Report from the Governing Board of Martin Luther College

REPORT FROM THE GOVERNING BOARD OF

MARTIN LUTHER COLLEGE

ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

Martin Luther College, as the WELS College of Ministry, exists to serve the ministerial needs of our church by offering five programs of ministry:  Pastoral Ministry, Staff Ministry, Early Childhood Education Ministry, Elementary Education Ministry, and Secondary Teacher Education Ministry.

FINANCES

As the WELS experiences financial difficulties so Martin Luther College does likewise inasmuch as MLC is owned and operated by the WELS.  This has led to a Mission Advancement Office at the college which consists of a director, two resource development officers, a public relations person, an alumni relations person, and a secretary.  By the grace of God over five million dollars in gifts have been given to MLC since July 2005.  We are humbled by God’s grace and appreciative to the members of the WELS.

PERSONNEL

Anniversaries this year include Glenn Bode (40 years), Robert Klindworth, Douglas Lange, Thomas Nass, and James Unke (25 years).

Retiring at the end of this year are Drew Buck (24 years of service, all to the college) and Theodore Olsen (42 years of service of which 33½ were devoted to ministerial education).

STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE

Urban Ministry:  Our Urban Ministry Focus includes specific coursework, convocations and seminars, early field experiences, and student teaching in urban areas.  Many students have participated, and more candidates receive calls to WELS urban schools each year.

Evangelism Day:  Dozens of teachers, pastors and missionaries from all over the world helped our students reflect on evangelism from every angle at our second annual Evangelism Day January 17.  From “Various Witness Methods” to “Welcoming People to Our Churches and Schools,” our students concentrated on witnessing, both in their personal lives and in the public ministry for which they are training.

Daylight:  Over 80 students will canvass and witness for WELS mission churches this spring as part of Daylight, a program that offers students a chance to serve the church while gaining valuable ministry experience.  Over 1100 students have participated in Daylight service/ministry projects in the last six years.

Master of Science in Education Program:  Dozens are enrolled in graduate courses in this primarily online program that allows teachers to continue in their current ministries while pursuing their graduate degrees.

International Teaching Opportunities:  Nearly 50 MLC students and graduates are serving abroad all over the world: China, Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malawi, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Brazil, and Columbia.  They are either teaching in international schools or serving as teachers of English.  They are served by our WELS world missionaries and in turn are of service to them.

LICENSURE

MLC is already a licensure granting institution in elementary education for the state of Minnesota.  Recently the Minnesota Board of Teaching granted MLC the right to also be an Early Childhood Education licensure granting institution.  Next – MLC is working on getting a secondary education program approved so it can then offer licensure for pre-school through grade 12.

STRATEGIC PLANNING

The current MLC strategic plan is entitled “A Vision for Leadership: 2010+.”  The work began in November of 2003 and while most of it will be concluded by 2007 some parts will be continuing to 2010.  While there are sub components the major areas include:  faculty workload and experience, financial stability, internal and external communication, recruitment of ministry candidates, student leadership and learning as well as task forces studying alternate forms of ministry, branch campuses, and an associates (general) degree.

GLOBAL IMPACT

Some would say that MLC is located in New Ulm, Minnesota.  We might prefer to say that MLC is headquartered in New Ulm, Minnesota.  Consider the following:

•  MLC conducts workshops, classes and seminars all around the United States from Florida to Colorado and Michigan to California.
• Some 50 MLC students and graduates are involved in the International Teaching Opportunities program and are serving in some 10 countries abroad.
• MLC professors have taught in Russia, Sweden, China, India, Nigeria, Antigua, St. Lucia, and Cameroon.
• MLC web-courses numbered some 200 students this school year from all around the USA as well as Malawi, Zambia, India and Brazil.
• Along with Latin, German, Spanish, Greek, and Hebrew, Mandarin is being taught on the MLC campus.
  

Your college of ministry, MLC, is providing educational leadership with a global outlook.  It is not only your college of ministry but strives to be the WELS college of missions as well.  May God bless her and the work she does in his name.

Rev. Ralph Scharf, chairman
Rev. Michael Schultz, vice chairman
Rev. Roy Beyer , secretary
Rev. Raymond Beckmann
Teacher Keith Bowe
Mr. Steven Danekas
Teacher Jonathan Hahm
Mr. Robert Hinnenthal
Teacher Scott Huebner
Mr. Stephen Loehr
Mr. Barry V. Price
Teacher David A. Sauer
Mr. William Steinbrenner

Advisory:
Rev. Larry Cross, Minnesota District
Rev. Karl Gurgel, WELS
Rev. Peter Kruschel, Board for Ministerial Education
Rev. Theodore Olsen, MLC president