Bang the Doors Shut On Michigan Lutheran Seminary, Wayne!

On pages 20 and 21 is the Synod Convention discussion - Pre-Convention Coverage. One can easily infer that MLS closure is a foregone conclusion. There are two interesting paragraphs.

Under Ministerial Education concerns ---

"If Michigan Lutheran Seminary is closed, efforts will be made to replace the number of graduates that it sends to Martin Luther College. 'We need future workers in the church', says Mueller. 'Institutionally we have committed ourselves to recruitment.' This means implementing an aggressive recruitment strategy at Martin Luther College; working with area Lutheran high schools on recruitment; and encouraging current and future MLS students to attend Luther Preparatory School, the preparitory school closer to the greater concentration of WELS members and whose campus can accommodate more students."

Under Stewardship emphasis --

"A 21 percent increase (or $3.9 million) in 2008-2009 will allow WELS to maintain all of its current ministries, including MIchigan Lutheran Seminary. Once Congregational Mission Offerings reach that level, support needs to continue to grow 5 to 6 percent annually (for inflation) in order to maintain ministry. But this is no small task. Current commitments for 2007 were up only 1.4 percent over receipts for the last calendar year."

I am no CPA and Wayne did not send me the spreadsheets, but...

I wonder why so many budget items are non-negotiable. Technology seems way out of line for a small potatoes sect like WELS. Do the DPs have to enjoy assistants? The WELS DPs are just like Episcopal bishops. They have parishes but an underling does the congregation work.

I noticed from various news releases that the Chosen Ones fly all over the map for special projects. These too are dire necessities, I am sure.

New foreign missionary projects are run by Al Sorum and Company, another black hole of expense.

The WELS budget, as presented by Wayne Mueller, reminds me of the lawyer at the end of a tort lawsuit? "Only $500,000, Judge? Doesn't my client deserve something?"

I may be the first to notice that the 1.4% increase is a message to The Love Shack - new occupants wanted, at a lower occupancy rate.