In a one-year trial, Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary is taking an active partnership role with the Board for Home Missions (BHM) in supporting the Vicars in Mission Settings program (ViMS). This program assists congregations that might not be able to afford the full cost of a vicar without financial assistance from the BHM.
The vicar year (3rd year of seminary education) offers full-time, in-service training under the guidance of a pastor. The purpose of the vicar experience is to help students learn skills and attitudes desirable for gospel ministry in the contemporary world. “The importance of the vicar year in training pastors can hardly be overestimated. It allows the student a year in which he can put what he has learned in the seminary classrooms into practice in a real life ministry setting,” says President Wendland. “That’s why the seminary is excited about this new joint venture with the BHM.”
The seminary will join forces with the BHM in identifying and selecting congregations to receive this support. Congregations and supervising pastors wishing to participate must meet certain criteria set by the seminary and the BHM. The chief requirement is that a congregation has a pastor with the gifts, the time, and the willingness to serve as a mentor for a student vicar. Also important is the potential for the vicar to receive training in outreach and in working with congregational leaders.
As a result of this collaboration, the number of students participating in the Vicars in Mission Settings program could rise to 22 or more. The exact number depends on such factors as the number of congregations applying for a vicar under this program and the amount of financial support that each congregation can pledge.
At this time, the vicar class of 2008-2009 will number 45 students. If the above projections are accurate, up to 50% of the class could be placed in congregations that have been selected in this way. Board for Home Mission Administrator Pastor Harry Hagedorn states “It is a common goal that this might increase the value of the vicar experience for more and more, as well as enhance the ‘gather, nurture, and equip’ gospel ministry of our church.”
“We hope it can continue.” --President Wendland
