
• Claubert Pierre, assignment pending, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Los Angeles, Calif., LCMS Pacific Southwest District
• Christophe Rusare, Lutheran Intercity Network Coalition (LINC) South Texas, San Antonio, Texas, LCMS Texas District
• Yohannis Yohanne, Faith Lutheran Church, Sioux Falls, S.D., LCMS South Dakota District

The following Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology (EIIT) students were assigned as deaconess interns:

• Kathleen Beegle, Lutheran Deaf Outreach, St. Charles, Mo., LCMS Missouri District
• Connie Kipp, Lutheran Deaf Outreach, St. Charles, Mo., LCMS Missouri District

The following Center for Hispanic Studies (CHS) students were assigned as vicars:

• Alfredo González Calderon, Iglesia Vida Nueva, Houston, Texas, LCMS Texas District
• Brian González, New Song Community Church, Aurora, Ill., LCMS Northern Illinois District
• Nestor Teni, New Song Community Church, Aurora, Ill., LCMS Northern Illinois District
• Gustavo Valderrama, assignment pending, St. James Lutheran Church, Imperial Beach, Calif., LCMS Pacific Southwest District

The following Center for Hispanic Studies (CHS) students were assigned as deaconess interns:

• Martha Guerra, assignment pending, Immanuel Lutheran Church and School, Brandon, Fla., LCMS Florida-Georgia District
• Nicole Morales, New Song Community Church, Aurora, Ill., LCMS Northern Illinois District

The following Cross-cultural Ministry Center (CMC) students were assigned as vicars:

• Adam Dougherty, Salem Lutheran Church and School, Orange, Calif., LCMS Pacific Southwest District
• Gregory González, Our Saviors Lutheran Church, Henderson, Nev., LCMS Pacific Southwest District
• Albert Levy, Trinity Lutheran Church, San Rafael, Calif., LCMS California-Nevada-Hawaii District
• Alexander Parker, Concordia Church and School, Chula Vista, Calif., LCMS Pacific Southwest District
• Jonathan Theander, Grace Lutheran Church, Pocatello, Idaho, LCMS Northwest District
• Tyree Toney, Mountain View Lutheran Church, Las Vegas, Nev., LCMS Pacific Southwest District
• Scott Viesselman, Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Winnetka, Calif., LCMS Pacific Southwest District

The following Online Deaconess Studies (ODS) Program students were assigned as deaconess interns:

• Rebecca Folsom McCoy, Epiphany Lutheran Church and Preschool, Tallahassee, Fla., LCMS Florida-Georgia District
• Lori Sanchez, Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church and Preschool, La Grange, Texas, LCMS Texas District
• Kristen Schiefelbein, Calvary Lutheran Church, Lincoln, Neb., LCMS Nebraska District
• Heather Zellman, Immanuel Lutheran Church, Gaylord, Minn., LCMS Minnesota South District

While the Seminary recognizes and celebrates calls throughout the year, its primary annual Call Day celebration is set for April 30, 2025.

After the installations and blessing of new students, Egger officially opened the 186^th academic year.

“When we lift our eyes to Jesus, when we gaze upon the cross, what do we see? We see a Lord looking upon sinners in compassion and saving them. Even from that cross, His eyes were on His people,” Egger said, “When your eyes behold Him, when you fix your eyes on Jesus, you behold a Lord who has never stopped looking upon you in love. And He never will.”

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 csl.edu.