1 00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:07,900 Welcome to Misson Works. 2 00:00:07,900 --> 00:00:09,200 Thanks to donors. 3 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:10,500 I'm Dale Meyer. 4 00:00:11,500 --> 00:00:17,500 I've been concerned about the impact of the pandemic upon finances not 5 00:00:17,500 --> 00:00:22,900 only finances at the Seminary, but also of congregations. Today 6 00:00:22,900 --> 00:00:24,200 we're going to meet with Mrs. 7 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:25,400 Vicki Biggs. 8 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:30,100 Vicki is the Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer for 9 00:00:30,100 --> 00:00:34,200 our Seminary, but first breaking news. 10 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:35,300 Dr. 11 00:00:35,300 --> 00:00:40,000 Thomas Edgar has been elected the next president of Concordia 12 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:40,900 Seminary. 13 00:00:41,500 --> 00:00:47,800 I want to tell you that we're holding classes in person, socially 14 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:54,100 distance, wearing masks but the mood on campus is positive and there is 15 00:00:54,100 --> 00:00:57,700 anticipation now for the future under Dr. 16 00:00:57,700 --> 00:01:00,000 Eggers hopeful leadership. 17 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:05,400 He's an Old Testament scholar and so we know that he is committed to 18 00:01:05,400 --> 00:01:07,900 the scriptures and the Lutheran confessions. 19 00:01:07,900 --> 00:01:12,600 He's been a member of our faculty a colleague for many of us for 15 20 00:01:12,600 --> 00:01:13,100 years. 21 00:01:13,100 --> 00:01:16,900 He's held various administrative posts over the years. 22 00:01:16,900 --> 00:01:22,400 We pray that he will accept the call and you can be sure that when he 23 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:26,600 does we're going to have to get him on Mission Works 24 00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:30,300 Thanks to Donors and you're going to learn a lot more about Dr. 25 00:01:30,300 --> 00:01:36,200 Egger, President Egger, from various publications of Concordia Seminary. 26 00:01:36,700 --> 00:01:37,700 Mrs. 27 00:01:37,700 --> 00:01:42,500 Biggs, how are the staff members in advancement feeling about Dr. 28 00:01:42,500 --> 00:01:43,600 Eggers selection? 29 00:01:45,300 --> 00:01:46,200 Well Dr. Meyer 30 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:48,900 it will be very good to have that decision finalized. 31 00:01:48,900 --> 00:01:53,200 We are very eager to be able to introduce the next president of 32 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:56,300 Concordia Seminary to our donors and we very much look forward to 33 00:01:56,300 --> 00:01:58,700 working together with him in support of our mission. 34 00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:03,300 I mentioned my concern about finances. 35 00:02:03,300 --> 00:02:05,900 How is it gone the last year? 36 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:13,600 By God's grace and with thanks to our amazing donors December closed 37 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:14,600 with terrific numbers. 38 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:18,600 And this is especially noteworthy in a year of the pandemic something 39 00:02:18,600 --> 00:02:23,700 that really hasn't hit the United States for the 100 years. So that it 40 00:02:23,700 --> 00:02:28,100 really does say something our donors love the Seminary and our 41 00:02:28,100 --> 00:02:31,100 students and one of the ways they show that is through their very 42 00:02:31,100 --> 00:02:31,900 generous gifts. 43 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:34,100 This is great Vicki. 44 00:02:34,100 --> 00:02:36,400 I'm so thankful to the Lord. 45 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:43,100 But one of the things I have been concerned about, you know, I've prayed 46 00:02:43,100 --> 00:02:45,700 over many things about this dear institution of ours. 47 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:49,000 Is people hearing that 48 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:54,000 well, Concordia Seminary has money and so they don't really need my 49 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:55,200 little donation. 50 00:02:55,200 --> 00:02:57,500 What would you say to that? 51 00:02:57,500 --> 00:03:02,500 It's very important to know that the need continues. 52 00:03:02,500 --> 00:03:05,700 We simply cannot do what we need to do every day here at Concordia 53 00:03:05,700 --> 00:03:10,400 Seminary to prepare our Church's future leaders without our donors on 54 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:11,300 going financial support. 55 00:03:11,300 --> 00:03:15,300 One of the most notable things that we've accomplished in recent 56 00:03:15,300 --> 00:03:20,700 months with donor support is the guaranteed tuition financial aid 57 00:03:20,700 --> 00:03:24,000 program for our students enrolled in a residential minister of 58 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:28,600 formation programs. That eliminates, the biggest hurdle that these students 59 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:32,600 face as they make decisions about coming to the Seminary. 60 00:03:33,500 --> 00:03:38,300 But that program can only continue with our donors ongoing financial 61 00:03:38,300 --> 00:03:43,800 support. The funds that make that guarantee work come from our donors. 62 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:48,500 So yes, our donors have been very generous, but every day is a new day 63 00:03:48,500 --> 00:03:51,100 and our fundraising needs continue. 64 00:03:51,100 --> 00:03:57,300 So I would ask all donors listening to know that again we can't do 65 00:03:57,300 --> 00:04:00,000 what we need to do at the Seminary to fulfill the mission, 66 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:04,100 that is our shared mission, without our donors continuing support. 67 00:04:04,100 --> 00:04:09,600 Thank you, Vicki and and let me take a second to thank you for your 68 00:04:09,600 --> 00:04:13,400 leadership of the Advancement Division. Advancement includes not only 69 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:17,200 fundraising but also Communications and you and your team do a 70 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:21,600 marvelous, marvelous job of getting the word out about the mission of 71 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:22,600 Concordia Seminary. 72 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:23,900 So I thank you. 73 00:04:24,500 --> 00:04:29,800 You may know or may not know that most higher education institutions 74 00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:33,800 get their revenue from tuition. Concordia 75 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:35,300 Seminary is different. 76 00:04:35,300 --> 00:04:41,200 We depend upon donors to make this mission of our Lord Jesus move 77 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:41,800 forward. 78 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:48,400 In fact about 90% of our annual revenue comes from donations. 79 00:04:48,400 --> 00:04:52,000 So it's literally true that Mission Works 80 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:57,400 Thanks to Donors and that's true for your congregation as well. 81 00:04:57,400 --> 00:05:01,000 As you are providing for the ongoing mission of your congregation. 82 00:05:02,500 --> 00:05:07,400 We are also deeply grateful that you're providing for this continuing 83 00:05:07,400 --> 00:05:11,000 mission of our Lord Jesus Christ, and we look forward 84 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:16,100 to Pastor Egger giving us a positive 85 00:05:16,100 --> 00:05:20,500 Yes accepting the presidency here as the 11th president of Concordia 86 00:05:20,500 --> 00:05:26,900 Seminary, and we will continue to move forward. Mission Works 87 00:05:26,900 --> 00:05:28,800 Thanks to you.