Gabriel Messengers

1
Gabriel Messengers

• We are a group concerned about the daunting
  financial challenge facing the LCMS seminaries
  seminarians.
• The following slides trace some developments
  leading to the present crisis and offer an
  approach we think will help bring improvements.

2
FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS ON PREPARATION OF NEW
PASTORS

• Through the 1950s and 1960s the seminaries were
  well funded and no tuition was charged
• In recent decades, partly because of rising
  tuition, seminary enrollments declined

3
Significant Changes

• Relative to incomes, household contributions to
  churches have declined significantly.
• Churches are using a rising share of income to
  cover operating costs and ministries of their
  choice.
• Districts expanded support for ministries within
  their boundaries and reduced support to Synod.
• Composite Effects Reduced flow of funds to
  Synod!!!
• Inflation eroded purchasing power for recipients.

4
Reactions by Synod

• From 1986 to 2006, combined allocations for the
  two seminaries were reduced by 69 while for all
  other categories the net reduction was 29
• Synods contributions now cover about 2 of
  seminaries operating costs.
• In 1995, Synod resolved that seminaries should
  provide full funding of tuition.

5
Adjustments by Seminaries and Others

• In the late 1990s, both seminaries expanded fund
  solicitation efforts to help cover tuition. By
  the fifth year, enrollments of first-year
  students had increased by more than 40 percent.
• Seminaries incurred current account deficits,
  partly due to tuition support.
• Means testing adopted in 2005-06 at Ft. Wayne and
  2006-07 at St. Louis. In both cases the maximum
  support is 65 percent of prevailing tuition
  namely 17,100 at Ft. Wayne and 20,900 at St.
  Louis.

6
Other Considerations

• From the 2003 peak in enrollments of first-year
  students, there has been a decline of 1/3. The
  current total (164) equaled the number ordained
  in 2006, around ½ the annual exodus from the
  parish ministry.
• Current parish vacancies about 800.
• Many more parish pastors will soon reach
  retirement age..
• Including living and other non-tuition outlays
  for single students makes the total annual costs
  at least 32,000 at Ft. Wayne and 37,000 at St.
  Louis.

7
Other Considerations (cont.)

• By the time of graduation, many seminarians are
  deeply in debt.
• Indebtedness contributes to early withdrawals
  from the ministry and discourages others from
  considering the ministry as a career.
• Random surveys indicate relatively few LCMS
  members are aware of seminaries plight.
  Concordia St. Louis currently receives direct
  support from only 5 of member households.

8
Assisting in Search of a Solution

• Proposal Identify individuals in congregations,
  to be known as Gabriel Messengers (GMs), to
• (1) Personally inform members, individually or in
  groups, as to magnitude and gravity of the
  seminaries plight.
• (2) Encourage members to participate with direct
  contributions to seminaries of 10.00 per month,
  or more, as their means permit and the Lord
  guides them
• (3) Encourage youth to consider church work as a
  career.
• Suggest congregations engage in more frequent
  prayers for seminaries their staff, pastors,
  students and potential students.

9
10.00 A MONTH??

• Remember theres POWER in numbers.
• Just think, there are about 6,000 LCMS churches,
  averaging say 100 giving units per church. At
  10.00/mo. and 500 giving units, thats
  60,000/year, enough to pay tuition for three
  students.
• Delays in applying programs supportive of ongoing
  activities could result in more parish vacancies
  for our descendants and accelerated decline for
  the denomination!!

10
Gabriel Messengers PRAY That many LCMS members
will come to share our concern about the dire
impacts of TOO FEW PASTORS

• Gabriel Messengers, Inc., stands ready to assist
  congregations in establishing their own GM team.
  Visit our website, www.gabrielmessengers.org,
• for more information and how to contact us.
• God Bless