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2012 Nnual Report of Onors THE LUTHERAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY AT PHILADELPHIA 2012 nnual Report of onors Ltsp.edu/annualreport From the PRESIDENT QUVW MSN PTUORTVW, let me extend my heartfelt The story of the ministry of the Rev. David Rowe in appreciation for the outstanding support The Oley, Pennsylvania, reminds us once more of how many of FLutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia our graduates are engaged in just plain solid ministry despite (LTSP) receives from you — its graduates, friends, many challenges. Thanks to those of you who are graduates congregations, synods, and everyone else who sacrifices to and professional ministry “friends” who minister valiantly in make its mission in education possible. Thank YOU! often unheralded circumstances! We thank God for The three special stories herein highlighting the entrusting the development of such leaders to us, and for the ministries and giving of Romeo Dabee ’05; David Rowe proclamation they give to the faith by how they lead. Pr. ’81; and Dick Grove ’64, his spouse, Nancy, and our Rowe’s daughter, the Rev. Becky Resch, was one of our first devoted donor, Irma Wright, are self-explanatory. They scholars in the Theological Education with Youth (TEY) say a great deal about the challenges of ministry today in program. Her dad tells us that several weeks after her TEY different settings, and about what your generosity has summer was completed, she told her family that she had made possible in the preparation of our graduates and the decided to pursue pastoral ministry. She went on to attend difference they are making. LTSP and now serves as an associate pastor at Abiding As I read about Romeo’s diligent pastoral ministry to Presence Lutheran Church in Ewing Township, New Jersey. the scurrying passengers and busy employees at JFK Thanks to Irma Wright’s devotion and the devotion of Airport, regarded as a global gateway with its 42-million others, the Dr. Grover C. and Irma S. Wright Scholarship travelers each year, I couldn’t help thinking that the Fund to benefit African American students at LTSP seminary too has served as an international portal, with so continues to grow. A story in this report highlights that many graduates who have served all over the world. Our much of the most recent growth is due to a $13,000 gift new Dean, Dr. J. Jayakiran Sebastian, brings rich made to the Fund by the Rev. P. Richard Grove, ’64, and international experience to his post, succeeding Dr. J. Paul his wife Nancy. Dick and Nancy have also contributed Rajashekar, who has served so well in that capacity and regular scholarship assistance to help seminarians with who decided to step down to pursue teaching and other children to better afford their training. Thanks to Dick, interests on our campus. On another international note: Nancy, and so many of you who have given to support the This fall, for the first time, we will have a field worker many aspects of LTSP. assigned to Seamen’s Church Institute of Philadelphia and It once was the case that, with the support LTSP South Jersey. Second-year seminarian Kat Steinly of received from the national church combined with Sellersville will visit ships, extending Christ’s love to support from its partner synods, there was, frankly, little seafarers from around the world in 2012–13. need for raising significant amounts of money from our constituents. The seminary had a modest endowment and that, along with church support, made it possible not to charge our students tuition and keep other costs very low. Some even claimed the seminary had “lots of money.” That was then! That is not the case now! Today, the seminary is facing stiff financial Finally, delivering the kind of quality Meanwhile, we will be pursuing the challenges in these difficult economic times. education our stu dents deserve is just plain strategic goals I wrote about in the last issue of We are not alone. Many leaders in our expensive today. We desperately needed The PS Maegazin: congregations, synods, and denominational Brossman Learning Center so many of you • To complete a curriculum revision in offices, as well as executives for many non-profit helped make possible. Before Brossman we time for the 2013–14 academic year. organizations AND in the households we visit, had no classroom building! Another example • To achieve financial equilibrium, exchange the same lament with us. Our staff of costs: Today’s seminarians come to our working with our many partners and and faculty know personally about hardships school expecting the same kind of technology through good stewardship of our imposed by these times, as I am sure you do too. resources they used in their classrooms in resources. We give deep thanks to our staff and faculty for college and often have at home. The cost of • By 2015, to complete a $10 million their dedication in such times. Almost everyone maintaining our technology with the rapi dity endowment initiative for student knows someone who has been laid off, of change is taxing on all educational scholarships, endowment growth, downsized, or who remains chronically institutions. Yet many visitors may not “see” faculty development, and the unemployed. Dave Rowe speaks of such all that it takes to keep up with improvements renovation of perimeter housing. hardships in the story of his ministry in Oley. and keep it running smoothly. • To grow the student body to 500 Still, through our faith we continue to know a We need your gifts to support our by 2014 by increasing admissions by God of love and hope in the midst of trials. seminarians and help offset the growing costs 20 per year in all programs. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in of training them effectively making use of such America and our partner synods once were in a tools as rapidly changing technology. • To prepare for the 150th anniversary of the seminary in 2014 by embracing position to provide financial support sufficient We also need you to continue to send us the future that God is sending. to cover most of the seminary’s budgetary new students, who we believe will continue to needs, which in turn meant that our graduates find valuable leadership roles across the church. With your prayers and with your support usually left seminary with no educational debt. When we send them to your congregations, we will get there together. Today, these partners furnish the seminary be good to them. They have given and will only 15 percent of its budgetary costs. Most of continue to give much. The church desperately our students today enter seminary with needs the kind of skilled professional leaders significant debt incurred during their that you can send us and we can prepare for undergraduate studies, and are willing in many these difficult but exciting times. instances to take on more. Donors like you, Philip D.W. Krey Dick and Nancy Grove, and Dave Rowe do much by their gifts to help to support our students, as you will read. Still, despite our best intentions for furnishing student financial aid, we cannot do as much as we want in these tough times. Consequently, many of our students graduate with significant debt, even though our tuition does not rival that of so many graduate schools. In addition, our wonderful students, who have sacrificed so much in order to serve our Lord, simply will not leave seminary with the earning power of many other graduate students entering the marketplace. The sad reality is that some of today’s seminary graduates may spend most if not all of their careers paying down their debt. From PHILANTHROPY Dear friend, You are part of a remarkable story. This is the outline: somewhere in this world a pastor is serving because of you. A leader is guiding a special ministry of care because of you. A scholar is teaching, a musician is leading a congregation in song, a volunteer is serving food to hungry people, because of you. There is much more that could be told. Think of this: those actions are the result of the gifts of many people, including you. You have blessed the work of the seminary with your encouragement and support, and as a consequence, men and women have been prepared for service in the church and the world, to lead in the proclamation of the Gospel in word and deed. This annual report is a way of sending our thanks to you for your support, and we hope it also gives you a sense of the good that is accomplished through your contributions. As we send this report the campus has welcomed new and returning students, and we have begun the new academic year. Many of them are here only because you have helped through your generous gifts to the seminary. The impact of your gift, the “return on your investment,” is truly immeasurable. And so we thank you on behalf of the students and the people they will serve throughout their lives of ministry, because you are a part of this wonderful work of the Spirit to call and prepare leaders for the church. Please remember the seminary with generosity in prayer and support, and thank you for being a part of this life-giving story. In Christ, The Rev. John V. Puotinen Vice President for Philanthropy [email protected] 215.248.6316 Ltsp.edu/give < 2012 Annual report o f D o n o r s L t s p . e d u The 2012 CENTURY CLUB The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia Century Club honors those who have given $100,000† or more to the seminary in their lifetime.
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