April 25, 2025
LCMS Atlantic District Convention
Our Savior’s Lutheran Church
Colonie, NY 12205
Dear Fellow Redeemed,
Greetings to you in the name of our crucified and risen Savior, Jesus Christ!
I’m delighted to have an opportunity to wish you well on your convention in July and pray that your deliberations about ministry and missions in the Atlantic District and beyond will leave you hopeful and encouraged about the work ahead and our life together as Synod.
Your convention theme, “In This Hope We Were Saved,” is a message that every seminarian at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne (CTSFW), is looking forward to sharing. As I write this letter, Call Day is just a few days away. Students can’t wait to find out where they’ll be serving. Our pastoral ministry students are excited to preach God’s Word, administer the Sacraments, and care for the people of God. Our future deaconesses look forward to offering theologically sound care to those in need, sharing the love of Christ with those they serve.
Our LCMS districts are invaluable partners in this work. Congregations and their members are frontline recruiters, encouraging students who have gifts well-suited to church work to consider becoming pastors and deaconesses. (Keep it up!) District presidents work with prospective students in the admissions process. Districts provide scholarship opportunities for our students, and many congregations adopt students and provide other support to make it easier for students and their families to pursue a seminary education. We’re truly grateful for your involvement.
We’re also grateful for your prayers for our future pastors and deaconesses, and I’m personally grateful for the encouraging postcards from the Atlantic District letting me know that you’re praying for me and our seminary.
You’re in my prayers, too. As St. Paul puts it so well, “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now” (Phil 1:3–5).
+ pax domini +
Rev. Dr. Jon S. Bruss
President
