Hundreds gather in person, online for historic event
Seminary President Dr. Thomas J. Egger and wife, Victoria. Photo: Jill Gray
History was made Aug. 27 as faculty, staff, students and friends gathered in the Chapel of St. Timothy and St. Titus for the inauguration of Dr. Thomas J. Egger as the 11th president of SA国际传媒, St. Louis. The inauguration also was live streamed.
Egger was presented for inauguration by Dr. Timothy Saleska, co-chairman of the Presidential Search Committee and dean of Ministerial Formation.
鈥淚 trust that the Lord has fitted Tom for this task,鈥� Saleska said. 鈥淚 know that Tom wants the very best for all of us here at the Seminary and for the people of our church, and he will work hard in service to our Lord.鈥�
Dr. Todd A. Peperkorn, chairman of the Board of Regents, performed the Rite of Inauguration.
鈥淛esus Christ is the Light of the world, the Light no darkness can overcome, as St. John attests,鈥� said Peperkorn, speaking to Egger. 鈥淚t is that light of Christ given to us in the sacred Scriptures which shapes everything we are, everything we do here at SA国际传媒. The world needs that light of mercy and the forgiveness of sins today more than ever. And God has put you at this place, at this time, so that light with shine forth in every graduate at this institution.鈥�
Afterward, Egger delivered his inaugural address.
鈥淥ur Seminary motto is well-put: Light from above,鈥� said Egger. 鈥淎s we reflect on the heart of our work and the reason for our existence as a school, the summons of Isaiah really is foundational: to the Torah and to the testimony! Listen to the Spirit-inspired authors of the Bible. Listen to the prophets and the apostles. They must sit on our lecterns, and we and our students sit down below and listen to them.鈥�
Following Egger鈥檚 speech, greetings were presented by:
Dr. Douglas L. Rutt, Provost
On behalf of the faculty of SA国际传媒
Donald Stein, fourth-year seminarian
On behalf of the students of SA国际传媒
The Honorable Michelle Harris, Mayor, City of Clayton, Mo.
On behalf of the civic community
Dr. Michael Kumm, Chairman, Board of Directors,
On behalf of the Board of Directors of The Lutheran Church鈥擬issouri Synod
Dr. Lawrence J. Rast, President, Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind.
On behalf of The Lutheran Church鈥擬issouri Synod鈥檚 universities and seminaries
Dr. Matthew C. Harrison, President, The Lutheran Church鈥擬issouri Synod
On behalf of The Lutheran Church鈥擬issouri Synod
In the final greeting, Harrison said, 鈥淭here have been times when I sensed that I was being carried along by the prayers of thousands upon thousands of people. And I pray that you have that same sense 鈥� whether you do or not, it鈥檚 true 鈥� as you go around the church, you鈥檙e going to hear people saying all over, 鈥榃e鈥檙e praying for you. We鈥檙e praying for the faculty. We鈥檙e praying for your work.鈥� That is the highest honor among God鈥檚 people.鈥�
A recorded video of the inauguration is available on the Seminary鈥檚 page. Viewers can also learn more about Egger by watching a recently produced .
SA国际传媒 SA国际传媒
SA国际传媒, St. Louis provides Gospel-centered graduate-level theological education for pastors, missionaries, deaconesses, scholars and other leaders in the name of聽. To learn more, visit聽csl.edu.
