SA国际传媒

A total of 40 students from the Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP), Cross-cultural Ministry Center (CMC), Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology (EIIT) and Online Deaconess Studies (ODS) programs were recognized Jan. 16, 2026, during the chapel service at SA国际传媒, St. Louis. Their recognition in the Chapel of St. Timothy and St. Titus celebrated the completion of intensive courses for these students and their calls to ministry and program completion.

鈥淭he Lutheran Church鈥擬issouri Synod offers various paths to the pastoral ministry. Today, we are please to recognize called candidates through three of these programs: SMP, CMC in conjunction with Concordia University Irvine, Irvine, Calif., and EIIT. In addition, one ODS graduate has received a call into diaconal ministry. These ministerial formation programs combine both online and residential classes with an internship,鈥� said Placement Director Rev. Timothy Scharr. 鈥淲e rejoice with the 18 SMP men, one CMC man and four EIIT men who received calls into the pastoral ministry and the one ODS woman who received her call into diaconal ministry as they begin their called, ordained or commissioned service in our Synod.鈥�

The Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP) Program

The SMP Program is a four-year program in which men receive theological education in the setting in which they will continue to serve 鈥� as pastors of congregations or in other ministries of the LCMS 鈥� following certification, call and ordination. Local pastor-mentors work with SMP students to provide day-to-day guidance, encouragement and prayer.

SMP students receiving calls and presentation of theological diplomas include:

• William Curley,聽The Lutheran Church of Our Savior, Bryans Road, Md., LCMS Southeastern District
• Troy Curtis,聽Risen Savior Lutheran Church, Palm Bay, Fla., LCMS Florida-Georgia District
• Chase Drake,聽Epiphany Lutheran Church, Pearland, Texas, LCMS Texas District
• Rory Fry,聽Gathering Lutheran Church, Robinson, Texas, LCMS Texas District
• Bruce Gatz,聽St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church, Winsted, Minn., LCMS Minnesota South District
• Timothy Good,聽Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Springfield, Ill., LCMS Central Illinois District
• Arnold (Dean) Graumann,聽Faith, St. John and St. John Lutheran Churches, Altus/Granite/Lone Wolf, Okla., LCMS Oklahoma District
• Andrew Gunzelman,聽Lord of Life Lutheran Church, Leawood, Kan., LCMS Kansas District
• David Kaiser,聽St. James Lutheran Church, Shawano, Wis., LCMS North Wisconsin District
• Jacob Koehler,聽Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Fort Wayne, Ind., LCMS Indiana District
• Jason Obermiller,聽Immanuel and Immanuel Lutheran Churches, Loup City/Merna, Neb., LCMS Nebraska District
• Christopher Odenbrett,聽St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church, Winsted, Minn., LCMS Minnesota South District
• Bradley Person,聽Faith Lutheran Church, Adel, Iowa, LCMS Iowa District West
• Joseph Pierson,聽Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Logan, Utah, LCMS Rocky Mountain District
• Timothy Richter,聽Zion Lutheran Church, Fort Myers, Fla., LCMS Florida-Georgia District
• Nathan Sieveking,聽Hosana Lutheran Church, Mankato, Minn., LCMS Minnesota South District
• David Singer,聽Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Clovis, Calif., LCMS California-Nevada-Hawaii District
• Anthony Tin,聽Canaan Lutheran Church, San Francisco, Calif., LCMS California-Nevada-Hawaii District

SMP students recognized for program completion include:

• Shane Acers, Hope Lutheran Church, Des Moines, Iowa, LCMS Iowa District West
• Jamie Bauknecht, Messiah Lutheran Church, Lincoln, Neb., LCMS Nebraska District
• William Beck, Rock of Ages Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colo., LCMS Rocky Mountain District
• Patrick Brooks, Christ the King Lutheran Church, Southgate, Mich., LCMS Michigan South District
• Tyler Coyne, Crosspoint Lutheran Church, Lakewood, Ill., LCMS Northern Illinois District
• Frank Johnson, Zion Lutheran Church, Hillsboro, Kan., LCMS Kansas District
• Kyle Johnson, Samaritan鈥檚 Lutheran Church, Albertville, Minn., LCMS Minnesota South District
• Jacob Koehler, Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Fort Wayne, Ind., LCMS Indiana District
• William (Jeff) Lane, Faith Lutheran Church, Topeka, Kan., LCMS Kansas District
• Benjamin Marsh, Shepherd鈥檚 Gate Lutheran Church, Shelby Township, Mich., LCMS Michigan District
• Timothy Phanco, Risen Christ Lutheran Church, Myrtle Beach, S.C., LCMS Southeastern District
• Greg Rathke, Trinity Lutheran Church, Freemont, Neb., LCMS Nebraska District
• William Rowland, Peace Lutheran Church, Hurst, Texas, LCMS Texas District
• Lawrence (Larry) Rugger, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Matteson, Ill., LCMS Northern Illinois District
• David Schultz, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Bay City, Mich., LCMS Michigan District
• Joel Springer, Our Savior Lutheran Church, Springfield, Ill., LCMS Central Illinois District

The Cross-cultural Ministry Center

The Cross-cultural Ministry Center (CMC) has been established by ., in conjunction with SA国际传媒 and with the , to provide directed preparation for ordained ministry to men who will serve in the sociocultural contexts of specific ethnic populations and multicultural communities.

The CMC student receiving his call is:

• Les Schaefer,聽St. James Lutheran Church, Imperial Beach, Calif., LCMS Pacific Southwest District

The Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology

The Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology (EIIT) offers a specialized program of preparation for men who want to serve as pastors and women who want to serve as deaconesses in immigrant and ethnic minority communities in North America. Students who successfully complete the program receive the Certificate of Vocation that enables men to receive a call into the ministry of the LCMS and women to be commissioned to serve in deaconess ministry.

EIIT students receiving their calls include:

• Amanuel Abdalla, Associate Pastor, Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, Phoenix, Ariz., LCMS Pacific Southwest District
• Luther Ashkaba, Associate Pastor, Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, Phoenix, Ariz., LCMS Pacific Southwest District
• Robert Mutombo, Associate Pastor, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Appleton, Wis., LCMS North Wisconsin District
• Absalom Nasuwa, Associate Pastor, Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Dallas, Texas, LCMS Texas District

The Online Deaconess Studies (ODS) Program

The ODS Program is a four-year program in which women are equipped for diaconal service through a seminary education while in the setting in which they will continue to serve 鈥� as called deaconesses of congregations or in other ministries of the LCMS 鈥� following certification, call and consecration. Local pastor-mentors work with ODS students to provide day-to-day guidance, encouragement and prayer.

The ODS student recognized for program completion and her call is:

• Naomi Moon, Rocky Mountain District of the LCMS, Englewood, Colo., LCMS Rocky Mountain District

The Seminary recognizes and celebrates calls throughout the year although the campus鈥� primary Call Day celebration typically is held in April. During call celebrations, students receive their first calls to ministry as well as assignments for vicarages and deaconess internships. The Seminary鈥檚 next primary Call Day is set for April 28, 2026.

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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 . To learn more, visit csl.edu.