Anticipation is building for Call Day 2025 [1], set for April 30, when concluding Concordia Seminary, St. Louis students will receive their first pastoral or diaconal ministry placements, and second-year students will receive their vicarage or internship assignments in the Chapel of St. Timothy and St. Titus. All calls and assignments for service are to churches or ministries within The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS).
Students who will serve a year as vicars or deaconess interns will receive their assignments at a worship service starting at 3 p.m. (CDT). Dr. Bill Harmon, president of the LCMS Southeastern District, will preach.
“The anticipation is building not only among pastoral and deaconess students receiving their assignments for vicarages and internships but also among the congregations that will receive them,” said Rev. Joel P. Fritsche [2], director of Vicarage and Deaconess Internships. “The people of our LCMS congregations, their pastors, deaconesses and other workers, are valued Seminary partners who invest much in forming faithful laborers for God’s kingdom. Amid the unknowns of who will go where, the Lord’s hand is clearly at work for the care of His people and the building up of His kingdom through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Thanks be to God!”
At 7 p.m. (CDT), candidates for the pastoral and diaconal ministry will receive their first calls to serve as pastors, deaconesses, chaplains or missionaries in the LCMS. Dr. Dien Taylor, president of the LCMS Atlantic District, will preach.
“The call service begins with joyful music. The chapel is full. Voices sing out and candidates for the pastoral and diaconal ministry process in. Yet the focus of attention is on our Lord. He has called these men and women to serve His church in many ways,” said Director of Placement Dr. Glenn Nielsen [3]. “These are His gifts to the congregations of the LCMS. We thank Him for His grace. We also thank our candidates for responding to the call to be pastors and deaconesses. Call day is a day of celebration and praise, indeed!”
A livestream of the Call Day services will be available at csl.edu/call-day [1] and on Facebook [4] and YouTube [5]. Calls and assignments will be shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, in real time during both services. Everyone is encouraged to share their celebratory comments and photos on social media with the hashtag #callday2025.
For more information, visit csl.edu/call-day [1].
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) [6]. To learn more, visit csl.edu [7].