Seminaries and Synod reach agreement on cost-efficiencies

Participating in the discussion were: (front) CLTS Acting-president, Rev. Dr. Thomas Winger; LCC president, Rev. Dr. Robert Bugbee; CLS president, Rev. Dr. Manfred Zeuch; (back) CLS Board of Regents chairman, Rev. Paul Schallhorn; CLTS Board of Regents chairman, Rev. Robert Krestick; LCC Board of Directors chairman, Randy Stefan; task force chairman, Rev. Nolan Astley.

WINNIPEG – The second round of discussions to create a Memorandum of Understanding between Lutheran Church–Canada’s two seminaries and LCC’s Board of Directors concluded successfully Thursday, May 19. In an effort to create a cost-efficient and sustainable seminary education program the two seminaries have taken unprecedented steps that ensure a common approach to the preparation of pastors within a prescribed budget.

“It will be a rather quick matter to read this Memorandum when it comes out, but it’s important for me to emphasize how much work took place to bring everyone to this point,” said LCC President Robert Bugbee who participated in the discussions.

In addition to the president, participants included Rev. Dr. Tom Winger (acting-president, Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary, St. Catharines); Rev. Dr. Manfred Zeuch (president, Concordia Lutheran Seminary, Edmonton); Rev. Robert Krestick (chairman, CLTS Board of Regents); Rev. Paul Schallhorn (chairman, CLS Board of Regents); Rev. Nolan Astley (chairman, Task Force on Cost-Efficient and Sustainable Seminary Education) and LCC Board of Directors’ chairman Randy Stefan. The Board of Directors created the task force which examined seminary education in response to a resolution adopted by LCC’s 2008 Convention.

The chairmen will now take the final draft to their respective boards and the seminary presidents will discuss it with faculty and staff.

Earlier this year the same group met and found common ground on a number of issues which formed an initial draft. Thursday’s meeting fine-tuned the previous document and sought resolution to issues still outstanding.

The president noted that LCC “should be grateful to the task force members, to Synod’s Board of Directors, and to the leadership of our seminaries for wrestling with the issues before them. It’s very much a ‘made in Canada’ approach to the challenge, and it deserves thoughtful consideration when Synod’s ‘family’ gathers for the Convention in Hamilton very soon.”

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