Michigan Lutheran Seminary (MLS) is a coeducational,

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

preparatory school for boarding and day students in grades 9 through 12. Located in

Saginaw, Michigan Saginaw () is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw and Saginaw County are both in the area known as Mid-Michigan. Saginaw is adjacent to Saginaw Charter Township and considered part of Greater ...

, the school encourages students to become pastors and teachers in the

Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS), also referred to simply as the Wisconsin Synod, is an American Confessional Lutheran denomination of Christianity. Characterized as theologically conservative, it was founded in 1850 in Milwaukee ...

, continuing their education at

Martin Luther College Martin Luther College (MLC) is a private college in New Ulm, Minnesota, operated by the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS). Martin Luther College was established in 1995, when Northwestern College (NWC) of Watertown, Wisconsin, combined ...

New Ulm, Minnesota New Ulm is a city in Brown County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 14,120 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Brown County. It is located on the triangle of land formed by the confluence of the Minnesota River and the Co ...

. Founded as a preparatory school in 1910, MLS is operated by the Wisconsin Synod. In 2017, the school enrolled 199 students. The school's curriculum focuses on

theology Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...

foreign language A foreign language is a language that is not an official language of, nor typically spoken in, a given country, and that native speakers from that country must usually acquire through conscious learning - be this through language lessons at schoo ...

s, and the

liberal arts Liberal arts education (from Latin "free" and "art or principled practice") is the traditional academic course in Western higher education. ''Liberal arts'' takes the term ''art'' in the sense of a learned skill rather than specifically the ...

. MLS sponsors 12 interscholastic athletic teams and provides

ministry Ministry may refer to: Government * Ministry (collective executive), the complete body of government ministers under the leadership of a prime minister * Ministry (government department), a department of a government Religion * Christian ...

experiences domestically and abroad.

History

Origins as a pastoral seminary

Michigan Lutheran Seminary began in 1885 as a

seminary A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy, ...

to train pastors for the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Michigan. The school opened in

Manchester, Michigan Manchester is a village in Manchester Township within Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,037 at the 2020 census. History Chicago Road In 1824 the United States Congress passed the General Survey Act, intended to ...

, with one professor and six students. Two years later, MLS moved to

, onto a site donated by a local pastor. In 1892, the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Michigan joined the Synodical Conference and federated with Lutheran synods in Minnesota and Wisconsin. The three confederated synods agreed to convert MLS from a seminary to a preparatory school. Disagreement over this decision led the Michigan Synod to withdraw from the confederation, and MLS continued as a seminary until declining enrollments led to its closure in 1907. Soon, the Michigan Synod again federated with the Minnesota and Wisconsin Synods and negotiated the school's reopening in Saginaw.

Preparatory school

On September 13, 1910, Michigan Lutheran Seminary opened as a preparatory school to train pastors and teachers for the

. Rev. Otto J.R. Hoenecke was installed as the new school's first president. An athletic program was formed when the MLS baseball team began competition in 1911. The preparatory school graduated its first class in 1914. The school saw growth in enrollment, campus expansion, and construction through the 1920s. The MLS basketball team won district championships in 1928 and 1929 and reached Michigan state finals in 1938.

Development

Following a decline in enrollment during the 1930s, growth and rapid development of Michigan Lutheran Seminary began again in the 1940s. As student enrollment outgrew facilities, the Wisconsin Synod authorized new construction. Under school president Rev. Conrad Frey, MLS completed a combined classroom building and gymnasium in 1951, a dining hall in 1954, and a library and student union in 1964. In 1966, Rev. Martin Toepel replaced Frey as president and oversaw the replacement of all student housing, dedicating a 346-person residence hall in 1976. His successor, Rev. John Lawrenz, relocated the dining hall and converted existing space into a chapel in 1980. The addition of a new gymnasium and a remodeling of the campus was completed in 1985. Additional land for athletic programs was purchased and developed throughout the 1970s and 1980s. MLS began offering

experiences for students in the 1970s and 1980s. The ''Taste of Ministry'' program first provided students exposure to teaching careers in Lutheran schools. In 1988, MLS began a similar program for students interested in careers as pastors. In the early 1980s, MLS initiated international exchange programs with schools and churches in

West Germany West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...

and

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

, later developing a program titled ''Project Titus''. ''Project Titus'' makes domestic and foreign mission work available to students.

Recent years

Michigan Lutheran Seminary reached its largest enrollment in the 2000–2001 school year with 381 students. Financial crises in the United States and within the church contributed to a decline in enrollment and reduced faculty in the early 2000s. In 2007, Wisconsin Synod leadership proposed eliminating MLS from the synod's budget. The proposal was rejected by the 2007 synod convention, reasoning "...it is not prudent to downsize proven programs in vital areas of our work, like the production of pastors..." In 2010, MLS renovated its 440-seat chapel and auditorium as part of its 100th-anniversary celebrations. All student housing was renovated in 2014. In 2016, a bronze statue of

Martin Luther Martin Luther (; ; 10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German priest, theologian, author, hymnwriter, and professor, and Order of Saint Augustine, Augustinian friar. He is the seminal figure of the Reformation, Protestant Refo ...

was installed at the school's entrance in anticipation of the 500th anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation. Since 2017, MLS has extended its ''Project Titus'' program to opportunities in Saginaw.

Academics

Enrollment

As of 2017, Michigan Lutheran Seminary had an enrollment of 199 students and 25.8 classroom teachers ( FTE), for a

student-teacher ratio A student teacher or prac teacher (''practice teacher'') is a college, university or graduate student who is teaching under the supervision of a certified teacher in order to qualify for a degree in education. The term is also often used intercha ...

of 7.7. The student body is majority

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, with small

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

, and

African-American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...

minorities. Students come from nine states and two foreign countries. 58% of students live on campus in student housing, while 42% are commuting day students. 53% of students receive financial assistance.

Programs

MLS aims to encourage and prepare all students for service as pastors and teachers in the

. The academic program at MLS prepares students to enroll at

. The curriculum emphasizes

s (

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

, and

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...

), and the

. Together, graduates of Michigan Lutheran Seminary and

Luther Preparatory School Luther Preparatory School (LPS or Luther Prep) is a residential four-year secondary school located in Watertown, Wisconsin, United States. Established in 1865, it is owned and operated by the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS). LPS focu ...

Watertown, Wisconsin Watertown is a city in Dodge and Jefferson counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Most of the city's population is in Jefferson County. Division Street, several blocks north of downtown, marks the county line. The population of Watertown was 22, ...

, make up 35% of Martin Luther College undergraduate students.

Student life

Campus

Michigan Lutheran Seminary is located in a residential neighborhood on the west side of

. The school's campus includes a gymnasium, a chapel/auditorium, classrooms, a dining hall, athletic fields, and student housing. Additional athletic fields are located 1.2 miles northwest of the main campus. 58% of students board at MLS.

Co-curricular activities

Athletics

MLS offers intramural and interscholastic athletic programs throughout the school year. The school's 12 interscholastic programs include

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

, cross country,

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

hockey Hockey is a term used to denote a family of various types of both summer and winter team sports which originated on either an outdoor field, sheet of ice, or dry floor such as in a gymnasium. While these sports vary in specific rules, numbers o ...

(co-op),

wrestling Wrestling is a series of combat sports involving grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. Wrestling techniques have been incorporated into martial arts, combat ...

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...

, and

track and field Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping events ...

for boys;

volleyball Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Summ ...

, cross country, basketball,

softball Softball is a game similar to baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Softball is played competitively at club levels, the college level, and the professional level. The game was first created in 1887 in Chicago by George Hanc ...

, and track and field for girls. MLS is a member of the Tri-Valley Conference (TVC), competing in the TVC West Division, and holds membership in the

Michigan High School Athletic Association The Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) is a service organization for high school sports in Michigan and is headquartered in East Lansing. It is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). Unlike ma ...

. The school's nickname is the Cardinals, and its colors are red and white.

Performing arts

''The MLS Concert Choir'' is a select choir for juniors and seniors that performs

sacred music Religious music (also sacred music) is a type of music that is performed or composed for religious use or through religious influence. It may overlap with ritual music, which is music, sacred or not, performed or composed for or as ritual. Relig ...

within Michigan and around the United States. ''The Shadows'' is a group of student singers that tours Lutheran grade schools and promotes the purpose of MLS. ''The Court Street Players'' is a theater group that encourages interest and involvement in the

theater arts Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perform ...

. The group performs musicals, plays, and children's theater productions.

Activities

Activities include student government, a student-run newspaper ''Red 'n' White'', and work on the MLS yearbook ''The Cardinal''. The MLS Student Council is an elected body that plans various events for the school. Chapel services are held twice daily during the school week.

Ministry experiences

Since 1981, Michigan Lutheran Seminary has offered

experiences through the ''Project Titus'' program. Students travel to locations in the United States and abroad to participate in cross-cultural outreach, serve congregations, and learn more about the careers of pastors and teachers. ''Project Titus'' has offered opportunities to serve locally in Saginaw since 2017. In support of the school's purpose, area pastors lead morning chapel services,

missionaries A missionary is a member of a religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thomas Hale 'On Being a Mi ...

address the student body, and

representatives meet with students during the year. Juniors tour

Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (WLS) is a post-secondary school that trains men to become pastors for the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS). It is located in Mequon, Wisconsin. The campus consists of 22 buildings, including a library tha ...

and Martin Luther College annually. Seniors participate in the ''Taste of Ministry'' program, allowing them to

shadow A shadow is a dark area where light from a light source is blocked by an opaque object. It occupies all of the three-dimensional volume behind an object with light in front of it. The cross section of a shadow is a two-dimensional silhouette, o ...

pastors and teachers of the

Seal

The MLS school seal depicts a cardinal, the school's mascot. Below the cardinal there are three letters: I.N.I. and September 13, 1910—the date the school became part of the

. I.N.I. stands for "In Nomine Iesu" in Latin (''In the name of Jesus''). Below that on the lefthand side is Luther's Seal; on the righthand side is a picture from the State Flag of Michigan.

List of presidents

References

External links

Michigan Lutheran Seminary Website

Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod Website

The ''Red'n'White''
{{authority control Saginaw, Michigan German-American culture in Michigan Private high schools in Michigan Educational institutions established in 1885 Lutheran schools in Michigan Schools in Saginaw County, Michigan Saginaw Intermediate School District 1885 establishments in Michigan Secondary schools affiliated with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod Educational institutions established in 1910 1910 establishments in Michigan