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| By Norma A. Boeckler |
How does one measure a congregation or blog? I know the marketing people go for big numbers, until the congregation, school, or synod rolls up like a cheap window-shade.
One participant (attending her own local congregation) took our Ustream Greek course in the Gospel of John. I ran into this while looking at ELCA seminary tuition charges -
Tuition and Fees 2017 - 18 Eligible students receive grants and scholarships from Wartburg Seminary to assist with tuition costs.
The cost of seminary education is primarily covered by seminary gifts, church support and endowment funds. Tuition covers only 40% of the cost to educate a Wartburg Theological Seminary student. Students often receive support through congregational and synodical support, various scholarship organizations and individuals. Students may also choose to steward their seminary education with federal student loans and/or work study.
Full-Time Students (9 or more credits per semester)
Master of Divinity Residential/Distributed Learning/ Collaborative Learning Programs Master of Arts Diaconal Ministry and Master of Arts Residential/Distributive Learning Programs Fall/Spring
Full-year Full-time Tuition $16,900
Greek (pre-requisite for Master of Divinity degree)
Tuition for course $2980.
The various seminaries, including LCMS, offer a quickie Greek class in the summer. I do not think WELS has sunk that low yet, but they definitely watered down the language preparation - once their corrupt officials created a phony plebiscite and forced the DMLC-NWC Anschluss with a dishonest vote count.
So I am pleased we offered a free course in Greek for the willing instead of an expensive course for the unwilling. I have learned from teaching that everyone loves an optional course (though still required for graduation) as opposed to a forced prerequisite. For years I taught world religion and mythology because the undergraduates had to have one liberal arts course.
Also - one of my long-time blogging friends is dying, in hospice care at home. He and his wife attended our Ustream service on Sunday and she wrote about it. As I recently wrote, we are handy for those who are kept indoors by bad weather, illness, or infirmity. Sometimes we are a substitute for someone who planned to go to church and could not because of a temporary illness.
One person became a regular because there are so few traditional Lutheran churches east of the Mississippi River - or anywhere now.
I answer doctrinal questions by email, and often the question or the observations become part of a post.
Few pastors correspond. Almost everyone is an interested layman.
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| This Episcopalian bishop divorced his wife to marry his husband, but they divorced too. |
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| Why does ELCA lionize Megan Rohrer? Why are their seminaries failing? I just answered that question. |
