Concordia Lutheran Mission Society
Partners In Missions
Five students are expected to complete their studies at the Odessa Concordia Theological Seminary this year and be placed as vicars. The shared support from LWML-Canada and you helps alleviate the significant cost for stipends, transportation, meals, heating, translating, books and supplies, so that the students can focus and be sent to the field.
I want to support the preparation of pastors in Ukraine.
Students and visitors listen to a lecture.
Political unrest postponed the classes at the Concordia Seminary in Odessa in 2014. However, the Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Ukraine (SELCU), which is responsible for the seminary, decided in November 2014 to resume classes in September 2015.
The students receive instruction from visiting teachers and professors from North America who work with translators. It’s an intensive residential program with meals prepared on campus. With many SELCU congregations struggling to support their pastors, the members have little funding to support the seminary. However, they are generous with support of produce and their volunteer time.
A new front for the seminary has arisen as church bodies in neighbouring countries which do not have a Seminary may send their students to Odessa.
This project helps cover operational costs and faculty travel.
Your support ensures the Lutheran church in Ukraine is served by well-trained pastors with a deep love for God, His Word and His people.
I want to support preparing pastors for service.
Pastor Navrotskyy and family.
Missionary Rev. Alexey Navrotskyy from Ukraine is equipping himself for service by learning more of God’s Word and Lutheran theology at Concordia Lutheran Seminary in Edmonton. He arrived in the fall of 2014 with his family with the goal of completing his theological education by 2016. With this type of education he can provide strong leadership in his church body in Ukraine and continue his missionary work for Lutheran Church–Canada. (This is carried forward from project #1403)
I want to help support Pastor Navrotskyy’s theological training in Canada.
Pastor Schmidt with a translator and the six students of the current seminary class.
“Going” seems to be a constant theme with our partners in mission. One such partner in mission who did “go” several times is the Rev. Albert Schmidt from Edmonton. He has served God’s mission in Ukraine since 1998 when he first went to teach new Ukrainian seminarians basic courses on “Christian Doctrine” and “Homiletics” (preaching).
Our Lord first moved him to “go” in this way through an advertisement in The Canadian Lutheran seeking instructors for the fledgling seminary program. He signed up for a year, and his wife, Marlene, accompanied him for several months. Pastor Schmidt has taught six different sets of courses to three different classes of students. He found it a real joy to teach the students who were always very receptive and respectful.
The Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Ukraine has experienced slow growth. As everywhere, some congregations are struggling, while others thrive. It is remarkable however that a synod numbering just 13 congregations now has a third class of men called into ministry, some of them a second generation.
Your partnership with CLMS supported God’s plan for growing this church family.
May 1, 2011
It is a joy to share the Good News. Teaching seminary students to share the Good News and grow the church in Ukraine, as new pastors, is even more exciting. Concordia Lutheran Mission Society (CLMS) provides the funding so the experience, knowledge and the in-depth understanding of our North American theologians can be shared at the Ukrainian seminary in Odessa.
Albert Schmidt, a spirit-filled, enthusiastic pastor from Edmonton, Alberta, recently returned from Ukraine where he had the privilege of teaching “The Life of Christ in the Synoptic Gospels” (Matthew, Mark and Luke) and “Pastoral Theology”, a practical course which directs and guides pastors in the conduct of the pastoral office. His experience of 51 years of pastoral work is cherished as real value to the students. Making the lessons as practical as possible helps the students understand and empathizes with future church members.
After discussions on “visiting the sick” Pastor Schmidt and the seminarians traveled to one of the hospitals to visit with patients. Dr. Schmidt shares “They went in with fear and trepidation, but came out filled with joy.”
Matthew Heise, a pastor from our United States sister church, traveled to Odessa in mid-March to teach two courses at the seminary. Pastor Matt is a travelling missionary who is very willing to teach in Ukraine. His fluency in the Russian language is a real asset and allows him to quickly connect with the seminarians. The first course he taught was Hermeneutics, a basic how-to in reading the Bible, and then a course on the Book of Revelation.
Pastor Matt shares, “It has been a joy to interact with the students, get used to their southern Ukrainian accents while they get accustomed to my American take on Moscow-accented Russian.”
