Reflections: Weeks 1-4

Thurs: 9/1 – Buggedy Buggedy Bugenhagen.
  
    More will come on the dorm life, but initial reactions...  Here every student has his own room.  I actually prefer a roommate, so it's a bummer to me. (Oh, how I miss you Joe Ferry!  What will I do my 4th year!).  Also whereas in St. Louis we basically have two large dorm buildings, here there are six smaller buildings, which builds a smaller community, and also potential for dorm pranks and rivalry!
    Bugenhagen is named after Johannes Bugenhagen.  He was a pastor to Martin Luther at St. Mary's church in Wittenberg.  He assisted in translating the bible from Latin to German and provided for Luther's wife and children after Luther's death.

Fri: 9/2 – Orientation, for the 2nd time.
    That's right.  There is one day of Orientation here.  But don't feel like you have it rough with 3.5 days at CSL.  The CTS students get larger doses of what you had in orientation during the year.  I will note as I write about them.

Sun: 9/4 – St. Paul's Lutheran Church
    This morning the LCMS church I attended was St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne.  It was one of the churches already established when the Synod was founded in 1847.

Mon: 9/5 – Fast fact from Orientation
    Students of CTS have 44 children under the  age of three.  I have no idea what the number is in St. Louis.

Tues: 9/6 – Gimmie a break
    I never had the pleasure of taking Elementary Greek and Hebrew in back to back quarters, but I always felt for the guys who did.  Here at CTS the guys take Elementary Greek, then a quarter of initial classes for credit, then take a quarter of Hebrew.  I must admit, it sounds like a great alternative to taking 20 weeks straight language immersion.
  

Thurs: 9/8 - The other Cornerstone
    CTS's student publication is called Cornerstone.  It is a monthly release, unlike “Around the Tower”, which comes out once per quarter. See the most recent at https://www.ctsfw.edu/Document.Doc?id=673.  Hopefully we can make some cross-publication pollination happening eventually.


Sun: 9/11 - Opening Service and Installation of Dr. Lawrence R Rast Jr.
    Today Dr. Rast was installed as the new CTS President during the opening service.
  
Mon: 9/12 – Who ya gonna call?
    First-year students here are requested to donate two hours of their time to call past donors on the telephone and thank them for donating to the Seminary.  At CSL, students are hired and paid by Seminary Advancement.  The man who said this used me as an example as the calling CTS student, but even better was when he looked directly at me while stating: “Concordia Theological Seminary is the greatest Seminary in the country..”.  I decided a proper visitor should not jump up with a broom and yell, “Shenanigans!”

Thurs: 9/15 - Services
    I lead morning prayer service this morning. The morning service is simply Daily Prayer (LSB pg. 295), so I think I managed to avoid putting any CSL-ism or Witt-iosyncrasies into the service. Here there I daily chapel at 7:30, 10:00, 4:15, and 6:15. I estimate an average of 30 attend most mornings. After the 10:00 there is a fellowship time before classes resume at 11:00.  The 4:15 is sparsely attended an primarily focused on commuters who leave after this time.  Many who eat dinner on campus march to the 6:15 right after eating.
    At CSL, the morning prayer is at 7:15 twice a week, but was basically non-existent last year.  The main chapel service is at 11:00, followed by the lunch hour before classes resume at 12:30. Evening prayer services are held three nights a week at 10:00.
    More notes on these will likely come.
  
Fri: 9/16 -  Advisor Hospitality
    Tonight was Advisor Hospitality night where first-year students were invited to their adviser’s house as a chance to get to know them.  This is another great example of how the faculty take personal interest in their students.  Though there is some preliminary movement, CSL does not assign an academic adviser to each student, although the first-year students do share a single adviser.

Sat: 9/17 – Potheads
    Here is my report, Harrison!  The Fort Wayne Single A baseball team are called the Tin-caps.  Recollecting tales from elementary school will probably bring one character to mind.  Johnny “Appleseed” Chapman is buried here in Fort Wayne.  While I did not get to a baseball game, today was the Johnny Appleseed festival in town, which made me recollect what I discovered about the baseball team here.  Oh, some guys here got a great laugh from me seriously thinking we were going to watch the Fort Wayne Potheads play.

Mon: 9/19: Lead chapel
    Today I led the main chapel service at 10:00. The order of service was Morning Prayer.  There were no major differences from leading at CSL, besides chanting prayers and the little details that will change at every location.  However, tend to dwell on details to often.  I felt a bit of pressure once realizing I could be labeled as the St. Louis guy, but the students were very supportive as I received a considerable amount of “nice job” comments.
    At CSL, only returning vicar students assist with chapel during the school year.  Pre-vicarage students are allowed and requested to lead during the summer months.

Tues: 9/20 - Free Laundry
    New High-Efficiency washers and dryers were donated this year to the dorms. Use is free – detergent included.  I don't miss scrounging for quarters like I do in St. Louis!

Fri: 9/23 - Greek Readings classes
    Rather than a single 3-credit Greek Readings course, CTS requires 6 1-hour Greek readings courses.  I find this a much more effective way to stay up on Greek.  However, they have no Hebrew Readings courses.  I think it is fair to say CTS places more emphasis on Greek, while CSL places Greek and Hebrew on an equal plane in coursework.

Mon: 9/26 – Fashion statement
    Chapel leaders here almost always wear a cassock and surplus at every service, whereas an alb is the usual in St. Louis.

Wed: 9/28 – SA Meeting
    Today the Student Association had a plenary meeting in which they present their work, plans, vision, and invite questions from the general student population.  Such meetings are held once each quarter.  I believe the CSL SA should consider this.

Fri: 9/30 – Phoebe Party
    Tonight the female dorm, Engelder Hall, held their annual party. I believe there are about 15 females residents, in this single dorm, where as CSL has two houses for the 5 deaconess-in-training. The dynamics of the female population are difficult to compare because each campus situations are so different.  One consistency on both campuses: they all are wonderful.
    Engelder Hall is more commonly called Phoebe in reference to Romans 16.

Sat: 10/1 - Chow
    I believe the new food service company is starting in today at CSL?  I'm interested in how it is!  Laurie of Creative Dining told me they bid but were not selected.  The food is definitely the best cafeteria food I've had at schools; most students agree it is quality cooking.  It is 10x better than Sodexo last year.