Five new students in the Specific Ministry Pastor Program (SMP) received their vicarage assignments during morning chapel on Friday, February 14, at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.

• Karl Glander, Immokalee Lutheran, Immokalee, Fla., Florida-Georgia District
• Andrew Gomez, Jr., Memorial Lutheran Church for the Deaf, Fremont, Calif., California-Nevada-Hawaii District
• Keith Hills, Faith Lutheran, Sweetwater, Texas, Texas District
• Chad Kogutkiewicz, Hales Corners Lutheran, Hales Corners, Wis., English District
• Brent Schian, Saving Grace Lutheran, Queen Creek, Ariz., Pacific Southwest District

The SMP program is designed to meet the needs of the church for pastors in mission and ministry opportunities where a pastor with a seminary degree may not be available. In order to be eligible for the SMP program men must be serving in a ministry of a Lutheran congregation which desires their service as a pastor. They must be nominated for the program by their District President. Based upon this nomination, and their previous ministry experiences, the men begin their academic work as concurrent-deferred vicars.

For more information, contact creative services, Concordia Seminary, 801 Seminary Place, St. Louis, MO 63105; 314-505-7594; [email protected].

Front row: Karl Glander, Andrew Gomez, Jr., Chad Kogutkiewicz, Keith Hills. Second row, left to right: Dr. Dale Meyer, Brent Schian, Dr. David Wollenburg, Dr. Glenn Nielsen.