Michigan Lutheran Seminary

Michigan Lutheran Seminary

MLS Seal

MLS Logo
Established 1885
Type Ministerial Education Preparatory High School
Affiliation Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
Location Saginaw, Michigan, USA
Students 197
Grades 9-12
Faculty 15
Current President
Vacant
Interim - Dr. William E. Zeiger
Current
Dean of Students
Reverend Dave Koehler
Mascot Cardinal
Colors Red and White           
School Hymn God's Word Is Our Great Heritage
Newspaper The Red 'n' White
Yearbook The Cardinal
Website www.mlsem.org

Michigan Lutheran Seminary (MLS) is a private preparatory boarding high school affiliated with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod located in Saginaw, Michigan. The student body consists of commuting students living in the area as well as a large population of students from around the US and other countries that live on campus in the dormitory led by the dean.

Michigan Lutheran Seminary's enrollment (as of 2008-9) is 197 students in the 9th through 12th grades, from 14 states, 7 of the 12 districts of the WELS, and 3 countries.

Michigan Lutheran Seminary, along with its sister prep school Luther Preparatory School in Watertown, Wisconsin, has as its purpose "the training of students for public ministry of the gospel and to enroll them upon graduation at Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minnesota (MLC)."[1]

True to this goal, the high school has, in recent years, required its graduating students to send their ACT scores to MLC, regardless of the individual student's intent on actually attending MLC. In addition to this, intent to enter MLC is one of the criteria for financial assistance.

Contents

History

Michigan Lutheran Seminary began &10000000000000126000000126 years, &10000000000000195000000195 days1 ago in August 1885 when one teacher and six students assembled in Manchester, Michigan. German Lutherans in Michigan felt a need to train pastors to serve a growing number of immigrant congregations. In 1887, the Reverend Christoph Eberhardt of Saint Paul congregation in Saginaw donated two near-by acres of land on Court Street. This led the Michigan Lutheran Synod to move MLS to its present location and to dedicate Old Main, the school’s first building, later that year.

When the Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota Synods federated in 1892, the new confederation decided to convert MLS into a preparatory school. Disagreement over this change split the Michigan Synod. MLS continued as a pastor-training seminary until dwindling enrollments forced it to close its doors in 1907.

By 1910, the Michigan Synod had re-established its ties with Wisconsin and Minnesota. The confederation called the Reverend Otto J. R. Hoenecke to open MLS as a proprietary school. Five students enrolled on September 13, 1910. In 1913, the school added a dormitory to house fifty students. By the end of the 1920s, four teachers served an enrollment of seventy-five. The MSL C, a forerunner of today’s Booster Club and MLS Guild, appeared. The campus added two professors’ homes in 1920 and 1924 and a dining hall in 1925.

Growth slowed during the 1930s but picked up after World War II.

In recent years, MLS has continued to upgrade its facilities by reconfiguring all dormitory study space, refurbishing most of its dormitory rooms, adding a new science wing, equipping its library, classrooms, and offices with infrastructure to allow ready access to developing technologies, and installing into its chapel a 22-rank pipe organ.

While such outward changes must continue in order to meet the need of a growing Seminary family, what is most important at MLS – our great heritage of God’s Word and the vital work of preparing young people to proclaim His Word to others – remains unchanged.

Since 1910, the school has been continuously operated as a ministerial education preparatory high school of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.

Recent developments

Recent financial deficits in the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (which runs MLS) prompted the WELS Synodical Council to consider closing Michigan Lutheran Seminary as a preparatory school. At the WELS Synod Convention in the summer of 2007, it was resolved "that the 2007 synod convention reject the recommendation to close Michigan Lutheran Seminary at the end of the 2007-08 school year"[2] The resolution stated its reason being that, "it is not prudent to downsize proven programs in vital areas of our work, like the production of pastors..."[3]

Curriculum

Michigan Lutheran Seminary identifies its curriculum as the following: MLS has a single course of study which equips each student to meet the enrollment requirements of Martin Luther College. The curriculum puts emphasis on the study of Biblical history and theology, and gives special attention to foreign languages(Latin, German, and Spanish) and music(choirs, band, piano, and organ). It exceeds standards set by the State of Michigan for admission to college.

Michigan Lutheran Seminary has been accredited by the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod School Accreditation(WELSSA)[4], which is a member of the National Council for Private School Accreditation(NCPSA).

Faculty & Administration

Michigan Lutheran Seminary's Faculty consists of 15 full-time professors, 2 part-time instructors, and 4 tutors (dormitory supervisors who also teach).

Extracurriculars

Michigan Lutheran Seminary offers a wide variety of extracurricular activities and programs for students.

Athletics

MLS students are required to maintain a 2.00 GPA to compete in athletic competitions. Students maintaining at least a 1.68-1.99 GPA are permitted to attend practices, but are prohibited from competing in competitions. Students maintaining a GPA lower than 1.68, are restricted from participating in any MLS athletic activities. MLS is a member of the Michigan Tri-Valley Conference, and participates in the following sports: Football, Cross Country, Volleyball, Girls'/Boys' Basketball, Wrestling, Baseball, Softball, & Girls'/Boys' Track.

Performing Groups

Michigan Lutheran Seminary supports numerous performing groups as part of its extracurricular program.

Service Groups

Among MLS's extracurriculars are various service groups intended to support school activities and student life.

Seal

The MLS school seal depicts a cardinal, the school's mascot. Below the cardinal there are three letters: I.N.I. and Sept. 13, 1910—the date the school became part of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. I.N.I. stands for "In Nomine Iesu" in Latin (In the name of Jesus). Below that on the lefthand side is Luther's Seal; on the righthand side is a picture from the State Flag of Michigan.

List of presidents

Presidents Years Served
Reverends A. Lange, Huber, O. Hoyer, Linsemann, and Beer 1885–1907
Reverend Otto J.R. Hoenecke 1910-1950 (Taught until 1958)
Reverend Conrad I. Frey 1950–1966
Reverend Martin Toepel 1966–1978
Reverend John C. Lawrenz 1978–1994
Reverend Paul T. Prange 1994–2009
Reverend Aaron Frey 2010–2010

Notes

1 Margin of Error: 15 days

References

  1. ^ Seminary Catalog
  2. ^ Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, "Proceedings of the Fifty-ninth Biennial Convention"(Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Northwestern Publishing House, 2007) REPORT OF FLOOR COMMITTEE NO. 7, Resolution No. 5, Subpoint 'a'; p. 40(PDF)
  3. ^ Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, "Proceedings of the Fifty-ninth Biennial Convention"(Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Northwestern Publishing House, 2007) REPORT OF FLOOR COMMITTEE NO. 7, Resolution No. 5, Subpoint '6'; p. 39(PDF)
  4. ^ Schmugge, Karl M. "WELSSA" Cardinal Connection Vol. V, Issue II Spring 2006: 13.(PDF)

Bibliography

Braun, John A. Together in Christ: A History of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Northwestern Publishing House, 2000. ISBN 0-8100-1211-1

"Michigan Lutheran Seminary," http://www.mlsem.org/

"Michigan Lutheran Seminary," http://www.wels.net/cgi-bin/site.pl?2617&collectionID=1081&contentID=71112&shortcutID=25231

External links