With great joy, 112 Concordia Seminary, St. Louis students took part in Call Day Tuesday, receiving first calls to pastoral and diaconal ministry or assignments as vicars and deaconess interns. The two Call Day services were held in the Chapel of St. Timothy and St. Titus and also were livestreamed.

First calls to serve as pastors, deaconesses, chaplains and missionaries in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) were announced at a 7 p.m. worship service in which Dr. Brian S. Saunders, president of the LCMS Iowa District East, preached on 1 Cor. 2:1-2, when Paul was determined to only know Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

 “Your aim shall always be to make sinners see their only salvation is He who bled and died and rose again so they can live in Him,” Saunders said to the pastoral and diaconal candidates. “Christ crucified. Christ risen. That’s our comfort and that’s who this is all about.”

The pastoral students receiving calls included 56 Master of Divinity (M.Div.) and Residential Alternate Route (RAR) students, three Cross-cultural Ministry Center (CMC) students and three students in the Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology (EIIT).

Six deaconess students, including five from the residential Deaconess Studies Program and one from the Center for Hispanic Studies, received calls. One deaconess student has a placement pending.

Earlier today, 41 M.Div. and RAR students who will serve as vicars and three residential Deaconess Studies students who will serve as interns received their assignments at a 3 p.m. worship service.

During the vicarage and deaconess internship assignment service, Rev. Michael Mohr, president of the LCMS Central Illinois District, preached a sermon from John 16:16-22.

“Take your place under His cross and remember not your anguish and pain,” he told the seminarians awaiting their assignments. “Here stands for you this flesh and blood Jesus bringing you flesh and blood joy, a joy beyond all measure and scope, for this Christ is risen from the dead and your sins are atoned for.”

All calls and assignments will be served in LCMS congregations and ministries. Three students received calls or assignments internationally to Belize, Romania and Sri Lanka. A complete list of assignments and placements, including an interactive map and photos, can be found at csl.edu/call-day or at the links below:

• Assignment of calls in alphabetical order
• Assignment of calls by district
• Vicarage and deaconess internship assignments in alphabetical order
• Vicarage and deaconess internship assignments by district
• Photo compilations of calls and assignments by district

Calls and assignments were shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, in real time during both services, and many people shared their celebratory comments and photos with the hashtag #callday2024.

“Jesus reminded His disciples that they had not chosen Him but that He had chosen them and appointed them to bear fruit that would last forever. What an absolute joy Call Day is for our Seminary community and for the LCMS. We get to hear where the Lord Himself has appointed our students to go and serve — and to bear eternal fruit in His name,” said Seminary President Dr. Thomas J. Egger. “Through these willing servants, countless people and coming generations will hear the Good News of Jesus!”

While today marks the campus’ primary annual Call Day celebration, the Seminary recognizes and celebrates additional calls throughout the year.

Those who are interested in attending the Seminary are encouraged to visit csl.edu/admissions or contact Enrollment at 800-822-9545 or [email protected].

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.