On Friday, May 26, Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary held its graduation service. President Earle Treptow based his sermon on 1 Corinthians 4:7-12, the section of Scripture the class had chosen as its class “verse.” He encouraged them, as clay jars, to let the powerful gospel have center stage in their ministry and to trust the Lord to empower their service.

At the conclusion of the service, Pastor Jonathan Scharf, chairman of the seminary governing board, spoke a word of thanks to Professor Paul Wendland. Professor Wendland is retiring after twenty-two years of service on the seminary campus, fifteen of which (2004 – 2019) he served as president.

This year, thirty-seven seniors received their diplomas. In addition, five pastors received their Master of Sacred Theology degrees, and two Pastoral Studies Institute (PSI) graduates received their Bachelor of Theology degrees.

The synod’s Assignment Committee met on the seminary campus on Tuesday, May 23, to assign candidates for the holy ministry to the synod’s congregations, schools, and mission fields. At the assignment service on Thursday, May 25, Professor Paul Wendland preached on Isaiah 42:1-6, encouraging the men being assigned that the mighty God of heaven is sending them out as his servants, empowered by the meek Messiah, to accomplish a universal mission.

After hearing encouragement from God’s Word, the candidates, their families, and friends learned where they were headed to serve. In all, forty-three men were assigned. Of those, thirty-seven were receiving their first call, including a graduate from the class of 2022. One PSI graduate received his first call. In addition, five men from the class of 2021 returned to the Assignment Committee and received permanent assignments. Two men were reassigned to their present field of ministry.

On Wednesday, May 24, during a separate evening service, twenty-nine middlers were assigned to congregations throughout the U.S., Canada, and the world to serve for their vicar – or internship – year.